WINTER TRAVEL Some deals are no bargain

The fliers usually offer deals for as little as $299.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- Fax machines throughout the Mahoning Valley are spewing out fliers spouting special travel packages to the Bahamas, Cancun and other tropical paradises, but local travel agents say be careful -- you get what you pay for.
"I am a firm believer of if it seems too good to be true, it probably is," said Pam Baker, owner of Four Star Travel Agency Inc. in Cortland. "Usually, there is some type of catch; either you need to travel at the last minute, or there are all kinds of restrictions."
Almost like "spam" for the fax machine, travel agencies will send unsolicited fliers to businesses and homeowners.
Laura Fallo, the superintendent's secretary at the Niles Board of Education office, said she sees the deals come across the fax machine as often as three times a week.
"I would say about 99 percent of them end up in the trash," she said. "We don't trust them, especially nowadays. You can't really trust them and the deals they offer."
Can be stopped
Like "spam," the term used to describe unsolicited computer email, there is a way to stop them from coming. Most fliers feature a phone number you can call to be removed from the company's database.
But it's not always convenient to take those steps, Fallo said. "We are busy enough, we don't have time to call them to be removed," she said.
This time of year, with winter coming on, the fliers typically offer travel deals to warm-weather places like Orlando, Cancun or the Bahamas for as little as $299 a person.
Many times, no specific travel agency is listed -- only a travel representative's name and a toll-free number to call for reservations.
The deals can promise as much as eight days and seven nights, based on double occupancy.
Read the fine print
The fine print, however, can make all the difference, explained Chuck Petzinger, president of All Tours and Travel Service in Warren and Youngstown.
"The way a lot of them work is you pay your $299, and you receive an official-looking voucher," he said. "But the fine print says 'Subject to availability,' and then when you call to book your trip, they tell you it's not available at that time."
Other times, prices will increase based on "applicable port taxes and service fees," you need to find your own transportation to the vacation destination, or the agency will offer to upgrade the package for several hundred dollars to take care of transportation, he said.
"Usually it turns out that you would get a better price booking the same deal yourself, but it's usually not someplace you would want to stay anyway."
Petzinger said many companies offering such deals stay within the letter of the law. Oftentimes when people complain about not being able to book the trip before the deal expires, the company will claim trips were available, but that customers did not ask for those specific dates, or they will come through with the deals, but they are substandard accommodations.
Not-so-great deals
"I had one woman who told me she tried to take one of these vacations that promised a cruise and when she got there it was a rinky-dink boat," Baker said. "People think they are getting a great deal, but the companies will charge outrageous prices for food and drinks, or the rooms or the boats are just horrible."
Baker said anyone receiving such offers should check with a local travel agent to see if they can get the same deal.
"I can guarantee we can't get those same deals," she said. "And we have more resources, even more than the Internet. If we can't get those deals, then people might want to really reconsider."
Petzinger said travelers may also want to be wary just based on the travel industry in general these days. With airlines and travel agencies declaring bankruptcy nationwide, he suggested always using a local agent for travel plans.
"It's not like all of these agencies will take your money and then close up shop, but some will," he said. "And many of them are based in places like Florida. If you have complaints, you can only call an 800 number and yell at someone. You might not be able to get any satisfaction.
"There are enough good people in this area that can handle vacation packages," he continued. "And then if you have a problem, you have someone you can go back to with complaints."
slshaulis@vindy.com