Rushed us like mad! Insufficient shopping time!
Excessive time wasted at their "commission earning place" which is compulsory even the whole group does not want to go.
Super long sleeping time- send us back to hotel as early as 4.30pm!
Bad planing - squeezed all day 1-4 incomplete schedule into day 5 last night, and keep asking us to skip some place which we want to go.
Food stated in itinerary was not delivered. we did not get to eat Korean BBQ and Shabu shabu and Daejanggum meal.
Focal tour guide insist that their Korean BBQ= Squid in water.
We complained to local Manger Jerina; she did not explain nor give us any compensation for food after 1 month
| Date | Time duration | Total time | | Own Experience |
| 23/Jan/09 | | | Dinner
Mushroom steamboat; all vege no meat | Tour guide ask us Sleep after dinner on 1st day |
| 24/Jan/09 | 11.41 - 3.40pm | 4hr | Everland | Include self paid lunch time |
| 24/Jan/09 | 4.41pm – 5.06pm | 25mins | Nansangol Hanok village | |
| 24/Jan/09? | 5.50pm – 7.20pm | 1hr 30min | Dongdaemum Doota | 1hr is the tour guide given time; we bargain and only get 1.5hr Only enough to walk to skinfood and missha and choose and queue and pay and need to run back. No time to even take a pic! |
| 24/Jan/09 | 7.30pm | |
Ginseng soup no taste. | |
| 25/Jan/09 | 11.23am - 12.03am | 40mins | Teddy Bear Farm | |
| | | | Lunch
So called “Korean BBQ” To us it a squid in water hot pot but Korean Tour guide insist this is their BBQ. | Aren’t Korean BBQ supposed to be grill Why is ours in water?? And see Other tour Korean BBQ Hong Tai
|
| 25/Jan/09 | 1.23pm – 2.41pm | 1hr 18mins | | |
| 25/Jan/09 | 2.58pm – 3.28pm | 30mins | Daebohan Seafood Market | David says there’s nothing much to see. Just walk the street for the experience since we are there. |
| 25/Jan/09 | 4.41pm – 5.21pm | 40 mins | Rental of Ski equipment & jacket | For those who don’t ski, you can stay on the bus. |
| 25/Jan/09 | 5.30pm – 6.20pm | 50mins | Dinner
Disgusting Octopus Steamboat | Go back hotel to rest after dinner |
| 26/Jan/09 | 9.30am – 4pm | 7hr 30mins | Ski | For those who do not ski. Sorry u stay at the ski resort or stay at the hotel without going out! |
| 26/Jan/09 | 4pm – 4.30pm | 30mins | Waiting on bus for a missing family Dinner
Another steamboat which my coll commented look like .. wat do you think | DID NOT bring us to outlet and Dongdaemum on that day and send us back to hotel to change at 4.30pm!! Dinner at 5.30pm! After which, go back hotel and SLEEP! Reached hotel at 6.40pm. Next day rush us till mad! |
| 27/Jan/09 | 9.05am -10.10am | 1hr 5mins | Hanbok, Kimchi making & Ginseng farm | Squeezed into our 2nd last day schedule |
| 27/Jan/09 | 10.45am – 11.30am | 45mins | Premium outlet | Squeezed into our 2nd last day schedule. Rushing all around caused our mother to fall down on ice. |
| 27/Jan/09 | | | Lunch
Bibinbap | Finally we get a decent meal that was promised on the itinerary which was after 5 days. AND What happened to the other local delicacy Shabu Shabu, Korean BBQ, Daejanggeum Set and etc that was promised on itinerary???
Tasty of all is their white rice. The only food my mother ate during the meals provided for the trip. |
| 27/Jan/09 | 1.28pm – 2.07pm | 39mins | | |
| 27/Jan/09 | | Around 30mins | Corderycep Selling | Squeezed into our 2nd last day schedule |
| 27/Jan/09 | 3.22pm – 3.52pm | Around 30mins | Ginseng Selling | David’s face turned black because non of us bought anything. |
| 27/Jan/09 | | | Faceshop | We were given ample time here as David can earn commission! He did not rush any of us and looked so happy as we made our many purchases! David lied that the Faceshop he brought us to sells items at cheaper price compared to other Faceshop! And also if you bought earlier at other faceshop branch (which give more free gift) he will be attitude to you which some1 brought and this is Not in our schedule! |
| 27/Jan/09 | 5.50pm – 7.10pm | 1hr 20min | Shinchon | David took up 10mins of our precious little time to collect tips USD 24 before allowing us to alight from the coach; He also said that Myeondong and Naedaemum is actually the same so hinting and telling us there is no need to go both places! We objected violently so he has no choice but to bring us to both places. He threatened that if we are late, he will deduct the time from the other shopping area. |
| 27/Jan/09 | 7.24pm – 8:16pm | 52mins | Casino | |
| 27/Jan/09 | 8.20pm -9.40pm Bus left at 9.40pm sharp based on Bus clock; if | 1hr 20min | Myeondong and Naedaemum | 1hr 20min is including Dinner (self paid). I told tour guide that my parents follow them back to hotel and we will continue walking since he cannot give us more time! But he left them stranded while other tour group buses are still waiting for their members. And the place closed at 10pm not 5am. David lied! We walk around like idiot looking for opened shop till 12midnight All shops are closed!!! He also did NOT tell us he will STRAND any1 who is late(even it is 1 min late) there!! And mind u it is 40min on cab away from hotel and it so cold -7C ! And my mum fell down 2nd time at the underpass rushing for the bus Attached Medical bill and X-ray! |
| 28/Jan/09 | 9.25am - 10.15am | 50mins | Aiins World | 50mins to tour the world. What an accomplishment! No time to picture even half of the world decently. |
| 28/Jan/09 | 11am – 11.20am | 20mins | | |
| 28/Jan/09 | 11.30pm – 12.30pm | 1hr | Tit-bits/ souvenirs buying | We were given ample time here as David can earn commission! |
| 13 out of 19 people complained on the FOOD and 9 of out 19 complained on the service and attitude of the tour guide and tour leader! What a statistic! | ||||
ACTUAL ITINERARY
Sorry to see what you all went thru. Can understand the fustration.
ReplyDelete4 of us went to Korea ard the same time as you did but with CTC. From 24-31Jan09 during CNY period. The CTC tour leader and Korean local guide were very attentive and polite.The trip went very well be it food, sightseeing spots, shopping or accomodation.
I think it very much depends on having a good local guide. The tour leader from Singapore (if hv) plays a part too in supervising their Korean counterparts. Perhaps you can consider CTC in the future.
We just returned from 5 days Chiang Mai tour organized through Focal Travel and would like to warn future travellers about our bad experience.
ReplyDeleteWe found that different people on board the same tour paid different price even though through same travel agent ( we paid the most ). The worst thing is that we received the WORST package and we would herded to the last 2 rows of the plane whereas some counter parts who pays less got the seats further up front.
We also had to PAY for 2 additional meals on our own whereas our counterparts who paid less got buffer at the hotel...
My family was BADLY impacted by having to be left OUT of the meal!, and FELT like SECOND class travellers... and VERY CHEATED as we PAID more and when we LOOK at the TOUR ITENARY for the SAME FOCAL TRAVEL company on the SAME TOUR paying cheaper PRICE having BETTER itinery...and better plane seats..
To the tour leader from GOOD SEASONS they ONLY looked at the itinery and probably think that we good some special deal compared to the better itenary group...
Never again, we told ourselve will we TAKE another FOCAL TRAVEL tour...
We do not know HOW a tour agent can issue different itineries with the better itinery at a cheaper price without concern on how it will impact the participants...
Really goes to show a total LACK of sensitivities to the travellers feelings and punish loyal customer for booking early...