Odenza Marketing - any experience?

[Katie330]

I don't have any experience with the company the OP mentioned, but I have dealt with Spirit Incentives. The free cruise is legit, but there are a lot of catches. The program was ideal for me because I am a graduate student (so I have NO money and a lot of flexibility in my schedule) and I live in Georgia, so I could drive if need be to any of the ports in the program. My offer was for a "free" 5 day cruise on Carnival. The port charges/taxes were my responsibility--$159. The major catch is that you do not find out whether or not your date has availability until about 30 days prior. I had to choose a port/itinerary and 3 dates (off peak months of Sept-Feb) and wait and see. It took almost a year (attended the timeshare presentation in February 2007), but we did finally receive our papers and cruised on the Imagination on January 14, 2008. If you have the money, then it is probably not worth the aggravation, but I couldn't find a better deal on a 5 day cruise anywhere (and we also booked and used the free 2 night hotel coupon we received with the promotion.) My boyfriend swears he will never attend another timeshare presentation, but we saved a boatload of money and had a WONDERFUL cruise!

[luckyinvegas]

I won a 5 day cruise while in Las Vegas (Cruise A Day- Fitzsgerald's) much to my delight!! Unfortunately when I sent off for the info. it was Odenza marketing. They sent back a form letter with very restrictive dates that I can go on the cruise. Sept.-Feb. :( As a school teacher, it's virtually impossible to get away during those months. Has anyone yet attended an Odenza cruise?????

[happyplanner]

Hi there,

 

We've collected points through our local grocery store and can "cash" them in for "family fun vacations" through Odenza..It's usually for a 3-night stay at select hotels. We've done this at least 5 times and are booked for another in October. So...Odenza has worked for us in that regard.

 

A month ago we won a 2:1 Carnival cruise also through Odenza (from sitting through a time-share demo) and are hoping that it will be legit. It's good until Sept. 2010. I did notice that the departure dates are not the most favourable but the price is!! I would love to know if anyone has actually taken the 2:1 and if it really was cost effective. I did notice that their "Brochure list price" was considerably higher than the price on the Carnival web page. :confused:

 

Thanks for any advice on this!!

[justintime605]

I have a confesssion. I was just laid off by Trvel Amercas usa who is a competitor of Odenza Marketing Group. I'm furrious with the owner and his practices and I may as well set the record straight now that I am noo longger employed by them. We were forrced to post negative stories about Odenza as our current owner is trying to ruin their reputation. This is wrong I know but the few of us in the department were desperate for work because times are tough so we did it anyway.

We were operating out of California and Surrey BC and I'm going to call cruise critic about it so they get into trouble.

 

Justin

[joecruise]

I know someone that used to work for Odenza in Vancouver and they told me a lot of stories... If you're open to suggestions, mine would be to put that certificate in a paper shredder, forget about it, and save yourself a major headache / hassle.

[Gnosticgirl]

I have a confesssion. I was just laid off by Trvel Amercas usa who is a competitor of Odenza Marketing Group. I'm furrious with the owner and his practices and I may as well set the record straight now that I am noo longger employed by them. We were forrced to post negative stories about Odenza as our current owner is trying to ruin their reputation. This is wrong I know but the few of us in the department were desperate for work because times are tough so we did it anyway.

We were operating out of California and Surrey BC and I'm going to call cruise critic about it so they get into trouble.

 

Justin

 

THIS JUSTIN CHARACTER APPEARS TO BE A FRAUD! I am currently 'Google'ing Odenza travel for information/feedback much the same as the OP, and for every negative post I have found, this same post above from "Justin" is a reply/comment. In one thread, a representative of Travel Amercas usa disputed ever having a Justin at that location and claims he is a fraud, and with his repeated 'spam' like posts, it appears to be the case (read it here: http://www.complaint.tv/odenza_no_deal_with_odenza-1975.html).

 

Thought I would share this information. Google "odenza vacations Justin" and see just how many of this exact same comment appears! Thanks Buddy, you've made it easier for me to find all the negative feedback on Odenza!

[conchead]

The OP was almost 4½ years ago

[Carnival Platinum Cruiser]

Thought I'd ask the Odenza question again. Any other experiences?

 

A few years ago my MIL got one of these certificates for a 3 or 4 night cruise with carnival for 2 when she bought a new car. She and my wife booked the Fantasy (one of the choices available ) in cat 1A for a total of $329 dollars (port fees, taxes, processing fee for 2 people not PP). I thought that while it was not free it was certainly way below the going rate at the time. A month before the cruise my wife got a call that the fantasy cruise was cancelled as it was going into dry dock and by chance my MIL now did not want to go anyway. I got on the phone with the rep and asked if We could change names, he said yes at no cost, so then I asked if he could call whomever and see if the 5 night Victory cruise could be arranged out of Charleston, SC. After 15 minutes on hold he said we could do that at a total cost of 450 for 2 people not PP for a 1A gty. The infrequent Carnival Charleston, SC 5 day cruise for a cat 1A was going for nearly 900 for 2 so I jumped on it being so close to where we live. About 2 weeks before the cruise we received the tickets in the mail and were upgraded from a 1A gty to a hanidcapped cabin on veranda deck category 4F I think at the time.

 

SO I guess you never know how these things can play out and for what we paid it was a steal. BTW the outfit I spoke to was from Canada and the car bought was a GM product.

[picklebongo]

The scam is if you do buy into a Time Share you might get a cruise, if you don't good luck getting one with this company.

 

 

Fred

 

Buying a timeshare is typically not a good deal to begin with, totally overpriced, so it would be better just to purchase ones own cruise outright.

[Earthworm Jim]

My dad once told me a valuble saying that I'm sure everyone has heard, but we all seem to be slow to accept..

 

Nothing in life is free..

 

I always heard "The best things in life are free". I think I believe that old saying more than your dad's.

 

(Generally speaking at least. This particular case of a free cruise, not so much.)

[Frenchsnowhite]

A friend of mine "won" a voucher for a 3 days cruise. And he told me I've never cruised before so if I cannot used it, I will give it to you...........

Oh boy! do I have news for him:eek:

 

I was suspicious about this "free cruise" now I know it's not free and it's a lot cheaper to book directly with my wonderfull PVP:D

[alreadypacked]

Regarding Odenza Marketing Group--a real eye opener:eek:

 

 

http://www.kirotv.com/money/28113836/detail.html

[ChefSusan]

I always ignore/rip up anything that says "win a free cruise" - there's a sucker born every single minute, and I'll never get caught up in scams like this one!!!

[luv cruising 007]

After almost a year we gave up on Odenza! BEWARE!! They never have your cabin, always want you to upgrade to a better room & DOUBLE THE PORT TAXES & FEES PER PERSON! We looked at the same cruise on carnival 3 day Paradise cruise with a 4a cabin costed the same as the "always sold out free cruise" 1a cabin through Odenza! They are NOT worth the time & headache(from personal experience!) they had no explanation why there taxes they wanted us to pay were more than what Carnival lists on the website! We gave up & booked a 4 day porthole cabin through our travel agent for the same cost! sorry to be longwinded but we had a TERRIBLE experience with them! Thank god they returned our $100 "hold your cruise deposit" we got our refund back & ran as far away from that company as we could!