Warning: World Wide Travel Group in NY (long)

KLC77 · 07-08-2008, 10:58 PM

So, I have been waiting for a while to post this thread. I hope that it is appropriate for the forum. Mods, if you don't think it should be posted here or need anything edited, please feel free or PM me and I will change whatever you want. I am only posting in hopes that no one has to deal with what I have been dealing with. Sorry in advance that this may be long...

When I first started planning my DW a few months back I was referred to a TA in NY (on Long Island) by a former co-worker. I was excited that she was a destination wedding specialist and she was an expert in group travel. We started working together and I signed a contract and paid a deposit for her to help with travel arrangements as well as some planning aspects for our wedding in St. Lucia. I was thrilled! For about a week. She called me and increased the price of the trip for our guests by $200-$300 per person. (you may remember a post I wrote about having to change my location) This forced us to look into other options because the price increase was WAY beyond what I could ask of our guests. She was flexible. We changed the location to Mexico and I am now excited about that. Then things went downhill... trying to make a long story short... We no longer needed her for planning since we were now at an AI and asked that our contract be void since it was specific to St. Lucia. She willingly agreed and charged us a cancellation fee, which we thought was totally fair. We also paid her for any services she had already provided. The rest of our deposit was to go toward our Mexico travel expenses. She started not responding to my emails, told me that the WC in Mex. was not getting back to her. I contacted the WC myself and she has gotten back to me in no more than 24 hrs each time. The TA even got really pissy with me on the phone and spoke to me in a way that I would not normally tolerate when I just had some questions for her. Finally, she attempted to overcharge me for my trip by over $2300.00! When I got another quote from another TA (because I was suspicious about the 1st TA's attitude change), using the same travel group and flight info I couldn't believe it. The room was on sale and she wasn't going to offer it to me. I got the 2nd quote within an hour of her quote. I got her to match the price, but she had a major attitude. I was only going to book with her because she had our deposit and I didn't want to lose it. Well, I tried to book my trip and she refused to allow me to use my deposit! I was paying my airfare in full, travel insurance in full and the dep. for the room. She told me she would apply my balance at some later point. This made no sense to me at all and I am fully convinced that she was never going to apply the deposit and steal my money. She was so difficult. I tried talking to her about it and she refused to stop interrupting me. She kept talking over me. There is no way she heard a word I said. Finally, there was no way I could book an $8000.00 trip with her. She is refusing to send me the balance of my deposit. I have sent her a certified letter and received no response. I have emailed her again asking that she remove my info from her website and she has not responded or removed the info (she has a place where guests can book their package for our trip). Bottom line, I would discourage anyone from using Worldwide Group Travel in Miller Place, NY. To top it off- I was dealing with the OWNER (Lisa) the entire time. I have contacted the BBB and am waiting for a response. I can't believe someone who claims to be a destination wedding specialist would make a bride so miserable.

I left out a few other details, but this post was getting WAY too long. lol

The good news, I have found a local travel agent who is a pleasure to work with and has made a miserable situation much more bearable.

Thanks for listening...
~Kelly

Leslie-Xcaret09 · 07-08-2008, 11:38 PM

That is terrible that you had to go through that but I am glad you found a new trustworthy TA. I hope you are able to get your $$ back!

KLK Photography · 07-09-2008, 12:03 AM

ARGH!!!
How rude! So sorry you had to go through that, this makes me sick to think that people are doing that, i'd definately take up some legal action!
Hope all works out with the new TA and WC, best wishes!!! :)

yamille · 07-09-2008, 05:03 AM

Sorry that you had all that added stress. That stinks! I am shocked that on top of trying to scam you for the $$ she had attitude and won't take your stuff off her website. Not okay. I am glad that you are working with someone more trustworthy.

ebbica · 07-09-2008, 06:47 AM

If you used a credit card, you should put in a dispute w/ your credit card company. They'll also help you fight a breach of contract/ failure to refund kind of thing, but you have to be VERY specific and demonstrate how the TA is at fault. they'll also stop payment on the amount you're disputing, but only dispute what's justified.

Jenn3878 · 07-09-2008, 07:26 AM

Wow, sorry to hear about this!! Hope you get your money back!

KLC77 · 07-09-2008, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yamille

Sorry that you had all that added stress. That stinks! I am shocked that on top of trying to scam you for the $$ she had attitude and won't take your stuff off her website. Not okay. I am glad that you are working with someone more trustworthy.

I know! I can't believe that I keep checking her site and I'm still on there. Its really making me angry.

Quote:

If you used a credit card, you should put in a dispute w/ your credit card company. They'll also help you fight a breach of contract/ failure to refund kind of thing, but you have to be VERY specific and demonstrate how the TA is at fault. they'll also stop payment on the amount you're disputing, but only dispute what's justified.

Unfortunately we paid her by check and it was cashed a long time ago... Hopefully when I hear from the BBB something can be done.

Yari · 07-09-2008, 02:40 PM

That is so wrong on many levels. Sorry you are dealing with this, I hope it all works out.

Nrvsbride · 07-09-2008, 02:43 PM

Uggh this really sucks! That would piss me off. I don't understand the logistics of it all. Is there some kind of penalty for cancelling with her? Is that why she is keeping the money? Which I don't get b/c she already charged you a cancellation fee. Hmmm seems strange. Hopefully the BBB will get back to you. Or you can always call the local TV stations and have her accosted. LOL. Then she'll have to answer!

KLC77 · 07-09-2008, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nrvsbride

Uggh this really sucks! That would piss me off. I don't understand the logistics of it all. Is there some kind of penalty for cancelling with her? Is that why she is keeping the money? Which I don't get b/c she already charged you a cancellation fee. Hmmm seems strange. Hopefully the BBB will get back to you. Or you can always call the local TV stations and have her accosted. LOL. Then she'll have to answer!

No, we should have been able to use the money toward the deposit on the trip, then when we tried to do that she changed her "policy" and said it would be applied later. Honestly, I think she got mad when we decided we didn't need her to plan any events for us and decided to become the TA from hell so I would just give up. Too bad I'm not that person. I don't quit. When I sent her the certified letter I told her that if I didn't get a refund within 7 days I was going to contact the BBB, write a letter to the Attorney General, contact the editor of every newspaper in her area and contact the Channel 5 News and write a review here.

I will follow thru on all of those things... I just hoped it wouldn't come to that. There's def. something shady going on with her. If changing things was going to be such a problem I wish she would have just spoken up and said that it didn't make her happy rather than being sneaky and just a jerk.