Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Viator, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Viator, Inc.

  400 1st Ave Needham, MA 02494-2815

• 

  Viator, Inc.

  777 N Rainbow Blvd STE 300 Las Vegas, NV 89107

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:10/29/2024

  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 Northern Lights tour for 2 on October 18 for a tour that starts on October 20 at 6:15pm, it stated that the tour duration is 6hrs. When we got on the bus the tour guide said that there's a possibility that the tour would last all night and might not come back until 3 or 4am. Because we had to catch our cruise boat we couldn't stay out all night, especially not 4am. We hopped off the bus and asked if we could get a refund with their office and the office said since we booked via Viator/Trip Advisor we have to contact them for a refund. I contacted Viator to make a refund request the same evening since we didn't go on the tour, and they rejected the refund request even though the original tour operator said they would try but since it was with Viator it was out of their hands and stated it would have been better if we booked directly so they can process the refund. Now my biggest complaint is that why is it that the tour operator would honor the refund but Viator doesn't when no service was rendered. It seems like a big corporation taking advantage of consumers.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/04/2024

  Viator has reviewed the case and reached out to the local tour operator, The Green Adventure Tours AS. On October 17, 2024, the customer made a booking of the Northern Lights **** with The Green Adventure, using self-service, for October 20, 2024. The cancelation policy of this tour states that a full refund will be provided, as long as cancelation occurs outside of the 24-hour period before the tour start time. This tour advertises an approximate duration of 6 to 9 hours, and provides an explicit warning in the Additional Information section that the tour is not suitable for cruise ship passengers, unless the ship stays overnight in ******. On October 20, 2024, the customer requested a refund to the tour operator, also using self-service, citing that upon boarding the bus, the customer realized they might not be back to the ship on time, so the customer did not do the tour. This request was denied by the tour operator directly to Viator, citing that cancelation was made less than 24 hours before the start of the experience; that the tour duration is stated on the product page as being 6 to 9 hours and, that the Additional Information section warns that the tour is not suitable for cruise ship passengers. Viator then denied the refund as instructed by the tour operator. The tour operator may have advised the customer otherwise, but as the tour operator has rejected the refund request, Viator is unable to provide a refund for this booking.
  Kind Regards,
  Viator Customer Care
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/29/2024

  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 booked and purchased a Bikini Bottom Public Party Dance Cruise for 2 people. The boat used for party cruise was not the same boat that was advertised. The boat used was a pontoon boat used solely for fishing. Details provided for party boat indicated you could bring your own beverages, however that was incorrect and you were not allowed to bring your own beverages. This is false advertisement. Also, you were not allowed to wear shoes on the boat, which was not advertised. I travelled with several other people and they were provided a refund after requesting, however, I wasnt. I was denied a refund and therefore writing for assistance with getting my refund of $110. I am including a picture of advertised boat and an example picture of pontoon boat that was used excursion.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/29/2024

  Viator has reviewed the case. The customer purchased a Bikini Bottom Public Party Dance Cruise + LIVE DJ through Viator with a travel date of 10/5/2024. We have opened an investigation to find out what happened during the customers cruise and we have reached out to the cruise operator ***************** regarding the customers complaint. We will notify the guest directly once we receive the cruise operators response.  
  
  Kind Regards,
  Viator Customer Care
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/04/2024

  [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:10/28/2024

  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 September 5, 2024 I reserved a boat tour from ******** to ****** and ******** for 13 adults, 1 child and 1 infant for Wednesday, September 11, 2024.On September 9, I was charged $1316.19. I went in and amended the ticket to remove 7 adults from the reservation. Once I logged in, I was prompted to add the names and ages of the passengers, and I was able to remove passengers that were not going on the trip. As I moved down the roster and hit "Remove" next to Passenger 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 - the total amount due was shown on the right-hand side of my screen, and it was going down with each ********** ticket then said "Amended" on it. I never received the refund for the pre-paid tickets and filed a claim with Viator. I included the screenshot of the Amended ticket, to which they said that it was not canceled. I asked for information as to what had been "amended" on my ticket then - and they have not responded to my request nor have the refunded the money for the tickets that were not used.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/29/2024

  Following a thorough review of your case by Viator, this reservation's records indicate that a chargeback has been submitted for this transaction.  Once submitted, all correspondence regarding further action or resolution are escalated to Viator's Chargeback team. The **************** team is unfortunately unable to assist with any further requests from this point. 
  
  The Chargeback team will get in contact, if they have not yet contacted, with the bank or credit card provider during this process.  
  
  Should the customer have any further inquiries regarding the status of your chargeback, they will need to reach out to the bank or credit card provider.
  
  Warm Regards,
  Viator **************** 
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/29/2024

  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. 

  [This has been sitting with the chargeback team for over a month. They emailed me and said I had no legal claim - I have attached the correspondence above. I am still awaiting a response.]
  
  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,

  ******

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 11/08/2024

  The customer has filed a chargeback.  Once a chargeback is filed the customer's bank will communicate the outcome of the chargeback.  According to the customer's bank a chargeback can take up to 90 days to resolve.  The customer is advised of these details. 
  
  Warm Regards,
  
  Viator Customer Service 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/28/2024

  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.

  My complaint against Viator is twofold: I paid for a service they did not provide, and they are now not willing to work on the resolution of the issue. More details and select email exchange in the attached pdf.Viator charged me $608 for a transfer service in ******, but sent a car that was too small for our group of four. Their hired contractor (whose car was coming to pick us up) told me that he would not be able to take all of us and our luggage, and strongly advised to seek alternative transportation. Luckily, we were able to find new transportation in that remote area, but couldn't wait, due to our new bus's schedule, for the original car to show up. The contractor assured us it wouldn't be a problem, things would straighten out easily with Viator since this was not our fault.I contacted Viator on the same evening providing the names and phone numbers of the subcontracted driver (who could not transfer us) as well as the driver who then was able to transfer us. Over the last six weeks Viator has not once reached out to these witnesses to check the validity of my statements. Instead, they have labeled me a "no-show" (for the car that was too small to take us), and claim I am thus in breech of contract. After repeated attempts to contact Viator, they issued a partial refund of $64, but never explained what that refund was for. My emails and phone calls asking for clarification and correction are completely ignored. I thus contacted my bank to stop the payment, and am now threatened with penalty fees, collection agencies and damage to my credit score by Viator's "Trust and ******************* which still ignores my emails and cannot be reached directly in any way.I would ask for your help in getting my remaining $544 refunded, and hopefully explain to Viator that their customer care and conflict resolution services - as demonstrated in my case - need improvement.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/29/2024

  Following a thorough review of your case by Viator, this reservation's records indicate that a chargeback has been submitted for this transaction.  Once submitted, all correspondence regarding further action or resolution are escalated to Viator's Chargeback team. The **************** team is unfortunately unable to assist with any further requests from this point. 
  
  The Chargeback team will get in contact, if they have not yet contacted, with the bank or credit card provider during this process.  
  
  Should the customer have any further inquiries regarding the status of your chargeback, they will need to reach out to the bank or credit card provider.
  
  Warm Regards,
  Viator ****************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/29/2024

  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. 

  The business's answer does not address any of my concerns. I do not even understand what they talk about. Seems my original complaint - that it is impossible for a customer to reach anybody in the business - is only confirmed by this response. Will have to check with my bank because obviously the business is unable or unwilling to communicate with customers directly, and in a way that's easy to understand. I still hope for a good resolution of this issue - and if this message should be hidden in the cryptic response of Viator's ************** then: Thank you.

   

  [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,

  ******

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 11/08/2024

  
  The customer booked a Private Transfer Whittier Cruise Port to ***************** ANC on 8/23/2024 for a travel date of 9/11/2024.  After booking the customer advised that they would have 7-8 pieces of luggage and asked if this could be accommodated.  Viator **************** sent these details to the local transfer company which in return advised  the customer would have to upgrade to a van than will accommodate all passengers and luggage.  We sent these details to the customer on August 23, 2024.  The customer did not reply on whether they would like the upgrade.  On the date of travel the customer was marked as a "no show" by the local transfer company.  The customer contacted ********************** **************** to request a refund stating the local transfer company did not show for the transfer.  The local transfer company also contacted Viator **************** to advise that the customer was a "no show"  as they transfer company spoke to the customer and the customer decided to go with another vendor.  The customer initiated a chargeback for this booking.  Once a chargeback has been filed, Viator **************** is no longer at liberty to assist in the refund request.  The customer's bank and the ********************** Chargeback Team began an investigation on the details of the refund request. After the chargeback has been initiated it is up to the customer's bank to communicate the refund request outcome to the customer and the bank also determines the outcome of the refund request.  After the investigation was completed the customer's bank ruled in the favor of **********************.  Although we understand the customer's dissatisfaction on the outcome of their chargeback claim, Viator is not able to issue a refund.  
  
  
  Warm Regards,
  
  Viator **************** 
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/25/2024

  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.

  Viator Confirmation **********. Party of 4 We did the Tour in ***** of ******** on 10/15/24. Please note this is the most popular tourist destination in ***** and once in a life time trio for many including me. This palace has 400 years of Moorish History and Architecture. The Visuals and depictions are just that unless there is Guide to tell the story behind it and then it all comes alive. Our Guide was "*******". Supposedly English Speaking but we could not understand a word of what she said in English. Her Diction was terrible and there was no clarity. She seem to be going through the motions and seemed uninterested. We were 4 in the party and got totally tuned out with in minutes as we could not understand anything. We just saw the Visuals which we could have done ourselves by buying the Tickets on our own and walking around. It was a wasted experience with her. We lost once in a life time opportunity to appreciate the otherwise magnificent piece of Architecture. This is what happens when the company hires the wrong person and not a qualified English Guide. This is not acceptable. Please refund the money.Thx

  Business Response

  Date: 10/26/2024

  Viator has reviewed the case. The customer booked a Granada Day Trip with ******** and Albaicin Guided Tour through Viator with a travel date of 10/15/2024. We have contacted the tour operator ************************************* and they have advised that their guide speaks excellent English and the guide was not flagged or notified that they were not able to understand. The tour operator *********** also advised the group in which these clients went were in two languages for operational reasons, this is indicated on the voucher. Tour leader on the bus (English and Spanish). Unfortunately we are unable to offer any refund for this reservation.
  
  Kind Regards,
  Viator Customer Care
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/27/2024

  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.]
  
  The fact that local provider Guide spoke Excellent English is completely false & untrue . You are mistaking with wrong guide it seems. As you mentioned the group was separated into two for logistical reasons. We went with group that was managed by guide "*******". She was acting as a dual guide, speaking in Spanish & then English throughout. Her English was terrible and so was her diction and we did not understand anything. How can one tell her on the face that she was no good with her English and what could she have done in the middle of the tour? It is up to the provider to find competent guides. If she is continuing  to do English Guide duty then the company & her are doing a disservice to the English speaking tourists.

  Please also note that I bought the product & services from Viator and my contract is with Viator. Who and how Viator chooses as a local provider is up-to them and I have no control over that. I expect Viator to make this good by refunding the costs associated. As an example if I hired a **************** *** to *** a lealk in the house and they contracted to a third party and the leak was not fixed then I will talk to *** to recuperate and find the solution and as they are responsible and contractually obligated to provide satisfactory services. In this cases the product or service provided by Viator was sub-par and it needs to be made good.

  Thanks.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Tarun

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 10/29/2024

  Viator has reviewed the case. The customer booked a Granada Day Trip with ******** and Albaicin Guided Tour through Viator with a travel date of 10/15/2024. We have contacted the tour operator ************************************* and they have advised that their guide spoke English during the customers tour. Based on this information ********************** has decided to refund the customer partially 10% due to the inconvenience.
  
  Kind Regards,
  Viator Customer Care
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/30/2024

  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. 

  Please note that we lost a life-time opportunity to enjoy & appreciate the most visited destination in ***** for no fault of ours. The 10% refund offered is really pittance as compared to a full refund requested.

  However, I do understand that the local provider is not offering the refund. In order to close out this case and not drag it out any further I will accept a 35% refund which is 1/3rd amount and fair and justifiable.

   

  Thx
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Tarun

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/24/2024

  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.

  7/28/2024 **** River Cruise in ***** We missed the dinner cruise by 4 minutes due to road closures and entrance blocks due to the Paris 2024 Olympics. When we arrived to the cruise office, they said they couldn't refund us our dinner cruise. I immediately called Viator and spoke to an individual who said that we would be refunded by Viator 100%. I repeatedly asked her if we would definitely get refunded otherwise we could take the later cruise they offered. She indeed confirmed few times that we would be reimbursed for the full amount. I then called back to confirm again with other representatives before forfeiting the later dinner cruise. I spoke to ***** *** and ****** and they said they would pull the tape on our recorded conversation which was about 7pm in ***** time. They had everything recorded and if the representative told me that I would be refunded, she misspoke and because it was her error, we would be entitled for a full refund. I never heard back after multiple attempts to talk to a supervisor. They kept telling me that they would pull the recorded conversation and get back to me. I called back 3 times only to be told they would respond back to me and I never heard back from them. I decided to dispute through my credit card company but Viator refused to refund me my money. I could've taken the later cruise but they ensured me that I would be refunded at 100%. Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2024

  Following a thorough review of your case by Viator, this reservation's records indicate that a chargeback has been submitted for this transaction.  Once submitted, all correspondence regarding further action or resolution are escalated to our Chargeback team. The customer service team is unfortunately unable to assist with any further requests from this point. 
  
  The Chargeback team will contact, if they have not yet contacted, with the bank or credit card provider during this process.  
  
  Should the customer have any further inquiries regarding the status of your chargeback, they will need to reach out to the bank or credit card provider.
  
  Warm Regards,
  Viator Customer Service 
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/25/2024

  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,

  ******

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 10/29/2024

  The customer has initiated a chargeback with their financial institution and Viator cannot provide assistance with issuing a refund. The customer will need to follow the chargeback process as described by their financial institution. Once a decision has been made after the investigation performed by the customers financial institution they will reach out and advise on the outcome. As stated the customer will have to await the decision from their financial institution.
  
  Kind Regards,
  Viator Customer Care
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/23/2024

  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 booked an excursion through ************ company- Viator. It was for a hot air balloon experience scheduled for August 10th, 2024 in *******. I reside in *** and had a flight leaving the night of August 8th, 2024 to arrive in ******* 8/9/24. Unfortunately, the flight was canceled so I contacted Viator the night of 8/8/24 to have my reservation amended and moved to August 11th, 2024. I spoke with a representative over the phone who assured me that she will contact the tour operator as soon as they open to notify them of the change and to amend the reservation. Hours later (8/9/24), I call Viator to get an update and I was told that they are in communication with the tour operator and will get back to me. I also decided to email Viator myself on 8/9/24 to ensure that my case was being handled. I finally fly out 8/9/24 and arrive in ******* on 8/10/24 and when I called Viator I was told that my request to amend was denied and I couldnt get a refund because I am now past the 24 hr cancellation policy. I was upset because I called multiple times before that and I felt as though they waited for me to be past the cancellation policy so they can deny it and nothing was being done all the previous times that I called. I put a refund request in through my bank and it was denied because Viator only sent my email in as proof to show I didnt contact them before the cancellation policy timeframe and none of my supporting documentation is being considered. I lost out on a considerable amount of money due to Viators negligence and poor customer service. I read the policy and I put in my request on 8/8/24 at 11pm which wouldve been 8/9/24 4am (local Moroccan time) and the tour started on 8/10/24 at 10 am which is well over *************************** resolving this issue because I feel robbed. I tried countless times to contact Viator directly and to no success.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/28/2024

  On 6/24/2024, the customer independently booked the, Hot Air Balloon Flight over ********* with Berber Breakfast tour for a travel date of 8/10/2024.  The cancellation policy for this experience is, "You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.  If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experiences start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.  Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experiences start time will not be accepted".  The cancellation policy can be found on the Tour's PDP page on the Viator website as well as the customer's prepaid voucher ticket that is mailed immediately to the customer once the experience is confirmed.  
  The customer contacted ********************** **************** within ***** of the tours start time asking if the tour can be amended due to flight delays.  The customer was advised that they must contact the local tour operator directly as it is to late to make any changes to the booking.  The customer then filed a chargeback with their bank against the charge for this booking.  Once a chargeback is filed, the refund will determine upon the banks decision after an investigation is done between the Viator Chargeback Team and the customers bank.  After the chargeback investigation was complete, the customers banked ruled in favor of **********************.  Although Viator understands the customer's dissatisfaction of the refund denial, due to the terms and conditions of the this experience, Viator is not able to refund the customer.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********************** ****************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/28/2024

  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. 

  [I contacted the 24 hrs line prior to the 24 hours of the experience start time. I was informed by Viators employee that the start time for the experience would have been 10 am Moroccan local time on 8/10/24. I contacted the 24 hr ******** service line at 11pm on 8/8/24 which would have been 4 am 8/9/24. This proves it was 24 hours before the start time. Moreover, I was not informed that it was my responsibility to contact the tour operator until after the ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** nor do I think she contacted the tour operator in the first place. The ******** service was poor and they did not handle my matter with urgency considering the circumstances with my flight being delayed and I gave them prompt notice. If they wouldve handled it accordingly I wouldve had the experience and wouldnt be going through this draining process of getting my money back. My bank only ruled in their favor because they included lies in the evidence stating I only emailed them 5 hrs before to give them notice. I have attached those documents to show that they are scammers! I want my money back and you know that youre wrong. I provided my evidence.]
  
  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,

  Kelilah

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 11/08/2024

  Although Viator understands the customer dissatisfaction of the chargeback claim, Viator is not able to issue a refund.  Once the customer files a chargeback it is at the decision of the customer's bank to determine the outcome of the refund request after a thorough investigation is completed.  Viator Chargeback Team has submitted all details of the customer's claim to the customer's bank.  The customer's bank ruled in favor of ********************** based on the communications between the customer and **********************.  
  
  Warm Regards,
  
  Viator Customer Service 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/12/2024

   

   

   

   

   

  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. 

  I am dissatisfied with this response because I followed your policy and submitted documents to show that the attempt that I made to reschedule the tour was not voluntary. I showed that the flight was cancelled and I also submitted proof to show that I contacted your representatives prior to the 24 hour period. You are holding my money hostage and not upholding your own policy. My bank would like to give me back the money but they said that it is up to VIATOR to allow the funds to be released. They said the determination is up to the merchant. I want a REFUND. Otherwise, Im going to escalate this to small claims court.

   
  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,

  Kelilah

  Business Response

  Date: 11/21/2024

  Thank you for contacting customer service. ********************** has reviewed this case and is approving a refund for the customer to bring a resolution to this matter. The refund process has been initiated and the customer will be notified via direct email once the refund has been completed. 
  
  Regards, 
  Viator ****************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/23/2024

  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.

  Hello -We recently purchased a tour online via Viator's website which had the title: "******** Cathedral Guided Tour (with optional Dome Climb)"We received an email, and a digital ticket from Viator, again with the same title indicating that the tour came "with" the Dome Climb.When we arrived at the Cathedral we were put into a tour, which did not include the dome climb. When we contacted Viator to resolve the situation they declined to provide us with tickets for the dome climb, and also declined to refund us for the tickets we had already purchased which advertised the dome climb.We provided Viator with screenshots of their own website, the email confirmation, as well as the digital ticket which indicated this was the service we had paid for, but they still refused to resolve the situation.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/23/2024

  Viator has reviewed the case. The customer purchased a ******** Cathedral Guided Tour (with optional Dome Climb) through Viator with a travel date of 10/17/2024. As stated on Viator if you require access to the dome of the Duomo, you must select the 12pm departure, it is quoted under 'What's Included' and it states "Access to the Dome of the Duomo (selecting the 12 PM departure)". The tour operator Ciao ******** Tours also confirmed this information and advised "it is very clearly indicated that the Dome climb optional is only included in the time slot at 12:00 PM". Unfortunately Viator is unable to offer any refund to the customer.
  
  Kind Regards,
  ********************** Customer Care
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/24/2024

  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. 

  At all points of contact with this purchase Viator confirmed the tour was "With optional Dome Climb", including the title of the product, the ticket itself and the email confirmation. There is no asterisk, or anything else that would indicate that the fine print would say that only some tours come with the climb. Even if it did, your website, email communication, and ticketing are all seriously misleading. This is clearly not an honest advertisement, and Viator clearly has no interest in being honest with its customers.

  Advertising the tour as "with optional Dome Climb" and then only providing that service for a small subset of the tour times is false advertising. They should be listed as separate products, obviously. You are selling a Cathedral Tour, and a Cathedral Tour with Dome Climb. These are two very different options and should be marketed and sold as such. 

  Bundling them together is a clear, deliberate attempt to deceive your customers.

  
  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,

  ****

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 10/29/2024

  Viator has reviewed the case. The customer purchased a ******** Cathedral Guided Tour (with optional Dome Climb) through Viator with a travel date of 10/17/2024. Unfortunately, based on the information on Viator, if you require access to the dome of the Duomo, you must select the 12pm departure, it is quoted under 'What's Included'. The customer selected English Tour 13:00. ********************** provided the customer exactly as ordered, unfortunately Viator is unable to offer any refund to the customer.

  Kind Regards,
  ********************** Customer Care
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/05/2024

  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,

  ****

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/18/2024

  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.

  I reserved two tickets for the "Pittsburgh's Strip District Food Tour" that TripAdvisor offers on their online website. We paid $180.00 for the two tickets. We showed up at the time and place to meet. The tour was supposed to take us to places in the area and eat there and have history about that area and such. Out of the six places we visited, we were able to sit down and share pastries at the 1st place. The second place was a fish market and we got a 1/4 cup of soup and ate it standing up. The 3rd place was an olive oil place and we were given tiny cups to taste different oils. Have you ever just drank a bit of olive oil??? The 4th place was a cookie/sweets shop. We each got a free cookie and they were stale and hard. The 5th place was a donut shop and all we were given was a free sugar mini donut. The tour was supposed to last 2 hours but it was ended in 1 1/2 hours. We walked by a mural and there was a 10 minute explanation about the history of the area. So like there were tons of restaurant choices and we didn't get anything like that. This was a total ripoff and wasn't done as advertised with walking and eating. After the tour ended, we actually had to go get something to eat. The tour says you end up at PaPa J's and we didn't. It ended with the mini donut shop.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/22/2024

  Viator has reviewed the case. The customer purchased a Pittsburgh's Strip District Food Tour through Viator with a travel date of 10/10/2024. We have contacted the tour operator ***********/besttours to inquire what transpired during the customers tour on 10/10/2024 and we will notify the guest once we receive full response from the tour operator Void Travel/besttours.
  
  Kind Regards,
  Viator Customer Care
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/16/2024

  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 ordered a tour through Viator on 10/9/2024 while on vacation in ******. The tour included pick up from my hotel. I contacted the tour operator and they told me they could not pick me up because they had no driver. I informed Viator of this via Whatsapp before the tour began on that day that they would not be picking me up. They never refunded my money. They claim the company- "Cancun Vip Card" claimed I refused to pay some type of tax, which is a complete lie. I explained this to Viator as well as how taxes aren't even part of your description. Viator still refused to refund my money. I even sent them screenshots of the WhatsApp SMS on the tour date before the tour was to begin stating the company wouldn't pick me up and they still won't refund my money. In addition on their platform- they have multiple bad reviews where the tour operator- Cancun Vip Card did not pick up other tour participants or refund their money either.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/18/2024

  Viator has reviewed the case. The customer booked a ******************** tour from ************ from Viator with a travel date of 10/9/2024. After investigation and careful consideration, we have now refunded the customer in full and we have notified the customer directly.
  
  Kind Regards,
  Viator Customer Care