Description

My wife filled out a "Bahamans Vacation for 2" raffle. We were contacted via text a few weeks later stating we had won. We called the number provided and talked with a travel agent. They informed us that it was a 3 night, 4-day vacation in the Bahamas. During the phone call they told us there was a cruise ship that we could take from Ft Lauderdale FL to Freeport Bahamas and then back again. If we opted for this, they would extend the vacation to 6 nights 7days. We would only have to pay the port fees of 87.50 per person per trip. Two people there and two people back mean's $350 dollars. The cruise line was Margaritaville at Sea, which is a legit cruise line with reputable service. Then all we had to do was pay the resort taxes for the days we stayed. They offered 3 resorts to choose from, 1 being an all-inclusive resort called Viva Fortuna by Wyndham All Inclusive Beach Resort. we had 18 months to choose the dates. Sounded like a legit process, we looked up the resort, and we looked up the cruise line. All legit places. When we went ahead with the vacation plans, after spending the $350 in port fees we found an "ALERT" on the website that stated the US customs has changed their policy and the cruise line could no longer drop people off on the island and return days later to pick them back up. Something about passengers had to return with the boat when it returned to its originating port. So, the travel agency offered an extended stay at the resort. Now instead of 1 day cruise there, 4 days and three nights on the island and a return 1 day cruise, it was now a 6night 7day all-inclusive stay on the island and again, all you had to pay was the resort taxes. They also stated that if you had already paid any port fees/taxes you could use that to offset the resort taxes and possibly air fare if you booked your flight through them. There is no number provided at this point, all communication is through the website via "internet *texts* I guess you would call it". They inform me that what I thought were port fees/taxes for the cruise line was actually charges as "cruise administration fees" and not port taxes at all and I could not use that towards the resort taxes. The notice from the cruise line about the changes stated that the money already paid to the cruise could be used in a future booking if desired. At this point I probably should have quite while I was a head. But the cruise line is a legit company, and the resort is also a legit company so how could this go wrong?.. Now to book your resort dates, you had to pay the $228 for the resort taxes. This would allow them to book your stay at all 3 resorts based on your dates and then after you chose which resort you wanted to stay at, they would cancel the other 2 reservations. We go ahead and pay the 228 and then receive a message IMPORTANT NOTICE – PLEASE CONFIRM and you have to click on a link that provided that information about the cruise line no longer being an option and that transportation to the Bahamas had to be done on your own, basically I have to book my own flight to get there. I'm ok with flying there so that I can spend more time at the very nice resort instead of the cruise line. Honestly the boarding and debarkation from cruise ships is always a process and I didn't have to deal with that now. A month goes by and I had not received any information about the resort's, at this point a phone number had finally been provided and I call it. The person that answers tells me that I didn't respond to the important notice and confirm that I read it. There was no box to click or anything, I opened the notice and figured that would have met the requirement. Apparently I had to respond to the message and say that I read the notice. Bingo-Bango 2 days later I get the information that my reservations have been booked at all the resorts and now I just have to choose which of the 3 I wanted to stay at and they would cancel the others. As I read through, towards the bottom of the resort information is the last sentence " As a winner of a vacation in The Bahamas, the room here is also paid in full (hotel taxes not included) and the daily resort fee is only $89 a person for 24 hours a day use of all the amenities along with all of your meals and drinks and entertainment being all inclusive for your entire stay." Room is paid for? All inclusive? yet I have to now pay an additional $89 per person, per day. So $178 per day for 6 nights. This free vacation has now added up to almost $1650 and I still haven't paid for the flight. Each step had a pay now, get more information after. It seemed fishy but the resort and cruise line are real. So if you see anything for Wallman Travel or tripassurance.com you'll know that it IS going to give you a vacation, but by taking your money and then charge you more fees without telling you till after. Then provide no refund even though they haven't really provided any services and the vacation is 7 months away.