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Also see Ramada Plaza Tours.
S of Toronto OTHER (08/22/08)
I was recently suckered into one of these vacation deals, and while I'm not saying that I wasn't incredibly naive by giving out my credit card info over the phone, this company does practice some questionable sales techniques. For instance, they got my contact information from a contest that I entered at a Ribfest (innocently enough), and when they called me, they said I had been selected to receive a fabulous and luxurious vacation package to Florida and the Bahamas (valued at $2500). Now, the package was nowhere near worth that (after I later did some research).
Plus, there are many hidden fees that wouldn't be aware of until you actually go on the vacation. When I agreed to pay the heavily-discounted promotional fee of $299U.S./pp, I had no idea that this would be non-refundable and that the company had a no vacation cancellation policy. According to Florida Law, a consumer is entitled to a full refund within 30 days of purchase. However, every time I called Imperial's customer service, they refused to cancel the package, offering to extend the period that I could use the vacation, or a 100% money back guarantee (after you go through with the trip), or to upgrade your package. They told me that they could not refund the 149$U.S. security deposit that I supposedly agreed to. And that if I cancelled, I would lose all my money.
Know your rights. Contact your credit card company's dispute department, and they'll advise you on how to return Imperial's package (through registered mail) and with an official letter of cancellation. Or better yet, complain to the Florida Better Business Bureau (Canadians can send a complaint through our local BBB), and complain to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. I did, and got my full refund within one week (August 22, 2008) of falling for this luxury vacation package. Now I just hope there aren't any weird or unauthorized transactions on my credit card statement. The irony is that Imperial Majesty keeps calling my house, and asking to speak to my parents. They seem to be aggressively targeting Canadians now. They are incredibly persuasive!
Shaquanda of Xxxx NJ (08/10/08)
This is a low-budget cruise line. The ship is old, small, and dirty. The reservation/customer service reps falsified information, failed to disclose important information regarding fees..etc. They charge you for everything you do on the cruise, although they tell u that all fees are upfront. There are no activities on the cruise, the cabins are small, and dirty. This was the worst vacation ever. Everything about it is a lie.
The CSR try and make you purchase additional upgrades and package deals which are worthless. Just remember the name Imperial Majesty and when they send you a free cruise offer - avoid it like the plague......and remember NOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE. Trust me you will pay for this if you accept any of their offers.
They stole money from me. Items were stolen from my cabin by staff members, they added fradulent charges to my credit card...etc.
Prima of Tampa FL (07/27/08)
This scam operator often said they needed my commitment to buy immediately or that the offer won't be available much longer. They typically brushed aside my questions or concerns with vague answers or assurances. This company agreed to send me written confirmation of [the] deal. However, it bore little resemblance to the offer I accepted over the phone. The written materials disclosed additional terms, conditions and costs.
$1298.00 of charges for services not rendered.
Johnny of Las Vegas NV (07/11/08)
May 19, 2008 my fiance' and myself purchased what we were told was an all inclusive vacation to florida and nassau bahamas. We were told all was included, rental car and flight. We purchased the package and later received our vacation package on the 17th of june. We found out it wasn't all inclusive and that we were responsible for flight costs.
We called on July 9, 2008 to cancel and were told I'm sorry but we can not honor your request to cancel as it has been past recision Documents state that we have 30 days from date of receiving the package to cancel. Apparently they count from the day you purchase as you have the package in your hands. We tried for almost 45 minutes to cancel our package and just get our money back. With no luck we are stuck with a trip that we beleived was something else.
This company is rude and has no integrity for doing business and will not return a companies money if they are not happy. We were well within 30 days of receiving the package to cancel and they would not honor our simple request.. Can you imagine if you went to return something to wal-mart with you rreceipt and they flat out told you no! What kind of company is this?
Nicole of Fort Worth TX (06/19/08)
I called in to claim my free trip to Ft Lauderdale and the Bahamas and as most businesses do they try to get you to buy additional merchandise or in this case vacation packages. I originally declined but then a manager proceeded to get on the phone and talked me into getting the package.
Well later on I was informed that I was being laid off the following month. Now mind you I was told that I had 30 days to cancel the vacation and I did and they tried to talk me into keeping it. I told them I that I didn't need the extra expense being that I was going to get laid off. I was told by Katrina that she would credit my acct $374 and only charge me $124 for the total trips so I agreed.
But when I called back twice about a question I was told that I had a balance of $374. So I had to tell the story twice as to what happened. Well this time I talked to an acct mgr named Talisha and she told me she couldn't cancel the package because I agreed to give them $124 to hold vacation (in which I wasn't informed of that) and that she was sorry that Katrina told me wrong but there was nothing she could do. THat was very upsetting because I was lied to and mislead. I could have canceled the package in the beginning and received a full refund and would have been done with this whole thing had I been informed of the real truth in the first place.
I have lost out on $124 dollars because of this. I am currently unemployed and that loss that I endured has affected me emotionally and financially.
Carmen of North Hollywood CA (06/18/08)
On the internet they tell you if you fill out a survey you will receive a 2 day 2 night cruise to the Bahamas. They state that there is no obligation to buy anything. A representative calls you after a few days & tells you you can extend your stay in Florida for only $600. When I declined they did not send me a voucher for a 2 day cruise to the Bahamas. I feel this is false adversement as I was told I would receive a free 2 day & 2 night cruise with no obligation to buy anything.
When I called to tell them I did not receive confirmation for my 2 day cruise they told me I have to send money for port charges first. I told them I would want to get something showing me I will receive a 2 day cruise before I pay $59.00 per person for port charges. I have not received anything from Imperial Majesty showing I get what they promised.
Anastasia of Ambridge PA (06/03/08)
I bought a vacation package from them on May 27,2008 in total cost $396. Not even a week later on June 2, 2008, I call to cancel my purchase because I could not afford it as we (my family) recently had to deal with a death in our family so I wanted to use the money I spent on the vacation to give to my parents, who needed it more than me. (Every little bit helps). Anyway, They told me they do not have a cancelation policy (which I was NEVER told that the day I purchased it). I told them that things happen and you cannot hold accountable a purchase that someone doesn't want or cannot afford. The girl told me she could only give me half of what I purchased back, which is $198. I feel this is NOT good enough, as I DID NOT USE ANY of their travel services or products. They told me I can sell it or give it away as a gift. No! I just want a credit put back on my credit card for the FULL amount and I will be happy. I will never make the mistake of EVER dealing with this company again for my future travel plans, as I am not happy at the result of only getting half of my well earned money back! My family needs it more than they do! I would really like my money back!
Financially, it has been a burden and I really would like to have a credit put back on my credit card in the full amount of $396.
Nicole of Land O Lakes FL (05/04/08)
I'm tired of seeing complaints about this vacation, those complaining obviously wanted a fabulous vacation for free! I paid $538.oo for 3/2 in orlando, 3/2 in ft.lauderdale, and a cruise with Imperial Majesty. Retail this vacation would have cost me hundreds more! I didn't EXPECT lavish accomadations or a lavish cruise at this price! I got what I paid for and it was great!
Myriah of Los Angeles, CA (04/25/08)
I recently bought a vacation package thru something that I got in the mail (I know big mistake) but I did, I was told that I would receive something within 21 days in the mail explaining everything. I never received anything!
I call them about a week or 2 after the 21 days and tell them I think this is a scam and to give me my money back and they told me they couldnt because it was past 30 days, I asked how would I know I had 30 days they never told me that and she told me it would have came in the package. And I dont understand how I would know what time I had if I never received anything she was being very rude and wouldnt let me talk.
im 800 dollars out
Frances of Tarpon Springs FL (03/27/08)
I received a free cruise offer from a company I dealt with for credit repair. I only had to pay taxes and port charges. When I called to reserve my cruise vacation I was offered a cruise for two persons at $118.00 per cabin and also was offered an additional cabin for $118.00 for another family member to travel with us. At the time the gentleman selling me the cruise asked if anyone in our party was physically impaired, I advised him that my mother cannot walk and he told me at that time that he would notate our file so proper arrangements would be made for my mother upon arrival at the cruise terminal.
Once I received my tickets in the mail I was to call and make a reservation for the cruise date I wanted. I called and gave the reservation agent my dates and her first response was, "oh no that's not happening." I asked what she meant and she advised that the dates I requested would not be available to me. I told her that my dates were very flexible and to go over with me what dates she could offer me. I decided on a date close to my original dates and began to make the reservation. The second ticket was suppose to arrive in my mother's name per my original conversation with the first agent. However it was sent in my name as well and I was told that I would have to send in a form to place the reservation in my mother's name which at that point I agreed to do.
Then the agent asked about the physical impairment which I again told her of my mother's condition and at that time I was told there are no accommodations to get my mother on the ship as there is no gangway for wheelchairs, even though I was informed prior to paying for the cruise that there were accommodations available. I want a refund for the money I paid for both cruises as I was lied to and because in this day and age I feel that no cruise line, or other service provider should be allowed to operate without offering accommodations for impaired parties.
My mother is unable to travel with us as planned because of this company's misleading and uncaring attitude to the physically impaired. They told me whatever was necessary to get my card information and now that they have my money I am supposed to be just out of luck. And to add insult to injury they refuse to refund my money after they recorded our conversation which confirmed that they were aware of my mother's impairment.
Karen of Calgary OTHER (03/17/08)
This company has been calling me on average 4-5 times a day, if not more, for about 6 months now. I am not sure how they got my home phone # as I live in Canada...but they have an automated dialers calling my home, and I normally don't pick up. When I do they TRY to sell and say I won vacation packages...cruise to here and there.... Then I had my phone # disconnected and # changed because of this company--after asking several times to be put on the "do not CALL list" and to remove me from their data base! They never did, of course not...and they have had another company call me...to say I won a trip! How does one prevent this company from calling me in Canada? I am clearly not interested, and from what I read online, several consumers have complaints about this company.
Unsolicited calls on a daily basis, spam mail, junk mail--mailed to me. I changed my phone #. If they had my home #, they would call 15 times a day if they wanted to. It's now become a burden and pain that they continue to waster paper, trees and don't abide by consumers wanting to be removed off all their mailing and phone lists...and do not CALL list. How can they do this if I don't even live in the USA?
Kathryn of Abbotsford Canada (02/21/08)
I was talked into a vacation package and called back immediately to cancel, and they had already taken the money out of my account.
Rick of Wilkes-Barre PA (02/21/08)
I recently went on this vacation, and it was a joke. I researched it after the fact, and the further I went the worse it got. A company like this shouldn't be in business. I also paid for an upgrade; the cost of the upgrade is almost the whole cost of the cruise if I would have bought the thing straight up. The free travel voucher said it was worth $1300; it wasn't worth $130. I'm sure they have all their bases covered so they can get away with this type of deception, and the old saying of "buyer beware" comes into my mind. I just hope I might save someone else the disappointment that I had.
Scott of Orlando FL (02/08/08)
I received a coupon for a Free Cruise for two on Imperial Majesty. In order for me to claim my cruise, I had to call a number, and speak to a rep, which was no big deal. I gave all the information--and in order to close the deal, I had to speak to a manager who would provide me with the finer details, and get more information. As he provided the details, it was evident that I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the cruise--not on the part of the cruise-line or those that hosted the offer--but my own circumstances. This guy wouldn't let me off the phone, so I finally had to hang up on the dude. A few seconds later, this guy calls me--on the phone I used to claim my cruise, and berated me for hanging up on him! Yes, I called them to claim my cruise, and because I couldn't travel (and this dude didn't listen as to why I couldn't travel), he called me back and told me how rude I was to hang up on him! It was either that, or get fired for not showing up at work on time. Sorry.
Nancy of Brooklyn NY (01/25/08)
I have asked repeatedly they stop calling me to offer me a free cruise after I declined the initial offer and they have called me at least 20 times afterwards. when i ask them to stop calling they continue to talk on the phone unapologetically! Rude and pushy people!! Don't take no for an answer!
it costs me minutes on my cell phone and they call during my work hours.
Vickie of Pawleys Island SC (01/14/08)
The corporate memorandum said to call to
call to claim our free cruise.We called and got a high pressure pitch for a package vacation over 18 months at a cost of $499. each. The cruise had hidden expenses such as port tax, additional energy & security surcharges a well as other fees. When I started asking questions the person I was speaking to got hot and loud. that I questioned his honesty and I had to hang up on him to get him off the phone.
I refused to give him my credit card number but I know he has all the other information as to name address and phone number. Just let people know to read the fine print. Free isn't always free.
Doris of Battle Creek MI (10/29/07)
These two individous talk a good line of crap, what started out as a free cruise ended up costing $800.00 for nothing! I told them both I could not afford the $399.00 down so George tells me oh I'll give you 36 months to pay the $800.00 with $99.00 down. well I let him have my credit card #for a pre authorization for the $99.00 within 2 mins I told them to forget the whole deal> too late they already hit my card that fast...not for $99.00 but for 800.00. I am not a rich woman that was my bill money. If this isn't a case of theft I don't know what is...If this is how Ramada and Imperial Majesty do business. I can see how they can afford to open their 1,000th hotel...steal the money!!!
Krista of Airdrie Canada (07/30/07)
I first spoke with a man named Dave who congradulated me on recieving 1. free cruise for 2 adults and 2. Travel Voucer in the amount of $1,300. I recieved this in the mail and followed the directions to call within the next 72 hours to claim my FREE FAM-Trip Cruise. The voucher also said, No purchase necessary, no strings attached! However, when I declined to give them my credit card info to purchase right then and there, Dave put me on hold and someone named William Howell came to the phone. He explained again the package that they were offering, and said that if I was worried about the finances that he could take half of the amount required, $349.00 at that time and I could do a payment plan for the other half. I truly apprecieated the offer but explained that I could not commit to anything during that phone call, my husband at work and with the only credit card in his wallet. William then proceeded to offer an extra two night in St. Petersburg and two nights i Daytona, plus he offered me $1000.00 gift certificate to spend at the rpr online store. When again I explained to him that I would love to take advantage of the opportunity being afforded me, but literally my hands were tied... due to the fact that there was no way to contact my husband... whatever. He implied that if I really wanted it I would make it happen and that nothing would stop me. ???? I challenged him saying I'm sorry, that's not true. He was abrupt with me and asked me why I had kept them on the phone for 45 minutes, he very rudely apologized for wasting my time, and said I would be taken off their mailing list... before he could finish I interjected my Thank-you and hung up.
I feel mislead and taken for a ride. I have a rule that I never give someone my credit card information over the phone, especially when they are demanding it in order to reserve something that they are supposedly giving my for free and with a 3 year time period in which to avail of their offer. How stupid do they think I am? It was a waste of my time.
Lisa of Flatrock Canada (03/13/07)
During a very cold winter as Canadian winters tend to be, I trudged to the mail box one cold, snowy day. I was awarded with a travel voucher for a free cruise trip for 2 adults and a travel voucher for $1300.00. Now I am usually skeptical of all that comes without a cost, but I bit on this one. So I called the 1-800 number, and initially had a what started out to be a pleasant conversation with a young man from Minnesota..we concurred on cold winters, how nice a trip south would be...and then it got UGLY. This young man turned into a loud, aggressive ignoramous. He tried everything but holding a gun to my head to get me to accept this ridiculous offer. He dropped names like Ramada Hotel, which along with Universal Orlando is posted front and central on the award winning voucher. I really don't have the time or inclination to deal with parasites of society who try to rip off people in order to make a buck...I figure the will eventually get their own, but this fella was one of the most ignorant people I have ever had the misfourtune to deal with. I do plan on taking this further, and will be contacting Ramada, Universal and Imperial. However, rest assured, I will never stay at a Ramada property again, and we travel about 6 moths of the year....
Since i called on my cell phone, I am sure it will be quite a charge. I havent got the bill yet. But the main issue for me is that, even 3 weeks later as I write this, I am so infuriated at the way this guy tried to coerse me into buying into this. He was so rude and ignorant, and if this is the calibre of people that Imperial wants working for them, I will never burden myself with anything they have to offer.
Paulette of Stafford Springs CT (2/25/04):
My husband and I purchased a package for $1600.00 from the Ramada Resorts. It included a cruise on the Imperial Majesty boat, Royal Empress. This boat was a joke. It was extremely dirty, old, the corridors were narrow and the rooms were situated like a maze. If there were ever a fire onboard, I doubt that we would have escaped. The thresholds were high, causing many onboard to be constantly tripping over them. The halls were filthy, rugs heavily soiled with what appeared to be black grease or soot.
My husband and I paid $100.00 for an upgrade. What a joke that was. Our room was near the bottom of the ship. It was filthy, the furniture chipped and in ill repair. The bathroom was unbelievably GROSS. Pipes were exposed. The ceiling looked as though it were ready to cave in. The beds were mattresses about 3 or 4" thick resting on plywood. We did have one buffet lunch after boarding because we stood in line for 4 hours before getting on the ship. They had problems with disembarkation of previous passengers. After the meal we picked up our bags from our room and left the ship. Neither of us felt safe about this vessel.
Before leaving the ship we went to the pursers desk and complained about the accomodations. We were told we would have to go down to the area where we waited for boarding. Down there, a woman connected with the ship asked why we were leaving. We told her we were disgusted with the accomodations. She stated we could pay for an upgrade. We said "WE ALREADY HAVE" and left. This was our vacation from HELL.
Toni of West Palm Beach, FL, writes (4/4/01):
I inquired about a trip with Tracy at the Ship Shop cruises here in Palm Beach Gardens. I told Tracy how I needed to get away due to all of my surgeries, my illnesses and that I was disabled. She went ahead and booked the worst cruise on this old ship called the Imperial Majesty.
We had the worst time getting around on this ship. The floor thresholds were very tall thruout the corridors and I was told everything would be accesible by elevator. This of course was a lie. One in a wheelchair could not reach the pool/jacuzzi or disco unless you climbed an incredible amount of stairs.
This cruise ship, and the management forced us to take this trip, even though I wanted to cancel in the worst way. The entire experience was a nightmare from hell, with the exception of the courteous staff aboard the ship.
We were conned into purchasing an excursion trip to the Blue Lagoon. This excursion for $100.00 was another of Imperial Majesty's rip-off scams. It was impossible to walk the Island, even for my husband. I spent most of the time there in the first approachable lagoon, lost my white gold braclet, injured the bottom of my second toe on the jagged steps leading to the 1st and only site of water I swam in.
She, Tracy, was advised that I did have Lupus, and even though I wanted to cancel etc... she made like she didn't hear me. Both Tracy and Renee would not give me a refund nor would Tracy return my calls. I plan on advertising both Ship Shop Travel and the Imperial Majesty as uncompassionate towards the handicapped and disabled. No one, and I repeat no one who is handicapped or disabled should board or purchase a trip on the Imperial Majesty. The bathrooms are not accesible to a person if they cannot climb over steep step. Plus the elevator would not run properly, we tried to make some of the shows or get-togethers with the Captain's reception but were unable due to the fact the elevator would not work properly, it stayed on the same floor most of the time, I could see the maintence crew were making efforts to get this elevator working.
There may have been one or more violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act here. Tony should contact an attorney.
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