I thought you might be interested to know. I was furious as well considering I only happened to find out by looking on Contikis website. Nobody from Contiki bothered to contact me to let me know. I lodged a complaint with them but I don't think you'll get much out of them. I received an apology for the inconvience but that was about it. Their email advised: Our operations department in the USA has withdrawn the Grand Southern tour 25th June departure early based on booking history and passenger numbers, it didn?t appear that it would reach minimum numbers to run as scheduled. We apologise if this has caused you any inconvenience however we did not anticipate the popularity of the Grand Southern tour on this date having considered the economy and exchange rate. In order to meet this demand we felt the best solution was to reinstate this tour.

I too have been hit with accommodation cancellation fees and lost frequent flyer points as that was how I booked my flights. It completely upset my travel plans as the alternatives offered didn't suit so I cancelled Grand Southern all together and rebooked my flights to fly direct to NY. I'm not prepared to re-book and shuffle everything again. 25 June is not a quaranteed departure so whos to say it won't be cancelled again!!!!

PS. Been keen to hear how you get on when you speak with Contiki.

Hi all

Well, I spoke to a national Consumer helpline that we have here in the UK. They think that Contiki could be in breach of contract. I'm not convinced as there is a clause in their small print that says they can cancel a trip and are not responsible for any money lost as a result. However, I can't see anything in their paperwork that relates to reinstating a tour.
I've written to the manager of customer services quoting breach of contract (the advice was that this shows you know your rights etc) asking for what's called "consequential losses". I've asked for a specific amount that I don't think is unreasonable (a couple of hundred pounds that covers my intial flight to LA and a flight leaving NYC). I've pointed out that I'm not claiming for any of the additional expenses of rebooking flights and hotels. I've given them a deadline to reply by and sent it recorded delivery. I'll let you know how I get on. If they're not prepared to offer anything, then I'll be back on the phone for advice!

I can't believe Contiki said they thought the best solution was to reinstate the tour - best for who? They obviously just wanted the money - and I did point out in my letter that what I was asking was a fraction of what they would be making as a result of this tour!

Hi Everyone,

I am about to book my spot on the June 25th 2009 tour. I am 27 from Melbourne Australia. I will be travelling on my own. I plan to stay a few extra nights in NY and LA and also do a stop over in Hawaii on the way home.

Im keen to find out if anyone else is wanting to do some extra nights in LA and NY and are looking for a partner in crime...

Add me on facebook if you have it Carley Beever

Carley :-)

Hi Carley!

I've been to the travel agents today and trying to decide between this tour or Eastern Discovery on 7th July, either way we will meet at some point as apparently they join up! wooooo!!

Im so excited!! Although all the stuff I've just been reading on here about the poor people who booked and then got cancelled on is a little scary!! Eek! Hopefully people will still book up! Definitly felt much better when I saw theres at least one other person going tho! :-)

I'm also hoping to do a few extra nights in NY and LA if i do this tour so we should definitly meet up!!

xxxx

Hi Nadia

That would be great if you did this tour! I have booked my spot and there are alot of people already booked so Im excited!

I felt for the people who lost out on this trip I would be pissed! Hopefully some of them come!!!

Let me know when you book as my friend is a travel agent and she is booking me extra nights in LA, NY and Im also going San Fran and Mexico and then Hawaii on the way home.

Where are you from?

Cheers

Carley

Aaaw that sounds amazing!...I'd love to do San Fran and Hawaii but don't think im gonna have the time or money! Im definetly gonna do the extra nights either side in NY and LA tho, i was gonna just stay in the contiki hotels as it seems easier, are you planning on staying somewhere else?

I'm 99% sure I'm going to do this tour now so just need to get booked up! I can't book till friday tho so I'm just hoping it won't be fully booked by then!!

I'm from England! Also travelling alone, its my first time! I've been away with friends but never by myself so I'm pretty nervous! Have you travelled alone before? Or done any other contiki tours?!?

Im really glad to hear there are other a lot of other people booked up, I was worried no one would want to with the whole cancellation thing! I feel really sorry for those people, I hope they don't cancel it again! Oh no! Surely with it being closer to the time they won't do that!

Aaah I'm so excited!!!

Nadia
xxxxxxxx

Hey Nadia,

I hope you do book because there are only 5-6 seats left. I have never travelled alone before or done a contiki so Im pretty excited to meet heaps of new people! I should imagine there will be people from all over the world!

I am going today to book my accomodation for LA prior to the trip. I was going to stay at Los Angeles Paradise Hostel as I am solo and I gather there will be others my age and at a Hotel I would not have anyone to venture around LA with and its very cheap and food and other stuff is included. Im flying into LA morning on 22nd. I will book my NY accom when im on the tour as ill see if anyone else is staying there and where.

I am going to do an extra week in LA after NY before I fly to Hawaii and then home. I gather I may never come back so Im going all out and yeah its costing me alot

Let me know when you book! Ill let you know if I book the hostel or the hotel we start in

By the way how old are you? Not that it matters!!! Just curious!

Carley xx

Hey Carley..

AAAAAAAHHHHHHH I'm all booked up!!! YEY!!!! Im soooooooooo excited now that I know I'm definitly going!! woooooooooo!!

Im booked two extra nights in LA and two in NY....both in the contiki hotels just cos my travel agent said its proberbly best to do that....i cant WAIT!

I wudnt worry about it costing you a lot especially if you may never go back...it will all be worth it and you wud regret it if you didn't get to do everything you want to do!

Shall I add you on facebook? Ooo we shud make a facebook group for the tour and see if anyone else happens to find it?!

I'm 21, will be 22 in May! Yeh I can't wait to meet so many new people from different places, it will be awesome! Which places are you most looking forward to visitng?!

Can't believe its only three months away aaaahhh!!!

Nadia
xxxxxx

Hi Nadia and Carly,

I'm booked on the same tour as you guys. I was one of the people who had the tour cancelled initially. I then changed to a shorter tour becuase I had already booked my flights. I then got a call from contiki saying the tour was back on. I was pretty happy because I would have been travelling by myself then for 4 weeks...and I just can't be bothered organising all the travel and accomodation...that's bloody lazy isn't it???

I am spending a few days in LA before we leave, am also flying over to Phoneix to visit a friend for a few days and then coming back to LA 2 days before we leave. At the end of the tour I'm spending about 5 days in New York before I fly back to LA to fly home to OZ.

As I'm sure you have probably worked out I'm travelling alone. Am glad to hear that I'm not the only one!!!

I'm really looking forward to the trip, it can't happen quick enough for me.

Do you guys know how many people they normally have in a tour group?

Cheers

Jane

Hi Jodie,

Just thought I would give you an update on how we are going with getting our money back from Contiki.
They have so far offered us $100 per person which we have refused, and then came back to us with no further promting from us that they would increase the amount to cover some of the cost of the LA accommodation. However, I have not heard what the dollar amount is (I believe only a few hundred.)

I will tomorrow be sending our complaint in writing to our travel agent who will forward on to the Contiki rep. We have gievn Contiki 10 days in which to respond to the letter, and have stated that if we do not come to a reasonable agreement we will be taking the matter further.

Here in Australia we have the ACCC which is a federal body dealing with consumer affairs. They have informed me that is sounds like Contiki were misleading and deceptive advice in the advice we were given which is in breach of federal law. Therefore we will be going to a small claims court if a resolution is not reached. We also will be approaching the media about this matter in the hope that others will be warned and to hopefully prevent this from happening again.

Hi Jane!!!

So glad to see more people on here!woohoo!!

Sorry to hear that you got cancelled on initially that must have been awful...but YEY that you are still going!!!

I cant wait!! I'm not sure exactly how many are on one tour but i know theres like a set amount for our tour, then we also join with another tour for the first half and another for the second, so sounds like there will be lots of us which is goooooooooood!!

Do you have facebook? Carley and I are both on there and I've just set up a group for us to chat on....heres the link! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61022225193

Look forward to hearing from you!!

xxxxxxxxx

Hey Nadia,

That is a great idea about the facebook group. I just joined it now.

Cheers
Jane

Hey Nadia and Jane!!!

I have joined the group as well so we can all chat there more cause its easier!!!

Hope more people join our group :-)

Its only 3 months and 1 week to go YAY!!!!!!!!