ComplaintsforShore Excursions Group, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  08/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I booked the private salmon fishing tour for 07/20/24 for my family in ********* **** cove ******. The site says you will have the thrill of your life time. It was ******** for a half day. The tour says it offers soda or water. When we asked if the captain had drinks he said drink the sink water. He lived on the boat and had zero personality. He went about 5 to ************************************************** the cabin driving. His boat motor kept shutting down. I have a feeling that is why we didnt go too far because the boat wasnt dependable. We caught one salmon for ********! We have a boat at home and fish a lot so this obviously wasnt the trip we were looking for. This was the biggest scam that I have ever been the victim of. That is almost ******** an hour for a crappy boat ride. I called and emailed customer service several times. They sent a ****** credit which is nothing compared to my time and money wasted that day. They didnt even tell me they were going to credit it, I noticed it on my statement and called them again. They informed me that this was all they could do. The website clearly states that they have a full refund money back guarantee if you arent satisfied with the tour. This is a complete lie. I am not a complainer normally but I dont want to see anyone else get scammed.

  

  Business response

  08/14/2024

  Good afternoon,
  
  Regarding this complaint, the full refund for the Private Salmon Fishing Adventure from *************, totaling $2,705.00, has been processed and should have been received. The initial refund of $405.75 was issued on 7/26/2024, and the remaining $2,299.25 was issued on 8/4/2024.
  
  The standard processing time for refunds is 3-5 business days. The funds were returned to the original method of payment: MasterCard ending in ****5584.

  Customer response

  08/14/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  07/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I had booked a cruise with Royal Caribbean for Mariner of the Seas sailing July 8, 2024. Due to Hurrican ***** our ship arrival was delayed. We had our tour time set for 10:30am local time and arrived at 11:00. We walked to the designated spot but found no one waiting so asked for directions. We were able to locate the office for Cozumel Fun Excursions, which was the company booked by Shore Excursion Group. When we arrived, they stated we were late, they waited for us and turned us away without any planned rescheduled time. When I looked on their website it clearly states they will either reschedule or refund us. They now refuse to refund me and when I contacted Shore Excursion Group, they too refused to refund us stating we were "no shows". The instructions on the e-ticket does not explain that a new time will be set and never say what that time may be. It only states to be 10 minutes early, which obviously we could not do. This company is scamming people out of money and refuses to hold any accountability.

  

  Business response

  08/14/2024

  Good afternoon.  We have refunded the order for the 'Mayan Extreme Park Zip and Sip'. You can expect the refund amount of $203 back to the Visa****3724 with 3-5 business days.  

  Customer response

  08/14/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  05/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I booked a shore excursion with this company. I was at the business by the time listed on the ticket but no one was there. I call 3 phone numbers provided including an emergency number and no one answered.

  

  Business response

  05/14/2024

  The complainant booked tand paid through Shore Excursions, not through Five Star.

  At the time of booking it states there is a 24 hour cancellation policy, standard for the industry.

  Guest are told to be at our office at least 30 minutes prior to the departure time (see information on the Shore Excursion reservation request, attached).

  On the day of the tour the ship arrived on time and another couple that were also on the same ship made it to our office in time for the tour. They had also contacted our office via email and phone to make sure they would make the tour. 

  The complainant was called multiple times by our office staff but failed to answer the call. Our staff tried but were unable to leave a message. If we had been able to get hold of the complainant and had an ETA we may have been able to wait a reasonable time but we can't wait indefinitely as we had other passenger on the tour, including passengers from the same cruise ship as the complainant.

  Airlines, cruise ships, trains, buses and our business are all on time schedules. If they missed their cruise through being late, would the ship wait or give them a refund, the answer is no. We have rules and regulations for a reason as most respectable businesses do and most reasonable guests understand and follow the rules.

  We have been in business since 1985 and have an excellent customer service record. All guests are provided with the cancellation policy ,which they accept upon signing up for the tour. These guests were aware of our policy.

  Our office has no record of a call from the complainant and we tried several times to call them without success.

   

   

   

  

  Business response

  05/16/2024

  We regret that you were not able to participate in your planned excursion. We initially received a call from the guest's Travel Advisor on May 6th, advising our team that the ship was late to port, causing them to miss the tour. After review, it was determined per Marine Traffic that the ship did not arrive late but arrived at 11:19 am local time, which would have left enough time to meet at the instructed meeting place by the tour start time of 1 pm local time.  The local operator confirmed that information as well adding that he had other guests from the same ship make it to the meeting location in time for their tour and did not receive a phone call from the guest. They waited as long as possible without impacting the duration of the tour. Due to the information gathered from our review, we determined that a refund was not warranted as we had fulfilled our end of the arrangement and had a local representative waiting for the guest's arrival so they could participate in their excursion.

  Customer response

  05/16/2024

   
  Complaint: 21696234
  
  I am rejecting this response because: We were not allowed to disembark until well after 12 pm regardless of the time the ship docked.  The ship had announced that we would arrive to port at 12 pm and planned on disembarking after customs clearance which was expected to take an hour.  I was announced that the ship cleared customs around 12:30 or so.  When we left the ship, we were guided to busses waiting to take passengers to downtown.  There were a lot of people looking for taxis and other forms of transportation.  We were able to get space on the 2nd or 3rd bus.  We arrived at the door of the meeting place by 1 pm, however I had been calling the phone numbers provided as soon as we got off the ship to let them know we were on our way.  I call all 3 numbers provided including the emergency number provided but go no answer from any of the numbers.  I don't understand why the company is refusing to give a refund for a service they did not provide.   Passengers need to be able to trust that an industry that relies on cruris ships, to be flexible with arrival times.  We should not be denied a service due to the cruise ship custom clearance time.   It is misleading and unfair to subject passengers to this while the company is unable or unwilling to coordinate with the cruise ships. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  05/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We booked a tour in *************** with Shore Excursions group called "Highlights with Lunch". It was supposed to start 30 minutes after ship arrived. We found the tour desk and was told to meet back at 10 am. We came back at 9:52 am and was told the tour left without us. We said we were told to be here at 10, they said they would call " *******" the tour guide to come back and pick us up. We were led out to parking area where a van pulled up 15 minutes later completely full. I said we can't squeeze into that, can't we just get a refund? We were told there is another tour leaving in 15 minutes, we can put you on that. So, we agreed.We joined the other tour which only had 6 other people. The tour guide was fine and showed us the sites. He than took us to his daughters jewelry store to look around. He took us aside and told us to go to the hotel next door and asked us to wait 40 minutes so that he could run the other people back to the ship. You see our tour included lunch and was supposed to be 5 hours. However the tour they put us on was a 3 hour tour that people bought getting off the ship for $30, not the $59 we paid! We went across the street and decided that we didn't want to wait while he returned the other people back to the ship. In the meantime, the tour guide talked the other people into buying their own lunch and coming along for the ride. When we got to the restaurant, we were segregated by ourselves to eat alone, while the other six dined together. We joined them after we finished. While waiting at the hotel for the tour guide, I called shore excursions group and complained about our situation. I was on the phone for 45 minutes and finally said can you call me when you figure out a refund, she agreed. A day passed a no call back. I called again and was connected to ****** which said they had NO record of me speaking to anyone. He took the information and said someone would get back to me in 3-5 days. Still nothing, I have emailed

  

  Business response

  05/14/2024

  I do regret hearing this as this is atypical of the normal experience for our guests. We do take this feedback seriously and want to ensure similar things are not experienced in the future.  In light of this, we are going to issue a full refund of  $112.  You should receive the funds in 3-5 business days back to your PayPal.  We thank you for your patience and hope to have the opportunity to serve you in the future.  Thank you!

• Initial Complaint

  02/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We booked a shore excursion of **********'s ********** Mayan Ruins. We were told that the departure time was one hour after the ship's arrival time. The ship arrived at 8:30am and we were at the meeting point at 9:21am. They left without us and have refused to issue a refund.

  

  Business response

  02/26/2024

  Good afternoon. We are very sorry that you were unable to take your tour that day. We understand the frustration this may have caused.  It's important to note that on that particular day, we successfully accommodated 18 people from your ship on the same tour departure without any issues. Therefore, we regret to inform you that a refund cannot be issued.  Please be aware that the tour time is based on local time, and we acknowledge that confusion may have arisen due to the distinction between local time and ship time and empathize with the challenges you faced but we need to bring to your attention that this information is explicitly mentioned on your Electronic Ticket.   We apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding in this matter.

  Customer response

  02/26/2024

   
  Complaint: 21340158
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The number of other passengers on the tour is not at all the issue. The issue is that our ship arrived at 8:30am. We were told to be at the meeting point one hour after the ship's arrival. We arrived at the meeting point at 9:20am. The tour left without us.

  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  

  Business response

  03/05/2024

  We have documentation from Marine Traffic indicating that the ******* of the Seas arrived in ********** at 7:09 local time, with the excursion scheduled to start an hour after the ship's departure. The local representatives waited as long as possible before commencing the tour to ensure adherence to the schedule and provide a complete experience.  We have attached the documentation showing the arrival time of your ship on 1/12/2024.

  Customer response

  03/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21340158
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The business is misrepresenting the arrival time. The ship's official arrival time was 8:30am. The "arrival time" alleged by the business is the time that the ship entered the port. However, the ship must tie up at the dock and clear customs before passengers are allowed to depart the ship. This process took well over an hour. When the customs clearance process was been completed, the captain announced to the passengers that the ship had arrived. That announcement was at the scheduled arrival time of 8:30am.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  01/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company is selling shore excursions from cruise ships, but there are regular problems with their vendors. We have just had several problems, starting in ******* and continuing in *****, ******** and ***********. Based on our experience in ******* and *****, we canceled ******** and ***********. In the case of ********, the ship did not even stop there, they canceled due to bad weather.Even with the bad experiences at ******* and *****, and the ship cancellation at ******** due to weather, this company has refused to issue us a refund. They said there won't be a refund. However, I do understand the difficulty you had with ************** Nun's Valley and Seacliff Adventure excursion. We will offer a future 15% discount. You can refer to the order number ******* when you are ready to book again. As you can see, no reason or rationale was provided for their decision. We have no need for a single 15% discount because we will never use them again. Given the nature of what happened in ******* and then *****, we believe they should refund all three excursions ASAP. We are convinced this is the least they can do, and represents the best business practice in this case.

  

  Business response

  02/06/2024

  Good morning. We sincerely regret any inconvenience you experienced during your tours with us. We have taken the necessary steps to address your concerns and issue appropriate compensation.
  
  For the Premium Morning Snorkel and Sail Adventure in ********, we have processed a full refund of $49 to your **** ending in ******** on 1/26. This refund is due to your ship not porting in ********.
  
  Regarding your tour in *****, we understand the situation and will be issuing a 50% refund, totaling $90. You can expect these funds to be credited back to your **** ending in ******** within 3-5 business days.
  
  Please be aware that the tour in *********** is non-refundable, as stated in the terms and conditions on the e-ticket. The policy clearly mentions, "No refunds will be made to any Guest who fails to show up for an excursion departure at the designated time and place, or who leaves or otherwise does not use all of the services scheduled to be provided by an excursion."
  
  We appreciate your understanding and patience in this matter. If you have any further questions or concerns, feel free to contact us. We hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a better experience in the future.

• Initial Complaint

  01/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We were booked to go on the Hacienda Horseback Riding excursion in ************, *********** at 1:30 PM local time 12/05/2023 (order *******) according to our tickets. We had received an email about a time change, but I had lost it and assumed that the time on the tickets was correct as they were provided by the company. We weren't allowed to get into the van that was supposed to take us to our destination. Everyone else's tickets looked identical to ours, but we were told we weren't on the list. The driver said that he was going to move the van and come back to us and sort this out, but instead drove off and never came back. After waiting for 15 minutes, I called both numbers for the local representative. One of them wasn't in service and when I reached someone on the other, they said that they would call me back in 15 minutes and never did.I then called head office and got in touch with a representative. They also tried calling the local representative and weren't able to reach them, so they said that we would be receiving an email about a refund.After waiting 2 weeks, I emailed the company and was told that they would investigate. I reached out again 2 weeks later and they said that they would not be able to provide a refund and provided no reason.We were at the location we were supposed to be at the time on the tickets provided by Shore Excursions Group. There is no reasonable reason to deny our request for a refund. We paid $405.28 CA.

  

  Business response

  01/19/2024

  Good day,
  We do regret to hear about your recent experience in ************ and have issued full refund in the amount of $405.28 CAD for the Hacienda Horseback Riding tour.  This refund has been processed and you should expect the funds in 3 - 5 business days to be credited back to your MasterCard****2715.  Thank you!

  Customer response

  01/19/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  11/29/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Order number 1468386-2454828, purchased on 11/13/23 for 309$. This is a shore excursion in Roatan that my boyfriend, ******************* purchased for all of us to attend on 11/20/23. It has been 10 days since we first filled a complaint. I have offered to step in and file this in an effort to alleviate some of the stress that this customer has caused. We were booked to be going to three different locations, two of which are at the same buisness/address location. Instead of going to two different places, we were picked up in a shared van and brought to our first stop, an iguana farm. We were promptly told by **** that she was sorry for the transportation having to be shared and that she had to use the vehicle intended for us for something else. We then took via van roughly 30 minutes to the mangrove tunnel and then 30 minutes back to the iguana park for the 3rd portion of our trip which was a snorkel. Upon arrival to the snorkel we were told that all boats were out due to the provider not being told that we were coming. This was verified via text message by our driver when he showed us a text from **** indicating that she had only recently informed the snorkel company of our reservation. Due to this lack of planning there were no boats available. We waited over 45 minutes for a boat, at this time it was after 2pm and no one had lunch. Due to the boat and the driving in circles,in total this trip was 2.5 hours longer than expected. we arrived to the port nervous that we would miss our boat, with zero time to do anything else. We have emailed shore excursion group 4 times, with proof, and have been told by 3 different people that they are "investigating the events that took place" and "reviewing with the local operator" Our initial complaint was filled before the excursion was finished due to the timing and concerns. This company states "To the extent you are not satisfied with excursions you participate in, we will provide a full refund," and this is what we expect.

  

  Business response

  12/11/2023

  We sincerely regret the experience you encountered during our excursions. On 12/5/2023, we processed a full refund of $309, which has been credited back to your **** ending in ********. This amount should reflect in your account within 3-5 business days from the processing date. While we understand that this refund cannot entirely make up for your experience, we hope it contributes to resolving the matter to some extent.

• Initial Complaint

  11/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  April of 2023 I saw an excursion through Shore Excursions Group. Based on the reviews it appeared there was a private tour option. I contacted the company and requested that and also asked for a slightly altered itinerary. The company responded with vague information but told me to book online. Which I did May 1, 2023. The tour was for Sept 4, 2023. They provided a number and email to contact for questions. I reached out via email provided ****************************** but apparently that is a bad email. I wasn't terribly concerned because I had already informed them I wanted to alter the itinerary and I had a WhatsApp number to use when I arrived. I tried calling the tour operator as soon as we arrived and there was no answer (they did not return my call until the next day!) The moment we located the tour operator and saw the HUGE bus we knew this was wrong. I would say it was just my mistake, but another couple was upset because they also thought it was a private tour. This was not how we wanted to spend the day-so we did not take the tour. I have reached out to Shore Excursions for a refund and was denied. We were offered a 10% discount on a future tour-which is an insult. Their communication and their advertising is misleading. Knowing I wanted a private tour they never should have told me to book. If they do not offer a private option they should not include those reviews for people to read. I travel several times a year and deal with tour booking companies all the time. This company does not compare in any way to the service and communication other companies provide. Since they were misleading upfront, did not adequately advise me upon booking, and then did not provide the service I paid for, I am requesting a full refund.

  

  Business response

  11/27/2023

  Dear ********************,
  
  Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We sincerely regret any disappointment you may have experienced regarding your Full Day ****** Countryside and Wine Tasting tour. Our Full Day Tuscan Countryside tour is a standard excursion, typically accommodating ***** people. These tours are similar in size to those of the cruise lines. This information is clearly communicated on our website and in the tour description to set accurate expectations for our valued customers. We understand the significance of reviews as tools for constructive feedback, and we appreciate your input. To help manage expectations, we encourage our guests to refer to the comprehensive tour description, which provides a detailed synopsis of what the tour entails.
  
  We note the concern raised about communication, and we'd like to shed light on the timeline. Your order was placed on May 1, 2023, and an e-ticket containing the confirmed tour details, meeting instructions, and local contact information was sent to the email address *********************** on 5/15/23. A reminder e-ticket was also sent on 8/21/23. We acknowledge that the original e-ticket was not opened until after the excursion date on 10/14/23. However, the reminder e-ticket sent on 8/21/23 was opened on 8/21/23, the same day and a week before your cruise. During this time, our toll-free number or the local operator could have been contacted for any inquiries regarding the tour itinerary. We are here to assist our guests and would have gladly addressed any concerns. We also noted that there might have been confusion with the email address. Our correct email address is ******************************** not ******************************* We sincerely regret that you couldn't enjoy the confirmed tour. We took every step to provide the experience you requested, and our tour description accurately represents the nature of the event. There was no intention to mislead or imply it was a private tour.

• Initial Complaint

  09/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I booked a "Sail and Snorkeling" tour through Shore Excursions Group on 9/4/23. Tour itself was to be provided by Seahorse Tours in ****** ******* during a Royal Caribbean cruise. Tour on 9/18/23. On 9/11/23 "*****" from Seahorse telephoned me directly to say they were cancelling due to lack of guests booked on the tour. I asked for credit back to my card of $284. ***** assured me she would authorize it. I called and emailed on 9/14 but received only vague answer that credit was coming. ***** referred me to SHORE EXCURSIONS GROUP saying they were the ones who booked the tour and they need to refund my money. On 9/27/23 I've emailed and telephoned again. ***** did call me back from Seahorse tour to say she has already authorized reimbursement by email notification to Shore Excursion Group ("SEG") and they SEG is holding the money and she didn't know why. They were real quick to take my money for a Sailing tour that never happened. But are pointing fingers at who is responsible for credit. My Master Card shows SEG is the credit card merchant, so truly they are responsible but NO ONE from SEG will refund the money. This is so super shady. It feels like a ******** shell game and the consumer/customer always loses. Worse part of it all is that SEG won't return calls or admit responsibility.

  

  Business response

  09/29/2023

  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or frustration you may have experienced in relation to your recent tour booking with us. Your satisfaction is of utmost importance to us, and we deeply regret that expectations were not met. We have taken action to address your concerns. A full refund of $284.40 has been initiated on 9/28/2023, and funds can be expected to be credited back to the original method of payment within the next 3-5 business days.

  Customer response

  09/29/2023

  I will accept the refund which is owed. Its too bad that I have to wait another week before it may come, making it almost a month AND having to make a BBB  and ID90 complaint to make this happen.  I will not close this until the refund is actually credited.   Im still in amazement that all this effort has to take place.  Poor business practice bordering on fraudulent

  Customer response

  09/30/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  Credit was finally received on 9/30/23 from the business.  I can't thank the BBB enough for the assistance.  I hope that this complaint shows in their history for others to make their own personal judgement on whether to use this company or not for excursion tours. 

  Cheers to the BBB!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

*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. ↩