Company claims to be a Round Rock Texas based "travel destination" company, yet is an "RCI Points Conversion" company, and when you get the confirmation, it is from "Vacation Tours USA" which has a long list of cruise scams.
Here is the confirmation note I received from VTU after speaking to "Leisure Getaways" (of course I am not attending...but just thought I'd share with the class to get this "Leisure Getaways" name circulating. It was hard to find any scam info on them, they seemed somewhat legit, although the website was lame. The director appears to be a local guy named Cavit Handley
associated with Bay Branch Condominium Association of Spring Texas. So I thought - maybe they really are legit (the spiel was that they promote their travel packages as advertising...word of mouth...) ok - yes - obviously I was born yesterday
But there is a long track record of VTU and affiliates , so my first instinct was right
Congratulations! It is our pleasure to confirm your scheduled appointment!
This is your invitation to the Open House Presentation. While visiting the showroom, you will learn inside information from the travel industry on how to save while traveling. During the entertaining and informative 90 minute presentation you will be amazed at the savings you can receive on your travel needs. This is not a timeshare or real estate offer.
This is strictly a promotional offer. There is no obligation to purchase anything to receive the gifts listed on your mail piece. All you have to do is keep your scheduled appointment.
This valuable promotional offer is by invitation only. Seating is extremely limited, so we ask that you do not bring children. We know you will enjoy the presentation.
Please arrive 15 minutes early for your scheduled presentation.
VTU’s Customer Service number is 1-877-313-3326.
CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS APPLY
Leisure Getaway is located at 11301 Domain Dr. Austin, TX in The Weston Austin at the Domain.
From Downtown Austin: Follow Interstate 35 North to U.S. Highway 183/Research Boulevard North. Proceed 5.5 miles to Loop 1/MoPac Expressway North. Take the Burnet/Duval Exit and immediately enter the hotel via the Domain Boulevard access road.
I would not for 1 second ever believe this postcard was legit and it would go straight from mailbox to trash faster than I could delete a pre-recorded "congratulations you won a ..." phone call.
That being said, my friend and I were at the fair the other day and she was stopped by a lady at a booth offering a free 4day Carnival cruise in exchange for attending a timeshare presentation. She was persistent but not pushy. Both of us being avid travelers, my friend (who can be more than a little gullible) immediately got sucked in then reluctantly sucked me into filling out the form agreeing to come to the presentation. I told the lady I had no intention on buying a timeshare, she said just come for the free trip. I told her I didn't believe the cruise was free, she said it was and a company as large as them wouldn't risk the backlash from scamming folks on TS presentations. I told her I didn't even have a job let alone meet the $75k required annual salary, she said just check yes and don't tell them when I get there and bring a major credit card We're to go next week.
After we filled out the form she asked us for $20 good faith money which was refundable when we showed up. I told her to go to hell, she waived it She and the literature she showed us (which included the specific destinations and ports we could choose from, about 5 total), clearly stated Carnival cruise line and that we had to pay nothing but port fees and taxes. We confirmed this with her several times. She said we have 18months to travel. The timeshare is for the Worldmark Wyndham which is a very nice and reputable timeshare/hotel chain, I know someone who's an owner and have been on a couple vacations at the property in different cities. That's the only reason I'm holding hope this is for real. If it was some no name never heard of fly by night company I wouldn't even bother. I just don't want to waste my time. Even if it's only 90 minutes, it's on a Sunday, I have no interest in buying a TS, and it's 40 minutes away. I don't want them to require a "deposit" at the end for me to get the trip or pass me onto some never heard of "travel agency" to book that requires "service charges" and made up fees. I'm not in the financial position to pay $100's of dollars for a cruise right now even if it IS highly discounted. I just took a cruise in May. Oh well I'll show up with my now defunct Amex card and see. At least they're serving lunch...supposedly.
Oh yeah, I'm soooo using The Showmans script lololol. It's hilarious. I love messing with high pressure sales people.
By the way - one of the tricks these companies use is that they get the suckers to give them the names of friends they can also contact.
For every name you give them, they drop the costs or add to the incentive. They then contact those people and say "your friends _____ bought this package and recommended that we contact you."
Or sometimes they promise to keep it quiet - but if you are wondering where they got your contact info - very often it is people who know you from someplace.
__________________
I am the editor, but I also speculate, ask questions and play devil's advocate. I reserve the right to change my mind.
Two weeks ago, I have requested a refund for the cruise, and am beginning to think I will never get it back.
Do the math: How can a company offer a cruise to the thousands of people that attend these vacation/time share events and stay in business? It can't happen.
What they do, is make a ton of money off of a gullible public. Myself included. Live and learn.
I like it, Showman. I actually dinner last night with a guy with a job (kind of) like that. He could not discuss it t all, and it was not a gov't job, just a gov't contract job.
Like you said - they said "no obligation to buy - now give me my prize."
There is one wrinkle though - you can't get "the przie" without paying some fees. You can say "but you said no cost before" and they will say "we don't chanrge any cost, these are GOVERNMENT fees." It's kind of like they beat you to it.
Sorry, but thank anyway.
Scam scam scam
I'm so frustrated, it was nothing short of a nightmare to finally get an offer of a cruise in the Sept - Dec time that wouldn't cost any upgrade. Finally get the e-mail with departure date, time, ship... Then they say you owe $1096.96. This is a complete scam, they'll tell you it's taxes & port fee's bull#@%$. I looked up same exact cruise and it was about $90 difference if I just booked the cruise myself without it being free. It's not only NOT FREE, it's not even a bargain. You have to go on the crappiest ship they pick (usually Carnival) and you have to go the dates & places they give you. Book it yourself and you can pick the dates, places & cruise line (Royal Carrib) much nicer. You end up paying the same amount of money. My dad always said "nothings free" he's right. They took more than 90 minutes (because that's all bull too) wasted our time listening to their stupid "it's NOT a time share" seminar (it is a time share). Wasted more time plus money sending in the travel vouchers. To end up with a bill over a thousand dollars!!! For a FREE cruise!!!!
A new twist (for me) got a cold call on my work phone that I had won some sort of drawing for free cruise. In that I would never have entered my work number in some sort of contest I knew it was a scam.
__________________
Bob
A Bad Day At Sea [with power] Always Beats A Good Day At Work
Alaska 2014 - haven't picked a cruise yet
Carnival: Glory 2004, Destiny 2008, Splendor 2009, Freedom 2011, Valor 2012
Celebrity: Summit 2011
Princess: Ruby 2010, Caribbean 2013
Ran across this site and thread after receiving a card in the mail for free tickets to anywhere in the continental US -- plus three nights hotel and a 100 priceline card for viewing a 75 minute presentation about travel deals.
My radar popped up indicating "scam", but my wife insisted on going to check it out, so I called the number to make a reservation.
Speaking with the rep, he assured me this presentation was not a TS or anything like that, and he reaffirmed the perks for just attending the seminar. AS with other posters to this thread, he told me that no other company info was available for him to give out and that he could not provide me with a company website.
Today we went to the seminar. The details of the scam has changed a little from what other posters are reporting, but the basic story is the same. Today's company was called "Sea Breeze Travel" based out of San Diego with offices throughout the Southwest. Sea Breeze claims to send you and your family, on one week vacations four per year for the rest of your life at steep discounts to rack rates -- eg five star 2 bedroom suite hotel room for seven days including airfare to Hawaii for 1700 (for two! -- rack rate over eight grand!). Asked how they do it for so cheap, the presenter told us that they make it up on volume and eliminating the middleman. --- yeah ok ... the more you sell the more you lose.
Anyway, the presenter finished his pitch about the price of this travel discount - $11900, but if you agree to sign up right now they give you the "Platinum Package" for $9000 , and immediately my salesman Butch came to my wife and I with paperwork in hand.
"You ready to sign," Butch asked excitedly?
"Um ... no - how about some company information
...."
I asked him for some company info as any sane person would do before forking over a check for nine grand --- needless to say we were shuffled out the door with our, now as I know, bogus airfare and hotel vouchers.
Be on your toes if you plan on going to Plainview, Long Island NY tonight or this weekend for the "Travel seminar".
Interesting - now if it had been a cruise voucher I would have said "yes, bogus" but sometimes a timeshare offer is real. The airfare is probably a scam.
But yeah, the main thing is their hope to sign you up for the travel club.
I have news for you, $1700 for a week in Hawaii is not that outrageously cheap.
This is a week at the Hyatt in Waikiki with air from JFK. $1500 per person:
Thanks Jani, You were correct, just another scam, they can change the name the the "deal" is still the same. Thanks for the reminder, they are still out there operating...
I received postcard and went to the presentation where they gave me certificate for free cruse. I had to send 2 times $99 cashir check before anything else. After that I got stuf in the mail that I needed to fill out and send back. I needed to pick 3 dates and first date needed to be in the future no sooner than 90 days and no latter than 120 days. 3 dates needed to have 30 days in beetween. because my 3 dates were not 30 days apart they send me letter to cancel my cruse and they will keep my $99. x 2.
I am very upset because I did not see it coming. They made me jump thru the hups and they scam me of my money on the end.
I do not want to go to their cruse anymore....I would like to get my money back. Is it way that I can get my money back. I will report them to the better business biro ... I guess...but is it anything else I can do.
I received postcard and went to the presentation where they gave me certificate for free cruse. I had to send 2 times $99 cashir check before anything else. After that I got stuf in the mail that I needed to fill out and send back. I needed to pick 3 dates and first date needed to be in the future no sooner than 90 days and no latter than 120 days. 3 dates needed to have 30 days in beetween. because my 3 dates were not 30 days apart they send me letter to cancel my cruse and they will keep my $99. x 2.
I am very upset because I did not see it coming. They made me jump thru the hups and they scam me of my money on the end.
I do not want to go to their cruse anymore....I would like to get my money back. Is it way that I can get my money back. I will report them to the better business biro ... I guess...but is it anything else I can do.
I just won a "free" carnival 2 day cruise to the bahamas from carnival cruise line not thru a travel agency. I have to pay port taxes and gratuity which comes to $166 for both me and husband (not each) yes its an inner cabin, but this is still a good deal isnt it? Hoping I didnt fall for a scam. They also talked me into an extended stay package which includes a 3 day 2 night stay in Ft Lauderdale before the cruise and a 3 day 2 night stay in Orlando after the cruise with an 8 day car rental unlimited miles. All hotel and food included for $567.
I would check and make sure that cruise is a Carnival cruise....I don't see any 2 day cruises and it looks like you paid a fairly high price for the pre and post cruise....Just make sure you know what all your are getting for the moneys.....
I just won a "free" carnival 2 day cruise to the bahamas from carnival cruise line not thru a travel agency. I have to pay port taxes and gratuity which comes to $166 for both me and husband (not each) yes its an inner cabin, but this is still a good deal isnt it? Hoping I didnt fall for a scam. They also talked me into an extended stay package which includes a 3 day 2 night stay in Ft Lauderdale before the cruise and a 3 day 2 night stay in Orlando after the cruise with an 8 day car rental unlimited miles. All hotel and food included for $567.
Hoping I didnt get scammed cuz thats my luck!
Let us know what happens. Good Luck.
__________________ Snoozeman Moderator
My Personal Cruise Blog: Ray's Cruise Blog
Booked Cruises: Carnival Legend 9/1/2013, Carnival Sunshine 11/1/2013, Carnival Sunshine 2/16/2014, Navigator of the Seas 3/23/2014.
I also won not one but two differant cruises! One was at Branson and the other was at a Auto Dealership. I proceeded to book them (thinking surely one might be worth something). I ended up booking the cruise AND paying for it. By the time all of their hidden costs were applied and we went where and when they told us, (in an inside cabin) it was less expensive to pay myself! I booked my cruise and threw the "Free" cruises in the trash! You've heard ... "if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is"?
__________________ the INSPIRATION the CELEBRATION the SENSATION the SENSATION
"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."
We received a post card for a free cruise from a travel company. They want us to attend a 90 min lecture and we are suppose to receive a free Carnival Cruise and air fare. We will be required to pay port charges and fees. My question is: Has anyone taken or know anyone who has actually take one of these?
Thanks
My DD and I were planning on a cruise, we had two different "Free Cruise Certificates" each was for two people. I got online and checked on them, we end up paying for our cruise. It was less expensive and chaotic to just book our own! You stay where they want you to (inside cabin, lower deck), when they want you to, (hurricane season), and it will end up costing you in the long run. Do not only toss it away, burn it so no one else will get it. This is just my opinion.
__________________ the INSPIRATION the CELEBRATION the SENSATION the SENSATION
"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."
Company claims to be a Round Rock Texas based "travel destination" company, yet is an "RCI Points Conversion" company, and when you get the confirmation, it is from "Vacation Tours USA" which has a long list of cruise scams.
Here is the confirmation note I received from VTU after speaking to "Leisure Getaways" (of course I am not attending...but just thought I'd share with the class to get this "Leisure Getaways" name circulating. It was hard to find any scam info on them, they seemed somewhat legit, although the website was lame. The director appears to be a local guy named Cavit Handley
associated with Bay Branch Condominium Association of Spring Texas. So I thought - maybe they really are legit (the spiel was that they promote their travel packages as advertising...word of mouth...) ok - yes - obviously I was born yesterday
But there is a long track record of VTU and affiliates , so my first instinct was right
Congratulations! It is our pleasure to confirm your scheduled appointment!
This is your invitation to the Open House Presentation. While visiting the showroom, you will learn inside information from the travel industry on how to save while traveling. During the entertaining and informative 90 minute presentation you will be amazed at the savings you can receive on your travel needs. This is not a timeshare or real estate offer.
This is strictly a promotional offer. There is no obligation to purchase anything to receive the gifts listed on your mail piece. All you have to do is keep your scheduled appointment.
This valuable promotional offer is by invitation only. Seating is extremely limited, so we ask that you do not bring children. We know you will enjoy the presentation.
Please arrive 15 minutes early for your scheduled presentation.
VTU’s Customer Service number is 1-877-313-3326.
CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS APPLY
Leisure Getaway is located at 11301 Domain Dr. Austin, TX in The Weston Austin at the Domain.
From Downtown Austin: Follow Interstate 35 North to U.S. Highway 183/Research Boulevard North. Proceed 5.5 miles to Loop 1/MoPac Expressway North. Take the Burnet/Duval Exit and immediately enter the hotel via the Domain Boulevard access road.
I am truly sorry that you are not completely satisfied in your dealings with our company. I do care, and I am going to do what I can to make this right. We help thousands of owners with their vacation ownership needs every year, ensuring we have handled things to the best of our capabilities each and every time is of utmost importance. Don't hesitate to contact me at 800-896-9308, I would love the opportunity to find a mutual and agreeable solution.
I would not for 1 second ever believe this postcard was legit and it would go straight from mailbox to trash faster than I could delete a pre-recorded "congratulations you won a ..." phone call.
That being said, my friend and I were at the fair the other day and she was stopped by a lady at a booth offering a free 4day Carnival cruise in exchange for attending a timeshare presentation. She was persistent but not pushy. Both of us being avid travelers, my friend (who can be more than a little gullible) immediately got sucked in then reluctantly sucked me into filling out the form agreeing to come to the presentation. I told the lady I had no intention on buying a timeshare, she said just come for the free trip. I told her I didn't believe the cruise was free, she said it was and a company as large as them wouldn't risk the backlash from scamming folks on TS presentations. I told her I didn't even have a job let alone meet the $75k required annual salary, she said just check yes and don't tell them when I get there and bring a major credit card We're to go next week.
After we filled out the form she asked us for $20 good faith money which was refundable when we showed up. I told her to go to hell, she waived it She and the literature she showed us (which included the specific destinations and ports we could choose from, about 5 total), clearly stated Carnival cruise line and that we had to pay nothing but port fees and taxes. We confirmed this with her several times. She said we have 18months to travel. The timeshare is for the Worldmark Wyndham which is a very nice and reputable timeshare/hotel chain, I know someone who's an owner and have been on a couple vacations at the property in different cities. That's the only reason I'm holding hope this is for real. If it was some no name never heard of fly by night company I wouldn't even bother. I just don't want to waste my time. Even if it's only 90 minutes, it's on a Sunday, I have no interest in buying a TS, and it's 40 minutes away. I don't want them to require a "deposit" at the end for me to get the trip or pass me onto some never heard of "travel agency" to book that requires "service charges" and made up fees. I'm not in the financial position to pay $100's of dollars for a cruise right now even if it IS highly discounted. I just took a cruise in May. Oh well I'll show up with my now defunct Amex card and see. At least they're serving lunch...supposedly.
Oh yeah, I'm soooo using The Showmans script lololol. It's hilarious. I love messing with high pressure sales people.
I am truly sorry that you are not completely satisfied in your dealings with our company. I do care, and I am going to do what I can to make this right. We help thousands of owners with their vacation ownership needs every year, ensuring we have handled things to the best of our capabilities each and every time is of utmost importance. Don't hesitate to contact me at 800-896-9308, I would love the opportunity to find a mutual and agreeable solution.
Connect with Facebook
New "spin" - Leisure Getaways
We're to go next week.
She and the literature she showed us (which included the specific destinations and ports we could choose from, about 5 total), clearly stated Carnival cruise line and that we had to pay nothing but port fees and taxes. We confirmed this with her several times. She said we have 18months to travel. The timeshare is for the Worldmark Wyndham which is a very nice and reputable timeshare/hotel chain, I know someone who's an owner and have been on a couple vacations at the property in different cities. That's the only reason I'm holding hope this is for real. If it was some no name never heard of fly by night company I wouldn't even bother. I just don't want to waste my time. Even if it's only 90 minutes, it's on a Sunday, I have no interest in buying a TS, and it's 40 minutes away. I don't want them to require a "deposit" at the end for me to get the trip or pass me onto some never heard of "travel agency" to book that requires "service charges" and made up fees. I'm not in the financial position to pay $100's of dollars for a cruise right now even if it IS highly discounted. I just took a cruise in May. Oh well I'll show up with my now defunct Amex card and see. At least they're serving lunch...supposedly.
Free cruse scam
2 day cruise to the bahamas free
Linear Mode
