Ananda Travel, anyone?

[jazzyuppie]

Hi Ryes, Tale & Slog
I went for my tour briefing the other day with chan brothers. my grp abt 30 ppl. think mine is a mixture of young and old.

Ryes, I also same mah. my 2k also stuck at ananda. pray hard hard that they will survive at least till we get our refund back. =P

Tale, is twn like hk... just shopping and nothing else. we r quite hesitant to go cos we dun really enjoy shopping trips...

 

[lsbb13]

Hi Bk......

Taiwan is like HK .... but...not so much like all shopping types...there's also places for scenery, and their CKS memorial hall, where there's soldier's doing their marching..which you would not get to see in HK...And for taiwan, there's many other parts, like hualien, taichung - they have the sun moon lake (scenery of the nature), kaoshiung - there's a jianfushan theme park..very big and fun with excitement rides.... In Taipei there's more like night markets, where u can enjoy their local cusines and snacks...very nice place....i should say.....I didn't have enough time there.......

It really depends on you...whether u like eating and leisure shop, scenery....etc......

Infact, i never buy and clothes back from Taipei..cos it's abt the same price..i find it no meaning...but i bought a lot of snacks back....muah chee etc...i even crate a cartons back...I can't believe it myself....

 

[jozy]

Hi Tale,

yeah, very fun. How was the weather? That time I went was cool, like air con temperature and at night it can be about 22 degrees like that, shiok leh. Wont sweat one. I went to hualien join a day tour for taroko and the rest of the days I stayed in Taipei and explore everywhere. Went to the zoo too, not so bad, but then drizzling.

yeah, i tot hor, i will buy alot alot of things back leh, scarly i bought only 1 bag from the xi men ding only leh. So upset. The clothes like not suitable leh...

wah, the muah chee cannot keep too long one leh, must eat fast. i also bought alot back. muahahaah

Hey BK, yeah, my briefing is day before yours. that day think only about 30 pp in the room. So I have yet to see the other people.

 

[lsbb13]

Hi Ryes.....

Yeah...very fun man.... The weather was cooling..about 20 degrees...thru out the whole day....So nice when the wind blows to you....

Yah lor..i also agree..the things in XMD..like nothing suitable leh....the funny part is..i bought a light wt unbrella back...haha...cos.mine..got squeeze and the wire a bit spoil liaoz.....Cant imagine at XMD buy unbrella nia.....SIGH......

Muah chee can keep only 3 mths....i bought 3 packs back..not much lah..one pk only abt 20 ++ pcs...very little leh......BUT......very nice...

Where u bought ur muah chee?? Mine i bought in Chiufen......

 

[jozy]

ahahahah, you so funny. But then har, my gf's bf also bought an umbrella for her from taiwan when he went there for reservist too. hahah. gf was SOOOO disappointed.

I bought the muah chee all over the place leh. I bought it at hualien the train station there and some in taipei.

 

[ahtan]

Hi Ryes,

Do we have to get a countersigned form from them?they seem like they signed all e thing then we signed our refund form and fax back....

wow 2mths so long....we have 5k with them!and all go to my credit card?wow i need get OCBC if I can get a cashier order for it....wait i pay using 2 cards then hw they pay back?

 

[ixora15]

Think I agree Ananda has bad customer service... regreted signing up with them.. hv booked a package with 2K deposit.. hopefully if they can't cfm the trip, I'll get back my deposit..

 

[jozy]

Hi Garrett,

Sorry for the late reply, as I am now on my honeymoon and just managed to get internet access here to read up. You mean you are also waiting for refund from them?

We have yet to check if we have got our refund, will check when we are back this Sunday to SIN.

The form, we had to sign, then they sign, then they fax to their accounts dept at OUB centre. Hubby asked them to photocopy and give us a copy to safekeep. What you mean by you need to get cashier order, I dont get you.

I would think when we are being refunded, our credit card statement would show a 2K credit, then subsequently bills would be offset until the 2K is utilised.

Hi Ixora, you had better call and check often if the trip is confirmed or not. They always change the number of confirmed pax of the tour as and when they like.

 

[rinnie]

Hi all, just wanted to share my experience with Ananda last dec. My mum, sis and i signed for their Korea trip during their travel fair and we were told that need minimum 10 to go. The thing was that they called us like 10 days prior to the departure date and said it's cancelled cos not enuf ppl. I was so shocked, as in, i always tot korea was a popular place and alot of agencies I called was already fully booked!!! I was reali angry and cos my family has already bought the winter wear, we reali wanted to go so last min, i called alot of other travel agencies and finally managed to get Nam Ho. In fact, the deal that I got with Nam Ho was better than wat was offered by Ananda. The displeasure was during the refund part. At first they said that I would need to wait for 3 months! They said that was their policy. Plus the fact they kept transfering me from one person to another. So i wrote a complaint letter and said that I would bring this up to CASE and immediately, they asked me to go down to their office to collect the cheque. So, for those who need to get back deposit, gotta be firm, otherwise, they will take their own sweet time. They have terrible service. My bf's sis also had a bad experience with them for her Shanghai trip last dec too...

 

[therat]

Hi Rinnie,

I also encounter the last min cancelation.
My friend and I was having final yr exam when they call. Spolit our exam mood. Thought after exam , can go and relax.
We signed for Sdyney and Gold Coast.
Such popular place , they can't even meet the min ppl.
That was happen in 1990s. From that onward, I backlisted them.

Seem like no change from them.

We pay the deposit thru CC. They refund us few days later. But can't remember how they refund us. Too long ago.

 

[ixora15]

hi ryes,
muz be enjoying yourselves over there..

I cldn't get thru their line for a few days so decided to go dwn personally.. they were not bz.. I saw one of the phones hung up.. and while I was enquiring, my hb saw one staff kept clicking the mouse.. speculating that he was playing computer game.. they were all so free but dun pick up phones.. I asked them why they dun ans, they said they r bz and hv to always attend walk-in customers.. think it's bullshit.. my tour requires min 15 pax to go, currently only 6 signed up.. they asked us to gv them more time and will cfm by end May.. I dun think they will be able to get enuf pax within these 2 wks.. no adverts, website under construction.. very bad..
And yes Rinnie, we will be firm on the getting back the refund.. prepared to make a big fuss liao..

 

[sky12]

I just came back with ananda travel, and i enjoyed myself very much. I went to SWITZERLAND PARIS N AMSTERDAM. Their tour managers and tour leader are very proffessional. I have been a long customer of ananda since 2002. I have been to South Africa, Turkey Egypt n Yunnan with them. I believe ananda is not that jialut ba.. maybe u have to c who is the one doing the follow-up or wat?? We shouldnt put the blames on the counter staffs cos u know they are workers n getting salary onli.. I tink maybe i check it out what's happening, with the gal whom i always book my tour with.

 

[jazzyuppie]

I just came back from turkey with chan brothers. guess what i found out? one of my tour mates initially wanted to book with ananda during natas on the same day departure as me, but was turned away by them. they claimed that they have no departure to turkey on the chosen day!! can u believe that!!! they actually turn customers away when there is already 6 pax booked with them for that day!!! i feel so cheated! i'll go CASE to complain abt them if i dun get my deposit back.

 

[spidy108]

Hi, I'm in the same situation. Currently waiting for my refund as well. I've book a china tour during the Natas fair. Suppose to depart on 3 Jun. They should have inform me on the tour confirmation on 19 May. But they fail to do so, I visited their HQ office and signed off an order amendment form to request for cancellation. They told me credit card refund will take at least 2 months upto 6 months. I do not want to wait because I paid $1600 via credit card and the refund is back to the credit card. I request for cheque refund and was told its impossible. I showed them their terms and conditions that cheque refund is possible for credit card as long as we willing to deduct the 3% admin charge. They finally give in and promised the cheque would be ready on 9 Jun for collection. But the amount would be $48 less. I agreed to it. My overall experience with them is really bad. I hardly can get through their phone line and staff are bad attitude. Anyway, I have book with Chan Bro for the same tour and also same departure date.

 

[jozy]

Hey ixora and everyone,

I am finally back from my HM and I did enjoyed myself thoroughly.

Hubby will call up UOB tomorrow to check if we have got back our refund or not yet.

spidy, why u want check refund leh? like that u lose out on $48 right? credit card also can mah, then u sign card using that card, and the bank will offset it. I enjoyed my trip with chan brothers and we will book with chan brothers for our future tours...

 

[jozy]

Hubby just called UOB and they have yet to refund us!!!

 

[jozy]

those who still yet to get the refund back, PLS get back ASAP!

 

[jazzyuppie]

Hi Ryes

what's happening? we have another mth to go b4 the 2 mth deadline. are they closing down?

 

[jozy]

Hey BK,

just pm u liao.
Just to update everyone, we went dwn to the office this afternoon. The lady denied that she said we were getting refund on 17th May and we showed her the copy that she stated and signed on it.

Then they said they will refund us on 6th June and we asked their manager to countersign. If we have yet to receive the refund, we will demand for cash refund.

So I strongly urge those to faster get back refund ASAP. We met another lady who was there to get back refund too and she has yet to get back.

 

[ixora15]

Hi Ryes,
Glad to hear you enjoyed your HM.. me so sian, my HM like hanging in the air can't cfm anything.. we went dwn today cos they said to gv them till end May. Went dwn cos they dun pick up phones.. the guy named RICHARD who attended to us has very bad attitude.. as expected, the tour is not confirmed cos less than 10 pax only...we mentioned they promised an ans by end may, he replied he dunno who promised us but cannot cfm means cannot cfm... he asked us to call and chk again by 5 Jun but added in a mocking-way that he would be overseas so good luck getting an answer from his colleagues... His overall attitude is really bad..

FOR ALL PROSPECTIVE ANANDA CUSTOMERS, PLEASE DO NOT FALL INTO THE SAME TRAP THAT WE DID!!! Go for more established agencies like SA, Chan Bro, CTC...I mean, even before our trip can start, we are already regretting, even if the tour group forms, we doubt that we would enjoy it...

 

[jazzyuppie]

Hi ixora & Ryes
We went down to their HQ for ask for our refund today... as usual they said they are still processing. We demanded a confirm date that we will get our refund. The counter gal told us that it will be around 15 June. We made them to give us a black & white so that by then if we still dun received, we plan to report them... but of cos we hope we dun have to go thru all these.

To have a peace of mind if u r planning to go on holiday and not to go thru all these troubles like us, plsssss do not go to them if u r planning to go on tour.

 

[jozy]

Hey ixora,

I strongly suggest you to go ahead and book your tour with another company already. If this guy has a problem, who would want to sign with them again?

The thing now is you cannot cancel the tour and have to wait for them to tell you that the tour is cancelled, then you can get back to the refund.

Hey BK, they always promise this and that and even if black and white also like no use like that. Who is the girl that served you? is it Peggy? We got the manager to fax us a memo to state we are to get refund on 6th June if not then refund in cash. You saw my pm then went down one is it?

 

[ixora15]

hi Ryes,
Yah we r chking out other tour packages.. and yes, we gotta wait for them to cancel the trip.. sian.. btw, is their HQ still ard? I dun understand y they dun pick up phones, dun they wan business?

 

[jazzyuppie]

Hi Ryes
Yup. saw ur email then decide to go down. It wasn't Peggy that served us. I can't remember her name liao. what's the name of the manager?

Hi Ixora
Their HQ is still at 37th floor oub centre.

 

[jozy]

HI ixora,

i dont know what other alternative u have, because if we are the one who cancelled, we may have to forfeit the deposit.

I strongly suggest that you go and ask them, since they are not able to confirm the number of pax as per dateline given, you want to cancel and refund back. You make a trip dwn the HQ asap.

Hi BK, pm u.

 

[jozy]

Ixora,

can you on ur pm so that I can pm u back. when is ur tour departure suppose to be?

 

[ixora15]

hi Ryes,

Juz on my pm.. hope can receive.. supposed to depart on 1 Jul.. they told us the latest they will cfm with me is 1mth b4 when we signed up with them.. but now said can only cfm 2weeks b4 which is not acceptable to us.. esp when we need to schedule work in advance.. and also hearing many others' trips are cancelled last min.. very frustrating...

I know latest 2 wks in advance is common but we really can't accept it and we made known to them liao but of cos, not written down lah..

anyway, waiting for your 'juicy' info.. thankie

 

[jozy]

Hey ixora,

I have just pm you, didnt see ur posting till today only. faster go and see and take action.

 

[spidy108]

Hi Ryes, have you got your refund ? Now I also worry. Leaving for China today and back on 11 Jun. I will follow up on my cheque refund then. Hope they keep their promise!!!

 

[jozy]

Hi spidy,

Okay, I have got back my refund liao. Finally. Apparently they are reading on this thread too. So whoever is reading, pls, everyone of us want to get back our refund asap. And moreover, other agency are taking only $500 deposit, but your company is taking in $1000 deposit per person.

 

[adore_ping]

Hi All,

I don't know what this commotion is all about the refund. I booked with another leading travel agency to Europe and 10 days prior to my departure, they call and cancel based on "Unable to form group". That left my family very upset and estranged cause we've applied for leave etc. I've also been waiting for my refund from them and 3 mths to this day I've yet receive my refund. Each time I call the travel agency, they kept telling me "The person-in-charge is not around and will return my call" . Unfortunately I've yet to receive their call despite countless messages being left and even going to their branch left me with the same reply that they would inform me and to wait for their call. Perhaps this is the typical "refund" situation in the travel industry ?!

Anyway I'm glad to take up my friend's advise to travel with Ananda since as she travel with them to Portugal, Spain and Amsterdam. Thus my family of 4 and myself booked with Ananda to Taiwan and we enjoyed it tremendously. I truly appreciate the Tour Leader's attentitive care towards my ageing mother and her ensuring our group are well taken care of. We'll definitely travel with Ananda again =)

 

[jozy]

Hi Ping,

Perhaps you are one of the lucky one to take on the tour package with them and manage to go for their tour. Glad you enjoyed yourself with them.

We are just glad to get back our refund just before things happen unexpectedly. Let's just wait and see.

 

[ixora15]

yah Ping,

Think u r the lucky one.. most of us hv bad encounters with them.. I mentioned my frustrations abt Ananda to my colleague, she told me she had the same problems with them previously..

And yes Ryes, u r right abt the 1K deposit.. others require $500 compared to their 1K.. And we hv managed to cancel our trip liao..

 

[jozy]

Hey ixora,

I'm so glad that u have managed to cancel the trip liao. They didnt push you either?

What happened? share share.

btw, sent u an email.

 

[jam75]

ryes,

hi..u r here to share yr experience huh...think most of us hv benn conned using the same method to signed but later no cfmd trip cancel trip & we got to chase yr refund like hell!!

 

[jozy]

hey jam,

replied to your email liao lor...

yeah lor, totally agree!
minority is really lucky to have their tour confirmed and able to go for their tour. But majority is like us...

 

[ixora15]

hi ryes,

guess they hv no choice, no point hanging us up in the air and in the end still cancel the trip.. 4 pax at the moment how to get till 15??

hi jam75,
yes we were deceived... their travel fair portray such good image.. yet service is so bad after sale... really bad... WE WILL NVR SIGN UP WITH ANANDA AGAIN..

 

[jozy]

Hi ixora,

good leh, at least they cancel it. but u know lah, they cancel now is better than informing u later .....

so when expected to get back refund?

 

[jam75]

hi all,

most of us here really hv bad experience wif them dis is my 1st time & will b my last time to consider them again...

for those who yet to get back refund muz keep on chase if not they will juz take their own sweet time...mi oso chased for quite sometimes than got back my refund....

 

[jozy]

hey ixora,

have u got back ur refund?

 

[slog]

Hi Ryes and BK,
Remember me, slog and the Japan trip that they couldn't confirmed? In the end, just nice there were 15 of us good to go. As I may have mentioned in my previous posts, 1 reason why I chose Ananda during the NATAS fair was because they guaranteed 3 nights stay in a 5 star hotel or better. Guess what, ended up staying at a BUSINESS HOTEL in Tokyo. The room was smaller than half my bedroom and there was no place to put down 2 of our luggage bags flat. It was way out of the shopping area and we had to carry out luggage (or pull them if they had wheels) up and down the lane from the coach to the hotel entrance (the entrance is facing a small lane). For the hotel stay at Mt Fuji, that was the worst hotel I'd ever been to...the door to the rooms were holes in a wall like a prison and even had a slot like those used for food trays to be gievn to prisoners. Inside, everything was falling apart, the toilet had insects, the breakfast and dinner was horrible. And for all the nice sounding meals stated in the itinerary, well, on the Hello Kitty land day, the tour leader gave us back 1000 yen and told us to settle our own lunch. Then at Osaka, there was supposed to be a shabushabu meal but of couse, that didn't happen and the meals were so awful the ENTIRE group asked for some money back so we could settle our own dinner on the last day.

2 girls told us tt they had complained to Ananda that they had been lied to by Ananda during the NATAS fair in that they were promised a night departure on the last day but in the end, during briefing, they were told we would be taking a 1pm flight back. Another group of 4 had even more problems cos Ananda reversed itinerary at the last minute and they had extended their stay in Tokyo so they had to take an internal flight back from Osaka so that was an entire afternoon gone. I don't know if they had to go and stay at the BUSINESS class instead of the promised 5 star hotel during their extension.

Now, after 1 of the girls in the group of 4 kicked up a huge fuss, Alex from Ananda agreed to give us back a refund of S$300 each but it's been 2 weeks and there's no news despite my sending chasers.

No matter what anyone says, Ananda has definitely done a good job of losing our business (15 of us) and well, word does get around and in an industry where competition is tough....

Anyone has the latest article published by The Business Times (15 June 2006) on the troubles Ananda is plagued with about staff departure?

 

[slog]

Hi Tale, I just tried the number you suggested 68538300 to contact Ananda but unfortunately, there is a recording from Singtel Mobile to say the number is no longer in use

 

[jazzyuppie]

Hi Slog & Ryes
I finally got back my deposit from them yesterday after waiting at their office for more than 2 hrs!

They had earlier promised us that the money will be credited back to our credit card on 15 June but there is still no sign of it two days after that. so we took leave and went down again. this time we told them we want cash and no matter how long we have to wait, we want our money back that very day. they tried to persuade us to give them another 2 days for settlement. but we rejected them cos we have made enough waste trips. so after their long discussion inside, they finally agreed to pay us back in cash that day. though we waited for more than 2 hrs for that, at least we got it back finally.

Ryes, did they ask u to sign anything went u collect back ur $? anything given to u after that?

For the rest of u who have yet to collect back ur $$$, pls try to get back asap... it seems like the management staff themselves are mending the counter...

 

[slog]

Hi BK,
I am so glad for you you managed to get your deposit back! It was a good thing you stood firm and didn't let them persuade you to give them more time.
It must have been such a stressful experience for you. How ironical since a holiday is meant for us to relax. *sigh*
Maybe I should go down and speak to them about the refund. Meh....

 

[jozy]

Hey slog,

Nice that u are back. Cham leh, I didnt read abt your posting until today!!! Didnt know it was that horrible. Have u logged a complain liao???

The number u dialed : 68538300 is which side? U try caling the HQ one .

Hey BK! What happen? U go where wait? he HQ? My hubby went dwn to collect the deposit one, they ask him sign smthing leh. I dont know if they return us anything not, but who cares as long as we got cash. You are smart enuff to take back cash and wait 2 hrs intead of 2 more days. They auctiong off their offie eqpt on Monday liao, 19th June.

Slog, u had better get back refund, coz got rumours they are closing.

 

[jozy]

Ananda Travel struck by staff exodus over pay: sources - June 15, 2006
TROUBLE seems to be afoot at tour operator Ananda Travel.

i cannot access the business times online, must pay leh..Who have news of this!!!!

and their website down :
www.ananda.com.sg
is now under construction </html

 

[jozy]

ixora15, u got back ur refund not?? hurry leh

found it thanks to my gf!
http://travel.asiaone.com.sg/news/news_20060615_001.html

 

[slog]

Hi Ryes, thanks for sharing the link! Guess what - the person I'd spoken to was Alex Lee, the executive director. 2 weeks ago he promised that the S$600 refund would be credited into the bank account but nothing has been done. I called up Ananda and surprisingly someone picked up. All he could say was that he would inform Alex.

I think 2morrow morning I will go down and wait till I get the money back. Got the email print-out as evidence. Wish me luck!

 

[sallykoo]

passed by their branch in Chinatown today around 3pm++, and it was empty (nobody inside)...

 

[jozy]

Hey slog,

Go and get back cash liao. dun wait!

Hey saly, nobody inside as in the whole shop was dark and closed?