Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/02/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I contacted EF Go Ahead tours 3 to 4 months ago regarding a private tour of three National Parks, ***********, ************ and Glacier for 8 friends. My first questions to them was whether they do this small group tours of 8. I was reassured they did. I spent the next couple of months researching what my group wanted to see to help EF Go Ahead tours develop an itinerary. I shared several versions. At some point I was promised ** Go Ahead would create an itinerary we could review. Weeks go by with promises it was being worked on. I finally received an email purporting to contain an attachment of the itinerary. The email indicated there was one but could not open it. My wife tried thru here email but no success. ** GoAhead said it must be a computer glitch. the next time I spoke with them they promised to mail a hard copy. One never arrived. I called the ** Go Ahead number asking for a manager and what appeared to be lucky I had reached the head customer ******** spoke with my contact. I was promised a document within a week. At the end of a week I was asked for more time to which I agreed. At some point I was asked for a deposit of $450 which I gave authorization with a credit card. Perhaps another week I got an email saying it was done. The next day I received an email with an itinerary. I also got a call telling me that the minimum members of tour now needed to be 14. I my opinion the only reason we wound ** in this problem was the incompetence of their customer rep. I want ** Go ********************** to honor their original commitment of 8 people.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/10/2022

  Hello *****.
  
  Thank you for taking the time to contact us via the BBB. We regret to hear about the trouble with your customized itinerary, and the frustrating correspondence this situation has entailed. Although the policy surrounding these group trips has recently been adjusted, we hear your concern and we are working with management to come to a resolution that we feel will meet your request. We will be in touch in the coming days to discuss your options. 

  
  We will remain available to help resolve any remaining questions. We greatly appreciate your patience throughout this time.
  
  Sincerely,
  EF Go Ahead Tours

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/29/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a guided tour of ****** and ****** from EF Go Ahead Tours that ran from June 26-July 7. The company advertised that they would take us to major tourist sites, such as ******************** and the Dead Sea. The company also assured tour participants of its covid safety measures vis a vis its "safe traveler agreement," which required us to wear masks, test upon developing covid symptoms, and isolate upon receiving a positive test result. I am filing this complaint because EF Tours did not meet any of its advertised promises. For starters, the guide did not take us to ********************, citing very vague "safety concerns." And, while the guide did take us to what he claimed to be the Dead Sea, the portion we visited had extremely dirty water that you could barely float in, and did not have any of the infamous Dead Sea mud or salt as advertised. As far as the covid safety measures, one tour participant showed up the first day obviously sick with an incessant cough, never wore a mask or underwent covid testing, and ended up infecting four (of thirteen) people by the end of the trip. When I asked the tour director to enforce EF's covid policy re: this sick tour participant, he flippantly responded that "covid was a government conspiracy." In addition to these many missteps, the tour director also only allowed tour participants to shop in places where he received a kickback on sales. One store even went as far as to lock us in and not let us out unless we bought something (I refused to buy anything, and was given a very hard time by the store manager). After speaking with EF Tours about my concerns, their only response was that their ************** tours are always "a bit less glamorous" than their European ones, which is not at all evident on their website. I, thus, feel compelled to report this company to the BBB so that their dubious advertising does not continue to go unnoticed. I would also like my money back for this poorly advertised tour.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/06/2022

  Hello ********,
  
  Thank you for reaching out to us on the Better Business Bureau regarding your tour of ****** and ******.  
  
  We so appreciate you taking the time to share this feedback with us. We will have a team member reach out to you directly to gain a better understanding of your experience on tour, your concerns regarding our Covid protocol, and your concerns regarding the tour director. Rest assured, your sentiments and comments will be relayed to the appropriate teams here at Go Ahead, as we value customer evaluations and feedback as the first critical element in determining where we should make changes to itineraries,policies, and on-tour experiences.
  
  Thank you again for sharing your thoughts and feedback and we look forward to speaking to you soon. 

   

  In Gratitude,

   

  EF Go Ahead Tours

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/25/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My husband and I took a trip on May 14 - May 31, 2022. We had some excursions cancelled that we had purchased. We were told by the tour director that we would be reimbursed by the company after the completion of our tour. I have may 4 inquiries via phone calls and ******** messenger. I was told each time that the refund request is being processed but no one could tell me when I would see the refund and it has now been 8 weeks after our tour has ended and still no refund or any indication of a date for the refund. A company as big as EF Tours should have a policy in place for refunds so that my account shows a date for the refund when I call the representative. I know when I purchased an excursion I had to make the payment immediately.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/03/2022

  Hello ******,
  
  We hope you and your husband had a great trip to ***** and ****** and returned home with many wonderful memories. Due to the high volume of requests during this busy travel season, refunds for excursions canceled on tour can take 4-8 weeks to process in some cases. We apologize for the delay,after reviewing your account we can confirm that your refund was processed back to your credit card in July. Please contact our Traveler Support team if we can provide any further assistance. We appreciate your patience and hope to travel with you again in the future.
  
   Best Regards,
  EF Go Ahead Tours

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/19/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We have used this company numerous times with no issues. The most recent experience has been a nightmare. Our fight was scheduled to leave June 23, but was delayed until the next day. On the next day we didnt know how or when we would catch up with the tour, or if our missing tour days could be rescheduled. Many of us, including our tour group leader, called EF for TWO DAYS straight to get some direction as to what we were supposed to do about the tour. No one answered the phone and messages were not returned. I had no choice but to go home and try to get ahold of someone at EF/Go Ahead to reschedule a tour. When I finally spoke to someone, I was told that i would not be rescheduled this summer, and that I would have to wait months or until next summer. I asked for a refund and was also denied. Over the next few days and after being on hold for over two hours each time, I finally spoke to two different people who could also not help me. I had no choice but to file a claim with their Cancel at any time insurance partner. My friends who were supposed to also go on the tour, ************************* and ***********************, were offered a refund. Why was I not offered a refund??? The insurance takes 100 days to be processed, and after reading the fine print, I dont think it will be approved. My husband and I waited two years for this trip, and now we are out $10,000 and no trip. I dont want to wait for the insurance to deny me in 100 days if a reasonable solution (refund) can be given to me as it was given to my travel mates. All of this could have been avoided had EF answered the phone when we needed them. I would even consider using this company again if I could just get a refund.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/15/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We booked a tour to ***********/**** extension in 2021 and due to pandemic, changed date to Oct. 2022. We have been paying payments on land portion and told company we were booking our own flights with points. Upon waiting hours on phone on 7/14/22, I reached a person to ask questions and book transfers. During conversation, agent explained that the **** extension is likely not going, due to low enrollment, and the itinerary has changed from when we first booked and started paying. WE HAVE PAID IN FULL FOR A TOUR THAT HAS CHANGED (and weren't told until after fully paid. I REQUESTED TO SPEAK TO MANAGER. I was told a manager would call me back within a few days. (What? - is this customer service, really?) It isn't written in policy or on their website that customers making their own flights should wait until close to the trip time to book flights (which limits seat availability and equates to highest cost) because EF cancels due to low enrollment, and I was never told that! The Safe Traveler Agreement which is mandatory, places the customer in jeopardy of others on the tour contracting Covid and then WE have to quarantine and lose the quality of the expensive tour experience, due to others. This company's business practices and customer service are HORRIBLE. They are not transparent until you pay in full and then are stuck. After paying almost $10K, and my trip coming up, I cannot be assured the tour will even happen! Very unhappy with this company. I'd really like to have a full refund at this time, due to misrepresenting the tour, and not being transparent about customer's potention liabilities.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/03/2022

  Hello **** Jo,

  
  Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with one of our Traveler Support supervisors who was in contact within 3 business days of your request to speak with a manager as promised. We strive to provide our travelers with clear, accurate information about our policies including guidelines for those making independent flight arrangements. We advise waiting to make flight arrangements until the Tour Finalization Date, 70 days prior to departure for your tour, until we can ensure the tour extension has enough travelers to run. We are always looking for ways to improve and your input is very valuable; your feedback will be shared with our team so we can ensure this is made more clear on our website  and incorporated into future trainings to better assist travelers booking their own flights going forward. Regarding the Safe Traveler Agreement, this was designed with the health and safety of the entire group in mind. We ask that all travelers take a covid test prior to joining the tour, be fully vaccinated if traveling internationally, and take some other precautions outlined in the STA.We follow local guidelines if a traveler has covid on tour; it is not necessarily the case that the entire group needs to isolate, and in the event you had to miss part of the tour due required isolation you would be entitled to a future travel voucher as part of our ********** Promise. The supervisor you spoke with was able to assist with cancelling your reservation as requested; we remain available to help with any questions and listen to additional feedback. 
  
  Best Regards,
  EF Go Ahead Tours

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/13/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I booked a vacation for my mother and I for March 2022. I was charged $499.00 per person without requesting it. I was told it was added on because I booked closer to the travel date but that the charges would be taken off later. I thought that was odd. Well the charges never came off. My mother and I have our own health insurance and I never requested this. When I called to complain they stated that I had access to my charges the entire time but they never acknowledged my phone calls requesting them to give me a refund on that. They have very selective customer service and do no listen. I was even told to file a claim with the insurance that I did not request. I am demanding a refund for the $998.00 that was stolen from my account or I will take this to the legal system.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/03/2022

  **************,
  
  We hope you and your mother had a great trip to ***********,******* & *******. After reviewing the full call recording from your initial booking call in February 2022, we can confirm that you consented to purchase the Trip Protection with Any Reason Protection package for both of you.The insurance premium is nonrefundable once added, so we are not able to provide a refund for this component of your tour. A supervisor from our Traveler Support team has reached out to you to review this information with you, and we remain available to assist with any further questions you may have.
  
  Best Regards,
  EF Go Ahead Tours

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/03/2022

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  Response to EF Go Ahead Tours:
  
  I do not know which recording you are listening to but you can tell the agent is not wanting to explain what the charges are for so I tell her that I will look at them myself on. My own time.  Later I call to ask about the travel protection that I did not request and the agent that answers states that I had that added on because I am a last minute traveler and that the charges should be removed in a few weeks.
  There are many recordings.  You can easily pick and choose and add your own meaning like they do on news interviews if you are not being thorough.  I did not agree to purchasing 2 travel insurance packages.
  

  
  

  Also if you do not refund the travel insurance then you should not have added it on and then advised me that it would be taken off.
  Listen to ALL of the recordings from my various calls.  There are numerous.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/11/2022

  Hello Magnolia,

   

  Thank you for responding in this forum regarding this matter. As this situation has been ongoing for several months, you are well aware that our management team, our sales managers, and the original sales consultant with whom you booked your trip have all been apprised of your complaint regarding the insurance. As has been previously discussed, we have listened to all of the call recordings from your tour booking and later interactions with our Traveler Support Team, and have found that 1) you did consent to adding the insurance for yourself and your travel companion, and 2) on numerous occasions you were informed that the insurance was non-refundable. In fact, you had reached out to our team after the tour had ended, because you were hoping to utilize the insurance benefits you purchased for an on-tour incident that required you pay out of pocket for a cab fare (as you did purchase the insurance package, you are welcome to file a claim with Seven Corners, the insurance company, for this cab fare). 

  We do regret that you are not satisfied by our review of this matter, but we can confirm that it is conclusive, and we will not be able to refund any monies from the insurance premiums. 

   

  Most Sincerely,
  EF Go Ahead Tours

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/11/2022

   

  Thats not true at all- i did not ask to use the insurance for a claims - I told the lady that I was going to file a claim with your company for not returning the monies and she suggested I file a claim with the insurance company? Talk about not getting it. As you are not getting what I am stating.

   

   

   

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.  If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Magnolia

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/06/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been trying to contact EF Tours/GoAhead Tours since June 3rd to cancel my trip and get a refund, as is my right as I purchased any reason cancellation insurance. I have called all their listed numbers multiple times, only to be on hold for HOURS with no answer, or my phone quickly is disconnected. I have EMAILED 3 times with no response directly from their own help/contact us page as they direct. I purchased the any reason cancellation insurance to be sure to get my money back but the fact I can't get through to anyone I'm afraid then I won't meet their cancellation deadlines. My Customer number is ********, a trip to **********: Rainforests, ******************** Nov 12, 2022 - Nov 23, 2022. I have paid $6,652.95 thus far and simply want my money back, I do not want to rebook! I had to have surgery and can't travel, so thank God that is why I purchased insurance! But it does me no good if I can't reach anyone at the **** company to cancel and get my refund processed!!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/18/2022

  Hello *******,

  Thank you for contacting us through the BBB. We regret that you experienced higher than normal wait times when you attempted to contact us regarding your refund. We do understand that it can be very frustrating when travelers are unable to swiftly connect with our support team. That is why we've been expanding our team this summer and working hard to relieve our travelers of the lengthy wait times. That said, I do see that you received the full refund due to you as of 7/26/2022. If you need any further assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to our Traveler Support Team.

   

  Best Regards,

  EF Go Ahead Tours

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/22/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/05/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have scheduled an 8 day tour to Ireland with my mom and sister. For a Grand total: $9,432.00 ($3,765.00 total for flights). Two of the days that included in my trip are "Travel Days" That means on the first and last day of our trip we will be on flights to and from our destinations. I have checked my account and this company has booked me on a completely separate flight from my family. That is 2/8 days of our trip that I will not even see my family members that I am traveling with! When I called to see if this could be corrected I was told that sometimes this happens when a flight is full. I called the Airline and they told me that there were in fact available seats on the flight that my mom and sister are booked on. My trip leaves in 10 days and EF told me that they will look into it but there is a 5-7 business day turn around for a reply. I need an answer on this by the end of the week so that I can plan accordingly.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/02/2022

  Hello Christie,
  
  We hope you had a great trip to Ireland with your mom and sister. Following your outreach to our Traveler Support team, we were able to rearrange your flights so you could fly with your family for no additional fees. We sincerely apologize for the error, as you had previously requested to fly together as a travel party. Thank you for your patience as we resolved this issue for you; we hope to travel with you again in the future.

   

  Best Regards,

  EF Go Ahead Tours

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/03/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/01/2022

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I put a $599.00 deposit on a trip with EF gohead . On Wednesday June 29,2022. I was told I will get a full refund if I cancel by July 2,2022. I called them on Thursday June 30,2022 to cancel. I was on hold for seem like hours. I sent them messages requesting a refund. No response. I had to call from someone else cell phone because they would not answer from my cell phone. When I talk to them from another line they answered the call right away. Then she say you are calling us from another number and I said yes because now that you have my information and deposit you wont talk to me. I told her to cancel my trip and refund my card back to the full amount charged and she said ok, I will send you a email confirmation now. I checked and its been over 10 hours and I have not received a email Confirming they canceled my reservation and credit my account back. I had downloaded there app that showed my deposit amount and the refund date when to cancel by. Now they deleted all my information. Thank God I took pictures of the account before they deleted my information. I later went on the internet and found out that others had Similar complaints about this company I dont understand why they are still in business. Its not right they take your information and deposit and you cant reach anyone on the phone. I just want my full deposit back of $599.00

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/03/2022

  Hello *********,
  
  Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns. Our traveler support team has been experiencing a high call volume as many folks are preparing to travel over the summer and fall. We sincerely apologize for the long wait times you experienced when attempting to reach our team. We are committed to remaining accessible to our travelers throughout every step of their journey, and have made additional investments to hire additional team members. The reason you received an immediate response when you called from another phone number is because customers whose phone numbers are linked to an existing reservation are best assisted by our traveler support team and there was a wait to speak with members of this team when you called. Instead, the phone number you called from was not associated with a reservation so you spoke with a member of our sales team who did not have a wait to speak with the team at that moment. The tour consultant you spoke with was able to assist with your risk-free cancellation, and the full refund was processed back to your credit card. We appreciate your patience and are available to assist with any additional questions or requests you may have.
  
  Best Regards,
  EF Go Ahead Tours

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/30/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 6/22/2022, I put a down payment on a trip. The agents broke down the payment system and I agreed. They also told me I have until August 20th, 2022, to cancel the trip with a full refund. I have been trying to reach anyone to talk to about this for the past 2 days. If this is supposed to be an easy process, how are they making it so difficult? I also see on this website that there are numerous complaints similar to mine. It seems this is a systematic problem within their business, and does seem like a scam. I just want my trip cancelled and my refund processed. I do not want any further payments to be taken. I just want to cancel my contract.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/03/2022

  Hello Zack,
  
  Thank you for reaching out to share your experience, we sincerely apologize for the extended wait times our customers experienced in June due to the high call volume. I see that one of our traveler support specialists reached out to you by phone and email after you contacted our team, and she was able to assist with your risk-free cancellation and full refund. Your feedback has been shared with our management team so we can improve the experience for our travelers in the future. We hope you have an opportunity to experience ***** at another time and remain available to assist you further.
  
  Best Regards,
  EF Go Ahead Tours