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Business Profile

Tourist Information

Premier World Discovery

Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 7 total complaints in the last 3 years.
  • 3 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

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The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/12/2024

    Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    My experience with Premier was a nightmare, revealing their shocking negligence, unprofessionalism, and disregard for customer safetyespecially disturbing for a senior group expecting a safe, guided tour.Our flight was rerouted, and Premier claimed it was due to an airport closure (which never happened). We spent the night at an airport hotel without luggage, instead of the resort wed paid for. After 36 hours of travel, Premier had no transportation arranged from the foreign airport to our hotel, a hundred miles away. With a full days notice, their response was a dismissive Enjoy the adventure. Exhausted seniors, some with mobility issues, had to pay over $1,000 out of pocket for private rides just to reach the hotel.Once there, things only got worse. The hotel was isolated, with no access to essentials or nearby towns. Premier had us on hours-long, pointless drives, and the only way out seemed to be by ambulancea grim joke that turned real when several members suffered serious injuries due to Premiers poor planning, with one still hospitalized overseas. Given the high cost of Premiers tours, their compensationa $100 check and a $200 travel creditis an insult and wont even begin to cover the medical bills from these incidents.For over a month, Ive tried to resolve this directly with Premier, but theyve ignored my emails and refuse to provide the information needed to file a travel insurance claim. Premiers unprofessionalism throughout was astounding; it felt like dealing with a company run by toddlerscompletely disorganized, irresponsible, and indifferent to the needs of their clients.If I can dissuade even one person from risking their health and safety with this company, sharing this will have been worth it. I dont want anyone to have to go through what we did.

    Customer Answer

    Date: 11/12/2024

    Im only seeking to be refunded the money paid for the services. 

    Business Response

    Date: 06/12/2025

    Unfortunately, weather issues forced Swiss air to divert from original landing. This happens in the industry, we have zero control.  We had our 24 service team work with the group leader on the ground, and we did reimburse all who spent their own funds, paying for the transfers, The tour overall, was well received regarding the hotels, tour quality, guides etc. It was an unfortunate to start to the tour as a result of weather, and we reacted as best we could. Most passengers felt satisfied with the refund (which we were not under obligation to offer) and future travel credit, which is standard for the travel industry to offer for inconveniences related to matters outside of our control such as weather delays.  

    Please below response to ***** timely from our staff attempting to help her on November 5. 

     

     

    On Nov 5, 2024, at 3:40?PM,******* ****** <************************************************************> wrote:

    Hello *****,

    Premier World Discovery does not possess specific documentation regarding the reason for the flight cancellation, as this was not a change initiated by our company. We are a third-party tour operator, unaffiliated with *********, and we utilize their services solely to book flights for our tours.
    Please be assured that we are not withholding any information. We are committed to assisting you in the most effective way possible to support your claim with your **************** provider. As I mentioned in my previous communication, the appropriate protocol for obtaining the necessary documentation is to contact Swiss Air directly through the link I listed below. They will be able to provide the official record explaining the reason for the flight's cancellation.
    ******* ******
    ******* ****** | Group Sales Coordinator | Premier World Discovery
    **************************************************************
    Ph: ************ | ext 234
    Toll Free: ************  

    Customer Answer

    Date: 06/14/2025

     
    Complaint: 22534539

    I am rejecting this response because:

    Premiers response deliberately misrepresents the nature of my complaint. I am not faulting them for the existence of bad weather or a flight diversion. Weather happensthats understood. What I am criticizing is Premiers complete lack of contingency planning and their irresponsible decision-making in response to that weather, which resulted in serious safety risks and financial harm to multiple travelers.

    Despite claiming to offer 24-hour support, Premier left a group of exhausted seniorssome with mobility issuesstranded at a foreign airport with no transportation arranged to a hotel over 100 miles away. They had at least a full days notice that our flight had changed, yet offered no plan, no support, and ultimately told us to enjoy the adventure. That is not customer service; it is abandonment.

    Even worse, they decided to go ahead with a walking tour in extreme weather conditions, which directly contributed to injuriesone so serious that the traveler remains hospitalized overseas. This was not an act of nature. It was a human decision by Premiers staff, one that showed poor judgment and blatant disregard for health and safety.

    For a company that charges premium rates and advertises itself as experienced in group travel, this level of disorganization and disregard is unacceptable. Offering a token $100 check and a $200 travel credit does nothing to address the significant out-of-pocket costs, medical trauma, or failure to assist with insurance documentationanother basic responsibility theyve ignored.

    I stand by my original complaint: the issue was not the weather, but Premiers choices in response to it. Those choices put vulnerable people in danger, cost them money, and left them without support. Premiers attempt to reframe this as an act of nature is both dishonest and insulting

    Sincerely,

    ***** ******

    Business Response

    Date: 06/23/2025

    Premier acted as quickly as we could to resolve a complex issue, occurring overseas. Operating a scheduled tour during warm temperatures is not irresponsible. This is part of what can occur in different parts of the world, at certain times of the year, and we take every step to inform passengers of how to prepare, but at times passengers do fall il on tour, for a multitude of reasons. I feel Ms. ***** is simply not a good fit for group travel and should consider this when planning her next vacation. As I mentioned, the majority of passengers in this tour submitted a positive Evalution despite the inconvenient start to it. 

    Customer Answer

    Date: 06/23/2025

     
    Complaint: 22534539

    I am rejecting this response because:


    Premiers latest statement continues to deflect from the core issue: they failed to provide any contingency plan or assistance after a known flight diversionleaving elderly travelers in a foreign country with no arranged transportation and no meaningful support. Saying they acted quickly is simply false. In reality, passengers had to arrange their own transfers over 100 miles at personal expense, with no guidance, no reimbursement process, and no help from Premiers supposed 24-hour hotline.
    Their claim that operating a scheduled tour during warm temperatures is not irresponsible is a deliberate minimization of the circumstances. The problem was not the temperatureit was Premiers decision to proceed with strenuous walking tours during extreme heat and after long delays, resulting in serious injuries, including one traveler still hospitalized overseas.
    The most revealing part of their response is the personal attack suggesting I am not a good fit for group travel. This is not only unprofessionalits an attempt to shift blame onto a paying customer who expected basic safety and logistical support. It also disregards the fact that multiple travelers on this tour raised similar concerns and experienced hardship.
    I am not asking for perfection. I am asking for accountability, transparency, and basic care for customer safetyespecially when a tour is marketed as senior-friendly. Premier has failed on every count.


    Sincerely,

    ***** ******

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/04/2024

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Premier advertised the following trip to ************** Senior Travel in *******, *****. *********, **************************** September 25th October 2nd 2024 2 nights in ********* at the ******* ********************************************************************** ******** Bourbon Experience*The Ark Encounter************************************************************************************** Tour*Country Music Hall of Fame************************ . At the September 10th meeting, only 15 days from departure we were told that our destination to The *********************** and our 2 night stay at the ******* *************** and our Bourbon experience at the ******************************************** had been cancelled. Premier intentionally waited till 15 days before departure to inform us about these cancellations; the result being if we cancelled our trip with them, we would not be able to receive the full refund and $400 deposit would be withheld. We found out we were cancelled at the ******* *************** because of a room price dispute between ******* and Premier; not because of unavailability. This was another example of Premier advertising a trip that they could not guarantee to the consumer. Additionally, we were disappointed that the **** ******** Bourbon destination was taken off our schedule. We were sent a letter by the owner of Premier, *** *****, stating that they added comparable destinations with the **************** downtown and a night on the General ******* showboat. To make matters worse, Hurricane ****** hit ******* and ************** and we were not able to go to ********, ************** for the **************** - We were also not able to go to **************************** due to it being closed. The charge was $4224 for a double and we receive a $150 refund? Three main destinations were cancelled. ***** ******* *********************** Cell ************

    Business Response

    Date: 11/15/2024

    There was an award show taking place at the originally scheduled hotel, so we needed to find a new hotel. The ***** Ole **** was dark the evening the group was scheduled to see the show, so we replaced the show with another show The General ******* Showboat dinner cruise. Re the **************, there was hurricane there that destroyed the venue, so we included backstage passes tour of the ***********************. We also included (not advertised) the famous Studio B tour and we have also refunded a substantial amount of money to each passenger as well as included a sizable future trave certificate. 

    We feel at this time, we have done the right thing by all clients on this tour. The tour evaluations were for the most part positive as well. 

    *** *****

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:04/11/2024

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Had to cancel our trip to ***** this March 2024. Submitted doctor's ******* etc but now they are saying no refund. I know we won't get insurance money back. ********* was not what we wanted to do but couldn't be helped Our travel agent assured us we would get a full refund. What a joke...

    Business Response

    Date: 04/11/2024

    This passenger sent in medical documentation that was not sufficient to establish personal illness and received a partial refund and a travel certificate under their Any Reason Cancellation Waiver benefits. Her travel agent has been reaching out to **** and SK trying to submit more medical documentation. This cancellation has been processed based on what has been submitted to date with partial refund ($1119) + $2517 certificate. Until/unless anything further is submitted that would allow us to re-evaluate the cancellation reason/documentation there is not much we can do.
  • Initial Complaint

    Date:07/10/2023

    Type:Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    They refuse to honor my letter from my doctor who has described that I can no longer use my credit on a group bus type trip my doctor do not want me to travel in groups I have trip insurance but They instead offer to extend the credit to be used by a year Not a good resolution I want my deposit back They say the credit has no money value but I want the deposit i paid back

    Business Response

    Date: 07/20/2023

    We will review this Monday July 24 as customer relations staff return from vacation. I apologize for the delay

    *****************

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:07/05/2023

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I canceled a trip through hsv village voice travel club/premiere world discovery, *************, **. In May. I have yet to receive my refund of 1200$ after contacting them 4 times. There is always an excuse and an 600$ refund was quoted. I do have paperwork and 1200$ is correct. My patience is wearing thin. Help if you can. Thank you.

    Business Response

    Date: 07/26/2023

    The refund check for the full $1200 amount requested was mailed on 6/29/23. The client was notified at that time that the refund check had been mailed. The refund was issued within the standard 4-6 week processing time from when the cancellation request was received.

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