ComplaintsforSaltwater Excursions LLC

• Initial Complaint

  08/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a 5-seat fishing charter in June 2023 to occur on August 3 2023. About 9 days prior to the trip I left ******* a voice message about canceling the trip and wanted to know our options. She called the next day and said there was a zero refund if canceled within 60 days of the trip. So I said I will review the policy and confirm with her our decision. My wife then spoke to ******** and explained why we wanted to cancel (medical reasons). ******* agreed to refund my wife's seat as she may be unlikely to re-book the charter on short notice. The call concluded with ******* saying she will call us the next day and let us know what the plan was going forward. Two days later she said our entire booking was canceled We got canceled before we could agree on a path forward. When I inquired about a full refund the answer was no because we were with the no refund period. We got refunded for three seats, however, when I inquired about going on the charter with the remaining two paid-for seats, she said no. I suspect she already rebooked and did not have room for our two paid-for seats. Bottom line - we got canceled without permission and we did not get full refund.

  Business response

  08/05/2023

  On June 19 ****** called me stating he would like to book a fishing excursion with us for 5 people.  An invoice was sent for $2475.  It was promptly paid on June 20.  The invoice specifically says "We appreciate your business.  Receipt of payment agrees to Saltwater Excursions terms and conditions and reservation/cancellation policy.  Please review attachment prior to payment".  The attachment has been provided with this response  

  Several times I also suggest buying travel insurance in the memo and on my website.  My cancellation policy is also stated very clearly on my website.  

  The following is the from the memo.

  Cancellations made by Client

  Cancellations made by the client at least 31 days in advance will receive a refund less a processing fee of 20% IF AND ONLY IF the charter seats can be rebooked.  If you cancel within 31 days of your charter there will be no refunds, no exceptions.  All sales are final as stated above.

  On July 26th at 12:22 pm I received a message from ****** cancelling his trip. 8 days prior to his trip.  

  "Hey *******, this is *******************, we are booked with you guys to go out fishing, um halibut fishing next Thursday , um, I think that is the 2nd or 3rd of August, um, anyway, a week, a week from tomorrow, um, we need to go ahead and cancel, um, my wife , we flew up here and with her medical condition she did not have a good flight up and I think that being out on the water for any extended period of time is going to be too difficult um, so we need to go ahead and get that one cancelled.  Um Can you call me back and let me know, my phone number is 469-xxx-xxxx not sure what the cancellation policy is um just call me back and let me know what we need to do if we need to do anything or you can shoot me an email, I think you have my email address as you have communicated previously um and then sent the invoice etc. un its ****************** um yeah, just call me back, thanks, bye"

  I think from the voice mail  that was left it is ******* clear that he cancelled the trip.  I spoke to his wife after this voice mail was left and agreed to refund her seat.  I told her that the other 4 could still come.  She refused. She said they needed to do a family event all together, and if I didn't refund them the money they couldn't do that. I did have another employee listen to the entire conversation and can verify everything that was said.  My employee later suggested to them that they try a chargeback, in which they would not prevail as they agreed to my terms and conditions before paying for the charter, and the terms and conditions were very clearly laid out on the invoice, in the attachment and on my website.

  After careful consideration, I decided to meet them in the middle and refund 3 seats less processing fees.  I refunded them $1336.50.  According to my terms and conditions, they were not entitled to anything.  As charter operators we have 3 months to make our money and cancellations a week in advance are very difficult to rebook, therefore we have very strict cancellation policies.  

  After they did not receive their full refund they started sending me messages every hour border-lining on harassment; Threatening to go to the **** putting it all over social media, including telling everyone that referred them and the families they know in ******.  

  Their story kept changing.  I am sorry they feel they had to go to the BBB and file a complaint, but they agreed on the terms and conditions and knew that I was more than considerate by giving them a partial refund.  

   

   

   

  Customer response

  08/07/2023

   
  Complaint: 20426435
  
  I am rejecting this response because: it is only partially true. We did request cancellation of the entire trip until we learned of the zero refund policy. We were discussing with ******* our options including partial cancellations when were were fully cancelled.  What is absolutely false is us sending any threatening messages or multiple messages. I explained in my one text message that cancelling our charter without permission is unacceptable and we will provide feedback to the people that provided referrals
  

  I understand that there is a limited season for fishing trips but since when that gives anyone permission to cancel a charter without authorization. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

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