Has any one else sufferred as a result of questionable business practises of Sunquest vacations. Is the following common practise in the industry: They sold my wife and I a vacation package for a 5-star resort that was not even built yet (Ocean Sands Hotel in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic) and didn't tell us anything until less than two weeks before our departure date. They offered to switch us to their sister hotel in the same resort (Ocean Blue Hotel). Less than one week before our vacation, we found out that that hotel was still under construction and that we could not be accomodated there. All Sunquest would offer us in exchange was a much lower rated resort package with a $50 credit or our money back. They were unpleasant, not compassionate in the least, and just plain rude. They messed up the vacations of literally hundereds of people who were booked at these resorts in January. Have they been doing this at other resorts as well? It is our opinion that they conduct business in a dishonest and crooked manner. Anyone seeking to book a vacation package with Sunquest should visit some of the message boards online and read how they have treated their customers. In retrospect, it would have been worth it to pay a few hundred dollars more to book with an decent tour company just to save the stress, bewilderment, anger, and disappointment. That is not how booking a vacation is supposed to make you feel.

Signed content new Sun Wing Vacation customers, Matt Guest and Trudy Moore

I've just moved your post to the general category in Hotels and Travel, friend.

Your story certainly sounds like a cautionary tale, even if no one else has an experience to share. Best of luck with your new company.

Chris

Hello,

My husband and I have just experienced the worst holiday we have ever been on, and regret booking through www.sunholidays.com. This was our first vacation, and we had saved up for 2 years to go on a "tropical honeymoon." We carefully selected Playa Pesquero, a 5 star resort in Holguin, Cuba. We departed from Vancouver International airport on January 4th, 2005 and upon arriving in Holguin, we were told that the resort we were supposed to stay at was closed because of a drought. We were told we were going to another resort in Cayo Coco that was supposed to be a 4+ star, and only 4 1/2 hours away. We arrived 6 1/2 hours later, at 2:30 AM. Some other buses took 7 1/2 hours to get there. Our room was dirty, and the toilet was also broken. We were thankfully moved into another room. The resort we stayed at did not nearly have the selection of restaurants, snorkling off the beach, a nearby town, or dolphins like Playa Pesquero has. We were very unhappy with our stay, and could have stayed at our original resort with no guarantee of water, toilets, or air conditioning if we signed a waiver from Sunquest revoking their liability. We were offered $50 from Sunquest, which is insulting. We found out that some other resorts in Holguin closed, and some people in 3 star resorts got to stay at Play Pesquero. We feel like we were treated unfairly, and dishoneslty, as others were given the option to cancel their trip or take a travel voucher due to the drought situation. I will not book with Sunquest again. The drought was beyond their control, but I gladly would have rebooked to stay at the place I wanted to.

The Ottawa Citizen newspaper reports that a class action law suit against Sunquest and other companies has been filed in several Canadian Provinces in regards to vacation packages to Holguin, Cuba this winter.

Details may be found on the Merchant Law Group's web site at www.merchantlaw.com . Their phone number is 1 866-653-7777.

DON’T use Sunquest. Just because you book and pay for a trip doesn’t mean you’ll be going anywhere! No one has ever heard about what happened to me happening to anyone else. Everyone should be warned that Sunquest is getting so big they obviously have no regard for satisfying their customers. I booked a trip 7 Jan to the Riu Palace Macao in Punta Cana. Was spending more than I ever thought we would, but since we hadn't been away in almost 14 years of marriage and two children, we thought it would be great for the four of us. The trip was paid in full 11 February and I received a call 9 March informing me my trip was cancelled; put the bags away cause you’re going no where. There is not enough space to tell of the anxiety my family experienced in the days to follow. Besides, no one gave a damn, certainly not Sunquest. Needless to say, I contacted Sunquest's online Customer Support as soon as possible and have still had no response two weeks later. The rep I spoke with on the phone only reinforced my belief that Sunquest is arrogant and will not hesitate to bully their customers. Sunquest expressed no regret, I didn’t even receive an apology for what happened. They said they would return my money, without penalty, how big of them. I didn’t want my money back, I wanted a vacation! Time had been booked off work, teachers had been spoken with. We were also offered the insulting $50 voucher for each adult for our next Sunquest vacation, as if that's going to happen! I have never felt so victimized by anyone or anything in my life. I had such high hopes and really expected so much more. Now, when my family should be packing our bags, we are left feeling abused. “Avoid the disappointment, don’t use Sunquest!” is the advice I’ll give anyone I hear of that’s booking a trip.

You guys really need to post this info as reviews so it will be seen by lots of folks.... these message boards are for members only, but a review can be seen by anyone.


Doc

Here's my experience with Sunquest Vacations(Downers Grove, Illinois office)...

I purchased many vacations and specifically told the manager who closed the deal that I want to vacation in Vail Colorado. The manager promised that they owned resorts in Vail.

The salesman prepared the contract and I thought I was on my way to Vail this skiing season. I made a reservation request and found that Sunquest does not own property in Vail. I called the customer service number and demanded that my contract be voided as I was lied to about the property Sunquest owned.

Sunquest obliged and persuaded me not to contact the Better Business Bureau. I guess they don't like strikes against them with the Better Business Bureau.

What a waste of time. I spent 2 hours listening to a presentation and signing paperwork.

I'm glad they admit to their unethical business practices by voiding my contract. I do however feel sorry for the sales reps, they work hard and must allow a manager to explain and lie about the details and to me they are being lied to also. I bet they lose their commission too when the contract they prepared is canceled or void.

Smuck of a company. I don't recommend it.

My wife signed up for this raffle inside the Fox Valley mall, after seeing the prize, a Porsche Boxster car. A few weeks after, we received a message that we won a 3 days/2 night Marriott hotel stay and a $500 shopping spree. We got excited cause we never won a prize before and the holidays are coming so a shopping spree would be good. After calling the 800 number provided, there was indeed a catch. My wife and I will have to seat in for an hour to view a marketing promotion that Sunquest has to offer and the usual, they always say, "no purchase necessary." Since we are a sucker of free stuff, who is not? we drove to their new Downers Grove office, located in the corner of Finley and Butterfield Road.

After a half hour listening to what Sunquest is all about, why Sunquest is different from a timeshares, why they are cheap blah blah blah blah in a closed room, the group we are in were then picked up by these young adult kids who who look like they just graduated from college or still in college. Note, every couple has their own representative to accompany them to another room and talk further on the vacation package; here's what I can remember, 30-week vacation packages for $12,000 and will not be affected by inflation. It can be paid with a credit card w/c by the way was the question they ask when you call the 800 number, if the caller has a valid credit card, or go the route of downpayment then $150 monthly payments going forward. Since the apprentice college kid seems like he wasn't able to get us to purchase the vacation package only offered through that day; pressure selling, one of the sales director came to sit down with us and even offered us down to a $50/month payment. What an offer? Another one of those sales strategy. To no avail, my wife and I are not going to purchase a vacation package without thinking about it overnight or a few days or a week. We left the Sunquest office an hour and a half with our hotel and shopping spree vouchers only to find out something else... the shopping spree voucher is only good at one site - www.WSNRewards.com, shipping & handling not included and can only be used for one checkout. simply put use all $500 worth of the shopping voucher but pay $175 S&H. Good deal? find out for yourself. Mind you, when they can't convince us anymore to purchase the package, we felt a different tone and one can feel a change in the atmosphere. If it sounds so good, it probably is.

A day after, I went online and typed the site address. What a horrible CRAPPY site it is. The site offers very limited, CRAPPY not known brand products and most of the products S&H cost seems like the cost of the product itself.

I still have to look further on their hotel voucher cause it seems like it has a risk as well. Till then, don't ever be fooled by this kind of marketing ploy especially purchase anything without thinking about it for a week or a month. Watch out for my review on the travel voucher they gave us.

Here's a question to Sunquest, if Sunquest is really a wholesaler of condo style resort vacations, WHY OFFER A PACKAGE THAT CONSUMERS PAY IN ADVANCE FOR A 30-WEEKS VACATION PACKAGES?? WHY NOT OFFER IT LIKE ALL THE OTHER VACATION PACKAGES WHERE IT'S ALL LAID OUT FOR THAT PARTICULAR DESTINATION AND DATES - NO PRESSURE SELLING, NO LONG TERM COMMITMENT, NO SIT-INS AND PLEASE NONE OF THOSE PRESSURE STYLE SELLING???

Do you have a number where sunquest can be reached? Me and my husband fell for the same thing - only to find we cannot get these people on the phone to cancel. Thanks.

The last comment made by jerrymse on the 12th.....have you gotten a number to call? If so, did they let you cancel?

Me and my boyfriend recently signed up for a package as well consisting of $3,000. I am wondering if I should now cancel it? BUT - I think it states somewhere in our contract that neither us nor Sunquest could cancel our contract???

Let me know if you hear anything?

Thanks!

Sunquest Vacations Saved me a lot of money.... I dono what you guys are complaining about... I bought 6 weeks of vacations from them for 3,000 and i have used 5 vacations so far 3 of my prepaid ones and 2 acess inventory weeks. The acess inventory weeks only costed me 198 bucks each... For a whole week and we stayed in a 1250 sq ft Condo. You can't beat that i dono what you guys are talking about. I went to myrtle Beach twice... Ocean City twice... and the winsconsin Dells. I had a Blast everytime with all of my friends and we stayed in a furnished condo. I totaly Recomend sunquest i was previously spending at least 2000 bucks for my vacations now it costs me on average about 400 bucks for the whole week. I know i vacation and it made sense to me so i bought it and I have saved Thousands of Dollars thanks to Sunquest. Sunquest Keep up the good work i will be coming back to buy another package very soon :) Nick

No response as of yet - and I don't have a number. If you have one for them - please let me know. Thanks

I recently was called into to recieve gifts from sunquest vactions and sat through there presention and I DID buy one of there smaller packages, and so far i've been to Bora Bora, and Cancun. Without the help of Sunquest I would not have been able to do so. I don't have money to spend on expensive vacations, through sunquest I was able to take a second honeymoon with my wife plus 5 other vacations for the price of one. Believe me I have sat through many sales presentations that are similar to sunquests and they actually did provide me and my family with what they had promised. So if your going in for the free gifts and not with the idea of taking some tropical vacations then stop the online bashing because for the people who do actually like to vacation at wholesale prices this is a great idea. So intead of canceling why don't you actually go out and try them they do have some great properties. Oh and I have the number but i'm not going to give it to you chumps.

I have just returned from a two week vacation ( Feb 14th -28th ) which I booked through Sunquest and I am so glad that those of you who are praising Sunquest, saved so much money.
I don't fall under the same catagory as I just booked a vacation package to the Dominican free willingly through Sunquest without having to sit in on some sales promotion or sales pitch and I wasn't even offered a gift for booking with them but let me tell you that Sunquest is not what they make themselves out to be!
I have come to the conclusion after reading all these posts that the only reason you people who saved so much money on your packages is because of people like myself ( and I am sure there are a million out there like me ) who paid Sunquest big bucks for their all inclusive resort package and got nothing but a run down resort with not even half of the amenities, poor representitive services and a contract with an airline that almost killed myself and my family upon arrival!
Yeah, Sunquest can afford to hire a few students to put on a little show and give a few people a nice break on their vacation packages because they scam millions of others every day!

I have had part of the same experience like "gfre0705" did. My wife and I attended the Rosemont RV show last weekend and filled out an entry form to win a car. Today a week later we received a message on our answering machine that we too have won a 3 days/2 night Marriott hotel stay and a $500 shopping spree. I called the 800 number and was told all the same details and that I would not have to buy anything but listen to an hour presentation about various travel packages and how they are prepared so that if we want to travel in the future we might select SunQuest. They told me next Tuesday at 4:30 pm was available and that since I selected the 4:30 time I was entitled to a bonus gift certificate good at Olive Garden or Red Lobster good for a year. Well thanks to all the kind people that provided feedback, I will not be attending this apparent scam.

The phone number left on my answering machine for me to call to collect my 2 night and 3 day Marriot Hotel stay is 1-800-309-7000 x308 I was told to ask for Brittany who when I called, was on another call.

Sundance Vacations; Sunquest Vacations and Sunstream Vacations are all one and the same.

Their headquarters are located at 744 Kidder Street - Wilkes Barre, PA. 18702 They also have offices in Princeton, NJ; Rockaway, NJ; Brookfield, WI and Illinois.

If you "Google" Sundance Vacations, you will be directed to a web site known as "Scam.com," which will offer you an abundance of information. Here is the link to that web site:

http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=2575 (You may have to cut and paste this site address)

Just had a missed call on my cell from this 1-800 number. before I checked the voicemail I googled the number and came across this and a few other sites. Virtually all the stories we the same...Didn't win that car just yet, but you did win a 3day/2night Marriott getaway and an internet shopping spree (usually $1000 or $500) and no purchase necessary. So I checked my voicemail. Indeed, I didn't yet win that Hummer that I entered to win at that Sixers game, but I did qualify for a 3day Marriott romantic trip for two and a $500 shopping spree online...absolutely no purchase necessary. Normally I'd give a call back and see what the deal is. Thanks to all you you folks who shared their stories, I won't even bother. You think they'd catch on to the fact that people are sharing their scam stories.

try sunquest 18774856060 . i don't know if that is the right department you are looking for but maybe they can steer you in the right direction. It said sunquest vacations and I called and the number worked.

HAVE ANY OF YOU PEOPLE EVER THOUGHT OF SAVING YOURSELF A HEADACHE AND GETTING A TRAVEL AGENT?

“I went to the 'informational interview' at the Sunquest Vacations location in Downer's Grove, IL today. While I do not know of the quality of the actual vacations here's what I discovered during and after the visit.

The initial offer is 30 weeks of vacation (vacations can only be booked in one week increments) for $12,000 ($400 per week). You also have to pay $99 per week booking fee (for every vacation week booked) and $210 per week for peak and holiday weeks (I was told that approx 75% of the year is considered peak or holiday) for a total of $709 per week. The lodging is supposed to be 'Condo' style and will not include regular maid service or room service. To guarantee availability you must book 60 days in advance for regular season, 90 for peak and 180 for holiday. The lodgings are supposed to have at least one bedroom and a living area with a couch (pull out bed). You may be able to get additional bedrooms for $210 per week per bedroom. You can either pay the total up front or put down a $2500 deposit and pay the rest at a 16.75% interest rate. There is also a $319 annual fee (regardless of the number of vacations 0-51 you book that year). Vacation rentals are not offered during the week between Christmas and New Year.

You also qualify to book last-minute availability-based vacations at $198 per week. Availability for these vacations are published up to six weeks in advance (no guarantee that you will be able to get an available slot).

When I declined this offer, the director came over to give me the following alternative. 8 weeks for $3000 ($375 per week + $99 per week booking fee + most likely $210 per week peak/holiday premium). $1500 down and the rest at $25/month for 60 months with no interest.

Once this too was refused, I was taken to a third person who gave me the free two-night hotel stay and $500 shopping spree vouchers.

In order to use the hotel nights, I first need to mail the voucher with a $50 deposit. They will then send me a reservation request form. I need to mail that back with two dates (not consecutive - actually at least 30 days apart) that are at least 60 days in the future. They do not guarantee that I will get the dates I want (in fact they suggest not asking for anything within 7 days of a major holiday). They do not explicitly state that I can pick the hotel (or even the city) that I want to stay in, so I do not know if they will assign a random city for my two one-day stays. They promise to return the $50 deposit 30 days after completion of travel (as long as I contact them to ask for it).

The $500 internet shopping spree can only be used at GoShoppingMall.com. The buyer is responsible for shipping and handling (which can be as much as $99 - based on a quick look through the limited merchandise). I did a couple of spot checks and found that I could buy what they were offering elsewhere for less than the S&H fee on this site.

Overall, I did not get any financial benefit from my visit (didn't lose much either since I didn't buy any packages). I did learn a lot about hard selling and misusing numbers (the saleswoman quoted some numbers on how much vacations are supposed to cost and the inflation rate that is supposed to apply to vacations - the numbers did not seem quite correct, but I wasn't in a position to dispute it at the moment). I learned about how information can be obscured in plain sight (they never said that you will have to pay $210 per week extra for most vacations, but they did say that you have to pay $30 per night extra for peak/holiday stays and that most (75%) of the year is considered peak/holiday and you have to book in increments of 7 days regardless of how long you stay).

So I think the knowledge gained was worth the hour and a half I spent at Sunquest. Don't know if the deal is worth it (probably not - but don't know enough to make the call). I just didn't want to spend my money on it.”