Voyageurs International Ltd

Absolutley horrible business practices. This group is like some politician rooting out funds under their hollow promises. Some sad folks will do anything to make a buck and then do everything else they can to make sure no one gets a fair refund. Only when they were faced with clear overwhelming litagation did they ever respond. more

I found travelsense.org showing Carlyne J Mahaffy as owner (Gilford Mahaffy's wife) with an email address that includes vil... cmahaffyvil@gmail.com Phone 303-423-7868 VIL's website doesn't show in operation. Sounds like they may have created another name to operate now that nobody in their right mind would book with Voyager's International Limited after they had to be forced by multiple states to refund money. more

I first met Gil Mahaffy in 1976 through my boyfriend at the time, the late Richard Manuel Nunez (d.o.b. 9-12-41). According to Rick, the two of them had met at a gay bar in Colorado Springs (The Hide and Seek). Gil was married with children and posing as a man named "Jeff Wright", which is how he introduced himself to me. He had a very young African American boyfriend named Matthew and the two of them travel together frequently. I once accompanied them, along with Rick, to San Francisco where Rick and I stayed at the Fairmont hotel all paid by Mr. Mahaffy. Rick had told me that "Jeff" was living under an assumed named because his wife didn't known that he was gay. One time, Jeff took us to stay in his condo in the mountains, along with Matthew. There was a plumbing problem and I heard him on the phone with someone discussing the matter. That was the first time that I heard Jeff refer to himself to someone else as "Gil". Years later, in 1991, Rick was murdered. I called Voyagers International and spoke with Gil to advise of Rick's death, which he said that he already knew. This is how I know today that Jeff Wright and Gilford Mahaffy are one in the same. When I stumbled across this story of Voyagers cheating students out of money and the head of the company was Gil Mahaffy, it came as no surprise. If someone will deceive their wife and children about their sexual orientation, it speaks volumes about their character. more

I don't know how they sleep at night knowing that they tried to rip off hundreds of families of their hard earned money. I hope this company is forced out of business! more

I was a chaperone on two different occasions, and the kids (and adults) had a GREAT time both trips! There are definite cons - the restaurant and hotel in Paris can be very much improved, but the sightseeing tours and the boat ride are wonderful there. Small accommodations are the NORM in much of Europe, so expect this - but everything from the sights, the coaches we took around Europe, the comfort of the hotels (especially once you got past London and Paris), and the experience overall is a life-long memory. Performing in front of enthusiastic and appreciative audiences is HUGE bonus on top of a great trip. I know the COVID pandemic affected everyone, and this business is no exception. Yes, I would be REALLY upset with a cancellation policy that was so unforgiving - but there are some things that NO ONE could predict, and this is one of them. I hope Voyageurs can accommodate people's refunds - BUT READ THE CONTRACT YOU SIGN! No one could help the cancellations COVID brought about - and I know that this company makes arrangements FAR in advance - hopefully, people will get a good chunk of money back. I feel that many comments and reviews on here recently were judging this company at it's worst, and at the world's worst - I just wanted to put in my two cents about when they were at their best, and the world was "normal" more

They are criminals! more

The Voyageurs company was sued by Washington State Attorney General and lost due to lack of transparency of cancelation fees. Now 235 Washington families will see their "cancelation fees" returned. I hope other states have similar laws to protect consumers. "Voyageurs deceived its customers by sending them a letter claiming the company “paid out more than $1,900 per student for the upcoming tour season that it cannot recoup.” That statement was false. In reality, the company was able to recoup more than 60 percent of what it charged consumers." See the full press release here: https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-secures-full-refunds-washington-students-and-families-who-paid-now more

This review is in response to the prior statement that Voyageurs is honest. No, actually it is not honest. If Voyageurs was honest, then Voyageurs would be showing all of the families who signed up under this snake oil deal the PROOF that it actually lost deposits. Voyageurs used the band directors, and the relationship that our kids had with their band directors to line their pockets as a result of COVID. We were one of the last holdouts for arbitration. During the process, the attorney for Voyageurs told us that Voyageurs had received refunds for all of the airline tickets for all participants. We were also planning on going to Europe and watch all of the kids performances - we canceled EVERY ONE of our reservation and received 100% refund back. Why? Because nobody from America was allowed in Germany in June! It is now August - Americans STILL cannot go to Germany! If Voyageurs was out the "thousands and thousands of dollars of contractual deposits" they claim, then it would be VERY EASY to show this to all of these outraged families. Instead - we get crickets. Our family was signed up for cruises, trips to Carnegie Hall - multiple other travel experiences during this Pandemic crisis, both individually and with chartered groups, and we received back 95% of all monies paid! For Voyageurs to keep nearly 30% of a trip when the trip is canceled - not due to Voyageurs - but due to the impossibility of a global pandemic where US visitors are not allowed in England, France, Germany, Austria, etc. is unconscionable. more

Voyageurs International Ltd is hard-working American family business that is fully invested in the success of your students once in a lifetime opportunity trip. They are the most extraordinary trip concierge group. I was an employee years ago. I will start with this. I have never known another business or family who is more conscientious, kind, uplifting, transparent, generous, honest-to-the-dollar and fiscally responsible. They are the finest example of a successful American family run business you will find anywhere. These trips have been carefully carved over the course of 50 years to exemplify a complete European trip to include life’s astonishing worldly achievements in architecture, landscape, education, art & history to name a few. Packing the experience is the goal, students remain busy and engaged. If your child was chosen it was because their musical talents and hard work complete the band ensemble for the performances, that are welcomed in these countries every year. It is an honor to be chosen! If your students college education costs $150,000 at the end of four years, this trip will likely be as memorable than their academic learning. I see some think they are not transparent about where every dollar of your deposit money went? So you think this is trip to Disneyland? How much time do you have because it is extremely complex. ??? Every country has its own laws crafted for deposits and Ive known VIL is upfront about that. So don’t confuse your anger over the loss of $1900, by damaging a 50 year reputation of a hard working family who I promise you isn’t living in some fantasy world of a golden goose. This is hard and stressful work that is about taking care thousands of people and hundreds of businesses. They have lost a full year of business income that pays their overhead. I just hope they survive. Because they literally change the world by building another one into your child’s life. more

Hello all. I was the first to call (Feb 2020) about this group canceling this trip (from MN). When I knew my business was postponing and canceling conferences and seminars, I knew this would happen. Nonetheless the folks at VIL tried to convince me that the "trip would go on." I submitted a letter and received a partial refund. Did everyone receive airfare back, because I did not? more

Non-refundable deposits are to protect the company in case the customer cancels - this company chose to cancel on the students. They are simply keeping hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars from students (my daughter among them who lost $1900). This is despite the fact that the company required us to purchase travel insurance. Why no offer to refund it as they recover it from airlines, tour providers, hotels, etc? Why no offer to credit the amount to a future tour. I called and they didn't answer, I emailed and they didn't respond, I sent a letter and got a form letter in response offering nothing. I promise to update my review if I ever hear from this company or get anything back. Until then, I can only suggest never doing business with them. more

I am investigating into a possible class action lawsuit against Voyageurs International for their failure to fully refund consumers whose trips were cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. You can reach me directly for more information. Angela Edwards, Esq. Law Office of Angela Edwards East Longmeadow, MA 01028 (413) 525-3820 angelaedwards@charter.net ADVERTISEMENT more

I am not sure if Voyageurs International Ltd cares in the least about the damage their decision is doing for the future of all high school(s) students that are "nominated" to spend this kind of money on this trip. We are in the exact position as everyone else here that has lost $1900 per person that we had paid up front. Even if Voyageurs International Ltd decides to fold up their tents and take their golden parachute retirement, the next focus will be on the schools that they were working on behalf of. The heat will be turned up and I won't hesitate to show up at every presentation to voice strong opposition against any future involvement. The teachers and administration all working together feed us to the agency and sell it as a opportunity that must not be passed on. Well I believe in guilt by association. Whether it is Voyageurs International Ltd, or whoever the schools replace them with, any future trips will need to have a real guarantee that our hard earned money will not simply be taken and run away with. Either Voyageurs International Ltd steps up and fixes this or the schools are never going to be able to have any involvement in anything like this ever again without having people like me remind as many people as possible that greed will always be a factor and hard working people will be taken advantage of. more

VIL was known for coordinating great trips abroad for High School music students. Unfortunately, now they're known for not refunding enrollment fees to 2020 students, despite proof that the company has received air fare refunds from the airlines. A sad story. Do not trust them with your family's hard-earned money for future trips. more

This is not a program you want to support. more

I hate to even give them 1 star. Their contract states "VIL will only cancel your tour within ten(10) days prior to yoru tour scheduled travel dates." I understand in these unprecedented times that it is best to cancel, however this company kept $1900 of money and will not give any information about why they are keeping the funds. The fair thing to do would be to refund all payments minus the $700 cancellation fee. They have insurance and will be refunded or given credit by tour companies in Europe so I do not understand the greed of keeping millions of dollars from high school kids and their families. What a shame. more

The link below is a petition to refund please sign that petition and share it with everyone. https://www.change.org/p/voyageurs-international-extract-our-refund-from-voyageurs-international-ltd 1. I understand that approximately 3700 families nation wide have the same issue. It is certainly not and individual issue. In my particular case which is similar to thousands of other cases, my son was planning to participate in a school trip to Europe in June 2020 organized by Colorado Ambassadors of music managed by Voyageurs International, LTD. 2. The Voyageurs International, LTD was paid the cost of the trip in full of the amount $ 6,345 as of 11/18/2019. The Voyageurs International, LTD sent us a letter informing us that the trip is cancelled due to COVID-19 and they will refund only part of the money paid and the travel agency Voyageurs International, LTD will not refund $ 1,900 as a cancellation fee. 3. That means the company will keep $ 7,030,000. $ 1,900 per student of over approximately 3700 students (all students through the US attending). 4. During this global pandemic you would think that this company would want to do the right thing and return all funds paid months in advance $ 6,400 for Europe trip per student! This is not the case, this company will not return to students and families their hard-earned money and they decided to keep about $ 7,030,000 during time like this. 5. Several parents filled BBB complaints and reviews, you can read them on the BBB link below: One star is average review of 60+ people complaining about Voyagers international rip off. https://www.bbb.org/us/co/wheat-ridge/profile/travel-agency/voyageurs-international-ltd-0885-15566/customer-reviews more

Just because Voyageurs International puts a rubber stamp saying 'Full & Final Refund' in the signature box of the reimbursement check DOES NOT indicate that I agree that this is the only money owed to me by VIL. The back of the check clearly states 'Endorse Here' and a rubber stamp is not an endorsement by me the 'Pay to the order of' recipient. To be completely honest, not only is that activity unethical but I suspect that there may be some law stating that the endorsement portion of the check can not be used for any other purpose. I highly recommend that individuals deposit the check and also write VIL a letter stating that they do not agree with their rubber stamp in an area of the check that is required for deposit. My recommendation is to cash the check today and we'll see how VIL acts for the remaining $1900 as the media, internet, petitions, and next steps play out. The way that companies behave during this current situation will seal their fate as a company and their character as individuals. more

Received our PARTIAL refund check from Voyageurs International due to the cancellation of the 2020 July trip. Printed on the check is a disclaimer "Void after 90 Days). Trying not to cash check to give the impression we are satisfied in any way with them keeping $1900/traveler, but if we hold onto the check beyond the 90 days we lose it all. I've been told that if we cash our checks we are basically agreeing to the refund. They are covering all of their bases. more

What we need is a parent/lawyer in Denver area to take the lead in arbitration required by the contract to get our $1900 per participant back. Cannot imagine airlines, hotels, transportation costs were paid in full and non refundable? more