Road ScholarReviews 79

I write this while I am in quarantine in Quito after traveling with Road Scholar on Tip Top II where 9 of 11 passengers were diagnosed with COVID. I have 4 inoculations as I am immunocompromised due to treatment for cancer. Road Scholar does not require passengers to get tested prior to boarding the ship! 2 passengers were hacking and coughing and not wearing masks from the first day. The first passengers tested positive 3 days after embarkation. Another 6 tested positive a couple days later. The 2 hacking coughing passengers refused to get tested or wear masks consistently, and the director said she could not force them to get tested or wear masks. Prior to returning to US we were tested as a requirement to enter US. That's when both hackers/coughers and I were found to be positive. All 9 of us are now in quarantine in Ecuador and must stay until we test negative. At our own expense. Please only travel with a company that insists everyone must be tested for COVID immediately prior to getting aboard.

I had thought I was all set for a trip for myself and companion - we're less than 6 weeks out. However, after paying in full over a month ago, I was sent email with no explanation to pay more. It took over 5 hours to receive a call back, and then they said it's just additional airfare charge - look for the current airfare price on our site. The current airfare charge on their site is twice what airfare cost back when I booked, and 50% more than the current price for similiar flights on travelocity. Seems like a bait and switch to me, with uncaring folks on the phone today. Agents are unable to say why I was shown as paid in full, with 2 reservations, until this morning.

Scheduled WINTER IN SICILY trip. Program #*******. We were ready to go, received an email of final preps, not a call. Both of us were covid tested on Wednesday, received our negative results Thursday
Email said to be tested 72 hrs ahead. To us that was 3 days, we leave Saturday, felt good. Upon arriving at airport, we were told we had been out of compliance testing by a couple of hours. NO BODY TOLD US THE AIRPORT COUNTS 72 HOURS AS TO THE EXACT HOUR WERE SUBMITTED OUR TEST! We panicked with only about 1.5 hours tobe tested again. Left airport, went to 3 locations - all closed. So, we missed our flights. Tried to contact roadscholar, called, offices closed for weekend due to being short handed. As seniors we felt betrayed. Days later roadscholar contacted us. Eventually they gave us some credit for another trip. Not near what we shelled out for the trip Plus loss of thousands of dollars in air flights. They contend it is our fault, nobody told us how airlines count the test hours.
Leery of another trip with roadscholar after this huge disappointment.

I have always heard wonderful things about road scholar and was excited that I was finally going to have the chance to experience one of their trips. However I have been trying to contact them for over a week and a half with no success. Last week their website just spun and spun when I tried to sign into my account and when I tried to call their message said they had SHUT DOWN their phone to incoming calls in order to catch up on their backlogged calls and referred you to use their website! This week the website it working better but it doesn't allow me to make a change I need to do, so again I've tried to call. On Monday the recording stated the wait time was approximately 2 1/2 hours which I couldnt do, so today I've tried the callback queue option, it's been over 3 hours and still no call. I've also noticed an increased numbers of donation solicitations from them over the last several months. My concern is how easy they make it to give them money but how difficult they are making it once they have your money, thus is a big red flag to me.

Road Scholar is the most "deaf" organization I've ever dealt with. First, they never think of the customer, just their bottom line. All rules are to their benefit. I cancelled a trip almost 1 year in advance and they could only say, you agreed to lose your $1200, too bad. How about referring your friends or giving us a donation? Also, provide us all your friends & families emails so we can bombard them as well. I'm so done with this company/non-profit. Buyer Beware!

Many good reviews and prompting by RS that it is now time to travel again are flooding the internet. Let my review be a WARNING! First, RS is being totally irresponsible pushing travel during the surge of the Delta variant. We had our first trip to Rome, Greece, & Italy, with AON insurance, cancelled in September 2020 and were reimbursed. We rebooked the Italy portion, but learned they had removed important components (watered it down) of the program; we were informed it was easy to transfer that money to another program in September 2021, which we did. We thought it was too dangerous to travel so now we are booked on the original 2 trips to Greece and Italy for spring 2022. We were newly vaccinated and the Delta variant had not yet made its appearance. Now that it is spreading rapidly around the world, and we are both in our 80s, we called RS to cancel. NOW we learned to vacant meaning of "cancel for any reason." That is duplicitous advertising on steroids. And RS refuses to reimburse us--we can only transfer to another program. We are both retired, living on social security and are stuck with a loss of $8601 that we have paid into Road Scholar through transfers and deposits over these sets of trips, including $4208 paid to AON. That's a total of $12,409! Apparently, we can claim $4800 from AON for the cancellation fees--yet to be seen. But AON & RS are adamant that refunds can only be made via transfer "vouchers." AON and RS are co-conspirators in making money off of our misery. We are devastated. I've now read dozens and dozens of similar complaints and now understand that this "non-profit" organization and lying "cancel for any reason" insurance company are bilking everyone they can to make up for the loss of revenues during the pandemic. It seems there is no way to fight this. Is anyone interested in a class-action lawsuit?

I needed to make some changes prior to taking my most recent trip. It was extremely difficult to get in touch w/a human. I took the trip but, unfortunately, got sick 2 days into the cruise. For the most part I did ok but had difficulty in getting food when I felt too ill to go to restaurant. Reception desk refused my requests to have some food delivered to my cabin. I had a follow-on trip scheduled but could not make it due to my illness from which I am still suffering. I purchased the trip insurance & personal illness was covered. However, I am still trying to jump through their hoops to get almost $6k refunded. They are very slow in getting their review started and not communicative at all. The staff, when you can actually reach them, are always pleasant & helpful, excluding the insurance problem. The group leaders were great & well-versed. I like Road Scholar and have traveled w/them before, however, this experience has given me pause.

I booked my very first trip with Road Scholar. Before booking my flight, I was told by Road Scholar that they would transport me from the hotel at the end of my program to the airport in time for my flight. The program ends in a location that is almost 4 hours from the nearest airport. I called to confirm my travel plans and was told the Road Scholar transportation arrives AFTER all flights to the east coast have left. When I tried to find a solution to this issue, I was hung up on twice and NO ONE could offer any solution. There is NO transportation from the hotel which is in the middle of no where to the airport in time for ANY east coast flights unless I take a 600 taxi! I was forced to cancel my trip and they kept 200.00 of my money. I am a widow and this was my first experience with Road Scholar. Not customer friendly. Not helpful, but glad to keep my money. Very sad.

My wife and I recently signed up for a trip to Mexico this fall and Road Scholar was supposed to be making travel arrangements for our travel to and from Mexico. On the Friday before the Monday that payment for the entire trip was due, there were no travel arrangements made, and there is a fee to change any travel plans after the final payment due date. I made three separate calls before the final due date, and was assured that travel arrangements would be made before that time. On the final call, Road Scholar would not refund our deposit, despite failing to make the travel arrangements as promised. I asked to talk to a supervisor, but none were available. I was promised a return call/email from a supervisor but never received one.

In brief, this is a company which refuses to make a refund and does not keep its promises. The communications from the company between the time of the deposit and the final due date were almost non-existent. They do not return phone calls as promised.

I suspect that some of these problems are due to COVID, but there is no excuse for poor communication, not returning phone calls, or refusing to return a deposit after they fail to deliver on their promises.

Considerable pressure was put on me to change dates for the trip. Even though I did not want to, I thought that the most economical thing was to do so as part of an attempt to get the trip insurance fees refunded. If I can do so, I think that we will just sacrifice our deposits. I do not believe that this is a trustworthy company at this time and would be concerned whether they actually are planning ahead for the trip itself, or whether we could expect more of the same treatment that we have already experienced should we actually go on a trip. I would not recommend this company to anyone and am extremely disappointed by the way we were treated.

I booked a Mississippi River 2022 cruise, and paid the deposit. I asked for a double room, and eft the name of my friend who would call the next day to leave her deposit. When she called, they said the ship was full and apparently i was put in a room with a stranger. We have happily booked with another company.
Carolyn

Dishonest. Others have ranked Road Scholar as poorly as I have. My partner and I were initially placed on the waiting list for a trip to coastal Maine. To hold our place we needed to make a $200 deposit. Not being told that we were accepted for the trip, we made other arrangements. Only yesterday, when I phoned Road Scholar to cancel the reservations did I learn that we had been accepted for the trip. I was told they would notify me later of the change. But they forfeited the $200 with alacrity.

I've been on 3 RS trips and have no complaints. I also see that some people are upset as the Covid crisis caused difficulties for them. I booked and paid for Beyond Band of Brothers and the went bankrupt and I doubt I will see a refund. I have accepted that and moved on. It wasn't their fault that this Covid thing affected their business as all tour programs are struggling. Again, once has to accept and move onward and upward. I look forward to a RS trip in 2022.

I must be a slow learner. After 27 Road Scholar trips, I went on a trip with Caravan for half the price. The food, hotels and activities were superior in every way. I also found the fellow tour members with Caravan were so much nicer than Road Scholar tour members. I have met over 500 people on my travels with Road Scholar and so many are snobbish and angry.

This is the worst tour company that you could possibly consider - if I could give them less than 1 Star I would - have you ever worked with someone that was so stupid that they made stupid look smart well Road $#*! fits the bill. They don't return calls - they don't return emails, they do nothing - I am out over $1,000 because they are incompetent - after many many many phone calls Brandy said she was just reviewing my complaint and was just going to call me to tell me that that did't do a thing and she would call me back after 2 months. But she played the death in the family card - that should give her what 2 weeks - ok what about the two months - if you were screwed out of $1,100.00 because Road Scholar booked your flights advised you to cancel because they was no way the Safari was going to happen. Then you get charged $1,100.00 for flights that were unable to fly. But that's my fault because Road Scholar told me to cancel flights before they were canceled. $#*!ING IDIOTS.

Booked a Safari Sept 2020 - Road Scholar could not tell me in July if they were going or not, flights not flying, 14 day quarantine in Kenya? Booked British Airways through Road Scholar $4,000 lost $1,700 on flight. They were no help "oops" can't help you. Rebooked Safari to 2021 for 6 people after everything was guaranteed I was sent letter that I was 2nd on waiting list. No wonder they are non profit - because of poor service they couldn't make a profit

This has been the worst business transaction and I will file it under two words "Unethical" and "Extortion"
I have been trying to cancel a trip to the Netherlands in the Fall of 2020 since March 2020. I have emailed them and they respond acknowledging what I want to do and advise that I call them. I call them and they do not answer and there is NO OPTION to leave a voicemail. They have the gall to send me an invoice in June to pay the balance of the trip! This organization needs to be investigated. 1) We currently cannot travel to Europe due to Covid-19,2) I gave more than four months notice of my desire to cancel. 2) They refuse to give back the $250 payment I made AND want me to pay for the trip in full by July 2! Road Scholar NO MORE!

My wife and I were scheduled to take a Road Scholar trip departing on March 14 to Israel. This was the time Covid 19 was breaking out all over the world. Since my wife and I were of an age where medical authorities were warning against travel, we decided to cancel the trip on March 5. We thought by that time Road Scholar would have canceled the trip as there were clear indications that Israel was going to close its borders. When I spoke with RS, I was told because it was so close to the start of the trip I could expect no refund but that I had purchased Trip Insurance and should file a claim. We did this and after 6 weeks were told that their trip insurance did not cover Covid 19 but that RS would provide a credit for future travel and I would receive a letter confirming that within a week. Three weeks later after hearing nothing I called RS. I discovered that they did indeed cancel the trip as of the 9th of March and that all people still registered received a full refund but because I cancelled 4 days prior I could not receive a refund. I was told I would still get a credit for future travel and that would arrive shortly. It is now June 3 and I still have not heard anything from RS. While I realize Covid19 has been very difficult for travel companies, its now 3 months since I cancelled and I have not heard a word from RS. Frankly I am very disappointed given there reputation. If indeed I ever receive a credit (which at this point I not confident I will) I would be hesitant to use it given my experience with this booking. Buyer beware!

We were extremely dismayed and surprised to find out that - after paying over $1800 for Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance from AON / RS for a 3 week Road Scholar trip scheduled in Sept / Oct 2020, and after cancelling our trip in this unprecedented Global crisis in March - we have not been given any kind of prorated rebate on the insurance premium we paid, essentially for services unrendered.

We had the policy for less than 3 months and it was well in advance of the trip. It is certainly not fair or reasonable for AON / RS to take such advantage of this Global crisis to make a profit because of something that we couldn't control.

All we ask for is a significant rebate on the Insurance premium, not unlike many other Insurance companies actions that have been taken voluntarily in support of their customer base. For example, If I had paid my annual auto insurance in advance and then sold my auto a few months later I would be given a prorated rebate. I don't understand how Aon / RS can think to do otherwise.

If this can't be resolved fairly then we will never agin book any travel with ROAD SCHOLAR.

Our trip to Egypt was cut short by a week because of the Covid-19 situation. I had purchased trip insurance through Road Scholar for that trip. Obviously, it had to be cut short, but Road Scholar assured us that we would be reimbursed for the part of the trip we missed. That did not happen. They have sent me many requests for donations, and nothing about reimbursement. After almost 2 months are requesting some remuneration, they finally offered a small credit toward another trip... but it had to be by June 5th. Um... we are still in the middle of a pandemic, so that's not going to happen. They have not offered one penny of my money back even though I bought my insurance from them. Yes, they're an educational travel group... and boy! Did I get an education.

I did the San Miguel Allende (SMA) trip and it was just okay. It started out bad when no one was at the airport to meet us at the time we were told to be there. The airport was about two hours from SMA so this was not a small issue. I finally called RS and the person showed up an hour late with the attitude of "I'm here now!" The lectures were old and canned from a US expat who screamed in a small room. I am hard of hearing and had to remove my hearing aides because of the pain caused by his large lecture room voice. I asked the tour director to ask him to moderate his voice and she said there was nothing she could do. Less than a third of the people went to the lectures because there was so little content. This was during the entire immigration and border detention problems! What a wonderful opportunity for current events. Why aren't lectures done by real locals - it would be so much better than hearing it from a US perspective. That is all we get at home. Essentially there was little education on what was billed as an educational tour. The tour director was very disorganized to the point of walking us a couple miles to the wrong restaurant and then walking us all back. It was very hard on the elderly participants. You were on your own if you had food allergies in spite of the fact that RS asks about this in advance and I also informed the tour director. She showed up at my table almost hysterical about 10 minutes after I was served something I was allergic to. Luckily my travel companion tasted it before I did and took my dish away. One local guide mentioned the plays he was in, and recited from them, ad nauseum, while we sat in the hot sun and learned almost nothing. RS could not even manage to send me a review form and finally just took my review over the phone. This was not what I had expected and it turns out others were very disappointed too as everyone was give a $200 credit toward a future trip. I will give them one more try and am hoping the tour is not cancelled due to COVID-19. I had heard such good things about RS. I was very disappointed.