landini

rhkkmk,

hi. i noticed on this board that you used castle and king travel for part of your trip. i have built a custom tour with them and have gone back and forth through e-mail for well over a month. now everything seems to be set and i cannot get a response out of them (well over a week). i leave in 12 days for my trip and nothing has been paid for. how did you go about making payment? also, i am now scrambling for another company to help me out, as a back-up, but they want the payment through a bank transfer and the second half in cash once i arrive in delhi. does this sound right? please advise.

landini

I should have posted on India forum, but I hope you see this.

rhkkmk

i start my tour with them on nov 7...i have not made a payment....i had a communication problem about a month ago and so i ended up calling him on the phone....i used a 1010297 number plus his number and it only cost $1.15 for 2 minutes.....i just called his cell phone....he has been having computer problems....do not use the lux tour e address....use all the ones on his web site....

give him a call.... i think the time is 10 hours different from eastern standard time...

all is well with my trip....when do you leave

landini

rhkkmk,

thanks. i leave on Nov. 2nd. i'm anxious about not having made any payment, because i'm hoping to stay in specific hotels and am wondering if i will still have reservations. how have you arranged to make payment?

rhkkmk

after our phone conversation i sent him my credit card info (master or visa only)....i sent it in 3 different mails (fake security to humor myself)...

he responded, lets just take care of it when you arrive....so fine....

hotels....he and i have been around and around about this over many months...i have ended up with the nikko in delhi and sheraton in agra, with him making the res, and with one nite at neemrana fort palace hotel, also his res....i made a four nite res myself at a fantastic price at the jaipur sheraton, which he is allowing me to use...i have the car/driver for the whole time from him and guides on a daily basis as needed..

didn't your outline show the hotels as agreed upon?? mine was very specific...

i think you need to call him...

where are you, btw??

i am in boston, usa

landini

rhkkmk (Bob, isn't It?)

thanks for the reply. i'm in washington, d.c. i did finally get an e-mail back from arvind. it appears he had a house guest all week and was busy. anyway, yes, everything is outlined on my itinerary, it's just that i'm anxious about not having made even a deposit. i have carefully selected all of my hotels and if for some reason they are "no longer available", i will be very disappointed. likewise, about the flights and trains. i just find it odd that this company would pay for everything for me without even having a deposit. he says he's going to prepay for the hotels. he's been extremely helpful, otherwise. am i just a skeptical american? unlike you, my entire trip rests in this company's hands. i will be traveling during high season, so i'm just worried about the reservations. it could be worse, i could have made a payment and never heard from him again.

rhkkmk

i agree with you 100%....i have had some of the same questions...and yes it is bob....

we will be in a mess without the hotels but i would just flop it back in his lap---"find me something of the same quality--now!!"

i think he has only paid a deposit on the rooms...i think it is the way it is done in india...

i am guessing he may be going to ask me for cash for payment, as often happens in asia....i will not have it available and my atm w/d limit will require a couple of days of withdrawals to get it....so cards it is for me... you did notice that he only takes visa and mastercard, i hope...

i have full faith in him....one fodors friend from CA used him last fall with great success....98% satisfaction....so i am going with this as an endorsement...

i must tell you that my sheraton jaipur res is for a club room for 4 nites at $100 per nite inclusive of breakfast and taxes (AARP rate)....i got it on the starwoods site last winter....now that room is about $350....i'm guessing they will not honor it....i called sheraton usa about it and they said with a written confirmation it will be honored....we will see....i may be sleeping in the local market on a bench....

i am no long worried...i will go with the flow...we leave on friday for thailand via paris....

shelleyk

Bob (and landini)-Have a wonderful trip. I will be looking for your trip report when you return. Thanks for your help with our Thailand trip. Our next trip to southeast asia will be to Viet Nam and/or India,so I will be interested in what you have to report.
Shelley

lcuy

It is strange to not pay upfront, but thats the way I did it in India as well. Used Compass, not C&K, and made a token deposit then paid in full at the END of my trip!

wow Bob...Is it your time already? We are expecting prompt and detailed reports, especially since Gpanda will be around to enforce fines, at least in Thailand!