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Major RV travel company withholding deposits for cancelled trip due to covid-19 pandemic

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Neal

Staff member
RVF Administrator
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Messages
11,480
Location
Midlothian, VA
RV Year
2017
RV Make
Newmar
RV Model
Ventana 4037
RV Length
40' 10"
Chassis
Freightliner XCR
Engine
Cummins 400 HP
TOW/TOAD
2017 Chevy Colorado
Fulltimer
No
I don't want to name names as I want to see how this plays out and this is not affecting me personally but I've heard this from someone else that was planning to take a major trip with this company. I have used this company once in the past so I'm shocked and saddened to hear this. This company does cold call a lot which is very annoying so I never answer their calls after finally putting the number in my contacts so I know who it is.

The moral of this story is obviously due to the covid-19 pandemic that this long trip to Canada cannot go. Customers, from my understanding, are not getting their deposit back (a lot of money) but instead are allowed to use it towards future travel with this company. I think this is beyond wrong. The company says, from what I've heard, they are having a problem getting their money back from some of the reservations such as US based events. In my opinion and my guess what would be the legal stance is that if you cannot provide the service as advertised then the money must be refunded. This is the risk of planning events such as this and that risk should be the burden of the company and not the potential travelers. If you're in financial turmoil that's your problem and that's what Bankruptcy is for. But holding the money of your customers and forcing them to use this towards future travel is beyond wrong.

What are your thoughts and how should this be handled?
 
I'll name names. Fantasy RV Tours cancelled my 61 day Maritime Tour and will not refund my money. They will only give a travel credit. Their comeback to me is that they have paid money out to vendors who will not refund them (namely Kentucky Derby) so they cannot. I told them I was glad I didn't give them my final payment of around $10k and was told...oh we would have returned that to you. Hmmm. So it looks like the $1,800 that they have been holding for over a year will remain in their possession until I take a trip with them and/or die, then they will be the happy beneficiaries.
 
There has to be some way to legally challenge this. Not sure how that works out of state but I would imagine some legal/court challenge would be welcome in this situation and others for companies not refunding money. This sounds like my recent stay at Auburn RV park where they told me I could leave early and would refund my money and then I had to fight and threaten to get the money. A week of high blood pressure and stress dealing with lies.
 
@ARD was Kentucky Derby even part of your trip? Or was that some other trip they were dealing with? In other words was that situation even related to your trip?
 
@ARD was Kentucky Derby even part of your trip? Or was that some other trip they were dealing with? In other words was that situation even related to your trip?
No. The Kentucky Derby had nothing to do with my trip. I was meeting up in Montreal and then we were going to Quebec, Nova Scotia, PEI and Newfoundland.
 
For me, it's not worth the aggravation to fight with them. I'll use or not use my travel credit with them, but I am very unlikely to book a tour with them ever again.
 
This is why most states have a consumer affairs/protection/fraud section in the office of theIr Attorney General. From personal experience, I can tell you it is pretty easy to file a complaint. And...trust me...a call/letter to the offending company that comes from the Attorney General's office gets a lot more attention than a call from an individual consumer.

Since RV Fantasy Tours appears to be headquartered in Las Vegas, the Nevada Attorney General would be the place to start. Here's a link with more information: File Complaint

TJ
 
Does your contract expressly indicate that the deposit was refundable or nonrefundable?
 
Does your contract expressly indicate that the deposit was refundable or nonrefundable?

Good question. It provides language in the event I have to cancel; however, they do not include language in the event they have to cancel. They mention they are not liable if they have to alter your trip whether it be regarding food, activites, but not if they have to flat out cancel the trip. I will review it again to make sure I did not miss anything. Thanks.
 

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