How do I know? I hear the beep during conversations. QED.

Well.... I think he people with complaints have good reasons. We did a river cruise with GCT in Sept. 2001.So, you can imagine there were problems! The cruise itself was lovely, the boat and service excellent. However, the boat was fillled with people ranting and raving about the service problems they'd encountered concerning various aspects of the cruise. Our own story was a nightmare. We have friends who were warned(several years ago) that due to flooding their Danube cruise would use buses and because they had cancellation ins. they were able to rebook to the next year. Seems to me GCT has a very good product, but frequently lousy support service. Perhaps they've gotten too big for their britches -:)

Wow Underhill. So you hear 'beaps' when you talk on the phone. Do you also hear voices in your head giving you travel advice? I am impressed. I have never heard any beaps.

Whoa! What's your problem, samting? Beeps are required whenever a conversation is being recorded; apparently you don't know that.

sorry to dispute, but it is required by law to say something like 'this conversation may be monitored for quality control', or something like that. General consensus seems to be that GCT does an adqequate job when there are no problems, but doesn't perform at all when there is one, and have some questionable business practices...(read what the BBB has to say on the subject) so you really needn't defend them..their track record speaks for themselves.

Have you yourself ever been on a GCT cruise?

Samting: If you have first hand knowledge about GCT please post. Most of the complaints were so trivial that GCT had no way to answer. If you read all the complaints posted on the internet, you will find very few with any merit. I am looking forward to my first River Cruise November the 14th with GCT. I read all the posts and was fully aware of the negative posts when I booked. I was so sure of the company that I paid in full at the time I booked.

Mike

Like I have said, they do well when things go right;terrible when they don't, and that is my complaint, and only complaint, substantiated by many, many folks who had such bad experiences that the company was thrown out of BBB. We, personally, have had one very bad experience, one mediocre, one good one and one that was cancelled at the last minute, (It was so 'last minute' that we didn't have time to plan anything else for our holidays). Had bad treatment over the phone couple times, etc. Many instances of folks getting entirely different stories over the phone, different price quotes, mismatched flight schedules, 'bait and switch' increases (sorry, it was a misprint) after they had booked, "only two seats left--better hurry" routines, trips cancelled mid stream, etc. It behooves one to do some research, that is all I am saying, and then go if you want...having the facts before you. Why would all the people in various forums lie? What would be the motive. I, personally would be very leary of paying in full up front;how what leverage would you have if things went wrong?

Lie, no; exaggerate, perhaps.

Samting: Stop quoting what other people have said and just stick to first hand knowledge. What trips were you on and what were the problems?

Mike

Samting.... Did you get your "name" from the old Ole Olson joke? -:) Our three experiences with GCT have been just like yours... except we've had no cancellation. I don't think GCT is a dishonest organization... but it does have flaws. Makes me think Underhill has a vested interested or just likes to argue. (Perhaps he/she's a lawyer who needs to practice!)
Anyhow, poor old GCT has a good product but really needs to get several of its acts together.

Grandma:

The following quote is yours."We did a river cruise with GCT in Sept. 2001.So, you can imagine there were problems! The cruise itself was lovely, the boat and service excellent". So what was the problem.

What makes me mad is people saying they had a problem but don't say what it was. They always say what other people said.

Mike

I am not a lawyer and am looking forward to my first river cruise with GCT in November

Well... as you know... that Sept all sorts of travel plans went awry. No. 1.... I didn't want to go on the cruise.. as a Manhattanite I was still in shock. However, we would have sacrificed our payment AND my husband is of stronger stuff and said "No terrorist is going to keep ME home (or words to that effect.) Our orig. flight was cancelled and we coulnd't get thru to GCT. Got ourselves to Amsterdam a day late just before the boat saiiled.Majority of people on board had experriences like ours... wanted to cancel.. couldn't, etc., etc. Service problems... one man reported he'd been on his phone for 3 hours before he got thru, Etc., Etc., Etc. As I say, It was a terrible, unusual time. GCT performs well when circumstances are good. On our other trips the hotels GCT used were not the best. But then, there prices are quite good for what they offer. Your chances of having a wonderful trip are very high. BUT... if you have a problem..... .don't complain here -:) -:)

Grandma: Do you think that some folks who use this forum have a vested interest in protecting a well known travel company's interest..Elsewise, why the fervent interest and inability to tolerate any criticism of GCT, for example, without getting tooooo defensive? Maybe there are people who are paid to prowl the forums to be sure any discussion or complaint against a certain company get's disputed, vigorously. A good company's reputation should stand for itself.

We took the GCT Egypt trip in 2002. We didn't have any problems. There were MANY repeat GCT travelers on our tour.

We know 5 other couples that take GCT trips.4 couples take 1-2 trips a year but 1 couple has been known to do 4 in one year! I know, hard to believe but it is true! Sure, there have been some complaints but basically all our friends find it a good value and feel they are well taken care of.

Samting: This is what you said on this forum>wow~! There must be something radically wrong with this company to engender such strong emotions..both ways. The mark of a good tour company is how they handle difficulties, and I understand from what I read, that GCT doesn't do a very good job at that. Evidently you have no personal knowledge or you wouldn't have said that.
Again what tours were you on so we can know what the problems you had and not problems you think other people had..

Mike



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My own experience with OAT whose parent company is Crand Circle Travel was extremely unpleasant and was discussed in detail at: :http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34546783
I would NEVER choose them OAT or Grand Circle Travel again. I am not threatening to sue them, but would certainly not book with them again.

Samting... you articulate my feelings precisely. But, you didn't answer my question -:) Do you know this joke that all us "Swedes" know:

Immigration official is interviewing Scandinavian arrivals. He asks each: What is your name? Time after time the answer is: Ole Olson. So.... the official sez: OK.. the next guy who sez his name is Ole Olson is going straight back to Sweden. Next!! Now.... what is your name?

And the guy replies: sam ting
(You have to have the Swedish accent to appreciate -:)

May Grand Circle and all who sale on her ships rest in peace.

To Grandma: Yep!!! Yep!!!, To Underhill and Micheallip: what is your need to know? (about what 'specific' trips I have been on, etc.) I would not divulge here what trips I have been on for obvious reasons, and it wouldn't help you to understand the problems, as I doubt you were on these trips, unless you have access to their records. Why do you think you need detaILS.?

Samting: The reason I am asking is because if you haven't had any bad experiences yourself then why are you posting what other people say. Let those people post. I know some have not been satisfied, but it is not right for you to post other peoples problems.

Mike

Mike: please see post above re: trips we have taken...won't mention specific trips but have had all the mentioned experiences, believe me...last minute cancellations, changes of story, price, destination, itininery, etc. Wish you the best on your trip, but don't deny others that weren't so lucky to share their experiences.

Its perfectly OK to post others problems. It sharing info. Nothing wrong with that.

Samting: Again I quote what you said in an earlier post.
Many instances of folks getting entirely different stories over the phone, different price quotes, mismatched flight schedules, 'bait and switch' increases (sorry, it was a misprint) after they had booked, "only two seats left--better hurry" routines, trips cancelled mid stream, etc.
You said other people. You always refer to what happened to other people.
Grandma had a problem because of 9/11 and ALL the tour companies had the same problem. People were jamming the phone lines trying to get info.

As far as I am concerned you were never on a Grand Circle Tour and are shill for the other River Cruise Companies.

I am not againsst people posting, as that is what these boards are for, but how many times do you have to repeat what someone else CLAIMS to be true.

Mike

What is going on here?

Fodor's, where are you?

Mike: You are incredibly defensive about GCT. I wonder if there is a shill (your words) and if that shill is not Samting. One thing is certain and that is you refuse to face even the possibility that there is something amiss about this company. A person w/o a vested interest would at least look into it, especially if you have already booked with them. Hmmmmm.

I am looking forward to our first River Cruise with GCT. Holland and Belguim, leaving on 11/14/06. We have booked the 3 night Pre-trip in Amsterdam.

ALL companies have problems and I know that GCT is not perfect. Some of the posters have had bad experiences which they have every right to inform the message boards about. I don't have any problem with people posting what happened to them.

I just don't think it is fair to people like myself who are awaiting our trip for people to post without first hand knowledge. It is like the game "Whispering down the lane" where everything gets all mixed up by the time it reaches the last person.

Mike

I disagree Mike. If people are posting what they believe to be true based on what they have read then it should be taken as an FYI and not all info posted has to be first hand. People can pass on what they think to be true based on the sources they get the info from. They do have the right to post such info w/o consulting you ar anyone else beforehand. Fairness is not an issue here. BTW there were posts by Fodorites WITH first hand experience. Don't worry so much. I think you would rather deny the messengers than really look at the message.

Is GCT the only agency who books cruises? What's the big deal here? Why do people use cut rate/internet based agencies & then act surprised when they get stung?

If you can't speak to them and/or touch them, don't use them. Real simple. Am I missing something? 66 posts on this agency and a running argument about who's right & who's wrong?

I agree with the poster who said that if you don't have first-hand knowledge, and/or refuse to share your experience, you have no business posting here. We can all pass on "scuttlebutt". We should be dealing only in facts here.

Last response: Yes, I have been on several trips with GCT (do have first hand knowledge), including two river trips, Yes, I have several friends who have first hand experience with this company, not all pleasant, and no, will not name specifics. No, I am not a shill, and yes, I will take more trips, as we travel extensively, but yes, I will remember the old adage "forwarned is forarmed!!" and be more selective. Enough said.

Time to kill this thread.

There was a little girl
who had a pretty curl
right in the middle of her forehead.

When she was good
she was very, verrryy good.
And when she was bad
she was horrid!

Hey Grandma: cute poem, what's it mean?

Picture GCT as the little girl.... -:)

Way to go Grandma. :D

We have taken four rivercruises with GCT (Grand Circle) and have enjoyed all of them. The food was delicious, the service superb, the Program Directors were well-informed and lovely people. Our trips encompassed from the Netherlands all the way to the Black Sea. This year we are taking the Russian rivertrip and can hardly wait.

jayge,
why have you responded to a post that is three years old?

If you want to save yourself a lot of aggravation DO NOT TRAVEL with this company. They treat their valued customers without any respect. They blamed a bad trip on me! They said the tour director could not handle me! This was on their Egypt and the Eternal Nile trip when the tour leader screamed at me in a hotel lobby berating me for ruining HER trip. I paid for the trip and she was unprofessional, blamed everything on the HQ in Boston and guess what? HQ sided with her!

I have made 6 trips with them and all have been delightful. I have been to all 7 continents and over 70 countries and have NEVER been treated so poorly and disrespectfully. Even the pre-trip in Jordan was great. After spending over $100,000 with them over the last 4 years this is ho they treated me. No apology, no compensation.

Be warned - they don't care about their guests!! See http://gentle-hugs.livejournal.com/ for the full story.

I was with OAT on the late August 08 trip to Egypt. There was a lady with short gray hair who was screamed at by her tour guide. Our guide was nice, her's was not!
Done 3 trips with either OAT or GCT and had no problem.

Dorothy, did you get the others to complain in your group? I would have thought that would have helped. It seems like it's either love or hate GCT. This will be our 4th trip. One was very disappointing and we recieved a letter of apology and a credit for 500.00. It was a new trip and I see they have made many changes and adjustments to the orginal one. They appear to be trying to work out their poor relations with travelers. We have had weak guides on several tours with different companies. It seems to set the tone for the tours. I probably demaned to be moved over to the other guide.

I just noticed, this was a 2006 post.