Just griping - Collette Vacations/Explorer Collection

[pacheco18]

Why on earth would Marriott "team up" with a tour company that has the worst reviews on earth? I would love to use my DPs for a trip to China, for example, but NEVER with Collette. What were they thinking?

Has anyone taken one these trips? Was your experience better than the reviews? Reviews address everything from poor guides, hotels in bad locations, lousy meals, overbooking, not delivering what is promised . . .

 

[exotherm]

Why Collette?

I totally agree and am disappointed in Collette as a choice.

I specifically joined the DP to take advantage of the Explorer Collection. We were planning a trip thru Eastern Europe.

Then I investigated Collette and decided "no way". Even the Marriott reps have a low opinion of Collette.

 

[pacheco18]

Just more evidence to me that the DP program is for the uninformed. I bet people will just book these trips blindly, with no investigation. They are in for a BIG disappointment. Or maybe they won't know any better because they are not well traveled.

We travel around the world -- taking at least 3 major trips per year. Most of them are independent, but some places require escorted tours -- Russia, China, Africa etc. The choice of Collette is beyond belief. They are a terrible operation.

I just posted this comment on Mr. M's blog

I am a Platinum Marriott member, own three Marriott timeshares and I travel around the world. I enrolled in the Destination Points Program and I am so disappointed with your decision to partner with Collette Tours for the Explorer Collection. They are a third rate operation (even though they call themselves "Deluxe"), have universally terrible reviews (just check the internet for complaints about hotels, meals, service, overbooking, poor guides) and I personally would never book with them. Why not consider a great company like Kensington Tours or at least give some other options? I think the partnership with Collette tarnishes the Marriott brand.

 

[jimf41]

This is a subject on which Marriott truly deserves to be bashed. I was initially very excited about some of the Explorer Collection tours, especially the Safaris in Kenya. Then I read the Tripadvisor reviews on Collette Tours and was very disappointed. We just returned from a trip and one of the places we stayed was the AC Santo Mauro in Madrid. It's probably the best city hotel I've ever stayed. How they could partner up with AC hotels and then pick such a poorly reviewed travel company is beyond me.

 

[pacheco18]

I am taking a safari in January with one of the top 10 companies as rated by National Geographic. Africa is a specialty itinerary. I cannot imagine anyone booking through Collette.

The more of us who complain the better. It cannot be too hard to add options even if they leave Collette in place.

Glad to hear the good news about AC hotels.

 

[Swice]

don't mean to hijack

FYI: We've enjoyed three Traflagar tours. Wish Marriott would pick them up.

 

[dioxide45]

My bet is that it has to do with money. They are probably the cheaper option, going with another company could cost more thus having to pass those costs on to the customer and requiring more DC points for the tours.

 

[pacheco18]

My bet is that it has to do with money. They are probably the cheaper option, going with another company could cost more thus having to pass those costs on to the customer and requiring more DC points for the tours.

I'd rather spend 14000 DC points than throw away 11000. Going with Collette is like throwing away the points. There are many other options out there.

 

[BocaBoy]

Another great choice would be Tauck.

 

[pacheco18]

Or Abercrombie & Kent LOL Both are way too expensive for this program.

 

[jancurious]

You are comparing apples to oranges with your tour companies. You get what you pay for. We have taken several tours with Friendly Planet and Smart Tours which is a fairly low cost tour company and loved them. Sure we could have paid double and traveled half as much.

I'm sure Marriott picked a lower cost tour company so the number of points might be obtainable for the greater number of people.

Jan

 

[pacheco18]

Then they ought to give options for those of us who do not want to throw our points away by travelling with Collette -- just like there is Courtyard, Renaissance, Marriott and JW Marriott -- a little something for everyone is in order.

 

[jancurious]

Maybe they will in the future. This program is just getting off the ground. I'm happy they are giving us these options at all.

Jan