Complaints

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:09/05/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore 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.

  Subject: Re: ID # ******** - ******************** Dear BBB,Thank you for your time and attention in reviewing our complaint against Uniworld River Cruises. We appreciate the opportunity to present our case. Unfortunately, Uniworlds response was both incorrect and dismissive of our safety concerns and request for fair treatment.The response we received on 8/5 was not only aggressive but added to the trauma weve experienced. As Jewish individuals, the conflict in ****** deeply affects us, and the idea of traveling to such a dangerous region was unbearable. The ********************* issued strong travel advisories during this period, and we were genuinely fearful for our safety. With our familys history of suffering during the Holocaust and the ongoing war between Israel and *****, the prospect of traveling at that time was overwhelming for us.Contrary to Uniworlds claims, we did contact them before the cruise to express our concerns. However, they ignored us. To assert that there was no significant change in the State Departments travel advisory dismisses the fear and uncertainty that many travelers experienced during this period.We purchased the cruise in good faith for $12,798a significant sum for us. We did not demand a refund but only requested a cruise credit to rebook when it would be safer. Instead, Uniworld has been rigid, showing no empathy or understanding during an unprecedented time of war.We feel that Uniworlds treatment is unjust and borders on discriminatory. Their refusal to offer a reasonable solution makes it seem as though they are capitalizing on our distress. We urge the BBB to help resolve this matter and hold Uniworld accountable for their poor customer service. We simply ask for a fair resolutionat the very least, a cruise credit so that we can take the trip we paid for at a safer time.Thank you for your time and support.Sincerely,***** & ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/20/2024

  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.

  Our intended Uniworld river cruise, the Splendors of Egypt & the Nile, was scheduled from November 4 to December 6, 2023. However, due to the extremely dangerous war in ****** with Hamas that began just a few days before we were set to travel, we made the difficult decision not to embark on this journey. As a Jewish traveler (twenty-eight of our family members were among the victims of *********), I was genuinely afraid for my life and that of my family. The United ************************ travel advisory further reinforced our concerns. It explicitly warns against travel to ***** due to ongoing terrorism threats. Terrorist groups have targeted various locations, including diplomatic facilities, tourist spots, transportation hubs, markets, western businesses, restaurants, resorts, and local government facilities. Even urban areas like *****, despite heavy security, have not been immune to attacks. Religious sites, such as mosques, churches, monasteries, and buses traveling to these locations, have also been targeted.Given this context, it was absolutely clear that it was unsafe for us to proceed with the cruise. We expected Uniworld to be proactive in addressing our situation. However, to our dismay, no one from Uniworld or Marriott Bonvoy contacted us during this critical time. There was no effort to check in on our well-being or to rectify the situation. It felt as though our safety and concerns were completely disregarded.As global citizens, we find this unacceptable. We believe that a company like Uniworlds should prioritize the safety and satisfaction of its passengers not ask them to travel to a war zone where they fear for their safety! We are left feeling disappointed and unheard.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/30/2024

  To whom it may concern: In December of 2022, Mr. and **************** purchased a Egypt cruise-tour with a start date of November 25, 2023. We first learned that they did not intend to take the cruise-tour only when they were a no-show on the program start date. Based on our stated cancellation policy, no refund was issued to them, and in fact we were not contacted by them regarding their cancellation. Then, in March of 2024 we received an email from them stating that they were angry we hadn't proactively reached out to them prior to the cruise to address their safety concerns. We replied to their complaint in full. We were not able to issue them a refund or credits. Our stated policy on every invoice they received has a schedule of cancellation penalties showing the amount we will refund up until 30 days prior to departure. Closer than 30 days from departure the cancellation penalty is 100%. We apply these cancellation penalties fairly, rather than holding some customers to the policy and waiving it for others. Additionally, as a seller of travel insurance through a partner (AON Affinity) we offer insurance that provides an any-reason cancellation coverage, under which the insured is eligible for a credit in the full amount of their booking if they cancel for a non-covered reason. We are not able to charge some guests for this coverage, and also provide the benefit of it to guests who did not purchase it (as the Laczkos did not). Please note that up until October 25 they were eligible for a 50% refund of the cruise if they cancelled. They chose not to do this, nor did they ever notify us of their intention to cancel or their fear of travelling. I would also like to point out that the statements they made in their BBB complaint regarding security in ***** are not true. The US **************** has not made any significant changes to the travel advisory to ***** in the last several years. The advisory only mentions security concerns in the *****, the **************, and the border with ***** - none of these places are included in our cruise-tour. Additionally, there have been no published accounts of terrorist activities in ***** since October 7, 2023, as described in their BBB complaint. Our guests have experienced no violence or threats of violence, and ***** continues to be a top destination for our clients. While we regret that Mr. and **************** were unable to join the cruise-tour we are unable to honor their request for compensation. 

  Please find a copy of their invoice showing terms and conditions attached. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/19/2024

  Type:Product 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.

  We booked travel for 4 persons with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, initial conversations via phone 2/13/24. We were enticed by a sale price "leap year flash sale" and decided to alter the initial booking to upgraded cabins, so a second option was created. The Uniworld agent explained we could also benefit from a repeat traveler discount of $200/ea for the two repeat travelers, and a $100/ea discount for referring party and the referee -- consequently a total of $800 discount, and could hold the sale price for 24 hrs. These discounts required some on-line entries and processing time, but we were instructed not to worry as the discounts could be applied retroactively. We paid within 24 hrs as required. Prior to payment, we did engage a travel agent (Cruise Center World Travel) for the additional benefits they offer locally. When checking with Uniworld on 3/1, we were told we would only receive $400 in discounts rather than $800, and to expect the refunds to post within 2 weeks. Any complaints about this disappointing news had to go via the travel agent (**). The ** worked on ********* final invoices on 3/13. She said Uniworld said no changes & to read the fine print in the 10 page ****************** as to how discounts are applied -- which we saw after we paid. In calls on 3/13 & 3/14 we were told we would receive callbacks that day, but this never happened. In a call on 3/15, supervisor ****** said he could only discuss with the **. He did leave a voice mail with her that day, expressing no change. In summary, we complain about deceptive marketing with the verbal promise of $800 refunds versus the actual $400 in refunds, reinforced by the time pressure to pay. We request an additional $400 and agent training so future clients are not duped. Lastly, the discounts have not yet been completed, and we're told today that the final discount of $100 is still processing and can take up to 30 days rather than the 2 weeks previously cited. Booking #'s ******* & *******.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/18/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore 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.

  January 18, 2023 Note: I never did receive a response from Uniworld **************** until I contacted my local AAA travel agent/office. Even then, Uniworld did not/has not responded promptly or at all. They offered us $450 per person future cruise credit, and the value that I received from this cruise is not nearly comparable to the consideration that I paid: $75K. (six (6) passengers/cruise, extension, Uniworld air and travel insurance). I would like to note that even some pre-booking discounts at this time, for strangers, are at least $1,500.00, and we are not strangers, but River ************* members.We recently completed a Uniworld Cruise (Castles Along the Rhine) on the ship, ************************* from ***** to ********* (09.25.22 to 10.02.22 with a post-cruise extension for all in ********* until 10.04.22). two Parents, two Adult children with spouses for a total of six guests. VERY DISSATISFIED. The overall experience was negative. Consideration paid not equal to value received.Here was the problem: fully 80 guests out of the 120 on board (2/3) were part of a group/convention (an unhappy guest gave this information). And we were in no away aware of this in advance. It was almost like being uninvited guests at someone else's Spring Break. After the final payments were made in March of 2022, I checked the website often and found "sold out" in most every cabin category. So, I know that Corporate knew of this group/convention in advance. * I would NOT have kept these dates knowing at least 2/3 of the guests would be part of a cohesive group.*Instead of a quiet vacation, we found ourselves among the large group who had moved chairs, etc. consistently in order to congregate. *In addition, the dining room became a stressful race to obtain a decent table before the group overran that area. *The group pretty much dominated and filled up the excursions that had limits. NEVER did I hear "...I am so sorry. Maybe we can make other arrangements".

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/08/2022

  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.

  I have been trying to get a refund since 2021. Uniworld states that they refunded my credit card on March 3, 2022 for $3,107.58. However, I have never received the refund. After calling for over a year and finally getting an apparent refund in March, 2022, I still have not received the money. After hours and hours and hours of calls talking to Uniworld and them telling me that it's the credit card company, the money was sent. However, the credit card company, **** of America, which I don't have an account with them, I have never had an account with them, they can't even find me in their system because I have no account. Uniworld keeps pushing me back to **** and America and **** of America is pushing me back to Uniworld because **** of America does not have these funds or if they do, it sure wasn't passed on to me because I have no account with them. I have called so many times and still do not have a resolution. I am 71 years old and having to deal with this for over a year, it has been a financial burden. I need help getting my money refunded and someone at Uniworld MUST find where they sent the money and track it down. They owe me the money, they need to find out where they sent it and who has it because I have not received the money that they state was refunded.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/06/2023

  Uniworld received payment for this booking by credit card in 2020. The guest cancelled her booking in 2022. Refunds were processed to the original payment card on file. Uniworld does not process credit card refunds to cards other than the original card on file. If an original card has been compromised or otherwise cannot be refunded, Uniworld will issue a refund by check. In this case, refunds totaling $3107.58 were processed to the original payment card on March 3. We received a request from the guest for assistance with her refund on July 28, 2022. At that time, she stated in an email that her bank was **** of America and provided us with the last 4 digits of the card she thought she used. The last 4 digits she provided did not correspond with the card we had on file, and in our reply to her, on August 2, we gave her the correct last 4 digits.  We also confirmed with our bank that the refunds were processed, and we forwarded the transaction numbers to the guest to assist her bank with locating the refunds. Unfortunately, we can only see the bank transactions on our end, and not on the cardholder's account. Based on the complaint details it appears that she may have misunderstood what card she used for this booking. We will continue to work with her to try and resolve this complaint.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/10/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore 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.

  The complaint and trip invoice are contained in the two uploaded documents. Regarding the invoice, the overpayment of $1527.20 has been refunded to us.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/20/2022

  Type:Product 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.

  In 8/26/19, I paid ******** for a river cruise Booking #XXXXXXX with sailing date for 4/5/20 for 2 people . The cruise was cancelled twice by Uniworld due to Covid. It was finally set to go 4/3/22. Unfortunately, I broke my ankle from an accident requiring emergency surgery on 1/28/22 with estimated 6-12 months recovery. The travel agent from ******************* was notified on 1/31/22 about the accident and medical records were sent. My request for travel voucher was denied and I was informed that Uniworld will charge 30% penalty regardless of my medical condition and situation. I accepted the consequence and expected the full refund minus the penalty. However as of today and after several attempts to get our money back, I only received a partial refund of $824.62 on 3/22/22 and ******** on 4/21/22/. Uniworld still owes us ******** per agreement and as confirmed by the travel agent. Several of our emails and messages directly sent were simply ignored by Uniworld after the travel agent's futile attempts to get this resolved. In addition, we could not complete our trip insurance claim with ****************. It could have covered the charged 30% cancellation penalty but the refund has not been settled and we have a small window of time to file for it. We hope to retrieve the payment that Uniworld has been withholding for a long time now as that trip that never happened.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/05/2022

  Consumer Response /* (2000, 6, 2022/07/01) */ They finally settled it and refunded me the remaining amount due. Thanks.