Check this out

http://www.ripoffreport.com/Cruises/Sundance-Vacations/sundance-vacations-scam-artist-3w7dy.htm

and the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Check this out...

It's a scam. They will try to strong arm you into buying something during that one hour presentation. They aren't really in the business of giving things away, for $800 yet! For $800 you could have plenty of fun doing something you really want to do.

I remember being so excited that I had won a sewing machine, back when I was a newlywed. We went to pick it up. It was a piece of cheapo carp and came with a high pressure salespitch to buy a more expensive machine. Fortunately, we were too broke to even consider it, but I felt like a fool.

I don't think you would enjoy it even if it were legit. My neighbor won a honeymoon cruise at a bridal show. They weren't going to take a honeymoon, so they decided to go. It was horrible. SHe said the entire trip was centered around eating huge amounts of cheap food, and the crowd on the ship looked it.

There is lots of information online about Sundance Vacations, almost all of it negative. In fact, early this year the BBB revoked the company's accreditation.

To get that "free" cruise you'll have to attend a hard-sell presentation for the purchase of a vacation contract costing thousands of dollars and good for holidays only on the company's terms (which are almost impossible to fulfill).

Assuming you resist the hard-sell, after a couple of hours you will get the cruise voucher, but the company will delay, delay, delay actually fulfilling their commitment and will charge additional fees for almost everything.

As sherrman mentioned, you could spend the same amount of money on something you and your husband really want to do and avoid the hassles.

Carol

Cathy, thanks for the link. After I posted this, I started googling and found a lot of negative material on this company and this type of sales technique. There are a lot of complaints about the hard sell, the scheduling difficulties, and the poor accommodations (bunk beds! Yikes!). Even if the company is totally above-board and things go smoothly, it doesn't sound like the right kind of vacation for our lifestyle and our finances. Next time, I won't be tempted by the thought of doing something so inappropriate for us just because it's "free."

I sent my kids the link to this post. My DD said: "Even if you don't drink cocktails or go to fancy shows, there are hidden charges, and you can bet on paying more than the base amount that's been quoted. Since you're on the boat every night, you will wind up going to the shows, because the state rooms are too small to hole up in. On the plus side, it's a readymade vacation so you don't have to do tons of planning to make it happen, and you deserve a treat for your 40th anniversary. If you wait to plan the perfect itinerary "someday," it might not happen... so there's a certain benefit to grabbing an available opportunity if it's good (even if not absolutely perfect). It's been a lot of years since your last vacation!"

And my DS commented: "If you're prepared to spend any money at all for a trip/vacation, what do actually want to do? If not a cruise, then what? Would you rather travel somewhere else? Would you rather embark on some sort of event or activity? Also ... could you find a better deal without the obligations?"

Wise kids!

Thanks, everybody, for your thoughts!

Sue

Sue, Cruises are such bargains now that I'm sure you can find a legitimate trip to satisfy your interests and your budget. We are fortunate that we have a number of port options within a few hours from us. I'm sure you have some opportunities out of Port of Baltimore too.

Good Luck.

I have been a travel agent since 1994 ands have seen lots of these scams over the years. I always told my clients "If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely IS"!

The others are right about the hard sell, but I guarantee the out of pocket fees will be much higher than what they are quoting you, and often the dates you want will be "blacked out" or "sold out" forcing you to pay a premium for the dates you want to travel. And the cabins they are filling for this "free cruise" are the lowest category on the ship, often in the belly of the ship, in the noisiest areas, and with no windows.

And don't forget air fare to get to the port city.

If you really want to book a great vacation find a reputable travel agent in your area. They can make some wonderful recommendations based on your wants, needs and budget. A good agent is well worth the small fee they charge for their services.

Linda

I agree with Linda about travel agents. My hotshot kids think we're nuts because they think they find such terrific bargains on the internet, but it is so worth it to us to be sure and have an agent "take care of us."

I look around, too, but when it comes down to booking, we call our agent. She has found even better deals for us that I hadn't seen at all.

Sherry

I agree with those above that have said "do something YOU want to do".
I can relate to the "type of people" you say you are!
I love home. Don't like crowded situations. Don't like having to be on someone else's schedule. Like to prepare my food my way. On and on........

I wouldn't go. Book a nice B & B somewhere you'd like to visit and enjoy it! Spend half the money (or less) and make the memories you want to make.

Plus, if there's any chance you'd want to celebrate your anniversary with family, make those plans!!

One 3-day cruise was enough for me. The "rooms" are only slightly larger than a closet, I could brush my teeth while showering because the bathroom was so small.

Not my thing.
Some love it, but I'd rather book a room in one place and then explore the local haunts. I'm not much impressed by the tourist traps.

JMO,
Deanna

Like others have so eloquently said..."PASS!" big time. I was in the travel business for close to 20 years and that whole thing rings 'scam' to me. It might not be an actual scam but not worth the restrictions. You can do what you want when you want for the same money or less and have the freedom not to be stuck with their schedule and sales pitches.

With the economy as bad as it is there are tons of travel bargains. Be safe and choose wisely. Like Linda, travel agents can be a great resource. They are not all great....but many are super with years of experience and the ones who have survived the downturn in the industry are probably real tigers and can recommend some super deals.

Duane

I'm another long-time fan of travel agents, including the agent services offered through organizations like AAA.

If you run into trouble on a trip (ticket issues, cancelled flights, etc.) a travel agent can be a huge help. Try that with Expedia.

Carol

I didn't know we had so many former travel agents on the CF! I do appreciate the advice from all of you.

When I heard that we had "won" a prize, I thought for a moment that it might be fun, as a very different kind of experience from our past vacations. I was not even thinking about a possible scam or exposure to a hard-sell sales presentation. But it was only a momentary insanity! I'm like Deanna: I'd like to get off the beaten path and poke around in odd corners ... explore and learn ... go where the road takes me. Right now, our lives are very busy and pressured (maybe that's why an "escape" was so appealing!), and I don't think we're going anywhere. But maybe in the next few years, when things settle down. And I will take your advice to go to a reputable travel agent if we need help in planning a trip.

Thanks again,

Sue

Here's my lessons learned..... any any any time you find a little paper slip with some print about "winning" anything, stay away. you've just given away your address, your phone number and/or your email address. And you are now on someone's sucker list, and that list will be sold. So you will now get more phony solicitations.

Never fill out any of those slips. Yes, certainly buy a raffle ticket from the high school band or the local garden club, but nothing like a vacation or cruise or whatever other phony sales scam.

I refuse to fill out the coupons i get at restaurants or in stores, too. You are just announcing to a huge network that you are a sucker, and letting your contact info be sold.

Sorry, I hate stuff like this... does it show? :-o