Cancelled by ABD: It DOES happen :(

[kristilew]

What you describe is exactly how ABD worked for me when my trip was cancelled in 2009. They were tremendously helpful, and did everything for me that Tauck did for you, without a supervisor or a call-back. I guess the change in upper management did change things at ABD...

Sayhello

I had the opposite experience when our 2009 ABD was cancelled. Complete run around and couldn't get through to anyone. Luckily, we were working with a wonderful travel agent for a WDW trip, and she took on the booking and got things fixed quickly. We've used her ever since and have found it so much better than dealing with the ABD reps. When our Italy itinerary was changed around (several times) due to Christmas stuff, we got a lot of calls, but zero correct information from ABD. I just don't think the reps at the call centers are empowered at all. They either aren't told the whole truth, and thus can't pass it on, or they are constrained by a certain script that doesn't allow for straight answers. It must be so frustrating at their end, too.

 

[carpenta]

We had much the same experience as Kristilew BUT our TA also "got no respect". I would not be surprised that ABD "subs" out the call center activity to sub contractors sitting at their kitchen table in their home. Many companies have gone this route and may explain the reason why they cannot make an immediate decision, incorrect information and/or the reason why it takes so long to get back to you. We had to cancel a Tauck trip due to work assignment changes and the person that we spoke could not be more gracious and offered a number of solutions to help us in the future. Maybe it is the luck of the draw?

 

[sayhello]

I had the opposite experience when our 2009 ABD was cancelled. Complete run around and couldn't get through to anyone. Luckily, we were working with a wonderful travel agent for a WDW trip, and she took on the booking and got things fixed quickly. We've used her ever since and have found it so much better than dealing with the ABD reps. When our Italy itinerary was changed around (several times) due to Christmas stuff, we got a lot of calls, but zero correct information from ABD. I just don't think the reps at the call centers are empowered at all. They either aren't told the whole truth, and thus can't pass it on, or they are constrained by a certain script that doesn't allow for straight answers. It must be so frustrating at their end, too.

We had much the same experience as Kristilew BUT our TA also "got no respect". I would not be surprised that ABD "subs" out the call center activity to sub contractors sitting at their kitchen table in their home. Many companies have gone this route and may explain the reason why they cannot make an immediate decision, incorrect information and/or the reason why it takes so long to get back to you. We had to cancel a Tauck trip due to work assignment changes and the person that we spoke could not be more gracious and offered a number of solutions to help us in the future. Maybe it is the luck of the draw?

Boy, it sounds like I was really lucky in who I got to help me in 2009! I never realized.

Sayhello

 

[Bobo912]

Boy, it sounds like I was really lucky in who I got to help me in 2009! I never realized.

Sayhello

I didn't have any issues either, although my situation was pretty simple, since I hadn't booked air yet and I didn't have a lot of restrictions on when I could rebook. During that time I spoke to 2 different ABD reps, but they were both senior reps or supervisors possibly. I've called one of them directly a couple of times since. But that last time I spoke to her was in 2013, so I don't know if she is still at ABD. At the time I felt like they had put their best people on handling the sensitve matter of cancellations, but maybe I was just lucky too.

 

[tufbuf]

Boy, it sounds like I was really lucky in who I got to help me in 2009! I never realized.

Sayhello

Same here, no problem when they canceled our Knights and Lights back in 2009. They were straightforward in letting us know they will cover the cancellation fees. I ended up paying a little over 6k for that ABD for the three of us, which is unheard of at this time!

 

[kaseyC]

See now, I found Tauck's customer service very rude. See my earlier post about their behavior. Very offensive.

That's a shame. We are doing a Tauck Bridges Ireland Forever in a few weeks and everyone I have spoken to at Tauck has been outstanding. The Tauck agents, IMO, seemed more knowledgeable about their product than the ABD reps. I called both quite a bit before I even booked because I was trying to decide between TB and ABD. I'm sure I was a pain in the butt to both since I'm new to the escorted tour game and had a ton of questions. LOL

 

[CrazyZeus1]

I was just popping back in on this thread because I needed to clarify something (as far as our family goes). Our whole problem was with HOW it was handled, not that it was cancelled. Had ABD been up front and said " A group of 18 pulled out and it was only your family left", I totally get that! If they had said "Here's our exact policy on what we will reimburse" then we could have made a decision easily.

When it came time to switch the the new Vietnam itenerary date, the CLOSEST flight cost we could get was $5000 more than our initial flight cost. ABD couldn't tell us if they would cover the difference, cover part of the difference, won't cover any of it. They said we had to buy the tickets first and submit our proof of purchase/price difference, and then they'd let us know. I even offered to put the flights on hold so they could see the cost difference and perhaps someone could tell us if they would approve it? Because if not, that's fine, but we'll pick a different trip.

In the end, we scratched the whole thing because we couldn't get any concrete answers. Maybe that's a problem with all travel companies, I don't know because we are exclusively ABD trippers. In all of this, THAT is where ABD has fallen down on the job...being crystal clear on what our options are.

 

[CherryOnTop]

I am coming back to the thread too - Wanted to let everyone know that at 62 days out ABD did confirm our trip to France in late July. With only 14 people on it. (still may be more that book it between now and then?) I am HUGELY relieved. I honestly cried when we got the call - tears of relief. I was in warrior stance for so long waiting to jump into action on rebooking/replanning that it was a big exhale. I really love the trips with ABD. I WANT to book with them again. I will probably just only look at gauranteed trips. Or only book my flights through ABD now that I know they can get the same prices (thanks for teaching me that all you smart folks on this thread!) I will send you all a crepe in the mail from Paris. Okay - maybe not.

 

[emilymad]

I am coming back to the thread too - Wanted to let everyone know that at 62 days out ABD did confirm our trip to France in late July. With only 14 people on it. (still may be more that book it between now and then?) I am HUGELY relieved. I honestly cried when we got the call - tears of relief. I was in warrior stance for so long waiting to jump into action on rebooking/replanning that it was a big exhale. I really love the trips with ABD. I WANT to book with them again. I will probably just only look at gauranteed trips. Or only book my flights through ABD now that I know they can get the same prices (thanks for teaching me that all you smart folks on this thread!) I will send you all a crepe in the mail from Paris. Okay - maybe not.

I am glad your trip is going. Please come back and share how it was. We are thinking about this trip if the dates work out. Have a fabulous time!

 

[alldiz]

I am coming back to the thread too - Wanted to let everyone know that at 62 days out ABD did confirm our trip to France in late July. With only 14 people on it. (still may be more that book it between now and then?) I am HUGELY relieved. I honestly cried when we got the call - tears of relief. I was in warrior stance for so long waiting to jump into action on rebooking/replanning that it was a big exhale. I really love the trips with ABD. I WANT to book with them again. I will probably just only look at gauranteed trips. Or only book my flights through ABD now that I know they can get the same prices (thanks for teaching me that all you smart folks on this thread!) I will send you all a crepe in the mail from Paris. Okay - maybe not.

Happy to hear your trip is going!

Does ABD list guaranteed trips a year out?
Also ABD is competitive with Aifare? direct flights when possible?
Thanks
Kerri

 

[CherryOnTop]

Happy to hear your trip is going!

Does ABD list guaranteed trips a year out?
Also ABD is competitive with Aifare? direct flights when possible?
Thanks
Kerri

Alldiz - they apparently know up front which trips are guaranteed - only certain ones are - but it is not on their website - you have to ask them or your TA. I have always shopped flights myself since I book a full year in advance and have assumed I was getting better flight prices. What I learned on this discussion thread, however, is that you can shop flights and then send the flight you find to them and they book it for you at the same price. This would protect you should they have to cancel a trip for any reason and is how I would choose to travel with ABD in the future. Hope this helps.

 

[Calfan]

Alldiz - they apparently know up front which trips are guaranteed - only certain ones are - but it is not on their website - you have to ask them or your TA. I have always shopped flights myself since I book a full year in advance and have assumed I was getting better flight prices. What I learned on this discussion thread, however, is that you can shop flights and then send the flight you find to them and they book it for you at the same price. This would protect you should they have to cancel a trip for any reason and is how I would choose to travel with ABD in the future. Hope this helps.

Booking flights through ABD does not work for those of us who use miles to book our air for these trips.

 

[CrazyZeus1]

In case anyone questions our LOVE for ABD, we just booked 4 ABD trips for 2016 including Vietnam again! <3 <3 <3 We'll be going over Christmas 2016...so here's to hoping more people are on this itenerary!!

 

[CrazyZeus1]

I am coming back to the thread too - Wanted to let everyone know that at 62 days out ABD did confirm our trip to France in late July. With only 14 people on it. (still may be more that book it between now and then?) I am HUGELY relieved. I honestly cried when we got the call - tears of relief. I was in warrior stance for so long waiting to jump into action on rebooking/replanning that it was a big exhale. I really love the trips with ABD. I WANT to book with them again. I will probably just only look at gauranteed trips. Or only book my flights through ABD now that I know they can get the same prices (thanks for teaching me that all you smart folks on this thread!) I will send you all a crepe in the mail from Paris. Okay - maybe not.

I'm so happy for you!!!!

 

[Cousin Orville]

In case anyone questions our LOVE for ABD, we just booked 4 ABD trips for 2016 including Vietnam again! <3 <3 <3 We'll be going over Christmas 2016...so here's to hoping more people are on this itenerary!!

Cool. Where else?

 

[Calfan]

I ended up booking the Thomson Family Adventures Wonders of China trip today. In the end, I just liked the itinerary better, and the trip is 2 days longer for slightly less than the price of the ABD China trip. Plus it's guaranteed to go. I was intrigued for a split second by the possibility of doing the December ABD China trip, although it would have been COLD. Before booking Thomson I checked with my TA just to make sure ABD hadn't guaranteed any of their departures. I was particularly interested in whether they had guaranteed the Dec. China trip. Without a guarantee, I think it would be risky to book because it seems like a prime candidate for low bookings and a cancellation. I think it will take some pretty hardy souls to brave the Dec. weather in China. I think there are likely more ABDs in our future, so I would like to see ABD address the cancellation policy for sure.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I ended up booking the Thomson Family Adventures Wonders of China trip today. In the end, I just liked the itinerary better, and the trip is 2 days longer for slightly less than the price of the ABD China trip. Plus it's guaranteed to go. I was intrigued for a split second by the possibility of doing the December ABD China trip, although it would have been COLD. Before booking Thomson I checked with my TA just to make sure ABD hadn't guaranteed any of their departures. I was particularly interested in whether they had guaranteed the Dec. China trip. Without a guarantee, I think it would be risky to book because it seems like a prime candidate for low bookings and a cancellation. I think it will take some pretty hardy souls to brave the Dec. weather in China. I think there are likely more ABDs in our future, so I would like to see ABD address the cancellation policy for sure.

Especially when planning a big trip like china the guarantee is so important. I, too, hope that ABD revises its policy soon. I'm planning to book China in 2017 but the guarantee issue as well as your experience in 2016 may push me toward Thompson as well.

 

[carpenta]

We just booked with Tauck (guaranteed) because the 2016 Norway trip we had hoped to do with ABD did not offer a triple room. Triples are no problem with Tauck and in the past we had a suite when we traveled with them. As we see with ABD's parent company's layoff of I.T. workers in place for visa contract workers it seems the people in charge are losing focus of a core principal of Walt, that being doing it for the customer and the money will follow. Now it seems they do it for the money and the people will follow......I just someone wakes up and changes course.

 

[SingingMom]

I wish ABD would consider triple families, too. We are paying an arm and a leg and being squeezed into rooms. We're ok with two doubles, but I really resent spending so much money for dd21 to sleep on a roll away. If the doesn't have two REAL beds, I think two rooms should be assigned. Just my 2 cents. (What's the exchange rate today?! ;-) )

 

[carpenta]

FWIW.....Disney said that the policy for "triple" is that the child MUST be 13 yrs old or less otherwise you MUST book a double and a single room with the single supplement. CRAZY!!!!!!! Do they really want a 14 -15-or16 yr. old in their own room? INSANITY just to make more money. Just spoke to Thomson Adventure (THANKS Calfan) and they say the trip goes with any number.....if it is three only it goes....guaranteed. Oh yea....they DO have triples. Walt must be shaking his head the mess they seem to be making out of his company.