ComplaintsforWorldStrides

• Initial Complaint

  04/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I payed for the refund protection plan on an 8th grade school trip to **. Due to safety concerns we decided it would be in our daughter's best interest not to attend. I cancelled the trip on Wednesday, March 27th. Our school rep said it could take up to 3 weeks to process a refund. I find it absurd that I had to pay on time in full, but the company gets multiple weeks to issue a refund? I follow-up on Thursday, April 18th about my refund and they tell me it could be another 1 to 2 weeks. I relay that is unacceptable and ***************************** tells me to wait until Monday to see if the check arrives. If not, they will overnight a check. So, I contacted them again yesterday April 23rd that it has not arrived and get a response that it will be another 1 to 2 weeks. Then yesterday afternoon I receive a very rude and obnoxious call. I think it was from ******* telling me that it will be 1 to 2 weeks. I reiterate the documentation I have stating a check would be overnighted and he proceeds to tell me that Worldstrides bank denied processing the refund. That is why I did not receive it back in the original form of payment, which was a credit card. Then he says the company does not just hold money and can't just issue a refund immediately. WOW! I'm sure this would be a fun IRS audit. Needless to say, I paid $245 for the refund protection program - WHICH I WANT BACK since they did not agree to the contractual obligation of it. I also want what I originally paid in full, which is $2092. I should also be compensated for my time in having to deal with a company that lies about a program that they offer.

  Business response

  04/29/2024

  Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing your experience. We truly value your feedback and want you to know that we take your concerns seriously.
  We have reviewed your inquiry and wish to emphasize that we understand that our refund process can be lengthy, due to internal policies, our standard refund timeframe is four weeks for the refund to be sent.
  Looking into the details of your account your cancellation was processed on 27 March, and your refund was issued on 16 April, our refunds are sent back through transaction reversal, unfortunately upon this process being attempted it was not possible to complete the transaction. This was given that recently we changed our payment processor. Therefore a check was issued on April 17th and mailed on April 19th via paper check through USPS.
  This paper check, with number #******, for $1,847 was mailed to your home address last Friday and it will be delivered by the USPS,therefore, it can take a few days to be delivered.
  We appreciate your patience and understanding on this matter. Please be advised that your cheque will be delivered as soon as possible.
  Once again, thank you for choosing WorldStrides. We truly value your business and hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future.
  

  Customer response

  04/30/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

  Per an email sent to your company last Friday:

  FACTS
  1)  Your Mount Paran rep stated that all money would be refunded within 3 weeks.  THIS WAS A LIE
  2)  Your Mount Paran rep stated that a trip could be cancelled for any reason, and it would be refunded promptly without any issue or hassle.  THIS WAS A LIE
  3)  You have already fallen outside of both the 3 and 4 week time window.
  4)  I don't believe a check has been issued.  There is no physical proof other than what you have typed.  Where is the certified tracking or perhaps an image of the check?
  5)  My money was supposed to be refunded to my credit card.  If there was an issue either on your bank's end or my bank's end, why didn't you contact me and it could have been issued immediately.  It's like you went out of your way to hold the money as long as possible.
  6)  ***************************** stated a check would be overnighted.  It is documented in an email.  THIS WAS A LIE
  7)  Since you have breached your contract.  I am owed my $245 back.  If you wanted to avoid that, the company should have issued the refund in a more timely manner.  If you always planned to mail a check 1) you should have used certified tracking, and 2) you should have mailed it knowing full well that the **** is having its own problems right now and could take longer to deliver it.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Day of the trip my daughter got ill. She was fighting through it as she really wanted to go, but the airline did not allow her to board the plane so we had to go get her from the airport. Worldstrides keeps saying we canceled the trip less than 24 hours prior so there is no refund, but we did not cancel, she was not allowed to go. Then we were told the only option available to us was to personally buy a new plane ticket and send our 14 yr old child across the country by herself although she has never traveled before...which still wasn't an option even if it wasn't a ridiculous request as she was ill and airline wouldn't allow her on the plane. I have spoken to several people in customer service and tried to get a resolution, but I'm told the full refund program that I paid for only works before 24 hours because we canceled...we did not cancel. I bought the insurance $285 extra, I've been reasonable and polite and now I am being ignored completely. One customer service representative was so nice, he was sure there was a mistake and I could get a refund, but called back hours later saying he couldn't help and to keep trying.... I'm trying, but getting nowhere so I am hoping you can assist. This was a huge expense for our family, it may not be for this company, but for our family $309 a month was quite an investment WorldStrides Customer #*********

  Business response

  04/18/2024

  Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing your experience. We truly value your feedback and want you to know that we take your concerns seriously.
  
  We are extremely sorry that ******* was unable to attend her trip, much more that this was due to a health-related situation. While we empathize with your situation, we want to confirm that looking into the details of your account you did not follow the established and notified guidelines to make use of the Full Refund Program, which states clearly that it covers you against cancelation, should you need to cancel, at any time, up to 24 hours before the departure date of your trip.
  Our records indicate that you did not inform us about your need to cancel Mirandas account until 04/02/24, which was the departure date of your trip. During your communication with us, you confirmed to us that you were not aware that ******* was feeling sick or ill. Given the circumstances,we have decided to ***** you an exception and honor the Full Refund Program,therefore you will be refunded the amount of $2265.00 within the following 7 to 10 business days.
  Once again, thank you for choosing WorldStrides. We truly value your business and hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future.
  

  Customer response

  04/19/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's offer.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. If the company does not perform as promised I can get back to you at: **********************************************.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************************
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  There was a class trip scheduled to go to ** in June 2024, but due to unfortunate events, the teacher had to cancel it *********** wont refund the money I put towards the trip

  Business response

  04/17/2024

  Dear ******,
  Thank you for taking the time to share your review with us. We appreciate your honesty and value your feedback. Were truly sorry that your experience fell short of your expectations. Your comments are essential to our continuous improvement, and we take them seriously.
  Our records indicate that your trip has not been cancelled and we are currently actively working with your Program Leader to find a solution that is suitable for all parties involved. Should the solution provided be the cancelation of the group, your Program Leader will communicate with you the process of the cancelation and the policy applicable to the group.
  However, if youre interested in canceling now both of your accounts, at the moment your cancelations will fall under our standard cancelation policies outlined in our terms and conditions. Please dont hesitate to contact our **************** line at your convenience if you would like to initiate this process, we are here to assist you. 
  Thank you once again for choosing our brand, and we hope to have the opportunity to continue serving you better in the future.
  Best regards,

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

  Customer response

  04/17/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  
  
  
  
  

  Customer response

  04/18/2024

  I am not sure if I submitted a response correctly on the website, but I do not agree with their resolution if there was one I have an email of the teachers conversation with the world strides rep stating the trip was canceled. I wasnt able to upload it on the BBB website, so I put it as an attachment in this email

  Business response

  04/18/2024

  Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing your experience. We truly value your feedback and want you to know that we take your concerns seriously.
  We have recently received a confirmation from the management team that the tour has been officially canceled today, as per your Program Leader's request. We are sorry to hear that your trip was canceled due to low enrollment. Our records indicate that you completed your registration on our website, upon offering the Full Refund Program in the second section of the registration process the system shares a link to our Letter of Terms and Conditions. This document does lay out the fact that the base price of the trip is quoted upon a minimum number of travelers. In addition, it also clearly states that upon not adding the Full Refund Program,in case of cancellation of the trip from either, yourself, the school, the school administration, or the teacher in charge of the trip your accounts would fall under the Standard Cancelation Policy outlined below.
  Our services and value begin well before your departure date, and as that date approaches, there are significant unrecoverable costs. Therefore,if you, the *********************** or school administration cancel beyond the 24-hour grace ****** and have not enrolled in the Full Refund Program,WorldStrides will retain (in addition to the Non-Refundable Fees):
  
  Time of the Account Cancellation Cancellation fees applicable*
  75 days or more before departure 25% of the base trip price
  (or $120 if BTP is less than $400)
  74-45 days before departure 50% of the base trip price
  44 days or fewer before departure 100% of the base trip price
  
  However, we worked with our internal departments to offer you an exception which in this case would be to apply the Full Refund Program cancelation policy to your accounts. Currently, your accounts has been canceled and the refunds are scheduled to be processed within the following 3 weeks, these funds will be sent back to the payment method associated with your accounts.
  We are very sorry that your childrens trip was not able to travel, and we understand that canceling was not ideal. However, we have worked with your Program Leader to offer you the best solution possible for all the parties involved.
  Once again,thank you for choosing WorldStrides. We truly value your business and hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future.
  

  Customer response

  04/19/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's offer.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. If the company does not perform as promised I can get back to you at: **********************************************.
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Paid early and not only in full for my son's school trip (account# ********* but there is an overpayment credit to the account. I called about receiving a refund of the credit amount of $38 on the account. At that time, the representative stated at first stated that the overage would be refunded to the credit card on file. **** I informed them that the amount of the overpayment was funded by an electronic e-payment, the rep. said I would get a check in 5 weeks. Well, its about double that time and nothing. I called WorldStrides today and spoke to **** who stated that there was no record of the prior call and stated that he would email the "financial officer." **** I stated that I needed the issue resolved ASAP, he stated he would call me within ***** hours. **** informed that time would fall on the weekend he stated he would call me Monday. It seems to me that WorldStrides was planning on keeping the overage judging by their lack of response or action. This does not surprise me after reading numerous complaints lodged with the BBB about this practice. I am seeking refund of the overage of $38.

  Business response

  03/27/2024

  Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing your experience.We truly value your feedback and want you to know that we take your concerns seriously.
  The refunds generated by overpayments are normally sent 45 days before the departure date of your trip, they can also be processed as per your request. Within an estimated timeframe of 4 weeks from the date of your request. We want to extend our most sincere apologies for the delay in complying with your request.
  As per our agreement with our service provider, we are obligated to issue a refund back to the original payment method used on the account. Our records indicate that your payments were sent to us through cashier check. Therefore, we need to issue a check to process your $38.00 overpayment.
  
  As per your current request as an exception, our finance department has confirmed that your refund check will be sent no later than 03/29/24. This check will be sent to the mailing address associated with your childs account and it will be made out to your name.
  We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process and would like to reiterate, that you are a valued customer for ********************** and that we look forward to continuing to provide you with a great experience.

  Customer response

  03/27/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's offer.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. If the company does not perform as promised I can get back to you at: *********************************************** I wish this could have been resolved outside of this method. I would like to see your business be more responsive to customers and post policies conspicuously whether on your website or on your statements. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  
  
  
  

  Customer response

  04/15/2024

  I filed an earlier complaint: Complaint ID: ******** against WorldStrides. They promised to send a check over two weeks ago and I am still waiting. Normally I would attribute this to turn around time but based upon my experience with the business, they are being disingenuous.

  Business response

  04/17/2024

  Dear *****,
  Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your recent experience. We appreciate your feedback and take all customer concerns seriously.
  Upon reviewing your complaint, we can confirm that as previously stated, your $38.00 refund check was mailed out to the address associated with your WorldStrides account. This was mailed to you through standard ************* While we strive to accommodate our customers needs,there are certain limitations we face in knowing the exact time frame for delivery.
  We apologize if this causes any inconvenience.However, we can reissue a new check for you, this process can start 30 days from the day we issued your previous check. As an exception for you, we can start this process earlier. Please feel free to let us contact us directly to our **************** line if you would like to proceed.
  Thank you for your patience and continued support.We value your business and hope to address your concerns effectively.
  Best regards,
  ***********************.

• Initial Complaint

  03/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Our daughter is booked on a trip to ******* via WorldStrides with her high school Spanish Class. We made the final payment of $1065.75 today (3/8/24) via the Worldstrides website. The payment was erroneously taken out in triplicate ($3197.25), leaving us with a negative bank balance and unable to afford basic necessities. We contacted the company multiple times on 3/8/24 as soon as this was discovered, and were informed that it would take a minimum of several days, up to 2-3 weeks, to issue a refund for the overpayment amount ($2141.50). This leaves our family in a financial hardship that is not of our own doing. As of this complaint, we have been informed that the financial office is closed until 3/11/24 and no action can be taken until then.

  Business response

  03/13/2024

  Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing your experience. We truly value your feedback and want you to know that we take your concerns seriously.
  First of all, we hope you will accept our most sincere apologies for the inconvenience this glitch caused on your account. Refunds for payments processed from checking accounts are sent back in the form of a check and not done electronically. Based on our records when you called us to report this situation, our agents shared with you our standard process followed for refunds. However, we would like to confirm that acknowledging that this situation was due to different circumstances we have refunded as of yesterday a debit card associated with your account for $2000.00. The $131.50 remaining overpaid balance will be sent in the form of a check to the mailing address on file. In addition as a token of appreciation, we would like to offer you a $100.00 scholarship for your child, this has been applied to your account and will be included in your mailed check.
  
  We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process and would like to reiterate, that you are a valued customer for ********************** and that we look forward to continuing to provide you with an exceptional experience.

  Customer response

  03/13/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's offer.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. If the company does not perform as promised I can get back to you at: **********************************************.
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  1/17/2024 I paid a deposit of ****** for a school trip with World strides. and an automatic payment for a portion of the balance was deducted from my account on 2/7/2024 in the amount of $200. The total cost of the May 1-2 trip to ******* was $538.00. The school was not able to get enough students to attend the trip and the school canceled the trip on 2/17/204 without informing the parents then Worlds strides moved the $349 I paid for the Chicago trip to another school without notifying me or contacting me on 2/22/24. On 2/23/2024 I called world strides because when I checked online the trip had been canceled and my funds had been moved to another trip. I spoke to customer service at ************ and I tried to request a refund because I did not know where my funds had went, they requested that I wait and call the trip administrator about the trip status. I contacted the school, and it took them a week to get back to me without any information other than if you dont want your child to go then contact World Stride to cancel. I called world stride March 1, 2024 to request a refund because the error that they made by moving money without my permission. I requested the $349 that I paid and ****** a female customer service rep tells me she has good news that I would only get back $146.25 because they were going to keep $49 deposit and 25% of the trip money. I am requesting a full refund for a trip that was canceled in the amount of $349 immediately and not other funds should be removed from my account for a trip that I did not authorize.

  Business response

  03/08/2024

  Thank you for sharing your concerns and feedback. We appreciate your input as it helps us understand your perspective.
  
  We are sorry your trip was cancelled and that your child will not be able to travel, we would like to confirm that the price quoted for this is based upon a minimum number of travelers and it is also subject to adjustment if the minimum enrollment is not met. Whenever this is the case, we offer different options to continue with your travel plans. The option selected by your group was in the best interest of the travelers, which in this case was to join another trip scheduled for your school to provide the opportunity for those students to travel. Our records indicate that this was communicated to you through your Program Leader, as this is group travel, your Program Leader is entitled to decide on behalf of the group.
  The cost of the Springfield trip ($122.80)is lower than the ($538.00) cost of the ******* trip, therefore you were entitled to receive a refund of $227.00 if you decided to continue with the new trip.
  We offer valuable services through group travel that begins before the planning of this trip. Therefore, if your group decides to make changes to your itinerary, and youre unable to continue with the trip, if you decide to cancel you are subject to our standard cancellation fee or to make use of the Full Refund Program. As you did not add the Full Refund Program to your account if you decided to cancel the Springfield trip the applicable cancelation fee under our standard cancelation policy was $30.70 plus the nonrefundable deposit, entitling you to a refund of $42.30 in addition to the $227.00 refund previously mentioned.
  However, we worked with our internal departments to offer you an exception which in this case would be to fully refund your account. Currently your account has been cancelled and the refund is scheduled to be processed withing the following 3 weeks, these funds will be sent back to the payment method associated with your account.
  Once again, thank you for choosing WorldStrides. We truly value your business and hope to have the opportunity to serve you in the future.
  
  

  Customer response

  03/09/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's offer.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. If the company does not perform as promised I can get back to you at: **********************************************.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My name is ********************* and Im the choir director at ************** *********** in **********, **********. In the spring of 2023, I paid a deposit to WorldStrides Heritage Festivals to book a spring trip and opportunity to compete for my students. It has been nothing but a night working with this organization. In September of 2023, we were quoted $818 per person, and that was presented to my choir families by a WorldStrides representative via a Zoom meeting. After a new person was placed in charge of our trip, I was informed that the cost would now be $1251 per person because our original trip coordinator forgot to include several major costs, including transportation and meal vouches Id requested. After going back and forth with this new person. ***************************************, and STILL not having a correct itinerary, I complained to their customer service department and was assigned to other people to help plan the trip. At this point, my choir families were told that $1251 would be the final price. Today these same families were told they now owe an additional $221. I specifically asked if the price would go up again because I knew the first price increase would make it much harder for people to participate and was told that it would NOT increase. We are 3 weeks and 2 days away from the trip and now my students are panicking that they wont get to go. And I still have yet to see a finalized itinerary.Ive never dealt with such an unprofessional organization in my life. The lack of communication and blatant dishonesty is despicable and is hurting hard working students who more than deserve a chance to go on this trip and compete at a national level.

  Business response

  02/23/2024

  We appreciate your correspondence regarding your feedback and concerns. Please be assured that we take your input seriously and have reviewed our records in detail.
  
  Upon careful review, we have noted that the original quote of $818.00 for the base trip price did not include transportation or meals, as indicated in the signed proposal in May. Nevertheless, it was communicated that transportation, meals, and other activities could be added upon request and quoted accordingly.
  
  We acknowledge that you requested additional services, and the price was adjusted accordingly. It should be noted that the increase was not significant and was based on 53 travelers as per the original quote.
  
  We regret to learn about the decrease in the number of registered travelers close to the departure date. We would like to highlight that we have a policy in place that allows us to adjust the cost to maintain quality services as stated in our Terms and Conditions. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
  
  We would like to reiterate that our top priority is customer satisfaction. To assist families in managing the cost of the trip, we offer an extended payment plan for spreading the cost over a more extended period, allowing for lower monthly payments.
  
  We appreciate your business and look forward to the opportunity to provide an exceptional experience for you and your students. We hope to continue to work with you in the future.

  Customer response

  02/24/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear .]
   
  How are my families supposed to make payments when we are only 2.5 weeks away from the trip and we were only notified of the price increase 3 weeks and 1 day before we leave? This does not give families enough time to make payments on an already very expensive trip.
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  
  
  
  
  

  Business response

  02/29/2024

  Thank you for sharing your concerns,thoughts, and feedback. We appreciate your input as it helps us understand your perspective and improve our services. We believe that by collaborating together, we can find a solution that meets everyone's needs.
  We understand that the price increase *** pose a challenge for families of the children participating in this trip.As previously mentioned, we offer extended payment plans that allow families to divide their balance into smaller payments, which can be made even after the trip has ended.
  After careful consideration and consultation with our payment desk, we are pleased to present two payment plans for your students' families:
  
  Payments of $116.00 for a total of 2 months
  Payments of $50.00 for a total of 5 months
  
  Please note that these payment plans include a $6.00 handling fee per billing cycle.
  To receive assistance with payments,we kindly suggest that your parents contact our customer service line at *************. Our **************** Representatives will be happy to connect them with our payment specialists. Alternatively, they *** also call our payment desk directly at ************** to speak with a payment specialist.
  Once again, thank you for choosing WorldStrides. We value your business and are confident that we can continue to provide you with exceptional service.

  Customer response

  02/29/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's offer.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. If the company does not perform as promised I can get back to you at: **********************************************.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  BACK IN THE FALL WORLD STRIDES ADVERTISED A "EDUCATIONAL TRIP" COAXING IN A BUNDLE OF KIDS TO GO TO ****** IN MARCH 2024-We all were given a payment plan to follow and basically a contract- I agreed and paid off my daughters trip in Nov 2024- Today, World strides sends a bill saying we owe another 221 because not as many kids are going on trip so the rest of us have to pay the difference!!! Thats not what we agreed upon back in fall- Worldstrides advertises themselves as a educational company??? um no, they are in this to make a killing off the backs of hard working parents! I want the overage returned to my credit card as in my opinion this is illegal practices especially since we had a ageement and payment plan from the fall-

  Business response

  02/20/2024

  Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing your experience. We truly value your feedback and want you to know that we take your concerns seriously.
  We would like to confirm that the price quoted for this trip is based upon a minimum number of travelers and it is also subject to adjustment if the minimum enrollment is not met or if additional features are added to the trip. Whenever this is the case, we aim to meet these requirements without compromising the quality of our services, therefore, the base price of the trip is adjusted. Upon reviewing your trip, we can confirm that the price increase was due to both of the factors previously mentioned.
  1.- The quoted price for your trip was based on a minimum registration of 50 students, which unfortunately was not met.
  2.- We have added some exciting new features to the tour, including visits to venues that were not originally planned.
  According to our records, it appears that you have completed your registration online. During step 3 of the registration process for this trip, the terms and conditions are shared with all registrants. We highly recommend that parents carefully review and agree to these terms in order to successfully complete the registration process. Considering the factors at hand, it is currently not feasible to lower the cost of the trip.
  We would like to get a confirmation from you regarding the status of your account, if you would like to cancel your registration for this trip, I would like to inform you that due to the departing date of the trip, as specified on our terms and conditions, your account would be canceled under the standard cancelation policy, as we are currently at 22 days before departure, you would not be eligible for a refund.
  If you,however, would like to continue with this trip, there is no further action needed on your end. We appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns and feedback and look forward to providing your child with an exceptional experience.
  Once again, thank you for choosing WorldStrides. We truly value your business and hope to have the opportunity to serve you.

  Customer response

  02/21/2024

  HI, I AM NOT RESPONDING TO THE CRAPPY SETTLEMENT through the BBB website FROM WORLD STRIDES AS ITS NOT A SETTLEMENT- THEY ARE BASICALLY THREATNENING ME BY SAYING THAT IF I DONT PAY THE EXTRA DIFFERENCE, MY KID DOESNT GET TO GO ON THE ***** AND I WONT GET A REFUND WHICH IS ILLEGAL IN MY OPNION- What other options are there? They are a dirty company, and the fact that they are charging extra for a trip that was agreed upon a certain amount months ago is so wrong on so many levels- What other recourse do we have?

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

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

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

  Please see below...

   

  THIS IS THE RIDICULOUS RESPONSE FROM WORLD STRIDES-

   

  Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing your experience. We truly value your feedback and want you to know that we take your concerns seriously.

  We would like to confirm that the price quoted for this trip is based upon a minimum number of travelers and it is also subject to adjustment if the minimum enrollment is not met or if additional features are added to the trip. Whenever this is the case, we aim to meet these requirements without compromising the quality of our services, therefore, the base price of the trip is adjusted. Upon reviewing your trip, we can confirm that the price increase was due to both of the factors previously mentioned.
  1.- The quoted price for your trip was based on a minimum registration of 50 students, which unfortunately was not met.
  2.- We have added some exciting new features to the tour, including visits to venues that were not originally planned.
  According to our records, it appears that you have completed your registration online. During step 3 of the registration process for this trip, the terms and conditions are shared with all registrants. We highly recommend that parents carefully review and agree to these terms in order to successfully complete the registration process. Considering the factors at hand, it is currently not feasible to lower the cost of the trip.
  We would like to get a confirmation from you regarding the status of your account, if you would like to cancel your registration for this trip, I would like to inform you that due to the departing date of the trip, as specified on our terms and conditions, your account would be canceled under the standard cancelation policy, as we are currently at 22 days before departure, you would not be eligible for a refund.
  If you, however, would like to continue with this trip, there is no further action needed on your end. We appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns and feedback and look forward to providing your child with an exceptional experience.
  Once again, thank you for choosing WorldStrides. We truly value your business and hope to have the opportunity to serve you.

• Initial Complaint

  02/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  World Strides was the organizer for a trip with my children's school. I registered my children for a trip in June of 2024. Once I signed up and had been paying the monthly payments, I had zero communication from either the school or the organization regarding the trip. In total by the time of the last minute cancelation, I had paid $4500 to World Strides. I still had no conversation with a World Strides team member. After the school canceled the trip, I still had not heard from World Strides. I called a week after the teacher emailed me to inquire about the trip. That's when a World Strides team member told me I could not get my full refund. They were only offering to refund me $1,900. They would not let me update where the funds would be refunded to. They would not expand on why I couldn't get my full refund. They kept saying someone discussed the policies with me, which in fact, no one had. All I wanted was a refund for the money I paid to the company for a trip my children did not get to go on!

  Business response

  02/20/2024

  Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing your experience. We truly value your feedback and want you to know that we take your concerns seriously.
  We are sorry to hear that your trip was canceled due to low enrollment. Our records indicate that you completed your registration on our website, upon offering the Full Refund Program in the second section of the registration process the system shares a link to our Letter of Terms and Conditions. This document does lay out the fact that the base price of the trip is quoted upon a minimum number of travelers. In addition, it also clearly states that upon not adding Full Refund Program, in case of cancellation of the trip from either, yourself, the school, the school administration, or the teacher in charge of trip your accounts would fall under the Standard Cancelation Policy outlined below.
  Our services and value begin well before your departure date, and as that date approaches, there are significant unrecoverable costs.Therefore, if you, the *********************** or school administration cancel beyond the 24-hour grace ****** and have not enrolled in the Full Refund Program, WorldStrides will retain (in addition to the Non-Refundable Fees):
  
  Time of the Account Cancellation Cancellation fees applicable*
  75 days or more before departure 25% of the base trip price
  (or $120 if BTP is less than $400)
  74-45 days before departure 50% of the base trip price
  44 days or fewer before departure 100% of the base trip price
  
  As a token of appreciation, we would like to offer a $50.00 refund for each one of your accounts and a $50.00 future travel credit that you can use for domestic trips or $100.00 for international tours.
  We are very sorry that your childrens trip was not able to travel, and we understand that canceling was not ideal. However, our cancelation policies are clearly stated in our terms and conditions letter shared with you upon registration.
  Once again,thank you for choosing WorldStrides. We truly value your business and hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future.

• Initial Complaint

  02/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was sold an educational trip for my son. At no time during the presentation was it disclosed that there was a minimum enrollment required. During the presentation we were advised that we could pay a 339 dollar fee so we could get a full refund if we needed to cancel. I logged in to make a payment and found that the trip had been canceled without any notice or notification to parents or students. I paid ******* for this trip and they indicated that 501 of this is non refundable due to fees. When I indicated that I was not the one who canceled the trip, they said it was non refundable anyway and emailed me the policy AFTER the cancelation. My profile online does not indicate what I paid anymore and I can only go by bank statements. When I called to remedy this situation I was spoken down to and advised I would only receive **** in refunds (I have received zero refunds to date). When I indicated that these deceptive and fraudulent business practices would cause me to call my bank and report the charges as fraudulent because I have received nothing for my payments, I was threatened with "collections." I even asked, collections for what? My child has received nothing.

  Business response

  02/12/2024

  Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing your experience. We truly value your feedback and want you to know that we take your concerns seriously.
  We are sorry to hear that your trip was canceled due to low enrollment. Our records indicate that you completed your registration on our website, upon adding the Full Refund Program in the second section of the registration process the system shares a link to our Letter of Terms and Conditions. This document does lay out the fact that the base price of the trip is quoted upon a minimum number of travelers. In addition, it also clearly states the description and coverage of the Full Refund Program. It confirms that if protects your investment upon cancellation of the trip from either, yourself,the school, the school administration, or the teacher in charge of trip.
  As you confirmed previously, we received a total of $3299.00 in payments from you and the amounts deducted upon cancelation are:
  $339.00 cost of the Full Refund Program,
  $99.00 deposit,
  $45.00 for late payment charges, and
  $18.00 for handling fees.
  Totaling a $501.00 retention fee, and therefore,entitling you to a $$2798.00 refund.
  Refunds are processed four weeks after we receive the cancellation confirmation. Our records show that we received the cancellation confirmation on 01/30/24, so your refund was scheduled on 02/20/24 and returned to your payment method on file.
  As a token of appreciation, we would like to expedite the refund process so that it can be completed by 02/15/24. Additionally, we will waive the late installment fees that have accrued on your account. 
  We apologize that your son's trip was cancelled and understand the inconvenience this may have caused. However, our cancellation policies were clearly stated in the terms and conditions letter provided to you upon registration.
  Thank you for choosing WorldStrides. We value your business and hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future.

*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. ↩