EKOL Travel

[WJBonds]

Hi gang.

I was wondering if someone here can help me. After reading several posts on this Board, I tried to book a one day guided tour of Ephesus through them. I went to their website, chose the appropriate tour, and faxed them the required form. (Including a credit card #) On their site they promise to respond within 48 hours. Well, it has been a week and I still have no response. Three days after I faxed them the tour request, I emailed them. Still no response.

Does anyone have an idea for me. Should I just forget them and call my credit card company or can this just be an honest glitch.

Thanks again.

[Monterey Girl]

I have two tours booked with EKOL for our Oct cruise. I am very surprised that you have not had good contact with them. I always get a response within a day or two. I have been dealing w/a man named Fevzi. You didn't say when you are cruising and touring.If it's like a year away, maybe they have put you on the back burner during their busy season. I would email them again and tell them if you don't hear back by such and such time, you are going to cancel your tour. If you do cancel the tour thru your credit card company, it wouldn't hurt to send EKOL another email notifying them of your action, just to CYA. BTW, you do NOT need to submit a credit card number to have a confirmed reservation with them. I declined sending my CC# since I am only one of a group of Cruise Critic people touring Athens and Istanbul. I didn't want to get "stuck" holding the bag if the others didn't show up. I have had many, many emails back and forth for over a year now. BTW, have you checked in your SPAM file, enemy file, deleted file, etc, just in case ? Computers sometimes just go nuts. It happened to me this week when all of a sudden my travel agent's emails to me are going to my deleted file for no apparent reason! I was all fired up to send a nasty email and thought I would check there just in case. Guess what? I found several emails from her asking why I hadn't responded to HER emails. Crazy, huh?

In any case , I would give EKOL Travel one more chance. I have ONLY heard glowing reports about their customer service and tours.

Just MHO :D MG

[chevy]

I booked an Espheus tour with them also and have had excellent response time. Try emailing nur@ekoltravel.com. When I took a over a day to email him back he followed up with me again

[WJBonds]

Thanks for your VERY prompt response. My tourn is in about 6 weeks so I don't think it's on the back burner. As far as spam... I've already checked.

What I will do is email again and again ask if something is amiss.

Thanx.

[sun&sea]

I recently contacted them and had an immediate response. Must be a glitch in the system somewhere. They seem to be very reputable. I just emailed and got a response in about 12 hours. Not sure what happened to your email?

 

Janet

[chelledun]

Out of all the guides I used, Ekol was the most responsive. Maybe try sending an email from a different email address? You never know what spam filters will do.

 

Don't sweat too much, though - this company definitely gets excellent feedback on these boards on a regular basis.

[eh2zed]

Nur was great when I booked with EKOL earlier this year Gotta believe there is a glitch. Have you double checked the address you are using. Make sure you include the terrace Houses on your Ephesus tour.

[watercruise]

check your spam folder on your computer..sometimes I have emails that seem from unknown people wind up in spam folder

[Nanatravel]

Watercruise is correct. Fevzi was very responsive to my queries.

Fevzi Turhan

Ekol Travel Ltd. Turkey & Greece

http://www.ekoltravel.com

ekol@ekoltravel.com

Phone : ++ 90 256 618 31 20 ( pbx )

 

bon voyage

[WJBonds]

Thanks everyone for helping. I sent a second email last evening and I just heard from EKOL. Apparently just a glitch in the system. It seems that all is well and I will be using their services in a few weeks.

[Frecklesb]

I have had a variety of responses from Ekol Travel. I got 1 day turn around time and I had a time where I had to send multiple requests.

 

When I tried to prebook, they could not handle my credit card info and sent me a reservation anyway.

 

I ascribe all this to it being Turkey and refuse to worry about it. If they don't show, I will hire a local cab or something.

 

Frecklesb

 

By the way..... our hotel in Venice is worse. Apparently, only the nephew speaks English and he works only part time.

[tomko2]

We reserved through Ekol this summer; did not pre-pay and received quick responses to our emails. We were met as soon as we came off the ship with our guide holding a sign with our name. The guide also had a driver with him and the vehicle was very nice and comfortable. At the end the guide suggested we go to a carpet demonstration which we declined. We paid in US funds at the end of the tour.

Excellent tour and very good service.

:)

[Frecklesb]

Tomko2:

 

Did you pay US dollar, Euro, or a credit card? Just wondering what they will allow.

 

Thanks

Frecklesb

[kdowneymd]

we paid US dollars. had a great one day tour of Ephesus this summer! Definitely the highlight of our 12 day Med cruise. They were terrific

[tomko2]

We also paid cash - US dollars.

[Miata6]

Tomko2:

 

Did you pay US dollar, Euro, or a credit card? Just wondering what they will allow.

 

Thanks

Frecklesb

 

When we used them last Fall, they discouraged credit card payments for the tour balance but were happy (ier) with US dollars than Turkish Lira.

Excellent experience, by the way.

[eh2zed]

We paid by CC but we were in Istanbul where they had a branch office near the Blue Mosque. We paid for Ephesus there as well since they did both for us.