Club Med Insider

booking at club med martinique

On Thursday, February 26, 2009 I booked for a trip to Martinique with the sales rep in Arizona. I was excited since I had tried to get away for 1 1/2 years but my schedule wouldn't allow it. I looked forward to the warm waters of the area for scuba and snorkeling. I had been to the club 30 years earlier, in my senior year of college and fond memories added to the anticipation. Coming from the west coast it's a long trip so I stopped in Florida on the 28th to surprise my Mom for my birthday before leaving for Martinique from Miami two days later. I went out with a friend in Florida that night and discussed my much anticipated trip when she mentioned that her sister books cruises and that Martinique had been experiencing riots. Cruises were byoassing Martinique. Riots! Cars on fire, tourists intercepted in taxis, looting and the like. Strikes in the country as well so that THE airline could only land during the day. Apparently Guadalupe had been closed a month earlier because of similar strikes and riots. I checked the internet and these riots actually took place the day before I booked my trip. Why hadn't the Club Med person informed me of this? That Sunday, my birthday I called Club Med sales. They were "unaware OF the internet UPI story, knew there were riots but told that the club was safe." They told me they had undercover security protecting the club. But how good are some security people compared to a an angry mob of 10,000 rioters. Though I had bought the trip protection from them for $80, (which incidentally is not worth it after you read it closely and include the deductibles), they told me that because the trip was imminent (less than 60 days away) I would not get any refund. I was shocked. They already had my credit card payment of $3000. Jesse (his last name would not be given to me), the supervisor at sales told me he would provide me with the ability to change to a different club and apply my charges towards that club. I could go to Punta Cana for $2000 more which was more than I had budgeted for. I could also go to Turks/Caicos for $1900 and would HAVE TO BOOK ANOTHER TRIP TO USE UP THE $1100 BALANCE OF MY CHARGE LESS A 10% CANCELLATION CHARGE AND BOOK BEFORE APRIL 30, 2009. I went to Turks/Caicos and rebooked air, losing another $150 for a cancelled ticket to Martinique. Turks/Caicos is a very nice club, but honestly, in early March it's about 10 degrees cooler and the water 8 degrees cooler than one would want on vacation. Sailing was too windy all but one day, so if you were not experienced you could not take a lesson or take a boat out. Snorkeling was cancelled every afternoon because the water was too rough. Still, the staff was great, the grounds were well kept, the activity level was wonderful and I had a nice time getting away.
What's interesting is that everyone I speak with says the club salespeople were wrong in not informing of the riots before I booked and in refusing to refund the trip. Yet a phone call to the public relations person, Kate Moeller in Florida, listed in the website has so far not been returned. There doesn't seem to be any listing of someone to call to work this out anywhere in their website. I hope this letter finds it's way to Henri Giscard D'Estaing. It looks like small claims court time which is not what anyone would want for a vacation memory. HAS ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR DISSATISFACTION WITH CLUB MED SALES PRACTICES AND POLICIES?