from another board "Barcelo messes things up"

Hlywud

Hlywud

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Jan 1, 2002
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this come from another board where some kind of summit has really messed things up for 165 people travelling to Barcelo in PC. I thought the Ibero summit would be over.<br>
Quoted from another board:<br>
<b>
Latest Barcelo Overbooking Mess...... Posted 11-22-2002 20:26

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Barcelo Bavaro Mess Friday Nov 22 Afternoon Latest Developments?.

To reiterate, our group booked and paid in ?advance? over 5 months ago with Algonquin Travel out of Ottawa an ?Air Canada Vacations Package?, a one week all inclusive(Novemeber 24 ? December1 2002)at the Barcelo Beach Resort in Punta Cana. TWO DAYS prior to departure, a call comes from the Travel Agent that the Barcelo Beach Resort is OVERBOOKED because of a ?World Conference?.

For this mess Air Canada Vacations has only offered our ?group of five? a $75 Travel Voucher pp, Thats all. And the Barcelo company has offered us a ?Return one weeks stay(do not know the timeline on this offer) NO AIRFARE? to be used within the next year(whats the FINE PRINT HMMMM???) No airfare-SUCKS!!!

If we decide to go Sunday November 24th ,they (Barcelo) has offered in exchange ; two nights at the Barcelo Villas, then back to the Beach Resort for the remaining five nights.

165 Peoples are in the ?same boat? including TWO WEDDING COUPLES and their familes !!

What a Mess, What a Stress !! I though going on a holiday was a 'stress reliever'. Better knowing this now(friday afternoon0 then showing up at the Hotel Lobby!!! </b><br><br>
A fine mess
 
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MommC

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Great advertising for the DR!! At the rate things are going the DR soon won't even be a "tourist" destination!!
 
A

AnnaC

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I don't see this being bad advertising for the DR!!!!! Sounds to me like Air Canada Vacations has the problem and it sounds to me that since you came back from you're trip abroad, you've done nada but complain about the DR. Printing negatives about the DR isn't going to help tourism. Overbooking can happen anywhere.
 
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MommC

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We ran into an overbooking also while on our trip......the company responsible made alternate arrangements for all of us affected in about 30 minutes time.
We also ran into an overbooking the second time we were in the DR. about 12 yrs ago. The resort made arrangements to send some of the "current" guests to another property on the north shore (we were in JD) for one week. We rounded up enough couples to "solve" the overbooking and were transported to Luperon (which was a better resort than the one we were in) for a week and then transported back to our resort in JD for the balance of our stay.
Surely with all the properties Barcello owns in the DR they could have made "better" arrangements for these 165 people. Do you think they'll be back ? Maybe if they realize that Bacello was where the problem was and not with the DR or Air Canada. Maybe not if they think it is a problem that is DR specific.
Do you think the travel agency informed them of exactly where the problem occurred?? Most likely NOT.

Do you think those 165 people are going to have anything GOOD to say about their experience? NO! and they will tell the story like this :
"We were supposed to go to the Dominican Republic. Our group booked and paid in advance , a one week all inclusive at the Barcelo Beach Resort in Punta Cana. TWO DAYS prior to departure, a call comes from the Travel Agent that the Barcelo Beach Resort is OVERBOOKED because of a ?World Conference?. "

Hmmmmm....now how many people are going to hear this story??
And what will they think???
 
Hlywud

Hlywud

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MommC:
They have apparently started litigation against AC Vacations.
AC and Barcelo Hotels should have got together on this one, there were even some who had their wedding scheduled there.
Also to be told they were overbooked because of a World Conference is a lot of bunk, the conference is over.
The other thing is that AC Vacations can't afford the adverse publicity, they have their problem plastered all over the interne ton many boards. You would think they could find them alternate accomodations as you suggested.
 
J

Jim Hinsch

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Hoteol overbooking stories are like air travel nightmares. They are not specific to any operator, company, or city. They are part and parcel to the industry. It happens with the best of the big resorts all around the world. It's happened to me in Mexico, and I've seen it happen many times at a couple big A/I's in the DR.

The first time it happened to me, I raised hell. And I was compensated to my satisfaction. Read about it at: http://www.mastercomputergroup.com/personal/puerto_vallarta/report.htm, photos at http://www.mastercomputergroup.com/personal/puerto_vallarta
 
J

Jim Hinsch

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Thanks for reading my report. As you see, I tell it like it is, good or bad, and without a chip on my shoulder.

I'm probably heading to Puerto Vallarta sometime next month, because I get enough beach, sun, and water sports in Boca Chica and I really like everything else about Puerto Vallarta.

<IMG src="http://www.mastercomputergroup.com/personal/puerto_vallarta/images/fiesta_americana/hotel/fiesta_americana_from_the_side.jpg"><IMG src="http://www.mastercomputergroup.com/personal/puerto_vallarta/images/beach/beach4.jpg">
 
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