Viva Tangerine vs. Signature Tours

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marliejaneca

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Oct 7, 2003
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Friends of mine were booked into the Viva Tangerine for the second week of February, they have travelled numerous times to the Dominican Republic and were anxious to stay in one of the newest resorts. Their travel agent called them a couple of days ago and said their trip was cancelled !!! They offered them 2 weeks somewhere else and an additional one week for free but then when the Travel Agent tried to find another destination - of course - everything is booked for that particular time.
They can't get any answers from their travel agent except that they shouldn't of considered staying in a brand new resort in the DR until it was open for at least 6 months as they always have problems with the start up!
As far as I am concerned they should switch travel agents but I will keep my opinions to myself as this person is a good friend of theirs.
Anyway to get to my question - has anyone heard why Viva Tangerine is all of a sudden cancelling reservations or has Signature Vacations had a fall out with the hotel. Since my friends aren't getting any answers - I thought I would ask any of you if you have heard of anything.

Hollywud and Warden - you just came back and I have read the trip reports on the Viva - what are your thoughts?

Thank you in advance for any info.
Marlie
 
Hlywud

Hlywud

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Jan 1, 2002
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Problems

The problems are not with Signature or any of the other tour agencies that market the Tangerine. there are supposed to be 244 rooms only 158 were opened when I was there, Signature has 70 of those rooms apparently, First Choice Uk has some, Nekkermann's have some also. The 86 other rooms were supposed to be finished November 1, no one sold them because the Viva chain put the finish date back to approx. Dec. 15th, so consecuently they all started selling their allocation plus the new allocation for the new rooms, which are still not finished. But they will be finished soon, but we all know what Dominican time is like.
So Signature took a person's booking on the basis of the word of Viva Wyndam, rooms are uncomplete, tourist have to go somewhere, Signature has been finding alternate accomodations at Ramada Haceinda and Viva Valllarta and Viva Wyndam Resorts are throwing in a free week next year during off season for which you have to make your own flight arrangments.
The Signature rep on site was pulling his hair out what little he had left.
Personally I would take the refund and find my own alternate accomodations. There are other agencies that sell the DR.


I have also received information that the European agencies have outbid signature so who do we beleive.
 
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marliejaneca

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Oct 7, 2003
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Thank you...

for the speedy reply.
I will let them know the situation then. They had opted for the optional hotels but like I said, all the flights were booked and they can't change their holiday time now. As a former travel agent , I sure hate hearing stories like this one. When I worked at Puerto Plata Village, we had overbooked many times as BushBaby can attest too, but at least they had arrived on the island and we always had another resort to place them in.
Thanks again, I am glad to hear you enjoyed your last trip and welcome back to the cold cold north !!!
Marlie
 
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frezzinupnorth

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Nov 7, 2003
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I am also booked into the Viva in late February. I heard of the problem and contacted my travel agent whom had heard nothing about this. He called signature and was told there was no problems and this was the first they had heard about it. I wonder when and how long they can look into reservations and be able to tell us if we are ok or we have been cancelled. Anyone no if a person can contact hotel directly and find out if your name is on the list of people arriving on the dates expected to be there?? Also anyone no if it would help to call Signature direct and ask the questions. Thanks to anyone who can help. Also what about raising a stink with Wyndham Resorts.?
 
Hlywud

Hlywud

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Lists

Tour agencies do not forward the resort a list until about a week before arrival so I am told, so I would do no good to ask them now.
It is hard to believe tha Signature would say they didnt know when every other travel forum has many people complaining about being bumped to other reesorts or taking refunds.
In fact I emailed Signature with links for them to look at what people are saying about them, hopefully they will look and answer the posters directly.
It certainly would be to their benefit.
 
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frezzinupnorth

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Nov 7, 2003
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Thanks for your response. I'm more concerned about trying to re-book somewere else as there is little to choose from. I do belive though that Signature is not handling this properly and they should have contacted all there agents that have booked this resort. Word of mouth travels fast and I think that i WILL definetly look twice before I book through Signature again. A free week in off season give me a break. I take holidays to get away from the cold not go to somewere hot when its hot here also. I wonder why Wyndham isn't offering some of there other resorts that they operate. Anyways just venting , doesn't do much good but makes me a little more happier..........NOT..............lol
 
C

Cold in Sask

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Nov 24, 2003
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Re Viva tangerine

We are going there middle of jan and we haven't gotten any cancellations of any kind. We have received our voucher and tickets etc no problem here what is the word?
 
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Escott

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Jan 14, 2002
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For what it is worth...

Viva Tangerine is lovely place, the food is good and they have progressed very nicely on completion. They do not even have the people to fill the rooms that are ready at the moment but the people that I have spoken to are enjoying themselves.
 
Hlywud

Hlywud

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Escott

You are right, the place is nice for a small AI, just like I told you we had a good time.
But the bumping is being reported on many boards and the Canadian Tour company does not seems to be responding, travel agents who call are told nothing, those with tickets and vouchers should be ok. Many others have been reassigned to the Ramada Hacienda or Viva Vallarta in Mexico (PVR) according to their posts.

Personally if I were bumped I would want a total refund and find my own alternate accomodations there are other tour agencies and still some availability,

even if I had to bunk in at Escotts.
 
T

Taf

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Nov 19, 2003
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Bumped

Europeans (were from Austria)are now also being bumped due to overbooking. We were going in 5 days time for 2 weeks christmas holiday, but have today been offered Estrella del Mar, which we have no choice but to accept, although it sounds a bit "iffy". School holidays wait for no-one!!!
Cross our fingers and hope for the best....
 
C

Cold in Sask

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Nov 24, 2003
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Oops

Yeah we just got the forbidden call as well we got bumped as well... They are trying to send us to purta vallarta instead.. Let us hope things work out....
 
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Ratt On

New member
Dec 17, 2003
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Bumped in the Night

Hello All!

I'm a Newbie...going in Mid January and was booked at Viva Tangerine but got the call about overbooking and now staying at Gran Ventana and got the free week at Tangerine next year... no flight though!

Anyone have any suggestions to really great disco's or clubs that play rock or party type music? Looking to have a killer time on my first trip to the DR!!!

Thanks in Advance
 
C

Cold in Sask

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Nov 24, 2003
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Bumped

Well everything is confirmed again!! They are sending us to Puerto Vallarta instead and a free week at viva tangerine next year just have to buy air fare.. Not a bad deal despite the hotel rooms at the other resort are more $$$$. Oh well at least we are still on a winter holiday.. Hoping everyone else has good luck!!!
 
S

Sask Bump

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Dec 22, 2003
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The dreaded call

Well we recieved the dreaded call yesterday with have a Merry Christmas, we are a group of 11 that booked in the Viva for 1 week during the second week in Feb. They offered us to stay at the Hacienda Ramada for the same week plus 1 week at the Viva at our expense for the flight. This trip can be taken anytime except during Christmas, Easter, Spring Break and New Years, and 1 year from date. I just called back the travel agaent and told them that I heard people were getting 2 weeks for the price of one from Signature thanks to this formum for that info ..... plus the week, and we didnt want to stay at the Ramada...I told her that I understood also that people were offered Mexcio Thanks Cold in Sask....and we would consider there if need be but we prefer the DR......so lets see if what they come back with, I also mentioned that we will take all our money back and go through someone else if need be. Will keep you posted......Ticked right off!
 
C

Cold in Sask

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Nov 24, 2003
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A Ok I guess

Man it sure sucks when you have your heart set on going to a certain place but since this is our very first vacation in our lives we don't know what we are missing but to say the least it is a winter vacation so there is no complaint there...Hoping we have fun we were shifted to the viva vallarta. Has anyone stayed there before is there a lot of things to do? Thanx...
 
D

drozdb

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Nov 12, 2003
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I'm heading to the tangerine a week from tomorrow (1/10/04), and just received my tickets in the mail. I have not heard anything from the agents. Is it safe to assume that all is well and that I will be there on the 10th considering that I have my tickets?
 
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Escott

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Jan 14, 2002
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Say hi to the funny talking woman that sells crafts there once a week at a table by reception by the pool. She is a Brit but make fun of her accent!:)

Nice place, I was there with my dad yesterday and it is as nice a place as I have seen here on the north coast.

Enjoy.

Scott
 
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