I got ripped off by Destination Adventures claiming free gift on Branson.com website.
When planning a trip to Branson, MO, I tried Bransons website for information. Seeing a free gift icon, natural
I got ripped off by Destination Adventures claiming free gift on Branson.com website.
When planning a trip to Branson, MO, I tried Bransons website for information. Seeing a free gift icon, naturally I tried it and was offered either 2 show tickets or a 3/2 night stay free. After choosing 3/2 stay I was contacted by Destination Adventures rep. I was offered an extra night plus 2 meals to a restaurant like Red Lobster and 2 tickets to a show, which I had an option to trade either or both for better show like Dixie Stampede for $99.
On 10/07/05 I purchased the package with a 100% guarantee that if after getting itinerary it was not as advertised a refund would be issued. Problem was I never got the information and after numerous calls was promised a fax confirmation on 10/14/05, which I never got.
We arrived in Branson 10/19/05 without itinerary but was able to find Grand Crowne check-in on Green Mt. Cove Rd. Our package was not as advertised: Red Lobster was not an option, we couldn't trade meal & tickets for Dixie Stampede, and we were not able to contact anyone at Destination Adventures.
Stay away from Destination Adventures packages. Once they have your money, you can't get anyone to return your calls. By the way we received our itinerary on 10/29/05, which I would have cancelled after looking over it.
Anytime you see "free gift" offered on a travel site, it usually requires you to: 1) make a purchase, or 2) spend precious vacation time attending a timeshare presentation. Use the internet for info, then find a reputable travel agent and stick with them! You'll save time, money, and aggravation.
I'm from Springfield about 1/2 hour drive away from Branson. I hear of timeshare and other ripoffs like this all the time. One good thing is that we have a very aggressive attorney general who doesn't put up with consumer fraud like this. Here is a link to file a complaint. I wish you good luck.
After looking at the time frame of your conversation vs your arrival, it does not appear you gave them time to even get your purchase registered. You made your purchase on Oct. 7 and arrived in Branson on Oct. 19. That is not even two weeks after your purchase. It is common practice to give at least a month's notice or an arrival date.
"Missouri" In defense of the merchant. From your message it appears you did not give them time to even get your purchase recorded. It was less than two weeks from purchase until your unannounced arrival. Oct.7-Oct.19. It is customary in the industry to give at least a month's notice or arrival date AFTER you receive confirmation for your purchase. I have taken several Branson trips via this type of purchase and have never found a problem. However, I observed their rules.
Angel75243, If they could take his money and book the trip, in this day of almost instant communications, they could send him an itinery via fax, as they promised, on the same day. What you're saying is, no one should plan a trip any sooner than a month away. The problem isn't his; it's the company's. I'm sure we can all recognize that they didn't WANT to send him proof of what they promised.
I know this is several months late, but I hope you got your problem resolved to your satisfaction. Thanks for posting your problems... its posts like these that keep dishonest companies from ripping more people off.
If this item is still open... did you pay by credit card? One of the good things about using a CC is that you can file a dispute with them, and they will withhold payment to the vendor.
Good luck and if you have moment, let us know what happened!
I work for destination adventures and the person you spoke to did NOT know what they were talking about. at the call center i work for, we're all very friendly and don't mislead any of our customers. i'm so sorry you had that experience. now i'm not a supervisor or anything, i'm just an employee, but i do know that OUR call center has to tape all of our calls for legal reasons. my reccomendation to you would be to contact the call center again. at the center in joplin, we return or answer ALL of our calls and have no problem cancelling packages or refunding peoples money withing the grace period. i hope you were still able to enjoy your stay in branson, but please. i beg that you don't badmouth my company although i'm afraid i can't say i blame you. but for the record, that is NOT what destination adventures is about. we really want you guys to have a good time and in no way ever want to pressure you into buying a timeshare or giving your credit card or anything like that. again, i'm truly sorry. <3
I also work for Destination Adventures out our Springfield, Mo. office. I have worked for this company for a couple of years. I am an honest person and would never knowingly rip anyone off. I try to treat people with respect until they disrepect myself or my company; which I believe in whole-heartedly. I do apologize if anyone feels like they haven't gotten exactly what they were supposed to, but we; at the call center have no control on what goes after you get to the destination. We say what we are supposed too. As the other person said, our calls on verification are recorded for your protection and ours. I look at what I do as a service for the consumer. A decent, fun getaway for little or nothing. We are people just like you trying to earn a living.
I have never been so disappointed any in transaction I have made than I have with Destination Adventures. I agreed to their package based on the conversation I had with their representative. Well upon receiving my paperwork I read that if I don't make my reservations within 30 days I will be charged a $50.00 registration fee. I was NEVER told this in the original conversation. I immediately wrote a letter cancelling my membership. Low and behold I have never gotten any response and today I see they deducted $69.00 balance from my account. I consider this false advertising and totally unacceptable...
Maybe those that work for Destination Adventures can give us a good phone number to contact. The one on the website never answers morning or afternoon.
I asked the employee if it was time-share solicitation-she then asked if I have belonged to a Travel Club. Naive as I am, I took it as meaning it was not a time-share. I would have never agreed. Now I have 2 days to cancel and your right-no one answers the phone! I am calling my credit card and disputing-hopefully that way they won't keep part of my payment for application activation.They also promised me a bonus vac.in which they did not mentioned, as in the letter that the certificate will be presented at the Branson vac. I was hoping to take both back to back-traveling to Tenn. afterwards.I should Know BETTER by now-don't answer soliciting calls!! Sorry to all the employees that have to make a living this way.
Destination adventures called my house and they told him he could stay anywhere he wanted and we chose Myrtle Beach and my husband gave them 20 bucks, and exactly one month later they deducted 129.00 from my bank account. I am contacting my bank first thing tomorrow and then I am contacting my lawyer. i was taken and i am gonna make them pay. they had no permission to deduct any money at all. I will get them, they don't even have a clue, but by gosh they will.
to the person that said she paid $20.00 on her package we know who you are and it says on recording that you agreed to the $129.00 to be taken out in 30 days from thatday and you agreed to the transactions do dont lie on here and contact your lawyer if you want to because we have everything on recording!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! to everyone on here i can tell you that most of you are lying REMEMBER BUYERS ARE LYERS!!!!!! NOT THE TELEMARKETERS!!!!!!! CHECK YOURSELF FOOLS!!!!!
I just wanted to say i enjoyed working for Destination Adventures the people where awesome and this company truely has great packages some people are just sharks. I know about the Whole Branson area and the hotels you stay at through Destination Adventures are not bad they are really great,and if some one truely had this package then they would not be complaining if you do not believe me check them out for yourself via internet. Love you guys at Destination Adventures!
It's impossible to get a refund from these people once they get your account number. Check them out on the better business bureau website- they are not BBB accredited and have an UNSATISFACTORY rating (http://southwestmissouri.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=71&bbb=0764&firm=15673). Also, since you GIVE them your credit card number, you can't claim that the charges were unauthorized at your bank and stop payment. They have been involved in a class action lawsuit before due to violation of the no-call law in Missouri.
"Three Branson travel companies must pay the state of Missouri a total of $22,500 and promise to comply fully with the state's No Call law as part of an agreement announced in mid-June 2005 by state Attorney General Jay Nixon.
Wilderness Point Services Unlimited, Destination Adventures and Ozark Ticket and Travel allegedly made telemarketing calls to Missourians on the state's No Call list, according to assurances of voluntary compliance signed by St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Bernhardt C. Drumm Jr. As part of the settlement, Wilderness Point will pay $7,500 to the Missouri Merchandising Practices Revolving Fund. Destination Adventures and Ozark Ticket and Travel, which are owned by the same individual, will pay a total of $15,000 to the fund."
Does this sound like an ethically run operation to you?? They already have my money and I can't get it back- I'm trying to save you the time, hassle, and aggravation that I've dealt with for the last month and a half. You'd do much better by going to hotels.com or hotwire.com and planning your next vacation. If you've been scammed by Destination Adventures, welcome to the group!
Destination Adventures, LLC ought to be taken to court!!! Unfortunately, we were taken in by their slick 'come-ons' and promises which were so far from the REAL truth, it was pathetic!! I have NEVER written a letter like this before, BUT I had never done business with Destination before!! The poor girls in the office that make the calls simply read the scripted promises that are set in front of them. I don't think they have any idea that these 'promises' are just sucker bait. NOTHING was as promised! To say that the 'office managers' are rude is putting it mildly!! When I was lucky enough to have an actual person answer, I was confronted with hateful sarcasm. They are obviously used to dealing with irrate customers! One of their promises was a gas coupon ($100.00) to help"off-set the high cost of gas while your here". We would receive the coupon after we finished our 'tour'. AFTER the tour, we had to fill out papers so that we could receive it in the mail in about 2 weeks. AFTER 3 weeks, I called them in regards to the coupon~~I was told that I had to call them to request that they send it to us. I said no one mentioned that we had to call for it. "Oh yes!", she said "it's in the fine print of your contract." WRONG!! Nor was the fact mentioned that you have to send in $5.00 to have the coupon activated, but you had to spend at least $100.00 each month at a pre-selected gas provider-then mail in your original receipts in order to receive one $25.00 coupon once a month for 4 months!!.......Well, I could go on and on, but I plan to call and email everyone I can think of to point out the unscrupulous tactics of Destination Adventures, LLC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~ Thanks for the email addresses where I can send my complaints. The people of Missouri are so nice; it's too bad they have BAD businesses as this in their midst!!
It is people like this that give Branson a bad name!! I wonder if maybe some of these people who work for Destination Advertures are actally prison inmates? The Muscular Distrophe Association uses questionable people (I know from someone who worked there and got ripped off by a fellow worker).
Write a letter to the Missouri Attorney General. They will not put up with this stuff. If they get lots of complaints from the same place they will get shut down.
I would only book travel directly through the hotel I want to stay at or their website. For shows in Branson..book directly with the venue. Restaurants? Well, they are easy to find and you don't need reservations!
There is nothing free anymore. Just book it yourself directly and have a great time!
I bought a Branson vacation package in Jan. for $299 and was told I would get among other things a $250 gas rebate certificate. Before they came, I called back to see how the rebates work and was told for every $100 I spend on gas I could send in the reciept for $25 back. I told them I was not interested in this deal and would like to back out of the deal. I asked for a refund. They never sent it and would never answer their phone or return phone messages. All my e-mails to them were returned as "undeliverable". I filed a complaint with the MO BBB and they sent Destination Adventures 3 letters over the course of about 2 months and none were replied to. The BBB dropped the case and suggested I contact the MO Atty. Gen. office and file a complaint against Destination Adventures, whick I have done. That has been about2 months ago and I haven't heard anything from them yet. Stear clear of Destination Adventures. It's a scam. I finally got my "package" from Destination Adventures with the gas rebate certificates etc and I returned them to Destination Adventures via registered mail and have the stub where it was signed for. Now I don't have the $299 I am out or the "package".
