In May of 2002 after a really bad winter and a month after surgery I was contacted by a representative of Coral Beach Travel and Tours. I believe his name was "Isac" or something. I thought it odd he was calling me on my cell phone, but after 10 minutes of hearing him say the word FREE, I thought nothing of it. He started off by telling me the this trip included 6 day and 5 night getaway, and that I was selected out of a drawing to receive this trip at a highly discounted price. I explained to him that I didn't have any money.
My boyfriend had been layed of over the Winter and I myself had just had surgery so things were very tight. He offered me a special deal where I only had to pay $199.00 up front, and could put off paying the balance of $199.00 when I booked the trip. I thought "what a deal!" After giving him my credit card number I proceeded by calling up all my friends to find out who wanted to go because the trip was supposed to include 4 people at no additional charge. The trip was supposed to include 3 days and two nights at Ft. Lauderdale,a Discovery cruise to Grand Bahama Island, and 3 days and 2 nights in the Bahamas, the cruise back, and an additional night in Ft. Lauderdale on the way back.
A month later a friend of mine contacted me about the entire event and said that she too was offered the same great deal. Hmmmmmm...I started to get suspicious. That same month a different representative contacted me from Coral Beach Travel and Tours and told me that I had a remaining balance of $199 and that it had to be paid by the end of the month, or my trip would be cancelled and I'd loose my money. I told the representative, "Chris", that the other representative,"Isac" had made me a deal. He said that it was impossible, they didn't make deals like that. Not wanting to loose my money, I paid the additional $199, and waited for my package that "Chris" said I would be receiving.
Two months went by, no package and no word from Coral Beach Travel and Tours. I called them up and spoke with Isac again, making no mention of the "misunderstanding" about the original deal. He told me that he would send the package right out to me. When I received the package, it spoke all about the luxurious vacation that we supposedly were going to be going on, but also in fine print about a $319 charge at the time of the reservation for each couple. I called them about the issue. I told them that I never agreed to pay that kind of money and that I was told the vacation cost a total of $398 which I had already paid in two payments of $199. Also the vacation was suppossed to include 4 people.
My friend who I spoke of earlier, the one who received the same deal as me, went through with the whole thing. She paid the initial $398 up front. She was as suprised as I was to find out there was an additional $319 fee, but paid it anyways. After her and her husband got to Ft. Lauderdale, the 4 star hotel that they were promised was damp,dingy,crawling with roaches,dirty, and staffed with rude people. The cruise was nothing other than a ferry boat ride, and the second hotel was worse than the first. It was the worst vacation of their lives and she was glad we wern't a part of it. "Don't Go!" she tells me as she too fights for her money back. You also have to pay for hotel tax, port fees and other meal and cruise fees that aren't mentioned on the brocheure.
Anyone who reads this....STAY AWAY FROM CORAL BEACH TRAVEL AND TOURS.....THEY'RE NOTHING BUT A TIME SHARE SCAM COMPANY.....and as I continue the fight for my money back, I wish all of you who have been taken for a long and exhausting ride, the best of luck!
Carolyn
Leominster, Massachusetts
U.S.A.
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