From start to finish the entire experience was the most expensive nightmare of my life. The tour we booked was cancelled and we were offered a cheaper tour that went to less locations and was much cheaper. It was advertised as a little over $100 less per person and we were told we’d be refunded the difference, but for two tickets we were only refunded $5.
Then tour day the train that was booked for us had delays, which resulted in the tour leaving without us and my husband and I spending 5+ hours on trains trying to catch up to the group which was the suggestion of the tour company. We finally joined them at the end and got to listen to how much fun the group had, and the group all paying a fraction of what we were charged. I spent the 1.5 hour van drive back to the ending point then the 1.5 hour train journey back in tears after what should have been a relaxing romantic day turned into one of the worst days of my life. I am never booking with Viator, or Italy on a budget tours again.
事業者からの返答
Hi Ashley
We are very saddened and a little astonished to receive such harsh words and negative feedback, considering all the team efforts to let you enjoy your visit to Tuscany. In our opinion, it does not completely reflect reality, and might be misleading towards other guests. For this reason, we would like to provide some clarifications and address all the points that you raised.
We would like to start by understanding your inconvenience and frustration, but we would like you to acknowledge that for every problem that has arisen, since before departure, we have presented you with a choice, offering solutions and alternatives.
Our tours require a minimum number of participants to cover essential costs (vehicle, tour leader, train tickets, etc.). This is why we offered the choice to upgrade to a private tour for a small fee or join an alternative tour without paying any difference. We provided detailed information, including links and pricing, and offered the other Tour well before October 31st, giving ample time to cancel for a full refund if needed. You have decided and accepted to move to a different tour, but we have provided options.
The reason Viator didn’t issue a refund is that the new tour matched your original price per person as you could personally check from the links we sent you. While the lower price for other guests you mention in the review is the most misleading statement towards other guests, since the other passengers on your tour departed from Florence and not Rome like yourself, which didn’t require extra tickets on fast speed train nor assistance.
On the tour day, the train delay was beyond our control, it is something we can’t predict and the national train line system is not directly controlled by us. On the other hand we supported you by offering options, including rescheduling or joining the tour late (noting you would miss part of it). You chose to continue, and we covered additional costs for you, not due but offered to compensate for the inconvenience : €20 for train tickets and €50 for a transfer, without extra charges to you.
At Italy on a Budget Tours, we prioritize our customers and address issues promptly. Indeed, we assisted you and did everything in our power to ensure that you had an enjoyable day.
At the end of the day, you only missed one stop of the tour you have chosen to attend after having a full description of its inclusions, itinerary, and price. We have not heard from you for the rest of the day, and the rest of the group was really satisfied and happy about the experience, so it seems a little excessive to us that you described the day as a "nightmare," as we received no feedback during the tour itself, and we did everything we could to ensure that you carried out your tour in Tuscany and had an enjoyable experience in spite of everything.
To conclude, we deeply regret that the day fell so short of your expectations. We take feedback seriously and will use it to improve, but we have no control of national trains or any possible delays. Therefore, it is not fair that none of the above team effort was considered and you have based the whole review on something out of our control.
