Reservation # 1204390 Tour- 9 day musical journey through the south Our flight to New York from New Orleans which was arranged by Gate 1 was cancelled on June 20 due to a tropical storm moving into the Gulf Coast region. This was a most unpleasant ending to a fabulous trip.Unfortunately we had some unexpected expenses for lodging at a nearby hotel, food at the hotel (because we were unable to leave the hotel) and extra parking fees upon our return to N.Y. Fortunately we returned on June 21 because I was scheduled for hand surgery on June 22. This upcoming event caused additional stress because we were uncertain as to the day of departure. My wife and I have been very loyal Gate 1 customers (we have taken 9 trips) and are planning other Gate I trips in the near future. We have also recommended several other friends who have also become loyal Gate I customers. Although I understand that Gate I cannot be held accountable for weather conditions I was hoping that you would offer us a credit toward another tour in the amount of $160.00 which was the additional cost we had to incur on this trip. I”m not blaming Gate 1 for the cancellation due to the weather. I am hoping that because we have been loyal to Gate 1 and will continue to be future customers, you will perhaps extend us a credit of $160.00 toward a future trip.
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Published09 April 2019
Submitted by: Arnold Cohen
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This complaint and/or review was posted on Skeptic Files on 04:49 am, April 09, 2019 (CST) and is a permanent record located at: https://www.skepticfiles.org/scam/gate-1-travel/.
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Freeda Antigua
We had a fantastic time and our guide was extremely good. I am upset about damage done to my 16 year old daughter”s luggage. When we arrived at Shanghai airport our guide instructed all to check to make sure our luggage wasn”t damaged while on plane. He especially asked for us to check the wheels of the luggage. All was good. We walked through airport for about 5 minutes and then went outside where our bus and a truck was waiting. The driver took our luggage and we boarded the bus. The truck left and we left about 2 minutes later. When we arrived at the hotel the driver was putting all the luggage at the entrance of the hotel doors. When I went to retrieve my daughter”s luggage it fell over. I immediately showed the tour guide and he called the driver who had just left. There was yelling in Chinese! Jason the guide told me he would give me a letter the next morning about the damage. The luggage looks as though it was thrown or fell off the back of the truck and pushed one of the wheels into the hard side luggage and cracked the body. The Gate 1 driver did this!!! I have been in contact with Chrystal B. who doesn”t seem to understand or care about clients. I was told by her that it is more or less my worry and Gate 1 has no obligation as written in the small print, Even though Gate 1″S DRIVER Did the damage. I have even stated that I would be happy with a Gate 1 credit of $200 for my next tour and I still get the same uncaring response from Chrystal B. It is almost like she didn”t even read my letter but just has a robotic answer. I understand life and if my luggage was out of my control for a few hours I would not be this upset but within 10 minutes YOUR Driver ruined my daughter”s $245 Heyes Britto 30″ hard side piece of luggage. Gate 1 should have a good will policy for unusual circumstances such as this! Thank you,
Tristan Paek
We booked our wedding anniversary celebration trip to Switzerland with Gate 1 Travel, through Virgin Vacations. Believe Virgin is the broker and Gate 1 is a supplier to Virgin Vacations. Our flights from PIT to NY to Zurich was re-routed due to an airline cancellation on the first leg. We contacted Gate 1 and gave them options for a later flight that would have delayed us for 2 hours, but still follow the original itinerary. Gate 1 was very unresponsive and made us wait for several hours in the airport, they gave us another flight option that added an extra leg and added half a day to the trip to Zurich. Once arrived we were supposed to get a rental car with Hertz, as booked with Gate 1. Once we got to the Hertz counter they had no rezervation for rental, in fact they told us they had a vaucher on our name that was cancelled by Gate 1 and if we want to get a car it would cost us 1100 for the week. So we had to pay the new rental fee after we already paid it through Gate 1. After numerous phone calls and e-mails with Gate 1, Joe from customer service told us to accept the new charges and we will get reimbursed once we get back to US. It has been 1 month since we got charged twice fornthe same rental car and we have still not seen any reimbursement, they keep giving us the run around. At this point we have started the dispute of charges through the credit card company. I am sick of waiting for our money and sick of their lies. They are crooks, do not get tempted by their low prices because you will ruin your vacation. I would never use them again!
Arletta Sevedge
We booked our 9 day Classic Ecuador and Amazon Adventure back in June 2014 for our Jan 20, 2015 departure. This is our first tour with Gate 1 Travel and we were looking forward to it. Suddenly we got an email yesterday (Oct 29, 2014) informing us that our tour flight schedule has been changed. In fact that is NOT the whole truth. Gate1 changed our tour from 9 days to 8 days with the flight schedule change. We spoke to their customer service and explained to her that we booked 9 days and now it is only 8 days tour so they need to adjust our tour price because there is one day short from what we originally booked for. On top of that they changed their flight schedule and now it costs us an extra hotel stay expense in Miami and they should compensate for that. Gate 1 Customer Service told us that she understood all that but she refused to take any responsibility or compensate us for anything. This is totally wrong! We were looking forward to the trip and now we feel that we have signed up with a very dishonest company and felt cheated. We are not sure what is really in the tour since they cannot even honor their itinerary. Can anyone help us?
Chanda Buckendorf
Turkey is such a wonderful country to visit, with its great cultural and historical assets. Unfortunately, we chose the wrong company for this trip, because GATE1 TRAVEL delivers tours of very poor quality. The hotel in Istanbul was old, poorly kept, and located in a seedy part of town. In Izmir, the hotel was far from everything, so that we wasted a lot of time on public trasportation to go to town. Some of the other hotels were mediocre at best. To add insult to injury, we had to endure a tour guide who was anti-American, and spent the long hours on the bus putting down our values, our society, our way of living, and our people. He even had the gall to make disparaging comments about Christianity. All 34 passengers on the bus were American. When we confronted him, the result was interminable arguments that only reinforced his intent to go on with his speeches. The atmosphere on the bus was very uncomfortable, and some passengers were left with a bitter taste in their mouths at the end of the trip. That was not what we paid for. We will never again tour with GATE1 TRAVEL.
Corrine Dibona
To Whom it may concern, At this point, I am a very dissatisfied customer with Gate 1, not only with the service that was provided on our return home, but for not receiving any answer to my complaint. My friend who was on the trip with me sent a letter via post to the following people on October 28, I followed up with an e-mail on November 5, and called on November 6. We have not received even an acknowledgment of our correspondence. I find this totally unacceptable and am not sure what steps I should take next, so I am writing to you. The people we reached out to are: Elodie Giraud – Senior Operations Executive Mark Kastner – VP, Reservations and Services Ilene Pipano – Sr. VP Dani Pipano – President Dale Kramer Attachments Nov 5, 2019, 7:02 AM (3 days ago) to ipipano, egiraud Dear Ms. Pipano, I have tried to send this e-mail to Mr. Pipano., but it is deliverable. You were copied on the previous emails, but I am not sure if you have received it. My apologies if you are now receiving it for the third time. Dear Mr. Pipano, On October 28, 2019, Marcie Kahl wrote to you, via post, regarding our ” 8 Day Art Cities of Spain”, (10/7-10/14). Her letter is attached. I am very surprised and disappointed that we have not heard back from you. As you can imagine, this was a terrifying experience for both of us, one in which we will never forget. There were better options that Gate 1 could have chosen for our scheduled departure on October 14, including postponing it until the riots had stopped, leaving earlier in the day, etc. It was very poor planning as local Gate 1 representatives should have addressed this problem and notified regional or international offices to resolve it so we were not caught in the middle of riots/protests on our way to the airport. If you are not familiar with what occurred in Barcelona on that day, please google Riots in Barcelona, and that will give you a better idea of exactly what we experienced. I appreciate your looking into this matter, and getting back to us as soon as possible. Regards, Dale Kramer This is the letter my friend wrote on October 28, which goes into more detail Marcie Kahl 2748 Riverside Ave. Merrick, N.Y.11566 [protected] October 26, 2019 Re: 8 Day Art Cities of Spain 10/7 – 10/14 Reservation #1747669 Dear Mr. Kastner, I recently returned from the above trip and it has taken me all this time to fully comprehend and process all that my friend and I went through on our last day in Barcelona. Up until then, it was a wonderful experience and we were very well taken care of. On October 14th, we were scheduled to leave for the Barcelona Airport at 4:00pm for a 7:10pm flight home. That same day there was a political rally by the Catalonian citizens and they were waiting for a referendum at 1:00 which would let them know if nine political prisoners would be released or have their sentences shortened. Everyone there knew this was an explosive topic. At 1:00 the decision was made not to release the prisoners or commute their sentences. At that point, word went out through phone, internet, and social media to close down the roads, the trains, and the airport. Because of the unrest, we were told to leave at 3:00 as it would take longer to get to the airport. By the time we left, all the major roads were closed and a 10 minute ride to the airport took 2 hours. As we approached the airport, swarms of protesters were marching in on all the roads and every car, taxi, and bus was at a complete standstill. After 1 hour on the bus, my friend and I decided (with the assurance of the bus driver that this would remain peaceful) to walk the 2 miles to the terminal, with our luggage and carry on. We walked on a highway climbing over guard rails, skirting protesters who were throwing rocks, in the heat, and then rain. An hour and a half later we arrived at the terminal and were greeted by police in full riot gear and thousands of protesters trying to surge through the doors. We showed our passports and were suddenly shoved through the door as the crowd did start to surge. We finally made it through security and ran to the gate where we were told the plane is here but the crew can’t get to the airport. The airport went into lockdown. Three hours later they flew a crew in from Mallorca. An hour later, we left. Once home, I looked on the internet to see what I had just experienced because it was too surreal. Everything slowly started to sink in. I was horrified – what danger we were in. As everyone was aware of the vote on October 14, our flight should have been changed to an earlier time as we were the only 2 that were leaving so late. There was trouble around the city before we left for the airport, Gate1 should have advised us to stay at the hotel. Neither one of us had ever traveled with Gate1 before. We selected it because several of our friends had very positive things to say about it. We agreed with that up until the last day which totally changed our experience and outlook about traveling with your company. Our safety was at risk and it left us both in tears and total fear. In telling our story to friends who travel often, they could not believe that Gate1 did not step up and ensure our safety home. This does not speak well for Gate1 and how it takes care of their customers. Who made that decision to put us on a bus to go to the airport in the middle of an uprising? Our tour director seemed very uncomfortable doing it, so I do not think it was him (in every other way, he made the trip an excellent journey). He was obviously consulting with someone because he was constantly on the phone. Someone needs to step up and take responsibility for the danger and terror that you failed to protect us from by not making a different decision. Please respond to this letter explaining how such a thing could happen and what you can do about it. Sincerely, Marcie Kahl Dale Kramer
Rosie Shelhorse
This describes my evaluation of Gate1’s “11 Day Athenian with 3-Day Cruise” package in June 2008. Gate1″s contract hotels are not anywhere close to 5 or 4 stars, as advertised. The best, the Royal Olympic in Athens, which is billed as 5 stars, had a single restaurant, not two as advertised, and it was closed for dinner on 2 of the 3 nights I stayed there; so I had to have dinner “poolside, ” which, because of the temperature, was definitely not my choice. Dinner selections were extremely limited, to essentially one entree per type (chicken, beef, veal, fish, etc.), hardly the mark of a 5-star hotel, and the prices were, in a word, outrageous … Dinner with house wine for two came in at over 100 Euros in one case and nearly that amount in the other! The remaining hotels are worth perhaps 2 stars for the Europa in Olympia and Amalia in Delphi, and a bare 3 for the Divani in Kalambaka. The Athens city tour was brief and rushed, included entirely too much “lecturing” by the tour guide in the hot Athens sun and the ferocious wind atop the Acropolis, while not allowing enough time for unhurried photographs, did not include a visit to the fabled National Archaeological Museum, and the afternoon of the second day in Athens was basically wasted, because there would have been ample “at leisure” opportunities to explore the city on the previous (arrival) day, if our flight had arrived as scheduled (see below). However, the first really serious turn-off came when, on June 23, we had to wait in the hot sun for 30 minutes after being dropped off by the hotel pick-up bus at a so-called bus “transfer point” waiting for the tour bus to Olympia … No seats, no shade, only standing room in the direct sun … Unacceptable!!! The overland bus trips of up to 8 hours were incredibly long and boring, with few stops for sightseeing, and some of those included disguised “shopping” opportunities. Once at a major sightseeing destination, visits often seemed too short and hurried, and were scheduled during the midday heat, rather than early mornings or late afternoons. In the case of Olympia and Delphi, visits to air-conditioned museums were scheduled in the morning, while the heat was still bearable, and before the visits to the outdoor archaeological sites, which were scheduled in the full midday heat. It would seem intelligent, considerate, and feasible to reverse the sequence in both cases. The cruise ship M/V Aquamarine was yet another story. It was billed as 3 stars, yet it was far inferior to ships on which I had taken multi-day river cruises on the Yang Tse in China and the Nile in Egypt. Although I paid for a cabin upgrade and thought I was getting a “superior” outside cabin, I have never been forced to live in anything so small, so sparse, so cheap-looking, and so inconvenient. The tiny portholes were partially painted over! The worst part was the bathroom … The shower stall was almost too small to turn around in (and I am a quite “normal” 5’10”, 172 lbs) … Flimsy, shabby, without even any bath soap or other amenities. The in-cabin safe didn’t work, or at least it didn’t work for me. For the first two nights on the ship, there were diesel fumes in the cabin. After I complained to the tour director, they seemed no longer to be present on the 3d night. The restaurants were also not satisfactory to me. The main restaurant, while attractively decorated and featuring white linens and formal place settings, served lukewarm food, and it was almost impossible to get the wine steward’s attention. The “Bistro/Pub” looked like a cheap version of a McDonald’s, the food on the serving line was habitually cold, one orange juice dispenser did not work, and the only reason we used that facility rather than the main restaurant for breakfast was the ease and speed of self-service versus the incredibly slow service and directed seating in the main restaurant. Then came the shore excursions sold through the cruise ship! First, they were vastly overpriced, even though the tour guides were generally competent and knowledgeable. But up to 59.95 Euros per person for a less than a half-day tour is simply too much for the experience, especially when that experience includes more disguised solicitations/opportunities to shop. In general, the escorted portions of the shore excursions were also limited and brief, with passengers left to “explore” on their own afterwards. This was especially true on Rhodes, where we were literally rushed through the old city/citadel in about one hour. At least another hour should have been allotted for a guided tour of this World Heritage site. Finally, our experience with Gate1’s contract airline, Olympic Airlines! Our outbound flight (OA 412) was originally scheduled to leave JFK at 4:30 PM, on June 20. It finally took to the air at about 1:00 AM, on June 21 … 8-1/2 hours late, causing us to miss at least a full afternoon of “at leisure” activities in Athens! Similarly, our return flight (OA 411) was scheduled to leave Athens at 11:25 AM, on June 30. It took off over 2 hours late, at about 1:35 PM, almost causing us to miss our connecting flight at JFK. In fairness to the airline, I will note that we were provided a room at the JFK Holiday Inn and two meals on June 20. A word about our connecting flight at JFK (Delta 5619): The plane’s air conditioning did not work, and we sat on the tarmac at JFK sweating for over 1 hour because the flight also was late taking off. To add insult to injury, the stewardess served lukewarm water; on request, she added some ice cubes!
Randell Tessitore
The tour minibus driver was speeding on a narrow roadwhile going across the Atlas Mountains, when it suddenly broadsided a private car. There was a heavy impact but, fortunately, nobody was seriously injured. My wife was thrown forward and fell into the stair well, and I banged both my knees and hands on the seat in front. Some passangers suffered minor cuts, but my wife and I ended up with a few bruises, and my eye glasses were broken. After about two hours, another bus came in and we continued the trip, except that it was not possible for us to go on the walking tours for the next two days, on account of our bruised legs. Upon returning to the USA, we reported the accident to GATE1 TRAVEL and requested that they pay (even in the form of vouchers for future trips) for my eye glasses and my two visits to an orthopedist. They were very rude, and did not assume any responsibility for the accident. Beware of GATE1 TRAVEL: they carry our lives on their hands, but they are not responsible for any problems they cause. No wonder I heard from people in the travel industry that they are on the brink of going out of business, leaving many people’s money in limbo.
Idella Tripplett
The day after receiving my check of over $2400 to pay the trip in full the company claimed they received a cancellation notice from my email. At no time did they reach out to either one of the customer to verified this transaction. We request a copy of the email of this cancellation and nothing. Then the lovely lady on the phone to resolve this problem was getting snippy. I have sent all my friends through this company but never again. Who has that kind of money to waste. This is my fifth trip with Gate 1 and I’m disappointed and very upset. Now we are being told that if there is a airline cost difference we have to pay. Inexcusable.
Prince Palamino
Terrible customer service while in Venice. We purchased a transport voucher through Gate 1 Travel, to take us from hotel to airport. We called Customer Service at Gate 1 Travel in Venice to find out if we could request a street taxi instead of water taxi, as we both developed bronchitis. The customer service supervisor, JEN, rudely said no, and that there would be No Refund. We had to use the voucher or lose our money. We never asked for our money back. Only to find out if the transportation could be changed to street taxi because we were very sick, it was freezing cold (35 degrees), possible rain, and our pick up time was 4:40 AM. Dark and cold. We also understood, according to Gate 1 Travel documents on Page 18, that after water taxi dropped us off, we”d have 1/2 mile walk to the airport terminal. This is outrageous. I tried to find out about this prior to our departure as I called Gate 1 Travel, and the rep said she didn”t know anything about it. I said I was worried, but she could care less. Then with our phone call with Jen of Gate 1 Travel, we brought this up about the 1/2 mile walk that is stated in their travel documents. She didn”t know anything about it. Jen put us on hold. Jen came back and said that she spoke with “someone” just then, and found out that our boat driver could call ahead for a taxi. Upon arriving at the mooring dock near airport (the boat taxi was good. not cold as it was enclosed), the airport terminal was RIGHT THERE. There was no 1/2 mile walk! So what”s going on? This had me up all night worrying. Gate 1 Travel needs to get their facts straight. They didn”t care we were very sick. Also, the “4 Star” Hotels Gate 1 Travel boasts, are not 4 Star U.S. standard. They are a step up from a youth hostel. Very plain, ugly rooms. Cold, hard leftovers for breakfast (breakfast included). All hotels were far from the main attractions. So you either had to take a taxi, or walk like we did for 40 minutes in freezing cold weather. The taxis were just too expensive.
Eva Cologie
Shady Company! I booked a trip with Gate1 Travel through Groupon and the fine print said that I had until 1/31/17 to book airfare. I called Gate1 on 1/20/17 to book and I was told that my money was refunded and the trip was cancelled. After much prodding I was told that the trip was cancelled because airfare had gone up and they were not gong to pay the higher rate. I reviewed the fine print thoroughly and it did not say that the trip could be cancelled for this reason. I called several times to complain and try to book something else comparable but each time I dealt with a very uncooperative costumer service representative that was not at all concerned or willing to help. The manager even admitted that nothing in the fine print allowed Gate1 to cancel the trip under those circumstances but was still unwilling to help in any way. Very shady company, Beware.
Winter Shelly
VERY DISSATIFIED with Gate1. Six members of my family booked a tour of Israel and Egypt with Gate1 before the violence broke out. The trip is scheduled to depart in only three 47f3fweeks and the political situation continues to deteriorate, but Gate1 has not cancelled the trip, nor will it allow its customers to apply the deposit to a different Gate1 trip. It appears that Gate1 is hoping my family will forfeit the $2, 400 deposit rather than go through with a vacation in a war zone. I’ll post an updated review of Gate1 if its position changes, but that doesn’t appear to be likely.