Complaints

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

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  Clearly Tahoe, LLC

  212 Elks Point Rd Zephyr Cove, NV 89448-8001

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  Clearly Tahoe, LLC

  PO Box 10196 Zephyr Cove, NV 89448-2196

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:07/31/2023

  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.

  ?Date of the transaction: 2023/6/23 14:30 bonsai trip ?The amount of money you paid the business: $516 ?What the business committed to provide you: 1. Photography services would be provided to customers(Marketing Misleading) 2. Guided Tours(Fail to Provide) ?What the nature of the dispute is: 1. Marketing Misleading Clearly Tahoe is well-known for its boating activities and photography opportunities, as emphasized on their official website. They assured us of providing photography services and advised us to bring our own cameras. However, the photos taken by the coach turned out to be unusable. Subjects were often facing away from the camera, resulting in blurry images. Not a single face was visible. Although Clearly Tahoe claimed they do not offer photography services, the images on their official website and social media cannot be replicated by visitors on their own while kayaking. This constitutes a form of misleading marketing. 2. Fail to Provide Guided Tours Clearly Tahoe mentioned that their main focus is on guided services. But the coach continuously paddled ahead without considering the progress of the group. Many people fell behind and couldn't keep up, can't hear any of his instructions. ?Whether or not the business has tried to resolve the problem: After I used email to express our dissatisfaction with the service and requested a refund, Clearly Tahoe responded with a poorly reasoned email. However, when I tried to continue communicating with them, they stopped replying to any of my messages. Even when I attempted to contact them through the message box on their official website, they still did not respond. ?Account/order/tracking number: Booking #*********

  Business Response

  Date: 08/06/2023

  Dear BBB Representative, 
  
  
  I see in our records that *** ***** was indeed a customer of Clearly Tahoe LLC and initially made a reservation with us online at 6:29pm on June 1st, 2023 for (4) Adult Single Kayaks on our 8:45am Scenic Shoreline Clear Kayak tour from Zephyr Cove, NV on Friday, June 23rd.
  
  Our Scenic Shoreline Tour is described as one of our most historical and educational tours and advertised by using the description below;
  
  “Our Scenic Shoreline Tour is our original and most diverse clear kayak experience. Guests on our Scenic Shoreline Tour will have the opportunity to explore beautiful coves that glisten with pyrite (fools gold), paddle along geological rock formations that lead us to reflect on the history and origin of Lake Tahoe, as well as elaborate lake front estates and the famous Cave Rock cliffs. This 1.5 hour guided tour in completely clear kayaks will take guests along the shoreline to experience depths of up to 75 feet below the surface. Across the lake, guests will have a panoramic view of the Sierra Nevada mountains and Mount Tallac on the horizon.”
  
  I see that our scheduled 8:45am Scenic Shoreline Tour on Friday, June 23rd was cancelled on-site due to unforecasted winds that negatively effected our operations at this location. As a result, these guests were initially offered a full refund for services not rendered or the opportunity to reschedule to another location. We had offered to reschedule *** ***** and their party to our 2:30pm Bonsai Rock tour which we opened up specifically to accommodate them during their time in Tahoe. We were able to offer the exact same seating arrangement they originally requested of  (4) Adult Single Kayaks.
  
  At this time, we informed the guests that this would be a different tour than the one they had originally booked and it was at a different location. We explained that we could not 100% guarantee that that the new tour would not also get cancelled due to weather but at the time, they were still operating at that location. At 8:49am, *** ***** choose to rebook to our 2:30pm Bonsai Rock tour for the same afternoon (Friday, June 23rd) from Incline Village, NV. Because of high-demand, the (2) remaining spots on this tour filled in a matter of minutes. (see photo, attached). 
  
  When we offered to reschedule this guest, we did so in person with multiple staff-witnesses. They did not choose this activity because of the posted description online or because of the photos online, they chose to reschedule because it was the last and only tour we could offer them during their time in Tahoe. 
  
  Clearly Tahoe services are advertised to include an array of amenities such as US Cost Guard approved PFDs, dry bags, small pre-packed coolers with complimentary Boxed Water and granola bars and even sunscreen. In addition to delivery and set-up, complimentary shuttle transportation and park entry is also included for select experiences (such as our Scenic Shoreline and Bonsai Rock clear kayak tours). Absolutely nowhere in our tour descriptions, or inclusions do we state that photos or photography would be included in our guided Clearly Tahoe tours which leads me to believe that this customer may have gotten us confused with a competitor who has very closely replicated some of our services. This other company does indeed advertise “photos included” on their clear kayak tours. (see photo, attached)
  
  Our 2:30pm Bonsai Rock Clear Kayak tour on Friday, June 23rd did operate as scheduled with no wind and weather interruption. There were no staff notes or issues according to our team, all operations at this location did run smoothly. 
  
  On Sunday, 6/25/23, *** ***** initially requested a refund for her tour stating that they were upset with the quality of their photos and wished to receive a full-refund of the services (see photo, attached). I kindly acknowledged this guest and promptly replied same-day clarifying that we do not offer photography services (see photo, attached). This guest then replied (to me directly, not our reservation office) threatening to report us to the BBB. At this time, we do not have anything new to say to this guest as we still stand behind our initial response to her dispute. 
  
  A few things I would like to clarify are;
  
  1. Other Guests Were Happy.
  There were other guests on this tour who did greatly enjoy their experience with no complaints.
  
  2. Inaccurate Information
  We do not employ a guide by the name of “Daniel” and never have. That said, we understand your traveling and there is a lot of information your taking in.
  
  3. More than Photo Opportunity
  The fact that this guest views Lake Tahoe for “photography opportunities” does not mean that all recreational companies should offer professional photography services. In addition to Lake Tahoe’s beauty, it can also be extremely dangerous and takes the lives of many visitors each year. Because of this, our company has focused more on the safety aspect of our services (such as cancelling tours when the water is choppy) and providing our guides with the the training and tools to respond to emergencies rather than camera equipment.
  
  4. We Make Recommendations. 
  We do recommend that guests bring their own cameras because we do not offer photography services. Over the last 6 years, our guests have managed to obtain fantastic photos on their own with no complaints so this has not been a priority for us.
  
  5. We do not provide professional camera equipment.
  I am unsure if the camera or phone used to take photos for these guests belonged to our guide or the guest but if it belonged to the guide, the act of them offering to use their personal phone to take photos for our guest is simply a courtesy. The company does not provide our tour guides with professional camera equipment to take with them on the water.
  
  6. Company Representation
  I would like to clarify that the photos on our website are designed to describe the experience and taken at angles to showcase the region where the tour takes place. The photos shown below do indeed represent the region where the tour does take place and if these guests looked through the bottom of their completely transparent kayak, they would see the teal blue waters exactly as described. That said, we do highly recommend that guests kayak early in the morning for the calmest conditions on Lake Tahoe and the best lighting. Afternoon experiences are always at a higher risk of cancellation due to wind and weather conditions. These guests especially were aware of the less than ideal conditions before they re-booked because they had a tour cancelled due to wind and choppy water earlier that morning on the same lake, just from a different access area. 
  
  7. Website Clarification
  The guest references our “official website” multiple times but has attached multiple photos from our Instagram account which does indeed feature many of our tours but it also features other things outside of our many services. Our official website is where guests can learn about our experiences, book and actually confirm their tour before making payment. Absolutely no where on our side will you find photos that misrepresent our services nor a promise to provide photos to our guests. 
  
  8. Actions of Guide
  I have already explained to this guest that our guides are trained to provide a safe experience and lead guests along a designated tour path. Many of our guides have issues with guests not paddling on occasion because they are presented with an incredible opportunity to start looking down through their kayak the moment it touches the water. As a means of gathering the group and ensuring they begin paddling in the appropriate direction (away from the rental concession), our guides will commonly paddle ahead to lead their guests out of the swimming area and away from the hustle and bustle. I do understand that at some point our guide did take photos for you so there is certainly evidence of customer service (beyond his normal job duties).
  
  9. Many Guests, no Previous Complaints about Photos
  Clearly Tahoe has been in business since 2016 and has hosted more than 25,002 tour guests guests at our Nevada location in the last year alone. We currently have over 4.6 stars across the board on every popular review site with more than 894 reviews. If this was a common complaint, it would have been previously addressed. This is truly, the first of it’s kind.
  
  10. Lastly, We Have Responsibilities Too
  Clearly Tahoe currently employees a team of over 50 guides, shuttle operators and reservation staff. We also have a wide array of expenses that stretch from the first shop this guest visited in Zephyr Cove, NV to the second shop they visited in Incline Village, NV, the sales associates working those shops to help check them in and outfit them with the neccessary amenities for their upcoming trip. We then employ shuttle operators who operate one of the many shuttles we have to tranport our guests to and from the location of their scheudled tour because without those services they would never have been able to access the park at those times. We employ the tour guides who start their day more than 2 hours before our guests arrive and begin driving trailers on site to setup all of the equipment for our scheduled tour so our guests never have to carry a boat. Our guests generally don’t even have to pick up a paddle until it is placed in their hand and they are ready to use it. This tour guide then stays with our guests during their time on the water and encourages them to paddle outside the swimming area to see more. They help provide the peace of mind and comfort in doing so because they are familliar with the location, the weather and they know where to take our guests to get the most from their 1.5 hour time on the water. Our guides also also take the time to clean and pack the complimentary coolers that our guests opt to use during their experience. In addition to the company undergoing and refunding many of the costs for these expenses in the event of cancellation, the company was willing to keep staff on longer to accommodate an extra tour at the end of the day for this guest. If this guest had not wanted to take part in this experience, we could have quickly booked your (4) kayaks with other guests. This tour was not originally open for bookings that day because of the added strain on our team with a longer day of activities than normally scheduled but we did so for *** ***** and their party. 
  
  Not only did this guest not tip their tour guide, shuttle operator or customer service representatives who made this opportunity possible, they are requesting a full refund for services that were rendered. For this reason, we are politely declining the refund request for these services.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/07/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Thank you for responding to my travel experience. I'd like to discuss and clarify a few points:

  1. Change in Itinerary: Please refrain from continuously mentioning the change in itinerary. The truth is, I paid for the service, but what I received didn't match the advertised description. This is a fact that can't be overlooked.
  2. Google Reviews vs. Actual Experience: While your past Google reviews may have been high, my recent journey experienced subpar service. These are two separate incidents, and past reviews can't be used as evidence for your current service quality.
  3. Authenticity of Photos: I'm asking if you can use the photos from your official website to demonstrate whether travelers can capture the same views from the same angles. If possible, could you provide a video demonstration?
  4. Missing Guided Service: During my trip, the guide kept paddling ahead without any regard for me or my fellow travelers falling behind. The guide didn't stop to provide guidance or assistance. I'd like to know where the emphasized guided service was during this time. Was it due to overtime fatigue, as you mentioned, or a desire to finish quickly?
  5. Tipping Issue: Throughout the entire journey, I didn't receive any additional service. So, why should I pay extra for a tip? Is this reasonable? Does it align with normal expectations?

  
  I hope you can understand that I'm raising these questions and concerns to seek clarification and improvement in my travel experience. In this situation, I still stand by my refund request, as I believe the service quality I received fell short of the standards you promised.

  I look forward to your further response.

  Sincerely,

  ***** ***