Free Trip?

[boxer2]

While stopping in Ocho Rios on our cruise on the Westerdam in Dec. 05, we filled out a form at the doc to win a free trip. Received a call from some co. called Back to Caribbean out of Tamarac FL. stating my husband won. Anyone ever have this experience? So many rip off companies out there, I'm sure there must be some catch.

[noblepa]

I know nothing of that particular company, but be careful. If they ask for you to pay any fees or taxes up front, that's a red flag. If you must book airfare, or a hotel stay through them, that's a red flag. If they tell you that the trip is free, but pressure you to "upgrade" to a higher cabin category, that's a red flag.

 

Check with the Florida Better Business Bureau. Your local library probably has corporate ratings books from Dun & Bradstreet, Moody's and others. Check them out. If you can't find them in D & B, or the other's, that's a red flag.

 

I'm sure that the FBI and/or the Post Office has someone you can call to find out if this scenario fits any scams that they know of.

 

I avoid those "Win A Free VAcation" or "Win A Free Membership to xxx" giveaways. Read the back of the entry form. Even if they're legit, usually, by entering the contest, you are specifically giving them the right to call you and offer to sell you something, even if your phone number is on the Federal "Do Not Call" list.

 

Good luck. I hope that it is legit, and that you do get a free cruise. Whatever you find out, report back here, please. If its a scam, perhaps you can help someone avoid being duped. If its real, you can brag and we can envy you.

 

Paul Noble

[Atomica]

I got one of those once. My girlfriend and I filled out these entry forms at a home and garden show out here to win a free Caribbean cruise. A few weeks later, I got a call saying I had won a 7 day Caribbean cruise. Though it quickly became a 'you stay at this resort, then go here, then rent this car, then go on a 3 day Regal Empress cruise (no thanks), then pay us $1300 US for the priviledge.

 

The sales pitch ends with them asking for your credit card number, which of course I didn't give and hung up.

 

The funny thing is, the next day they called my girlfriend! I hope your free cruise is legit, but be wary.

[AAAAmerican]

Under US Law winning has to be free... but does not include the Taxes (State and Federal you have to pay)

 

Us e exrem caution as you probably know even what happened to Publishers Clearing House and there ....well a nice word I guess is ..queriers....:mad:

 

 

Find out there exact location phone numbers and what ever your able to find then reprt this to your local law enforcement and consumer advocate offices...

 

I was only taken once with a U S Grant for buying all the Film for life... and a free camera... never got a penny back then....

[kryos]

While stopping in Ocho Rios on our cruise on the Westerdam in Dec. 05, we filled out a form at the doc to win a free trip. Received a call from some co. called Back to Caribbean out of Tamarac FL. stating my husband won. Anyone ever have this experience? So many rip off companies out there, I'm sure there must be some catch.

It could be legit, but as others already posted before me ... be careful. Don't provide any credit card numbers, and beware of them requiring you to book so many days at their properties in order to qualify for the free trip. This could be a vacation club promo. I get them all the time. A friend of mine got caught up in something like this. She was offered a free Orlando weekend IF she booked a three-day stay at one of the vacation club's other properties. She thought it was a good deal and signed up. It was only later that she did the math. What she paid for that three-day stay at the Arizona resort, plus airfare, she could have easily booked her Orlando trip on her own, probably stayed at a nicer hotel, and still saved a bundle of money.

 

Alternatively, this could be a timeshare kinda deal. If so, just read the fine print in the offering circular. Do you get the trip even if you DON'T purchase a time share from them? Sometimes companies will offer you the free trip, and just require you to sit for a 90-minute high pressure sales presentation to get it. If that doesn't bother you, and you have no problem resisting high pressure sales tactics, then I say go for it. But, if the fine print in your paperwork reads that you win "a prize," and not necessarily the trip, be careful. A lot of these outfits will offer a guaranteed prize, ONE of which will be a free trip, just for listening to their presentation. If you buy a time share from them, you may very well get the trip. But if you don't, you're almost guaranteed to be the lucky winner of a disposable camera.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Krazy Kruizers]

There are so many of those "you have won a free cruise", etc. sponsered by so many companies that no one has heard of.

 

I wouldn't fall for it. We don't fill out any of those forms at piers, garden shows, etc.

[jhannah]

The only "free cruise" I'd ever even think about is one given away onboard ship. The winner is drawn from those who submit their cruise questionnaire by a certain deadline. Otherwise, you can bet there are strings hanging loose all over the place.

[HeatherInFlorida]

boxer2, I would investigate this VERY carefully and under no circumstances give any bank, credit card or other personal information to them.

 

I have received many "free" offers for all sorts of vacations, diamonds, you name it:) and they all have "catches" in them. None of them have been for real. Not quite true ... the "diamond" was real :eek: (sort of ... my husband fell for that one and learned his lesson).

 

I'd be especially leery of a free trip I "won" from filling out a form on the Ocos Rios dock.

 

I don't mean to appear skeptical or suspect, but it's not always a very nice world. Just check it out thoroughly.

[boxer2]

I don't think this is a free cruise. They did mention it was "discounted" and I believe it is a vacation package, not a cruise. I told them to call back tonight so that I would have time to check out the company. I called the Florida Dept. of Consumer Affairs and the company is registered and they have no complaints filed against them with the state. I would never pay anything up front for this, just more curious if anyone else has been contacted by this company. Will up date this posting when I know more.

[Tricia724]

A friend of mine took advantage of a "special vacation package" to Las Vegas a few years back. The company was legitimate, but she sure didn't get what she thought she was going to get. They provided enough of what they advertised to be legal, but when she got there, the inconvenient location and quality of accommodations....and the restrictions on the so called "freebies"....made the trip an overpriced adventure. She would have been better off making her own choices and going at her own convenience. I suspect this is not a trip you will want to take.

[kryos]

A friend of mine took advantage of a "special vacation package" to Las Vegas a few years back. The company was legitimate, but she sure didn't get what she thought she was going to get. They provided enough of what they advertised to be legal, but when she got there, the inconvenient location and quality of accommodations....and the restrictions on the so called "freebies"....made the trip an overpriced adventure. She would have been better off making her own choices and going at her own convenience. I suspect this is not a trip you will want to take.

This was exactly the experience of a good friend of mine. She got an offer in the mail for a free "Orlando Disney Escape" that she supposedly "won." When she called the toll-free number and talked to a "very friendly vacation counselor" she found out that in order to take advantage of the Disney Escape, she had to book a three-day stay at one of their other "grand vacation properties." After talking it over with her boyfriend, they decided it was probably worth it. They decided on Phoenix, Arizona and stayed at a very fancy golf resort there. The three-day "escape" wound up costing them a bundle. Well, at least we'll get a free Disney trip, she figured, and that will make it worth the money we spent on this one.

 

Well, she had no problem booking her Disney trip ... and that's why these vacation clubs don't get into trouble. They do deliver on their promises. However, she was in for quite a few disappointments. Of course, airfare was not included, but she figured that going in, so it was no big deal. However, her accommodations were far from what she expected. She had assumed she would be staying in one of the Disney properties right on the grounds of the park. Wrong. She was outside of the park ... about a couple of miles outside. The motel was adequate, but nothing special ... along the lines of a Motel 6. Because they were outside of the park, they now had no choice but to rent a car. Not included in the cost of the escape weekend. Also, the promised two-day Park Hopper passes she got had some restrictions on them that she didn't know about. For example, she could not re-enter the park after a certain hour with them. They were only for certain hours and if she was already in the park, fine. But she couldn't leave and then come back after that hour. So, she and her boyfriend had to make sure they were in the park they wanted to enjoy for the evening by a certain time. Otherwise, if they were running late, they would have to pay admission to get back in.

 

Also, the coupons she got for discounts off dining were only good at certain restaurants in the park ... obviously, the most expensive dining options. What she spent at one of those restaurants for one dinner, she could have easily dined at one of the more inexpensive options, and just paid full price for the meal. She still would have saved a considerable amount of money.

 

All together, between what she spent for the Disney weekend and the Phoenix weekend was far, far more than she would have ever spent making her own plans ... even if she still decided to do both vacations. She could have done some shopping for rates and gotten a better deal in both locations.

 

That's why I say beware of anything that is being offered to you for free. Usually it is far from.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[boxer2]

Found out that for $518.00 we could go to the Grand Caymanian Resort or the Angelus Resort in St. Kitts for 8 day, 7 nights. Air not included. Would receive a certificate to use any time in the next 2 years. It also included 2 4 day, 3 night in either Vegas, Branson, Hilton Head, Breckenridge or Orlando. Of course I told the sales agent we were not interested. I looked up these resorts on Tripadvisor and the reviews were not very favorable. By the way, these two resorts are time shares, which we were told we did not have to go thru the sales pitch once there. Of course, they wanted the $518.00 up front on a credit card! I'll have to make sure that my DH does not fill in any more "win a trip" forms unless it is a free cruise on HAL!

[Casshew]

There is no such thing as free.

[PAHORNER]

I was on the Westerdam in mid Jan. and actually did win a 7 day Caribbean playing bingo. I had never played in my life, it was so much fun. I'm sure It's an inside, who knows where. So here's hoping your's is the real thing.

[cruisinjudy]

I won a free cruise at a travel show a number of years ago. It did not include air and was an inside cabin but it was completely free, no port taxes or anything as I remember. And I was told it had no monetary value so I could not pay to upgrade

[Merchant]

i was contacted after filling out that form and given the 518.00 pitch. thanks to the info here and research on the resort and company ill pass.

 

the florida bbb has noted 4 complints all resloved since the company started biss in 2006. after reviewing comments on traveladvisor.com about the hotel its remote location and poor shuttle servie that a rental and food prices are very high. as well as other little things that would end up costing a small fortune i'm going to pass on the offer.

 

it would be much chaper to take another cruse with a balcony than to pay all the options needed to have a carefree trip