Diamond Tours
Reviews and Complaints

Just came back from tour to New Orleans. June 18 - 26 which left from the New Jersey shore area. Tour buses were shabbiest I have ever been on. This tour was with New Jersey Mid-Regional Alumni Association group. Advertised as luxury buses, but seats were falling apart and the seats were on top of each other. This was a 3 day travel there and 3 day travel back and the first thing they (Trolley Tours Bus Line) stated was that we could not use the restrooms as they would not be cleaned until the end. Downhill from there. Lots of time wasted stopping for gas at least twice a day and having over 90 seniors continually get off the bus. At one stop, there was no where for them to wait, so they all had to stand outside in 90+ heat for over 1 1/2 hours while they gassed up. Our driver rude and nasty. Too bad we paid tip at beginning because she (Jeanne) would never have received a dime. She even got into shouting match with our leader, when she (the driver) dropped bus off at wrong spot for dinner and seniors were crossing four lane highway to get to the other side. Once in New Orleans the calendar was not well planned. Had us 15 minutes travel time by car from any entertainment, hotel was not accommodating in any way ( no food after 1:30 for lunch and dinner was only served 4-8 pm. No lounge area or entertainment available. Had to continually call for taxis if we wanted to do something, and had us spending 3 days at the same attraction (the French Market). I will never, never, recommend Diamond Tours to anyone! It appears once they get their money, you are on your own.

the trip was so so disorganized! The bus driver horrible un cared for. He didn't know where to go and drove way to fast. sideswiped a car in Pennsylvania and never stopped. late to museum so we just had to skip it. No one knew how to operate movies. they were way to loud. it took 3 days to destination and three days back when it should have taken two. on arrival in to cape cod tour guide groucy and uninformed. not enough time at stops. the bath room smelled so bad we could hardly stand it. food not good and bad entertainment. a vacation with bad bad memories. all due to Diamond tours. never again!

I went on the New Orleans tour through Yahama Social Club. I had traveled with this group before and the hotels were great, but this last time was not very well received. Our first night was in a poor quality hotel called the Quality Inn in Atlanta, GA on Ranchwood Dr. I killed a gigantic roach coming from the air conditioner, there was toothpaste all over the comforter. On our way back from New Orleans we stopped over at the same hotel. This time, we got a room with holes in the wall and the tile in the bathroom was loose. I was very disappointed with this hotel, not good at all and I am sure Diamond Tours would not suggest this motel for any of their family members.

Winona Friendship Center – Diamond Tours, Santa Fe, NM Bus Trip Evaluation Form, August 2015 Transportation & Equipment We should have part of our money returned due to dangerous and uncomfortable conditions. 1. Comfort and Cleanliness of the Bus VERY POOR The Bus was very uncomfortable. The seats were too close together so that our knees rubbed up against the seat in front of us (my knees had rub marks). The bus was not kept clean and in working order as we journeyed. Windows were dirty, junk was all over, especially by the front where we exit. 2. Efficiency and quality of the bus equipment VERY POOR-DANGEROUS The Bus equipment was not in working order causing us to be in danger. The air conditioning stopped working at the end of Day 1. The bus driver tried to fix it himself and was unable to do so. By lunch Day 2 it was clear that the air conditioning was out, but the bus driver and chaperones decided to limp along. By 2:00pm Day 2 it was dangerously hot and nothing was done. They did not call the bus company for help. It was 85 degrees outside, he parked in the sun (with shade 20 feet away). We boarded the bus for a 5 hour drive and it was much hotter inside. He opened the hatches in the roof of the bus to get air flow which let in pollen and dust and mold in and people with allergies and COPD etc. started coughing. The air temperature was still in the 90 plus degree range. Then it started to rain, and instead of calling to get help we drove down the road with rain coming in and people getting wet. We put up our umbrellas inside the bus. As the sun set the temperature dropped and people who were hot and wet were now cold and wet. The coughing continued to worsen. By the next day about 6 people were sick with chest issues, one went to the ER. He survived the trip but died a week later. 3. Level of safety and comfort VERY POOR-DANGEROUS Later on Day 3 they announced that when we got to Albuquerque we would probably need to take a day to get the bus fixed. This meant that we would be on the road 6 days with 3 days of seeing the destination, and they were going to take one of those 3 days away from us to fix the bus. The bus driver commented that they would not call for a new bus until they found out more about the problem with the bus. A bus passenger contacted Diamond Tours immediately to explain the situation and they promised me we would have a bus in Albuquerque. They were unaware of our problems. We had a new bus the next morning. The DVD player did not work because they did not know how to run it. The video choices were poor. The luggage compartment below the bus did not stay closed so we drove for 3 hours with it wide open. The GPS did not work because he did not know how to use it. He was unable to watch the GPS and the road signs, and did not know that the GPS would give verbal instructions and he refused to ask for help. The chaperones did nothing to help. 4. Bus driver was courteous and knew how to get to the destinations. VERY POOR-DANGEROUS Our bus driver could not find our locations. This became very dangerous, frustrating, and unnecessary. Several times each day we wasted hours of our precious time while he drove the bus around the block, stopped and asked people on the street for directions, and finally allowed a passenger to help with directions. On Day 2, in Aurora, CO after 10:00pm after a horrendous and dangerous drive without air conditioning and with rain, he was unable to find the Radisson Hotel. We had the directions in front of us on the Itinerary. FOUR TIMES we drove by the hotel and he was in the wrong lane to exit to the hotel. The fifth time the passengers on the bus shouted together to change lanes and when the exit arrived they shouted, “Turn right here!” Then we got to our hotel. He blamed the GPS, but the directions were clear on the itinerary, and the hotel was visible. Each time we missed the exit he had to find a place to turn around and try again. He turned around in dangerous places, such as a Taco drive-through which was not big enough for a bus, so he drove over curbs rocking back and forth and even hit a tree which dented the bus. Once he turned around in an empty lot, and we could feel the bus rocking and sinking as he bumped through the empty lot. It was not safe. The bus driver frequently let us off in unsafe, rocky, unpaved back lots. VERY POOR-DANGEROUS On Day 1 we were let off in an abandoned lot with old curbs sticking up and very rocky, so you couldn’t walk without having your feet roll. Someone fell and shattered her wrist. She did not have trip insurance and so felt she could not quit and go home, boy, she was a trooper. But she drove the rest of the way that day with arm only partly splinted, not elevated, and not properly iced. He chose back lots because he wasn’t able to drive the bus very well. The bus driver continued to miss exits and hotels, restaurants, and attractions throughout the entire trip, even the last hotel, which we stayed at before, he drove right by. VERY POOR-DANGEROUS Luckily there were passengers who had GPS on their phones, and each time he got lost a passenger went up and helped him get to the destination. He kept blaming the GPS. That excuse works once only, because when the GPS is broken you get out your maps the night before and prepare for the next day’s journey. He was unprepared every single day. The Chaperones were also at fault because they should have helped navigate, and they should have called for a different bus driver. We wasted literally hours looking for our destination. On the day in Santa Fe we voted to get up and leave an hour early in order to have more shopping and exploring time. That time plus more was wasted while we sat parked on the wrong side of the meeting spot and drove around and around. NOTE: he drove the wrong way (i.e. in the out) and drove over curbs many, many times each day as our bus rocked dangerously, through bushes, over gardens, and into trees. The Chaperones should have called for a new driver. 5. Travel to and from the destination was good, with no malfunctions. VERY POOR-DANGEROUS The day we had a different bus and driver was smooth, comfortable, safe, and pleasant. The rest of the time we were anxious, felt unsafe, and angry. This bus driver showed bad judgment repeatedly in choosing not to call for help, in not preparing for navigation, in leaving the compartment open, in letting us off in back allies and driving through abandoned lots. I WILL NEVER GO ON A TRIP WITH NORTHFIELD LINES AGAIN, I WANT MY MONEY BACK. Chaperone 1. Chaperones level of organization. OK to POOR In some ways our chaperone was ok, however the addition of the second chaperone was problematic. The chaperone for the second group was disorganized, uncooperative, lazy, and demanding. The Chaperones should have called for a new bus. The Chaperones should have called for a new driver. The Chaperones should have helped navigate, looking at Itinerary and maps to assist. 1. Chaperone accessibility. OK to POOR Our chaperone was fine, but I heard that the other chaperone gave the phone number of our chaperone to her group during the nights so she wouldn’t be disturbed. 2. Level of courtesy, respect, and helpfulness of chaperones. OK to POOR One Chaperone brought cheap items to sell them to the people on the bus. TACKY and distasteful. We were told that we would rotate seats so that people shared the better seats with a good view and more room. This should have been something we decided as a group, and could have been done whether or not the other group wanted to do so. Program 1. Level my trip met my expectations. VERY, VERY, POOR I want my money back, and I will never go on a tour with either Northfield or Diamond Tours again and I am telling everyone this in person, on Facebook, and other media. 2. Day, time, and season of the trip. OK and also POOR-DANGEROUS It was offered at a good time of year, for a bus with air conditioning, because we drove through deserts. It was poor planning to have such long days. 12-14 hours on a bus, sometimes without breaks, every day is not safe for elderly people (we left at 8:-8:30, arrived as late as 11:00pm). I think this was partly due to time wasted being lost and trying to fix the bus and then trying to find someplace to eat, and it was partly done to accommodate the other group, which was 5-6 hours out of our way each way (with lunch and bathroom breaks). When we made the decision to add the other group we were told it would be a couple of hours extra, not 10-12. This was not above board. That 10-12 hours we spent driving out of our way should have been spent either replenishing people during the journey or enjoying our destination. I know of eight people who were extremely sick when we arrived home, one died, another was so sick she lost 17 pounds, and another shattered her wrist . Driving late and getting up early and sitting too long with windows open in no air conditioning all contributed to the illnesses and injuries. We are lucky that only one person had blood clots. 3. The fee charged for this trip was GOOD. HOWEVER, I want my money back due to the dangerous experiences, aggravation, and time lost. Overall Experience 1. Would you repeat this bus trip? (If I could swear here I would.) ________NO 2. Would you recommend this trip to others? NO 3. Did the value of this bus trip meet or exceed the value you paid? NO You may notice that it took me a long time to send in my evaluation form. This is because I WAS SO UPSET I had to step back and examine it thoughtfully before I spoke out of simple anger. I did not wish to send in an unpleasant evaluation. Many people on the bus kept saying that we should be generous and forgiving to the driver because he is such a nice guy. I did think it through and determined that these are valid reactions and that we really and truly were in danger, not just extremely uncomfortable. I decided that if you are not made aware of the situation other people will clearly suffer and be in further danger. My conclusion is that Friendship Center should ask for our money back on our behalf. Diamond Tours sub-contracted to Northfield Bus Company, who was primarily responsible for the bus and driver. The Friendship Center could keep their part of the fee, but not use Northfield Bus again. I await your response.

I am traveling with my elderly mother and a group of senior citizens on a bus to Mackinac Island. We are on the second of two buses. Three hours into the trip our bus breaks down and we are stranded on the side of highway 55 in Illinois for 3.5 hours. No one seemed to know what to do. We had no power so the toilet and lights on the bus didn't work. Someone on the bus called 911 so we had the State Police come to help. Bus #1 dropped off its passengers at the mall in Joliet and came back to get us. Instead of taking us to Joliet they dropped us at a truck stop where (it's now 4pm) we ate and got back on bus #1 and rode (with all of the personal effects of the people for that bus who are still in Joliet) and went to our hotel in South Bend IN. Passengers of bus #1 and bus #2 did not stay in the same hotel. We, unfortunetly stayed at a Quality Inn. The first room they gave us (#202) had a filthy bathroom complete with black mold in the shower, makeup smeared towels and 3 saucer sized yellow stains and a dime sized blood stain on the sheets. Obviesualy someone had had sex on those sheets and the bed remade not changed. I went back to the desk (with my mom and luggage in tow) for a new room. Room # 156 (other side of the hotel) was, as I soon found out, already occupied by a man! Back to the desk I go again with mom and luggage. Next room was # 164. I left mom in the lobby to inspect this room alone. I was hopeful at first because the room smelled better but was soon disappointed when I found something that looked like either mud or feces on the sheet. It was an object not a stain. I go back to the desk for room # 256. Upstairs we go only to find yet another bed that had been remade and not changed, . This time I go and complain to the desk and tell them to give me the sheets and pillowcases and I will change the bed myself. It is now nearly 9pm and if I could have taken my mom to another hotel I would have. I was plagued with dread for the entire trip just knowing we were going to have to stay in this hotel again on the return trip. The buffets on the trip were well below par. The hotel in Mackinaw City was nice. I slept on the same set of sheets for four nights and they didn't look as bad as the sheets I saw in South Bend. I was really disappointed by the lack of professionalism and organization of the whole affair.

My girlfriend and I went on Diamond Tours October 11-17 to Tunica, MS and Memphis, TN leaving from Washington, DC. We stayed at Gold Strike hotel October 12, I was awaken at 4:30am by something crawling on my hand. It was a bed bug on the top of the comforter. I knocked it to the bottom of the comforter and killed it with my shoe. My girlfriend got bit at 4:45am. She killed hers with a tissue. I reported this to the front desk on October 13 in the morning I. The staff took our complaints and sent Security to our room. We filled out reports of the incident. We had our picture taken along with the bites. We were moved to another room. Our clothes and luggage were fumigated. We were offered to go the hospital, but we refused. The room was supposed to be fumigated as well. I had to buy some benadryl cream and pills. I still couldn't sleep in the new room. I scratched my skin so hard, it bled. The whole hotel needs to be fumigated. I would not stay at this hotel again.

I am a Motor Coach Operator here in Maryland, I have done 3 Diamond Tour trips for a local company as a driver this year (2015), Let me start off by saying that Diamond Tours EXPLOITS black business, that simple, you treat your obvious black clientele differently than you do anyone else, FACT, now granted some of these people you are working closely with because you have educated them to make money as well, and some of these group leaders aren't even welcomed any longer in places such as the Niagara region, you still steal from their guests. Now, my first two experiences went off without a hitch, well, the first was less than desirable being that the group leader was a total crook, stealing from the guides in Niagara as well a prominent Church, not welcomed at ANY of the establishments in the region yet you continue to do business with her, she has done Chicago, Atlantic City and is currently in Tunica/Memphis on a tour. My second experience, you piled TWO groups in different parts of the Baltimore/Washington area on ONE bus, as a driver I had to travel to the Southern part of the region to pick up one group, then back to Baltimore city of pick up another, completely illegal when I was done, bus company NOR Diamond Tours gave a damn, OVER 10 hours of my LEGAL driving time which could have gotten me in a LOT of trouble to say the least. My third Diamond Tours trip was to Chicago, great group, we had a layover outside of Akron, Ohio, Hotel was HORRIBLE to say the least, DISGUSTING, we traveled to the Chicago area, staying at a Hotel roughly an HOUR outside of the city, an HOUR. Our first day of "touring" we picked up this RACIST Tour Guide at Willis Tower, on top of being a walking germ carrying disgusting slob this guy acted as if he (A) didn't want to conduct the tour (B) acted as if he didn't want to conduct a tour with a bunch of "blacks" on the bus (C) Made a completely out of place, irresponsible, racist comment about a famous statue in "Bronzeville" (B) got irritated to say the least when I simply asked him to "tell me WHERE to go not just left an rights at certain streets (keep in mind, I am a NATIVE Chicagoan), this guide was inappropriate to say the least. Our group which had dinner reservations at Navy Pier at a "Bubba Gumps" Shrimp place had their reservations changed from 4:15 to 6:00 PM, they were dropped off at 12:30 PM, do the math, 7 HOURS with nothing to do but a boat tour, why wasn't the group given the dining experience of AUTHENTIC Chicago? i.e. "Portillo's", "Lou Malnati's", "Gino's"? One night, they dined at a Hotel in HILLSIDE, with this ridiculous band, then the next night in GREEKTOWN where the entertainment was provided by the previous nights entertainers PARENTS, total scam... When we departed for home we stayed over in Streetsboro, Ohio, this Microtel was a COMPLETE disaster, COMPLETE disaster to say the least, for this alone Diamond Tours should offer a TOTAL refund to the group for this. Now, my complaints as a driver are primarily about my "Chicago" experience, being a native Chicagoan I feel insulted to say the least, as far as the other 2 experiences I hope these people learn who they are dealing with, the group leaders are scamming right along with Diamond Tours, this should be thoroughly investigated, that simple... I have advised my last group (Chicago) to complain LOUDLY, and to avoid Diamond Tours altogether. Finally, I was an Owner/Operator for 6 years, had my own bus, NICE bus, nothing new but good enough, Diamond Tours only pays bus companies $900.00 per day, the EXPECT bus companies to have BRAND NEW buses in their fleet, I could not get business from Diamond Tours through my company, they wouldn't accept me, the bigger companies they use have BRAND NEW BUSES in their fleets, white owned established companies, YET, when they transport black groups they send the worst equipment in the fleet, FACT, my first two trips to Canada I barely made to and from. Don't trust Diamond Tours.

Tour # 1083667. The Yarmouth resort in Cape Cod that we spent 4 nights in was terrible. It was an old motel that was remodeled from the 70's. It smelled of mildew and we were afraid to turn on the heat or air conditioner because there was mold and mildew in the vents. The overflow drain in the bathtub fell out of the tub and was also dirty inside. The breakfast buffet leaved little to be desired. I would not recommend this as a place to stay for future tour groups. Everyone on our tour was disappointed. Also the meal that was included in the tour at the Cape Cod Irish Village which was also owned by the Yarmouth Resort was awful. The lobster dinner which we so looked forward to was almost uneatable. No taste and not much to it. Would highly not recommned it for your next group. Joyce Koch

We were promised a new bus for a seven day trip involving four very long days of riding. The bus we got was built in approximately 2002 and appeared to have the original paint on the exterior. A sticker on the exterior advertised WiFi, but there was none. The DVD player was broken. The mik and audio system malfunctioned so that tour leader info was inaudible for most passengers much of the time. The bathroom malfunctioned and was unusable for 3/4 of the trip. Moisture between the panes of one window obscured the view out the left side for three rows of seats.There was a very loud high pitched mechanical whine that was difficult to endure for the whole trip. The driver had to pull over on the side of the freeway several times to add coolant and let the engine cool.The bus was taken in for "repair" while we were in Cape Cod, but nothing was fixed. The tour guide covered several broken overhead vents with duct tape which tape was still in place after the "repair." The heater malfunctioned so passengers were cold much of the time.The aisles were very narrow. There was very little leg room between the rows. The overhead storage was open and very narrow.

Recently went on a bus tour to Colorado Springs and the bus was very uncomfortable - seats so close you couldn't cross your legs, no pockets on seats, no adjustable foot rest. In addition no side trips were offered re:going to the top of Pike's Peak and other local attractions. Didn't need to spend 3-4 hours shopping (can do that at home). Was very disappointed in services offered.

We have been in the tour business for many years but after our trip to Maine planned by Diamond Tours this may hurt our business. We had to stay in smoking hotels along our way. Most of our travelers are Senior Citizens and the smoke ordor can have an effect on their health. These hotels were way below our standards. When we requested the smoking rooms to be changed the hotel was sold out. Our route was so poorly planned that on one of our nights we did not get to the hotel until after 1:30 a.m. Do not expect to see much of the coast line of Maine, but be prepared to spend one of your days at a broken down trolley museum. The Maine trip is not all is it advertised to be. Beware.

Diamond Tour #1067393 to Niagara Falls & Toronto. 9/14-9/18/2015. Hotel in question Ramada Plaza Hotel, 7389 Lundy's Lane, Niagara Falls, ON L2H 2W9. On 9/18/15, after placing luggage outside of room by 7:30 am, as advised by hotel personnel, (our bus was due to leave for our trip back to NY 8/8:30 am) I and other guests proceeded to dining room for breakfast. Upon returning to our rooms, a member of our tour reported that she encountered a bellhop leaving her room. When she questioned his intentions he said that he was looking for luggage. (all luggage had already been put outside of rooms by guests). We guests then on the third floor (my room was 303) discovered that all of the envelopes containing gratuities for the housekeepers were missing. In my case an additional $3. plus my pill case containing my hearing aid were also missing. We informed hotel management at that time who said the bellhop was fired on the spot. We could not pursue the matter further since it was time to leave for home (NY). I called the hotel a few days later and was told the bellhop was searched and no money was found on him.It appeared that they did not seem to be interested in assuming any responsibility for the thefts. The insurance I bought for this trip does not cover hearing aids. I am responsible for $150. to replace it. Should the Ramada Plaza Hotel assume any responsibility for the losses?

Fireside Inn, Portland, Maine, was so full of humidity everyday & smelling like mildew. The carpets in the room & hallways were bunched up (wrinkled throughout). Apparently carpets not laying down properly.
Volvo Diamond Tour bus was so tight that your knees were against the seat in front of you. You were unable to move legs plus narrow aisle made it impossible to walk down without bumping someone. The overhead compartment was so small that carry-on or overnight bag could not fit in it. If you wished or brought a drink on, there was no where to place it. (no cup receptacle).
August 23 - 29, 2015.

I mainly want to complain about the limited room on bus for your legs.
They also need to have cup holders for your drinks on such a long trip. The hotel Fireside Inn room seemed to be damp and could have had more variety of selection. The Hampton Inn was much better. I enjoyed all the sites in the area and the tour guides were very informed.

The hotel had mold on the walls. Our group trip was from May 31, to June 6, 2015. The bus unloaded in the back of the hotel. It looked horrible. It looked like the place had been in foreclosure and they were fixing it up and renting to people as they were doing it. However the mold on the walls is just going too far. I have a respiratory problem and it wasn't good for my breathing. I wrote them and also sent pictures of the mold on the walls. I never heard anything from the company. This isn't the first time I went on a trip with Diamond but it is the last. If only I had gotten a response it would have made me feel better. I think I should get some amount of refund for this. On the night we arrived there, our travel agent tried to get another hotel but was told that they was nothing else available. Our group had over 30 people. Our group reservation #[protected] according to the representative from Choice Hotels who did write me back. My name is
Rebecca Scott P.O. Box 438232 Chgo. Il. 60643

Our bus had narrow, slippery leather seats with no lumbar support. Some of the group used their seat belts to stop from sliding forward and off the seat! This trip was over 3200 miles RT--the seats were designed for a one-hour casino trip!
It was our first bus tour, and we will never ride with Diamond again, based on bus comfort and tour design.
First hotel in St. Louis was barely adequate; had us walking forever down hallways to get to our rooms, and breakfast had NO hot food. There was NOTHING around the hotel to walk to; it was an isolated area off a main hwy.
Stops were RUSHED to meet unrealistic time goals. Arranged meals were mediocre at best. Only 2 hour free time on the RIVERWALK, then have to eat awful meal at Italian place, when a myriad of choices were available. Never ate in Steak Place in all of TEXAS! Really?!
Best part of trip was visit to LBJ Ranch and Fredericksburg, where we had SOME free time, but not nearly enough.
Don't waste your $$; pay more with other tour group and really enjoy yourself!

Diamond Tour (#104015) from Chicago to Washington DC. Two day bus journey with zero interaction from tour guide, no trivia, no geographical information about the areas we were driving through - only bathroom and food breaks. Upon arrival in DC, our step on guide was very unprofessional. Cut our first day's tour short because of rain and he had more important things to do - partying with his college son. Second day in DC we were behind on our tours from the day before and thus skipped the Lincoln Memorial, Viet Nam Wall as well as the Korean War Memorial - that is what we came to see so we left the tour group and ventured out on our own. Third day we were scheduled to tour the Baltimore Harbor but that was cancelled due to heavy traffic. Instead we were left on the bus for the 2 day trip back to Illinois. I felt like cattle on the way to the meat market. I sent a detailed letter to company headquarters and 2 months later have had no response. I DO NOT recommend this tour company to anyone considering them!

The deluxe Motorcoach was a joke. The tour guide said that the bus was written up two times before. No window shades, no cup holders, tv monitors missing, and no heat in the back of the bus. On the return trip, the bus broke down in Kimble, TN. The bus is still not back - 6 days later! Our luggage is still on it. We did get a rescue bus, though. The bus features were not tailored to senior needs.

We and relatives of ours were planning to go on this trip to Niagara Falls, Canada. Our relatives were not able to go because of a delayed passport. It did not arrive until the third of our trip. Our relatives paid the proper fees, down payment AND took out insurance for the trip! We are complaining that Diamond Tours would NOT refund their monies because the Postal Services did not get their passport to them on time for the trip. They have lost some $1, 500.00 just because the Postal Services failed to deliver of time. We still think that Diamond Tours SHOULD REFUND their money for this trip. They did all they knew to do and the Postal service failed. Please refund their money.

I attempted to join a small group over 2 mos prior to the trip date posted on website. I was given the name and contact number for the local group leader. Upon contacting this individual I was informed that the bus was full but that there were people "pending"
From her sunday school class. I contacted a customer service rep from diamond tours to see if it was the policy of the company for group leaders to reserve spots on the trip for their friends who may not even commit to going when there were individuals ready to commit and pay to join a trip. I was told "all the group leaders are different honey."