ComplaintsforEF Educational Tours

• Initial Complaint

  09/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My son was schedule to go in a tour to ****************** on 4/7/25 his account number 7157756-01, Today the trip was canceled, since they canceled I ask for my refund but they are charging me 590 dlls, because the cancelation even know I didnt cancel, they said that they can send my son to another trip to ***** or ******* (more expensive) I sign a contract for Doninican republic and since it is cancel I need my full refund of $2247.00 dlls. This look like a scam they make you pay and then they cancel and I have to pay for it? The cancellation it is not my fault and they have not honor the contract.

  

  Business response

  09/23/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. We are sorry to hear that your student's Group Leader decided to cancel the tour. Per our Booking Conditions, signed upon enrollment, standard cancellation fees apply when the Group Leader cancels the tour. You can find our Booking Conditions here: ***************************************************************. In your case, you purchased the Global Travel Protection Plus Plan which allows for a refund of all funds less the cost of the deposit and the insurance. There are some other tour options available for your student to enroll on and all funds paid in would transfer. There is a tour to ****** next June, and a tour to ******* & *********** in July 2025. We hope you consider one of these options for your student, as you intended when you enrolled your child on the ** Tour. Since your tour is already cancelled, please let us know by Oct 1, 2024 if you would like to switch your student to one of the other tour opportunities. We hope to travel with your student in the future!

• Initial Complaint

  09/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On September 24, 2023, $635 was paid to EF Tours for EF Tours Stories of Scotland tour for my daughter through her high school, which was cancelled in February 2024. We were not given the option to request a refund. The fees paid were moved to a different trip which we were not allowed to change and was not the same or even similar to the original trip. I would like my $635 payment refunded since the trip is no longer available and the trip the deposit funds were rolled into is not the same trip and we were not allowed to cancel. I have been working with the school teacher sponsoring this trip as well as EF tours since May 2024. EF tours finally agreed to reimburse us half the amount of the deposit on August 13, 2024. However, today (Sept 9, 2024) they have reneged on that agreement and will not refund any of our deposit monies. I want all $635 refunded to me.

  

  Business response

  09/13/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. We're sorry to hear that your student's original tour, 'Stories of Scotland' was switched to 'Rome & Sorrento'. Per our Booking Conditions, a Group Leader can make decisions on behalf of the group in regards to tour destinations and dates. If a traveler wants to cancel, our Standard Cancellation Policy applies. Your student is covered under the Global Travel Protection Plus Plan which means a refund less the cost of the insurance and the deposit. An exception was make to refund the deposit, however the insurance remains non-refundable. Should you choose to re-enroll your student on the tour, the policy withheld would be credited back to the tour. You still have 100 days to re-enroll should your daughter change her mind!

  Customer response

  09/13/2024

  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 DO NOT agree with EF tours. As the attached email details, I was promised a 50% refund of my original payment. That would be a total of $317.50. That is what was negotiated between the teacher liaison and the EF tours consultant and relayed to me by email. I expect a refund of $317.50 as agreed upon. 
  
  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

  09/17/2024

  Thank you for following up. We apologize for the back and forth. Your refund amount has been updated to reflect the agreement per the Group Leader and EF Tour Consultant. You can view this on your student's online EF secure site. This will not delay the refund timeline. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In 2022 my father was diagnosed with cancer. We were to travel to ********** that June. I began the insurance claim but we were convinced by the teacher to leave the money with ** for the senior trip in 2025. The teacher and the ** guide discussed this. In 2023 we attempted to retrieve the funds. ** had no clue of the money and said we filed the insurance claim. We halted the claim per the teacher and our ** company contact. After much struggle, ** said they would apply a credit to 2025 as a favor to the teacher as a nonrefundable voucher. We felt helpless, desperate for our money to be located, just wanting acknowledgment of our over $4000. Now as life does, two years later, we are medically physical unable to travel in early 2025. ** wants to keep not only the original $4000 they manipulated and conveniently made a non refundable voucher but now $1200 in fees of another $4000 (2025). To date we have over $8000 w/ ins. ** manages facts and circumstances until you are so desperate to just see your dollars you accept their shadey offerings. Its our money! How can a company do this? My son cannot physically manage the demands of this tour. We helped plan it in 2021. Life throws curve *****. $8000 should go toward my sons health and future. He injured himself in HS weight lifting. They should have safety requirements like football and wear weight belts and wrist guards. Now at 17 he has major back and spine damage. Facing possible surgery. ** wants him to travel 17 hours to *****, walk 5-10 miles per day, climb stairs etc. What ************************************************************************************ 9th grade. We supplied evidence in correspondence regarding the above. We do not want to drag people in the mud or litigate. We just want what is just and right. That is our money from both trips. Insurance should cover it or ** can. We purchased insurance and we followed all the terms and conditions.

  

  Business response

  09/05/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. After reviewing the account, I wanted to share some helpful information. Your Costa Rica tour was cancelled 28 days prior to departure. Per our Booking Conditions, our standard cancellation policy applies for any cancellation regardless of reason. There is no refund when travelers cancel less than 45 days prior to departure. I've included our standard Cancellation Policy below. You can still pursue an insurance claim for the Costa Rica tour should your reason for canceling the Costa Rica tour be covered under the policy. You can find the policy here: *********************************************************************************************. ** made the exception to apply all the funds (cancellation fee) withheld from your Costa Rica tour to your Japan tour as a non-refundable adjustment. The decision to make an exception was the ensure that you and your student could still travel on an educational tour and avoid the insurance claim process. We cannot make an exception to refund you the non-refundable portion since your ********** tour was cancelled less than a month prior to departure. You can still pursue an insurance claim to see if the claims processor will reimburse the cancellation fee withheld for **********. Should your claim be approved, your funds will be reimbursed from insurance and we can move forward with cancelling your Japan tours per our standard cancellation policy. If you need support with filing the insurance claim, please call ************. I've also included helpful links below. 

  ****************************************.

  *********************************************************************************************.

  EFs Standard Cancellation Policy
  150 days or more prior to departure: Full refund less the $95 non-refundable
  enrollment fee, all Non-Refundable Fees, and a $300 cancellation fee.
  149 to 110 days prior to departure: Full refund less the $95 non-refundable
  enrollment fee, all Non-Refundable Fees, and a $500 cancellation fee.
  109 to 45 days prior to departure: Full refund less the $95 non-refundable
  enrollment fee, all Non-Refundable Fees, and 50% of the program price.
  44 days or less prior to departure: No refund will be issued.

  Customer response

  09/05/2024

  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 will do as suggested because we do not wish to travel from EF blackmail-ish force and in our current health conditions. I expect your Insurance to honor a claim started in 2022? My father had cancer and ** had me halt the insurance claim in progress. ** lost my money as discovered in contact in 2023 (which you forgot to mention). Documents are attached and were provided. I have halted auto payment during this time (do not add fees).  As seven corners is **'s company please ensure no more hiccups.  After a paid claim, we will move with Japan and expect, as well, with medical records to get our fees back in insurance. Please stop the "word wizard" responses. We both know I have documents to make a case.

  
  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,

  J

   

   

  

  Business response

  09/17/2024

  Thank you for following up. We have already outlined the terms and conditions for you to review. You can view our Cancellation Policy, which we withhold all our travelers to, at ***************************************************************. We are only trying to help and support your interest in making an educational tour a reality for you and your student. There are costs associated with cancelling at any time as EF makes substantial investment into each tour component. If your reason for cancellation is covered under your policy benefits, your claim will be processed by Seven Corners. 

  Customer response

  09/18/2024

  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. 

  Seven Corners is currently reviewing and processing. As requested by Seven Corners, I sent over my records and statements that conflict with the totals provided by EF Tours. Once this is matter is resolved we hope to easily move on to the Japan cancellation portion with EF Tours (as stated by EF by October 16).  We hope there will be no hiccups and red tape.  Once we sort this out correctly, I am happy to close this complaint. 

  
  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,

  J

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  09/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had to cancel a planned trip with EF and was told that the cancelation fee was $1000. After the trip was canceled, I received information that pointed to the cancelation fee being $450. When I confirmed with EF, I was told by EF that the cancelation should be $450. When I then asked for my refund, they provided excuse after excuse as to why they wouldn't be offering a refund. They have provided conflicting information multiple times and when I try to contact customer service they were extremely rude and hung up on me multiple times before I was able to talk to someone. Even though they admitted that they made multiple mistakes, added charges to my account without my permission, and provide conflicting information on multiple accounts they still refuse to provide the refund I am owed.

  Customer response

  09/14/2024

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

  

  Business response

  09/17/2024

  Hi *****, Thank you for your message and relaying this information. We're sorry that your experience with Ultimate Break has not been ideal. One of our supervisors has reached out to discuss this matter further with you. We'll follow up via email as well and hopefully can set up a time to chat. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  EF Tours promised to reimburse me for some costs incurred during the trip. Attached is the email chain where *** ******* (EF employee) states that he would create an expense report to process the reimbursement claim, and that the finance department would send me a check. I haven't received the check after more than two months since I submitted all the receipts for the expenses.The total of the expenses I'm claiming equal $530.60 for transportation in ***** and museum tickets.

  

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. We're sorry for the delay of your reimbursement. Your EF contact, ***, has just escalated the request. If you have additional questions, please reach out to him directly via email.

  Customer response

  08/30/2024

  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 have already waited for this money for over two months. Why is EF making me wait for another 10 days? I have already reached out to *** ******* and he has not provided me with a date when I am to receive the check, nor he has given me the contact info of the person in the financial department to solve this issue.

  Thank you
  
  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

  09/17/2024

  Thank you for following up. Again, we apologize for the delay in reimbursement, however your expenses have approved and are in processing. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  As a teacher, I took 4 trips abroad with my students with this company and acquired a lot of reward points. I took very large trips with a lot students, so I had a lot of points. In addition, I made several referrals and acquired more points that way. I was very much looking forward to redeeming them. After having my first ****** I decided to take a break from teaching and stay home for a while. I asked my tour consultant several times if my points would expire. She reassured me and said "no they never expire". I logged on to my account several times in the past year or so to double check. Sure enough, they were there. I logged in last week to check, and all of the sudden they were gone. It said I had zero points. I called the company and they said that according to terms and conditions, reward points expire after 4 years. I was misinformed apparently. They offered me nothing, and did not offer to accommodate me in any way. I was not even able to get the above manager's phone number or email to discuss the issue further. I was told that the manager "doesn't have a phone number". After being such a loyal customer, I received nothing. I am beyond livid.

  

  Business response

  08/29/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. Your inquiry is in the process of being escalated and our Loyalty team will be in touch with you directly.

  Customer response

  08/29/2024

  [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

  08/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The tour director was responsible for managing the trip. She booked the flights. Poor planning was the reason for cancellation of the trip due to several missed flights. I filed a claim with the insurance purchased for the trip. The claim was denied based on a clause indicating no coverage for failure of the tour guide. EF Tours refuses to refund my money based the same reason. My bank cannot refund the money to my account because I authorized payment to EF Tours and they would have to issue a refund. They have refused. I would like whatever sanctions can be applied and a full refund.

  

  Business response

  08/29/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. I'm sorry to hear your student was unable to travel as planned. After reviewing the account and this specific tour group, I see that the entire group missed their first flight leg in *******. Multiple travelers rebooked themselves directly without EF's intervention. EF booked your student's flight at our expense despite the missed flight. I understand that your student had to fly back to ******* due to weather and due to being an unaccompanied minor, however ** did offer to book your student a new flight to join the tour, however that option was not accepted. A refund is not due in this case. 

  Customer response

  09/10/2024

  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. 

  Please see attached response from EF Tours. The information provided is inaccurate. The group leader was the only one on contact with EF Tours, negotiating flights after the original flight was missed.  All parents had to pay for an additional flight because EF Tours would not rebook the flights because other flights were missed due to poor planning by the group leader. When the parents were notified that new flights had to be booked, there were no flights available the same day and very few flights available for departure the next day.  When I tried to book a flight for the next day, there were no available flights remaining. EF Tours assisted me and one other parent to secure flights for our students to fly together. We were charged for that flight with the fees added to our EV Tours account. 
  
  The first rebooked flight from ******* to ******* , then from ******* to *******, ***************; was added to my EF tours account in the amount of $690. After the flight was cancelled and my daughter was returned to *******, the amount of the flight was removed from my account. 
  
  The next flight out was to arrive late Friday night. The tour ended on Sunday. My daughter would have experienced only one day of a 7 day trip. The tour leader decided that it was not worth the expense of a full tour and stated she would assist me in getting a refund. The text of that conversation is attached.  Also attached is the letter from the tour leader  submitted to EF Tours insurance company explaining why my daughters trip was interrupted. The claim was denied due the clause stating the coverage does not apply if the interruption was due to a failure of the tour guide or group leader. 
  
  EF Tours approved the tour leader, ******* ******. The safety of my child was her responsibility. EF Tours owes me a full refund.
  
  ***** M *********, DDS
  

  
  

  

  Business response

  09/18/2024

  Thank you for following up. EF will be in touch via email by the end of the week with more information regarding providing your student with another educational travel opportunity. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I paid the total amount.Due I had got an email from the teacher of stating that it was still on track so I paid the full of amount owed and at somepount the school canceled. I've called.I make several attempts with the school advises that ef should not have charged a cancelation fee. and I have spoken to ********* Lily and **** at.E!F and they all I'll advise if they cannot refund me this cancellation feet even though I did not cancel. They have taken my hard work money And have taken advantage of this situation.. I would like something to be done at least to get my ****** dollars back of what i'm owed. It's ridiculous how much time i've spent and no one can help me..

  

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Hello,
  We are sorry to hear that your sons tour was cancelled. Looking into the details regarding this specific tour, the cancellation occurred under 110 days predeparture due to a number of unusual factors and the decision was made with the Group Leader/********* the time of cancellation, we communicated with the school/Group Leader what the cancellation would look like. At *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** you opted to cancel yourself.  For context, the cancellation fee retained reflects many factors, including allowing EF Explore America to partially cover costs related to certain non-refundable payments to suppliers which in the case of group travel are booked months if not years in advance. This also takes into consideration the work that our staff has put into the sourcing and contracting,the consulting, and the booking work that is required to make your tour come to fruition. We are sorry we dont have the refund you were looking for.  We have committed long ago that all of our customers would (and will) be treated the same and we are not making any further exceptions to this.

  Customer response

  08/30/2024

  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. 

  Again I did not cancel this trip, The school/leader did, In that case you should have offered my son a trip, Instead Of cancelling it completely without notifying us,  after we have paid in full. This wasn't on my part, so my money shouldn't have been kept I would like my refund back of the money that was kept for the cancellation fee. Your company was so quick to call when I would miss a payment And now I can't even get my money back and charged late fees. Your company has taken advantage of this situation completely!!! I'm a single mother with 5 kids, so I work hard for my money and and I want to  make sure my kids have a good education and you just stole from that.

  
  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

  09/17/2024

  Thank you for following up. We apologize that the Group Leader/school made the decision to cancel the tour. We are not making any further exceptions to our standard cancellation policy. Late fees were not assessed and you have been refunded all less the non-refundable deposit, cost of the insurance, and the cancellation fee. 

  Customer response

  09/18/2024

  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. 

  This makes no sense.  I did not cancel this trip there fore I should not be obligated to pay any fees especially 514 00 .  So please enlighten ud with a detailed  Description For each top charge, totalling mynreimburesemnet request..and I was never reimbursed my late fees other than the first couple where honored because The school wasn't sure If this trip was gonna happen. then we got confirmation and we paid in full..if you look at what was given to us and what was invoice  you will see that the late fees were never taken off and I was charged twice. I would like to see proof and information for each vendor so I can contact personally and maybe get my reimbursement from them after explaining the situation.  Again I did not cancel this trip.  You should have offered a solution before deciding that you were just going to take me money.  How many families have you done this to. How many cancelations have you had in a 12 month Period. If you can provide a report of how many cancelations you have collected using the same excuse.

  
  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

  08/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My child was on a 14-day tour with EF Tours, and on August 1, 2024, her departing flight from ****** to ******* was canceled at the airport. She called me in distress as no new flight arrangements had been made. Later that day, the group leader provided a screenshot of general flight information for a rescheduled flight on August 3, 2024. I have filed a claim with Seven Corners, but EF Tours is refusing to provide an itemized receipt of the original and updated flight tickets. They have also denied me access to billing or flight scheduling departments, claiming that such information is only sent to the insurance company. My daughter was stranded in ****** for an additional two days, and EF Tours is withholding details about the costs of her tickets and accommodations. Despite having another flight available on August 2, 2024, EF Tours did not explain why they chose the later flight. The lack of transparency and the inability to speak directly with relevant departments have been extremely frustrating. My daughter's account number is *******, and the total trip cost was $5,379, including the Global Protection Plus program. The group leader managed the situation well, but we need clarity and transparency directly from EF Tours. I've called multiple times and have been given the runaround. Nobody can even say why the flight was cancelled to begin with. I am demanding an itemized statement of the cost of all plane tickets for my child, an itemized receipt for her trip costs, and the refund amount that American Airline paid directly to EF Tours for my daughter's portion. I want to know why they were not scheduled on August 2nd. EF Tours's lack of communication and transparency is alarming, considering most of their travellers are minors. Parents need transparent and prompt communication with EF tours directly. Policies need to be updated and other departments should be available to speak with concerned parents. Placing the **** solely on the group leader is despicable.

  Customer response

  08/29/2024

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

  

  Business response

  08/29/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. I'm sorry to hear your student experienced flight delays on the way home from tour. Flight delays and cancellations can happen, and our Group Leaders are armed with a flight delay/cancellation plan. Groups must work with the airlines directly to get rebooked, and your student's group leader was able to get everyone rebooked to another flight based on availability. If your student incurred any out of pocket expenses due to the delay, a claim can be filed for potential reimbursement of those costs (food, lodging, transport). To prove the delay, EF provided you and your Group Leader a Flight Delay Letter. This document is sufficient for your trip delay claim. Benefits will only be reimbursed if there were out of pocket expenses as the tour was already complete, and no tour days were missed. Please provide Seven Corners with any receipts for out of pocket expenses incurred if applicable. 

  Customer response

  09/03/2024

  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. 

  This response did not address the concerns I raised. This is not about filing a claim. This is about EF Tours dropping the ball with communication while my daughter was stuck in ****** an extra two days. Please read my complaint and address my specific concerns. 
  
  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,

  Whitney

   

   

  

  Business response

  09/17/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. As shared before, Group Leaders are armed with a flight delay/cancellation plan and this includes communication with students' families directly when flights have been delayed and subsequently rebooked.

  Customer response

  09/18/2024

  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. 

  Putting the onus on one person when when there is a change is plans is unacceptable. Your business practices are predatory. I want the policy you speak of in writing. You take thousands of dollars from parents and when there is a problem, the sole group leader is supposed to manage everything. I want my itemized receipt from EF Tours for the thousands of dollars I paid for my child's trip. If the policies you speak of and the itemized receipt is not received within 20 days, I will escalate the matter further. I want a copy of my SIGN policy that says exactly what your response says.

   
  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,

  Whitney

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  08/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My daughter and I were part of an EF tour to ****** and *****, part of which included a guided tour of the *******, ************** and *************************. The tour departed on 3/29/24 and we were informed on 4/3/24 that the ************ portion of the tour, scheduled for 4/6/24, was cancelled due to the tour companys inability to secure tickets and if we wanted to go we would have to purchase tickets separately and go on our own. We were also told if we did purchase that the tickets must be purchased for Saturday, April 6th between the hours of 1pm-4pm which I did. The tour that was presented and sold included a guided tour of the Vatican, ************** and ************************* (attached are the slides presented at the initial trip meeting and copy of the itinerary for that day). Needless to say I am a little more than annoyed that I had to spend an additional $329.90 (receipt attached) plus gratuity for something that was supposed to be included in the price paid for the tour and part of what was already included in the gratuity money I paid ahead of time. I would never have purchased a tour to **** that didnt include one of the most famous sites in *****The initial interest meeting for this tour was held on 1/30/23 and my daughter and I had officially registered on 2/3/23 which was more than enough time for the tour company to secure tickets to the excursions presented on the itinerary. I have been back and forth with the company numerous times and have been told they will not reimburse for tickets bought independently of the tour however if they had stuck to the itinerary they sold to me I would not have had to purchase tickets independently.As you can see in the attached email chain they claim to have replaced the Vatican with *********************************************************** but as you can see from the screenshot of the itinerary that was already included and therefore they removed one of ***** most famous attractions and replaced it with nothing.

  

  Business response

  08/28/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. After reviewing your account, I see that you have already been in contact with a Manager of Traveler Support back in May. For all the reasons shared in that email correspondence, reimbursement is not due. Per our Booking Conditions, EF does reserve the right to modify elements of the tour that are beyond the reasonable control of EF or which become necessary or advisable for the safety or for the quality of the tour experience. Despite our proactive efforts in responding to the challenges of visiting popular sites in ****** this year, we unfortunately were not been able to secure entrance to the Vatican for your group, and an educational alternative was provided.
  
  
  

  Customer response

  08/28/2024

  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,

  *****

   

   

*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. ↩