Travel Temptations holiday club

by **EBEE** on Tue Sep 01, 2009 08:51 am

My Mother joined Travel Temptations last year and registered me as an additional user. She did have difficulties cancelling the arrangement because she cancelled by telephone and not e-mail or in writing. Nonetheless, she was sent a £100 travel voucher which she didn’t take up.

As she was unable to cancel her membership, this year we booked a family of 4 trip to Orlando, Florida through Travel Temptations. After reading some of the comments on this site we were somewhat sceptical. However, we realised that all of the negative comments about Travel Temptations were made by people who hadn’t actually booked a holiday through them. I spoke in length to Joanne at Travel Temptations prior to making the booking and she explained that the reason they can offer such good savings is because you have to be a member of the group (purchase a loyalty card) to benefit from the discounts. They don’t charge agency fees because their salaries are paid by the membership fees. We used our credit card to make the booking and Travel Temptations did not ask for the 3 digit security code on the card, so there is no need to worry about anyone running away with your card details. I will admit that there was a delay in receiving the tickets and information from them; our flight information and car hire booking arrived the week of travel. Nonetheless, we have just spent a fantastic 2 weeks in the Kissimmee area of Florida staying in a 4 bedroom Villa, with 3 bathrooms and a private pool. We had an upgrade on the villa and travelled Premium class with Thomas Cook. The flights, accommodation and car hire cost just £3,600 - a saving of approximately £700 on local travel agent quotes. With the last minute upgrades of the villa (from 3 bedrooms to 4 and the flight upgrade from economy to premium) our overall savings amounted to around £2,000. I was diagnosed with Fibro myalgia just before leaving for the holiday, so the flight upgrade was especially appreciated. We could have booked our park tickets from Travel Temptations too, but because of the negative comments posted on this website, we didn’t want to chance that. With hindsight we would probably have saved even more money. Our villa was very well located, clean and well equipped. It enabled us to put our feet up and relax after a hectic day of visiting theme parks, sightseeing etc. The staff at Travel Temptations were very helpful and cheery to talk to. Admittedly, their paperwork could have been a bit sharper, we did find ourselves making a few phone calls and sending a couple of e-mails. They did return the calls and that was very reassuring. The company is opening an office in the UK, hopefully this will resolve any communication difficulties. If you have purchased a membership to the holiday club you should use it. If you have doubts about the group, use your credit card to make the bookings. Check with your credit card company first that you will be refunded if the holiday doesn’t happen. One final note; I asked Travel Temptations what would happen if our holiday should be cancelled due to natural disasters or illness and they replied that the rules are the same as for all travel companies, except they offer an additional bonus - if you can’t travel due to unforeseen circumstances, they offer you vouchers to travel to any location in the world to the equivalent value as the holiday you paid for. As my Mum is the owner of the loyalty card, I can’t comment on any cruises or free holidays. I don’t really know or understand anything about this. Hope this post helps.

by **Don Parkes** on Wed Sep 16, 2009 21:14 pm

I have to report that despite my doubts on the honesty of Travel Temptatons they have sent me details of the free cruise/hotel offers they originally promised.
The fnal details have been promised in 21 days time,but the information received today make me believe they will honour their original offer made over the telephone.
It is only fair that this information is posted ,because if they do send the final information as promised,they will have fulflled their offer in full and I will have to retract my original concerns.
I will post my final comments in 21 days,but it would be unfair to not update the general public with positive news on Travel Temptations,given they appear to be fulfilling the offer they promised!
Just in case you think this note has been posted by employees of Travel Temptations ,I am based in West Yorkshire and are a cynical middle aged Yorkshire man with no connection with the Company ,other than this offer that I thought was a scam-which now looks as though I was making a wrong assumption.
Don Parkes

by **Big_Rob** on Thu Sep 17, 2009 08:44 am

My parents signed up for one of the Platimun cards whilst on holiday in Benidorm last year. I think they paid about £400 for it.

Anyway, they decided to use Travel Temptations (TT) for a last minute holiday this year and booked a holiday to the Costa Brava through them about 3 weeks before they were due to depart. Around 7 days before the holiday, no tickets or booking references had arrived so they started to get worried and tried phoning TT but were told that they'd have to speak to someone about it who never seemed to be in the office and who never returned the calls (I think his name may have been Colin?).

This went on for the next 3 or 4 days and TT said that the documentation was posted by recorded delivery but it never seemed to be turning up. They fianlly managed to email a copy of the documentation on the Friday afternoon (they were leaving early Monday morning) and a copy of the documents came through the post on the saturday morning.

Eventually, everything worked out fine and they had their holiday but there was a whole load of stress and hastle involved in booking it and getting the flight tickets,hotel bookings documentation etc.

I doubt very much that they will use the company again as holidays are meant for relaxing and this caused a whole load of stress that they could do without.

by **Richmond21** on Thu Sep 17, 2009 14:12 pm

After reading through comments posted, most seem to be negative, got to say I'm definately suspicious. Just wanted to relay my own information regarding T.T.

I was contacted by Travel Temptations toward the end of August this year, was given lots of info on how I could save money booking flights, and told I would be able to book return flights between Newcastle and Las Palmas for approx £65, so I agreed to buy on the condition that I could actually book flights for the prices specified, upon receipt of my card. Upon receipt, I contacted T.T. reservations dept. who, after a short time, called back to inform me that flights were available for the dates specified, for £244/person. I called T.T. informed them of the problem and asked for my credit card to be reimbursed. After polite chatting with another manager, my card was reimbursed 3 days later.

I was then contacted by telephone earlier today regarding a loyalty card for T.T. same deal...I pay an initial £399, thereafter an annual fee of £99...payable upon use. I informed the caller of my previous dealing with T.T. who, after apologising, made the following offer: £399 initial purchase price, 2 years free annual renewal fee (£99) and 2 free return flights anywhere, for two years.

I'm sceptical of the setup...justified or not. Question being, does anybody have any legitimate, positive information to persuade me I'm wrong and that I should purchase the card?

by **tigernight** on Fri Sep 18, 2009 08:19 am

PLEASE DO NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE OF JOINING TRAVEL TEMPTATIONS.IN MY PREVIOUS POST I SAID I KNOW OF THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THIS COMPANY. THIS IS TRUE AND THEY ARE DEFINITELY OPERATING A SCAM WHILST PRETENDING TO BE CUSTOMERS ON THIS SITE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THEIR HOLIDAYS. THIS IS ALL PART OF THEIR SCAM. PLEASE THINK VERY CAREFULLY BEFORE TAKING ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM. I HAVE LIVED FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN SPAIN AND KNOW FULLY HOW THIS COMPANY OPERATES. THEY ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN YOUR MONEY WHILST GIVING YOU NOTHING IN RETURN. DO NOT BE A FOOL AND JOIN UP WITH THEM!!!

by **Prettygullable** on Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:12 am

I too was approached by a woman in the streets of Benidorm with the scratch card gimmick, after nearly three hours of hard sales pitch I signed up to travel temptation, nearly £700 and was told that I get a free holiday for 2 and a free long weekend city breack for up to 6 people. I booked the holiday back to Benidorm 4 months ago and have recieved the hotel confirmation which I paid an extra £252 to up grade to, still no flight details and dispite numerous amounts of calls and emails (with never getting through to anyone and no-one ever calling you back) I have now been told (after phoning the complaints line)I will recieve them on Monday (4 days before I fly) we will see!!!, The flight can only be with fly globespan which is a ticketless airline, I have just phoned them and they have no booking in my name. I really don't have much confidence in ever see this holiday but I will let you know

Well after being a pain in the neck and phoning & emailing them constantly!! I got through to them and they have messed everything up as they have not booked the flight and now it is fully booked for the day I wanted to come home on (they are blaming the flight company for sending wrong dates HELLO globespan is a ticketless airline).
I have been offered an accomadation upgrade for the whole of the stay at no extra costs so am now getting 10 days for the price of 1 week, will lose a day pay for the extra time off work but at least I have got the holiday now

Well I have returned from the hoilday without any problems had a wonderfull time
will not be using travel temptations in the future, they need to up there customer service and book things with plenty of notice just too much stress involoved with all the chasing you have to do in order to get everything confirm.

by **lostalot** on Mon Sep 21, 2009 18:45 pm

A warning to anyone who is tempted by Timeshare/ Hoilday Clubs or anything similar. As the whole of this industry seems to be run by crooks do not be tempted to join.

by **Prettygullable** on Tue Sep 22, 2009 06:28 am

Hi Rob
I totally agree with you about the stress with only 8 days left and (yes his name is Colin) not returning any calls if I do get my tickets I wont be using them angain, saving a few pounds is not worth all the extra time, effort and stress this company causes

Kind Regards Prettygullable

[quote="Big_Rob"]My parents signed up for one of the Platimun cards whilst on holiday in Benidorm last year. I think they paid about £400 for it.

Anyway, they decided to use Travel Temptations (TT) for a last minute holiday this year and booked a holiday to the Costa Brava through them about 3 weeks before they were due to depart. Around 7 days before the holiday, no tickets or booking references had arrived so they started to get worried and tried phoning TT but were told that they'd have to speak to someone about it who never seemed to be in the office and who never returned the calls (I think his name may have been Colin?).

This went on for the next 3 or 4 days and TT said that the documentation was posted by recorded delivery but it never seemed to be turning up. They fianlly managed to email a copy of the documentation on the Friday afternoon (they were leaving early Monday morning) and a copy of the documents came through the post on the saturday morning.

Eventually, everything worked out fine and they had their holiday but there was a whole load of stress and hastle involved in booking it and getting the flight tickets,hotel bookings documentation etc.

I doubt very much that they will use the company again as holidays are meant for relaxing and this caused a whole load of stress that they could do without.[/quote]