"Optional" Tour

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★★☆☆☆
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From 134 reviews
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Guest's review of Saga Holidays

“"Optional" Tour”

★★☆☆☆

written by on 18/09/2013

My wife and I have recently had a SAGA holiday in the in the Oceania Club & Spa Hotel in Halkidiki, Greece. The hotel was fine but the main reason for this choice was the opportunity to visit the sites of Alexander the Great on an optional excursion. The availability of this was confirmed by SAGA on the phone, in details included in information sent and in information handed out by the rep. However no mention of this trip was made at the welcome meeting and when we enquired of the rep. concerning this we were told that "an hour and a half on a coach was too long for SAGA guests". On our return we complained to SAGA and they, after checking with the rep. dismissed our complaint, saying that the rep. had publicised the trip both at the meeting and at a cocktail party. Subsequently SAGA admitted that the trip had not run for three seasons. We appreciate that travel companies cannot guarantee that optional excursions will always run but consider that using an optional trip that has not run for three years as a selling point for a holiday is a serious misrepresention.

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Sagacustomerrelations's Comment

Written on: 04/10/2013

Hello, Saga Customer Relations here - it’s concerning to read your comments as we’d certainly never want to mislead our passengers regarding the content of any holiday. If you’re able to contact us directly at [email protected] with your booking details we’ll happily have a closer look at these issues for you. In the meantime we wish you well for your future travels.

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Exsagafan's Comment

Written on: 13/10/2013

I was impressed by SAGA's comment, unfortunately less than impressed by the fact that when I emailed them as suggested eight days ago they did not reply, or even acknowledge this

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Sagacustomerrelations's Comment

Written on: 17/10/2013

Hello again, please be assured we respond to every email, letter and telephone call we receive in accordance with ABTA guidelines – I’ve checked and we don’t appear to have received anything pertaining to your holiday – perhaps you could email us again at [email protected] or write to us at our postal address: Customer Relations, Saga Holidays, Enbrook Park, Sandgate, Kent CT20 3SE so we can investigate further.

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Exsagafan's Comment

Written on: 11/11/2013

SAGA have now acknowledged that: the holiday "was not being monitored" [as it should have been]; that they have "identified some areas of improvement"; and that "sometimes [they] do make a mistake". However they will not agree to any compensation, even a few pounds off another holiday. BUT GUESS WHAT - they are still advertising this optional excursion on their web site

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Sagacustomerrelations's Comment

Written on: 14/11/2013

Good morning, Saga Customer Relations here – we’re currently in the process of reviewing all optional excursions and will remove those that struggle to reach minimum numbers, so those we do offer are highly likely to operate - our brochures and website will be updated with this information as soon as possible. In the meantime we wish you well for your future travels.

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Exsagafan's Comment

Written on: 14/11/2013

Good - but since this excursion has not run for three seasons I would have thought that the penny would have dropped by now

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