Club Med Nightmare!!!
Mar 24th, 1997, 01:00 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Club Med Nightmare!!!
If anyone is considering going to Club Med Caravelle on Guadeloupe, take
my advice- DON'T!! Benefit from my experience, which was a vacation SO bad that Club Med has so far (after 2 months of negotiations) refunded half of my expenses- AND they've agreed to look into amending their advertising about their services and facilities. Basically, they've admitted they're wrong, but they won't give me all my money back at once- they're giving me little chunks of it, more with each round of complaints, and making me fight for every little bit.(Kind of like my vacation experience with them).
Specifically:
1.The service was shockingly rude and unfriendly. The staff at the bar
routinely overcharge for drinks, and you have to argue with them to get the price as listed. When I asked to be sent to another Club Med, the staff couldn't be bothered to help me. When I asked to just go home,they wouldn't help me with that, either. They said there were "no
flights"!! Many other guests were complaining about this hen i was
there, but no one was doing anything about it.
2.The food is bad to mediocre- BBB (Big, Bland Buffet). And you can't
even GET food most of the day- lunch ends at 1:30 and dinner doesn't
start until 7:30 or 8. So much for All Inclusive.
3.They advertise "crystalline clear waters, perfect for snorkeling":
this is not true!! I got there to discover the coral reef long dead,
murky water, no fish. They try to get around this by offering a daylong
excursion (extra charge, of course) to another island where peope can
snorkel- but they are advertising as if there is great snorkelling rightat the Club!
4.The beach is tiny and overcrowded, and there are vendors of every
imaginable commodity walking up and down all day accosting people- you
can't relax at all.
Thanks for listening- I hope this will help others to avoid wasting their time and money as I did.
my advice- DON'T!! Benefit from my experience, which was a vacation SO bad that Club Med has so far (after 2 months of negotiations) refunded half of my expenses- AND they've agreed to look into amending their advertising about their services and facilities. Basically, they've admitted they're wrong, but they won't give me all my money back at once- they're giving me little chunks of it, more with each round of complaints, and making me fight for every little bit.(Kind of like my vacation experience with them).
Specifically:
1.The service was shockingly rude and unfriendly. The staff at the bar
routinely overcharge for drinks, and you have to argue with them to get the price as listed. When I asked to be sent to another Club Med, the staff couldn't be bothered to help me. When I asked to just go home,they wouldn't help me with that, either. They said there were "no
flights"!! Many other guests were complaining about this hen i was
there, but no one was doing anything about it.
2.The food is bad to mediocre- BBB (Big, Bland Buffet). And you can't
even GET food most of the day- lunch ends at 1:30 and dinner doesn't
start until 7:30 or 8. So much for All Inclusive.
3.They advertise "crystalline clear waters, perfect for snorkeling":
this is not true!! I got there to discover the coral reef long dead,
murky water, no fish. They try to get around this by offering a daylong
excursion (extra charge, of course) to another island where peope can
snorkel- but they are advertising as if there is great snorkelling rightat the Club!
4.The beach is tiny and overcrowded, and there are vendors of every
imaginable commodity walking up and down all day accosting people- you
can't relax at all.
Thanks for listening- I hope this will help others to avoid wasting their time and money as I did.
Apr 4th, 1997, 05:03 PM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Wendy-next time try one of the Superclubs. They are mostly in Jamaica but a new Breezes just opened in the Bahamas and eventually there is supposed to be a new Hedonism in St Lucia. When they say all-inclusive, they mean it - drinks, snorkels, sailboats, food, disco, etc is ALL PREPAID with no tipping allowed. Get an Apple Vacations brochure and you will find true all-inclusive resorts all over the Caribbean, so you can stay away from the pseudo-all-inclusive Club Meds.
Apr 17th, 1997, 04:04 AM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Sorry to hear about your vacation at caravelle. I
have been to caravelle twice and had a very different
experience. But that being said I can understand
some of your comments. You have to remember this
is a french Island and many americans do find the
french how should I say this RUDE. and yes there
are vendors on the beach but this island has all
public beaches. As for the beach I totally
disagree with you the beach is beautiful and
because of that and the fact that all beaches are
public they do get a little crowded on the weekends.
The water is clear and calm and we found lots of
fish in the reef. As for drinks at the bar I have
never been over charged but that is one of the
things about club med that I don't like. It bad
enough you have to pay for drinks at the bar
but they charge you resort prices. I have always
found the food at club med to be great much better
than the super clubs or couples. And the food on
the french island club meds has always been of a
higher quality. Maybe it the buffetconcept you
dislike. Any way my times at club meds have
always been enjoyable but so have my times at
the super clubs and couples. you figer it out.
P.S. I would go back to caravelle in a flash but
remember it may be about 65-70%25 french speaking
guest.
have been to caravelle twice and had a very different
experience. But that being said I can understand
some of your comments. You have to remember this
is a french Island and many americans do find the
french how should I say this RUDE. and yes there
are vendors on the beach but this island has all
public beaches. As for the beach I totally
disagree with you the beach is beautiful and
because of that and the fact that all beaches are
public they do get a little crowded on the weekends.
The water is clear and calm and we found lots of
fish in the reef. As for drinks at the bar I have
never been over charged but that is one of the
things about club med that I don't like. It bad
enough you have to pay for drinks at the bar
but they charge you resort prices. I have always
found the food at club med to be great much better
than the super clubs or couples. And the food on
the french island club meds has always been of a
higher quality. Maybe it the buffetconcept you
dislike. Any way my times at club meds have
always been enjoyable but so have my times at
the super clubs and couples. you figer it out.
P.S. I would go back to caravelle in a flash but
remember it may be about 65-70%25 french speaking
guest.
Jun 13th, 1997, 04:02 PM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
I have been to three very enjoyable Club Meds, Turkoise, Columbus Isle, and Moorea (Tahiti). They were all very nice.
I agree that paying for your drinks is annoying. But Club Med tends to be MUCH cheaper than many of the "fully" all-inclusives. Enough cheaper that even paying for your drinks it is a good deal.
Also, Club Med tends to have much better sports equipment.
But I also agree, many of the French can be very annoying, unless you are French...
I agree that paying for your drinks is annoying. But Club Med tends to be MUCH cheaper than many of the "fully" all-inclusives. Enough cheaper that even paying for your drinks it is a good deal.
Also, Club Med tends to have much better sports equipment.
But I also agree, many of the French can be very annoying, unless you are French...
