ComplaintsforCIE Tours

• Initial Complaint

  11/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I booked a trip with CIE Tours for my family on July 20 2023 which included a separate purchase for trip insurance. Recently my mother became very ill with a long term medical condition and requires 24 hour care and as a result has had to come live with my family full time. Due to this unforeseen problem we will not be able to go on the trip as planned. I wrote to CIE Tours and received a reply from *********************************** that I would receive $750.00 refund but that penalities would be charged in the amount of $1887.00. The trip insurance I purchased includes the Enhanced Cancel For Any Reason Penalty Waiver benefit which states:"Part A of your Protection Plan includes the CIE Tours Enhanced Cancel For Any Reason Penalty Waiver. This allows you to cancel your CIE Tours travel arrangements up to 1 day before your scheduled departure for any reason not specified by Part A of the Travel Protection Plan. Under this benefit, CIE Tours will refund the amount of your cancellation penalty in CIE Tours travel certificates."Per the trip insurance terms I should receive travel certificates for the cancellation penalty amount of $1887.00 so that I can rebook my travel with CIE Tours at a future time. I am not asking for my money back but rather to have the penalties money remain with CIE in the form of travel certificates and available as a "credit" when I book the tour in the future. Several attempts to call CIE via phone to resolve this issue at ************ were not successful.

  Business response

  11/29/2023

  Dear ********,

  I am so sorry you had to cancel your reservation due to your mother's medical conditions.

  The ******** protection you purchased allows you to cancel up to 24 hours prior to departure for any reason and if cancelling day of departure it must be for a "covered" reason.

  Per the cancellation letter that was sent, the procedure is to file a claim with ******** by calling ************** or online at www.********.com/wpf429t.

  Your claim should be for $750.00 to recoup either a cash refund or a voucher for future travel.

  The cost of insurance $1137 ($379 per person) is not refundable or claimable.

  CIE Tours refunded $750.00 to your credit card ending in 5141.
  

  I am happy to inquire about the status of your claim if you can provide your ******** Claim number.

  Any questions please contact me directly, ****************************************

  Kind regards,

  ****

  
  ********************; | **************** Manager ************************************************************************* 
  *********************************************************************************
  cietours.com  | Cras Iompair ireann | reservations: ************
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  06/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Booked a trip in 2019 for March travel in 2020. Hours before departure, we were notified of cancellation due to Covid. Travel was restricted in 2020 and most of 2021 due to Covid. Sent numerous emails and a few video calls to try to resolve travel. Our booking was extended several times for future travel. While getting answers took multiple contact with our agent, we finally agreed to terms. We were told in March 2022 we could book our trip in 2023 and our trip would be honored at same price as long as we booked the same tour. A contract was sent with new stipulations and price was almost doubled. When questioned, our agent stated it was the first she had heard of the new requirements. We were told the tour must be taken in 2022 to ensure the same price. We were told previously we could cancel and forfiet our deposit. After years of changing terms from CIE we decided to forfiet our losses and cancel our tour. June 6th we received an email stating our refund was no longer eligible for a refund. I feel we have been deceived. Our trip was cancelled due to a global pandemic. We abided by the everchanging rules and stipulations only to have them change upon our decisions. CIE states, their offices are closed and will only handle travelers with trips ocurring in the next 30 days. I feel this company is a scam. Reading reviews, this appears to be happening to many travelers. I have dozens of emails to verify information.

  Business response

  06/22/2022

  Dear ****************,

   

  The pandemic did affect all travelers booked on our tours. Anyone who had a reservation that was cancelled retained a Future Travel Credit. No refunds were given due to this. The majority of travel companies, airlines, etc. did not refund, so CIE was in good

  company!

  The policy at the time when your credit was issued was that clients had to book a new date by end of 2021---then because the pandemic continued to cause worldwide closures and restrictions we extended the rebook date to 2022.

  We did protect the price for clients that are travelling this year as restrictions lifted.

   

  Unfortunately we could not extend price protection into 2023. This decision was based on many factors--the number one reason is that travel to all countries that we visit are fully open.

   

  If you have outside trip insurance (you did not purchase the plan we offer) then you can advise your travel agent to cancel your reservation and file a claim.

   

  Kind regards,

   

  *********************

  Customer Service Manager

  ********************

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  06/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I tried to book a trip with CIE *********************** ****** sent us to Avoya Travel. We paid a deposit of $250.00 per person for trip on March 28, 2022. On April 20, 2022, we had to cancel the trip, and that is when I was told that the deposit was non-refundable. I was not told prior to paying deposit, so I wasn't given the choice of deciding if I should wait to book trip until I was positive we could go. CIE Tours is blaming us for not being aware of their policy, but I think that was something the travel agent should have told us prior to taking our money.I started with *************************** from Avoya Travel, and he did not communicate in a timely manner with us, so I reached out to *************************** from CIE and he pretty much said it was our fault, too bad.Usually if you cancel as far in advance as we did, (our trip was scheduled for October 22, 2022-6 months out), tour and cruise companies with give you the deposit back.Our trip was to Iceland, and res# ******.$500.00 is a lot of money to lose.

  Business response

  06/08/2022

  Hi ********,

   

  Can you please contact me directly at *********************************************

  I will review your complaint and see if we can come to a resolution.

   

  Kind regards,

  *********************

  Customer Service Manager

  ********************

• Initial Complaint

  05/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In Sept of 2019, I booked a tour with CIE to depart 2020. The deposit and trip insurance was paid by credit card for $1598. The 2019 invoice did not include health related information. The Passenger Agreement was electronically signed. It states if it becomes necessary to cancel a coach tour prior to departure, CIE Tours will offer the next available date at no additional land cost OR make a full refund of all monies paid to CIE Tours. We have never been asked to sign additional Agreements.On Aug 27, 2020 CIE cancelled the tour because of Covid-19. We asked for a refund; they would only refund the deposit $1000 and not the trip insurance $598. We were offered a Covid Cxl Rebooking Incentive ($400) for 2021, which we accepted. This incentive did not appear and was not calculated on subsequent invoices.The 2021 invoice now included essential information which was not communicated in our phone call. As the tour date approached we did not feel comfortable being on a lengthy trans-Atlantic flight and riding on a tour bus with 26 others for 13 days since Ireland was experiencing a Covid surge. We asked for a refund and was steered toward rebooking for 2022.The 2022 invoice now included mandatory requirements for travel. We called CIE to explain that although my husband is vaccinated I am not due to medical and religious reasons. The rep was adamant about no refunds, not even a partial, and threatened to hang up and end the conversation.I am requesting a full refund of $1598 since CIE cancelled our tour. Furthermore CIE has added restrictions and mandates which were not in place when I first booked in 2019 and Signed the Passenger Agreement. They failed to advise us of health directives, orders, and constraints randomly added each year. They will not provide the service it presented in 2019 invoice unless we comply with their latest revisions.Their bank refused to work with our credit card bank. I have documents to snail mail to prove my case.

  Business response

  05/23/2022

  Dear *****,

   

  I am so sorry your experience with CIE has been less than satisfactory.

   A full refund of $1598.00 will be issued via check shortly.

  The address I have on file is:

   

  533 ****************

  *******, **

  37641

   

  Kind regards,

  *********************

  Customer Service Manager

  ********************

   

   

  Customer response

  05/23/2022

  [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 made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  04/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We wanted to make our own reservations for a trip to Ireland. It was more expensive to fly out of ******* than ******, we asked if there was bus service from ******* to ****** and were told there was not as we were going to make our own reservations. There is bus service and we and it would have saved us a lot of money to fly out of ****** but were lied to and they went ahead and made the flight reservations for us telling us that they could provide cheaper flights. This was in fact not true again and it cost us more. WE have spent more than $5600 so far for reservation number ******. I could type for days as to the horrible treatment on the phone with extremely long wait times and lied to about a supervisor getting back in touch with us. But moving forward this is what needs to be resolved. Family members wanted to meet a day early, I called United and there was no problem but CIE controls the flight and they want to charge an additional $350 to change the flight by 1 day! In closing we I would like to get my money back and cancel the trip as it has been a nightmare! What can we do to get some resolution to this as we have way over paid, can't make any changes, and have been lied to continuously!

  Business response

  04/06/2022

  Hi **********************,

   

  Please email ************************************** so we can assist you. Please make it to my attention and include your reservation number in the subject line. We will have the air supervisor work with you regarding flights. Once flights are ticketed the airline will charge a

  fee of $350 per ticket. However if we made an error we will absorb fees.

  We are extremely busy so our hold times are long--apologies for the inconvenience--there are many people resuming travel now that COVID restrictions have lifted and the industry is busy!!

   

  Kind regards,

   

  *********************

  Customer Service Manager

  ********************

   

   

   

   

   

  Customer response

  04/08/2022

  [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 made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I got a call back and everything was taken care of without the $350 charge so it is acceptable. Thanks to BBB getting involved.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We made a booking and paid the full purchase cost in 2019 for a trip in April of 2020 for our honeymoon. The covid shutdown happened and the company moved our tour to October of 2020 and then moved it again due to covid restrictions. They absolutely refuse to refund the money citing that travel insurance wasnt purchased. All other tour companies did right by their consumers and gave the option for a refund. Our lives have significantly changed since the original booking and we can no longer go but still cannot get a refund from this company.

  Business response

  03/02/2022

  Dear ******************,

   

  You and ******* are currently booked on a tour departing April 15th     Taste of Ireland Tour A.  Reservation Number #******.

   

  This was rebooked to April 15, 2022 on August 12th from a 2021 tour date that unfortunately cancelled due to COVID.

   

  We did not refund anyone whose tours were cancelled due to the worldwide pandemic. We only offered a future travel credit.

   

  At this point you are scheduled to go in April --so if you can't go then I can possibly change your date to a later departure or move to 2023.  The flights you purchased originally can be refunded as the airline did refund us.

   

  Please contact me directly at *********************************************

   

  Kind regards,

   

  *********************

  Customer Service Manager

  ********************

  Customer response

  03/04/2022

  
  Complaint: 16816753
  
  I am rejecting this response because: i sent an email to the one provided 2 days ago and have not received a reslonse. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  Business response

  03/17/2022

  Good Morning ******,

   

  Your Future Travel Credit was extended to 2023 as per your on line request received on March 9th. 

   

  Our 2023 tours are starting to be available to book so please contact us directly at anytime to use your credit.

   

  Kind regards,

  Customer Service

  ********************

   

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  01/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We are having difficulties dealing with CIE Tours in Ireland. We toured with them in 2016 and were very happy so we booked for another tour, taking our grandchildren, for March 2020. As you know, everything was canceled at that time. CIE offered a voucher for future travel by Dec 2021. We all thought this pandemic would be over so we booked the tour for October 2021. With the increase in cases last fall, we asked if we could reschedule for April 2022. Our deadline for our remaining payment is Jan 21, 2022. We are still more than 70 days out from that tour and cannot see us making this trip at this time. The *** is telling us NOT to travel to Ireland. The US as well as Ireland are seeing upsurges due to Omicron variant. Three of us are in our 70's and have underlying health conditions. The parents of our grandchildren do not want them to travel while this pandemic is still raging. We have had friends who were fully vaccinated and traveled to Europe ending up spending an additional 15 days in quarantine in Europe due to contracting Covid. These are unusual times and no one knows when it will truly be safe to travel. We have requested a refund of the $8479 we had already paid in 2020. According to their own cancellation policy, we would forfeit the downpayment of $1250 as long as we cancel more than 70 days prior to the beginning of the tour. This would mean we should be refunded $7229. We booked through AAA Travel so the people from CiE won't even talk to us. Our travel agent has tried to call but she is told to email. She got a response today saying if we cancel we forfeit the entire amount of our tour OR we can find 5 other people to take our place. This really is ridiculous. We are trying to contact them within the standards of their cancellation policy but our time is running out. or with any integrity and I am losing any respect I had for them.

  Business response

  01/24/2022

  Dear *****,

   

  This reservation ****** was made by a travel agent who should contact us directly regarding your complaint.  According to our records you have re- booked a trip with us already--April 6th Irish Adventure.

   

  Requirements for travel to Ireland have eased considerably. No Covid tests are required for entry as of last week. Protocols in the country have also eased--no masks or social distancing required. 

   

  We did stipulate that the credit you had from you initial trip with us be rebooked by Jan 31st --this could have been extended upon request. 

   

  Our goal is for everyone with credit to be rebooked and complete travel by end of 2022.

   

  Please contact your Travel Agent for further assistance.

   

  Sincerely,

   

  Customer Service

  CIE **********************

  Customer response

  01/24/2022

  
  Complaint: 16487912
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Our AAA Travel Agent has tried numerous times to contact them. They will only accept emails so there is a lag in response time. We had requested an extension to allow us to rebook but were told that the voucher they are using for the April 6 booking "has no cash value" so either we go or we find someone to take our place but there would be no refund. CIE has over $8000 of our money and has had it since January 2020. They have no right to say there is no cash value! We have been trying to contact them for the past two weeks, well before the 70 days required in their cancellation policy. If they keep our money we should at the very least have a voucher for the full amount to be used when it is safe to do so.  And, in these days of Omicron, I certainly wouldn't feel safe if no testing was required. 

  These are NOT normal times. Since retirement we have done a lot of traveling and have NEVER had to cancel or even reschedule a trip but Covid has changed all the rules. Certainly travel companies should realize the extraordinary times we are living in and show some consideration for their clients. 
  

  I would ask that CIE please review our case again and either refund what we have paid or offer a voucher for future travel in the full amount of what we have paid.

  
  Regards,
  
  *********************

  Business response

  01/27/2022

  Please ask your travel agent to contact us directly.

   

  All clients that had credit with us for cancelled tours are rebooking for 2022 departures. CIE's terms and conditions state we are obligated to book you on the next available date.

   

  Refunds are not issued for Covid Cancellations---only future credit. This is in line with the majority of the travel industry.

   

  At this time Covid restrictions are lifting in Ireland & *******--Negative testing is no longer required. 

   

  Clients who purchased insurance can cancel the credit with us and file a claim to recoup if desired.

   

  Kind regards,

   

  Customer Service 

  ********************

   

• Initial Complaint

  08/12/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  5/19/2021 is the date of transaction $6998 was the cost of the ground tour for 11 days & 10 night tour of ******** CIE canceled the tour saying due to covid they were not allowing tours to ******** - therefor they failed to perform the contract - yet today they are still taking people's money for the same tour knowing they can't provide that tour at this time I requested a refund and was told (THERE WOULD BE NO REFUND) only a future credit It was not explained at the transaction that their was a no refund policy Invoice for reservation # ******

  Business response

  08/31/2021

  Reservation # ******
  ***** & ***********************,
  Please view this correspondence as a formal objection by CIE Tours to *******************  demand for a credit card refund for CIE Tours purchased by them for their tour scheduled for August 26, 2021
  Covid-19: The cancellation of this tour was the direct and inevitable result of a force majeure event for which CIE TOURS expressly disclaimed any liability in the Responsibility provision of its Terms &Conditions. CIE Tours has and had no control over the pandemic, namely the devastation caused by the ******19 global sickness crisis. This is highlighted by many governments around the world mandating quarantines and banning travel including declaring state of emergency across the globe. This global health crisis is ongoing.
  Therefore, Customer demands for full refunds are without basis and run counter to the clear and express Terms & Conditions of CIE Tours that apply in such circumstances.
  Every traveler booking a Tour is aware of these express Terms & Conditions and each traveler purchases a Tour from CIE Tours subject to these Terms & ************************** has a policy and procedure in place to address the circumstances at hand and is handling these matters directly on a case by case basis with every traveler affected by these ******19 related cancellations.
  CIE Tours is dedicated and committed to honoring its longstanding reputation and is working tirelessly to reschedule travelers on future Tours. These travelers are not without recourse.
  To be sure, the clear and express Terms & Conditionsof CIE Tours provide that if a Tour is canceled, CIE Tours will book the traveler(s) on the next available tour. As we speak, CIE Tours is rescheduling travelers pursuant to this promise is issuing a credit for future tours.
  Importantly, nowhere in the Terms & Conditions of CIE Tours does it state that the traveler will receive a full and immediate refund or even that the traveler may request a full and immediate refund without first exhausting the remedy of being booked on the next available future tour. Again, CIE Tours explicitly disclaims and responsibility for such force majeure cancellations but is nonetheless working to rebook/reschedule travelers on the next available tour. 
  We trust that considering the foregoing any such demands for refunds will be rejected and customer will be instructed that they must direct any requests for relief directly to CIE Tours.
  Wishing you health and safety during these most difficult times.
  Respectfully,
  CIE TOURS INTERNATIONAL
  ***************************
  Chief Commercial Officer

• Initial Complaint

  08/09/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Description of Complaint: My wife and I had a tour booked for 2 persons with CIE for September 2020. It was cancelled due to COVID, and as we still wanted to go we rebooked for Aug 28, 2021. Now the CDC and US Govt is rating Ireland a level 4 and a "DO NOT VISIT" rating. We want to postpone the trip again until the Covid virus is not a serious threat to our health or lives. We were told we could not rebook and would lose our entire $6200.00. We are not trying to cancel total trip or get a refund we just want to move out the trip to a safer time. We were told we cannot cancel or reschedule and were not offered any type of concession. Our booking number is ******-***

  Business response

  08/16/2021

  Dear Mr & Mrs *********

   

   I am very happy that you are satisfied with the outcome of your request.

   

  You will be receiving your full refund shortly!

   

  Can you please respond back to the BBB advising that you have resolved your complaint?

   

  Thank you so much!

   

  Kind regards,

   

  Customer Service

  CIE Tours International

   

   

  Customer response

  08/24/2021

  [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 made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ********

• Initial Complaint

  08/09/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We had a tour book with CIE for 2020. It was cancelled due to COVID, as we still wanted to go we rebooked for Aug 2021. Now the CDC and US Govt is rating Ireland a level 4 and a "DO NOT VISIT" rating. We want to postpone the trip again until things calm down. We were told we could not rebook and would lose our whole $6000. We are not trying to cancel total trip or get a refund we just want to move out the trip to a safer time. We are not offered any type of concession. Our booking number is ******

  Business response

  08/16/2021

  Dear Mr & Mrs ****,

   

  I am so glad that you are satisfied with the outcome of your request for a refund.

   

  Your refund will post to your credit card shortly.

   

  Would you be so kind as to respond back to the BBB that your complaint was resolved?

   

  We appreciate your business and hope you will consider us for a future trip.

   

  Kind regards,

   

  Customer Service

  CIE Tours International

  Customer response

  08/21/2021

  [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 made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  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. ↩