Vacations to Go is a service which specializes in finding discounted vacation cruises. Read our Vacations to Go reviews from editors and readers.
About Vacations to Go
The company was formed in 1984 and is a subsidiary of Vacation Publications, Inc., which publishes travel-related publications. The official website is vacationstogo.com, which was first registered back in 1998. They specialize in vacation cruise deals, and sometimes have exclusive offers.
Booking
Although the website lists many last-minute cruise deals, you cannot book these online – meaning you must call the company and speak with an agent. Your experience and satisfaction level will likely hinge on the rep who assists you. After booking with a Vacations to Go rep, you can visit the cruise line’s website directly to confirm that the reservation has been made on your behalf.
Prices
The Vacations to Go website isn’t visually slick or flashy, but its list of deals is extensive. Many of the discount prices they offer can also be found on the specific cruise line’s website. The advantage, of course, is that Vacations to Go provides a comprehensive list of discounts all in one place. For some deals, Vacations to Go may also have “exclusive offers” such as cabin credits for certain categories.
Additional Services
Agents with Vacations to Go will also offer to book flights and hotels associated with your cruise.
Limitations
Not all cruises are available in all areas via Vacations to Go. For example, several cruise lines in Australia do not accept bookings through Vacations to Go.
Complaints
A common complaint about Vacations to Go is that of the availability of advertised prices. The company sends out emails and advertises online, sometimes listing examples of the better deals they have available. These advertised cabins sell out quickly, and this doesn’t bode well with callers who feel they were duped into calling, only to receive a sales pitch for a different cruise.
Another potential problem is the process of using a third party to book a cruise. While in the vast majority of cases, you’ll find the system works seamlessly, it does provide one more thing that can go wrong in the process. Agents can and do make mistakes which are not the responsibility of the cruise lines. A perusal of some of the complaints against Vacations to Go at the BBB (where the company holds an “A+” rating) shows that the chain of responsibility is not always clear between a third party and the cruise line.
For example, in their response to one BBB complaint, Vacations to Go stated that they can’t give advice regarding visas: “Vacations To Go is not able to give visa advise due to the constantly changing requirements worldwide.”
Price Guarantee
Vacations to Go offers a “Price Guarantee” which reads:
We work with every major cruise line in the world, and you’ll find their lowest authorized prices on this site. However, if you ever find a lower price for the same ship, date and stateroom category, before booking, we’ll match it.
On their paid advertisement at How Life Works, Vacations to Go describes the price guarantee:
Vacations To Go has also developed a Best Price & Service Guarantee that guarantees they will meet any other authorized price–so, if getting the best deal is important, look no further.
This guarantee, however, has its limitations. Consider the company’s response to a BBB complaint, which states:
“The cruise line has reduced the price of the remaining inventory but for new bookings only. Unfortunately, cruise lines do not retroactively lower the rates for all the passengers previously booked.”
Our Vacations to Go Experience
We booked a cruise for two from Los Angeles to Mexico for a discounted rate of about $250 per person. The same offer was available directly from the cruise line, as it was listed on their website as a “Best Price” offer.
We did not encounter any problems in booking with Vacations to Go, nor did we have any extenuating circumstances which required any additional assistance, such as price guarantee or cancellation – which are the most discussed points of contention from negative reviewers online.
Mixed Reviews
As of this writing, internet reviews for Vacations to Go vary wildly. Yelp readers, for example, give the company a 4-star rating, while Consumer Affairs reviewers average only a 1.5-star mark. You may also want to peruse this discussion on Trip Advisor. The majority of Pissed Consumer’s complaints revolve around airfare, customer service, and failure to price match. Over on Complaint’s Board, Vacation to Go reviews are mixed.
Bottom Line
Cruise deals can be found at Vacations to Go, and our simple transaction with the company went off without a hitch. Some customers may find that the quality of customer service offered by Vacations to Go does not always measure up to its impressive list of discounted prices. Your satisfaction with the company will likely hinge on the quality of your rep. It pays to shop around, and we recommend booking your own airfare and hotels related to any cruise you book with Vacations to Go.
Your Vacations to Go Reviews
Have you used Vacations to Go? Give us your reviews in the comments below.