Shell Vacations Club - Slick Con Game

Shell Vacations Club - Slick Con Game

September 20, 2005

Shell Vacations Club (SVC) uses very slick sales techniques to lure customers into a membership agreement that brings nothing but regrets. I was promised an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas only to visit their sales office. I visited their office, and found that the trip was grudgingly offered and included so many constraints on dates of travel and places to stay that it was virtually useless. I turned down their offer for a $15,000 membership package which seemed to be full of empty promises, but I did purchase an "Explorer Package" for $1500. I tried to use the benefits of my Explorer package on two occasions, but faced so many constraints, hassles and so much poor service that I simply gave up. Eventually, after one year, my package expired without any notice from SVC (no mention of this in the contract). $1500 lost down the drain. In retrospect, I was gullible to have been fooled by the slick sales presentation at SVC and their high pressure sales staff. I do hope that others do not make the same mistake. SVC is a business based on false pretenses and empty promises. Marcus A. 9/20/2005

Click this link to e-mail the message author: Email User

Comment On This

I bought the Explorer Package (6000pts) for $1600. Incentives to purchase included a Hawaii and Puerto Vallarta trip (airfare not included) and a $100 airfare voucher. We ended up going on the Hawaii trip (after paying the loan off in full) but couldn't make the PV trip.

I received a reminder email about a month before my membership expired. I had not used any of the 6000 pts yet. Called and asked about a couple vacation scenarios, but the point prices for the resort stays ended being more expensive than simply paying directly (and not buying the explorer in the first place). Don't even think about paying for airfare using points. Huge ripoff.

So, I ended up using all 6000 pts to purchase $850 worth of SVC PlayDeck cards.

Bottom line, you'll save money by paying for your vacations directly. You *might* break even with this explorer program if you take advantage (i.e., actually use) the purchase incentives. But keep in mind, you must pay off your balance before you can even make a reservation for the free trips. And that leaves a smaller window to book them.

In summary, I paid $1600 for a 5-day trip to Hawaii (no airfare) and $850 in PlayDeck cards (I got theme parks, dining and movies).

Not a complete ripoff, but not a good deal.

Comment On This

We are having the same problem with Shell Vacation's Explorer program. We made it through the sales pitch without buying the expensive program to find the Explorer program suited our needs and our budget, especially since it was available on a payment plan. We told them we had a trip to Hawaii planned and asked if we could use our points in September (we were signing up in March). They told us yes so we happily signed up. Then, as we tried to actually use our points, we come to find out that we can't even book anything until our balance is paid off in full. No mention of this was EVER made by the salesperson, even after we asked specifically how to use the Explorer plan. The free trip to Napa we were promised has not panned out either and required a $25 "hotel tax" payment which we made, was cashed, and no one has ever contacted us about our reservation dates. We believe that SHELL VACATIONS IS A TOTAL RIP-OFF. DO NOT GET TAKEN FOR A RIDE LIKE WE DID. We thought we were being very careful and asking all the right questions, but it turns out that the answer is never the same twice and it seems they refuse to be responsible for wrong information given by their own employees. If anyone knows how we can get out of this program and get our money back, please contact me!

Comment On This

I too purchased the $1500 package. There places to stay are so limited, that for the most part its a struggle to use the points. The places where they have alliance contracts (Homestead Suites) are the ones that are located in areas where no one wants to go anyway. Everytime I tried to use the points in Las Vegas, they never have available rooms, so I really don't think they even have an alliance contract with any of the hotels there. I've been able to use my points in Memphis, TN (outside of Beale street and the Elvis Museum) where there is nothing else to do. Kansas City, Missouri nothing really there either. I have 3900 points left, and I aim to use them all if it kills me. 4 days in a hotel in Cities with very little to offer, is not worth $1500. If I had known, I could have paid for the rooms myself, as Homesteads rates are only $105/night...I expected to be staying at a resort..not the neighbor shack.