ComplaintsforEF Go Ahead Tours

• Initial Complaint

  10/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I booked a trip to ****** with EF Go Ahead tours for November 4th 2023 to November 13th2023.EF Go Ahead canceled due to the war. I would like to have the money refunded to my account but they offered a voucher to use for another trip and the customers have to use the voucher before **** for any future trip. I am not interested on booking a new trip, bur they not willing to issue a refund

  Customer response

  10/24/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  10/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We purchased a European tour through EF GoAhead. We paid for the tour, flight upgrade and optional excursions all in advance and paid by direct EFT from our checking account. This tour was from 8/6-8/19/2023. Within a week prior to the tour, they advised that the ************** excursion we had book and paid for a $129 per person ($258 total) was not available based on the day of the week they booked us for (Tuesday). Prior to our tour departure (8/4/2023), they issued a refund by check to us in the amount of $238, not the $258 we had paid. Apparently they are now saying that we canceled the excursion. This was not the case as they canceled it because the site was not open on the day that EF scheduled us for the excursion. Since this time, we have not received any refund of the additional $20 owed and they have refused to acknowledge this. Emails, invoice and other documents attached. While on tour, EF offered an alternate excursion to ************* for us based on this other cancellation. We agreed to this option thinking that we would be charged the pre-tour price of $119 per person. Instead, they charged us $129 per person stating that we booked this while on tour. In an email of 9/19/2023 (attached), they agreed to refund this additional $20. However, the $20 they claim to have posted to our credit card has never been received. We have tried to get them to speak to the bank and have provided documentation to them and still no response or $20 refund/credit. Also while on tour, EF canceled two (2) additional excursions. One to ********** ($145 per person x 2) and the other a walking food tour($99 per person x 2). They have agreed to refund these amounts and have issued a credit to our credit card for $238 on 9/22. However, they say they are going to issue the balance of $250 by check and we have received nothing. All we are asking for is what we are owed, a total of $290 and details of when and how we will receive these refunds. No response from EF.

  

  Business response

  11/06/2023

  Hi ******,

  We thank you for reaching out to us on to the Better Business Bureau and appreciate the opportunity to address the concerns surrounding the refund related to the ************** excursion. Your satisfaction is incredibly important to us, and we genuinely appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to resolve the issues regarding the ************** excursion.
  

  We've delved into the transactional records, and I'd like to take a moment to offer a detailed breakdown to provide clarity on the situation.
  Original Purchase and Refund:
  

   

  On May 22, 2023, the ************** excursion was initially booked at $119 per person, totaling $238.
       Regrettably, on July 31, 2023, the excursion was removed, prompting an immediate refund of $238, which was duly processed by August 3, 2023.
  

  On-Tour Re-Addition and Late Fee:
       On August 18, 2023, while on tour, the ************** excursion was reinstated via the mobile app as you did participate in the alternative ************* excursion as noted in the description of the ************** excursion.
       A $10 late fee per person was applied, making the total cost $129 per person or $258 in total.
       We understand that the late fee, a standard practice for on-tour additions, may have caused confusion.
  

  Resolution and Refund Confirmation:
       A refund of the $10 late fee per person, totaling $20, was processed and credited back to your Mastercard on file as of September 1, 2023.
  

  We recognize how these transactions might have led to confusion and appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigated the complexities. Your trust in us means a lot,and we are deeply committed to rectifying any concerns promptly. If there are any further questions or if you need additional assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out. Your satisfaction remains our top priority, and we're here to assist in any way we can.

  In Gratitude,

  EF Go Ahead Tours

  Customer response

  11/07/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  10/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Purchased travel insurance provided by EF GoAhead Tours (no company listed on invoice or website as to the provider of the insurance, appears to be EF Tours) We had a day and a half flight delay in our trip. In addition I was sent to the ** for an acute illness and was restricted to a hotel room for two days. There are two claims, one for the initial trip delay (claim #********) and one for my medical (claim # ********). Initially we were given NO certificate numbers to file the claim, calls to EF Tours told me I had to contact "Seven Corners", Seven Corners told me I had to contact EF Tours. I was able to obtain the certificate number through EF Tours and filed the claims (on June 28th, 2023), however the Seven Corners website does not show that I have any claims filed. When I made a complaint about the service on ******** claim # ******** was suddenly denied. I am being required to file an appeal and am awaiting that result. Today 10/5/23 was the first time I was able to get a claim number on the medical claim # ********, it is being held because they want credit card statements in addition to the receipts already submitted. Today was the first time I was contacted regarding this claim. Their website still shows that I have no claims being processed, although they exist. Reps at SevenCorners stated website does not show claims for EF Tours customers. I am at my **** end! We paid $500.00 per person (4 people = $2,000) for insurance that we are not able to use. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

  

  Business response

  10/16/2023

  Hi ****,
  Thank you for reaching out to us on the Better Business Bureau. First, we are glad you were able to make it home safe and sound after having to visit the Emergency Room. We apologize for any confusion and all frustration regarding the Trip Protection you purchased through us for your Seven Corners Policy. The information for our ****************** can be found on our website at ********************************************************************************* encourage you to continue to work with the team member that you have been in contact as she is one of our key company liaisons who work directly with the team at Seven Corners. We will be sure that she reaches out to you soon to assist you further. Thank you again for reaching out to us, for your patience and understanding and we look forward to helping you in this matter.
  
  In Gratitude,
  EF Go Ahead Tours

  Customer response

  10/17/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  I am still awaiting an appeal from them on our trip delay claim. I also continue to be stonewalled with Seven Corners and EF Tours on the hospital reimbursement claim.  I am unable to view any status online because policies booked through EF Tours are not visible to customers. I have emailed requested documentation and I get no response from them. I ended up calling them (again) and they don't show the attachments until I tell them the email address I replied to (from their email requesting the information.)  Once I tell them the email address they say "Oh, there it is!" and I get to wait again...

  Since this policy was purchased through EF Tours, and because Seven Corners policies booked through EF Tours isn't visible on the Seven Corners website, I believe EF Tours should take responsibility for ensuring that their customers receive the best support possible and attempt to contact Seven Corners on our behalf.  (we didn't even know the policy was through Seven Corners until we had to make a claim and found we didn't have a policy number!)

  Thank you for helping resolve this issue!
  
  Regards,

  ****

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  10/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Booked a tour from Meetup to ***** ********. I paid $300 deposit to be on the trip. I assumed I was booked. Then I was told later that the single rooms were all booked and I was actually on a waiting list. I was, in fact, not going on the trip unless someone booked as a roommate. I can get a full refund in this case if I chose not to stay on the tour. A month later, ***** booked a room and added me as his roommate, without my consent. I was sent an email that I had 3 days to back out (but I had a room and a roommate). 5 days later, ***** cancelled. Once again, I was put in WAITLIST status without a room or a roommate. I was told that I cannot get a refund now even though I may not go on the trip (no single room available, even though there are plenty of double rooms). I would have to wait until March **** to determine if I was going to get my deposit back. If I am NOT CONFIRMED, I should get a refund when requested. There was no way to appeal this, no complaint group. I want my deposit refunded.

  Customer response

  10/18/2023

  I have not heard from the business in response to my complaint.

  

  Business response

  10/30/2023

  Hi ****,

  Thank you for reaching out to us on the Better Business Bureau. We apologize for the frustration you have experienced with the shift in your status on the tour itinerary. When looking into your account we see that as of October 26, ******************************************************************************************************* your risk free period since you were not confirmed. Thank you for your patience and understanding with the team members you worked with as finalized everything for you and we hope you continue to travel the world whether its with us or independently.

  In Gratitude, 

  EF Go Ahead Tours

• Initial Complaint

  10/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I originally bought a trip for my son on a school trip for ***** but covid happened and the trip got cancelled so they gave me a voucher for $4060 to be used until ****. This year I booked a trip to ***** for December but the trip got cancelled because of low enrollment I asked for my money back they said they will give me a check for $3495, Every time a trip gets cancelled I lose $565. I called EFT Go ahead today again 10/05 to ask where's my check they said it takes 5 weeks for a check to be mailed out - I called to cancel the trip about 2 weeks ago, I asked to speak to a supervisor they said it will take 2-3- days for a supervisor to get back to me. I'm extremely frustrated I just want my money back at this point.....

  

  Business response

  10/30/2023

  Hi ******,

  Thank you for reaching out to us on the Better Business Bureau. We apologize for the frustration you have experienced from canceled tours due to world events both back with COVID in 2020 and now *****. We were able to confirm that your refund check was printed and cut on October 6, 2023. Checks are mailed through standard US ************** but should be arriving any day. We will have a team member reach out to confirm you have received your check and address any further questions or concerns you may have. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

  In Gratitude,

  EF Go Ahead Tours

• Initial Complaint

  09/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been contacting EF Go Ahead Tours since March 2022 trying to cancel my trip because my fiance's **** had not been approved for travel. Since then, my account balance has been stolen, my trip history has been cleared, and my refund was given approval and then revoked several times.Payment Made: January 22, 2022 Customer number: ******** March **, 2022 First attempt to request a refund:Result: I was denied the opportunity to request a refund. I instead changed travel date.Account Balance: $600.00 Agent: Unknown August 24, 2023 Refund Status: Requested Account Balance: $600.00 Agent: *********************** August 25, 2023 Refund Status: Approved Account Balance: -$600.00 Agent: ******************************* September 14, 2023 I contacted EF Go Ahead Tours asking why my refund had not been promised. I was told it was approved, and that I did not have a credit card on file (I did) and that they would mail me a check to my new address.Refund Status: Approved Account Balance: -$600.00 Agent: Unknown September 28, 2023 Refund Status: Approval Revoked Account Balance: $0.00 Agent: *************************** *Why is my balance 0? Where did my $600 go?September 28, 2023 Refund Status: Approved Again Then Revoked Again Account Balance: -$600.00 Agent: **** LastNameUnknown **** told me the refund had been approved and later denied. Then during the conversation backtracked and told me the that the request had never been approved.*She told me unprompted that it had been approved. When I repeated that to her she denied ever saying it.September 28, 2023 Refund Status: Approved Account Balance: -$600.00 Agent: ************************** ***** without request, confirmed twice verbally that my refund had been approved, that my account shows a pending refund. ***** then refused to send me that documentation.September 28, 2023 Refund Status: Revoked Account Balance: $0 Agent: *************************** ****** then refused to send me any documentation after I requested it.BBB Complaint Filed

  

  Business response

  10/03/2023

  Hello ****,
  
  Thank you for contacting us on the Better Business Bureau. Upon looking at your account we see that your deposit made has been nonrefundable since January 25, 2022 and explains why your refund request that was first submitted on March 24th, 2022 was denied and then again denied in August of 2023. When reviewing call recordings and communications we see that back on March 23, 2022 one of our team members explained in depth the difference in risk free period with the Any Reason Protection and without.

  Our policies state that without the Any Reason Protection or without paying for your full tour in full at the time of booking that the Risk Free Period for cancellation is 72 hours from booking. When you Purchase the Any Reason Protection or pay for your tour in full at the time of booking, the Risk Free Period is extended to 90 days. When you booked your tour online on January 22, 2022, you declined to purchase the Any Reason Protection and only put down the $300 per person deposit. You then did not attempt to cancel your tour until March 23, 2022 which is well beyond the 72 hour Risk Free Period. We see that the team member you first spoke with sited this all within the Terms and Conditions that you and your fianc agreed to (confirmed online on January 22, 2022). You can still review these Terms and Conditions at ************************************************** as they are available to the public on our website. We are sorry for any misunderstanding that has taken place since your original conversation.
  
  Thank you again for contacting us on the Better Business Bureau.
  In Gratitude,
  EF Go Ahead Tours 

  Customer response

  10/04/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********.

  EF Go Ahead Tours,

  You have neglected to address numerous important details. Over the phone with customer support, I submitted a request for an exception to the policy. My request for exception was accepted and granted on numerous occasions.

  As part of that acceptance, my $600 account balance was reset to $0.00, and I was informed that a check would be mailed to my updated address. Two weeks later, I called and I was told the check was already on its way. I have included all of these dates and support representatives in the original complaint.

  Today however, EF Go Ahead Tours has without my knowledge or consent, changed their stance and revoked that acceptance. Now EF Go Ahead Tours refuses to honor the mutually agreed upon refund, as well as refuses to reinstate my $600 balance.

  To put it blatantly, our agreement was broken and my account balance was stolen under false pretenses.
   
  Regards,

  *******

   

   

  

  Business response

  10/16/2023

  Hello ****,
  
  We are sorry for any misunderstanding that has taken place since your original conversation. The agreed upon refund was under the false pretense that you were within the policy time limits for cancellation. When this error was realized by our finance team seeing the full extent of your original deposit date and the date of your final cancelation, your account as adjusted under the guidelines of our policies and procedures.As these policies have been explained to you both in writing and on recorded lines, EF Go Ahead Tours is and will continue to stand firm in upholding this policy.
  
  Our policies state that without the Any Reason Protection or without paying for your full tour in full at the time of booking that the Risk Free Period for cancellation is 72 hours from booking. When you Purchase the Any Reason Protection or pay for your tour in full at the time of booking, the Risk Free Period is extended to 90 days.When you booked your tour online on January 22, 2022, you declined to purchase the Any Reason Protection and only put down the $300 per person deposit. You then did not attempt to cancel your tour until March 23, 2022 which is well beyond the 72 hour Risk Free Period. We see that the team member you first spoke with sited this all within the Terms and Conditions that you and your fianc agreed to (confirmed online on January 22, 2022).
  
  You can still review our Terms and Conditions at ************************************************** as they are available to the public on our website.
  
  Thank you again for contacting us on the Better Business Bureau.
  In Gratitude,
  EF Go Ahead Tours

  Customer response

  10/17/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 
  

  Thank you for finally acknowledging your error and that you did in fact tell me the refund was approved. Now you should acknowledge that my account balance was stolen because of your error. I was told my account balance was removed because a refund had been approved. How do you plan to rectify my missing $600 account balance?

  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *******

   

   

  

  Business response

  11/06/2023

  Hello Clay,
  
  We are sorry for any misunderstanding that has taken place. To be clear, the agreed upon refund that you refer to was under the false pretense that you presented to the team member you worked with that you were within the policy time limits for cancellation. The error was in the belief that you were within the Risk Free period, when in reality you were not in the risk free period. It was while under this belief that the $600 credit was applied so you would not have fees. It was then reviewed and found that you were not in the Risk Free period as you had been told on previous attempts and you were still responsible for the $600 in cancellation fees. When this error was realized by our finance team seeing the full extent of your original deposit date and the date of your final cancelation, your account as adjusted under the guidelines of our policies and procedures. As these policies have been explained to you both in writing and on recorded lines, EF Go Ahead Tours is and will continue to stand firm in upholding this policy.
  
  Our policies state that without the Any Reason Protection or without paying for your full tour in full at the time of booking that the Risk Free Period for cancellation is 72 hours from booking. When you Purchase the Any Reason Protection or pay for your tour in full at the time of booking, the Risk Free Period is extended to 90 days. When you booked your tour online on January 22, 2022, you declined to purchase the Any Reason Protection and only put down the $300 per person deposit. You then did not attempt to cancel your tour until March 23, 2022 which is well beyond the 72 hour Risk Free Period. We see that the team member you first spoke with sited this all within the Terms and Conditions that you and your fianc agreed to (confirmed online on January 22, 2022).
  
  You can still review our Terms and Conditions at ************************************************** as they are available to the public on our website.

• Initial Complaint

  08/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  6/14/23, I Call EF Go Ahead Tours to schedule a trip to ***** scheduled for 11/11/23.. Told to send $450 to get on the waiting list.. (Go Ahead would INFORM me When and if there is an opening.. I Called back on 7/5/23 to cancel.. I was then informed that Go Ahead had emailed stated that I had 72 hours to respond or Cancellation fees will apply; and since I had not called them within 72 hours I had forfeited my down payment of $450 I had no idea that I would be contacted by email (I was waiting for a phone, just as our last conversation) and no where in this email did EF Go Ahead state the amount of the cancellation fee.. Even though Go Ahead had 4 1/2 months to fill that vacancy they have refused to return any amount... My argument: during the initial conversation I was not told of any responsive days requirement or cancellation fees.

  

  Business response

  10/03/2023

  Dear ****,

  Thank you for contacting us on the Better Business Bureau. We are sorry you are not able to travel with us to ***** as planned. After reviewing the call recording from when you booked on June 14, 2023, the Sales team member that you spoke with did inform you that you would be notified by email when you were confirmed on the tour and off the waitlist. This email was sent on June 27, 2023, and does state the terms of the Risk-Free Period and the cancellation policy. Our Cancellation Policy along with all our Terms and Conditions can be found on your EF Mobile App, your MyAccount online, and at ************************************************** as they are always available to our travelers as well as the public at large. Again,we are so sorry you are not able to travel with us currently and thank you for reaching out to us on the Better Business Bureau.

  
  In Gratitude,
  EF Go Ahead Tours

• Initial Complaint

  08/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I still have nightmares from our May 2022 EF Go Ahead tour experience. Flying with ********* airlines contracted by Go Ahead affected me so badly that I do not want to fly again ever. We booked a **** tour with Go Ahead in Feb. 2022 before the May 2022 tour departure. After returning home, I waited to see if I still felt this terrorized after a ***** *** do. With more than 6 months remaining before a final payment was due next ***** on August 7, 2023 I canceled the next tour to Europe with Go Ahead for **** that we placed a deposit of $1,218.00 on in Feb. 2022. Go Ahead replied that $618 of the deposit was already given to Seven Corners for the insurance premium, & $600 Go Ahead keeps. Go Ahead stated I had to deal with Seven Corners about getting a refund of the $618, & Go Ahead wants to give us a voucher for a future trip. We won't be taking any future trips with any tour company after the nightmare we experienced in 2022. I cannot go through this terror again. My heart cannot take the stress. Go Ahead stated that because we rebooked so many times on the eventual 2022 tour, we cannot receive the full $600 refund. We did not cancel the original 2020 tour, Go Ahead did because ************** said there would be no ** citizens traveling to Europe. We did not cancel the 3-day extension over & over again, Go Ahead did. We did not pick Seven Corners as an insurance carrier, Go Ahead did. I would warn anyone considering a tour with Go Ahead to not buy the travel insurance; it is not worth it. We did not authorize Go Ahead to send $618 of our deposit to Seven Corners. Apparently, travel insurance is now mandatory with Go Ahead. In our previous 5 tours, it was optional. After spending over $52,000 on Go Ahead tours from 2012 - 2022, all we want is a full refund of our $1,218.00 deposit so we can forget Go Ahead forever, unsubscribe from their emails, burn all our Go Ahead documents from *************** the burn barrel, & move on. Perhaps that will end my nightmares.

  

  Business response

  10/03/2023

  Dear *****,

  Thank you for contacting us on the Better Business Bureau. We are sorry to hear that your flight experience was Lufthansa was so difficult and we encourage you to address this with the airline directly. We are sorry that you were not able to travel with us this summer because of the emotional turmoil still turbulent from your experience with Lufthansa. Just as with any insurance, be that auto insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, etc. the premium paid for the policy, whether the policy was used for a claim or not, is still due upon the date of purchase and is nonrefundable. We can confirm, that Travel Insurance is not and has never been a universally mandatory purchase, although is strongly encouraged for the protection of our travelers. We apologize for the distress you have experienced and hope that you continue to travel the world be that with Go Ahead Tours or independently.Thank you again for contacting us on the Better Business Bureau.

  
  In Gratitude,
  EF Go Ahead Tours 

  Customer response

  10/04/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.  If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *****

   

   

  

  Business response

  10/05/2023

  Dear *****,

  
  As we are sure you are aware, the pandemic had many wide-reaching impacts on global scale and it is unfortunate that you, like so many other travelers, were delayed in an experience you had been so looking forward to as your tour was canceled as countries went on government issued lockdowns. We are sorry to hear that you did get sick while on tour and should you still have receipts from out-of-pocket expenses related to your quarantine period, you can submit those to our COVID Care Team for reimbursement. Where the lockdowns and quarantine measures were out of Go Ahead Tour control at the time of your bookings, we do acknowledge this negatively impacted your experience with us. We are sorry to hear that your flight experience with Lufthansa and ****** Airlines was so difficult, however flight delays, cancellations, seating,and overall airline policies and procedures are outside of EF Go Ahead control,and we encourage you to address these grievances with the airlines directly. 

  In Gratitude, 

  EF Go Ahead Tours

  Customer response

  10/05/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.  If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *****

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  07/31/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Refund

  Customer response

  08/11/2023

  I have not heard from the business in response to my complaint.

  

  Business response

  08/11/2023

  Hello ******, 

  Thank you for reaching out to us here on the Better Business Bureau. Thank you so much for taking the time to provide your full feedback as customer experience is the cornerstone of our decision making when it comes to itineraries,vendors, and policies. 

  First,we would like to apologize that the location and quality of your hotels did not meet your expectations. When looking at the quality ratings of the three hotels you stayed at with your tour they are 3 and 4 star rated by Forbes Travel Guide and AAA. When looking at the quality of the rooms, amenities,and services of the hotels booked they are well within our quality standards set by EF Go Ahead. As you have experienced, ******, *****, and **** are all very large cities with points of interest spread throughout the metropolitan area surrounding them. When looking at the exact location of your hotels we find that two out of three of them are within walking distance to shopping,restaurants, and key points of cultural or historic interest. We acknowledge that one hotel was outside what would be considered walking distance, given the condition that you describe, however we see that the Tour Director did try and assist travelers in getting to points of interest without high expense. 

  Regarding your past tour director compared to your most recent one; it is important to acknowledge that the ******** tour you went on in 2019 is part of our Adventure Tour portfolio. Given the nature of an Adventure Tour it is important and expected that the tour director be with the travelers at all times as it is much more of a "off the beaten path to discovery" type of experience and does not have much free time to explore independently. In contrast our ******, *****, & **** tour allows itself to more personalized customization through more free time to explore at your own pace. This being the case, the Tour Director is always with the group during included highlights like *****************, the ********************, the ***************, city tours, etc.however during free time or while taking travelers to additional excursions they may only be available in case of emergency. As for the Local Guides, we feel that someone with local expertise adds a great deal to many traveler experiences. Though our Tour Directors are exceptional and very well educated,they guide tours in multiple countries and may not have the same depth of knowledge and expertise at a specific historical or cultural site as a Local Guide who specializes in that one city. 

  Concerning the health and safety you describe in your letter. Health and safety are subjects that are of critical importance to EF Go Ahead Tours; to such a large degree that we have a Safety and Incident Response team, an Emergency Response team, and an On Tour Support team to ensure that our travelers have the best experience possible.We also have set protocol for communicable illnesses. While balancing the ***** Privacy Rules with the group's need for clarity and security can be difficult,we do have health and wellness requirements in our Traveler Agreements and reporting systems for such cases. When reviewing our Incident Reporting tool and our post tour evaluations, we cannot find any reports of illness on this tour from any travelers or from the Tour Director. When looking at requiring masks we always make sure to follow CDC regulations and guidelines as well as the local regulations and guidelines when we require masking.

  Finally, when looking to the theft of your husbands wallet and phone, we are actively investigating this as it was not reported to us through our Emergency Response team nor our Safety and Incident Response team. We also do not see that there is any record of a traveler calling in to our On Tour Support team to report this theft either. We do see that a member of our Customer Loyalty and Engagement team has been trying to reach you, so we encourage you to work with them to assist in this report, as theft claims such as this historically have been covered under the Trip Protection Plan you purchased during your booking and may reimburse you for the loss if your claim is substantiated by a police report. 
  Thank you again for reaching out to us here on the Better Business Bureau.

  In Gratitude,

  EF Go Ahead Tours

  Customer response

  08/14/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.  If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  ******

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  07/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On May 26, 2023 *************************** and I booked a tour with EF Go Ahead Tours. When we booked our trip, it was with the understanding Riki and I would connect either in *******, *********, etc. and fly together to ****** and together returning from ******. This was strongly conveyed to the representative prior to agreeing to the tour. We both made it clear the final payment would not be made without confirmation that we were on the same flight. The team member was very rude when I asked for a supervisor. It took EF Tours 53 days to get it corrected. The first attempt included an additional fee of $760 each and I would have to purchase another ticket to **. Even though the tour included airfare from your home town. The 2nd attempt had us returning on different flights. The 3rd attempt was after I cancelled our tour. Based on their extremely poor customer service and that they did not comply with our agreement, I asked for a full refund of our deposit and *************** I looked up flights and there were many we could have connected on. We were very concerned, based on our experience, that our hotels, train rides, flights between countries, etc. would not be handled. We spoke with *****, *****, ****, *******************, ****, ****, none were helpful. We kept getting the same "canned" response. Evidently their aren't any supervisors on staff. I included the executive officers in my email complaint, and they came back as "rejected". Not sure what that meant.

  Customer response

  07/30/2023

  I have not heard from the business in response to my complaint.

*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. ↩