Grand Circle Travel

[2417rocky]

Does anyone know anything about GCT(or better yet used them) Thanks, Rlf

[petlover]

Sorry Rocky, I've never even heard of them. Are they a TA that specialize in Radisson cruises?

[2417rocky]

Marcie, They are the group that has purchased P.G.,(I think) I would like to find out more. Who has used them,& so on. Thanks, Rlf

[hvsteve1]

We've never used them but,a few years back,sent for a brochure and got about two years of monthly booklets. If these are the people you're referring to,they seem to be pretty active worldwide. I think we also ran into one of their tour groups on a train trip in Canada two years ago. Their web site is www.gct.com. They are currently advertizing a PG tour.

[2417rocky]

Hi Hvstevel, Yes GCT is having a very good deal with PG. I'll let you know more when I find out. Thanks, Rlf:) :D

[sita]

I looked the the GCT web site and I'm a little shocked at just how appealing the Grand Circle prices are.... The cruise I've already booked is available for significantly less than I'm paying (through an agent which offers the lowest fares I have found in 4 years sailing on the PG) and they provide 2 nights at the Radisson Tahiti hotel in advance for free. Even with Gold Points savings, they are less when you compare apples with apples (the airfare is included).... Wonder if there is any difference in on-board amenities??? I rather doubt it. It's going to be hard for travel agents to compete with these deals.

[WesW]

GCT has offered the cruise on the PG for a few months now...they did have Jan-Mar, but have sold out their allocations, their website shows April-Jul available..about one/two sailings per month..they say 10 day cruise, but it is a seven day cruise, with two days (free) as a land reset at the new Radisson hotel..they also offer free airfare but only from LA to Papeete...prices are good but a good T/A and booking early can let u match or beat it. Finally, Radisson will still manage the PG in 2006, tho you will be able to book with both RSSC and GCT...r/wes

[scb]

Also, Grand Circle Travel specializes in travel packages for the over 50 (years of age) segment, so younger travelers may find themselves with an older group than they would prefer. Some friends who went on one of their packages with a family group said that the WAY over 50 age bracket appeared to be more the norm.

[2417rocky]

Colonel Wes, I have done my homework with GCT. They have the best prices around for me. We leave from LAX, so no extra charge for my flight. Discounts for $100.00 per couple for a friend referral & some discounts for early payment w/check. I got a great deal from B&K last year. Ngaire is superior over anyone I have worked with for booking a cruise!! She told me to go with GCT, if they were cheaper. Thanks, Rocky

[sita]

I did my homework too and the savings are significant. June 2nd 7 day cruise is $2095 (F category) including air from LA; the best RSSC travel agent fare I know of is $1981 (society member) plus air from LA of $899....a savings of $785 before you include the two days pre-cruise ($410).....$1195!

[jhp]

I believe in loyalty, to Ngaire's company or anyone that I have been involved with. I have always been happy with both of my TA's, as service is important to me, even at a price! I have found that Ngaire always has the greatest service, is always available on-line, and will always answer your cruise questions. I am very happy to book with her!

[Jancruz]

Grand Circle travel is a tour company that is extremely large and does not allow Travel Agents to book their product..you must book direct..They are a very good bang for the buck BUT usually ar not very deluxe..they also own Overseas Adventure Travel..they are in business a long time and you might not have heard of them as they are for senior travel..I dont believe ant TA's will be booking the Radisson once they own it...since they are completely anti-agent..unfortunately, I believe once GCT takes over it will be less to book direct with them..although I was told many times by Radisson "we hope GCT will keep up our prices"

Jan

*****..

[hvsteve1]

From Seatrade Insider:

===============================

Radisson to manage Gauguin until 2007

29/12/2004

Radisson Seven Seas Cruises signed a deal with the new owners of Paul

Gauguin to continue managing the ship in Tahiti and French Polynesia through

Jan. 6, 2007.

Radisson has operated the 320-passenger vessel in the South Pacific since it

entered service in 1998.

 

 

The ship's new owners, Paul Gauguin Shipping Ltd., have extended the

management contract with Radisson for an additional year. Grand Circle Corp.

and Vantage Deluxe World Travel of Boston jointly own Paul Gauguin Shipping

Ltd. and will sell some Paul Gauguin inventory on select sailings on a

limited basis to their database of customers. However, Radisson pledged it

will guard the confidentiality of client data gained by the cruise line from

travel agent bookings and will not share that information with the ship's

new owners.

 

 

Mark Conroy, president and ceo of Radisson Seven Seas, expressed

satisfaction with the agreement, which he said will allow the line 'to carry

on with the management of this acclaimed ship to the very same standards

that have made her so successful.' According to Conroy, the deal is a plus

for agents, as well, because Paul Gauguin is experiencing record levels of

advance bookings as the ship enters its eighth year in Tahiti. 'The vessel

is virtually sold out for the next few months,' he said.

Paul Gauguin in 2005 will operate 35 seven-night Society Islands itineraries

plus an expanded series of 10-, 11-, and 14-night sailings reaching the

Marquesas, Tuamotus, Australs, Cook and Pitcairn Islands (for a total solar

eclipse cruise

[WesW]

Olivia, agree with you 100%, loyalty is a wonderful passion whether it is

your cruiseline, T/A, career or even love life. When buying a product

(Car, Home, etc.,) one just does not go for the lowest price but factors in

service, etc., using Ngaire's fellow T/A Susan, is like dealing with a special friend

who knows precisely what my likes/dislikes are. For my situation, I booked early, got free air, Repeaters discount, B&K discount, b2b discount, group credit, free air credit, early booking discount..the bottom line GCT could not match my fare...then two weeks

ago Susan called me to tell me that for my first week I got an upgrade...now that is

what I call service. r/wes

[2417rocky]

Colonel Wes, I agree with you & I don't want to offend anyone.:o Ngaire was the best TA I have ever dealt with. I couldn't believe how efficient she was. She always emailed me back in minutes. Thanks for all of your input, Rlf

[JDMOR]

We have traveled with both GCT and Vantage. Are now booked on PG in Feb through Vantage. Been on very successful South America Cape Horn Cruise, African Safari, and China cruise/tour with GCT/OAT. Been on Europe River Boat Cruise and Panama Canal Cruise with Vantage. Both gave very good service with a minimum of glitches at very competetive prices. In all cases my regular T/A could not even meet their prices, considering the extras thrown in like free air and pre-cruise hotels, etc. About the only down side I can think of is that they have a flat cancellation fee (usually $150 p/p) for any cancellation at any time even before the traditional 90 day limit. Also there is usually another tip for the company escort needed. They do give a 5% rebate for future trips. If you don't like a lot of mail, beware! Once you are on the list they fill your mailbox almost daily with elaborate mailings. All in all, I am not afraid to book with them.

[WesW]

2417, Sita; have you seen the latest on GCT:

 

#32

Yesterday, 06:51 PM

flahagan vbmenu_register("postmenu_2992749", true);

Cool Cruiser

Join Date: May 2004

Location: Debary, Fl, US

Posts: 69

 

 

Well.........are you ready for the end (probably) of the story?

 

This morning, the 2nd couple we're traveling with called GCT to verify the correct cost of the remaining balance, and were told the amount they have on their final invoice. They asked "Now this is the correct amount we owe?" They were told yes. So, they paid the balance off with their credit card. They called me and said everything's right, there's no increase in the cost, the first couple must have talked to someone who wasn't looking at the right invoice. Great. So I filled out the credit authorization form and prepared the envelope to go out in tomorrow's mail, as did the first couple.

 

Late this afternoon, I got a call from the Director of Public Relations at GCT, who said she'd been informed of this thread on the Cruisecritic website. And Yes, she was sorry to inform me that the invoice price WAS incorrect, that the corrected price was going to be $1400 more per couple. But, if we didn't want to take the new price, they were offering a full refund, including the $125 per person penalty normally charged. She was sorry but she couldn't do anything about the trip insurance we had taken privately, but had we taken it through them we would have gotten that back too.

 

I told her that our friends had just called in and charged the invoice amount this morning, so how could this be? She was surprised and said she'd check into it and call me back, which she did promptly. It seems it was STILL wrong in the computer today. I questioned why this didn't turn up earlier, and she said they just discovered the error Jan. 27. Then how did we receive an invoice dated Feb. 3 with the still-wrong amount on it? Apologies again, and she said this was "a very rare occurence". Apparently, the incorrect price was on the website and given to the agents, but the "correct" price was in the catalogues. She said letters would be sent out next week to those whose invoices were incorrect.

I questioned these business practices, as we used to own our own business, and if we made a mistake and undercharged a customer, we stood by the price and ate the loss for the goodwill of the business. But this is their policy, and it is in their fine print.

So, I guess the lesson learned is, read every word of the fine print, and consider the absolutely worst-case scenario that could happen. If you can't live with it, dont' even consider it.

[cruiseyguy]

Despite their management agreement with RSSC I'm afraid GCT is going to become more involved with their new toy, the PG, as time goes on and some of the problems, which we are seeing here, will unfortunately rub off on RSSC. RSSC would have been better off walking away from the PG cleanly after the sale rather than letting things head in the direction they appear to be heading.

[Call me Ishmael]

Very true. It was common knowledge among the GCT crowd onboard the PG on Jan 22-Feb 5 that Captain Bossard, who has commanded the PG since its launch, is out of a job in March. Staff reported that wages had been cut for the maintenance personnel. So far the "hotel" staff has not been affected, but some upper members are seriously thinking of not renewing their contracts. They also noted that the ship is being filled to capacity in the near term which will impact dining room service.

 

The only onboard negative I experienced was a failure to pour a specific champagne even after I had requested verification that the listed brand (Roederer) would be poured. The waiter checked with the bartender and said it would. However, I then saw the bartender pour from a non-Roederer bottle. I immediately confronted the bartender and saw that it was poured from a Deutz bottle. The diffence may be slight but one has a right to expect any beverage to be supplied as requested (or is Cott cola acceptable instead of Coke; or a J & B scotch ok if you've asked for a single malt?).

 

Of course, I have no reason to blame GCT for this substitution, but it wasn't due to any language confusion, I can tell you that.