Mini Vacations Inc.

I have just recieved a voucher for a free cruise with either RCCL,NCL,or Carnival. I would like to do the RCCL and would like to know if anyone has had any business with this company. Also do you have any problem with booking a cruise that you wanted to do?

mike

What's the catch? I'm sure they didn't just send you a voucher for a free cruise out of the goodness of their hearts.

Chances are, if they want you to buy something, you'll be better off paying for the cruise.

Rich

I believe in the old saying, if it seems too good to be true it probably isn't. There has to be a catch.

from their web site:

MVI Vacation Certificates provide you with one of the strongest motivational products available because of the high perceived value of a luxury vacation package

also:

Subject to applicable taxes and processing fees.

Subject to terms and conditions. Recipient is responsible for government taxes, port charges and processing fee.

for more see:

http://www.minivacations.com/about.asp

Call me skeptical, but I still think there is some type of "catch". There are not to many "free" things in life when companies are involved.

Agree with the others, NOTHING is free! Read everything and check the BBB :D

###

There are lots of reports about this company on the newsgroup: news.admin.net-abuse.email. They SPAM. I personally think you should have your head examined if you choose to do business with a SPAMMER. There are no redeeming qualities about an organization that sends SPAM.

I also found several travel forums with many folks asking the same question. Everyone looking for something too good to be true.

Be wise.

Theron

These "free cruise" scams have been around for years, from many different companies... In the end you'll end up paying more than you would if you just went out and booked the cruise you want to go on!

Do yourself a favor and toss whatever you got, and just go book the cruise you want yourself.

We had a TON of trouble getting our free flight and hotel room to Vegas out of these guys. It took well over a year to finally get them to come through.

First, do they actually give you a phone number on any of the literature that will allow you to talk to a human being or does it just lead you to the dead end of recorded messages? It's been 3 or 4 years since we delt with them but, at that time there was no phone # on any of the material given to us that wasn't just a recorded message.

I finally found information on them online but still had to call directory assitance to get a phone # that got a real live person on the line. From that point forward I had to pick yet another travel date and then wait until a few weeks before we were scheduled to leave to get the form letter stating they couldn't got our dates and to pick again.

In the end, I finally got through to the travel agent that books there vacations. She, of course, asked me to choose another date. This time I told her I was tired of guessing and picking dates, she needed to tell me what was available and I'd choose from THOSE dates. That's how we FINALLY got our "free" trip after over 18 months of frustration.

I would no more do business with Mini Vacations than attempt to do rip out all of my own teeth with a pair of pliers. Whoever gave you this certificate is not your friend and they've done you no favor IMO.

BTW, or flight times sucked and the "hotel" in Vegas was the Lady Luck. We booked our own hotel but used the free flight to get there. We did get our deposit back about 12 months after we traveled.

One other thing. Every time they told us they couldn't get our dates, they sent along an offer to "upgrade" to a condominium land based vaction that we would have to drive to (or purchase our own airline tickets) for and addtional fee. MVI just plain sucks!

:mad: My parents received one of those cards from MVI. They asked them to come to a Time Share little presentation thing and the "free" cruise voucher would be mailed to them. Well, I usually handle all of the vacation stuff for my parents. So, I called Mini and they said that if we wanted to say in January (which is when we like to sail), then we would have to wait until September to book our cruise. Then, if it wasn't available, we have to pick another date and hope for the best. I told them, kiss my foot and no thank you!!!

What a CROCK!!!!!

That is how I got on my first cruise, not with by the company you are using. I thought I was getting a free cruise vacation package and they told me it was for NCL and Carnival to the Bahamas. After you talked to them on the phone call, the cruise was for Imperial Magesty (a cruise line I never heard of) and if you wanted to cruise NCL or Carnival you have to pay a $250 per person fee. I researched all the ships and we paid to go on Carnival. We got an ocean view for $250 per person during Memorial day week, which was probably still a slight savings, but in no way free.

We are glad we did it, because the cruising experience turned us on to a new form of travel. This time we booked our next Cruise through RCI directly.

But be careful, there are hidden costs and scams in everything. Ask a lot of questions. If it doesn't feel or sound right don't do it.

The "processing" fee is where they'll get ya!

Michele

You have to ask yourself....This is a business sending me this.If they are giving me a free cruise, how are they making money?It has to come from somewhere or ,by definition, they aren't a business.There isn't a CEO somewhere saying, "Hey, I heard about this guy in Kentucky that needs a vacation. Let's give him a cruise just for the heck of it."

I WOULD STAY AWAY. HOPE THIS INFORMATION HELPS.

I looked MVI under the Tampa BBB and it didn't look good. They are doing business under several names; Diamond Escapes Inc, Mini Vacation Travel Agency, Mini Vacations Inc., & MVI Marketing.

This company's type of business is classified as Vacation Certificate/Voucher Promotions. This firm offers a variety of cruise packages and vacation certificates to many resort destinations. To receive the accommodations, you must pay a refundable room deposit. The room deposit is refunded only after you validate your trip at the resort destination. While on some of the vacations, you will be offered to view a variety of vacation opportunities in the resort area. Additional restrictions and expenses may apply.

Consumers should be aware that dates, destinations and room accommodations are based solely upon space availability. Although you may make tentative reservations, only until you receive written confirmation are the reservations secured. Do not leave for your vacation until you receive written confirmation.

Customer Experience

The Bureau has received complaints concerning delays in receiving refunds and that the accommodations were not available for requested dates or destinations. The company has been responsive to complaints brought to its attention by the Bureau by rescheduling accommodations or issuing refunds.

The company offered a highly restrictive land/air vacation certificate in 2001 that has been the subject of many complaints. This product was discontinued in 2003.

Mini Vacations, Inc. has been meeting with the Bureau to address the complaints. The company has made a commitment to the Bureau to improve its complaint record and continues to work with the BBB to resolve the complaint history.

The BBB recommends that if you have any complaints or concerns, please contact Mini Vacations at (800) 315-1036 or by email at customerservice@minivacations.com prior to contacting the BBB.

When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.

The Bureau processed a total of 453 complaints about this company in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total of 453 complaints closed in 36 months, 104 were closed in the last year.

These complaints concerned:

13 Advertising Issues,

11 Selling Practices,

7 Delivery,

68 Product Quality Issues,

201 Refund Issues,

3 Contract Issues,

147 Customer Service, and

3 Credit and/or Billing Issues.

Additional DBAs, Addresses and Telephone Numbers

Additional Addresses

401 W Cattleman Rd Ste 200

Sarasota, FL 34232

Additional Phone Numbers

(813) 621-1400

(813) 621-1111

(813) 621-1777

(813) 246-5832

(813) 630-1841

(813) 626-8051

(877) 901-9238

(813) 621-1886

(800) 806-1828

(813) 769-4240

(813) 769-4252

(813) 769-3931

(813) 769-3937

(941) 552-2000

(941) 552-1980

(888) 269-0182

(800) 566-8281

(800) 315-1036

(800) 315-1037

(813) 621-2601

(813) 621-1400

(813) 246-9490