In Apple's Defense

[Karen in New York]

[u][u]My family found Apple to be excellent time and time again[/u]. .[/u] To all of you who booked Apple Vacations and are baffled by not getting refunds: You knew Apple's policies when you booked your vacation. They are a fair and professional company, with specific rules and excellent product as well as service and price. IF you ever traveled before, you know you cannot simply book a trip WITH ANYONE and change your mind or cancel without a charge. Just like the airline charges you / keeps money if you buy a non-refundable ticket (whether you call them or buy it from the internet.) Just like a hotel charges you for cancellation. Apple also has expenses.. ..nobody works for free.. ..you go to work and expect to get paid. Seems as though many of you want to use someone elses time and resources, but aren't willing to pay for it.

Most of your complaints are vague; you are not telling all the details and making yourselves out to be victims. At first you were thrilled with the price, changed your mind for whatever reason, wanted to get out of your contract and KNEW you couldn't despite stamping your feet.. .. ..so you write a vague complaint to try and slam Apple. Apple has many thousands of satisfied customers who don't waste time complaining because they are very happy, and book again. If you do not understand that their is a cost for doing business and are dumb-founded by charges for changing your mind, you should stay home.

[al]

I have used apple vacations six or seven trips and they have been very good. Have done all-inclusives to punta cana, cozumel and cancun and three cruises. you must remember, you get what you pay for. Most of the people crying sound like no matter what happens, they are going to bitch. I have met many individuals like this when I have gone on these trips. Things do not always go according to plan. Deal with it. Third world countries do not have it together like us.

[Guest]

It is hard to defend Apple at this time.. . Our wedding date is April 23rd '05 and before we booked our reception hall etc.. . we wanted to make sure we were going to be able to get a trip for our honeymoon beforehand we called our travel agent and asked for a trip from the 24th to the 1st to the Palladium in Mexico and our agent assured us that there was a opening so we booked and may our full payment along with our family and friends who would be joining us. In the mean time my fiance went ahead and booked all our necc. wedding plans. 3wks later we receive a call that Apple is in contract disputes with our local Airport and our flight out had been canceled. We were given the option to move to the 23rd going out of a different airport we confirmed with our guests and made the bold move knowing we would be penalized from all of our wedding plans of changing our dates. Now 2wks after this mess we all are going on different flights some on Sat some on Sun, we are being charged out the rear for moving our wedding to the prior week and what does Apple have to say for this ? NOTHING!! it's our problem even though we were told by our agent that Apple had all of us on Saturday ,but because their Apple rep. did not show up to work the day a confirmation needed to be made our 24hr hold rolled over and we are going through this mess and to this date we are being told that Apple overbooked this resort by a few rooms and somebody stands the chance of getting a late minute call that there will not be a room available. We have done business with Apple in the past and never had any problems, but let me tell you when a problem happens it really is a pain and a huge stress especially coming on a day when it is suppose to be a happy day.. . We will never do business with Apple again and will always advise people not to use apple due to their horrible customer service. They can keep their weak "oops were sorry" $50 voucher which has to be used in a yr and is hardly a fraction of what we had to endure.. . rin2u2@yahoo.com

[Tyshepp]

You can try and defend Apple all you want. Bottom-line is they will screw you over in a heart-beat. I didn't change my plans or try and cancle or anything like that. I was in Cancun when hurricane Mitch hit Honduras. The hurricane wasn't even near Cancun and Apple forced us to leave a week early, threatened us that they would not fly us home later if we didn't leave early. No one else in Cancun evacuated. The hotels didn't close. The government didn't order an evacuation or even suggest it. This was all Apple's decision. The huricane was already ashore in Honduras. The Apple reps were very rude and arrogant. AFTER packing and leaving the hotel, on the bus to the airport, the Apple dude all of a sudden says "oh, we changed our minds, you can stay if you want to."

Then, later, try and get Apple to refund your money since you didn't get to stay for two weeks as paid for! Yeah right buddy! Can't find anybody at Apple. Go ahead, try and talk to somebody from that company. They totally - and anybody that uses them after hearing this is just stupid.[/b]

[KB]

Booked through Apple, going to Cozumel before Emily hit. Apple cancelled our vacation, resort was closed. That seemed appropriate. They would re-schedule us at the resort at another time. Then when trying to re-schedule air, the airlines (after much work) said they would re-schedule our flight, we were given conf. numbers, all the info, etc. Apple would not accept it and said we would have to go through them for air, and pay $400 extra per person for the new flight. I had all the info they needed, they were not willing to call the airlines to confirm. Only half the story. We have been jacked around by them a lot. Our agent can't get anywhere either. It's a no brainer, they were given all the info I got from the airlines, and they will not make any changes. Makes you wonder where they make their money, and at what cost to their customers. Be careful, be prepared to do all your homework, or you'll get taken for a lot. Status of our case is still pending. Had gone through Apple before, but didn't have any issues to deal with. This is the business they're in, and they can't provide decent, fair customer service. be careful, don't get screwed.

[tyshepp]

[quote="Tyshepp"]You can try and defend Apple all you want. Bottom-line is they will screw you over in a heart-beat. I didn't change my plans or try and cancle or anything like that. I was in Cancun when hurricane Mitch hit Honduras. The hurricane wasn't even near Cancun and Apple forced us to leave a week early, threatened us that they would not fly us home later if we didn't leave early. No one else in Cancun evacuated. The hotels didn't close. The government didn't order an evacuation or even suggest it. This was all Apple's decision. The huricane was already ashore in Honduras. The Apple reps were very rude and arrogant. AFTER packing and leaving the hotel, on the bus to the airport, the Apple dude all of a sudden says "oh, we changed our minds, you can stay if you want to."

Then, later, try and get Apple to refund your money since you didn't get to stay for two weeks as paid for! Yeah right buddy! Can't find anybody at Apple. Go ahead, try and talk to somebody from that company. They totally - and anybody that uses them after hearing this is just stupid.[/b][/quote]

[i hate apple]

I need to vent.. .. .. .. ..Here I sit, Chrimstams morning, still feeling heartbroken because of Apple Vacations and thier lies. I had booked a vacation for my family of 4 to take to Cancun. We should have been leaving this morning. The trip was booked and paid for in full in early June. My family was looking forward to the best holiday ever and our first big trip as a family. Then in October we were informed that our flights (USA 3000) had been cancelled and Apple tried to change our departure date and city, as well as our losing an entire day in Mexico. Our "compensation? $200 for the inconvienece of a lost day, driving 200 miles each way to the different departure city, and the motel that this change would have required, on a $6,000 trip! Due to the change of date and city, we were now unable to go. It was too late to rebook a trip anywhere else, and being a small business owner, we can not close down our company at any other time during the year, so we are now doing nothing this holiday, but feeling sad and bitter. I would like the believe that next year we can try again over the holidays, but I do not know if I want to set myself and my kids up for such a huge disappointment again. To top it off, we gave our employees off over the holidays because we intended to travel, and now, here we sit, unable to even conduct business and make some money because of Apple Vacations lies.

Yes, Apple did refund our money, but then a few days later, I discovered (while on-line) that our so called cancelled flights were never actually cancelled! USA 3000 (aka Apple Vacations) WAS SELLING SEATS ON THE VERY FLIGHT THAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY TO BE PASSENGERS ON! But now out resort was no longer available, nor were any others. So here I sit on what was supposed to be the best Christams ever, having the most depressing day of my life. It may sound childish, but I am such a scrooge because of Apple Vacations that I did not even put up a tree this year because when ever I thought about today arriving, I wanted to cry. And this morning I did.. .. ..again, and I know that I will cry again today because all I can think about is how perfect today was supposed to be and the fun my kids and I would be having if it were not for Apple Vacations.

So that is my story in a short version. My life goal is to tell everyone that will listen how much I hate Apple Vacations and how they lied to us. I sure hope that word of mouth still travels and makes an impression. Apples only resopnse beyond our refund, was to send me a copy of their contract with the "Fair Trade Act" highlighted. It states that Apple can cancell a trip for several different factors, but the funny part is that they still have not explained their lies because our flight WAS NEVER ACTUALLY CANCELLED as we were told! My best theory is that someone was willing to pay more money, so they bumped us and told thier lies.

PLEASE DO NOT EVER TRAVEL APPLE VACATIONS, SPARE YOURSELF THE PAIN AND DISAPPOINTMENT.

Thanks to anyone who has read this. Please learn from my heartbreak.

Just a note: I know that the resort where we were supposed to stay is open now and fully operational even after the hurricane season. So if you are thinking that our trip would have been cancelled anyways you are incorrect.

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[Guest]

BAD Apple Vacation. We had non money issues with them. Lack of professionalism, service, manners, cleanliness. We Vacationed in Mexico at the Grand Palladium. Dealing with an Apple rep. in person or by phone - was like having to deal with a slimey used car dealer. They were overly familiar and when you don't respond in kind- they become even more disgusting. The language skills are horrendous!!! Spanish almost as bad as their English. (Am fluent in both). . Telephone Apple Service, just as bad. It starts with a near two hour bus ride to your hotel- they tell all about the "briefing" they want you to attend where they will tell you all about the great things for you at your vacation destination. Why waste two hours on the bus??? Do it now. "Briefing"= Selling. Long Trip already make longer. In appropriate sexuaL connotations on the bus- there were people with kids there- not a bus load of spring-breakers.