My Tripmasters Experience.
Are you researching Tripmasters reviews? You are taking a HUGE gamble with them. I want to start by explaining that although the travel agency ruined my vacation, they technically did not rip me off. This Tripmasters review is more for consumer advocacy than anything.
Changing A Trip WITHOUT Consent
For the first time, I purchased a vacation to Switzerland for February 2023 for $8,620 through Tripmasters. I was referred to them by Travelzoo.
The day before I was supposed to leave, an airport strike occurred in Frankfurt, Germany, canceling thousands of European flights. Trip Masters took it upon themselves to reschedule my flights without consent, and the new flight itself would take almost twice as long, reducing our trip by a full day. The seats were not comparable to the quality we chose initially. This is important to me because I’m tall.
Tripmasters Europe wanted to charge me the same $8,620 for a shorter trip, longer flight time, and lower quality seat, and they were not budging with zero attempts at trying to make the situation any better (upgrades in flights, credits, etc.)
Related Reading: Traveling abroad? Make sure you have travel medical insurance.
Why Booking Through Tripmasters Is A Bad Idea
I informed them my vacation was flexible by a few days so that we could adjust the trip accordingly, and they couldn’t help me adjust without starting the trip planning all over (at last-minute prices).
At one point, they wanted to charge me an extra $900 to get on a flight for the sake of getting on a flight with a shorter trip time.
Why is Trip Masters So Cheap?
The problem with TM is that they take your money ($8,620) in a lump sum, then shop the trip to their vendors and purchase non-refundable travel and accommodations at lower rates. This is terrible travel planning because if disruptions like a strike happen, their vendors don’t refund them, and you, the traveler, can not speak to their vendors to solve the problem. You must rely on TM to fix the situation; they had little ambition.
After two days of dealing with Trip Masters and vacation time running out, I purchased a last-minute vacation to Scotland (HIGHLY Recommend) through Delta Vacations (HIGHLY recommend), which was seamless.
The Final Results
Fast forward to today, of the $8,620, I was refunded $7,782.27. I’m having my insurance try to recoup the remaining $837.73 (fingers crossed). Also, Tripmasters didn’t attempt to provide credits for the hotel cancellations to be used at another date, which is common among hotel standards today. They weren’t remorseful either.
Tripmasters Review Conclusion And What To Do Instead
This was an expensive lesson to be learned, and I hope no one goes through this process in the future. I wouldn’t recommend booking any travel agency recommended by TravelZoo and don’t spend your hard-earned money on TM. Instead, book your trip yourself or through an airline (like Delta Vacations) since they control the sky with a solid refund/cancellation policy in case of a disruption. Then, purchase a travel insurance policy through an insurance agency (like The Annuity Expert) at lower prices (not a promotion, just facts).
Book A Free Consultation
Get help from a licensed financial professional. This service is free of charge.
Let Us Answer Your Questions
Not quite ready for a meeting, but you have a question that needs answering? We’re happy to help. Leave an inquiry below, and one of our staff will respond via email.