YMT Vacations — Stay away from this company!
Copy of the letter I sent to YMT:
To: Your Man Tours (YMT)
CC: Frommer's Budget Travel, ASTA, USTOA
You post the positive reviews... how about a negative & what you did to resolve it?
I just finished writing the BBB about my mother-in-law's experience with your company (Your Man Tours) - in the process of posting on http://www.complaintsboard.com/ as I write this to you. I have copied this email to Frommer's Budget Travel, American Society of Travel Agents, and United States Tour Operators Association - all names I collected from your website. Then I will do an on line search posting this complaint to anyone & everyone who will publish it (I already belong to 2 national message boards, and several local ones - today am looking for more to listen).
My husband spoke *in person* via phone with YMT VP Chuck Supnick earlier today, who, believe it or not, commented "that's unfortunate" to the issue as explained to him. I am appalled & so mad I could *spit nickels* (as my dear grandmother was fond of saying)! And I am a woman spends a lot of time online!!! I WILL find a way to spread this account!! For you, YMT, This will be "UNFORTUNATE"!
My mother-in-law (60+ year old widow) has never traveled. After this experience, she will probably never travel again. She and three of her lady friends booked a tour with an agent in Mississippi through Your Man Tours... looked forward to this vacation for over six months, spent her Christmas money on the deposit. Finally the day (8 June, 2007, yesterday) comes and the ladies are whisked away by loving family and friends to the Monroe, LA airport (about an hour drive from where they live).
Who would have? Who could have? ...Known that would be the day some fool programmer wrote bad code into the air traffic control computers, shutting down Atlanta, and overloading Salt Lake City? (http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_wires/2007Jun09/0,4675,FlightDelays,00.html) Okay, things happen, flights get delayed/canceled... the airline rerouted the missed connection, and although the ladies had to travel all night, they finally made it to Boston (with all of their luggage, believe it or not).
The problems didn't end there! Last night, my husband called the hotel where the ladies were supposed to stay. He was assured someone would come to collect them in the morning when their new flight arrived and ferry them back to the hotel, no problem. This morning... no shuttle. They called the hotel and were told no one could help them and were advised to take a taxi to the cruise ship terminal at the Port of Boston. Pay for a taxi? Everything including all shuttle transportation was to have been handled through YMT! They totally missed the bus tour of Boston... Okay, never mind that - taxi to cruise terminal. Arrive at Holland America to be told the ship wouldn't be boarding for several hours. They'd have to wait... which wouldn't have been so bad IF they hadn't been traveling all night, IF they had had a decent meal, IF they had rested... and IF they had a decent place to wait! From what I understand, they waited on a bench, outside, all morning and half the afternoon with their baggage around their feet - and with dead cell phones.
We finally got hold of Holland America who went through several channels to try to confirm these four elderly ladies eventually actually boarded the ship. They did - no thanks to YMT - who basically took their money, made reservations, and then washed their hands of the rest - saying "that's unfortunate."
In the online form for my complaint with the BBB, they ask "Desired Outcome"... I wrote - First - an apology (WRITTEN & SIGNED by Pres & VP of YMT) to *each* of these 4 ladies!! Second - minimal reimbursement for at least hotel, shuttle/cab, missed bus tour of Boston & meals incurred due to extended travel situation.
Above & beyond - these ladies will probably NEVER travel again due to this experience... the trauma of 4 seniors (who've never traveled before) may well be worth the reimbursement of the trip in full!
Your Man Tours, Boston Courtyard Marriott & Holland America Cruise are all responsible for the happiness of these patrons and let them down, but especially YMT!!
If you would like to confirm this testimonial - contact C Denny cncden AT yahoo.com
Respectfully, C Denny
(Baton Rouge, LA)
a verified customer
I just have a few things to say, that's very unfortunate, hahahahahahah!
We have just booked our first trip with YMT Most of our travel has been with NCL. We have found that it is best to read and understand what you will be doing before you depart from home. Travel Insurance is a MUST on any trip. One should read and be aware of the coverage.
Addressing Bathrooms on the bus: if it is a long trip, a bus with a non-working bathroom SHOULD NOT be used. The driver should be aware of this when he picks up his bus.
We are looking forward to our trip with [email protected]
This complaint is ridiculous if not vindictive. Obviously C Denny spends too much time on line. I guess that's what boredom does to one. Get a life! So the ladies had a bad break with the first flight which resulted in a domino effect. This happens to lots and lots of travellers everyday. I am a 60++ and object to C Denny making 60-year old people sound like they need to be pampered. If one feels fragile about the hustle and bustle of modern travel then stay at home. Having a go at the air traffic programmer by calling the person a fool - when all the facts are not known, is both presumptuous and indicative of a latent bitterness. So chill out and quit whining lady.
I just got back from the Italy trip it was not what i thought it would be like, it was a drive by tour some places we had only 20 min to see everything, could not go into the collumseum in roma, or the tower of pezza. when we did stop to go sight seeing with a tour guide we could not hear them or had a hard time understanding them. we paid alot for tips and extra side trips. the guide was very rude most of the time. this trip had 49 people on it so was a large group. she didnt explain her self very well, when we would ask a question she would say i have already told you you dont lesson do as we do and find your own way. with alot of eye rolling .It was like the only time we would do any thing extra was when the guide wanted to shop. then she would turn us over to another guide and leave us. two times we lost people and they had to get a taxi back to hotel. the guide was unorganized we had to take are luggage [email protected] are rooms most of the time because we were afraid it would get lost [it happed once and had to go back and get one bag] If i was to do over i would book my own flight we were too hurried at the airports. i think it was just to much to see in such a short time but you see alot of things as you drive by. i may not take a trip with YMT again.
We were on the October 2011 Fall Colors of New England & Cruise of Nova Scotia vacation that left from New York and it was without a doubt the worst tour experience of my life. You should note that I travel all the time and I have never experienced this kind of incompetence and uncaring attitude. Please stay away from YMT Tours, (formerly known as Your Man Tours) as they promise you the world and give you nothing. For example: I requested an inside cabin on the cruise ship and when I called back to confirm my cabin, they told me there were no inside cabins left and promptly charged my credit card another $2, 100 for an outside cabin. The bus driver was non communicative the entire bus tour and we had no guide. We had no idea where we were throughout the bus ride, we just rode from city to city. We had problems with our luggage being misplaced by the YMT staff. Believe it or not, they claimed they could not find our luggage for two days in their own sponsored hotels and on their tour bus. It seems when you have a problem there is no one to talk with and no one follows through despite my many requests. Here is a prime example of their complete incompetence. The President of the company, Jerry F., was riding on our tour bus during the New York portion of our tour and on the cruise. We told him of our concerns and he said “he would mail us a certificate that would allows us to travel to any YMT Vacation of our choice for free “. Big surprise, it’s now February and I am still waiting for my voucher for my free trip, (not that I would take it as once in Hell was enough). However, I would gladly take an apology and a refund on the upgraded cabin portion of my cruise. According to the many consumer complaints on the Consumer Affairs web page this type of consumer hoodwinking by YMT Vacations appears to be the norm. Please, please do your research about YMT Vacations. I only wish I knew then what I know now, run like a scaled rat………. Please do your research and stay away from YMT Vacations unless you like throwing away your money and living in Hell for two plus weeks of a “vacation”.
Life happens - YMT was not at fault for the air traffic problem. When we travel, we are what you would consider "elderly" over 60, we take out travel insurance which covers unforeseen mishaps - like reimbursement for unexpected delays - hotels, taxis, health issues. If you can't handle the unexpected your best bet is to stay put.
We travelled to Alaska a few years back where my husband had his appendix removed in Juneau - we had travel/medical insurance and the cruiseline's doctor was great in his diagnosis of the problem.
I’m retired and I travel alone and with senior groups. On one bus trip, a traveler (70s) appeared unable to see, read, hear or think for herself. I could give you many examples of her helplessness. Tour guides were on the bus, but she needed more attention than they could spare for one traveler. She had to depend on the kindness of fellow travelers to help her. It seemed her adult children were relieved to get her out of their hair for 7 days.
Those 4 ladies needed a travel assistant to navigate the travel process for them. As with many women of that era, they went from their family home to married life, took care of home, children; never went to college or worked outside the home. Father or husband took care of everything and made all the decisions.
Question @ CDenny, why didn’t you accompany these travel neophytes? These poor women were thrown to the travel wolves by their families. They had to cope with time changes, new environments, the unknown (even young people have these fears). You appear to be bright and capable. Look to yourself for blame.
Goddess, Las Vegas
Im Sorry to here this sweetie...But honestly none of this was YMT 's fault!...lol. Its kind of crazy to even blame them. You put a link to A NEWS AD as well as mentioned that the trip began by a PROGRAMMER writing a bad traffic code... (http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_wires/2007Jun09/0, 4675, FlightDelays, 00.html)
What you need to do and ASAP ! To get compensated is to contact the AIRLINE and have them give you a voucher for free travel... I can also tell that you're not a huge traveler yourself ( I'm saying this in the kindest way possible) because when a situation like this occurs you first have to address the AIRLINE!!! The PROGRAMMER put in a bad code so, the AIRLINE was delayed, causing a shift in YMT's !!ORIGINAL!! booked plans for you. Because of this it becomes the AIRLINES fault. Thats why airlines love TRAVEL AGENCIES, AND PROVIDE THEM WITH GREAT TICKET FAIRS. Because if something goes wrong the customers don't know who to address and them the problem is then forgotten. Do you know 30, 000 PASSANGERS travel in the us every day with an average plane ticket of $1200. and 1/3 of those are complaints and issues, (you do the math) If the TRAVELER has no clue who to address those 1/3 of complaints are reduced to maybe about ONE to TWO THOUSOND COMPLAINTS a day. I travel 5 to 7 times a year and have had this happen to me more then i can count. The first time it happened..I also blamed my agent DON'T!!! Your then letting the real bullies get away, which is the AIRLINES. ...Good Luck Sweetie!
We are a 60's couple and have traveled a little, once with YMT on a NE tour/cruise. They are less expensive than most companies and one can tell when edges are cut. The drivers are not tour directors but ours tried hard at some type of humor/information (they also would like a tip) and the bathrooms on the bus were not well maintained. The "drive" by vs tour is also a concern but not insurrmountable. We have been on more expensive tours listening to guides lecture for hours at a castle and wished we could slide out by ourselves. We did not expect, nor want YMT to cater to us on the ship and enjoyed the ports of call. Local tour guides in Boston, New York and Philly did a nice job. Now that I know what to expect from several companies we've used, I would go back to YMT if my budget required. I may save for a couple of years and go more expensive. I do think the situation that precipitated this discussion was not YMT's fault and unfortunate to have occured. As retired law enforcement and college professor, my assignment to C Denny would have been not only to detail events but f0llowup expectations and let fellow students dissect responsibility. YMT can certainly influence the tour bus companies to ensure clean rest rooms but hardly control an airline computer glitch. What if terrorists sunk the ship before the four could board? YMT would be condemed to GITMO by C Denny.
Well, this is a complaints board and that is pretty much all you will see here. I'm sure that YMT has had millions of passenger for their tours who have had a great time such as I. One thing about travel companies in general. Some are First Class and stay in 5 star hotels, some are intermediate, and some are for the economy minded (which is YMT's specialty). Their prices are very good, but you won't get everything that a first class tour gets (I've done those too). As I said before, I have had good experiences with them, but I knew what the limitations were going into this. YMT won't give you a refund if you cancel, My wife and I buy our own plane tickets and make sure we are there a day early and stay in a local hotel as to make sure we don't miss the tour. (did that once on a Cruise (not YMT) and the boat left without us when our plane was canceled. I had to pay for that one too to get to the next port). Realize that YMT is for the budget minded and that is what you will get, a budget tour. If you want a fancier tour, then pay more for more service. You can't go out and buy the cheapest car and expect it to be a Cadillac. The old attage you get what you pay for applies to the travel business as well. And I almost forgot, Read what you are signing so you know what the limitations are, and what you are entitled too if things don't go as planned.
a verified customer
I signed up for an Alaska tour to join WRTI (a classical music station in Phila.) in June 2010, but was assigned to a different tour.No satisfaction about my complaints to YTM Vacations, nor WRTI.
My wife and I have taken 10 trips in the last eleven years with YMT Vacations, from the Hawaii 4-Island island-hopping tour to the Hawaii Inter-Island Cruise, to Alaska cruises via the Canadian Rockies as well as via the NW U.S., including San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, overnights in Jackson, WY, to the Panama Canal, to Rome, northern Italy, Switzerland, and Paris, to the northeast U.S., Nova Scotia/P.E.I. and the St. Lawrence, inclouding Montreal and Quebec City, and they have all been very well conducted. Some inconveniences, of course, as there always will be on such trips. We were even well talen care of in the days following 9/11, which occurred on a Tuesday as we
approached Ketchikan, our final port. Holland America, Y.M.T., and Holiday Inn of Renton, WA were most accommodating, onsidering that they had other tours stranded in several locations. We have nothing but kudos for YMT and their staff, and eagerly anticipate our next trip with them. DW
a verified customer
You obviously don't travel much. YMT is not responsible for airline delays. Last summer my wife and I arrived in Paris and our tour company transportaion had already left. We took a cab to our hotel (and got reimbursed later). If you are going to travel get used to delays, screw-ups, missed transportation etc. The main thing is they made their cruise. Stop being a crybaby OR stop traveling.
I agree with Archie Goodwin.
a verified customer
My husband had booked a tour/cruise of Alaska for my 50th BDay. It was a surprise. sometime before the trip. it was cancelled due to lack of enough booking for the trip. At that time my husband told me about the situation, for he didn't know what to do. when I reviewed the other options given by YMT, I wasn't happy with the other selections offered. My husband spoke to the company to gain restitution and possible refund. After all, we didn't cancel the reservation, YMT did.YMT told my husband they could not refund the money he had paid (about $600) but could isue him avoucher to use at a later date.Well, since then we have not been able to schedule another vacation for various personal reasons, and now we have been told that the voucher will expire the end of this year (2010). This makes me very angry, and am not sure what to do at this point.DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS?????? We just want our money back. D & N
they cant control the airlines. quit [censor]in. ymt cant keep a shuttle on stand by for 4 old ladys forever, im in the travel business and we dispise daughter in laws with nothing to do but complain, get a job for gods sake. airline problems boo hoo. grow up
Prior to booking the Alaskan cruise I am doing some reference checking. I can't help but wonder if age didn't have a lot to do with the complaints. I know from experience some of the older travelers couldn't be pleased and complained about everything. I would like to hear something from pleased passengers.
I had a similar problem with YMT, and we were traveling in a group of 5, with all convinced they will never use YMT again. I have traveled all over the world, from Europe, to Australia/New Zealand, Mexico, Canada and the US and I have never had such a lack of customer response or organization, let alone respect. I understand that problems happen, and the bus breaking down outside of the Bonneville Salt Flats is one of them. What irks me is the lack of contact, no apology, no reimbursement as a show of good faith for the 5 hours stuck in a nasty smoky roadside casino, no emergency plan in place for events like this, the rude behavior of the bus driver who told me I had to rotate seats, despite motion sickness and that he had 5 barf bags for me to use (his exact words). I had to call 3 times to YMT and finally got a response, tho the driver's supervisor never called me back. The driver also told me I should just stay home and not travel if I get motion sickness. We have been back 5 weeks and have yet to get our refunds for their cancellation of an add-on trip of Temple Square, being told it takes 9 to 12 weeks to process, even tho the forms were filled out the first day of our vacation, making it 7 weeks. Funny, they cashed the check in mid June and here it is September and no money. What company takes that long to refund money that should not have been spent? And my other friends put it on their credit cards which should have been an immediate refund. When one of my friends called they said it was a bus trip, not a vacation that we went on, although they billed it as a National Parks tour, and I'm still not sure how that means there should be no customer service, bus trip, bus vacation, same thing. Oh, and they contracted out to another company, so they seem to think that takes their responsibility away. I would never use YMT again. S. Wozniak
We just returned from their Alaska, Portland, Reno, San Francisco Tour with YMT and NEVER AGAIN! I have lead and organized seven different tours, five with high school students and I would never, never treat anyone the way we were treated. It is just a matter of basic human common sense and decency. We were mocked by our bus driver, taken to five different gambling extablishments, "treated" to a lounge act on Sunday Night with a $5.00 cover charge but hey we could use it to get our first drink, stopped for rest stops where there was only one bathroom stall for 2 buses, given total of three hours to see Lake Tahoe, had to scramble to get anything to eat over and over again, no information on anything, our bus driver didn't even know what to call a draw bridge. It was horrible. Luckily my husband and I are experienced travelers and we coped but the general felling on both buses was anger at having been duped and that most would never use YMT again. A real shame that anyones travel experience should be so negative.
Unanticipated problems crop up when traveling, but when they do the appropriate agency should make sure they do everything possible to fix the problem and/or reimburse the customer for any unreasonable expenses incurred assuming the incident could have been avoided had the agency done due diligence. Missed airlines and the domino effect are not the booking agent's problem, but they certainly should have ensured these ladies got on board...not just assumed they got on board because embarking had begun. I've traveled all over the world and have had my share of unfortunate incidences, most of which were really nobody's fault. My husband and I are celebrating our 25th anniversary next year and had thought about booking the Med land/cruise with YMT. After reading C Denny's saga and other complaints against YMT, I think we'll book with someone else. "Unfortunate" indeed.
How is this YMT's fault. You should be contacting the airline if you're that anal.
a verified customer
I guess I am a savvy "older" traveler (65, not elderly!). Our family has been on many independent trips and recently went on our first guided group tour, though not with YMT. My comment pertains to tours, but also to travel in general. I felt annoyed by the complaining, whining, and trumped up charges against YMT by C.Denny, even though I don't know the person or the company. Anyone who books a guided tour and is willing to put up a few thousand dollars to do so should have the common sense to read the entire contract/tour description/descriptive brochures. (Whoever said "common sense is all too uncommon" was right!) My point about that is that any tour company (such as YMT) is really just a booking agent for several different service providers. Yes, they put the "package" together and say that they will guide you along the way, but they say right up front in their literature that they can not be held responsible for the faults of the air carrier/cruise line/land tour operators, etc. It is just not possible to provide for all possible things than can, but don't usually, go wrong. C.Denny undoubtedly has her friends welfare in mind, but to blame YMT and broadcast her misplaced anger around the internet is ridiculous. I have travelled with thousands of cruisers over the years, and on every trip I have heard a VERY FEW badmouthing the company for things they should have realized will go wrong when 2, 000-3, 000 people all want to be served first and best on a huge boat with perhaps 800 or more crew. I dislike whiners who misplace their displeasure or think everything must go perfectly or someone will pay!
In mid-2008 my wife and I, along with another couple, booked the Hawaii Four Island tour for September 2009, with YMT.. including air travel from and returning to Atlanta. The entire trip came off without a hitch and on time. We visited every site that had been mentioned, plus had open time available to book additional local tours or do whatever we chose to do. Every tour guide assigned to us and all of the drivers were a delight to be with and were all knowledgable & eager to serve our every need and answer every question. YMT took care of every detail of all of the island-to-island flights making it a piece of cake. Our entire 15-day trip was a positive and pleasant experience. YMT responded promptly to every question/request that we had during the planning stage then did everything they said they would do. We are now planning a NE Fall Leaf tour with YMT and considering a future tour to the NW and Alaska with YMT. They came highly reccommended to us by some good friends (who are quite particular) and we, in turn, are reccommending YMT to our friends without hesitation. [email protected]
I hve booked the land and Alaska cruise I also want to know if we will stop to look at the itenerary or do we just look out the window as we ride by? My husband will not be very happy if it is just a ride by I need to know before I give my full payment. E mail me at [email protected] Thanks
We are considering booking the Alaska Cruise and tour of the Great NW. It says we go to Yellowstone Nt'l Park, Old Faithful, Grand Teton Nat'l Park, Jackson Hole, and Grand Coulee Dam. Do we actually stop and get out or do we just drive by?
Mikey50...I am also considering the Hawaii Four Island deal...I was told you can also choose to do what you desire on any given day and skip going with the tour...if you choose? Additionally, they list many, many attractions as part of the itinerary...do you actually stop and visit those or do they drive by with your nose pressed to the bus window "seeing it"? Any info would helpful! Thank you!
I have taken several trips with YMT Vacations (known also as Your Man Tours and has been for many many years). Their Hawaiian trips are awesome. If you want to pay for a first class trip then go ahead and spend twice as much as a YMT trip costs. I don't need an all expense paid trip because some times I want to do my own thing when we reach a location. You do pay extra for everything with them, but that allows me to choose what I want instead of the tour company. It does sound like the 4 ladies traveling were victims of an Airline problem. Sounds like they did the right thing when you get delayed. You talk to a cabbie and he gets you to your next location so you can catch up with the group. Why she feels this is YMT's fault I can't figure out.. Unless she is getting a cut on what she thinks she can scam back out of YMT. All of her complaints center on saying that YMT did nothing, when there was nothing for YMT to do...? Should YMT have held up an entire bus load of people because and airline flight was delayed for 4 people..? I think not..! The delayed ladies did exactly what they should have done and grab a cab and get to the ship as not to miss the cruise (as they were advised to do). Where is the issue here...? (And don't tell me it's because someone didn't kiss your behind enough).
By the way, I whole heartedly believe the Hawaiin trips are their best. You'll enjoy it. Their Guides are local Hawaiins who know everything...
We just booked the Hawaii 4 island trip waht say you what should I do
I just finished booking my second trip with YMT. The first was the Northwest tour and Alaskan cruise. It could not have been more fun. The bus portion was geared to let people off every 45mins. to an hour for a break and bathroom trip. There are not a lot of hot spots along the way so food courts and the like work just fine . The scenery is the show and our driver was very very informative and filled the driving portons with jokes and monologues as we toured. We were met on arrival by YMT . They got our luggage and got us to our first hotel. The bus took us to a new hotel each night and our luggage was delivered and picked up each day. We were dropped off at the port, able to board right away. We were met after the cruise by YMT put on a bus for the last leg of the trip. We were taken to the airport for the flight home. I am now booked for the Pilgramage Tour in April 2010. PS I took my 88 yr. old dad on the Alaskan trip . He never found it too tiring, and booked side trips at every port for us... Tom Foulds
Have had several trips with YMT and generally they were O.K. I do think people should realize you get what you pay for. My first trip was the Autumn trip which was awesome. Yes, we had to pay for our meals except for breakfasts at motels when they were a part of the motel package. Everything is extra with YMT. However, you get a lot of days and get to see lots of things.
The worst trip was the one which included an Alaskan cruise. We stopped at convenience stores for snacks and at a McDonald's for lunch one time. However, we were in the "wilds" of the northwest, i.e., North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, etc. Also, we had the same request not to use the onboard bathroom which was a problem as several people had a stomach flu type illness. We changed drivers in Penticton and the one who was taking us back to SEA-TAC had not idea what he was doing.
I think the family members who booked the trip for the "elderly" (I'm a 75 yr old female - not elderly) should have done more research. If the daughter is so internet savvy she could have read reviews, seen what to expect, etc. Looks to me as though she was trying to get mom and friends on a trip "on the cheap".
I had a problem with a big name travel group when Hurricane Rita came through and my flight out was cancelled. So I couldn't make the scheduled trip to Copper Canyon. Travel insurance wouldn't cover, so my only recourse was to take a credit for another trip. Turned out to be the best I've ever done...blessings come in strange ways.
We all need to be the best informed consumers any time we spend our money, but especially when we're going to be away from home.
I have traveled with ymt and have had no complaints. Instead of reading a few negative emails from a few customers, why not ask for references and talk to people who have travelled with YMT. If they are such a big company and have been in business so long, they must be doing something right.
C Denny appears unreasonable. The flight to Boston was delayed. The rest of the group arrived the day before the cruise and spent the night in a hotel. The next morning the group left the hotel for sightseeing and the 4 elderly 60 + year old ladies arrived at the airport. They called the hotel and since the bus had already left it would be reasonable to say the hotel gave the 4 ladies good advise, as far as getting to the port so as not to miss the ship. It was unfortunate the flight was cancelled.
by Ymt Customer Service
As noted in the end of the letter, a member of YMT’s consumer affairs department was assigned to the file; the matter was followed-up accordingly. Our consumer affairs representative explained that because the airlines were the source of the delay, the matter of reimbursement for expenses incurred needed to be directed to them. Moreover, each of the four members in this group was issued a $100 voucher for a future trip as a means of customer courtesy and satisfaction.
A friend and I were planning a vaction with YMT. But after reading the above part of their response not way!! A $100.00 voucher for a future trip. That is like receiving nothing from YMT. As YMT knows these people will never use it. A total cash refund between the 4 would of only been $400.00 and would of made YMT look much better. And they are passing the buck. Yes it may of been the airlines fault to start with but YMT was paid for the Boston tour and transportation not the airlines. In this economy YMT should be more understanding to to the needs of the customer. People book with a travel company so they will have help incase of trouble. We will look for a different company for our tour.
My husband and I too had an awful experience with YMT lastJuly of 08. We took an Alaska cruise and land trip. Their letter to us states "YMT will be with you all the way". We saw them just before we boarded the ship, then never saw them again. The cruise was great but since we travel alot we know what to expect on cruises.The land portion was a joke as we were told to not use the bus bathroom unless it was an emergency. It was never empted for the entire land trip and what a smell! We stopped in shopping malls and ate at food courts in them. We did drive by things of interest but never stopped at them. The driver used a hand held mike to talk while trying to drive with the other hand. We heard more bout his "family and life" than about the area we were in. When we went to hotels/motels, they acted like they had never handled 3 buses at one time. No one including the bus driver ever gave us any info on places to visit and places to eat when we stopped.The checking in and out each time was awful. Our ksys to one room didn't work and many of us had to wait over 40 minutes to get someone to help us. We were bus #3 so we always had to wait till the other two buses left first. What YMT saids and what they do are two different things. We learned to get off the bus fast, eat fast, pee fast and get back on the bus even faster. When I complained to YMT and the BBB, the BBB did their best but I received a rude reply from YMT. As i said we travel constantly and relaize things happen but what happened on the trip was awful. If you were very old or handicapped, our trip was a nightmare for you. I would never never ever use YMT again. They stink and their guide in Seattle had no idea of what you could take on a ship. she encouraged people to buy food and drink at a local market to take on board. I told her you can't do that. People spent a lot of money of fruits only to have to throw they away before they could board.During the land portion of the trip when people tried to call YMT, they could only leave messages, no one ever called them back.YMT told me that everything that was stated on the last itineray we did get. They stated we did "see" certain sights, they didnt' saw we would actually see them in person, we saw them from the bus window as we drove by. So people read your last itineray from them becaue they are a bait and switch company and they word their letters, itineryries and advertisements so you get what they say but not what is implied. I saw more shopping centers on that expensive trip than I have in my whole life. I like when they have offererd others complaining a $100.00 off their next trip with YMT. If you have a bad experience you aren't going to travel with them again. They stated that the bus toliet was working and in good order. We have a full bus for over a week and it was never emptied and wasn't vented properly and this was stated by the driver and the whole bus stunk for that entire week.At each stop we were left to wander on our own for anything, especially finding places to eat and places to see.If you want a great vacation, do not use YMT ever. Rosemarie Hantwerker, [email protected]
a verified customer
YMT Vacations feels that this post by "C Denny" (and the duplicate ones posted on various other sites) is mostly inaccurate and designed by C Denny to intentionally mislead the reader. This is chiefly due to leaving out key facts relating to the efforts made by YMT to address these problems and concerns. Most importantly, we feel that "C Denny" is propagating an unfortunate disservice herein to the traveling public at large. It should be noted that C Denny is not a customer of YMT, and therefore we are unable to address or provide any solution to this person directly.
As would be expected from any reputable travel company, YMT has completed our research and investigation into this matter in detail. We did so in order to re-confirm that our efforts were swift, professional and effective. Our Vice President of Tour Development responded to "cncden's" concerns (AKA "C Denny" and "cncden "on other chat rooms and forums) in a proper and timely manner, that is to say within days of the tour departure. In this letter he extended apologies that this trip did not begin with a smooth start even though these problems were in no way caused by YMT. He went on to account for all the decisions YMT had made (and their rationales) pertaining to the travelers’ situation. In short, because the group of four would not arrive in enough time to meet the motor coach tour the morning they were scheduled to do so, the best option was for them to head directly to the cruise terminal. The tour guides on the motor coaches were instructed to check and make sure that the group had made it onboard when they arrived, which they did; the tour did not get to the terminal until around 12:30 PM, and to their knowledge the four were already on board because embarkation had already commenced. (The Vice President’s letter recounted the chain of communication that ensued from this situation, and has been summarized for privacy.) As our Vice President mentioned in his letter, “not knowing all of the behind the scenes efforts can also make it appear as if there was no effort made to assist these passengers, when in fact, there was constant communication about these passengers and what would be the best case solution.”
As noted in the end of the letter, a member of YMT’s consumer affairs department was assigned to the file; the matter was followed-up accordingly. Our consumer affairs representative explained that because the airlines were the source of the delay, the matter of reimbursement for expenses incurred needed to be directed to them. Moreover, each of the four members in this group was issued a $100 voucher for a future trip as a means of customer courtesy and satisfaction.
YMT feels that this matter with C Denny has been addressed appropriately and is a closed matter.
Thank you,
YMT Vacations – www.ymtvacations.com
“America’s First Choice for Affordable Travel… Since 1967!”
[protected]
a verified customer
RE: Response to the post by user alias "Ymt Vacations"
To highlight my main complaint - for any who might've missed the point...
(quote from above) My husband spoke *in person* via phone with YMT VP Chuck Supnick earlier today, who, believe it or not, commented "that's unfortunate" to the issue as explained to him. I am appalled & so mad I could *spit nickels* (as my dear grandmother was fond of saying)! And I am a woman spends a lot of time online!!! I WILL find a way to spread this account!! For you, YMT, This will be "UNFORTUNATE"! (end quote)
A quote from another complaint - sounds a whole lot like my original post!!
**I know that YMT has been in business for many years, but recently complaints about them and their sloppy business transaction to websites have sharply increased. Management seems to be in a state of flux. They seem to believe that they are untouchable and will not answer to anyone for botched travelling arrangements and "misunderstandings".
A very unprofessional approach to customer relations!**
They (YMT) also have a "carbon copy" response to all posts - positives get the "We pride ourselves" speech & negatives get "Pass the buck" excuses... (See user aliases "ymt vacations" & "yourmantours")
Notice on consumeraffairs.com link - the company responds only abruptly & with nothing but excuses, if they respond at all... my post, however, merits pretty much the same lengthy, weak reply you saw here. (as well as any of my other complaint posts you may run across, received the same carbon copy dismissive reply)
I find it interesting that a carbon copy of this exact "reply post from YMT" is found at most of my comment sites - almost amusing, in fact.
FACT: YMT has not contacted me more recently than July 10th of last year, to ask for more details regarding the matter, which I provided.
YMT has not contacted any of the travellers - by phone or mail - to inquire or follow up in any way.
YMT has my home phone & cell phone #'s on file - and may call (and reach) me anytime, day or night - they have not done so.
They (or whomever is posting on their behalf) may consider the matter closed, but I will continue to campaign against their VP for his bad attitude - which was the entire point of this complaint in the first place!
Not the unavoidable airline difficulties, or the fact that YMT dropped the ball transporting them from the airport to the hotel & cancelling (without reimbursement) their bus tour of Boston prior to boarding the cruise... these are easily forgiven - the attitude of the VP spoken to that day on the phone & the comment "THAT'S UNFORTUNATE" are inexcusable in my opinion & worthy of my efforts, regardless of the negative impact my posts are having on the travelling public.
BE WARNED: YMT thinks "THAT'S UNFORTUNATE" if any of your loved ones become stranded on one of their tours!!
I thank you all for your attention & interest. I HOPE this (and all the other) post(s) reach those travellers that YMT is so concerned about being misled. My complaint about YMT's abuse of travellers' trust stands. They are not good a consumer relations group.
Reference links:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/yourman.html
http://www.epinions.com/166160864129-Your_Man_Tours/display_~reviews
http://www.frommers.com/cgi-bin/[email protected]^[email protected]@.eec3656/5
http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=22964
http://www.batonrougechat.com/ftopicp-453.html#453
a verified customer
First, I would like to say, that I do travel quite a bit. Sometimes you have to learn to bend and be flexible and to go with the flow. Sometimes you can't if you are on a time schedule.
Obviously, these folks have not traveled very much, if they did, they would have realized that problems do happen when traveling. Whether computer programming, the weather, a missed flight, etc... the folks that you are holding responsible are not responsible. I am further positive, that the instructions in the package was clear in that if there were problems, to contact YMT for assistance.
What I am curious about is this: What about the rest of the tour. I didn't hear anything about that. It must have been satisfactory or else I am sure that C.Denny would have commented on that further. I also did not hear anything about the contact with the airlines and what they did in response to this matter. Futher, there is travel insurance that I am sure was offered to the travelers. Did they take it and did they file claims for that and what was the responses.
I think that the ladies should have been reimbursed for the additional expenses and for the loss of the Boston tour, but it should have been done by the appropriate agency.
When traveling there are so many variables that can go wrong, with none being done intentionally. If this was the situation, I could understand the parties involved being mad with YMT, but I think in this case, YMT did all that a reasonable person would expect.
These elderly ladies have very loving families that cared about the problems and tried to assist however they could, being so far away from their predicament. It is a shame that this happen.
a verified customer
RE: Response to the post by "C Denny"
YMT Vacations feels that this post by "C Denny" (and the duplicate ones posted on various other sites) is mostly inaccurate and designed to mislead the reader. This is chiefly due to leaving out key facts relating to the efforts made by YMT to address these problems and concerns. Most importantly, we feel that "C Denny" is propagating an unfortunate disservice herein to the traveling public at large. The reader can clearly see that "C Denny" could have solved most of their concerns by contacting (as YMT advised) the airline in question.
As would be expected from any reputable travel company, YMT has completed our research and investigation into this matter in detail. We did so in order to re-confirm that our efforts were swift, professional and effective. Our Vice President of Tour Development responded to "C Denny's" concerns (AKA "C Denny" on other chat rooms and forums also) in a proper and timely manner, that is to say within days of the tour departure. In this letter he extended apologies that this trip did not begin with a smooth start even though these problems were in no way caused by YMT. He went on to account for all the decisions YMT had made (and their rationales) pertaining to the travelers’ situation. In short, because the group of four would not arrive in enough time to meet the motor coach tour the morning they were scheduled to do so, the best option was for them to head directly to the cruise terminal. The tour guides on the motor coaches were instructed to check and make sure that the group had made it on board when they arrived, which they did; the tour did not get to the terminal until around 12:30 PM, and to their knowledge the four were already on board because embarkation had already commenced. (The Vice President’s letter recounted the chain of communication that ensued from this situation, and has been summarized for privacy.) As our Vice President mentioned in his letter, “not knowing all of the behind the scenes efforts can also make it appear as if there was no effort made to assist these passengers, when in fact, there was constant communication about these passengers and what would be the best case solution.”
As noted in the end of the letter, a member of YMT’s consumer affairs department was assigned to the file; the matter was followed-up accordingly. Our consumer affairs representative explained that because the airlines were the source of the delay, the matter of reimbursement for expenses incurred needed to be directed to them. Moreover, each of the four members in this group was issued a $100 voucher for a future trip as a means of customer courtesy and satisfaction.
YMT feels that this matter with "C Denny" has been addressed appropriately and thoroughly, and therefore a closed matter.
To read other comments from our customers, see - http://ymtvacations.com/customers.asp
And for our latest exciting YMT TV Video (with more customer comments), see - http://ymtvacations.com/tours/ymttv/ymttv.htm
Or on YouTube at - http://youtube.com/watch?v=8DZNrfn-4xw
And our blog at - http://goymt.blogspot.com/
Thank you,
YMT Vacations
“America’s First Choice for Affordable Travel… Since 1967!”
[protected]
a verified customer
I paid a deposit for the Canadian Tour and NW USA. I am ready to cancel. After I had made a list of questions and concerns, I spoke to Shalee and was "promised" that all my concerns on the "differences" between what I had requested and what was included on my "confirmation" would be corrected. The confirmation was mailed to be 10/14/07 for a trip on 9/14/08. Plenty of time to make corrections.
From watching all the judges on TV, they ALL say Get It In Writing. So I asked that the corrections be sent to me - mail or e-mail - to show my concerns have been met. I live in San Bernardino and YMT office I contacted is in Inglewood, CA - close to LA. I am 50 miles West of LA. To date, no written notice of my change.
I am willing to lose my $100 non-refundable deposit if I can't trust people I WAS going to travel with. I chose YMT because of their itinerary, but I can travel with my OLD pals - Grand Circle Travel, Vantage or Grand European Tours. YMT is not only travel company.
a verified customer
Although by no means a pleasant experience, YMT has no control over flight mishaps of the nature mentioned. The accommodations at the cruise terminal are also not YMT’s responsibility. Typical cruise ship schedules are made so that the morning is a time to disembark the passengers returning from their cruise, while the early afternoon is spent embarking the next group of passengers. For every passenger embarking on a voyage, arriving early at the terminal means waiting in whatever accommodations exist in that terminal. In this instance, the late arrival regrettably meant missing the Boston tour (scheduled in the morning to keep YMT groups from simply waiting around during disembarkation to board the ship). However, the experience at the cruise terminal was, as stated before, unavoidable given the circumstances. We are truly sorry for this rare inconvenience, but cannot claim fault for these two coinciding mishaps.