ComplaintsforCanterbury Pilgrimages & Tours

• Initial Complaint

  02/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  This complaint involves the tour company called Canterbury Pilgrimages and Tours. My husband and I, along with 60 other people paid for a Holy Land Pilgrimage via Canterbury. Our 1st deposit of $450 a piece was made on 2/28/23. Our final payment of $5,250 a piece was made on 8/23/23. Our scheduled trip was set for November 6-17, 2023. As you know the war started in ****** on 10/7/23. They have never "canceled" the trip but said it is postponed. We have not received any refund of our money, which for us together is $11,400. They have said we could use the money to go on one of their other trips or go to ****** when it is opened again. I didn't pay to go on one of their other trips and this trip was with a group of people from our church who we felt comfortable going with. Canterbury did send an email in the middle of December 2023 saying that they would refund us 55% of the money if we chose not to go on one of their other trips. We have never received any checks or money from them. As you know the airlines were required to refund all of the money for any flights into ****** during that time, so they didn't have that expense. It doesn't seem fair for them to keep 45% of our money. We didn't even leave the state! We have friends who were scheduled at the same time to also go to ****** for a tour with a company called Smart Tours. Of course, they were not able to go and have been given a full refund for their trip! Overall we have had very poor communication with Canterbury. An example was trying to get a receipt for the money we sent them. It doesn't seem like a difficult thing for them to do, but we asked several times and never did get one. We heard this same thing from a couple of other people. To me, a reputable tour company would follow up with each person and at least give you the feeling that you matter! I have never felt that from Canterbury Pilgrimages.

  Business response

  02/26/2024

  Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns regarding your Holy Land Pilgrimage, initially scheduled for November 6-17, 2023. We understand the disappointment and frustration caused by the unforeseen circumstances that led to the postponement of your trip. Our team at Canterbury Pilgrimages and Tours has been working diligently to navigate these challenging times, especially in light of the conflict that began in ****** on October 7, 2023.
  

  Upon reviewing your situation, we wish to reiterate our commitment to supporting our valued customers through this difficult period. As communicated in our previous correspondence, we have offered to refund 55% of the total amount paid for the pilgrimage. This decision was made in strict accordance with our Terms of Service, which all our customers agree to at the time of booking. These terms outline our policies regarding cancellations and refunds, particularly in situations beyond our control, such as geopolitical events that affect travel safety and feasibility.
  

  We understand that this may not fully meet your expectations, especially when comparing to other cases you mentioned, like the full refund provided by another company. It's important to clarify that our financial obligations and operational costs differ significantly. Unlike airlines, which were mandated to issue full refunds for flights into ****** during the conflict, tour operators face a wide array of non-recoverable expenses. These include advance payments to our partners, such as hotels, local guides, and transportation services, which are essential to organizing and conducting tours of this nature.
  

  We deeply regret that the global situation and its impact on our operations have limited our ability to offer a full refund. Our aim is to provide flexibility by allowing the transferred value towards another pilgrimage or the same journey at a future date, ensuring that your investment remains valuable.
  

  We acknowledge your feedback on communication gaps and the difficulties you faced in receiving timely updates and documentation from our team. We are taking steps to improve our customer service processes to ensure more transparent and efficient communication moving forward.
  

  Our team values each pilgrim's experience and faith journey, and it's disheartening to know that you've felt otherwise. We are here to support you through this process and are committed to finding a resolution that honors our shared values and commitment to the pilgrimage experience.
  

  Please let us know if you would like to discuss this matter further or explore alternative solutions. Our customer service team is available to address any additional concerns you may have.

  Customer response

  02/27/2024

  I do not accept the response made by Canterbury Pilgrimages

  Below is the link to their contract and the Terms of Service that they refer to:

  • There is no record of a 55% refund listed in the Terms of Service 

  • Please show us the unreimbursed expenses you incurred 

  • Does the total amount of expenses equal 45% of the total amount paid by each person?

  
  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  02/28/2024

  Regarding the 55% refund offer not being explicitly mentioned in our Terms of Service, please allow us to clarify. Our standard policy, as you've highlighted, stipulates that for cancellations received less than 90 days prior to departure, the initial deposit and any non-recoverable expenses are non-refundable. However, given the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the postponement of trips due to the conflict in ******, we endeavored to go beyond these terms to offer a partial refund as a gesture of goodwill and understanding of the unique situation our customers found themselves in.
  
  The calculation of unreimbursed expenses that led to the 55% refund offer involves several factors. These include, but are not limited to:
  
  Non-Recoverable Vendor Expenses: Payments made in advance to hotels, local guides, bus companies, and other service providers that could not be refunded or repurposed for future trips.
  Operational Costs: The labor and resources expended in planning, organizing, and subsequently handling the postponement of the pilgrimage, including customer service support and administrative tasks.
  Reservation System Costs: Fees associated with the use and maintenance of our booking and reservation systems, which are critical to our operations.
  
  These expenses vary by trip and are influenced by contractual obligations with our partners, who also face financial strain in times of crisis. While we strive to minimize costs and negotiate favorable terms, some expenses are simply unavoidable.

  Customer response

  03/04/2024

   
  Complaint: 21320645
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Response to your comments regarding the 55% refund.  You listed 3 different areas of potential expenses and costs to try and justify your decision to keep 45% of our payment.  Two of the 3 sounded like normal operating expenses that any business would have.  Our pilgrimage was only a part of your business at the time, all the other locations around the world were still open.  The other cost mentioned is non-recoverable vendor expenses.   How could you then allow us to just transfer our canceled trip to another trip? Were there no new expenses with another trip? How were other tour companies able to refund 100% of the cost to their customers? I never expected to get 100% of our expenses, but I never thought I would lose almost half of what we spent.  We can agree this was a very unfortunate situation, I believe that Canterbury Pilgrimages' decision to keep 45% of the cost of our trip we were never able to go on was not a fair settlement and I would caution anyone from booking with them in the future.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

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