Trip to Iceland gets canceled...

[Geronimo]

So I was set to leave for Iceland this Sunday, Friday we get an email from our travel agent saying that the hotel (that is new construction) wont be ready so he booked an apartment for us... Without first consulting what we wanted.

Part of the hotel was an included breakfast which saved us time in the morning with our 8:00am tours and roughly $30 a head X10 days.

Up to this point we have had no conformation for rooms, tours, flights anything after having ask for specific information repeatedly. Email turn around was days to a week without follow up from him.


After a day of arguing back and forth, the agent that put us on to this agent stepped and arranged a new hotel in the city center and all seemed well.

Last night we get another email saying that he has canceled everything and will refund all of out money and an additional 2000.00

I don't know that he ever really booked anything, the hotel had mentioned to us that they had not received payment and asked if we could pay.

So vacation number 2 for the rear is a train wreck, the first was doused with a hurricane in Florida.

My luck continues to impress. lol

[OldSpool87]

Oh man, that really sucks. I’m sure there’s a lot of disappointment. Sorry to hear this and REALLY can’t stand vendors who “sell” things they can’t deliver on!!!!

[rattlsnak]

Before I met my wife, she always used travel agencies, now she hates them. After planning several trips on our own, she finally realized all the issues (like you mentioned above) that you get with travel people don't exist when you plan things yourself.

You still have time to do this!! Just make all the arrangements yourself and get going!

[sugarwood]

An additional $2000 ?
I'll believe it when the check clears.
I suspect you've been scammed.

I had no idea travel agents still existed.

[Sooner or later]

What fly by night agency did you use?

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

What fly by night agency did you use?

One in Detroit...

[tabs]

The Apache does live under a cloud and it is called Detroit.

[cairns]

I'm surprised anyone uses a travel agent in this day and age.....

[Neilk]

Having been to Iceland, I think you got lucky. I can’t imagine staying here 10 days in the same place on only doing day trips. You want to drive the Ring road around Iceland, stopping to see various sites while you drive on to the next destination.

I am curious what your scheduled itinerary was like.

One more thing, sorry about your ruined vacation.

[Geronimo]

We had planned on a camper van ring road trip just me and my boys, but then we added my wife and daughter. My wife's got some back issues that would be hard to do the camper van with.

The day trips focused on the small ring, and whale watching, the falls, the beach, and quite a few of the local pools around the small ring.

It was our first international trip so we thought we would try an agent that was recommended by an agent friend.

I have the worst effing luck, nothing tragic just annoying. I'm becoming a nihilist more everyday.

[Skytrooper]

I use a travel agent for most of my trips and could not be happier. I can sit down with her and in the matter of 2 hours have everything accomplished and confirmed. It would take me longer than that to do it myself. Plus, you get the advantage that if there is an issue, they have to fix it. Have you ever tried rearranging flights with Travelocity, expedia, orbitz, etc ? That is hell on earth.

[Rick Lee]

I can't remember the last time I used a travel agent, and I've traveled abroad once or more every year since 1988. Going to Germany, Austria and Czech Rep. next week. Wouldn't even think of using a travel agent. Same for China, even before I met Mrs. Lee.

[unclebilly]

11 years ago was the last time I used a travel agent for personal travel. We had a 2 week vacation booked through France, England, Ireland and finishing up in Scotland for my SIL’s wedding. Then my mother passed away right before we were set to leave.

The travel agent was a ‘certified bish’ about making changes to our itinerary. From my perspective, cost was no object. In the end we only went to England, Ireland, and Scotland and the trip was a bit rushed.

For work travel, we either used a travel agent or had a girl in HR book our international travel. The travel agent really helped me out a few times, including the time I had to get home from SAN Antonio after my wife had a miscarriage. I got news from my wife at about 4:30 PM and was out of there by 5:00 PM. I made it home around midnight and was calling an ambulance for her a few hours later when she hemmhoraged. If I didn’t make it home, I’m sure she would have died that night (she needed 2 transfusions and in the end, the doctor pushed her into the OR on the stretcher in quite a panic).

When my brother and I had to go to Bangkok to rescue my father a few years ago, we flew Air Canada and dealt directly with the airline to change itineraries, etc. We knew when we booked our flights that the return date was going to change pending my dad’s condition. This worked out for the best as we had to deal with the medical department. They really took care of us.

So travel agents still have a place for some travel. YMMV.

I don’t understand why your travel agent friend would have recommended another agent and not helped you directly.

[Geronimo]

She hadn't done much internationally and this other guy had.

We ended up going to Pigeon Forge as it's only a 6 hour drive. hiked the mountains, saw some water falls and happened upon a huge muscle car show for the week.

All in all it was fun and the kids liked the trip.

I think Iceland will be a next summer trip with just me and my two boys for a camper van trip.

[Tobra]

California wine country is nice this time of year