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Amazon.com: National Lampoon European Vacation(1985): Video Your Store Video See All 32 Product Categories   Your Account | Cart | Wish List | Help | advanced search | browse genres | top sellers | new & future releases | kids & family | movie showtimes | today's deals | used videos Search Amazon.com VHS Used Videos DVD DVD & VHS Movie Showtimes Web Search This item is not eligible for Amazon Prime, but over a million other items are. Join Amazon Prime today. Already a member? Sign in . VIDEO INFORMATION Explore This Video buying info technical information editorial reviews customer reviews RATE THIS VIDEO I dislike it I love it! 1 2 3 4 5 Edit your ratings Favorite Magazines! Subscribe to entertainment magazines today. Visit the DVD Store National Lampoon's Vacation (20th Anniversary Special Edition) DVD ~ Chevy Chase 46 used & new from $0.97 Have one to sell? National Lampoon European Vacation(1985) see larger picture Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 46 used & new from $0.97 Edition: See more product details Customers who viewed this videoalso viewed: National Lampoon's Vacation 4-Pack VHS ~ Chevy Chase Explore Similar Items : 1 in Video , 8 in DVD , and 3 in Music Product Details Director: Amy Heckerling Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC Rated: Studio: Warner Home Video Video Release Date: July 28, 1998 VHS Features: NTSC format ( US and Canada only. This VHS will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about VHS formats .) Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC From IMDb: Quotes & Trivia ASIN: 0790734605 Other Formats: DVD widescreen Average Customer Review: Based on 57 reviews. Write a review . Amazon.com Sales Rank: Today: #6,530 in Video Yesterday: #3,618 in Video Editorial Reviews Amazon.com After winning a tour package in a game show, the bickering Griswald family carve a trail of destruction through England (where they knock over Stonehenge), France, Germany, and Italy. Somehow Ellen (Bevery D'Angelo), the mom, gets kidnapped by gangsters, leading to a car chase that reunites the family, despite their differences. It's hard to believe that National Lampoon's European Vacation is only the second of the Vacation movies; it has the exhausted pallor of the last of a long series of sequels, drained of all zest or original ideas. The charmless smirk of Chevy Chase, mechanical in its idiocy, hangs over European Vacation like a death mask. It's hard to believe that this hack was once the funny and sexy hero of Foul Play . D'Angelo keeps her chin up and gives the movie whatever class it may have; she deserves better. --Bret Fetzer --This text refers to the DVD edition. Spotlight Reviews (What's this?) Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 18 of 18 people found the following review helpful: NOT the original theatrical version! , September 19, 2003 Reviewer: T. D. Charlton "alltheothernamesaretaken" (CA United States)- See all my reviews This is NOT the original version!!! I'm very disappointed that Amazon.com didn't disclose this information. Scenes are missing and parts are dubbed over. Funny parts are still funny but it's just not the same. I feel duped. --This text refers to the DVD edition Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 3 of 4 people found the following review helpful: ANOTHER FUN TRIP!!!! , September 21, 2004 Reviewer: A. R SCOTT "Alesha Scott" (Houston, Texas)- See all my reviews YEP! THIS IS ANOTHER TRIP WITH THE GRISWOLDS. I LIKE THIS MOVIE IT IS FUNNY I LIKED IT. THE GRISWOLDS DECIDED TO GO TO EUROPE AND THEY HAVE ANOTHER ADVENTUROUS AND HILARIOUS TRIP. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A FUNNY MOVIE. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE TO ANYONE WHO LIKES THE VACATION MOVIES OR CHEVY CHASE. I THOUGHT THIS ONE WAS JUST AS FUNNY AS THE FIRST ONE AND STILL DELIVERS A LOT OF FUN AND A LOT OF LAUGHS. --This text refers to the DVD edition Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) All Customer Reviews Average Customer Review: Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 0 of 3 people found the following review helpful: great , September 13, 2005 Reviewer: Stacy Wagner - See all my reviews the transaction itself was very quick and the product came to me in new perfect condition. --This text refers to the DVD edition Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: Not on par with the original, but pretty close! , April 19, 2005 Reviewer: Britt Gillette "www.thedvdreport.com" (Chesapeake, VA USA)- See all my reviews Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo return as Clark and Ellen Griswold in National Lampoon's European Vacation, sequel to the original Vacation movie and precursor to the holiday classic Christmas Vacation. Like the other films, this edition contains different cast members to play the roles of Griswold children Audrey (Dana Hill) and Rusty (Jason Lively). The only Vacation movie that doesn't feature Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid), European Vacation is nevertheless one hilarious movie. It's an old school comedy like they just don't make anymore... When the Griswold family appears on the hit TV game show, Pig In A Poke, they inadvertently beat a superior family and win an all-expenses paid trip to Europe. As usual, Clark is giddy about the wonderful trip of family bonding which he dreams his family will enjoy. But Audrey is mortified at the prospect of leaving her boyfriend behind. Nevertheless, the Griswolds hop on a plane bound for Europe. Right off the bat, Clark's dream vacation begins to experience shortcomings. The first hotel the family stays in is a half-star dump with a community bathroom, and Clark gets stuck on a circular roadway where he endlessly passes by Big Ben and Parliament. A couple of brilliant guest appearances are turned in by Eric Idle (of Monty Python fame) who plays the role of a zealously friendly biker. In one of the funniest scenes in the film, Clark smashes into the biker, who apologizes to Clark while hobbling away from the wreck and who springs a bloody leak from his wrist that he passes off as a mere "flesh wound". When Clark hits another motorist, he and the family are given the man's bumper as a souvenir to take home to America. As the Griswold clan makes their way across mainland Europe, especially in France and Germany, they encounter various pitfalls and cultural misunderstandings. Rusty causes a dog to jump to its death from the heights of the Eiffel Tower, and Clark instigates a riot in a small Bavarian township. One of the more memorable one-liners from the film is when Audrey tells Clark that in Germany "sex" means "six," so while searching for his relatives who live in apartment six, he greets some surprised residents with the tagline, "Hello, my family and I are looking for sex!" When the stress becomes unbearable, the vacation inevitably drives each of the family members in a different direction, but everyone is quickly brought back together when Ellen is kidnapped by a pair of petty criminals who want to get their hands on the family vacation fund. Clark must come to the rescue and save, not only his wife, but the family's entire vacation experience as well... A great comedy that contributes to the overall quality of the National Lampoon's Vacation films, European Vacation is a fun, family-oriented film. Those who enjoyed the exploits of Clark Griswold in the more recent Christmas Vacation or Vegas Vacation films will find it well worth their while to go back see this movie which many people have forgotten about. This is an utterly hilarious film in its own right, and clearly earns its designation as a must-see film... The DVD Report --This text refers to the DVD edition Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) Great Comedy , April 17, 2005 Reviewer: John Livermore "buster_trader" (Bethesda, MD, USA)- See all my reviews Not as good as "... Vegas Vacation" and "... Vacation" but it is still very good! --This text refers to the DVD edition Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 2 of 3 people found the following review helpful: just as side splitting as N. L. Vacation , February 25, 2005 Reviewer: DSG "DSG" (Franklin, Wisconsin)- See all my reviews don't have much to say about this one. was lauging too hard at this one. it's just such a hilarious follow up to National Lampoon's Vacation. see this movie if you like Chevy Chase. so glad I have this on dvd. it too will be watched time and time again --This text refers to the DVD edition Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) See all 57 customer reviews... So You'd Like To... know my favorite movies! :by worlddream , Student, Good Taste in Many things See Great Movies From the '80s :by ALF , Prognosticator of prognosticators enjoy funny books and movies :by Humor Book Addict , avid viewer and reader Listmania! 20 Movies That Keep Gen-Xers Laughing Over And Over Again :A list by Bryan Ma , A Gen-X'er 'Funniest Movies on this side of the Nut-House' :A list by homedoggy49 , Student All Time Best Comedies Available :A list by Eric Leonard , Lifelong movie fan Browse for VIDEO in: Amazon.com Outlet > Video Outlet > Comedy Amazon.com Outlet > Video Outlet > Deals Under $12 VHS > Genres > Comedy > By Theme > Nothing Goes Right VHS > Genres > Comedy > General VHS > Genres > Comedy > Slapstick VHS > Genres > Comedy > Parody & Spoof VHS > Directors > ( H ) > Heckerling, Amy VHS > Today's Deals in Video > Comedy VHS > Today's Deals in Video > Deals Under $12 VHS > Genres > Comedy > Parody & Spoof > General I have seen this video, and I want to review it. tell a friend about this item . 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Air Travel May Double
Bloomberg.com: Latin America Updated: New York: Dec 28 17:46 London: Dec 28 22:46 Tokyo: Dec 29 07:46 US AU BZ FP GR HK IM JP LN SM IND : Regions Top Worldwide Regions Asia Australia & New Zealand Canada Europe Germany Japan Latin America U.K. U.S. Markets Economy/Politics Commentary Sports Culture Bloomberg RSS RESOURCES: Bloomberg TV Bloomberg Radio Markets Latin America E-Mail This Story Printer-Friendly Format Venezuelan Economy Grew 9.4 Percent in 2005, Fueled by Government Spending Codelco Union Workers Delay Strike at Chile Copper Mines for Wage Talks Brazilian Central Bank Expects 4 Percent Growth in 2006, Faster Inflation Mexican Air Travel May Double in 3 Years on Discounts (Update2) Dec. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Mexico is preparing for domestic airtravel to double in as few as three years, predicting newdiscount airlines such as Interjet will pull 20 millionpassengers off the bus, the country's aviation chief said. Interjet, the first low-cost carrier to begin service fromthe Mexico City area, introduced fares this month that beatpremium bus travel. Almost 40 million people annually travel 400kilometers or more on buses equipped with televisions, airconditioning, and washrooms between cities served by airports,said Gilberto Lopez Meyer, Mexico's civil aviation director. ``We can double the number of domestic air passengers ifhalf these people begin flying,'' Lopez Meyer said in aninterview in Mexico City on Dec. 20. The first discount fares introduced in Mexico areencouraging, he said. Mexico City-based Interjet, one of fivestartup projects, began flying four routes on Dec. 5 with pricesthat are as little as a quarter of those charged by the nation'slargest airlines, Mexicana and Aeromexico. They can be cheaper than the bus, too. Traveling to thebeach resort of Cancun from Mexico City on a luxury bus run byAutobuses ADO costs 1,284 pesos ($120) and takes up to 23.5hours. Interjet's fares to Cancun from the Toluca airport, 69kilometers from downtown Mexico City, start at 1,205 pesos,including taxes. The flight is two hours long. A round-trip ticket to Guadalaraja from Toluca can be ascheap as 1,144 pesos on Interjet, compared with 5,145 pesoscharged by Mexicana or Aeromexico. ``I hope these prices are here to stay,'' Lopez Meyer said.``If the discount fares are on average 50 percent cheaper thanthe legacy carriers, we'll have achieved our goal.'' Temporary Subsidies Avolar Lineas Aereas SA began flying from the northern cityof Tijuana to four towns in September. Another two carriersprobably will start operations by June, Lopez Meyer said. One issponsored by Mexican billionaires Carlos Slim and EmilioAzcarraga and the other is backed by Brazil's Gol Lineas AereasInteligentes SA. Mexico is Latin America's second-largest aviation marketafter Brazil, with 20 million passengers a year. To help lower fares, the Mexican government is expandingairport capacity and giving the startup carriers temporarysubsidies on services such as fuel delivery that reduceoperating costs by about 10 percent, Lopez Meyer said.Passengers get 50 percent off on airport tax when flying fromsecondary airports. Competitor Reaction Interjet, owned by the son and grandson of former MexicanPresident Miguel Aleman, can break even in a year by maintainingthe current fare structure so long as the planes fly 65 percentfull, Chief Executive Officer Jose Luis Garza said in aninterview in Mexico City. The carrier has a five-class faresystem with a 50-peso difference between them, he said. The Alemans spent $230 million to buy seven Airbus SAS'sA320 from insolvent Italian airline Volare Group SpA and putdown $60 million in equity capital to start Interjet, Garzasaid. Interjet placed firm orders for 10 new Airbus planes andhas options to buy another 10, which would demand investments of$1.2 billion, he said. Interjet has no debt. Reacting to increasing competition, Mexicana and Aeromexicointroduced promotional fares and expanded service to Toluca.Government-owned Aeromexico began flying to the industrial cityof Monterrey from Toluca on Dec. 14 for as little as 822 pesos.At Interjet, fares to Monterrey start at 745 pesos. ``I can make money at this price, but they can't,'' saidGarza, who served as chief financial officer of Aeromexicobetween 1988 and 1990. Airline Sale Discount airlines reduce investor interest in theprivatization auction for Mexicana and Aeromexico last month.The government sold just Mexicana and rejected bids forAeromexico, saying they were too low. Grupo Posadas SA, Mexico'slargest hotel chain, bought Mexicana for $165.5 million plusassumption of $1.27 billion in debt. Shares of Cintra SA, the holding company for Mexicana andAeromexico, tumbled 20 percent the day after the bids wereplaced Nov. 21 and another 18 percent in the three daysfollowing the auction results were announced Nov. 30. Thegovernment plans to put Aeromexico on the block again in early2006. ``We couldn't artificially halt the entry of the low-costairlines because of the sale of Cintra,'' Lopez Meyer said. ``Ifthere's interest in new carriers and all the requirements aremet, we have to issue a license by law.'' To contact the reporter on this story:Adriana Arai at aarai1@bloomberg.net Last Updated: December 23, 2005 13:57 EST ©2005 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved. Terms of Service Privacy Policy Trademarks Site Map Help Feedback About Bloomberg Log In/Register Advertising ??????
Vacation Packages Lead Generation
Fraudulent Travel Clubs and Vacation Packages Schemes,Scams, Frauds. www.crimes-of-persuasion.com Site Directory Fraudulent / Deceptive Vacation Packages Lead Generation Be aware that when you place your business card or name into a drawing for afree vacation, you may be added to a telemarketing call list. Telemarketers knowthat wishful thinkers are susceptible to their offers. Also know that yourpersonal information, should you enter it, may be collected by unscrupulousoperators via the Internet when you are visiting bogus travel-related sitesseeking unbelievable deals on trips or airfare. Fly By Night Operations You get a notice that you have won a super travel bargain. All you have to dois make a deposit with your credit card and select your preferred travel dates.The trouble is you may never actually get your "bargain" trip because the travelproves to be a complete fabrication, your reservations may not be confirmed orbecause you must comply with so many hard-to-meet, hidden or expensive"conditions." Fraudulenttelemarketers purporting to be travel agencies can offer substantial travelpackages at comparatively low cost because they know they will never have tocome good on their promises. The use of travel as a commodity makes thelong-distance nature of the transaction plausible but also makes getting arefund next to impossible. Additional Costs and Upgrades Several companies overstate the amenities included, hide extra charges in"all-inclusive" packages, or charge you for products andservices you never received. Free vacations often become assertively pitched"discount" packages, where you have to pay an excessively high pricefor some uncovered part - like hotel or airfare, or inflated charges for a"required" second person. So, your airfare may be free, but your anticipated $50hotel room costs you $350. Perhaps a "handling fee" or"membership fee", anywhere from $50 to hundreds of dollars, isrequired as well. Some telemarketers say you've won or been specially selected for atrip then "bait andswitch" you into spending additional money for "upgraded" hotelor other accommodations. You get a free or low-cost trip, but the room iscramped and grimy, the food terrible or nonexistent. The promoter then magicallyfinds an upgrade at an outrageous price. In addition, many offers require you to pay upgrade costs to receive theactual destinations, cruises, or dates you were promised. Some may require youto pay more for port charges, hotel taxes, or service fees but not bill yourcard until after you return. They promise you a bargain-priced vacation. However, when you add up all thefees and extras, you wind up paying more for the "bargain" than for aconventional travel package. The total cost may run two to three times more thanwhat you'd expect to pay, or what you were led to believe. They mayalso fail to inform you of their "no refund" policy ormisrepresent it over the phone. Timeshare Sales Trap You take the bait and fly to Florida. When you try to pick up the vouchers for the rest of your trip, you find yourself trapped at a lengthy spiel on timeshares. You may also find out once you reach the final destination you are required to once again spend part of your vacation trapped listening to a lengthy and high pressure sales pitch for timeshare accommodations during your "vacation." For more info on TimeshareSales Presentations Charter Flights Every year at spring break many students, who signed up and paid forvacation packages, are disappointed when no plane is available for the returnflight. When they examine the conditions of their contracts, theyfind, in small print, a clause that says the travel agency had the right topostpone the departure flight by as many as three days without any advance notice. These students are left stranded in airports far from home, with no provisionsfor food or overnight lodging, just so the travel agency can save money,flying fewer of them during the off-peak days, once the break is over. A lot of college students use use charters for spring break but these flights are notcovered by the same laws as commercial airlines (usually charters can becanceled for any reason by the operator up until 10 days before the trip).Charter flights can also raise prices before the trip as well but you can cancelif they increase the package price by more than 10%. Cruise Line Cancellations Some travelers reserve a specific cruising date, sometimes a full year oryear and a half in advance. Then, shortly before the cruise, they are told thatthat particular cruise has been rescheduled. They are told that they can go onanother one, on certain dates, which may not fit their work schedule. Mostcontracts say that a cruise line can cancel at any time, for basically anyreason. Boat Ride to Hell Telemarketers can initiate contact with you in several ways: they may send direct mail to you stating you will receive a "fantasycruise holiday" vacation including a "luxury" cruise, then directyou to call an 800 number; and they also send unsolicited faxes to your business notifying "allstaff" that the "wholesale travel department" has only a fewBahamas cruise packages remaining at a special corporate rate and that youshould call immediately if you are interested in purchasing one; they send electronic certificates to your e-mail address congratulating youon "winning" a fabulous vacation for a very attractive price. Some sayyou have been "specially selected" (only people with e-mail qualify) for this opportunity. As mentioned, leads are also gathered at local fairs and trade shows by "leadgenerators." Booths are decorated with banners or signs inviting people to"register" for a vacation. You register thinking you areentering a draw to win a vacation. Regardless of the method of contact, you are led to believe you are part of aselect group of people specially chosen to receive this vacation package. Once they have you on the line, they describe an exciting vacation in Floridaand a "luxury cruise" to the Bahamas. They state that the vacation isworth a significant amount, sometimes as much as $2,500, but that you will pay amuch smaller amount to receive it, typically $398, $498, or $598. They urge you to immediately "secure" or "register" the vacation witha major credit card. They also say that the payment covers the cost of youraccommodations in both Florida and the Bahamas, as well as the Bahamas"cruise." They inform you that you must purchase the vacation immediately. If yourequest time to think over the offer, or receive it in writing, they respondwith canned rebuttals such as "this is a limited promotion based onavailability" or , "each confirmation number can only be activatedonce, so you cannot call back and reactivate your number" or "by thetime you receive something in the mail, the limited number of vacations will begone." In fact, there is no limit to the number of such vacations for sale. So you give your credit card number to the convincing operator. Once that is obtained, they say you will be switched over to a"supervisor." In actuality, the call is transferred to the"verification" department at their headquarters, where a third personcomes on to the line to confirm details of the sale. Unlike the sales portion of the call, the "verification" is taperecorded. During the verification, they ask for your credit card number again,quickly review the details of the vacation package and, in some but not allinstances, tell you for the first time that you will have to pay additionalcharges for "port service reservation processing fees" and that thevacation package is "non-refundable." These disclosures occur onlyafter you have provided a credit card number which will be charged within minutes ofyour hanging up. In the travel certificate industry, the amount you are initially chargedduring the sales call is known as the "front end" fee. This is because you donot receive a vacation for the money initially charged to your credit card, nordoes that front end fee pay for your vacation. In fact, most, if not all of the front end fee pays the ownersand their telemarketers for their sales efforts. For your initial $398, $498, or$598, you receive nothing more than a packagecontaining a short video, some advertisements and a "reservation requestvoucher" for the Bahamas cruise and the Florida vacation. When you receivethe vacation package you discover that you will have to pay more to take thevacation you thought you had already paid for. You find youhave actually just paid for the "option" to purchase a vacation andalso realize that you did not wina thing. Therequired additional payment, or the "back end" fee, is at least $198 to $316. They state that theback end fee is for "port reservation processing fees." Infact, the back end fee pays for most, if not all, of your"cruise" to the Bahamas and your vacation accommodations. Should you call and attempt to cancel your vacation it is flatly stated thatthey have a "no refund" policy and that you cannot cancel your initialpurchase. If you read the fine print on the back of the reservation vouchersthat are included in their vacation packages, you will discover that theyactually do have a return policy within a specified number of days, depending on thestate in which you live. If you return the vacation package, even following the instructions on the backof the reservation voucher, you inevitably receive your package back, oftenseveral times, until you either give up or call a law enforcement agency, theBetter Business Bureau, your credit card company or a private attorney. People who seek third party assistance generally receive a refund. Those whodo not are generally stuck paying for themisrepresented vacation package. Should you be one of those relatively few people who decide to pay the extra"back end" fee to take the vacation you will find that thevacation is not the "fantasy cruise holiday" you were promised but afive to six hour ferry ride to the Bahamas and back. The cruise shipyou're booked on may look more like a tug boat. The hotel accommodations theyprovideare shabby, and if you wish tostay at the better-known hotels and resorts referred to in the solicitations andbrochures, you must pay yet more undisclosed "upgrade" fees; otherwiseyou must endure the substandard accommodations provided. Never Never Land You receive in the mail an "Executory Writ of Authorization" whichcertifies that you will receive a "World-class Florida / Caribbean VacationPackage . . . including all accommodations and two Round-trip Airfares!" The certificate also states, "This special package is sponsored by, anddesigned to promote, select hotels, resorts and airlines." The certificate displays hotel logos including those of the "BestWestern British Colonial Beach Resort" and the "Nassau Marriott."To receive your vacation package, you must call right away. When you call their 800 number you reach a telemarketer who reiterates thatyou will receive a "promotionally discounted vacation package." Theysay they can offer such a "fabulous vacation" atan extremely discounted rate because they purchase large volumes of rooms fromthe specified hotels which, in turn, are promoting tourism in Florida and the Bahamas. They say you are guaranteed to stay at the British Colonial Beach Resort inNassau, Bahamas and that the vacation package is valid for 18 months, but thatyour reservations must be made at least 60 days in advance of the requestedtravel date. They indicate that they are a full-service travel agency and thatthey are the ones to call to book your reservation dates. This special limited time offer will cost you only $495 which you must payimmediately with your credit card. Through the use of stall tactics and blackoutdates they either manage to have the offer lapse or they have disappearedcompletely by the time you decide to book. Lifestyles of the Poor and Unfortunate Several states are suing National Travel Services Inc. and Ramada PlazaResorts, both of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., their owners, and Robin Leach, whopitched their vacation offer. The suit alleges that the companies used Leach's "celebrityendorsement" to convince consumers they had won, or were entitled to, aluxury Florida vacation and cruise to the Bahamas. After paying you'd receive a video hosted by Leach in which herepeatedly described the vacation as "world class" and "anexperience you'll never forget." You'd also receive travel certificates featuring Leach's picture and the message: Robin Leach says, "Pack Your Bags!" As a condition of the trip, thecertificates failed to disclose that you were required to attend lengthytimeshare presentations lasting up to five hours and pay sizable expenses and"port fees" to the promoters. You would eventually find out that you had wononly a chance to pay as much as $1,000 for a seven-day Florida vacation insubstandard accommodations and a bonus Bahamas' cruise which was actually aone-day ferry ride and a game of "Las Vegas style" bingo. There was nothing free or fabulous aboutthese dream travel packages. This was a trip to nowhere that you'll try toforget, but can't. Canadians continue to receive "special deal" offers for a $1600voucher towards an all-inclusive, first-class Caribbean holiday from RamadaPlaza Resorts (rprvacations.com) despite over 665 registered complaints at PhoneBustersregarding their practice of immediately charging $2500 to callers' credit cardsafter asking for a down-payment. Insisting that the packages arenon-refundable, company reps feel that because written scripts are used there isno possibility of abuse or misunderstanding. Some tips: Buy vacation travel from a business you know . Deal with members of a professional association and realize that few legitimate businesses can afford to give away products and services of real value or substantially undercut other companies prices. Verify arrangements before you pay . Get the details of your vacation in writing and a copy of the cancellation and refund policies. Don't accept vague terms such as "major hotels" or "luxury cruise ships." Call to verify your reservations. Look up numbers rather than using those provided. The entire operation may just be a front using mail drops and call forwarding services, all leading back to the same operation. Learn the vocabulary . "You have been specially selected to receive our SPECTACULAR LUXURY DREAM VACATION offer" doesn't mean you'll get a free vacation. It means you'll be "offered an opportunity" to pay for a trip that may fit your idea of luxury or not. "Subject to availability" means you may not be able to get the accommodations you want when you want them. "Blackout periods" are blocks of dates, usually around holidays or peak season, when no discount travel is available. Don't send money by messenger or overnight mail. Some scam artists may ask you to send them a check or money order immediately. Others may offer to send a messenger to pick up your payment. If you pay with cash or a check, rather than a credit card, you may lose your right to dispute fraudulent charges. Subject: RPR Vacations Date: 26 Aug 2001 Help! We think we have fallen victim to this scam. Our trip isn't scheduled 'til the end of Oct. this year, but the more we see& hear the more disappointed we are becoming. First it's approx. $700.00 for the first person, then it's $700.00 for thecompanion - if you don't want a sub-compact car or an inside cabin on whatsounds like the 'hell cruise' it's another $269...... Do you know of a way to get out without substantial penalty? Are thereany class action suits pending? Thanks for your great web site - wish wewould have looked at it sooner. Dayna Kaplan Reply: Suggested search at the FTC site and the search box atpage bottom for up to date info on suits. Big Ships Stop Slowly I happen to have been foolish enough to be taken in by Ramada Plaza Resortsand was given their website while on the phone with the telemarketer, though Idid not access the site until after I had hung up. I had to use a search engine to find their site and, lo and behold, there wasyour warning in big bold letters. I immediately called my credit cardcompany and they advised me to call the RPR ORGANIZATION and cancel, which Idid. They told me they would honor my request, but yesterday, three weeks afterthe cancellation, I received the video package in the mail and my credit cardcompany still shows there has been no refund. What do I do now? Shirl Teaney 11/30/01 I don't presently have the time to ascertain how this spammed offer operates. CONGRATULATIONS! You have been selected as a finalist in the NVP Travel Giveaway! Prizes areaccommodations for two for two nights at any one of the following locations: -- Ft. Lauderdale orDaytona, FL -- Williamsburg, VA -- Orlando, FL -- Las Vegas, NV -- Bahamas -- Branson, MO All you have to do is complete the finalists' registration form - be sureto include your Confirmation Number: G-862622 . As an added bonus, the first 500 finalists to register will receive a free entryin one of our bonus drawings for $1,000.00 Cash or Plane Tickets for 4Adults to any Continental U.S. Destination ! Why wait? You could be on your way! CLICK HERE (www.ca1.waredet.net.co.fr|https.travel.bzah.com) to "Travel Today"! Lisa Davidson National Vacation Promotions --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your screen namewas entered in our giveaway. If you do not wish to participate in future promotions, please click here. (www.ca1.waredet.net.co.fr|https.travel.bzah.com/remove.htm) We have a company that has just come to Dallas named GreatEscapes TravelClub based out of Lakeland Florida. It is almost exactly as you describe in yoursection titled "Clubbed on the Head." I too was taken in by whatoriginally was to be a 90 minute presentation that became a 3 hour sales pitch.I was promised the Guaranteed Lowest price on travel and 5 percent back in"travelbucks" to use towards other vacations. I asked the salesmanwhat types of travel and he said"everything". Reading the contract at home I find that the "travelbucks'could only be used for certain items and the fineprint suggested that they had totally misrepresented themselves. I stopped payment on mycheck the next day then faxed and sent them a certified letter demanding theyreturn it to me and to cancel my contract as I have not received any goodsor services from them. I have not heard from them yet nor have they cashed mycheck. My attorney says the contract I signed did not conform to State ofTexas law in regards to certain items be written in bold or underlined print andsays he hopes "GreatESCAPES" attempts to sue. Have you heard anythingabout this company? Bart Terrell 01/25/01 We Sell Dreams, Not Nightmares Les, I have been selling timeshare vacation packages for about three years andalthough I enjoyed yoursite, I was upset with the bad wrap you gave the vacation package business. It's extremely upsetting how a couple rotten apples can ruin the entirebarrel. I'msure there are a lot of fraudulent telemarketing companies who misrepresent thepackages and terms & conditions of the vacation, but I am proud to say that Ihave one of the cleanest and most respectful telemarketing companies in Tampa. (no name given ) You must understand that a lot of these discounted packages are impressively gooddeals made possible by the fulfillment and timeshareindustry. These vacations may not value at "$2,500", but for a personto put a similar package together themselves would cost a good $1000, whereas acustomer of mine can purchase it for $398. Although there is some truth to your article on fraudulent vacation packages,understand that there are many reputable companies who have been providing theirclients with awesome vacation packages and that there are many positive experiencesfrom people who have taken them. Bottom line: The world evolves around business. This is a businessbased on selling people something that will make them feelbetter about themselves. Selling a dream. What better dream than a"fabulous vacation". Jason Martinez 01/11/02 Hi Jason, While I value your opinion and even admit that many people actually sign up forvacation values knowing they must sit through a timeshare presentation, fewactually are prepared for the high pressure inherent in the industry.Timeshares, while predominantly legitimate, are by their nature a poorinvestment in the majority of cases. The scams I try to focus on are the ones where the value of an offer are grosslyexaggerated and misrepresented in order to deceive. Few people seem to arrive atthese offers aware of their future dissatisfaction. I am glad you work within the boundaries of goodwill, make people aware of theirobligations, and do not have add-on charges which negate any value of advertisedpromises. My research is taken from numerous cases of infractions which have seta track-able and unstopping trend. Les They All Sound Good I was looking for information on your great website to see if Ramada PlazaResort Vacations was a scam. I gave them $349USD on Dec 21/01 byVisa which works out to approximately $600.00 Canadian. I had given theirpackage and video to my husband for our 25th wedding anniversary and promised totake our three sons along. Now I still need to send them $1550USD tofulfill the cost, but after reading your info, I just want to see what Ican do to get my money back. I have to admit that I must be quite gullible. I fell for a scam last yearcalled, Skybiz. I paid $100.00 US to get a website instructional programthat was totally useless. I joined on the advice of a friend and with thepromise of making money. Right now I am also trying to get back some money from a company called,Underdoz.com (and underdogz) They offered cheap airline tickets yet I never receivedanything after six months for my $148CDN and I just found out that theyclosed on December 31, 2001. Pamela Funk 01/24/02 Note: the site was active when I visited 01/25/02 Call Center Job Jitters Last month I lost my call center job after I discovered their dishonestmethods. When I started the job I was told that I was to sell a vacation package topeople who called in about winning a $1002 credit voucher on a vacation packagewhich supposedly normally retails for $1400. Basically, the people calling would then be told they could get a packagecontaining seven vacations, one major and six mini vacations, for only $398.00for two people. When I saw this great deal I wanted to get one myself, but because I knewsomeone who was fooled with the Ramada resort travel package, one of myco-workers and I decided to look for them on the Better Business Bureau websitefirst. Oddly, there was no report available despite their claiming to be amember. Two days later I asked to see details of the package I was selling but theyrefused my request, stating that they only had one copy and wouldn't want tolose it. The next day, after nagging my supervisor, he finally agreed tolet me go through the package but then only showed me a bunch of pictures. Though unable to prove fraud, I suspect the worst. Now, after being fired for being too inquisitive, I really feel bad aboutlosing a job but I want to make people understand that, at least where I wasworking, a lot of the staff were unaware that it was actually a scam that theywere selling. Leon 03/29/02 03/00 - In an FTC settlement, Frederick F. Zeigler III, Robert E. Kane , Commonwealth Marketing Group, Inc . and Great Escape Vacations &Tours, Inc .; will be required to pay $145,000 in consumer redress,$18,500 in receiver's fees and expenses, will be enjoined from any futureviolations and post performance bonds of up to $150,000 before either sellingtravel-related services or conducting telemarketing activities. Through the use of direct mail vacation "certificates" and outboundtelemarketing calls to people who, believing they were entering a drawing for afree vacation, had previously submitted "registration forms" handedout at events such as county fairs, they represented thatconsumers had won a "fantasy cruise holiday" to Florida and theBahamas, when, in fact, they had won nothing. They actually had to pay a "promotional fee" of $598 per couple,and up to $300 or more in additional charges when they were ready to travel. Inaddition, the vacation packages received did not provide the "luxury"accommodations promised unless consumers paid yet more money in"upgrade" fees. Upon calling the consumers, CMG's telemarketer described an exciting vacationto Florida and "luxury cruise" to the Bahamas, concluding the pitch byoffering the complete package for a small "promotional fee" of$598. Consumers were instructed to secure their vacation using a major credit card.Only after consumers gave their credit card numbers were they told that thepackage was nonrefundable and that in some, but not all, cases they would haveto pay additional fees - often mischaracterized as "port fees" - whenmaking their reservations. When consumers received their packages, according to the Commission'scomplaint, they found that they had to pay more money for a vacation theybelieved was already paid for in full, and that they had, in fact, won nothingat all. Many consumers were told their purchase was nonrefundable. In fact, while CMGdid have a written return policy for the vacation packages, the companyallegedly did not honor it, and consumers who returned their packages often hadthem mailed back several times. Severing Ties With Tijuana On scams like the Mexican Vacation Club , or others where the consumer uses a credit cardfor time payments, I often tell consumers to destroy their cards, report their cards stolen, etc. Do anything you need to in order to close thataccount. I sometimes tell them to not accept the card company's offer of a replacement card, just to put more distance between you and the scammer. Reporting the card lost or stolen may be dishonest, but in this case, turnaround is fair play. Be sure to make good on your other debts or stop using the card for 10 days before you do this. I have never had a consumer report back to me that the business is actually legitimate and that it ispursuing the "debt." You may get a dunning letter from a"letter service" collection agency (as opposed to a real collection agency). The MexicanVacation Club contracts usually list jurisdiction in Mexico City, and I've never seen them file a suit there against a U.S. or Canadian consumer. Consumer Attorney in Seattle. 04/02 Have you heard of Dreamquest Communications which says you tour Ramada Plazafor an hour and get to stay at a Ramada in Orlando for 3 nights for$228.00? They offer some free Disney tickets but they want a bank checkpayment right away. Anon 05/06/02 04/02 - Vermont's Attorney General filed a consumer fraudlawsuit against Cape Canaveral, Florida based Cape Canaveral Tour &Travel , Inc. and two of its employees, Lory Walker and Michael Dwyer. According to the complaint, Cape Canaveral contacted Vermontconsumers by telephone to sell them seven-night vacation packages to the Bahamasand/or Florida, typically consisting of hotel accommodations, a rental car andtravel on a cruise ship that, not including air fare, cost $1,155 and involved atime-share tour. The complaint alleges that they violated Vermonts ConsumerFraud Act by: through their agents, soliciting consumers to fill out entry forms at fairs on the pretext that this would entitle the consumer to participate in a giveaway or drawing, whereas in fact the purpose of the entry forms was to generate "leads" for Cape Canaveral. failing to disclose, at fairs, that a purchase was required. misrepresenting the companys vacation package offer as a special offer and highly discounted, when in fact the offer was ongoing and was figured from hotel "rack rates" that consumers could easily obtain at a discount from a local travel agent. failing to disclose that consumers had to take a time-share tour in order to take advantage of the vacation package offer. failing to afford Vermont consumers their right to cancel the telephonic purchase of a vacation package within three days. A court order requiring the defendants to comply with Vermontlaw, refunds for Vermont consumers, civil penalties of up to $10,000 perviolation, and other legal relief is being sought. Diamond Holidays Travel called me to let me know I won acruise including 4 nights and 3 days in the Bahamas with hotel, but I have tosend them a check for $77.00 for me and the second person plus port charges of$99.00 a person. I have four days to call them back. Is this ascam? Thanks, Agnes 06/20/02 One spammer offering vacations in both English and Spanishformats and which are accompanied by timeshare presentations is Valued Guest atwww.valuedresorts.net See also: TimeShareBeat's VacationClub Scams . Have you ever heard of Sundance Vacations out of Pa?. Theirdeal started at $10,000 for 20 vacations which included excess inventory andother enticements but I kept saying no. Final deal, $5000, unlimited vacations, excess inventoryplus. Seemed too good to be true. Walked out. Hope I receivethe free weekend which was the come-on. Owlgolf 07/31/02 Live Wire Shorted Out 10/24/02 Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan filed suit against Live WireSystems , 2425 Commercial Boulevard, Suite 400, Fort Lauderdale, and JamesP. Davis with violating the Automatic Telephone Dialers Act, UniformDeceptive Trade Practices Act and the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive BusinessPractices Act. The defendants are charged with placing more than 10,000 autodialer marketingcalls since at least July 2002 to individuals and businesses across Illinoisusing prerecorded messages that invited consumers to purchase low-cost Disneyvacation packages. To confirm their invitations, consumers were instructed to call a toll-freenumber that provided the details and conditions of the trips. The lawsuit alleges that they misrepresented the nature of the offer byfailing to disclose that consumers are required to tour timeshare resorts aspart of the package and that Walt Disney Company is not a sponsor of the tripand has not approved use of their name. In the suit, Ryan is seeking a permanent injunction, restitution toconsumers, costs, a civil penalty of $50,000 and an additional penalty of$50,000 for each act committed with intent to defraud. www.crimes-of-persuasion.com Crimes of Persuasion2000 LegalDisclaimer Web www.crimes-of-persuasion.com Using Paypal First Name Last Name [ Home ] [ Up ] [ RPR Vacations ] [ Tempus Resorts ]
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Outstanding Vacation Rentals Around the World - ScenicRentals Area Properties Africa ...................................... 13 Asia / Middle East ...................... 7 Australia / Pacific ...................... 11 Canada .................................... 73 Caribbean ............................... 128 Central America ........................ 13 Europe ................................... 217 Mexico .................................... 32 South America .......................... 10 United States .......................... 616 FIND YOUR DESTINATION Enter Key Words to find your ideal Vacation Properties. Enter Property ID Choose from our growing collection of outstanding vacation rental homes around the world. We feature vacation homes that are luxurious, yet affordable. Our U.S. vacation homes are in desired locations ranging from: Scenic Lake Tahoe vacation rentals Vacation condos in Florida Smoky Mountain cabin rental Orlando Florida vacation homes Hawaii vacation rental homes South Carolina cottages Our worldwide properties include Italy villas British Columbia Costa Del Sol Mexico villa rental Caribbean vacation rentals Have a Vacation Property to Rent? Scenic Rentals is committed to being the best resource for marketing your vacation rental. Our team is dedicated to your success, and our world-class website offers an affordable showcase for your valuable property. See how easy it is to increase exposure and income with a listing on Scenic Rentals. Check out Whats New on ScenicRentals and the Top Ten Reasons for listing with us. It is easy to feature your vacation rental property on ScenicRentals. Scenic Rentals is committed to being the best resource for marketing your vacation rental. Featured Destination: St. Barths A volcanic island with luxury villas, gorgeous beaches, beautiful people, and world-class French cuisine.Ooh la la more >> Featured Destination: Palm Springs Natural beauty of the mountains and desert along with hiking, biking, shopping, arts, golf, and nightlife. more >> About Us | Contact Us | Links | Legal | Site Map |© NewVaco Inc., Scenic Vacation Rentals™ Quick Access to Vacation Rentals in Popular Locations United States Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Missouri Montana Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Utah Virginia Washington California Big Bear Lake Dana Point Del Mar Downieville Healdsburg Laguna Beach Lake Tahoe Los Angeles Mendocino Mission Beach Oceanside Palm Springs San Diego Florida Anna Maria Island Bonita Springs Cape Coral Captiva Island Cedar Key Cocoa Beach Davenport Daytona Beach Delray Beach Destin Disney Area Fort Myers Fort Myers Beach Ft Walton Beach Hallandale Beach Hutchinson Island Indian Rocks Beach Indian Shores Islamorada Jupiter Key Colony Beach Key Largo Little Gasparilla Island Marathon Marco Island Mount Dora Naples New Smyrna Beach North Captiva Island Orlando Panama City Punta Gorda Sanibel Island Sarasota St Augustine St Petersburg St. Augustine Beach West Palm Beach Ski Properties in Utah Park City Hawaii Hanalei Kahana Kapaa Kauai Kihei Lahaina Maui Molokai Poipu Beach Princeville Waikoloa South America Brazil Peru Europe Bulgaria Croatia England France Greece Italy Portugal Spain Africa South Africa Asia - Middle East Indonesia Thailand Australia - Pacific Australia New Zealand Central America Belize Costa Rica Caribbean Anguilla Antigua Bahamas Barbados British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Dominican Republic Grenada Jamaica Puerto Rico St. Barthelemy St. Lucia St. Maarten/St. Martin Turks and Caicos US Virgin Islands Canada Alberta British Columbia Nova Scotia Ontario Quebec British Columbia Okanagan Valley - Penticton Sooke Sun Peaks Vancouver Vancouver Island Victoria Mexico Cancun Cozumel Ensenada Manzanillo Playa del Carmen Puerto Vallarta San Miguel de Allende Zihuatanejo
Switzerland Travel
An MBendi Travel Profile: Switzerland - Travel Advertise on MBendi Travel Search our directories for: - Accommodation - Airlines - Airports - Attractions - Car Rentals - Countries - Embassies - Event Venues - Events - Health Centres - Hotel Groups - Places - Publications - Restaurants - Tourist Bureaux - Travel Companies - Travel Specials - Travel Tips Tell us about your favourite: - Accommodation - Attraction - Event Venue - Restaurant - Travel Tips More ... - MBendi Travel - MBendi Business - About MBendi - Contact us Switzerland - Travel General Information Places to Visit Travel Facilities MBendi Travel Directories Note to Travel Organisations More For This Country: - Tourism Industry ______________________________ Regions: ------------------------------------------ Country List ------------------------------------------ World Africa Antarctica Asia Australasia Europe North America South America ______________________________ General Information Time Zone: GMT+1h00 ISO Code: CH Dialing Code: +41 Continent: Europe Places to Visit Geneva , Montreux , Zurich , Lucerne :[ View All ] Travel Facilities Accommodation (4) : Hotel Intercontinental , Mandarin Oriental du Rhone , Montreux Palace Hotel , President Wilson Hotel Attractions : Lake Lucerne Event Venues (7) : Hotel Intercontinental , Mandarin Oriental du Rhone , Messe Zurich , Montreux Palace Hotel , Orgexpo-Palexpo Exhibition & Congress Centre , Palexpo Conference Centre , President Wilson Hotel Transport (3) : Basel Port , Geneve Port , Zurich Port MBendi Travel Directories The MBendi Travel website provides some of the most comprehensive information on African travel and tourism anywhere on the Internet. With your help, we would also like to make it one of the best sources of information on travel to Switzerland ! MBendi Travel's directory of Tourist Attractions includes places to visit on each continent. If you find we've missed one of your own personal favourites, you can record the details on our website so others can share your pleasure. You can even E-mail us some of your holiday photographs , the best of which we will display on our website, with your ownership clearly attributed, or share your experiences of visiting some special spot by adding a glowing description through our website. While we provide information on somewhere to stay in every African country we are keen to know about similar places in Switzerland and you can help other travellers by recording those details on our website. You can also give your favourite restaurants, at home or abroad, some free publicity by recording their details on our website. But first search the Accommodation or Restaurants directory to make sure some other fan has not already listed your special favourites. We also provide a Directory of Places so that you can see information you need tourist- or business-wise related a specific city, town or village. Again you can expect this directory of places to grow as new information is added to our other directories. You can use MBendi's directory of Event Venues to find the ideal place for your conference or exhibition, large or small, while MBendi's directory of Events provides one of the most comprehensive lists of public conferences and events anywhere on the Internet. If you are the manager of a venue or the organiser of a public event which is not recorded in our directories, then please submit their details via our website after first checking to ensure they are not already there. If you're an experienced traveller, you might like to use MBendi's Travel Tips section to share your special lore, while if you're a novice traveller, you could use MBendi's directory of Travel Organisations to find everything from tourist bureaux to event organisers ready to assist. In our directory of Publications , we are also compiling details of travel guides and other publications. If you're planning to visit Switzerland on business, we also encourage you to refer to MBendi's business and industry profiles for Switzerland. Note to Travel Organisations Travel organisations are particularly encouraged to ensure the MBendi Travel directories are comprehensive, current and correct as your businesses can only prosper from an increase in tourist numbers. MBendi's Business Opportunities section has details of leisure properties for sale, while the Employment Space includes job vacancies in the industry. Map of Switzerland Geneva Waterfront Information Source: MBendi - Modified: 08.Mar.2004 [ Home Page ] [ About MBendi ] [ Contact MBendi ] [ Policy ] [ Legal Disclaimer ] Users of the MBendi Travel website are assumed to have read and agreed to our terms and conditions © 1995-2005 , MBendi and its associated information providers