International Vacation Services review: scam 81

We received a full refund from International Vacation Services (Travel Services Unlimited) after falling for their tricks. But you must act fast.

My husband and I went to a presentation last night after receiving a postcard for a free cruise and airfare, and we ended up getting suckered. I didn't have a good feeling about it, but went against my gut and bought a 2 week package for the grand total of $3, 593. On our way home, my husband and I started discussing what we thought was a little strange about it. What was funny is that we both noticed different "flags", and when we started putting them together between the two of us, we realized what a mistake we made. Immediately after getting home, we started researching them on the internet and found several complaint boards indicating that their services were as not as legit as they claim. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a scam because I'm sure they do provide travel services, but I don't believe the validity of their discounts. After reading site after site, I began to feel like we were never going to get our money back.

We immediately called our credit card company (mastercard) to see if we could dispute the charges. Unfortunately, they said we couldn't do anything with a dispute until the charge actually posted, which would take a couple of days. The following day, I took to research to determine my rights. I began looking into FTC regulations on the "cooling off period" for sales. This transaction falls under that law, and found that we had 3 days to request cancellation (in writing, according to the contract) for a FULL refund within 10 business days. I contacted the FTC help line and discussed my situation with a representative that explained everything to me and my rights. He suggested that I request cancellation as indicated on the contract and contact the Ohio Attorney General's Office to verify the laws in my state.

Then, I called the Ohio Attorney General's Office to verify the "cooling off period" for sales. It was determined that this transaction did in fact fall under that category, and that I was entitled to a FULL refund of the transaction within 10 business days of cancelling. (Ohio Revised Code 1345.23). I printed out my documentation for these laws and attached it with my letter requesting cancellation. I also indicated in the letter that according to the Ohio Revised Code 1345.23, I was requesting the full charge to be credited within 10 business days, and if it wasn't, I would be disputing the charge with my credit card company.

I was able to obtain a number to call "John" who handled cancellations from calling the booking number on the travel website. I called him and requested that my membership be canceled and issued a refund. He explained that I would need to submit a letter, but would be charged the $399 processing fee and 20% cancellation charge (a total of almost $1, 100). I told him I would not be paying that and according to Federal and State laws, they were not able to do that. I told him that I would be disputing the charge with my credit card company, as well as, going back to speak with the group later that day. I also sent an email to the email address provided, and sent a copy of the letter I mailed certified/return receipt stating that I had already sent this letter via mail, but wanted to send it electronically as well. I received a response within 10 minutes from them. I got the feeling that they were kind of worried because they mentioned knowing the "laws" for Ohio and that they were operating well within the laws, then said that I didn't need to result to "threats" (which I did not, I simply stated what would happen if they did not comply with my request under Federal and State laws).

Fortunately, we only lived about 15 minutes from where the presentation was held, and planned on going back right before the first presentation for the day (I called the hotel and verified what time their room was held for). We arrived about 25 minutes before the first presentation. As soon as we walked in, they recognized us. We asked to speak to the person in charge and were immediately taken into the presentation room with the doors shut. We politely requested a refund indicating that I was not the kind of person they wanted on their bad side. He refused (obviously). I explained my ordeal about feeling deceived and went over the laws I reviewed that day, and told them that it would be in their best interest to issue a credit to my card now versus dealing with the headache I would cause them. I had planned to talk with the hotel manager to tell them of the shadiness that was going on in their facility. I also have a friend that is a special reports investigative reporter, and told them that I would have no problem calling her to request a news story be done on their little business. I also have several friends that are police officers, including the police chief for the area that I would call if he felt the need to involve the authorities with my request. He said corporate had already notified them of my previous contacts with them (which indicated to me that they were worried I wasn't going to stand idly by). It got extremely heated at certain points, and I told them that I would no problem telling everyone waiting for the presentation outside not to waste their time, as well as everyone coming in for the remaining presentations for the remainder of the week. They held strong and said no refund would be issued since I already disputed the charge with my credit card company (which I had not). We walked out the door and told the four couples waiting not to waste their time for the garbage they were about to listen to, and proceeded to the front desk. We requested to speak to the hotel manager, and went inside the hotel restaurant for more privacy. We explained that we felt the group was not representing what they selling, and that they might want to know about what was going on. As we were talking to the manager, the IVS "manager" found us and asked us to follow him. He requested our credit card (which we did not hand over, and said we wouldn't let it out of our sight) so he could issue the credit since he called and spoke to the company owner. Apparently, they didn't like the idea of not selling another "membership" for the rest of the week. They issued a credit to our card for the full amount on the spot, and I guarantee that their first presentation for the day resulted in no sales.

We were extremely lucky, and counted this as a valuable lesson, even though we only lost a night of sleep and a day of work. A refund can be received, but you have to act fast and become knowledgeable on your rights through the FTC and State, so you can be prepared to fire back with any BS they feed you about why they can't do something. Make detailed documentation of who you spoke to, at which number you called, and what was said/discussed (your credit card company will need this if you end up disputing this). You CAN get your money back, but you MUST act fast and be extremely detailed. Good luck to anyone having to fix this themselves.

We live in the Bellevue, WA area and attended a Stratus presentation yesterday at the Hyatt Hotel in Bellevue. They start out at $9, 995 and $199 a year, and will come down as far as $3500. When I asked them if they were registered with the BBB they gave me a line about people buying their Better Business Bureau ratings. They claim they have been in business for 20 years, yet when I called to get out of the presentation the day before and mentioned that the only thing I saw on the internet was a complaint, the girl on the phone said that couldn't be, as they were a new company. They make the off sound really good of course, but something just didn't set right with me. They told me that fine hotels like the Hyatt wouldn't allow just anyone to come in there and sell things.
Fortunately we opted to not buy, and took our free cruise that upon further research sounds like it will be very risky to try and get through VIP services. Not sure who we should contact-so hope this helps anyone considering the free stratus cruise presentation.

I went to a presentation tonight at the Hilton here in Bloomington, IN and now I wish that I had seen these posts earlier...we did not purchase anything and I thank God that we didn't...don't have the money since our son is starting college the end of the month. We pretty much knew that they were shady characters from the word go...I feel bad for the ones that got taken...shame on these ### that prey on poor innocent people.

My wife and I went to the presentation at the Bellweather hotel in Bellingham, Washington. After Rodney's spiel we signed up for a modified contract and immediately tried to use the service when we got home but again was told that we have to wait 2 weeks before the membership account number is created. So we went to their website to look at any deals similiar to what they presented as examples during their presentation. We could not find anything at all. So out of curiosity I did a quick check of their very simple website and noticed that it was created on 06/24/11. Kind of strange for a company to only have a website up for a couple of months when they were supposed to have been in business for the last 23 years.

So my wife and I became very uncomfortable with our decision to join and started the process for cancellation. Washington state has a 3 day cancellation law that protects it citizens. Here is the link: http://www.atg.wa.gov/ConsumerIssues/CancellationRights.aspx

Hope this is helpful to others.

One more thing I just remembered. They requested a copy of our driver's licenses and credit cards. They kept them for about 20 minutes to "run the preauthorization charge" on the credit cards. If they are truly an unreputable company, then we will now have to monitor our credit report to see if any new accounts are opened in our names. Since your full name, address, birthday and a copy of your signature is also on your driver's license. And on the back of our credit card they had access to the 3 digit security code so now I have to cancel my credit card just to be safe!

Wow, that was close! These guys are real pros. Attended presentation in Fairview Heights, IL, last night. Smooth talker, his presentation sounded like a power-point. Name was Jere, isnt that an odd way to spell that name? Sounded too good to be true, was what the wife and I kept saying. Old as I am, was ready to go back tomorrow, meet him and sign up. THANK GOODNESS I read this site! In retrospect, these clowns did look like a bunch of scam artists ! No wonder the BBB has no rating on them, they wont comply with requests to be rated. Gonna keep our hard earned bucks, and just continue to pay as we go, with REPUTABLE companies. Their final day in Fairview is tomorrow, next stop, according to them, is Memphis TN. LOOK OUT MEMPHIS! Almost ready to jump in the car and go snap a few pics with my phone, let everyone see what they look like, but not interested in going anywhere near them. Lesson learned, "if it seems to good to be true, it probably is"!

They are in Monticello, IN for the next couple of weeks. Got the postcard yesterday and I called the number today and had the same shady experience - Spouse has to be there, no real information about the company. I had red flags popping up all over the place, but booked an appointment just in case they were legit. When I got the confirmation email, I tried to find their website, googling "IVS travel" but found nothing. Called back and was told they only had a website for their members and I would get that at the meeting. So then I tried "IVS travel scam" in google...and...ding ding - we have a winner in this website. Thanks for taking the time to post and confirming my suspicions. I'll be spending saturday with my kid instead of going to this nonsense.

I went yesterday and bought into their speil - I'm a widow and would love to begin travelling. What should I do now?

Nanny5, fromwhat I understand, you're better off to book your travel through sites like Expedia, Travelocity, etc as they do not have any prices lower than what these sites advertise. We opted to cancel our membership and get a refund.

If this is the route you want to take, I would type up a letter requesting that they cancel your membership and refund the total amount you paid (put the figure in the letter). Make sure to document your member number and list your contact information should they need to get in contact with you. Send the letter registered mail/return receipt to the P.O. Box listed on the contract. DO THIS IMMEDIATELY, as you only have 3 days to submit your cancellation letter for a refund.

I received a refund check from them about 3 weeks after sending the letter. Make sure you keep copies of the letter you send them, and document ALL phone conversations you have with anyone with the company, including their name, the number you called, and what was said/discussed. Good luck, and I hope you're able to get your money back.

We also signed up for this and then checked this website...Thanks to all who have posted here, because we would have gone through with it had we not read all these complaints. We are now in the process of cancelling the transaction. We had all the red flags we should have paid attention to but it sounded like such a good deal...too good to be true, they dropped the price from $7999 to $2595 and I feel that there were others in the room who worked for them but were acting like they were potential buyers like us, as after the presentation was over after about 15 minutes my husband and I were the only ones left in the room. The representative was not pushy but very confident but the details of the whole "thing" were very flimsy, anyway bottom line line stay away from these people and again thanks to all you wonderful people who have unknowingly helped us in getting this matter resolved.
Sue

FYI: For those that read my previous post about receiving a refund back to my credit card AND a refund check, we returned the refund check with a letter stating that the refund was already issued. We did not keep the extra money nor am I someone "working" for them to give false information on here. My husband and I were very much taken into this.

And Sue, I firmly believe they had people in there working for them, as there was a couple that was most vocal about not buying into and they were the first to purchase within 5 minutes. Then, other couples left, yet we were told they were purchasing and completing the transaction in another room. Looking back, there were so many red flags that we should've picked up on, but it wasn't until my husband and I put the pieces of each of the red flags we saw that we realized what a mistake we made. Little things like:

- The sales guy saying he was with the company 5 years and traveled extensively through them, yet when we asked simple questions about hotels, he didn't know the answer and had to verify with someone else.
- The "5 Year Money Back Guarantee" that was printed on certificate paper from Office Depot that was never even given in our "welcome packet".
- The fact that NOBODY in the room was from the area we lived in (not that it was totally unbelievable as we live in an Air Force town), but it just seemed odd.
- The issue that the salesman wouldn't login with his credentials for us to compare an upcoming trip we already had booked because "they were having problems accessing the internet there".

Again, good luck to anyone that has to deal with these slimy people.

Hello, Unbelievable. WE also went for this presentation with hope of getting good delas for travel as my family loves to travel. Sitting in the room both me and husdand had initially made up mind not to get suckered into this deal, but this people are such fanastic actor that they convinced us otherwise. All the time while signing the contract my sixth sense kept telling that something is fishy, but my husband being person who trusts everyone told me that every thing is fine and that we would recoup the money back once we travelled with them. Not wanting to sound like a person who mistrusts everyone i got sucked into it as well, but I had a feeling that something is wrong. I even told my kids what excellent deal we had got. But something kept nagging me so when we reached home I asked my husband to research this company to see what people were saying and Lo and behold we were scamed. We tried calling the company and even though thay claim to be a 24 hour service there was no one to answer the phone. The answering said that were on another line and that someone would call us back. You guessed right no one ever called. Luckily we have 3 days to cancel the contract and we care going to dispute the charges with the credit card company. I can't understand why are these people still allowed to operate this company, why has hasnt the law done something to arrest them. In the past when the banks and other investment companies have scammed its brought into the news, is there no one to investigate such people. How can these people sleep at. Apparently they have no concise at all. I am going to send a certified letter to cancel my contract but also go back and tell to cancel it otherwise I am going to do what another person did warn the people sitting in the lobby and ask them to check this web site before doing anything.

Well there in Kalamazoo MI now Best Western I just got hood winked, duped out of 4500 hope i can cancel and get my money back.

Of course there are always 2 sides to every story. IVS is a legitimate and reputable company. The persons above just didnt like the company policy of cancellations and refunds as explicitly outlined in the contract which they both signed. If they qualified for a full refund when their cancellation letter was post marked they would have received it. Instead, they decided to get a little agitated at the process and went overboard. IVS has s reputation of processing cancellations and refunds according to state and credit card laws in a timely manner.

The company itself may be reputable in terms of processing contracts, cancellation requestions, and following state and credit card laws. However, their claims of savings are not what they portray, and THAT is the issue with this company.

They are here in Atlanta@3242 Peachtree Rd. Suite-B!I just got the call and we are supposed to go tomorrow, thanks for all the comments and they will see that tomorrow never comes!Neither will we!

My husband and I went to their meeting last night in Monticello, IN, and in spite of our normal cautious approach to things, got suckered into their sales pitch--it sounded SO GOOD and the sales reps were SO nice and SO sincere! We do travel a lot and thought it ideal for our needs--especially when they offered us four FREE memberships for our four children. They took our credit card ( to somewhere away from where we were, which I didn't like) to post the $3573 (the amount offered us after they "gave" us discounts that lowered the cost from the initial amount of $8, 995 + $399 registration fee + $199 to the $3573).

Before we went, I had tried to look up information on International Vacation Services/Travel Services Unlimited but couldn't find much. TODAY I found this complaint board; you can imagine how sick I started feeling as I read the posts. I called my husband, called the number on the papers they gave us, was given another number to call, called it and after many rings got "John" (mentioned by someone else in one of the previous posts on this complaint board). I told him that the posts I was reading on the complaint board didn't make me feel very good, and he just chuckled and said that they were written by the same six people who were using different names--people who hadn't got what they wanted because they had asked for unreasonable things. I asked for the website so I could browse (I really wanted to do my own comparing of prices). After pressing him (he told us that would come with our packet), he finally gave me a user name and temporary password. I went on and was not impressed with prices given.

I called our credit card company (MasterCard) and told what had happened and asked what I could do. Thankfully, the $3573 charge had not posted and wasn't even pending. The man I talked to told me the best thing to do was to simply cancel my card, which I did. Isn't it interesting that while I was on the phone with MasterCard someone tried to call with the SAME last name as the sales rep at the meeting who had done all the paperwork with us? He tried calling TWICE. My guess is that "John, " who had gotten our contract number from me, had called this guy to tell him to me to try to talk us into NOT cancelling. The call to John and the calls from the rep all took place within barely 10 minutes, if that.

If there is a legitimate business out there for good travel deals, I would love to know about it, but for now I'll just stick to Expedia.

I hope this helps others to avoid even going to their meetings. hopeIlearnedmylesson

I am sorry for our gullibility, but I am so thankful for the grace of God in having me find this complaint board and for being able to cancel our card. I will still write the cancellation letter and send it within the three days required, but at least I don't have to fight with them to get our money back.

Wow I wish we had found this info before going to the seminar today. We too were gullible enough to believe the info even with some of the doubts we had. I came home and started looking up info on the company and couldn't find much. I came across this board and was literaly appalled at how many others had been duped and felt panic set in. I called my credit card company to tell them what happened and was told I needed to call the Diputation dept tomorrow morning and they would handle it. I did have them cancel my card so that no other charges could be made by this scam of a company. Now I just hope that it hasn't posted or is pending so that it can just be that simple. I have written the letter to cancel and will send it off tomorrow certified mail. I do not expect to hear from them though. I did call the only number that was on any of our contract papers and spoke to a lady who was just the answering service...she said she would forward my request to cancel to them via email immediately...haha. I asked for a number that I could reach the company directly...she didn't have one of course. Told me she only had the address. I asked her how she was going to let them know of my request to cancel then if she couldn't call them. then she said well they can only contact them via email. What bunch of bull. I am so frustrated and angry at myself for not following my gut.
Interesting that every one on here was quoted a different price isn't it?
We paid 4000 and recieved 5 family memberships for free. I am going to notify BBB tomorrow and also call the Hotel that they are doing these seminars and let them know they are running a scam. My son is a police officer so I may call him to see if there is anything the police can do to stop them. Thank you all for posting on here and warning others like me.

Not sure if this is the same company or they have now changed their name or this company is legit but we have just attended a presentation at Best Western Hotel, St Augustine, Florida October 12th, 2011.. Very similar spiel. Cost was $7995 reduced to $5995 and as a "Special deal" as it was their 30th anniversay (balloons everywhere) we would get unlimited weeks to vacation in any hotel not just the 8 weeks at discount. Oh and all 5 of my kids could join for $199 per year. We received a $100 visa gift card, which btw we used to fill up our gas tank on the way home and that was legit, plus the 3 day 2 night vaca certificate which we are now supposed to register with $50 to cover hotel taxes for the 2 nights, that seems reasonable. However, we did not purchase even though we were tempted. Our sales persons name was John and he was super nice and not at all pushy. He was so nice I was actually feeling sorry for him that we didnt purchase...lol...He did pass us on to another guy when we told him "no" and this guy reduced the price even further and offered us a 3 year trial for $1, 179 plus $199 per year to see if we liked the program and that we could upgrade to the lifetime package later if we wanted to. Again not pushy and we declined and got our $100 visa card and certificate. 60mins tops and we were on our way.
It all seemed so legit and we are not easily taken. The only reason we didnt purchase to be honest is because we already had a 3 week cruise booked and paid for next year and my daughters wedding. So we wouldnt be able to get anymore vaca time for 18months. That was the only reason we didnt buy into it. Thank goodness we chose to step outside and discuss it with each other for 10mins before we got ourselves into a huge mess. If anyone knows if this company "Map Destinations" who use "Spirit Incentives" in Ft Lauderdale, Florida to claim prizes is somehow connected to the above please let me know...Just curious...Thanks and good luck to all

My husband and I attended their seminar about 2 weeks ago. We really werent so much interested in a time-share but very much wanted the "free 8 day 7 night cruise" that we would receive for attending. The person assigned to talk to us after the initial presentation was very nice until we told him that we were not going to make a decision right then but would like the opportunity to go home talk it over between us and would call him back the next day with our decision. He became very obnoxious and rude to us from that point on and told us that even if we decided that we'd take them up on the offer that if we didnt take the offer RIGHT THEN he would not give it to us if we called back the next day. It was clear that he was upset with us . At that point he gave us the certificates for "free travel and airfare" which after careful review, are not actually free at all. Im so glad that this forum was available to review. Now I absolutely know that we made the right decision.

They are at the Clarion Inn In Evansville, In this week we where suppose to meet them wed nov 2, am trying to get the news crews and law enforcement involved to catch theses scammers red handed.
Will anyone on here be willing to testify in a court of law ?

If you go to one of the presentations from International Vacation Services, DO NOT SIGN any agreement until you have the opportunity to go home and do a total review. They will tell you that the deal is only good tonight and the so called free vacation package they give you is not worth buying this program on the spot. The so called $300-400 dollar gift is not worth several thousands of dollars to purchase this package and have regrets later. If after you do your review and you like what you see they will give you the same deal. DON"T GET PRESSURED INTO BUYING ON THE SPOT. YOU WILL REGRET IT AFTERWARDS. I am having major issues with them since June 2011. The prices that there booking company Travel Services Unlimited will quote you on hotels, resorts and cruises are very close to what you can get anytime on line or even lower. IVS does not do the bookings. They are two seperate companies and IVS will tell you what you want to here to get your money. I have no problem with Travel Services Unlimited because what they do is a convienience for people that does not want to do internet shopping. TSA from what I gather is a travel agency and they are very polite and nice and will call you back immediately. The problem is with IVS. They tell you we can get you great deals but it's nothing but a scam to get your money and you will never here from them again.The so called deals they promise you on cruises, hotels and resorts are not there. You do not need this company to get deals. They even went as far to tell me if I find it cheaper on line let them know and they would match it. Some deal... I have sent 15 e-mails and made over 12 telephone calls to [protected] which is the direct line to Gayla Smith their VP of Operations. Forget it, you will never get a call back. I even sent e-mails to John in customer service and had a phone conversation with him [protected] in which he got back to me and assured me after making contact with Gayla Smith she would call me the following day. NO CALL, again. After contacting John about the no call, his response was, as you know she is the VP and she is very busy and she will call you back when she can. Once they get your money with so called great deals and promises you will never hear from them again when you have a problem. If condo's alone interest you than this may be for you. Don't waste your time and money if you want more such as cruises, hotels, resorts etc. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY KIND OF DEAL. Scam or poor customer service. You call it, but if I was you and if I had the opportunity I would not walk, I would run as fast as I could from this program and this company. I can assure you, you will not get any answers from them once you signed on the dotted line. I hope this helps someone out, out there. My next step is contact the attorney general and my cousin who works for the New York Times. He said to get back to him, because this sounds like a good article for investigation. If anyone from IVS see's this you have my number, call me, but I will not hold my breath waiting. Comments anyone...anyone.

Called number today Nov 28th and scheduled appointment for Sunday Dec 4th. I won't be attending thanks to all the wonderful people willing to look out for and help others on this website. Would love to give my spot to a news crew pretending to be me...but that is why they ID so heavily. Unfortunately ### like this exists, always has and probably always will. We just need to remember nothing is free. Guy on the phone volunteered that I could cheat on my income without me saying anything. I had to mention the one way airline ticket on my postcard toward the end of the conversation and it magically turned into a free roundtrip ticket. Stay away Southern Indiana! Good luck to all.

wow, , , , ive been scammed once by a company called 'Grand Escape Get Aways" supposed home base was in Fort Laurderdale, Fl... I lost alsmost 30, 000 dollars just to find out that the "company" was a rented one room commercial spot. After spending money trying to locate this company and my investment the Police said "well, they were right about one thing regarding their business and that was that really made a :"GRAND ESCAPE AND THEY TRULY GOT AWAY"...The police found a room with one table, 2 chairs and 2 phones...I would have had to spend more money trying to track them so I had to learn a Huge Lesson. International vacation services contacted me and my husband and i were to attend Tonight at 7:45...needless to say; we will not be attending and i'm so greatful that the Lesson I learned was truly costly and painful but it taught me to check things out first and to God be all the glory for using you guys to make us aware of companies such as this one!thanks to you all...PS...if anyone attending tonight at the Holiday Inn South Broadway, Tyler Tx. please be advised to take heed to these postings...Happy Holidays To Everyone!

WE WERE INVITED TO IVS AT 41 NORTH IN EVANSVILLE, INDIANA. AT THE CLARION HOTEL. AFTER LISTENING TO THEIR PRESENTATION AND WE ALMOST BOUGHT INTO THIS. THE FIRST OFFER WAS ABOUT 7, 000 DOLLARS AND MY HUSBAND SAID "NO" THAT WAS 4 WEEKS VACATION PER YEAR. THEN THEY CAME BACK WITH A BETTER DEAL WE COULD GET 2 WEEKS FOR 4000 DOLLARS. WE AGAIN SAID NO. THEN 2 BUSINESS DAYS LATER A LADY FROM A DIFFERENT CALLED MY CELL NUMBER WITH ANOTHER OFFER. WE COULD GET THE 4 WEEKS FOR A TOTAL PRICE OF 1694. SOUNDED TO GOOD TO BE TRUE. AFTER MY DAUGHTER CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND WE READ THE COMPLAINTS AND POSSIBLE SCAM. WE DECIDED WE DEFINITELY DID NOT WANT ANY PART OF THIS. THIS LADY CALLED BACK THE NEXT DAY TO SEE IF WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS. AND THANK THE GOOD LORD WE HAD NOT SIGNED ANY CONTRACT AND I TOLD HER WE DEFINITELY WAS NOT INTERESTED. SHE STATED THEY WERE A REPUTABLE COMPANY. BUT AGAIN I SAID 'NO THANKS' AND HUNG UP. THANK YOU COMPLAINT BOARD.

7. Re: International Vacation Services / Travel Services Unlimited
Feb 10, 2012
Do not do anything with this company! My husband and I paid for this have asked for 7 trips none have come Thur prices are higher then you can get on the Internet. Have tried to get back my money and no luck. Free cruise that is a joke they just sent me mine. We mailed it out the day we got it and then they charged us all kinds of fees one because we did not take it in there time frame when we couldn't because it said we had to book it so many days from the date we received it. This is my free cruise they sent me. I can book it on line for $1, 269.48 they are charging me $1, 207.48 for our free cruise. Someone really needs to look into this company!
I would think they are also doing this Thur the mail it would be mail fraud. Please somebody shut this company down from stealing peoples money. If anyone hears of where they are giving these presentations in Mass please let me know so I can go and warn these poor people. Has anyone been lucky getting there money back?

Your cruise offer is for the Carnival Freedom sailing from Fort Lauderdale

On 4/1/2012 going to Key West, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios for 6 nights.

Fees listed are per person and as follows:

Booking surcharge: $99.00

Port fees: $159.00

Taxes: $95.74

Mid-season surcharge: 300.00

4E Cabin: (entry level-1A/porthole not available)

The total per person for a 4E cabin with 2 twin beds (converts to king bed) is: $653.74

Upgrades available are listed per person and are additional to the above amount:

Cabin – Ocean view: $120.00

Total for Ocean view: $773.74 per person

Cabin-Balcony: $250.00

Total for Balcony: $903.74 per person

**Offers are time-sensitive and need a response quickly as we cannot guarantee availability.**

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Due to the volume of offers that are sent for one requested travel month we will not be able to respond to voice messages promptly. So, please understand this when you do not receive a call back right away. We do not make phone calls to give cruise offers either. Most correspondence is done via email.

To accept or decline this offer please respond by replying to this email stating that you would like to either accept or decline. Please do not send multiple messages as it slows down the response time.

If you have an air voucher and you have submitted a request to match travel with your cruise request, then please reply stating you want to use your air. If you have not submitted a request for air to match your cruise then it will not be considered for redemption at this time.

The above offer is based on availability. All sailings for every cruise line are not available within our allotment. Your cruise offer may not be the exact date, sailing, or cruise line of your choosing and on some occasions may be less than 7 nights. However the sailing for your offer has been selected based on your request.

The fees listed in your offer are per the terms and conditions. If you have any questions regarding such fees please refer back to these terms. Also, if you are going to price compare with the cruise line's website please make sure to follow through like you are making a booking to see what the final total will be before assuming price difference.

If you have questions regarding the offer I have listed some frequently asked questions and answers for you in order to help you understand the offer. Please read the following:

FAQ's

1. I was told this was for a “free” (or “complimentary”) cruise. Why do I have to pay all of these fees?

- The certificate is designed for use as an incentive to companies to offer to clients in return for their business or time. Sometimes these companies may describe the certificate by calling it “free” or “complimentary”. Yes, the base fare of the cruise is the free gift. However, there are government fees and a booking surcharge involved in order to cruise and to redeem your certificate. So, in reality it is not totally free. The terms and conditions are specifically described on the certificate and it is your responsibility to read these terms before you activate your voucher. All of the fees are listed in the terms and you are responsible to pay the listed fees to redeem the certificate.

2. Why do I have to pay a booking surcharge?

-This fee is listed in term #2 as part of the fees that you will be responsible for and is required in order to redeem your certificate.

3. Why does my "Welcome Packet" state that the booking surcharge will be $49 per person and you are charging me $99?

-We reserve the right to change our terms and conditions at any time per term #10 on your certificate's rules. At this time $99 per person is the amount for the booking surcharge.

4. What about the money I already sent?

- Your deposit will be applied towards the fees listed in the offer.

Ex: $399 per person = $798 minus your deposit of $99 = $699 due to book your cruise.

5. Why am I being charged an upgrade fee for an inside cabin when my certificate is good for an outside cabin?

- Your certificate is valid for an entry level outside cabin. This is a porthole cabin. These cabins are on the 1st passenger deck with bunk beds. There are only about 6-10 of these per ship. If it was not offered then it is not available, meaning this category is sold out. Since this is an entry level cabin any other cabin offered would be considered an upgrade.

6. Why am I being charged a "Port not included" fee?

- This fee is for particular ports that are not included with your certificate and is listed as term #6 in your terms and conditions. You may choose any port but some will incur and additional fee such as but not limited to: Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Cape Liberty, New York, and Norfolk.

7. Why am I being charged a "Ship not included" fee?

- This fee is for particular ships, such as but not limited to: the Dream, Magic, Allure, Oasis, Epic and Freedom. These ships are not included with your certificate and is listed as term #6 in your terms and conditions. These ships are the newest ships the cruise lines have to offer and they do charge more for them and that is why they are not included under your certificate. You may sail on them but you will have to pay the additional fee for them.

8. Why are you charging me a holiday surcharge?

-The holiday surcharge is for any sailing with a Federal Holiday within 7 days either side of the sailing dates. This is also stated in term #2.

9. Why are you charging me a mid-season or peak-season surcharge?

-The certificate is specifically valid for travel September - December any requests for travel outside of these months will incur an additional surcharge which will be listed as either mid or peak season. This is also stated in term #2.

10. Why are you offering 5 or 6 nights when my certificate entitles me to a 7 night cruise?

-Some ports do not offer 7 night cruises and that is usually why you will get a 6 or 5 night offer. In some cases there is not availability within our allotment so we will then offer you the best sailing available for that port based on dates requested.

7. Re: International Vacation Services / Travel Services Unlimited
Feb 10, 2012 - We were also scammed by this company
Do not do anything with this company! My husband and I paid for this have asked for 7 trips none have come Thur prices are higher then you can get on the Internet. Have tried to get back my money and no luck. Free cruise that is a joke they just sent me mine. We mailed it out the day we got it and then they charged us all kinds of fees one because we did not take it in there time frame when we couldn't because it said we had to book it so many days from the date we received it. This is my free cruise they sent me. I can book it on line for $1, 269.48 they are charging me $1, 207.48 for our free cruise. Someone really needs to look into this company!

Your cruise offer is for the Carnival Freedom sailing from Fort Lauderdale

On 4/1/2012 going to Key West, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios for 6 nights.

Fees listed are per person and as follows:

Booking surcharge: $99.00

Port fees: $159.00

Taxes: $95.74

Mid-season surcharge: 300.00

4E Cabin: (entry level-1A/porthole not available)

The total per person for a 4E cabin with 2 twin beds (converts to king bed) is: $653.74

Upgrades available are listed per person and are additional to the above amount:

Cabin – Ocean view: $120.00

Total for Ocean view: $773.74 per person

Cabin-Balcony: $250.00

Total for Balcony: $903.74 per person

**Offers are time-sensitive and need a response quickly as we cannot guarantee availability.**

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Due to the volume of offers that are sent for one requested travel month we will not be able to respond to voice messages promptly. So, please understand this when you do not receive a call back right away. We do not make phone calls to give cruise offers either. Most correspondence is done via email.

To accept or decline this offer please respond by replying to this email stating that you would like to either accept or decline. Please do not send multiple messages as it slows down the response time.

If you have an air voucher and you have submitted a request to match travel with your cruise request, then please reply stating you want to use your air. If you have not submitted a request for air to match your cruise then it will not be considered for redemption at this time.

The above offer is based on availability. All sailings for every cruise line are not available within our allotment. Your cruise offer may not be the exact date, sailing, or cruise line of your choosing and on some occasions may be less than 7 nights. However the sailing for your offer has been selected based on your request.

The fees listed in your offer are per the terms and conditions. If you have any questions regarding such fees please refer back to these terms. Also, if you are going to price compare with the cruise line's website please make sure to follow through like you are making a booking to see what the final total will be before assuming price difference.

If you have questions regarding the offer I have listed some frequently asked questions and answers for you in order to help you understand the offer. Please read the following:

FAQ's

1. I was told this was for a “free” (or “complimentary”) cruise. Why do I have to pay all of these fees?

- The certificate is designed for use as an incentive to companies to offer to clients in return for their business or time. Sometimes these companies may describe the certificate by calling it “free” or “complimentary”. Yes, the base fare of the cruise is the free gift. However, there are government fees and a booking surcharge involved in order to cruise and to redeem your certificate. So, in reality it is not totally free. The terms and conditions are specifically described on the certificate and it is your responsibility to read these terms before you activate your voucher. All of the fees are listed in the terms and you are responsible to pay the listed fees to redeem the certificate.

2. Why do I have to pay a booking surcharge?

-This fee is listed in term #2 as part of the fees that you will be responsible for and is required in order to redeem your certificate.

3. Why does my "Welcome Packet" state that the booking surcharge will be $49 per person and you are charging me $99?

-We reserve the right to change our terms and conditions at any time per term #10 on your certificate's rules. At this time $99 per person is the amount for the booking surcharge.

4. What about the money I already sent?

- Your deposit will be applied towards the fees listed in the offer.

Ex: $399 per person = $798 minus your deposit of $99 = $699 due to book your cruise.

5. Why am I being charged an upgrade fee for an inside cabin when my certificate is good for an outside cabin?

- Your certificate is valid for an entry level outside cabin. This is a porthole cabin. These cabins are on the 1st passenger deck with bunk beds. There are only about 6-10 of these per ship. If it was not offered then it is not available, meaning this category is sold out. Since this is an entry level cabin any other cabin offered would be considered an upgrade.

6. Why am I being charged a "Port not included" fee?

- This fee is for particular ports that are not included with your certificate and is listed as term #6 in your terms and conditions. You may choose any port but some will incur and additional fee such as but not limited to: Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Cape Liberty, New York, and Norfolk.

7. Why am I being charged a "Ship not included" fee?

- This fee is for particular ships, such as but not limited to: the Dream, Magic, Allure, Oasis, Epic and Freedom. These ships are not included with your certificate and is listed as term #6 in your terms and conditions. These ships are the newest ships the cruise lines have to offer and they do charge more for them and that is why they are not included under your certificate. You may sail on them but you will have to pay the additional fee for them.

8. Why are you charging me a holiday surcharge?

-The holiday surcharge is for any sailing with a Federal Holiday within 7 days either side of the sailing dates. This is also stated in term #2.

9. Why are you charging me a mid-season or peak-season surcharge?

-The certificate is specifically valid for travel September - December any requests for travel outside of these months will incur an additional surcharge which will be listed as either mid or peak season. This is also stated in term #2.

10. Why are you offering 5 or 6 nights when my certificate entitles me to a 7 night cruise?

-Some ports do not offer 7 night cruises and that is usually why you will get a 6 or 5 night offer. In some cases there is not availability within our allotment so we will then offer you the best sailing available for that port based on dates requested.

hey guys two words "Stay Away", my wife and i attended a presentation in ithaca, ny. and luckily we didnt purchase anything but we just moved from ithaca to glensfalls, ny. and recieved a post card in the mail to attend another presentation, well we were curious and decided to attend, guess what? its the same scamartist that were in ithaca that is here now, the only diference is they have changed there name to Gps resort services instead of international vacations or travel services unlimited, guys please stay away, dont waste your time, they are going to try and brain wash you with the bbb rating, but in a nut shell its the same old scama!, Stay away from these scamartist.

I went to their sales pitch back in June, 2011 in Indianapolis and fortunately did not buy their "product" for the same reason many have stated--you can find the same prices on many of the travel websites. However, I did get the certificate for the "free" 8 day/7 night cruise and 2 roundtrip airline tickets to anywhere Southwest flies. After 4 attempts to get my free cruise and VIP Travel Reservations never being able to "find availability, " I am requesting a refund of my deposit. Time will tell if I actually get the refund. If not, I will be contacting the BBB, the Attorney General's office, Dateline NBC and possibly a class action lawyer.

We went to a sales presentation. We were high pressured into purchasing this "Deal". When we left and we discussed the sales pitch and high pressure we thought it best to look it up on the internet and check out the situation. This was in January 21st 2012, which was a Saturday. We sent the cancellation letter postmarked within the time frame. I have called on several occasions and all I get is the run around. They promise to call back and NEVER do! Today I was told to call back in 25 minutes with a guarantee that I would be able to talk to someone that will help me. When I called back in that 25 minute time frame and they had forwarded their phones to an answering service. So beware, they don't care if there is a time frame to return their money. I unfortunately used a check and trusted them to send me the money back. If you use a check STOP PAYMENT on the check when you decide you don't want it, don't wait for them. I will be contacting the Ohio Attorney Generals office and my attorney to handle this as of today. Please don't get taken in by all their promises and think they are a truthful and reputable company, obviously they are not!

I am a Licensed Travel Agent and have dealt with GPS resort services on serveral occasions. They do deliever what they say they are going to, better than what I can ! They care about there members and help them with the of easiest trvel needs to the nist complex travel needs. Try them they WILL make your dreams come true.

gizmobonbon... travel agents should be able to spell what they're writing about...
I have seen these guys from GPS in action... turn around, and walk away... if you don't think you can get a better deal online, start interviewing travel agents, that can spell.

We received the same "free" cruise offer and are considering having our money refunded because of everything I have read about them. How did you go about requesting your refund? Do I just call the number on their site? Thanks!

I entered a contest for a trip to Las Vegas a few weeks back and got a call today saying my name was picked to win the trip. However, I'm not 25 so I can't accept the prize but I can give it to someone else. Has anyone ever done this free trip like this from Vacation International? My roommate also entered and they didn't call her.

I have been fighting them for over a year. They did refund us a little over two thousand when I cancelled. Then I took it to the state of SC and they agreed to pay us $1800 more but haven, t seen it. The attorney general for SC will only file a suit if there is more complaints. So call their office [protected].

I wish I checked them out online before getting involved with International Vacation Services/Travel Services Unlimited. When trying to book my first trip, their prices were higher than Vacations to Go. com and I saved over $1000 by booking the cruise myself. When I put in my request for a weeks stay in Ocean City Maryland, they were unable to come up with a place that could accomodate my whole family. Again I was able to book my own weeks stay through VRBO.com. Unfortunately I am still paying the $4, 593 fee for services that were not provided to me. I put this charge in dispute with my Discover Card and a law office for Travel Services Unlimited sent them a form letter which states I had 3 days to rescind the contract. Three days is not enough time to determine the validity of a service. So because I signed a contract and did not cancel within the 3 days, Discover Card is unable to help me and this company does not offer any resolution to unsatisfied customers. I have filed a complaint with the BBB but don't expect this to be resolved. However, if just reading about this scam can prevent someone else from losing their money then I will have to settle for that. BEWARE OF THIS SCAM!

Also beware of a company named Vacation Inspirations (Vacation Station). They sold a travel package in Savannah Ga, I tried to cancel within the 3 day period and they refuse to cancel. DO NOT BUY THIS. Call your Attorney General, Consumer complaint office and the FTC, the local police and sheriff.

please if anyone is attending presentation in dec 2012 or later i would love to pop in...
they ripped us off on 30th anniversary hawaii trip.! now out $6, 000 . they blocked our phone #'s. if you know where they are going next please call me .pipewrks2@charter.net thanks larry in ct.

My wife and I are stuck in a similar situation. How does one get their money back, small claims court?

Which Resort did you have to go to for the 90 minute presentation?