Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Viator, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Viator, Inc.

  400 1st Ave Needham, MA 02494-2815

• 

  Viator, Inc.

  777 N Rainbow Blvd STE 300 Las Vegas, NV 89107

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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/23/2025

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  We have been a trusted Viator partner for over three years, operating as the top-rated ATV and *** tour provider in ***************, ******. Serving over ****** customers, primarily U.S. and Canadian tourists, weve earned more than ***** 5-star reviews. Viator takes a 40% commission on bookings and transfers payments to us monthly.On December 11, 2024, during our busiest season, our account was abruptly suspended without notice. When we tried to log in, it stated our password was incorrect. After several days of contacting support, we learned the suspension was due to a legal name discrepancy. In ******, businesses are registered under the owners name, but we had used our trading name. Despite this being a minor, correctable issue, Viator refused to fix it and required us to create a new account.This decision has been disastrous. Creating a new account forfeited three years of reviews, rankings, and credibility. Although we started the process on December 23, the new account remains inactive as of January 21 due to Viators internal delays.Viators handling has been unacceptable. Support responses took three days per email, often dismissive, with no escalation options. Offshore agents lacked authority to resolve issues, and phone calls yielded no access to managers or decision-makers. Meanwhile, we were forced to fulfill existing bookings without receiving new ones, leading to severe revenue losses and operational chaos.We invested in new vehicles on credit to meet Viator-generated demand and had to lay off staff during the holiday season due to revenue drops. Viators systemic issues, coupled with poor communication and accountability, have caused immense harm to our business.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/25/2025

  Viator has escalated this complaint to our Supplier Support Team which will reach out to the local tour operator in regards to their account. We thank you for all feedback.
  
  Warm Regards,
  Viator ****************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/25/2025

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  Reason for Continued Complaint:
  While Viator has stated that the original account cannot be reactivated, we strongly insist that this account be restored. The suspension arose from a minor discrepancy in the legal name on the account, which could easily be corrected by updating the account details. This is a simple case of someone logging in and changing the legal name to reflect the correct registration in ******, where businesses are legally registered under the owners name. We do not understand how this is deemed impossible.

  
  We have attempted to comply with Viator's demands by creating a new account (supplier number *******), but this account remains non-operational. Specifically, we are unable to pay the required fees for our product listings because the payment system keeps declining our cards, stating that the account is not verified. This is despite the fact that the Trust and Safety team has verified the account twice. We have raised multiple cases to resolve this issue, but no progress has been made.

  
  Moreover, while we are allowed to retain our TripAdvisor listing, the reviews and rankings tied to our Viator activity listings are entirely separate. These rankings are based on reviews, popularity, and conversion data, which Viator is well aware of. A new account would lose all this accumulated history, effectively erasing three years of credibility, over ***** 5-star reviews, and a strong position in Viator's ranking system. This would be devastating to our business.

  
  Viators abrupt suspension of our account on December 11, 2024during our busiest seasonwas handled without notice or proper communication. When we attempted to log in, the system stated the password was incorrect, and it took several days of repeated inquiries to learn that the issue was due to the discrepancy in the legal name. Viator failed to notify us of this issue beforehand, despite having a year to implement changes required by the ******************* Act. Instead, our account was suddenly blocked without warning.

  
  Although we fulfilled all existing bookings, we were unable to receive new ones. This left us running tours unsustainably, with many days of operations incurring full costs but no revenue. While we were paid for those prior bookings, the inability to secure new ones caused massive financial strain. Additionally, we had made significant investments, such as purchasing new vehicles on credit to meet the demand generated by Viator. With no ability to recover these costs, we were forced to lay off staff during the holiday season.

  
  Viators handling of this situation has been unacceptable. Their support team has been slow, unresponsive, and unhelpful. Each inquiry takes several days to receive a dismissive reply, with no access to decision-makers or managers. Even after escalating the matter, we were left dealing with offshore support staff who lacked the authority or ability to resolve the issue.

  
  Resolution Sought:
  We insist that Viator reactivates the original account, as this is a reasonable and straightforward solution to this issue. Viators ranking and review system for activity listings are critical for maintaining our position and credibility, and a new account would strip us of the history and metrics that took years to build.
  We also seek financial compensation for the damages caused by this avoidable disruption. For example, providing us with priority placement in search rankings and sending additional tours our way would help offset the losses we have incurred. This would be a fair way to make amends for the harm done to our business. 
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Miles

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 01/29/2025

  Hello, 

  Thank you for contacting customer service. Unfortunately, we can only assist with consumer-related issued and not with partner/supplier inquiries. We have asked the Viator supply team to to reach out regarding this matter. 

  Regards, 

  Viator Customer Service

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/19/2025

  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.

  An extreme weather event prevented me from doing a tour outdoors, and they refused to refund my money, insisting that I take the risk of driving in a snowstorm, or rescheduling the tour, which wasn't an option. If it was, I would have happily rescheduled. I just wanted a refund, not because I changed my mind, not because of my own poor planning, but because an unexpected snowstorm prevented me from taking a tour on the last day of the trip.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/20/2025

  Thank you for contacting ***************** ********************** has reviewed the booking and decided to issue a full refund as a goodwill gesture. The customer has been emailed directly with this resolution. 
  
  Regards, 
  Viator Customer Service 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/11/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore 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.

  - On January 11, 2025, I submitted an experience to the Viator platform for an IV Therapy experience.- They charge a $29 "non-refundable" listing fee, which I paid - Viator then needs to review the listing and approve or deny it. I expected it to be approved as it was almost identical to other listings they currently have on their site. - They rejected my listing on the the basis that they do not allow medical listings. They sent me an email saying this. This is the exact verbiage from part of that email, "We have rejected this product because it does not comply with our product guidelines: *************************************************************. Specifically, medical-related experiences. In the future, please read through our product guidelines to verify that your products meet them before submitting new products for review."- Besides these two other listings that were live, I had already read the product guidelines and they make no mention about 'medical experiences' being prohibited. Also, to be clear, this is an IV Hydration event, so it's just saline, vitamins, and electrolytes.- I engaged with their online customer service and they continued to repeat that they don't allow medical services and that those listings I found were a mistake on their part and that my listing was not allowed. Also, they reminded me that the $29 I paid was non-refundable.- They also said that my service falls under drugs, but no where in any of the policies that I read and are available to their consumers does it say anything about medical services.- I can accept that the listing was rejected...but what I cannot accept is that they misled me to essentially steal $29 from me as a potential Supplier. This feels like false advertising and misleading claims.- Oh, and I went through their site and they actually have many many listings that have to do with medical services...like Acupuncture, medical plants, Chinese Medicine and even an Ayahuasca experience, which I know is an illegal drug.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/15/2025

  Thank you for contacting customer service. Your concerns have been forwarded to the Viator Supply Team for further assistance as **************** can only assist with booking-related issues. Please keep an eye out for an email from them.
  
  
  Regards,
  Viator ****************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/15/2025

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  They did respond, but did not answer my complaint or refund my money. All they did was tell me that we contacted the wrong department and that they would forward it on to another team. This does not constitute a resolution. 
  
  Regards,

  *******

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 01/15/2025

  Thank you for contacting Viator ***************** We can see our Supplier ****************** team following up with you directly via email. Please continue to communicate with them via email as customer service is unable to assist on your issue, unfortunately.

  Kind Regards,
  Viator Customer Service

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/16/2025

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  They are only sending form responses and they are not addressing the complaint that I filed against their company for what I consider unlawful and misleading customer practices.
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *******

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/08/2025

  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 purchased a package from Viator that included a one-hour guided tour of the ************ and a Seine River cruise. I was charged on 12/20/2024. The package allowed the river cruise to be taken on the same day as the Eiffel Tower tour (12/22/2024) or the following day. However, my voucher was only accessible on the day of the Eiffel Tower tour, and I couldnt access it for the cruise on 12/23.When I contacted Viator, they denied this option and required proof, which I couldnt provide at the time as I was on vacation with limited resources. I later found my voucher, which confirmed the option to take the cruise the following day (this had also been confirmed by the tour guide.) Despite providing this proof, Viator refused to issue a refund.Additionally, the Eiffel Tower tour was cut short (20 minutes instead of the advertised 1 hour) due to rain, even though it was promoted as rain or shine. While we chose to stay, the guide ended the tour early. This left us no better off than if wed purchased tickets directly from the ************ for $114.90. I requested a refund for the booking, excluding the ticket price.After multiple emails with no resolution, I wrote"Given the circumstances and having provided the evidence you requested, I find it unacceptable that I am being dismissed without a resolution. The mismanagement of my voucher and the shortened duration of the tour resulted in an experience that failed to meet the advertised promises. This situation caused inconvenience during my trip and required unreasonable follow-up. I must respectfully insist this matter be resolved. Given the evidence and the mishandling of my booking, I am expecting a refund of $608.56 minus the ticket cost of $114.90."Viator responded"However, we understand that this experience did not live up to your expectations. As you are a valued customer, ********************** would like to extend a partial refund for this cruise of this booking,"offering $69.75. I am not happy with that solution.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/13/2025

  The customer purchased a Eiffel Tower Tour with Optional Summit and Seine River Cruise for a travel date of 2/22/2024.  This tour includes a visit to the ******************* and Siene river cruise.  The tour was given as advertised.  The customer requested a refund  stating the tour was not given as planned.  Viator **************** placed a refund request on the customers behalf.  The refund request was denied by the local tour operator stating that the tour was given as advertised and no other participants had issues this day.  For this reason the refund request was denied.  Although Viator understands the customers disappointment we are not able to refund the customer. 
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/07/2025

  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 booked a snorkeling excursion with them and the travel agent emailed me the day before saying there weren't enough participants in the excursion and attempted to reschedule me for a later date. I told her I wasn't available that day and requested a refund. She stopped responding so I took matters into my own hands and requested a refund and it was approved. The refund amount is for $0 but I demand the full amount because this is on thier end! Give me my money back now!!!

  Business Response

  Date: 01/08/2025

  Viator has reviewed the case. On January 7, the tour operator (Cabo Adventures) of the tour Beach ****** *********** Snorkeling Tour in *********, notified the customer that the tour would not take place, as the tour operator had not reached the minimum number of participants required to run the tour. At that time, the customer canceled the booking using self-service but, as the cancelation was made within 24 hours from the tour date, when per the Terms & Conditions, the activity is not refundable, the system automatically issued a notification that refund would be "0." However, the refund was processed by the tour operator that same day. On January 7, Viator sent the confirmation of the refund to the customer, adding the bank information number required for the customer to follow up with their bank.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/06/2025

  Type:Order 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.

  We paid $250 for a ***** ****** tour and our guide was horrible and cut it short. Waste of time and money!

  Business Response

  Date: 01/07/2025

  Viator would like to thank the customer for sharing their experience regarding the tour. Viator regrets to hear about the challenges the customer faced and appreciates the opportunity to assist the customer further. We have reached out to the local tour operator on the customers behalf to request a refund and have notified the customer directly.  By way of reminder, Viator is not a travel or tour agency, and we do not provide such experiences ourselves. We value the customer feedback and are here to help.
  
  Best regards,
  
  Viator Customer Service 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/03/2025

  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.

  Wednesday 01/01/2025 73.80$ adult ticket trip advisor is the third party booking for the New York Big Bus hop on hop off tour I am requesting a refund because the services I paid for were not delivered as promised. From the moment I boarded the bus, it was clear that the experience would not meet expectations. The driver did not even bother to scan my barcode, leaving me uncertain whether my ticket was properly validated. This lack of professionalism immediately set a negative tone for the trip.Additionally, the bus was overcrowded, with more passengers than available seats. This created an uncomfortable and disorganized environment, making it difficult to relax during the ride. To make matters worse, there were homeless individuals on the bus, which raised concerns about cleanliness, safety, and overall comfort.The trip was also cut short without prior notice. The driver ended the ride early, citing cold weather and pedestrians as the reason. While I understand that weather and safety concerns can occasionally cause disruptions, I expected the company to have contingency plans in place to avoid sudden cancellations or interruptions. Instead, the experience felt poorly managed and unprofessional.I purchased my ticket expecting a smooth, safe, and reliable journey. Unfortunately, the reality fell far short of those expectations. The lack of organization, overcrowding, and abrupt end to the ride made the service feel unreliable and chaotic. I believe a refund is justified under these circumstances, as the experience I received was completely different from what was promised.Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope this matter can be resolved promptly.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/06/2025

  Viator has reviewed the case. The customer booked the Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus on December 22, 2024, with a travel date set for January 1, 2025.

  Viator has reached out to the Local Tour Operator, Big Bus Tours - ***, which confirmed that the tour was operational on the day of the booking. The tour operates from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with buses running every 10 to 15 minutes. 
  
  To further investigate the case, we have requested additional information from the customer and are currently awaiting their response. 
  
  Until we receive more details, the Local Tour Operator has denied the refund request, as the tour was available.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/26/2024

  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.

  On Oct. 5, 2025, I paid for a Tokyo Bay Cruise experience for Oct 7 via the company Viator at $389.08 for two adults and two kids. We just missed the departure due to circumstances. I called Viator to see about rebooking. The agent told us we could rebook but needed to pay for the second tour up front at $379.60. The agent led us to believe we would receive a refund from either the tour operator or Viator on the initial purchase ($389.08) whether or not the tour operator responded to the escalation within 3 business days. We repeated this back to the agent to make sure a refund would happen before confirming a "rebooking" for Oct 8th. This was important because the cancellation policy requires 24 hours in advance for a full refund. With the agent's full confirmation that we would be issued a refund by either the tour operator or Viator for the first purchase of $389.09, we went ahead and paid the $379.60 for the "rebooking" of the Oct 7th slot for a slot on Oct. 8th. If the agent had not confirmed a refund would follow no matter what, we would NOT have booked the second slot. Later that evening, I received an email that the tour operator could not issue a refund. I was fine as the second part of what the agent over the phone led us to believe would kick in: that Viator would refund us. However, what instead followed was a barrage of email and phone communications back and forth culminating in a Final Decision from Viator to not honor any refund. I called and they instead only apologized for what the agent may have led us to believe. This is an unacceptable resolution as we a) paid for a second cruise we would otherwise not have b) had no remedy to cancel the second one due to the timing of its purchase and start time and receipt of Viator's final decision and c) there is no wording on the Viator site for this cruise that not even a partial refund would be granted. It is too much money to simply forfeit, and if that is the risk, the site should state so CLEARLY.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/27/2024

  Following a thorough review of your case by Viator, this reservation's records indicate that a resolution has been provided. 
  
  At Viator, it is assured that the customers feel heard, and that the **************** makes all possible effort to provide a fair and congruent resolution.
  
  The customer has reached out to ********************** **************** within 24 hours from the experience's start time. The customer's reservation agreed to the terms and conditions on the product page which are below: 
  - You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
  - For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experiences start time.
  - If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experiences start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  - Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experiences start time will not be accepted.
  - Cut-off times are based on the experiences local time.
  
  We apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding in this matter. Should you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Viator.
  
  Warm Regards,
  Viator ****************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/27/2024

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  Rejection Comments:
  

  Viator's response does not address taking accountability for their employee providing incorrect or misleading information. A business is responsible for the actions of their representatives. In this case, it cost me an additional $379.60 for the second cruise purchase (confirmation: **********; booking reference: **********).

  Despite what the cancellation policy on the reserving page indicates, if a company representative assures something different and collects additional funds on that premise, the business should do the right thing by taking accountability and returning funds or providing some other remedy that would make the customer feel whole rather than cheated. This is consistent practice many businesses undertake to protect the integrity of their brands and services. Also, the full cancellation details provided in the business' response is not reachable from the booking details page post purchase, only on the reservation page prior to purchase. This is also a misinformation practice, whether conscious or not.

  Viator's company representative conveyed a zero risk for a refund. We reconfirmed that fact with said representative. That confirmation is the only reason we laid down a second purchase. The customer service agent represented ********************** during this call and we trusted the information they gave. Now Viator is not taking accountability for this unfortunate misinformation and seeks to consciously abscond with an ill-gained additional $379.60. It is Viator's responsibility to ensure all customer service agents are properly trained and give information to customers that align with their internal and external policies. That training should come at Viator's expense, not the customer's.

  We will accept a full or partial refund for the initial cruise ($389.08 confirmation: 1572541095; booking reference: 1187648977) or the subsequent purchase based on incorrect agent representation ($379.60 confirmation: **********; booking reference: **********).

  ---
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *******

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 01/10/2025

    On 10/3/2023, the customer independently booked a Tokyo Bay Cruise Yakatabune with Dinner Japan Show & Free drinks for a travel date of 10/7/2024.  The terns and conditions for this experience is listed on the brochure page for this tour, as well as the check out page and also listed on the prepaid voucher ticket.  Also the customer must agree to the terms and condition of the tour before the tour can be purchased.  On 10/7/2024, the customer contacted ********************** customer service to amend the tour date as they realized the missed the departure time.  Viator customer service was not able to make the amendment for the customer, however, sent an amendment request to the local tour operator to see if they would make an exception since the booking was non refundable and non changeable at this stage of the terms and conditions.  The local tour operator advised that they were not able to amend since they have already placed the food order and reserved spaces for the customer.  The customer then requested a refund for the booking and rebooked tour for an alternative date.  We pulled the call between our customer and the customer service agent that assisted the customer in rebooking the tour and confirmed that the customer was not misinformed regarding the terms and conditions of the tour.  Although we understand the customer frustration with a refund denial, we are not able to refund the customer. 
  
  
  Warm Regards,
  
  Viator Customer Service  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/23/2025

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered.  

  The order of events listed in the businesses response are incorrect and missing other details. As such it is misleading and engineered to paint a picture that the business was not clear during our live conversations. If we step back for a moment, what rational person would willingly spend another large sum of money with no guarantee that the previous sum would be refunded? The live conversations, as detailed in my previous response, led us to believe that a refund would be issued whether by the Tour Operator OR Viator in this instance, despite normal procedures.  

  There were two calls, and a third as the original phone used to call lost power, on the night when all of this went down. We request the business produce transcripts of all three calls if the business, as their message posits, believes that the calls affirm their claim that we completely understood there was no guarantee of refund and in so understanding went ahead and booked another tour. We do not believe these transcripts will show this and in fact will corroborate what we have reported.

  Again, we will only be satisfied with a refund for the first booking or for the second booking. There are easy arguments for either. We would also accept a partial refund if all parties agree that there was indeed miscommunication on both sides. But please, let's just be fair and put this back and forth to a stop. It is a bad look.

  ---
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *******

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/26/2024

  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.

  On 10/26/2024, my husband and I booked a tour for 10/27/2024 to Mount Pilatus Summit from ******* with Lake Cruise through Viator, Inc. on their website. The total amount of the 2 tickets was ****** Euros or $368.90 USD. On the morning of 10/27/2024, my husband and I walked down to the dock to see where we would be embarking for the tour. Seeing only one boat docked, we asked the captain if he knew where the Mount Pilatus Summit tour would begin, and we showed him our tickets. He confirmed there were no boats providing this tour during the winter months. It was then we noticed our tickets stated "summer day trip" tour. To confirm this information, we decided to ask the lady at the Information Booth at the dock. She proceeded to tell us the same thing; that there was no tour that day. At that time, we purchased individual cog rail tickets to ************* for that day, with plans to cancel the tour tickets when we arrived back at our hotel that evening. On the evening of 10/27/2024, I contacted the credit card company asking them to cancel the payment, which they stated would take up to 10 business days to investigate. Since that time, I have been in contact with Viator, Inc., explaining the situation and asking for a refund. I have disputed the charge with our card issuer. On 12/5/2024, Viator, Inc. emailed the following message which stated in part, "You therefore need to instruct your Card Issuer to cancel this Chargeback and confirm that you have done so by replying to this email. Should this matter not be resolved, we reserve all our rights, including the right to pass this matter to our debt collection agents, and/or to commence proceedings to obtain a court judgment requiring you to pay the Debt plus interest and costs." We feel Viator, Inc.'s advertising of the tour was misleading. All we want is our money back; $368.90, since we did not take the tour.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/27/2024

  Following a thorough review of your case by Viator, this reservation's records indicate that a chargeback has been submitted for this transaction. Once submitted, all correspondence regarding further action or resolution are escalated to Viator's Chargeback team. The Viator's **************** team is unfortunately unable to assist with any further requests from this point. 
  
  The Chargeback team will get in contact, if they have not yet contacted, with the bank or credit card provider during this process.  
  
  Should the customer have any further inquiries regarding the status of your chargeback, they will need to reach out to the bank or credit card provider.
  
  Warm Regards,
  Viator ****************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/26/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  On December 22nd I booked a dog sledding tour. On December 23rd I recieved militray orders I needed to report to Ft ****** due to an assignment on Dec 24th at 11am. On December 23rd left message for cancellation On December 24 no response therefore called and told them the situation and asked to reschedule for either December 25th or December 26th They stated they had to charge me $400 on top of the $796 I already paid in order to rescheudle. I stated I could not afford another $400.They stated "Sorry"I tried to cancel within the 24 hours once I found out about my orders they did not respond I treid to reschedule but they wanted to charge me more to rescheudle. I did not go becuase I could not due to my military orders I would like a full refund since I did not receive the tour.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/27/2024

  Following a thorough review of your case by Viator, this reservation's records indicate that a resolution has been provided. 
  
  At Viator, it is assured that the customers feel heard, and that the **************** makes all possible effort to provide a fair and congruent resolution. As a result of the communication, the customer's request was escalated to and reviewed by Viator Management Team. 
  
  The customer's booking agreed to the terms and conditions on the product page which are below: 
  - You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
  - For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experiences start time.
  - If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experiences start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  - Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experiences start time will not be accepted.
  - Cut-off times are based on the experiences local time.
  
  We apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding in this matter. Should you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Viator.
  

  Warm Regards,
  Viator ****************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/27/2024

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.  If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
  I do not accept the complaint as I did not cancel due to not wanting to go, I asked to reschedule and they wanted to charge me ****** to rescheudle they would not work with me even though I had US Miliatry Orders.  I asked to reschedule they stated "No Sorry unless you pay $******".  They did not try to provide a reasaonable accomadation for my Miliatry orders that I am required by law to abide by.  As a miliatry service member I can be ordered to my unit at any time. They would not work with me which is a violation as I am protected by the *****  I asked them to reschedule to Dec 25 or 26 and they would not. In the miliatry you can recieve orders at anytime I called Dec 23rd and left a message and they did not return my call.  I then called Dec 24 at 7am again and that was then they told me to pay ****** to reschedule.  I am asking for a full refund. 

  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Lola

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 01/03/2025

  As a gesture of goodwill, Viator has refunded the customer in full.