Vip Travel Reservations review: Beware of this scam! 66

I purchased the Stay n Play package thinking I could go to the Bahamas. I upgraded so I could invite family to join us there. What a nightmare. To make a long story short, we're still fighting to get VIP to pay the hotel we stayed at so they can delete the charge we incurred afterward. The Bahama deal didn't work because they only accept 4 people in the hotel rooms and we're a family of 5. I even told the sales person and he let me buy the package. I'll never purchase such a deal again. We're not only out the Bahama cruise but the turmoil we suffered while in Florida made our trip extremely stressful. Imagine that while we stayed in our owned timeshare the week before we arrived to claim our hotel from the VIP check in center, when we got there, they told us that they left a message on our home phone six days before, they couldn't find us a place. It took us hours to finally get us not what we wanted. I was so stressed. We almost had to leave FL. Then, we mistakenly toured the same place we were supposed to while we were there a week earlier and they want us to now pay for the place we stayed at. I could go on and on but I knew the day after I purchased the package that I should have canceled. Lesson well learned.

My aunt -- who's a nun! -- had a similar experience. She sent the money for the "free" trip and chose dates to travel with her sister, who was going to travel down from upstate New York. She never got a confirmation on the dates. I'm now trying to get her money back. She and I have called various numbers and she's written, but neither of us have gotten a response. VIP is listed on the Daytona Beach Chamber of Commerce website, and I've emailed them through that listing. Hopefully, I'll get some satisfaction.

My wife and I were promised two free round-trip airline tickets to anywhere in the Continental U.S. plus a free rental car for a week. Requirement was to attend a no-pressure 90 minutes presentation of Vacation Professionals at 13 Branch Street, Suite 105 Methuen, Massachusetts.

After sitting through a 2 and a half hour presentation we said ‘no thanks’ to multiple salesmen with better offers each time.

They gave us two activation forms that had a list of 14 rules about how to obtain our free airline tickets and free car rental from VIP Travel Reservations. The first rule is that you have to pay a 'refundable' deposit of $100 (by money order or cashiers check) for the airline tickets and $75 for the rental car. The rest of the rules placed so many restrictions on the deal that it was designed to make you fail.

We struggled to obtain our tickets via multiple mailings which were mostly demands to fill the forms differently. At the end we got rejection for airline tickets on the grounds that it’s too late, even though we had to submit it multiple times in order to meet their demands. We also got certificate for a car rental. We told them that we do not need car without airline tickets. Now we are trying with no success to get our deposit back.

My wife Ruth and I were also duped into taking one of these so-called free airtickets for two inside continental USA, by Lonestar Savings, in Stephenville, TX for sitting through a presentation expounding the advantages of owning a membership in Lonstart Savings, for which we purchase and expensive membership to Lonestar and already feel cheated becuase of various promises they keep making and do not fulfill. Lonestar and VIP are bedpartners of like tactics. We have our Activation form in hand for those socalled free tickets with all the 14 requirements listed by others. It all seems so complicated that there is no way that it can be free and we doubt that we would ever get our socalled "refundable deposit" back in any shape or form as they would find a way to disqualify us as well. Therefor we are not biting the second hook. What we thought is yeo "free" airline tickets for listening to the presentation is not free and the membership thus far in Lonestar is not worth anything either.
We are considering how we can report this to the Attorney General of Iowa.
Ankeny, Iowa

I got scamed also. Listened the the 2 hr. speal, in Daytona, Florida, got the paper work for a free hotel weekend anywhere, mailed the the papers and the $75 money order (refundable), and they sent it back to me, because the Sponsor line wasn't filled out right by the lady at the place we took the tour. VIP will never see any of my business again. Cresco, IA

I received a card today for two "free" roundtrip airfares and checked the internet for problems with VIP Travel. Thanks to the responses I trashed the card. As the old saying goes, "Nothing is Free".

Got the card promising two free airline tickets and rental car and had scheduled to attend the presentation this Saturday. A conflict arose with the babysitter so i cancelled. The operator tried the "this is our last presentation in your area" line, but I declined anyway. I was always skeptical of this so i did a search online (was planning on doing this before attending anyway) and found all kinds of scam alerts. Thanks to everyone who posted - you guys are doing everyone a great service.

We attended the required seminar (and bought the trickey package). This "free airline ticket and car rental" has been frought with caviats and is essentially useless. I don't know what recourse we have, but I am really disappointed with this promotion. Take care when believing this type of "hype".

This organization (VIP Travel Gift Center) is a scam. I attended the 2 hour session and was given a form for 2 airline ticket. The program was held in Birmingham in Febuary. In March, I received a letter from VIP stating that the ticket were on back order and should be mailed in 30 days. Today is May 12th. I have send e-mails and left message on the phone number provided on the VIP website. No contact or action has occurred on the part of VIP. I am going to contact the Better Business Bureau and every national travel organization. This is nothing but a SCAM! In my opinion VIP should not be in business.

VIP Travel should be out of business. YOU ARE A SCAM!

My husband and I went to a timeshare presentation and got the certificate for the 2 night get-a-way. We sent it in with our dates. When they called to book the weekend, the dates we had originally put in would not work as we had travel plans for three weeks that included both weekends we had selected. We asked them to change it to August 10-13 instead. That was fine. When we got back from our other trip, the confirmation was in our mail. It was for April 10-13 instead of August 10-13. We were out of town for April 10-13.
I called them twice, my husband called them once and they assured us they were mailing a new confirmation with the correct dates. On 8/15 we still had not received anything. My husband called them again and changed it to Nov 21-24. We still never received a confirmation from them.
On 1/24/08, I contacted them again and changed it to Nov 08. They assured us that we would receive the confirmation by not later than 2/7/08. To date we still have not received a confirmation and when I tried to call, the general voice mail box was full.
I was trying to call and get our $75 refunded. At this point, if I can not actually talk to someone, I will be sending a certified letter to them and filing a report with the better business bureau, locally and in Port Orange. My husband & I are both so disgusted with this company. When I called in January, they said that the person I had talked to on all my previous calls was no longer employed with the company.

I have my $100 money order right here, ready to be mailed to VIP Travel to redeem my 2 "free"plane tickets. After reading all your comments, I will cash my money order in and pay a bill instead. Thank you so much for all your honest responses. I was almost duped with this one.. thanks again!

I got the Free AirFare + Free Rental Car offer and am glad I checked this site first. Sorry for all of the troubles those of you that tried the deal suffered, but thanks for taking time to post here so that others would be spared!

I just went to a presentation today and was planning on mailing my certificate off in a few days. I'm disappointed to know that this is a scam and I wasted my time. I had hopes in receiving my two free airline tickets, just as I had gone on trips through Casablanca Express who are legit. Sigh... Oh well

My husband and I were also duped. Promised round trip plane tickets and $100 gas. We did everything on our end at the right times and attended, signed, and sent in everything we were asked to. Nothing came through as promised. These people should be arrested and charged with fraud, if they can be found.
We attended in Panama City, Florida, but it is the same group. I can't even reach them by phone.

I am very grateful to be able to find all the comments posted here regarding the 2 free flight tickets and the 7 days car rental offered through the VIP travel. I filled out the Activation Forms before I decided to check out the VIP and Certs, Inc. (where the forms supposed to be sent to). Good to know about their tricks. But I can't help to wonder: what percentage of people actually got the tickets if they followed the rules carefully and met all their requirements? Thanks.

Thank you so much for posting your stories. It has saved me many hours of not dealing with these people.

Thanks!

I am following up on our drive away activation form CR28115 mailrd in early june and no return vacation planning package arriving at our home yet. please follow up and reply so i know the statue of our request thanks dave.

Glad I check here first before responding to free airline ticket offer by this scam company that has a bad track record--- here is a link to the local Better Business Bureau that gives VIP Travel and UNSATISFACTORY rating:

http://www.orlando.bbb.org/codbrep.html?wlcl=y&id=18000517#CustExp

Dear Fellas,
I realized long ago that any "DEAL's" coming from Florida are Scams and here I fall aggain. I was not aware the company I am dealing with is from Florida. And let me tell you whay one can not trust a Florida Company. Florida doesn't have legislation against scamers. The long arm of the LAW is not activated in FLORIDA.
THEREFORE NO ONE SHALL TUCH ANY THING THAT IS NOT CAST IN STONE, or CHANGE HAND TO HAND DIRECTLY WHEN YOU ARE CLOSED EHOGH to HIT THE ###.
Another way will be to presure FLorida the SUN SHINE STATE to introduce the LAW or they will loose business. DON'T visit Florida. Spend your vacation money some place else.

I received the use of a free rental car for 1 week from VIP Travel Reservations, Inc in Port Orange, FL. A $75 dollar refundable deposit was needed which would be refunded after the rental. I fell for it even though I never used the car. I was suppose to be able to get the refund back according to their rules. It never happened, even with the registered letter I sent back. I would avoid this company.

I was ready to mail my $ to VIP Travel to redeem my 2 "free"plane tickets and car rental. After reading all your comments, I will go somewhere else for my travel services. Thank you so much for all your honest responses. I was almost duped with this one. It's really sad that people do business this way. We were going to take this trip to "evaluate" their services with the anticipation of buying into their travel program if things were good. They loose!
I hope that Florida wakes up and does something about this types of scams. Isn't there a TV news show that could give the low down on these loosers so others won't get scammed?

Thanks again!

just did one of those high pressure sales gatherings. Knew that something was not right. Came home to investigate and found this website. To those who have gone before us, we thank you all for posting your honest stories. Interesting, that there is not one posting stating that they anyone got what they were promised...thanks again, LIsa

After dealing with VIP Travel Reservations, the most important thing you can do is READ the certificate, there are no promises of anything and no where does it state that anything is free. If the certificate tells you to send it certified it's on the terms & conditions that if you don't do as they state it will be voided due to the consumer not the company.

I paid the $75 fee. Was unable to take the trip and aked for my deposit back. Sent a certified letter in June " 08" as of yet Sept "08" have not heard a thing, after reading many of the complaints I suppose i'm lucky to only invested $75.
Will never be so dumb again !

Thanks everyone for all your comments, you just saved me 2 hours and possibly money. Good thing for the internet and that I investigate EVERYTHING that sounds too good to be true. Mine was for a 3 day/2 night at any Marriott plus $30 dinner, $100 gas card, and a $50 visa card. When I called to inquire, I asked all the questions like will there by high pressure sales people, will it cost me any money to get my rewards, were there excessive rules that made it impossible to claim. The woman assured me that this was not one of those deals. What a LIAR. Thanks again everyone!

People, thanks for the posting. You just saved me from spending $175. They told us it is not time share and there is nor pressure but they are pressuring and lowering price by sending different sales persons. I am lucky that I checked online before sending money. Thanks a lot.

I wish I had read these complaints before I wasted more than 3 hours listening to a RCI time share point system sales person try and sell me a $13, 000 package. I also had my paperwork and check sent back to me because I sent it via regular mail rather than "certified". And I thought the US goverment was a "certified" mail carrier. I wonder if using the postal system in this way is a Federal offense. If anyone knows of a lawsuit brought on against VIP travel of Florida, please let me now. I'd like to participate.

Thanks to all you posters!
My wife and I also went to the 90 minute presentation for the Vacation Club. Luckily (if you could consider this lucky) we are currently both unemployed and could in no way afford the Club Membership amounts. But we figured that since we are short on spending money these days, two FREE air tickets to someplace would be a real nice thing... It's a good thing I checked this and other web sites prior to sending in any money to these vultures. And they all seemed soooo nice too! For the life of me, I don't understand how these salespeople can sleep at night knowing what kind of scam they are involved in. I have a good mind to print up some of the web site complaints and hand them out to people that come to the presentations. If the location of their offices was closer to my home, I would be there every day with a stack of reports.
Eugene

I traveled with VIP, the presentation was a crock of ### to be frank. But once I followed all the rules, which some were rediculous, I might add, it worked well. It's now been a little more than 10 weeks since traveling and I just received the balance from my car rental not used for taxes ($53 of the original $75). So yall do as you wish, but I'm happy and would use VIP again if I had the chance. It was a good way to get something reasonable in this economy. I guess my only advice to all of you with not such great luck is follow the rules, all of them... and don't worry with how it was originally represented where ever you received it... FOLLOW THE RULES!

I've heard alot of bad things about VIP and other comapanies like them, and I'm really not sure how true all of it is, for VIP anyway. I just wanted to take the time to say that I really enjoyed working with VIP, they worked with us to book our reservations, and we didn't have any problems, which was extremly nice considering some of the complaints I've seen... I think what VIP is doing is a great thing, and is especially nice in today's economy.

Just wanted to take the time to shed some light on my experience with VIP Travel in Port Orange, FL~ It was a good one!

I would be pleased to work with them again, and I would deffinitly recommend them to a friend.

My hat is off to VIP Travel! In these hard economic times they made it possible for my family and I to still go on vacation providing us with 2 airline tickets and a car rental, for next to nothing. Everyone there was very helpful and eager to do their jobs, it amazes me how a company such as this is able to provide such a tremendous service and still afford to do it... Anyway, just wanted to take the time to send a smile in their direction since unfortunatly alot of times you only hear what you are doing wrong. Thanks VIP

I too traveled with VIP Travel with no problems back at the end of July. The booked 2 airline tickets and a 7 day car rental for me. I'd be happy to use them again if given the chance.

I too had a good experience with VIP Travel and leave for my vacation with my 2 airline tickets tomorrow afternoon, and I'm taking the time to comment on a few of these boards, as I almost fell victim to all the complainers online who themselves do something wrong and want to blame the company for their mistake. I DID follow all the rules and I AM getting to travel. Yes there's a lot of rules, but what do you expect when your asking for something of great value for free... deal with it. Any way, thank you VIP I think they are an assett to the travel community.

I used VIP travel for a 2 night hotel stay and must say I was pleased with the over all experience... I just wanted to take the time to Thank VIP Tavel for the opportunity and would gladly do it again!

It is fairly obvious that a lot of the complaints I'm reading aren't really the responsibility of VIP travel AT All. Primarily the ones stating "VIP returned my certificate because I didn't send it via certified mail, they're a scam..." Well you dope it's #1, just because you didn't feel it was important, didn't mean it wasn't #1 and no matter how unfair you feel it is, you have noone to blame but you!

Who do you think you are? why do you get to say just because I didn't follow the rules they voided it and i'm mad, so they're a bad company? Which the certificate does clearly state I might add if you don't follow all the rules it becomes null and void i might add. Would you sign your mortgage agreement with out reading it? Well why did you sign agreeing to the terms and conditions, if you only felt the need to agree to the ones you felt were appropriate. You are absolutly self absorbed and all these people agreeing with you are rediculous as well and you should ALL be ashamed of yourselves!

I recently did business with VIP, and must say they seemed to be very efficient and precise in booking my travel plans for me. I will use them again and will definitly recommend them to my friends and family. And I really hope all of you oblivious of your own self distruction realize your ignorance before you screw up something more substantial than just this. I followed the rules, and guess what, it does work :)

I had a rather enjoyable experience with VIP Travel, that I wish I had time to go into detail, for instance from the travel agent remembering why I had to change my dates, to checking on me even after my travel was complete. But in all reality I truly only have time to say sincerely thank you to VIP Travel. And tell the rest of you not to put much stock in many of the mello dramatic on here, when you take time to read many of them, it's eathier something the accusur did wrong themselves, or it's someone who didn't bother to even send anything in... Well ta ta for now, and Thanks again VIP. :)

I feel really bad for all the comments on here about people saying so glad I didn't waste my time, or whatever... I had no problem using VIP travel and would gladly use them again, and it seems like i'm not the only one... it also seems alot of the actual complaints are people that they themselves didn't follow the rules and are blaiming VIP...

All I can truly say is, they are legitamite, they booked my reservations, and while I'm sure they'd go out of business if they booked everyones requests, you definitly can expect them to if you don't follow the rules, or you don't even give them the chance. I see it kind of like voting in the elections, if you don't take the time to go vote personally you don't have the right to complain. You don't get the right just because somebody you knew took the time, or didn't even know for that matter.

Do your own homework people.

I just had a good experience with VIP Travel and just wanted to lend a hand on here, I asked the representative there who I would write a letter to, to say thank you for the exceptional service I received and she said that unfortunatly most people only take the time to comment when there experience is unsatisfactory, regardless of fault; so she asked would I comment on line. So here I am. Thank you to all the girls at VIP Travel for all your hard work. It is greatly appriciated.