It took me to every floor and A) the offices are gorgeous! What a waste of time and money. They claim the $700.00 is money that was already spent to secure travel details. Cancelled tour Tampa to DC December 28 2023, Student and Chaperone cancelled trip w/o reasonable compensation, I would like a refund, minus my travel protection plan please, I would like to reimbursed for being a chaperone. We understand that plans can change due to unforeseen circumstances. Then we were all split up-- which made trip pointless- and we were told we couldn't leave airport, nor could they find flights to make it all the the way home. Later, we got ahold of them by phone - an unprofessional clerk clearly working at home with tv blaring in background - told us we can only get a refund for all but the deposit s. We advised t hat this is theft since we paid money and got absolutely nothing for it. This will not work for many reasons, first I we are most likely moving. If the case moves forward and settles, anyone affected should receive notice of the settlement with instructions on what to do next. I have traveled extensively with Expedia, always buy travel insurance, and am covered for any thing, from war to terrorism, to a pandemic. Have had 2 separate travel experiences with EF. This browser does not support PDFs. Due to several life altering disasters I had to cancel the trip 18 months in advance. They want to keep $1000 each child therefore I will loss $2000. They had the nerve to tell me if I find a replacement that they will waive $300 of the cancellation fees. This company is a rip off send your complaints to your states Attorney General! 3) They pretend that you can extend your student's trip. and the kind of learning that prepares students for the future and I can supply all correspondence that my group coordinator had. EF Ultimate Break Enroll online or call 800-766-2645. When you decide to travel with EF, we want you to feel secure in that decision. document.write(dt.getFullYear() ); EF Educational Tours provides educational, worldwide tours for students and parents. 1. I wouldve never signed up for any trip with the Covid restrictions that are now imposed. Claim it and get a lot of features. They make go in circles and have excuse after excuse. Future Travel Vouchers are transferrable at the face value of the voucher to members of the travelers immediate family or school community. He has an unexpected stopover in Munich and no One accompanies him as he Is out of the group I called customer service today and she actually told me that "no executive decision has been made yet" 6 days before a tour. They are all F-ing scum I hope all involved lose every penny they ever made and become homeless. We also were traveling to all the countries during the world cup. Help Center; How It Works; About EF; Blog; Customer Reviews; Stay connected. Any contract such as the EF SWISS Immunity Clause that gives one side so much power is just the kind of absurd bargain no man in his senses and not under delusion would make on the one hand, and as no honest and fair man would accept on the other described in Hume v. United States (1889) 132 U.S. 406, 411; see also Harper v. Ultimo (2003) 113 Cal.App.4th 1402, 1409 (noting that Faust, depending on which version of the story you read, might or might not end up going to hell because he freelyand without duresssold his soul to the Devil But someone who makes a faustian pact to become someone elses slave in our system is going to find that, among other things, the deal is unconscionable, period, end of discussion., As you are well aware, and under applicable California law, your Swiss clients' conduct in inserting such unconscionable clauses into contracts it makes with American counter-parties results in $1,000 per contract fines; awards of punitive damages as well as liability for my legal bills (which are considerable and growing every day). Not sure if this company is based out of the US but they definitely do not support the military and all aspects of the roles and responsibilities of service members. The next day, on March 17, EF emailed the first consumer with the same cash refund offer of $1,000 less than what she paid, the suit says. We would like a refund of cash to use for real educational purposes. Before we will give you [the EF Defendants] wire transfer instructions and thereafter accept any monies on behalf of any of our clients, however, we [McGrane PC] will insist on a clear written agreement that our acceptance of such payments on their behalf is without prejudice to their rights to seek further legal recourse against the EF Defendants on any theory available to them in law, equity or by virtue of statute. Kinda defeats the whole concept of insurance. Group tours EF Ultimate Break only provides group tours. local tour guides including Blanca, Roseanna and others were so kind and polite. Benefits of the Peace of Mind program are only available to the entire group and not to individual travelers unless specifically indicated. One thing is guaranteed. Subject to policy limits and exclusions. 2. Careers at EF. They are making a profit off of cancellations!!!! Private Tour with seven travelers (and your group can be as large as you'd like) Free travel! Trip Cancellation coverage The day before trip, we were told cancelled due to civil unrest. You can find further details of the policy, coverage limits, and exclusions here. Joining the EF family means you'll have the support of our community of educators, tour architects, operations wizards, and ever-curious explorers. The plaintiff alleges, however, that EFs communications to consumers regarding refunds have been inconsistent and caused utter confusion as to what relief will be provided. UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 3:00 PM PDST May 15, 2020. ", UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 3:00 PM PDST April 24, 2020, On April 24, 2020, William McGrane wrote to Richard Schirtzer: "Let me clarify for everyone. If you booked a trip like this as an adult, you would scream from the rooftops for a refund but since these are kids, apparently EF doesn't have to listen because there will be another crop of unsuspecting students waiting to go next year. McGrane PC. I too have had a very disappointing experience with the cancellation My daughter is currently Begging to do EF tour with school and I know best price discount removed after booking. There are several hidden fees which totaled $1,300! That is the fact they hawked the [travel] insurance right in their own booking agreement . Customer service is the WORST! The people who sign up for this type of group tour deserve better vetting of other group members before tour starts. . As a working class family that was attempting to give our child a wonder experience, I am outraged that a company would gain such a profit off of a cancellation! Cost: $490* This plan includes coverages that can provide a benefit in the unlikely event a traveler should need to return home unexpectedly due to a natural disaster or unrest. The Global Travel Protection Plus plan must be purchased when you book your tour. You get the maximum value out of your voucher when you use it toward travel. The defendants placed the clause in their 2019-2020 adhesion contracts despite being aware of the potentially calamitous effects of global public health emergencies that have long been predicted as very likely to occur; The contract was presented to consumers on a take it or leave it basis; Consumers were lulled into a false sense of security since trusted teachers acted as the middlemen between the students and EF, leading consumers to believe that EF had their best interest in mind; A public health emergency would likely result in EF not being able to schedule any future tours and could hinder the defendants ability to honor the travel vouchers; and. We were also mostly stuck eating gas station food because we either arrived too late for dinner at the restaurants, or we were unable to eat in restaurants because of the big games going on. EF's Emergency Service & Support Team is available 24/7 to resolve any issue, from a missed flight to a lost passport to more serious on-tour incidents. I was so angry but nothing was done about it. EF never notified the trip leader or travelers of this cancellation. . Company is stealing 500.00 saying that is the cancelation policy. On February 5, 2021, defendants EF Institute for Cultural Exchange, Inc. (EF Institute), EF Education First International, Ltd. (EF International), and EF Explore America, Inc. (EF America) filed a motion to dismiss Plaintiffs Second Amended Complaint (Dec 7, 2020). These assholes cancelled a trip that we had already paid in full for to Italy and Greece, then they cancelled the trip, and then they refused to give out any refunds, even if you had insurance. Additionally why would you spend my money ahead of time if you cannot secure the end result as promised? 3:20-cv-00508-gpc-blm stating: Dear Mr. Schirtzer: As you are aware, I am counsel of record to the named putative class representative plaintiff Natalia Grabovsky and you are counsel of record for EF Institute for Cultural Exchange, Inc. (EFCAL) As you discussed with my colleague Michael Hassen, EFCAL and its co-defendant in the referenced matter, i.e., EF Education First International, AG a/k/a EF Education First International Ltd. (EFSWISS) have been jointly engaged in tendering various types of consideration ranging from redeemable travel vouchers to lawful money of the United States to members of the putative class in the referenced matter to ameliorate any harm caused such putative class members as a result of the inability of EFCAL and/or EF SWISS to timely provide bargained for goods and services to the putative class members and their minor children. Call us: Teachers and Group Leaders 800-637-8222 Students and Parents 800-665-5364 Careers at EF View Opportunities Join a Free Coronavirus Failure to Refund Class Action Lawsuit Investigation Avoid at all costs! Day two in London we were trying to go on the bus tour however EF tours gave the bus tour the wrong number of people so because the bus that came to pick us up was too small, we were forced to visit the locations by foot and by train. So they offered vouchers that were only good for up to 18 monthsUP TO 18 MONTHS! There were about 4 pages of fine print and legal jargon that was confusing. Why am I being charged a total of $550 in cancellation fees? So, if you are not able to use the voucher or attend the rescheduled tour, as in my case, then you paid EF Tours THOUSANDS of dollars for nothing! ", Later on April 24, 2020, Richard Schirtzer wrote to William McGrane: "To make sure we have a common understanding on who your clients are, may I ask you to have someone in your office prepare a complete list of the current clients who have retained you and Michael to pursue claims against EF? We will incorporate new procedures where appropriate as part of the comprehensive safety measures that are standard on every EF tour. Along with others from our tour, in Quite we were then shuttled to a holding room near the airport terminal , no water, no food, one bathroom, Their local guide had no information. What a bunch of criminals, these people should all be locked up and forced to go out of business. On September 8, 2020, and over vigorous objection, federal District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel granted a motion to change venue from the Southern District of California to the District of Massachusetts that had previously been filed by the EF Defendants and set for hearing on September 11, 2020. Date: Tue, Jun 28, 2022, 9:41 AM This company is a scam and has stolen millions of dollars from parents on fraudulent trips that never happen. To be eligible, the traveler must enroll on a tour at least 110 days prior to the scheduled departure date. Said she would pay for it herself as the total cost for her to go alone would be enough to take my entire family on a nice vacation. . steer clear of this scam! How on earth is this justifiable? Why is no one investigating them for fraudulent business practices, deceptive practices, false advertisement, etc, etc, etc?? I could honestly go on for 10 pages about the terrible food and the fact that you will only be given warm milk, cereal, coffee and last night's rolls for breakfast every day! Perhaps you and [Michael Hassen, plaintiffs co-counsel] could discuss this next week and come up with a stipulation we could jointly present to the judge and then refer putative class members to?. I have requested my money back. 3:20-cv-00508-gpc-blm stating: "Dear Mr. Schirtzer: As is evident from Exhibit 1, which can be accessed here https://mcgrane.egnyte.com/fl/RMoGMnDV6Z , and in addition to my representation of the named plaintiff class representative in the referenced matter, I represent numerous individuals who are presently absent putative class members in the referenced matter. Wife has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and will not be able to make this trip. Why would I need to do the work for them? She signed up October 1 and we had to cancel Oct 14 due to conflicts with my work schedule. I struggled to pay for this trip and now after paying for travel insurance also they are denying full refund. So we were unable to go out and see the cities on our own time like we were promised. their futures. al., United States District Court for the Southern District of California Case No. The Global Travel Protection Plus planprovides a refund of the Program Price (minus the cost of the plan and other non-refundable fees) if your child needs to cancel their tour up to 24 hours prior to departure for any reason. Ms. Alaina Kommer from Grant High School does only think about herself and her travelling experience. var dt = new Date(); 3. Please contact me immediately if there are any questions or comments by either EFCAL or EFSWISS about the contents of this letter. EF Educational Tours (international) EF Tours for Girls; EF Educational Tours Canada; EF College Study; EF Ultimate Break; EF Go Ahead Tours; EF Gap Year Privacy Policy | Copyright When I told them that nowhere in their cancellation policy where the egregious fees stated they said Well thats what they are now that compelling itineraries should be full of It was necessary for a family member to go to Costa Rica. Emilia with EF shared that she could not update my status to chaperone and refused to be flexible during a pandemic during unexpected changes due to it being past the 45 day threshold. EF Tours, however, did not want to refund all the money during the quarantine. A more personalized on-tour experience. We were quoted a price and told the insurance was a great thing to have because with it you could cancel up to 24 hrs before the trip for a full refund minus the cost of insurance. 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