Matthew G.

RUN from this company. Do not even CONSIDER doing business with them! In fact, they have engaged in so many unscrupulous actions that I will be filing a lawsuit against them (btw, their TICO registration number is associated with "New Pioneer Travel") very soon.

They gave us travel credit for two canceled trips. This (about $5000) sat in their bank account for 4 years, until that destination was finally able to be visited again. They confirmed there was a tour on the date I requested (the only one I can do, due to being a teacher and having a specific week of spring break in which I can travel.) The trip now cost nearly TWICE as much as we originally paid, so we had to pay additional thousands on top of our credit. (Originally, it was a reasonable price. Now it is a worse price than competitors, and worse than we could do if we just arranged the trip to Japan ourselves.)

AFTER paying that amount and getting an invoice saying the trip was PAID IN FULL, they then implied my travel might not happen unless I switched the date (which I can't do) to a week earlier. They then tacked on an additional "mandatory tips" fee at the last minute -- and illegally charged more for tips than the Terms and Conditions stipulated -- and then suspended our travel when I pointed out that problem.

I then filed complaints with the BBB against both UTOVacation (btw, they have been so unscrupulous that their BBB accreditation has been REVOKED as of August) AND against their associated company name, New Pioneer Travel. I also filed a complaint with TICO (the Travel Industry Council of Ontario.) After this, my travel was instated and I was told (in writing) that the tips fee had been waived.

One day later, I received a notice that I must still pay the tip fee -- AFTER they waived it! -- and also stating that they would no longer be honoring the discounted airfare they had offered us (again, via email, in writing.)

I honestly don't think I have ever done business with a company this unscrupulous, untrustworthy, and dishonest. I am about to submit an Ontario small claims court claim to recoup my $7000+ immediately.

If you have been wronged in similar ways by UTOVacation or new Pioneer Travel, please contact me... a class action lawsuit may be warranted.