NEVER use Orbitz, ever.

[Mackeyser]

This...is bullshit.

Planning our trip to Minny to scout out the twin cities and see if we like it to maybe move there.

Used Trivago and all of the hotels, 2 nights up, 5 nights there and one night back all booked smooth through booking.com.

NO problems. The last night, it popped through Orbitz.com. I didn't care which site and Trivago populates their search fields so all you have to do is choose which room at the place you've chosen.

Unfortunately, it glitched and we didn't catch that instead of using the dates I'd put into the Trivago site, it used dates that were put in two queries ago, which meant that it booked us for 5 nights from 9/13-9/18. Orbitz's site wasn't nearly as easy to read as Booking.com's and other's sites so we missed it. The site glitched and we didn't catch the error until looking at the confirmation.

So.. we called IMMEDIATELY to the property to adjust the reservation. Says right on the button "reserve". Doesn't say "pay now". Several other sites specifically distinguished between "reserve" and "pay now" with discounts to "pay now". Well, the property didn't have a manager on duty at the time. Called Orbitz.

Turns out every single "reservation" they take is a non-refundable, instant charge. And it's not like that's the hotel's policy because I checked manually on booking.com and it says in red letters that cancellation is available right up until the day of arrival!!!

So, I feel like crap because the way we were sharing expenses is my mom is renting the SUV and paying for the hotels, I'm paying for the gas and all our expenses up there. We were doing this together and now, because I clicked a button on a glitch, she's on the hook for $605.

Anyway, it may not be resolved, but I know folks here travel and if nothing else, please learn from our misfortune.

NEVER, EVER, EVER use Orbitz for anything.

 

[FaulkSF]

Had a similar problem with them too. Clicked on the website and it said free cancellation. Got my receipt it said fees for cancellation. Had to cancel my trip and was out over $100.

Complained to the site, the hotel and my credit card and they couldn't do anything. F those guys!:wabbit:

 

[Mackeyser]

Yeah, what they don't say outside of the fine print is that while they do publish the host cancellation conditions, the site supersedes those and Orbitz's policy is EVERY booking is a non-refundable booking.

Moreover, the damn cheats. The button says "Reserve".

When you make a reservation at a restaurant, you don't have to pay in advance.

Same for airfare, hotel and car reservations. Unless they explicitly say "pay now", then it's a reservation. Goodness knows they overbook and everyone knows that it's possible you get there to pick up the car or eat at a restaurant or take a plane or stay in a hotel and they don't honor the reservation.

That happens, sometimes.

The bastards already charged my mom's card. On a reservation.

Seriously, F those guys. My mom, who was a COO of a legal outplacement firm and retired a few years ago, knows what to do and I'll go full ham on social media, but she wants me to wait one more day to give corporate a chance to make it right. If they expect a grandmother and service connected disabled vet to eat a $600 charge because of a glitch between Trivago and Orbitz (and I think the error was on Orbitz's end because we had no problems making 5 other bookings without error), then they're crazy.

 

[Memento]

Yeah, fuck Orbitz. I hope you do raise hell, Mack. Those fuckers deserve it for pulling that shit on you.

 

[Mackeyser]

Update: the site manager at the hotel made things right. Turns out the site manager takes care of two hotels and was dealing with a funeral. That explains the lack of contact.

What isn’t cool is that Orbitz won’t even acknowledge their error, their culpability nor their need to make amends in the event of an error on their behalf.

It’s going to work out well, thank the Good Lord.

That said, I still will never use Orbitz again.

 

[FaulkSF]

Another complaint, but for Mr. Coffee products. I bought a new coffee maker in October 2014, and now it wouldn't power on. I contacted customer support and they said the warranty was void after one year. I explained we used it less than 5 days a week, and I didn't buy a new coffee maker to last 2+ years.

Customer service only offered 10% discount on next order + free shipping. Why would I want to buy your products if they're just going to break down in 2 years? :banghead:

Bottom line, don't buy Mr. Coffee, drink something else while watching Mr. Radar.

 

[fearsomefour]

I had used them several times with no issue.
Last time was a cluster...
mystery charges showing up, then partially reversed, quoted one charge and different amounts show. Not sure where the fault laid and it finally got resolved.
I am longing for the days of not doing everything online through an automated system.

 

[bluecoconuts]

I hate that kind of stuff, but there's usually a way.. Sometimes working your way up the latter will get things done, that's what I do... With a slight twist.

Customer Service: Thank you for calling Orbitz customer service this is Jenny, how many I help you?"
Me: "Hello Jenny, can you tell me who your boss is?"
Jenny: "Uhhhhh.... Mark..."
Me: "Thank you Jenny. Go get me Mark's boss."
Jenny: "Uhh... Can you repeat that."
Me: "Sure thing.. Mark.. Whoever his boss is, get me that person. I want to get something done and since customer service can't do it, I assume Mark doesn't have the authority to grant you that request. So again, please get me his boss."

It doesn't always work, but if you do get that guy then they'll usually get that shit done because they don't feel like being bitched at by angry customers.

 

[Mackeyser]

Well, and twitter is super powerful these days.

I mentioned in the DM I sent that I'm a Service Connected Disabled Vet and that's they were stealing from me.

The main twitter acct got back to me right away, not the customer care acct.

The last thing businesses want isn't a negative viral thing that highlights their crappy policies.

 

[bnw]

Another complaint, but for Mr. Coffee products. I bought a new coffee maker in October 2014, and now it wouldn't power on. I contacted customer support and they said the warranty was void after one year. I explained we used it less than 5 days a week, and I didn't buy a new coffee maker to last 2+ years.

Customer service only offered 10% discount on next order + free shipping. Why would I want to buy your products if they're just going to break down in 2 years? :banghead:

Bottom line, don't buy Mr. Coffee, drink something else while watching Mr. Radar.

ahem.......get a French Press.

 

[FaulkSF]

ahem.......get a French Press.

That's my weekend brew, but when I have to take care of my daughter and get ready for work, drip is just easier. I definitely enjoy the flavor that much more from a proper french press.

 

[bnw]

That's my weekend brew, but when I have to take care of my daughter and get ready for work, drip is just easier. I definitely enjoy the flavor that much more from a proper french press.

We stopped buying the drip units a few years ago since no matter the brand the reliability was crap. Bought a large french press (4 cups) and never looked back.

I hear you about getting a child ready in the morning.........the memories. There were phases of course but the one I remember most was the "I can't find my shoes." phase. That was both of my kids. Usually found the shoes within the house but there was the time with 4 inches of snow on the ground and gym class early in the class day that I roamed the yard looking for the white sneaker......which was found......and was worn to school thawed but wet.:yess: