TakeTours Reviews 315

I was very surprised by the additional fees for the tour, they really are an unfair practice, despite having paid the penalty for not doing the activities proposed in the tour and their fees, it was not made clear that you could not enter the Montreal Biodome and then they charged us the entrance without even taking into consideration the cost of the penalty that had been paid. Everything was paid in cash and if you don't have the exact cost they never refund the extra money you are paying them. Time was lost due to mechanical repairs on the bus and the visit to Kingston was reduced to going through the city by bus but we did not have the opportunity to get off the bus to visit. The Thousand Islands tour was just to watch people who paid for the helicopter activity go up and nothing else.

I do not recommend this tour at all.

June 2023, booked an overnight tour for my retired parents from NYC to DC. These guides and tour operators are bad. Charging more and demanding cash to enter the bus for pickup came off as very shady practices when terms clearly stated a lesser amount and other payment options. There has to be a dozen other options and I'm quite confident others are a better choice. I had a post tour conversation with what I thought was a competent customer service manager to resolve overpayment issues and just genuine feedback and consideration. Nope. No follow through. The negative sentiment of other reviewers is real.

Everything is bad about this tour operator. The hotel provided was of low standards. They trick you into paying more on the bus on the pretext of showing something which might be free. They tell you to hire other local guides, which will be there members only. They abused a family and left them enroute. The family had to pay another $150 for his return trip. The chinese operating this tour are rude and running a scam.

Worst tour company. Do not recommend. You will not understand what the tour guide is saying. Literally the worst time management. Takes money for free attractions too. Would not recommend for Indians who want a relaxed tour. Feels more like a school trip. White house is 10 mins stop and a useless park is 1.3 hrs stop.

PS: I wrote this review at their website (taketours.com) but they didn't display it. It looks like they display only the sweet review about them.
Tour guy and driver are friendly and good. Bus is clean and comfortable.

We are paying for the bus and service fee + tips but they are collecting money for everything though many of them are included as part of Itinerary. We need to come back to Flushing, NY but they asked us to move us to different bus at Niagara which was going to Corning Glass museum but we already visited Corning Glass museum while coming to Niagara and we would be missing visit of Watkins Glen Park more over we need to sit on the bus another 2 and Half hours to Corning. We said we can’t move but on-way back to New York they moved us to different bus at a rest area which was really disappointing.
I don’t understand why are charging for non-ticketed places which are already included in the itinerary.
1. DC Tour: They showed couple of memorials and pentagon building while going on the high way but they charged $20 which is worth less. DON’T BUY
2. Niagara Falls Night Tour: This is part of itinerary, its not a tour (everyone get off from the bus and watch the falls) and It’s not ticketed so everyone can go and see irrespective of paid/unpaid. some people didn’t pay but they also visited this night view. so DON’T PAY for this.
3. Touching Niagara Fall (Maid of Mist + Wind Cave + Whirlpool State Park + Niagara Power Vista): In these you need to get ticket only for Maid of Mist and Cave of Wind which cost $49.25 (Adult) and $33.5 (Kid) in total but they charged $75 (adult) and $73 (Kid).
• This is too expensive I would suggest you to get tickets at Niagara Falls itself instead of buying from the tour person.
• You are going to see the river and no other activities here. No tickets for Whirlpool state park so everyone can go and see the river 😊
• Niagara Power Vista: they just show the building from a mile distance so you won’t see anything. Everyone can see irrespective of paid/unpaid.
4. Timing was insufficient: We need to drive and go for three hours to see a place but we get only 30-45 mins to visit which is barely enough time to explore the place but we spent many hours for coming/going on the bus.
5. No entertainment in the bus. They should put some movies for kids.
6. Unable to reach customer service for any queries/clarification after booking.
7. Charged for Included activities: They charged for everything and everyone went for everything irrespective of paid/unpaid.
8. Their website showed one amount and charged different amount.

TIPs:
• Ask him if it’s ticketed and Don’t pay for non-ticketed so you can watch them for free.
• Buy Niagara Falls tickets at the counter instead of buying them from the tour guy.
• If you are coming back to Flushing, NY, strictly inform to the tour guy that your destination would be Flushing, NY before you leave otherwise you need to make an alternate plan.

East Coast tour 4 days by Taketours. Worst experience. Felt more like a school trip. Tour guide had bad time management. Do not recommend for families who need to relax and see attractions properly without hurry. Charged fees for even the free attractions. Not worth the money.

We booked our Yellowstone , antelope Canyon and Bryce Canyon tour from taketours.com. We discovered we were “sold” to a tour operator called West Coast Holiday based in LA. Thirteen of us were crammed in a 13 person van . It is by no mean safe let alone comfortable. The driver also is our guide , did not do any tour guiding as he had to drive 8-10 hours each day.

Our typical day is starting around 7am (most of our hotels did not have breakfast served) and would drive around 4 hours to a sight (washroom break in about 2 hours) and will spend at the most 1.5 hours at the sight (some sights are like 30 minutes), then will drive around 4-5 hours to reach our hotel . We spent six days on the tour , and covered 4500km during our six days, it is really crazy , we felt sorry for our driver, he is professional but still human and should not be working under these conditions.

As for accommodation, our hotels are mostly motels or 2-3 star
Hotels (the three star one is the worst one) and they are very basic. As for food , it is not included in the tour so we basically eating at all the different fast food joints.

For the itinerary, it covered what they say they will go, but it is also very rush and by no mean gives justice to the beautiful scenery.

All in all, I will not recommend taketours.com to anyone.

Rocky mountain tour in May 2023:
Taketours did not fulfil its commitment for airport pick up. Most of the places indicated in itinerary were passed by.It was 70% travel/hotel stay. Many photo shoot stops (15-20 mimnutes) on the way were skipped despite a request. Guide and driver were in a hurry to complete the day as early as possible(6PM). Food taste of non-Chinese tourists was not taken care of. Majority tourists were Chinese who will take side of the Chinese guide and will show adverse body language to other tourists.

The taketours.com or M&Y tour is a scam company. We took 4 days trip with them. First they provided us 1 to 2 stars hotels and motels at all the places. Those were the worst available hotels in those areas. Whereas we paid for Holiday Inn or equivalent hotels. We were charged 30$ for the niagara fire cracker show, which was free for the public. Only stay and bus ride is included in the package. No food or even water is included in the package. You will not get even free water at the motels/cheap hotels. Hidden charge of $12 per person per day tip (including infants and old) was forcefully collected. The guide named Jason was rude, aggressive, hostile and very abusive, especially when you don't take the optional activities. He was talking more in chinese and was with chinese tourists most of the time. He was not fluent in speaking as well as in understanding English. He spent most of his time trying to collect money from the tourists. Since most of the places in the itinerary was paid and optional the trip cost will increase multifold, or you don't get to see anything. Only you just drive past the cities. Bus seats were full and cramped and they changed four buses in four days. Jason was also driving the bus, which was very unsafe. At times he was driving dangerously. At some places you will have to pay extra for the local guide extra as they say local guide is required at that place. Most probably they are from their company only. Motels/Cheap hotel staff were also rude.

I took there service for Niagara Falls, in hotels we are waiting almost an hour ...we are really very tried but we are still waiting in hotel reception... This is unexpected. We will recommend not to use this service. Very pathetic experience with them.

I booked a tour in New York for one day to Philadelphia and Washington with two persons. As soon as we came in to the bus they told us that we are the only ones that booked it for one day and asked us if we might be interested to stay a few more days. No we just booked one day because we Will be no longer in New York. No problem at all he told us but hè will send us back with another bus.

Second thing we couldnt go by boat during the trip because that season was over. Pretty weird because that is something you will know earlier. We didnt visit all of the memorials that they told us to visit and also we had to pay extra money to go into the Capitol. That was an option and Instead of the boat, but its not like you gonna wait a few hours in the bus before everyone is coming back.

In the end hè dropped us at the bus station with two tickets for a regular bus. That bus wasnt even leaving anymore and we couldnt reach anyone to buy new tickets. Since it was one of the last buses we had to take a train for 330 dollar.

Its now one month ago and we where asking if we can get compensation for the train because they left us and we didnt got the trip they promised us, but Taketours is just saying we are a Third company. They are the first for getting our money, but will not answer you of you have any problems.

Party of 4 signed up for Los Angeles City & Hollywood Star Homes. We were notified we were switched to the LA City and Muscle Beach tour when we were on the bus (that would not be going past stars’ homes.) Shawn, the driver from VIP Tours, did his best to accommodate both tours but no reason nor compensation was given for the change of tours with no notification.

Re: TakeTours is a scam - the tour guide (from Mayi tours).
Was extremely rude, and disrespectful towards us.
Never stopped for food, or water and was hours on the bus not stopping for a restroom.

The tour guide got very angry each time people didn't want to do any of the additional activities (that by the way were charged at a premium (e.g. a visit to a park that was free to the public - he charged us $15 USD - on top of everything we already paid for the tour).
Also please note that $12 USD tip per day was compulsory.

Overall, please save yourself a bad time and don't travel with them - they're such a scam of a company that even Google reviews are disabled.

Avoid this company. It's a scam, after getting in passenger for the fees they will charge for optional activities.
Hotel is too far for doing the free attractions and hence you end up paying for transport in name of service fees.
Avoid!

I thing the company doesn't follow any ethical standards for conducting their business. I was made to pay in USD using Canadian card while sitting in Canada for a local tour in Canada which was available much cheaper whereas the company could have given us the option of dealing with a local Canadian company at the time of booking online as the tour was run by a local tour company here in Canada??? Definitely not going with them in future or promoting their business.

HORRIBLE!
Please, just rent a car.
Every activity you will do, will be with free or next to nothing in cost. This tour company will charge everything double that PER PERSON!
The busses are cramped, uncomfortable, and old. Children have more spacious traveling experiences on school busses!
I’m so upset, I can’t even go into detail because I’ll have to relive the experience in my mind!
Any positive reviews you find are fake! Do not go on this bus tour! Everything you read below in other reviews mirror my experience. Read them and learn!

Guys be aware of these Chinese traveler's,

Wanted to give this my genuine review to at least help few others to decide and plan their trip.

I had very bad experience when I traveled from New York to Naiagara. For July fourth long weekend.

Bus: Seating in the bus is very uncomfortable. They are 60 seats.. you cont push back the seats. All busses are old and dirty and don’t know how they are running these bussed on road and fully conditional. A/C air conditioning itself not there except for first 4 rows .. that’s why you need to pay extra amount to choose seats in front.

No cleanliness, no Covid rules , no masks ..

Stoppings are as per guide conveniences… and they give 45 to 1 hours to grab food.. think how all 60 ppl in the bus can get their food if there is any one restaurant.

Extra or hidden charges—- I don’t understand why are they charging for night tour of Niagara fall because it doesn’t have any entry tickets .. it’s open to all .. and they charge you 35$ per head.. another one walk-ins glen state park .. it’s a free entrance state park but these Chinese guys are charging.. and last but not the least per day tour guide charge 12$ which you must pay whether you want or not..it’s on optional and not as per your satisfaction.

Hotel will be provided 30 miles away from Niagara.. if you want to walk around falls or spend time in Casino.. you can’t do that …. They take you to the hotel at night 11:30 pm and by morning 7:30 am you have to get in to bus. Approximately by 10am returned to NYC.

If you wanted to have your trip memorable.. avoid these cheaters and go by booking rental cars.. you can stop wherever you want and eat what you like…. Take photos with fresh look.

Guys another important point is all the reviews are on take tours site is posted by themselves I guess.. because I tried to post but couldn’t do it.. you can not reach them over phone ..

Our East Coast tour, which includes a large portion of NYC where over 2,000 have died as of April 3, is still scheduled for July 11. I realize that's a ways out and they have no way of knowing, but even in my own state where there's only been 18 deaths many summer activities are already shut down. I contacted them to see if they would be revising their cancellation policy and they said no and that they still plan the tour! Greed at its finest. I would cancel right now if I wasn't going to lose 10 percent. Cancellation fee goes up if it's less than 30 days. Maybe the government can force them to do the right thing.

This is regarding my travel booking tour with Take Tours with booking reference id - DT29-620-8307.

Out of the 7 passengers who were suppose to be part of this tour, 2 people were tested positive for Influenza Flu so we were advised not to travel as its viral. So, on medical grounds we requested taketours to reschedule our trip to a later date.

Take tours showed no sympathy to reschedule to tour even on medical grounds and they said that we will have to pay additional penalty of 150$ each for the sick passengers.

This was very disappointing to hear when the tour company is not even ready to reschedule to tour on serious medical grounds.

They were even fine with us travelling with flu which is highly contagious.

We have all the reports and supporting doctors documents.

Thanks.

Overall an unpleasant experience tours, mainly due to deceptive itineraries from Take Tours and the local tour company (Mayi Tours) which manage our tour. Tour started well with tour guide/driver (Steven Chang Li Bo) - same person due to small tour group (4 people - my family of 3 and a young Chinese female).
He was friendly and willing to show us around and suggested swapping optional “The Buckhorn Saloon and Texas Ranger Museum” (if no one interested) with walk-around 2 other local spots - Tower of America (ground floor) and Historical Square Market. We really pleased with his kindness.
When we opt out Day 1 last item “San Antonio Night Tour Including River Walk” (optional $35/pp) thinking it was a guided tour plus river cruise, rather we just walk around ourselves then everything changes. We’re told if we not joining the river cruise, it will cost USD$20/pp just “to drop us to the river walk”. If not pay $20, he will send everyone straight back to the hotel and make their own plan for dinner.
I will leave everyone to comments below description of what you think:
“Admission (Optional): Adult $35; Child (3-11 yrs) $25; Senior (Over 65 yrs) $35|Duration: Approx. 30 Minutes”
We insisted this is not what we understood from the itinerary and stopping by Riverside is part of the itinerary and river tour + boat ride is the “add-on/optional”. After heated exchange, the driver “rudely” lead us to the Riverside and allow maximum 30 mins back to the minibus, will leave us if we are late. We later found out it is only maximum 2 minutes’ walk from The Alamo, which we visited before lunch at Denny’s restaurant.
This show the dirty tricks used by tour operator to rip innocent overseas tourist thinking each attraction is far apart.
Next yet come another big disagreement before Day 1 end, on discussion for Day 2 optional item (“Stockyards Championship Rodeo”). To bring us to the Rodeo location, we must buy the package of both “optional” items (USD$25 entry ticket & USD$30 pp Special Steak Dinner).
It is ridiculous and outrages to say the least as we do pay for the tour for USD $285/pp (3 days 2-night tour) to bring/show us these locations. We have every right to decide to join any show attractions as it clearly listed as “optional” and nothing mentioned these 2 items need to be purchased together.
I saved the summary of the subsequent 2-3hrs torments in Day 1 evening arguing on the phone with driver’s Supervisor (Maggie) which insisted the above package stands and can’t only opt for only Rodeo ticket, no other customers complained about it. I am sure there are dissatisfies customers, but they just submission to go with majority.
Also, not to mentioned, I am disgusted when Maggie advised the USD$30 special steak dinner is only some Chinese buffet and being threatened that they will terminates their service immediately if we continue giving hard time to the driver. We are furious because we are merely requesting to see the Rodeo (accepting the $25 ticket) but not join dinner.
The driver dare us to raise complain about him and local operator.
Day 2 nightmare continue, we’re again being informed last minutes (before Day 2 tour starts) that tour operator couldn’t secure tickets to “Hamilton Pool Preserve” which is one of our most wanted to visit item. Their excuses being there is a daily limit of 75 visitors and they couldn’t get any pass even booking months in advance. This is convenient excuse, and they even forgot to mention to us when we make booking of this tour and kept it until the last minute. This is irresponsible and deceitful. No replacement for this.
When my wife decided to contact Take Tours seek further explanations/ clarifications of those optional items for our tour package in the minibus:
1. USD$35 - San Antonio Night Tour Including River Walk (plus river ride)
2. Rodeo package (Mayi allegedly) - USD$25 entry ticket & USD$30pp Special Steak Dinner
3. Driver being rude to us and demanded an apology
The driver heard it and become disgruntled and starts to drive recklessly - regular stepping on the brakes hard, swaying left and right unnecessarily and accelerated taking corners. Did I mentioned my 3 YR OLD DAUGHTER is traveling with us and sleeping at the time in the minivan?
Final Day 3 – Due to all the above very unpleasant experience even we have paid for the tour. We decided not to join this tour anymore. We take Uber and go straight to my friend house instead.
Another issue not to be left out is whatever they said “Deluxe Hotel: Holiday Inn/ Best Western or similar” they lied. First night we are setup at Ramada – San Antonio and 2nd night at Quality Inn - Fort Worth. I would rate both hotels less than 2 stars not deluxe hotel.
These mainland Chinese operates tour companies, employed dirty tricks (intentionally leave out important info) and put tourists in a difficult/hard situation to opt-in extra on top of what should have been included in the package. If they would have been clearly explaining all their inclusions/ exclusions of this package, I am sure no one would have purchase this at all.
My final remarks to everyone:
- to avoids Take Tours at all costs
- take extreme precautions and seek full clarification on everything if unclear (all attractions; optional items) before committing to any tours to avoid any nasty hidden charges.