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Castaways Vacation Club Consumer Reviews

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A Total Scam and Rip-Off
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

LITCHFIELD, ILLINOIS -- The offers they quote for travel, I find lower prices on my own. I canceled the membership shortly thereafter (In 2007) and now in 2022, they are saying that my account has an unpaid balance because I never canceled. The Company claim to have sent numerous e-mails, which I never received. Also, they are saying that they sent several letters via US mail, which we only received last week. If we truly owe money, why would they wait 15 years later to do an audit and try to collect? I guess the pandemic really have them in a bad financial position, with their "F" BBB rating.

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Gay Couple Not Welcome
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

SPRING, MARYLAND -- GAYS NOT WELCOME... Was looking at Castaways travel and in their policy they state couples only, one man one woman. So I sent a email (info@castawaystravel.com) asking if gay "couples" were allowed. I didn't get a response so I called & spoke with champagne who is a board member. She informed me gays are not allowed because they are not defined as a couple because it's not one man one woman. She also went on to tell me nobody has complained about it until now and she didn't see the policy changing that it hasn't been 5 years since it was put in place.

She also refused to put the response in writing. I told her this was discrimination. She told me it was not because it's a private entity they could do whatever they want. I asked if they discriminate it any other way religion or color and she said of course not. I advised maybe they should revisit the policy a lot has changed in 5 years.

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Vacation Club/Discount Vacations
By -

PLANO, TEXAS -- We attended a sales pitch for Beachcombers Vacatons aka: Castaways Vacation Club on Saturday March 3rd of 2007. During the sales pitch they quoted us prices and such for prices of different types of vacation packages from cruises to Condo rentals. All these were top of the line quotes. 7-day cruise with a balcony or suite for less the standard cabins. We fell for this tactic and signed up (they kept knocking down the price, should have been a clue.) Big mistake. Price we paid was almost half off the starting price.

We got home after leaving the Beachcombers office with our contract and our vacation package booklet without them giving us temp password to call the toll free number to check out prices "During our so called three-day trial". The office and booking agents are closed on Sundays. Sunday 4th of March - Closed (Beachcombers and booking agents). Monday March 5th - We call the booking agent on Monday to see if we can get quotes, they told us we needed a temp password to get quotes (we just wanted to check out to see how real thing was). I told them we didn't have one they said sorry. I had to hang up.

Keep in mind two staff members gave us their cell phone numbers to call with questions, no one called us back during all this time. Tuesday March 6th the office returns my call at around 2:30 (office hours are 3-9 Tues-Friday and 9-6 on Saturdays) and finally give us a temp password. (We are now on our third day of trial.)

We call to get quotes on some cruises (we can only talk to one person whom dealt with new accounts since all we had was a temp password.) That person isn't in when I called she calls me back at around 5 pm (booking agents on Tuesday closes at 6 pm) and I give her some info on some cruises she then tells me she'll call me back the next day with the quotes, it was late in the day and she needed time get the prices. Still no prices and the last day of our trial. (should have been the 1st day).

Wednesday March 7th I have to call her back at about 2:30. She never called me so again she wasn't there so left message. She's calls me back with prices. I take down the info and hang up. I then proceed to call the cruise line to get a price quote for exact same cruise and cabin area. The price was exactly the same, actaully the Vactaion club was .50 cents more. I was totally shocked out of my mind. I then called the office wanting my money back. It's 7 pm and they are open until 9 pm no call back.

March 8th after calling them leaving another message they finally call me back saying they didn't check message from the night before until 10 pm and that was too late to call me back. She told me that she got message and was sounded shocked about the prices. She told me she would have the person whom gave us the sales pitch a call back at 5 pm. No call at 5:40. I call back - he was in a "meeting".

He finally calls back and I explain to him about the prices being the same "he was puzzled" and he's had like 600 people signup since that Saturday March 3rd that were happy. Like those 600 people got temp passwords and called and got prices that fast? (must have been more like 6 people not 600). He wanted to call and speak to person I talked to at the booking number to see why the prices were the same. (That's funny now that I think about it.) He never called back.

Friday March 9th I call the office again asking for my money back. She told me I was out of my three day trial period (no crap), it was out of her hands we had to send the packet to the address on the contract. Tuesday March 13th, product sent back certified mail with a return receipt. Called credit card company to dispute the charges. Reason given: company misleads the public. Thursday March 22nd, no return receipt and charges on credit card still pending!! And no returned product. Angry in Plano Texas.

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Keep Your Money, Scam!
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

1978, FLORIDA -- These people are crazy. This is a scam. The website sucks, the service sucks and the location, prices and dates they come up with suck. You would do better letting your 5-year-old put a package together for you. Keep your money! Awful customer service. STAY AWAY. I'd give a ) rating if I could!!

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Rip-Off. The Prices Online Is Not the Same on the Prices That They Quote Us Whenever We Want to Make Reservation.
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

ROWLETT, TEXAS -- Just like everyone else we bought this membership in 05/2007. Up to this date, we have not used the service because every time we try to go somewhere and avail the price that is stated on the website, it comes three times the price. But they are so diligent on getting the yearly membership fee. This is a rip-off. I want my money back because everything that they promised during the presentation was a lie.

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Travel Club Scams
By -

Have you ever been invited to go pick up a FREE vacation, round trip air, $300 gas, rental car for a week? Stay at home. The Free vacation enticement will cost you a pretty penny, with only certain times to travel. The $300 in gas will take 3 years to achieve after many hassles and postage. Now for what you were invited to: you will be asked to show a major credit card - Why? They want to make sure of credit BEFORE you go into a room to have "wonderful" vacations pitched to you at really low prices.

Come on - the resorts are going to cost more than pitched, the air can not be discounted, the hotels are off the Rack rate (the highest rate a hotel can quote), the rental cars are only at 20% off. Now if you decide to buy this wonderful club, be aware that the person sitting next to you may have just paid $1300.00 for the EXACT same thing you just got for $6995.00 + $399.00 processing fee and $199.00 annual dues. The $1300.00 people maybe got theirs as $1300.00 out the door, with that same $399.00 and $199.00 included in their price.

They want your money. They tell you anything to get it. Now try to cancel. They will charge you 15% of the $6995.00 + $399.00 processing fee. Process what? No need to complain - you signed the paper on the Retail Installment Contract stating it is OK to do this!! Bill Bailey is the company owner. Just google his name and prepare to read how many law suits there are. Adrian Miller has the personality, but he too is a snake.

Please, if this site saves one person from their hard-earned money going to these people, it is worth it. The more money you spend the bigger their commissions. BE AWARE and BE WARNED!! I only wish someone had been there for me. They are NOT with the BBB and have been reported. They are also being reported to the Attorney General's Office.

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Scam
By -

MCKINNEY, TEXAS -- My wife and I attended a meeting yesterday that was for the Castaways/Beachcombers Vacation Club. I was contacted by a telemarketer at work and was told that there would be NO SALES going on at the meeting. This was one of the HARDEST sales I have ever been in, and I am in sales/finance. They want you to decide right then and there on a $9000.00 commitment. Right there so you don't have the chance to look them up. Well the sales pitch was good, I will admit, but there is not a thing in this world that I will pay $9000.00 for without checking into it.

After the pitch, we met with one guy, and basically told him no, then he had us meet with another guy (his manager, yeah right) who dropped the price and we still told him no. He offered financing for us, we told him "No we wouldn't finance it", and then he told us we could put it on our credit card since we didn't want to finance it (seriously, what a buffoon), then we were asked to answer a few questions to make sure that we were treated correctly, and during the survey, the "kid" who we were talking to told us that he could get us a deal for $2000.00 less than the quoted price and for less than $50.00 a month.

My wife and I continued to tell them no, and then they started to act as if they were put out by us, and they couldn't believe we didn't want the deal, and that we had wasted their time. Well, we went home talking about how we truly believed everything that they told us, and that maybe at a later date we would buy. Well, it only took me about 2 minutes on the internet and google to figure out this company was a big rip off artist. I think that all of the positive reviews, which there are not many, are from company members. I feel sorry for the people who have fallen prey to this.

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Regretting My Purchase
By -

DALLAS, TEXAS -- We bought into the Castaway Vacation Club 11/07. We have yet to be able to use it. Every time we want to go somewhere, they are so much more expensive than other online sources. Just recently, we called & asked for two options. We either wanted an all-inclusive vacation to Mexico (anywhere) or a cruise out of Galveston.

First of all, I thought we could call up, tell them about where we want to go, approx. when we want to go and they would find something. Well, you have to give them very specific details like exactly what days you want to travel, exactly where you want to go, etc. I keep telling them, I just want a cheap vacation so I am very flexible as to where and I gave them the months of June and July to work with. They told me they couldn't get a price unless they knew exactly the details. When you look on the website, the cruise page says those are only a portion of the deals they have. Well, then how do I find the deals? What they are coming back with was ridiculous.

Again, I could go through Expedia, Orbitz and directly with the cruise lines and get cheaper prices than what they were quoting me. I feel like we have totally wasted our money. They really don't have the good deals they say they have. When it comes down to it, all they are is another travel agency. Travel agencies can't get the good deals any more and you can get much cheaper online. That is all this company is. They don't even refer to themselves as Castaways. They refer to themselves as the travel center.

When you ask them questions, they don't have answers. They have to refer every question to a travel specialist who calls you back 2-4 days later. It's just a total rip-off. Please don't fall for what we fell for. I totally want a refund or I want someone to show me where I can get these deals.

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Avoid this rip-off
By -

AUSTIN, TEXAS -- After joining this club in 2008 in Dallas, TX, we continued to pay our member dues until it became obvious that we had fallen prey to a big scam. We were unable to utilize or take advantage of their grossly misrepresented travel "opportunities", and so we ceased to pay the dues when invoices were received. They continued to harass us but we chose to "stonewall" them. My advice is when you are invited to one of their sales presentations, notwithstanding the attractive "come-ons or inducements", RUN THE OTHER WAY as fast as you can. Do not under any circumstances attend.

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Complaint
By -

MAITLAND, FLORIDA -- My Husband and I joined the "Castaways Vacation Club" And what a rip-off! Even the club itself admits to the sales people making promises that they will not honor. I can not tell you all the fabracated lies that the salesman told us.
Please don't join. Put this company out of business by letting them know that we as consumers will not put up with promises that can't be met.

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Castaways Vacation Club Rating:
Star Empty star Empty star Empty star Empty star
1.0 out of 5, based on 4 ratings and
13 reviews & complaints.
Contact Information:
Castaways Vacation Club
5601 Brodie Ln # 620-304
Austin, TX 78745
866-729-5541 (ph)
www.castawaysvc.com
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