Insight Vacations
Insight Vacations Overview
The aggregated data is based on reviews and questionnaires provided by PissedConsumer.com users.
Insight Vacations has 2.3 star rating based on 46 customer reviews. Consumers are mostly dissatisfied.
100% of users would likely recommend Insight Vacations to a friend or colleague.
- Rating Distribution
Pros: Basic itinerary, Knowledgable tour director, Locations.
Cons: Customer service, Excessive driving on their coach between most countries, Lack of communication.
The aggregated data is based on reviews and questionnaires provided by PissedConsumer.com users.
Insight Vacations has 2.3 star rating based on 46 customer reviews. Consumers are mostly dissatisfied.
100% of users would likely recommend Insight Vacations to a friend or colleague.
- Rating Distribution
Pros: Basic itinerary, Knowledgable tour director, Locations.
Cons: Customer service, Excessive driving on their coach between most countries, Lack of communication.Recent recommendations regarding this business are as follows: "We Love Insight Vacations!", "Do not call", "DO NOT BOOK WITH INSIGHT!", "don't expect help from customer service as you'll be on hold on the phone for over an hour", "Use a travel agent do not go through them directly".
Most users want Insight Vacations to offer a solution to their issues.
Review authors value the most Number of Destinations and Website. Consumers are not pleased with Customer service and Exchange, Refund and Cancellation Policy. The price level of this organization is high according to consumer reviews.
Media from reviews
To cancel a vacation
User's recommendation: We Love Insight Vacations!!!
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerInformation
User's recommendation: Do not call
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified Reviewer | New York, New YorkDeserted in Jasper, Alberta, Canada with Covid--
Here's much of my letter of Insight. I sent it to the Tour Director and the CEO almost 2 months ago and have never had any response.
I am sharing this info with the hopes that Insight will understand from the customer's point of view what it is like to have to leave a trip from a remote town with someone who is sick with COVID. If you're going to have a Wellbeing Director, that person should be able to do more than take a COVID test and take your temperature.I could do that!! There was talk the first evening at dinner of helping to 'off-load' us in such situations. That's not accurate.
Maybe off-load us to Insight's legal specifications, but not in a kind, helpful way. Here's an outline of some of what transpired on Tues. and Weds--my head is still spinning to remember all of the nightmare.
Once we knew we were to depart, we called AON insurance, policy supplied/bought through Insight. Spent 45 minutes on phone getting and giving some info, but they do NOT help with hotels and flights.
They transferred me to another part of the company called Carefree Travel Assistance, but they just opened a case file.
Why they are
called travel assistance, I do not know since they do not help with any travel arrangements.
Above took approximately 90 minutes..
The hotel gave us late checkout until only 1:30 without flexibility. The Chateau Jasper wouldn't let us check in till 4:00. And the Chateau Jasper could
only take us for one night. Maybe when I learned this piece of info, I began to feel abandoned and stranded.
And furious. And what if we did have to quarantine for several days. I guess we'd have to assert our squatter's rights and not budge from the hotel? Not your problem?
I could have searched for another hotel to stay in Jasper for a few days, but we decided to try to head home.
We had to determine flights for each of us in the midst of all of the Airline cancellations, summer travel, etc. Which airport?
How do we get there? Well, it turns out that the airport transportation for $99 you gave us contact info for doesn't exist, at least not at the number
you supplied. We tried every local option we could find including, Brewster Express (no service from Jasper, only to Jasper), no Uber, no airport shuttle or anything like it since none leave early enough in the morning to be useful for getting to the airport on time.
In my responsibilities as a PR Director managing travel arrangements for thousands of authors for many years, I have vast experience at this, but this was excruciating. I am not exaggering when I say that it took me 90 minutes with insurance and then 4 hours to rebook flights while Lynn tried to find transportation to Edmonton which was 4 hours away.
I will spare you the report about multiple flight changes and airport nightmares on Wednesday but it's all part of the picture. Lynn left at 5am and finally got to Denver at 8pm MST. I left at 9:00am and got home at 10:30p EST.
Insight should absolutely not drop the ball in situations like this.
They should offer some help. I realize your group and bus had to leave for the day. Then a specialist from Insight should have stepped in. I know you thought giving us 2 phone numbers, our insurance policy number and the change in hotels would set us on the right track, but I'm sorry that it didn't happen and it was an incomplete process.
This was one of the most horrible travel nightmares I've encountered.
If Insight is going to have a Wellbeing Director, why couldn't she stay behind to help?
Why doesn't Insight have a system which immediately sets in motion either an agent to help or send a private car to get us out of this remote area of the country.
Sign a release--hah! It was a shameful, painful situation. What would they do if someone was totally incapacitated in Jasper and the group had to leave? Do a medical evacuation?
Would the bus have left still?
And I'd like to reiterate my frustration and disbelief at their phone system to have people stay on hold for more than an hour when they have to make contact!!!
This is a service business and one should expect some service. I'll give then the benefit of the doubt during Covid, getting back to business, and shortage of staff.
- Good accommodations
- Large choice of vacations
- Good value
- Well being director is a waste
Preferred solution: Apology
User's recommendation: don't expect help from customer service as you'll be on hold on the phone for over an hour
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerDO NOT BOOK WITH INSIGHT! Cancelled our tour & would not credit us for the travel insurance package we bought
Preferred solution: Full refund
User's recommendation: DO NOT BOOK WITH INSIGHT!
On hold for over one hour, never got a life person to talk uto
- Nobody answered phone
Preferred solution: Get back to me to book a tour
This review is written by an individual who has purchased the reviewed product/service and/or confirms being a paying customer of this company. Check our FAQ
Verified Buyer | Reno, NevadaHave not actually gone on a trip with them
We picked Insight because of the supposed better hotels, better locations, better food and more space on the coach. We have not gone on the trip yet but what a nightmare getting information!!!
Never book through them or on their website - go through a travel consultant. At least, they can then spend the hours on the phone waiting for an answer. If only Insights website allowed you to manage your reservation - like updating flight info or arranging for pickup at the airport.
I've sent 2 forms and an email - no response, so now on hold for the 3rd or 4th time trying to get information. Go through a travel agent - let them deal with insight and get the information you need
Preferred solution: I would like them to buy an call director that will call you back if there is over an hour wait - I would like an updated web sight that allows you to truly manage your booking - the only thing you can do now is make a payment. Awful
User's recommendation: Use a travel agent do not go through them directly
I’m unable to contact Insight Vacations vie phone or Email
Book travel
User's recommendation: Call early. There will be a wait.
Appallingly long waits. 2-3 hours in unacceptable.
Waited over an hour to talk to someone who could assist me.
User's recommendation: Put your phone on speaker until someone answers. Travel insurance didn’t help us.
Would not honor posted price on website
Preferred solution: Apology
User's recommendation: Take screen shot/picture of advertised price before you book.
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerHeld money by insight for canceled trip
- Good at stalling
- Yes they are
Preferred solution: Full refund
User's recommendation: Do not use them or give them any money.
This review is written by an individual who has purchased the reviewed product/service and/or confirms being a paying customer of this company. Check our FAQ
Verified Buyer |This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerRefund
Again, NO HELP here. We paid for the vacation and as far as they are concerned to bad what happened.
they are NOT going to HELP us other than offering us and discount on further travel with them. Well that is not going to happen as we will use someone else next time,...
We had to cut our vacation short because the Cairo airport was being closed. We had to book and emergency flight back to the United States @ a cost of $3,000.00
because of this we lost 6 days for the trip, 3 days 2 nights at hotel in Frankfurt Germany, Flight from Cairo to Frankfurt and flight from Frankfurt to Tampa, Florida.
We contacted Insight Vacations about a cash refund, but was told they will not issue a cash refund only a voucher for future travel.
We explained to them that due to health concerns that we would not be taking any future trips.
They still refused to give us a cash refund after contacting the 3 times.
A copy of one of our emails to them can be seen below.
Hello, received your answer to our request for a refund on our Egypt trip in March, you stated there would be no refund, just a future credit on another trip.
However, I have severe crippling Rheumatoid Arthritis & Osteoarthritis, that's the only reason we went to Egypt in the 1st place, before I can't walk anymore.
There will No more trips for us.
Especially out of country. I am seventy five years old & can hardly move, I would be glad to have my RA doctor write a letter explaining this problem & would appreciate a refund at this time.
Thank You, Mary Bruning
- Knowledgable tour director
- Tour guide
- Refund for loss
Preferred solution: Price reduction
User's recommendation: Unfair
Travel Agencies Expert Talks
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerCompany has cheated me out of money
Preferred solution: Full refund
User's recommendation: NEVER use this company. Their service is horrible!!
Follow up to my prior review
User's recommendation: Don't use this company!
Not accomodating to Handicap People
TIPS for hearing people to communicate with deaf people. Advice is to speak normally and clearly, make good eye contact, and above all, relax and be patient.
Insights needs to more with people with disabilities. Insight needs to gets disabilities procedures in place...
HOWEVER, 20 days on a bus was a bit much sitting on bus . With most of the bus sleeping during the duration of 9 hrs or longer for a week. Tour guide was very unaccomodating to people with disabilities. I am hard of hearing had lots of mishaps and unexplained coincidences as well as lots of miscommunications.
Missed shuttle bus with another couple as flight came in early. Had to get our own transit as bus and Tour guide wasn't there on time for our arrival. I've felt I was being picked upon do to my disabilities and had been humiliated and harassed during the tour. It was more then just unexplained coincidences I was being harassed and was a burden to everyone on the bus.
I now have extreme sensitivity in my hearing and some distortion as well.
Even my own voice is now distortion which I'm not accustom to hearing. This was sound-induced from the Vox box which tour director hooked up to her bus mircophone (July 8-9) and when I had my husband reach out to my travel agent to come home as I felt like a burden to everyone on the bus. Only to be told to stay. Then tour director upped the sound on the microphone on the bus while I was sitting in the front seat (July 13).
Which I'm still trying figure out why after I found the "Live Transcibe" app (July 11) where I could decifer speech to text is totally mind boggling to me. That evening I couldn't not make out any conversations at all with anyone at the dinner table as everything was distorted and muffled. With the ringing blare of fire whistles in both ears which kept me from sleeping that evening and had a major headache with my head pounding. Which, while in Alta I took a free day to rest my head the next day and went out on my own.
Unexplained Coincidences: Day 17, told told Tour Guide about both ears and her mircoohone being to loud.
Today mircophone was back to normal and no wifi was turned on so couldnt use my app to read from speech to text
It's extremely exhausting being HOH but now with this huge loss it's a major set back for me in socializing, with friends, and family.
I went from 60 to 80 decimals in my left ear. Down to 90 % in right ear in. Even after all the remapping the sounds are no longer the same as I heard before. Everything is now disorted and muffled no matter how they try to remap my hearing aids.
The sounds and hearing are forever lost. This is a huge major set-back for me.
Insight tours need to help people with disabilites unfortunately for me I walked away more loss then being helped. As Tour director couldn't be bothered. Evrn asked if she could give me times to board up on bus or an outline of tours.
Tour director response read your brochure and I don't have the exact times until we arrive.
It didn't just end with the torture of the blaring tinnitus as the micophones being turned up loud and/or lowered when in back of bus (couldn't tell). Microphones incidents happened after I had reached out to my travel agent saying I'd like to go home. BUT the way I was treated on the tour was totally unacceptable.
Missed dinner one night as I wasn't aware what time we were meeting up. Therefore, did my laundry that evening.
Another time, Tour guide led me to believe dinner was either reindeer or fish, told her I'd have salad, only to be told there's is no salad's.
Reindeer dinner comes with pototoes, that's it!" Tour guide said, "you'll eat reindeer, it's meat! When at dinner I asked Tour Guide was this the Reindeer Meat, she said, "no, no, no it's not!"
Unexplained Coincidences: had people on the bus who lead me to believe we're going to freeze up in the arctic circle. One women brought a jacket and people said, for me to buy one and took to me the store but was closed. They literally had me scrambling around looking for a last minute and happen to find a fleece sweatshirt which I never even wore during the entire trip.
As my green coat was more then enough for days in arctic, circle and even rainy days.
The same two people while on bus complained they were cold and pulled out their gloves while sitting on bus. Bus was comfortable and not cold. Head games??? Guess that was their way to see if they could get me to buying gloves and have a few more laughs on me.
Haven't a clue. Needless, to say I didn't fall for it after the jacket incident. I call it being harrased and humilated.
Unexplained Coincidences: another time while sitting in back of bus which I couldn't hear. I believe it to be either my hearing loss while I endured on the trip, or the mirophone was possibly lowered.
When Tour guide had called out to me on the bus. I never answered her when she called to me as I never even heard it. Later on, when Tour guide approached me and told me she had called out to me but the people on the bus told her I was sleeping. That was not the case at all.
I never her call my name. Until the women in front of me told me Tour guide just called you out but didn't say what for. That was not the case at all. Maybe she was just testing her mircophone as I was unable to hear in the back of the bus.
Felt like I really didn't belong on this tour as I was being looked down upon from everyone on the tour.
Even passengers came up to me asked me haven't you ever been on a tour before? Then another time at dinner during conversation a women asks were you always a blonde? People telling me I shouldn't be travelling alone.
By this time I was a burden to everyone on the bus and found myself travelling aboard and for first time while travelling in a very challenging situation in which I didn't know how to handle.
Yes, I totally understand it's a challenge with hearing loss, I totally understand there are times where I don't hear correctly and miss what's being said. It's was a huge challenge at dinner when everyone at the table is all talking at once.
I have no clue what's being said. I only hear every 5th word and have to piece the sentences together That's how we hear. Not to mention trying to get accustomed to all the different accents. But I did seek other options with an APP and shortly after when sitting in front with mircophone turned up high is where I took the huge loss of hearing.
That's clearing showed she didn't care. Tour guide knew I could also read lips as well as having the app from speech to text. Why in the world???
Unexplained Coincidences: While in little hammer we departed bus and everyone took off while I was taking picture of the statue of the skier, they all went to the right while I went left. Had no idea where they were.
She quoted on the bus that the statue a was land mark.
Yes, there's plenty more stories as the lists goes on and on. It clearing showed nobody wanted me to be around.
Insight needs to do more with people with disabilities.
As I wasn't getting the respect I deserved all I got was humiliated and harassed.
That being said, I would not be joining any future trips until there are other means in place for the disability to enjoy. I've already found other means for future travel which are in place where I treated with respect and not singled out by the entire bus.
Happy Travels!!
- Ferry boat on silnorway
- Arctic circle
- Copenhagen
- Was told no ice cream on bus but fine for others to eat food
- Long bus ride over nine hours 9 hrs for week
- Lack of communication
Preferred solution: Full refund
About
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Insight Vacations is the travel agency of a high service level. Its main office headquarters in Rye, NY. Insight vacations offers customers the following directions to travel: Western Europe, eastern Europe, central Europe, Alps, Dalmatia, The Balkans, Russia, The Baltic States, Scandinavia & Iceland, Near East, Alaska, Canada, Eastern USA, Western USA, Mexico, India. Insight Vacations guarantees smaller group sizes, fewer guests, authentic dining experiences and thus more personalized service.
Insight Vacations is ranked 84 out of 1009 in Travel Agencies category
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I wanted to book a tour for which there were several available dates. Two of those dates were "guaranteed departures;" however, those two dates were not convenient for me.
A couple of years sgo I did have a trip cancelled due to lack of sufficient interest. The agent with whom I spoke refused to tell me whether my preferred departure date any people already signed up, stating it was company policy not to do so. I did not think this was an inappropriate question. I did not want to know who they were.
I only wanted some additional information to judge whether or not the trip was likely to go forward. I think this is a ridiculous policy and can not see how it benefits Insight in any way.
We also had this happen. Guess they don't want you to know so you won't cancel?
There service is just terrible.
3 hour wait on line right now. I