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CB Travel and Vacations Review of Sealand Travel
Sealand Travel

Sealand Travel review: Cancel Membership 22

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11:38 am EST
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This comapany sounds like a total rip-off, but unfortunately, most people don't realize what they have gotten into, until they have already signed up, like me and so many others have done. Trying to cancel sounds like a royal pain and then they don't refund 100% even in the first 3 days.

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22 comments
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VMaggie14
Colorado Springs, US
Mar 20, 2009 9:37 am EDT

I was fooled into purchasing the platinum offer after receiving the mailer. We were told by the sales representative assigned to my husband and I during the hour long presentation at Embassy Suites that SeaLandTravel guarantees the lowest price. However, this past week I attempted to log into the member's website, and it was down (bringing up an error message). I called the SeaLandTravel agency, who then called me back (almost 48 hours after my request) and they quoted my potential trip to be $634.78. I took it upon myself to research the trip myself, which was worth the inconvenience (see below). I booked the trip myself and saved $121.08. Buyers beware!

KKTV's (news channel in Colorado Springs) interview:
Johnston responds, asking, "Have you ever used a travel agency as opposed to doing it yourself?"
I said, "Sure."
He then asks, "Is there a convenience factor in there?"
I respond, saying, "Well sure."
He then asks, "Isn't that worth something?"

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cjkm
EARLY, US
Nov 13, 2009 9:46 pm EST

Misrepresenting gifts, travel savings, membership, cancellation policys.
Total scam.

How can you get out of this contract...

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Alex14
US
Feb 05, 2021 1:19 pm EST
Replying to comment of cjkm

Check your states law on statute of limitations for contracts. If there has been no contact, letters, phone calls, credit reports as bad debit the contract may be considered dead because of the statute of limitations. That is what I found out so far

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Alex14
US
Jan 30, 2021 8:59 pm EST

Big mistake when we got involved with sealand travel back in 2008. Never was able to get into the members area online. After 1 year, we informed them we did not want the membership anymore. Back and forth calls over months and finally they said it was approved. Thee problem was they say you can sell or transfer which is impossible to get someone else to but y it, and I did not want to cheat someone else to get out of it. Anyway, so 10 years go by and now we get a bill in the mail for 10 years of back membership dues. Well, what company waits 10 years for you to pay your dues yet never contact you during that time frame. Now it is another high pressure attempt to try to get more money. I was a fool that one time, but not again. I am fighting them on this. Don't buy into the scams they never will deliver on.

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Nickdc
Verdigre, US
Mar 02, 2021 4:05 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Replying to comment of Alex14

The same thing is happening to me...how are you fighting it and how is it going?

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Nickdc
Verdigre, US
Mar 09, 2021 3:35 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Replying to comment of Alex14

Hey Alex, just checking again as to what you’re doing to fight this and how it’s going. Per what lower on the totem poll customer service told my, I sent a letter stating my case in order to resolve the issue. I then received a letter back stating I would have to pay $1900 to get out of it and that I needed to call them to pay. I haven’t called them yet because I was waiting to hear how you were handling it. Hope to hear back from you soon.

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wdv
US
May 06, 2021 2:16 am EDT
Replying to comment of Alex14

I got involve in 2009 and stop paying in 2012. My records [protected] were destroyed and I don't know if I paid for [protected]. Received in Jan, 2021 a past due notice on undated letterhead & no signature requesting $1900. Had several emails back & forth requesting all the contact information they said they made and of course stated they didn't have to provided any information as I should have it. Took them 11 weeks to answer my first response to their past due notice. My anniversary date was 4/15 and I did not receive billing as the contract states. Makes you wonder about the previous years contacts. Filed a complaint with state attorney general. Also fighting them.

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Nickdc
Verdigre, US
May 06, 2021 11:51 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Replying to comment of wdv

Thank you for very much for getting back to me. After receiving my letter, they continue to call and e-mail every couple weeks saying the same thing each time. Here's what they keep saying:
"Right now, you have an open unpaid balance on your membership. You have the option to bring your membership up to current and utilize the services which you purchased and transfer or resell the membership or you can obtain a mutual release through a settlement agreement. Please contact me so we can go over all available options."
They keep saying we have to pay this because it's in our contract, yet nowhere in our contract does it say anything about a "mutual release". In fact, initially they said our only option to get out of it was to pay the $1900 then transfer or sell our membership. Then out of thin air they came up with this "mutual release". I think they know they don't have a leg to stand on and are hoping if they keep coming after us, we'll cave. I'm considering threatening them with harassment if they don't cease and desist. Please let me if you make any progress with the matter. Thanks again.

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TUCKER
Colorado Springs, US
Oct 05, 2021 7:17 am EDT
Replying to comment of Nickdc

Did you ever get this resolved? We are going through the same thing.

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NEO Stephens
US
Sep 26, 2022 5:27 pm EDT
Replying to comment of Nickdc

You are not obligated to them, just stop paying them. They can't do anything to your or your credit.

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Don Roeber
Cedar Hill, US
Sep 21, 2023 9:06 am EDT

We live in Texas and are going through the same cancellation process with Sealand and are getting the same rhetoric from them. When you say we can ignore their communications without any legal ramifications, are you saying that because you or someone you work with had successfully gone through this process?

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billc1954
Georgetown, TX, US
Oct 05, 2021 8:13 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Why does this complaint show as 'resolved'? What was the resolution? Did the company give you any statement releasing you from the alleged debt?

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Brain313
Flower Mound, US
Sep 15, 2022 10:22 am EDT

All of your stories are identical to mine and my wifes. 10 years have passed since we were duped. Not once did we use their services... we tried to but realized quickly that we had been scammed. I just got a letter in the mail yesterday, a very condescending somewhat threatening letter that said we owed them money for the last ten years of services. No mention of turning it over to a collection agency just a lame attempt at fear tactics to collect money for nothing. I called them at 8am cst and let them have it. I told them i had a lawyer looking in to this, and that i did my research and read about a lawsuit where they were being sued for their shady tactics. The person i was speaking to put me on hold to speak with her "director", when she came back she said that the "director" reviewed my account history and was terminating my account with a zero balance and she would be sending me a letter in the mail confirming cancelation with a zero balance.

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saw244tz
Fort Worth, US
Feb 27, 2023 7:28 pm EST
Replying to comment of Brain313

I sent an email today to Tom Lee, Director, advising that I was filing a complaint with the Texas Attorney General for 10 years of Harassment and Elder Abuse. Same day response is, Tom Lee has replied to say I should document that our membership has been closed with an account balance of zero. It seems that when you call on the Law, they run like scared chickens, wasting no time. saw244tz Fort Worth

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C_merecka
Floresville, US
Jun 07, 2023 1:38 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Replying to comment of saw244tz

What email did you use or Tom Lee?

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TrueBiz
US
Jun 09, 2023 2:07 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Replying to comment of Brain313

Your note about Sealand Travel was very helpful (and hopeful). We received a collection letter from Financial Services of America (FSA) a few days ago. FSA is simply an arm of Travel Center, the company who farmed out the Sealand Travel program through a separate vendor, All Inclusive Excursions. We purchased our Sealand Travel membership in 2009, paid dues for a few years, but were disappointed at the lack of service and unavailability of vacation choices. FSA is demanding back dues of $2189 for a membership we never used. In a follow-up to the collection letter, I called FSA and learned that the vendor who sold us the club membership, All-Inclusive Excursions, is no longer in business. Also, the Sealand Travel program is non-existent. FSA reiterated that the Sealand Travel program had a lifetime contract that cannot be canceled ("Didn't you read the paragraph on page three of the contract?"). We are seeking to get this whole membership canceled and all of the collection calls/letters to cease for lack of use of the membership and inability of company to satisfy our vacation needs early on (back in [protected]). Get this: The un-cancellable contract CAN be canceled if we pay a fee of $1532. We haven't paid any dues since 2012, and hope to see contract canceled in full with no payment. With help from our lawyers and your example, maybe we'll see this resolved soon, with no more requess for fees.

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Jarhead in the Jungle
Apopka, US
Oct 26, 2022 12:15 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

We are having the same issue. We were called in 2013 when we decided not to "renew" our membership because they offered no value at all. We were told at that time that this was a lifetime membership at that we could reinstate our membership by paying the dues...no mention of dues accruing. After not hearing from them for years we were contacted saying we owed them back dues from 2013 to present for over $2,000. The person that I talked to when I called is very nasty and not helpful at all. Is anyone having any luck getting this resolved without paying them a large chunk of money? My wife has many health issues and giving them any money is not a priority for me.

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saw244tz
Fort Worth, US
Feb 23, 2023 2:04 am EST

saw of TX, US

Feb 23,2023 12:43am CST

Of the entries above, I count 1 resolved and 13 unresolved. Our 'situation" has been going on for 10 years, unresolved. So, I will file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General for harassment and elder abuse.

You may find the information below, useful.

https://www.brownwoodnews.com/2010/03/17/tx-attorney-general-charges-dallas-area-travel-clubs-with-unlawfully-defrauding-members/#:~:text=The%20defendants%20urged%20other%20prospective%20customers%20to%20join,an%20unincorporated%20shell%20company%20existing%20in%20name%20only.

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NEO Stephens
US
Mar 13, 2023 5:35 pm EDT

You can just ignore those letters. They can't do anything to you or your credit.

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MG56
US
May 11, 2023 8:06 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I called them about a year after joining to cancel after finding out their prices were the same or higher than I could book myself with a little effort. Sent them an email and told them I’m done with their scam. Now, about 10 years later, they have tried to force me to pay membership fees. Called a local attorney who told me to ignore them and if they do anything to my credit or start harassing me come see him. Now they’ve referred to collection agency. I’m still ignoring them…haven’t contacted them by phone, text or email. I’ll lawyer up if they do anything to me.

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Laura Sanders
US
Jun 16, 2023 12:07 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

We used it for one trip and like others realized we could get the same if not better deals on our own. We never heard back from them and long since forgot. Now they wamt to collect past annual dues and turned it over to FSA. FSA is theeatening to issue 1099 for bad debt forgiveness. Should we respond?

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NEO Stephens
US
Jul 25, 2023 8:08 am EDT

Just ignore them, they can't do anything to you or your credit. Nor can they threaten to send your debt owed to the IRS, but even if they did try to 1099 you, as much as I hate the IRS, I'd rather pay a fee to the IRS and be done with them. But just note, they are just using scare tactics to get money out of you they know they can't collect unless you volunteer to give it to them. And if you are in TX, send a copy of that to the AG office (he's now indicted and facing impeachment LOL) but someone else from that office should be able to help you. Texas issued a cease and desist order for that company years ago.