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Tripadeal Review – A Customer’s Perspective

- This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure.

With five trips to date both home and away, and another two in the pipeline for 2019, I could well be considered a TripADeal Frequent Flyer . The TripADeal model is changing the way many of us book our holidays. And bargain hunters like me LOVE it!

I’ve paid for all my TripADeal trips and have not received any special discounts apart from the regular prices available to the public. 

Since swimming with the whales in Tonga, which was my first TripADeal holiday in 2016, my husband and I have visited Malaysian Borneo, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Canada, USA (Alaska and Yellowstone National Park) and Rainbow Beach in Queensland – all through TripADeal.

So, I would like to offer you a TripADeal review and my own travel experiences with them.

My Love Affair With TripADeal

What makes tripadeal so appealing, travel or escape, do your homework before booking, paying for your tripadeal package, thumbs up: reasons to book with tripadeal, thumbs down: are there any negatives, how does tripadeal do it, q&a with a tripadeal business development manager, premium vs standard, negombo fish market , sigiriya, the ancient rock fortress “lion rock” , hiriwaduna local village tour, sigiriya , dambulla vegetable farmer’s market (dedicated economic centre) , golden temple of dambulla – rock cave temple , meurulanka cultural dance show, kandy , isini gems & jewellers, kandy , geragama estate tea factory, pinnawala elephant orphanage , minneriya national park – elephant safari, royal 100 spice and herbal garden tour, kawudupelella, galle dutch fortress, colombo, general comments – tripadeal sri lanka trip, suggestions for improvement – tripadeal sri lanka trip, thumbs up – tripadeal sri lanka trip, thumbs down – tripadeal sri lanka trip, choice of rooms , all-inclusive meal package, the meals were stunning, snorkelling was possible right off the west beach, general comments – tripadeal maldives 6 day stay, general comments – tripadeal 2 for 1 borneo, kota kinabalu (‘kk’) .

• Mari Mari Sepanggar Island

Mari Mari Cultural Village 

Nabalu native market , kinabalu national park botanical garden, kundasang war memorial, ranau , sabah tea factory and gardens, kampung luanti ‘fish spa massage’, english tea house, sandakan, sandakan memorial park.

• Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary 

Kinabatangan River Cruise At Dusk

Sepilok orang utan rehabilitation centre and sun bear conservation centre, rainforest discovery centre – sepilok, gomangton caves in gomantong hill, sandakan, kinabatangan river cruises and jungle walks, tripadeal tour exclusions, any tripadeal complaints, great value for money, what is tripadeal.

TripADeal is an online travel agency currently setting Australia on fire.

Since its inception in 2011, TripADeal has become a one of Australia’s top online travel agencies.

TripADeal offers massive discounts on holiday deals and is competing with market giants such as Expedia.

It was voted ‘ Best Online Travel Agent ’ by the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) in 2017 and all of this out of little ol’ Byron Bay.

With a mantra of “ Making Travel Dreams Come True “, their holiday deals fall into two main categories:

• Travel (tour packages sometimes including cruises)
• Escape (accommodation deals with no tours)

Both categories have domestic and international destinations, with occasional special ‘2 for 1 deals’ that will light anyone’s fire!

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Well, my love affair with TripADeal began in 2016.

The initial hook?

A full-page attractive ad in a local newspaper lured me in.

That was followed by automated TripADeal emails to my inbox at work after subscribing. Now that’s always a susceptible time to be thinking of another holiday!

And all it took was a headline highlighting one of my bucket list destinations, followed by a price I couldn’t resist.

“Simples”, as a certain meerkat would say.

My first dip into TripADeal’s world of adventure was the “ Tonga Whale Encounters – Swim With Humpback Whales”, an 11-day South Pacific experience of a lifetime at only $4499 all inclusive.

Little did I know that I was soon to become hooked on TripADeal, evolving (or some would say ‘mutated’) into a TripADeal multi-tripper.

Being a control freak with a triple-A personality, I used to make most of my own travel arrangements, especially if I could save a dollar or two.

But finding the time to do so is a huge issue, which is getting worse.

Everyone is time-poor.

I certainly no longer have the time to visit travel shops or peruse brochures or sit and detail all my desires to a busy, half-interested travel agent.

Working a stressful full-time job just doesn’t allow any such luxury and having the interest or inclination to plan details of a complex itinerary, with flights, hotels, meals and side excursions has certainly waned.

So, present me with an all-in-one package, with a great headline and price that catches my eye.

I’m in, hook, line, and sinker!

TripADeal seems to have perfected the technique.

Those regular daily emails just keep dropping into my inbox.

Filled with wonderful eye-catching headlines and photos, they certainly are an easy temptation!

TripADeal – Ease Of Booking Online

TripADeal’s website is quite user-friendly and their holiday deals are easy to search for.

A mere click on the photo or ‘View Deal’ button takes you to the deal and the details of your chosen holiday are extensive.

They include the itinerary, highlights, tour inclusions and other important info.

Their multi-paged package information is pretty much fully explanatory.

A countdown clock on the right-hand side displays the time you have left to make a decision.

Although we all know that it’s a great marketing ploy to give the customer a sense of urgency, in the case of these TripADeal holidays, there really is an urgency.

If it looks too good to be true, the available dates will go very quickly.

So be forewarned!

If you have any questions, you can call and talk to a Travel Consultant, or Chat Online. After all, they are a travel agency.

Personally, I have never needed to do this at all.

I find the online instructions very easy to read, understand and follow.

However, you should research your trip before booking, especially to choose the best time to travel for that particular country which best suits you.

Once you have chosen your trip, the date, how many travellers and other details, your final price is shown.

You simply have to complete your order and pay.

Payment methods include Paypal or Visa, Mastercard or Amex cards, great for accumulating points.

They also offer zipMoney, which is a book-now-and-pay-later facility, if you prefer.

Once you have booked your trip, you get a confirmation email that includes a link to your Passenger Information Form which you need to complete within 72 hours.

If you require flights, and if they are not already included in the package, their sister company Phone A Flight can help you with those along with visas or insurance. 

Four to six weeks before your holiday is due, you will receive your Final Travel Documentation with your itinerary and other details.

Eh voila, you are ready to go!

Oh, and if you sign in to your TripADeal account, you can see all your current or previous trip details under “My Deals”.

TripADeal –  Pros And Cons of Booking 

• The prices are certainly very attractive (I don’t think I could match them if I tried to book such trips myself let alone the time and angst it would take me!). 
• The ‘2 for 1’ deals are especially awesome. 
• There are many advertised cut-price travel deals on the web but the more you examine the details, the more exclusions you find, hence their low price. With TripADeal, that is not the case.
• Most of their Travel deals include international flights, accommodation, most (if not all)excursions and some (if not all) meals. So why re-invent the wheel if TripADeal has done all the hard yards for you?

Well, isn’t that amazing? I can’t really think of anything.

Except I guess that it is an online booking agency.

Well hello, but that’s why you are using it, isn’t it?

If you do get stuck booking online, you can still call them or chat online.

Although I have never actually had to phone TripADeal for anything, so I can’t comment on this.

I thought this might be a good point to have some insight into how TripADeal can offer such great holidays at such fabulous prices.

Well, Emmy Lou Stockbridge is one of those awesome passionate people who put TripADeal adventures together.

I recently had the chance to ask her a few questions. Here is what she said:

How long have you worked for TripADeal?

Three years

Do you enjoy it?

I LOVE IT !!

What is your role in the company?

I am a Business Development Manager – a BDM’s role is to create the unbeatable deals you see online.

How many people actually work for TripADeal – especially in your area?

Over 100 and growing. My department is ‘Product’ and there are six BDM’s.

What is involved in creating a holiday package deal for TripADeal?

First establishing where the customer wishes to travel, looking at global trends and then sourcing the best travel or tour companies and accommodation worldwide, negotiating rates and building relationships, joining this with flights and making an unbeatable deal to put out for sale.

Making travel dreams come true!

Do you visit the country yourself to test out an itinerary you are working on? 

Yes, we travel to all our destinations and create itineraries ourselves but only after testing THE BEST way to travel a certain route or a destination.

Is there any possibility of extending holidays before or at the end of the trips?

Yes absolutely, you can find this info in the fine print of all the deals.

Does TripADeal take into account travellers feedback, both good and bad? 

Yes, we do, this determines always how much better we can make the trip, we are always wanting to improve on even the most successful and best-selling trips.

How does TripADeal manage to offer such well-priced deals?

All due to the wonderful and skilled negotiations of the Travel BDM’s. This along with our dedication and loyalty to our merchants.

Does TripADeal offer a flight price reduction guarantee?

No, we will just find the best rate online at the time of booking.

If someone still wants to book a TripADeal holiday face-to-face, is that possible?

Yes of course. We are part of Travellers Choice Travel Agency, with 150 stores Australia wide.

Are online bookings the most popular way of booking?

We have been awarded Best Online Travel Company twice, and we send over 30,000 eager travellers around the globe every year.

This is a testament to the growing number of travellers wanting to purchase online.

It’s simple and if you have a fabulous in-house Customer Service department like us, you can’t go wrong.

So what age group do you think TripADeal holidays most appeal to?

In the past, it was generally over 40+.

But a new trend in the market has shown we appeal to all ages!

A lot of the younger travellers are seeing the incredible value in our trips and are jumping on board.

TripADeal Reviews

If you want to know more, read my TripADeal Reviews of their Travel tours I have recently experienced.

If you want to travel independently, here’s a Sri Lanka itinerary to help you plan an independent trip. 

16 Day Fly, Tour & Stay – Maldives & Sri Lanka

Cost: $2799 (Standard Package), $3199 (Premium Package)

The premium package of this Tripadeal trip offers upgraded hotels during the 7-day Sri Lanka tour. Hence the price difference.

Whilst you may be tempted to book a Premium Package, to be honest with hindsight most of us wouldn’t have (see suggestions below).

Many tour highlights are included in the price but not all were mentioned in the advertised itinerary or as optional extras.

So I have included them here in this Tripadeal review.

Highlights Of our Tripadeal Sri Lanka Tour

The coach takes you to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Lion Rock. But admission for a self-guided tour was Optional (and a MUST do).

This was FANTASTIC!

Not only the amazing history (built in 477AD) and magnitude of the rock fortress but the 200m climb up from the jungle to the top is a must.

Beware of the young men who will forcibly try to assist you along the walk up the rock.

They are very insistent and quite pushy and will demand payment after.

Despite this hassle, the views at the top are stunning, as was the abundant wildlife along the way.

The troops of macaques were particularly curious, engaging and sneaky thieves if given half a chance!

It included a twin oxen cart ride through the village (definitely a highlight!) followed by a short walk along rice paddies and treehouses (watchtowers against marauding elephants).

Then board a local catamaran canoe to cruise a lake, the iconic Lion Rock in the distance. Landing alongside a local village pontoon, we were invited into the village.

Entertainment included learning to de-husk rice, crack a coconut and a leaf weaving demonstration.

And after all that hard work, we were served a beautiful freshly cooked traditional village lunch.

A scary tuk-tuk ride back to our transport completed our tour.

What a memorable experience, and one with a difference.

Walking amongst hundreds of stalls selling local produce whilst commercial trucks and utes try to load up.

This was a very busy active Farmer’s Market selling so many fruits and vegetables we didn’t even recognize. 

Again, not itemized.

You will need to take off your shoes and reverently walk through the site to see the 150 statues of Buddha.

Watch out for more monkeys too.

This included show demonstrated twelve colourful ritualistic cultural dances.

But the highlight was the south Ceylonese Wedi fire dance.

Firewalking and fire-eating performed in a street-level car park. Amazing!

A very insightful tour of a top-class gemstone factory and showrooms.

It included a historical film of gem mining.

From the Sri Lankan moonstone to multi-coloured sapphires and red or green garnets.

Gorgeous and very tempting!

And did you know?

Lady Di’s iconic blue sapphire engagement ring actually came from Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has a 150 yr history of growing tea.

This was one of the largest tea factories and its tour was very enjoyable.

Tea is still traditionally hand-picked by only women and the eight different Ceylon teas are world re-known.

Tasting the final product was fascinating.

Orange pekoe tea purposefully drunk over a cube of palm sugar and no milk. And a coffee-tea blend, well, that tasted peculiarly like peppermint.

Instead of driving to the Orphanage, our fabulous guide took us by train.

This turned out to be a great experience of local rail travel, and a highlight for many. But the Orphanage itself was a letdown.

Said to be a conservation and educational centre, it looked more like a commercial zoo.

There were large crowds standing in the dust and heat with not a lot to see.

A group of elephants at the back of the complex had their legs chained. They seemed stressed and very fearful of their keepers.

Another elephant was being forcefully hosed down in front of the tourists but it didn’t seem to be enjoying the experience at all.

Not a good sign.

This optional tour, however, was a real highlight. We travelled in open-top 4WD Mohindra jeeps through the National Park.

Hundreds of elephants roamed the savannah and lake’s edge.

There was abundant other wildlife with eagles, ibis, strutting peacocks, brahminy kites, woolly neck storks and spoonbills.

Caribou and small groups of hunting jackals were also spotted.

And to top it off whilst driving home, our traffic was stopped by a lone elephant strutting its stuff along the main road.

This is Sri Lanka.

Just priceless!

The oils and drinks made from them appeared to cure almost any illness.

The tour included free half-hour Ayurvedic massages (although tips were expected).

But then we were split up into individuals or pairs (against our wishes) and escorted through the shop.

What followed was a hard personalized sell of over-priced Ayurvedic products.

A great shame as everyone reported being harassed to buy, at times quite rudely.

This was a guided tour of the historic UNESCO World Heritage-listed fortress.

The mix of Asian and European architecture has evolved since the 1500s.

Wander along fabulous three-century-old streets, through the Old Gate, past the Dutch Reformed Church, New Orient Hotel to the Galle Lighthouse.

Shop in the boutique shops of the Dutch Hospital Shopping Complex and stop at a lovely restaurant for some local food or drink to cool off.

Read this post for more things to do in Colombo . 

Our itinerary ‘evolved’ out of the advertised Tripadeal one.

We had a great tour guide who occasionally took it upon himself to suggest changes if it suited the group.

Or if the weather was too inclement for planned excursions.

He thus recommended NOT to pre-book (and pay for) Optional excursions prior to starting the trip.

One such example was our Day 3.

We didn’t actually travel to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa .

This became an optional tour which clashed with an opportunity to do the Minneriya Elephant Safari and that turned out to be one of the group’s top highlights.

He also arranged a free tour of an orphanage school in Kandy.

This totally delighted the group, especially the retired teachers amongst us.

And he made the pain of tipping a breeze.

We each contributed one amount to him to cover our whole week of gratuities.

Then he arranged all the tipping in our hotels and restaurants.

So much easier and less stressful than trying to work with foreign currency and local habits!

1- Review of Standard and Premium Hotel Rooms

Having both standard and premium hotels each night was not ideal. The tour group was constantly split up. This limited any ability to socially mix at the end of the day during meal times.

It also meant more driving, with different drop-offs at night and in the mornings.

In fact, everyone commented that there was very little difference between the two hotel standards in Sri Lanka. Perhaps with two exceptions.

2- Colonial-Style Accommodation Appeals

In Kandy, most of the group preferred the heritage Hotel Suisse. This was in comparison to the more upmarket and minimalistic Ozo Kandy. Both were on the lake’s edge and 10 mins walk from the city centre.

But Hotel Suisse was a beautiful heritage colonial-style hotel set in 4 acres of tropical gardens. Its amazing original ballroom served as the restaurant. And the decor of the hotel, rooms, and elevators transported you back in time.

3- Include Traditional Stilt Fishing in the package

The older motel-style standard hotel in Koggala was certainly substandard to the much more upmarket premium choice. But the latter was quite a few km out of town.

Whilst both were beachfront, the standard hotel was in Koggala. It was also only 200m walk from where a few traditional pole fishermen were.

It was a real bonus to witness this as stilt fishing is a dying south coast Sinhalese tradition. We would certainly recommend including it in the package if possible. Even if it is generally posed for tourists.

• The Minneriya Elephant Safari was terrific and would a great addition to any future itinerary.
• Parts of the tour we wouldn’t recommend? The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage got a definite general thumbs down.
• As for the Royal 100 Spice and Herbal Garden. A tour of a Sinhalese spice garden is a great idea given Ceylon’s history of spices. However, there is a definite need to change the venue. I certainly wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone.

Tripadeal Maldives 6 Day Stay

The Adaaran Club Rannalhi resort was a 45min fast boat ride from Male Airport.

The marina was also right outside the airport.

The crystal clear, azure blue waters were stunning, and that was just in the harbour!

Once on the island and in your room, time stops.

Time to chill, grab a sun lounge or a hammock, and relax.

Thumbs down – TripADeal Maldives 6 Day Stay

Standard rooms came with the Tripadeal package.

We personally scored a room on the east side but the beach there is sand-bagged due to strong wave action. And the afternoon shade hits these rooms from about 3 to 4 pm.

So, if possible, request the west side of the island.

It has much longer daylight hours with great sunsets.

However, the resort staff was very supportive of any request to change rooms.

Some even chose to upgrade to the overwater bungalows as they become available.

Thumbs up – TripADeal Maldives 6 Day Stay

Lunches and dinners were generally not included in Sri Lanka.

But all meals (5 a day) in the Maldives were included.

Plus, there was an all-inclusive drinks package.

Yes, wine, champagne, beer, and cocktails. Here’s to sundowners!

The restaurant was smorgasbord style with too many choices at each meal, both traditional and international fare.

Our group was placed together at each sitting too.

This was much appreciated by all given our separation in Sri Lanka.

Morning and afternoon snacks were also available at the two bars around the island. And Wifi was accessible in the reception, restaurant, and both bars.

Small coral reefs were within 100-200m of the rooms.

Although severely bleached, coral fish were in abundance.

From clownfish, angelfish, and triggerfish, to a resident moray eel and an amazing friendly hawksbill turtle.

Optional excursions included snorkelling out at sea in a traditional dhoni.

Scuba diving, fishing trips, spinner dolphin, manta and whale shark tours were also available.

As well as the usual watercraft for hire.

Namely, kayaks, stand up paddleboards, jet skis, and catamarans.

What GREAT value for money.

A google search quoted our room that same week at $500-$650 per night.

Yet our Tripadeal package included 7 nights, with all transfers and an all-inclusive food and beverage deal. Amazing!

A restful week on the island was also greatly appreciated after the extensive high paced tour of Sri Lanka.

Doing so much in such a short time with virtually different hotels every night can be quite tiring.

Placing the Maldives Stay at the end of the package was brilliant thinking!

Looking for more things to do in Southeast Asia? Try these:

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• 15 Things To Do in Cambodia
• 15 Things To Do In Changi Airport
• 30 Things To Do in Bangkok
• 30 Things To Do in Kuala Lumpur
• 30 Things To Do In Bali
• 25 Things To Do in Penang
• 20 Things To Do in Melaka
• 20 Things To Do in Isaan

10 Day 2 For 1 Borneo

Cost: $3999

This Tripadeal review is about an offer that looked too good to resist.

We had experienced orangutan volunteering in Indonesian Borneo where we visited Balikpapan and worked with rescued orangutans but Malaysia and Borneo were totally unknown to us.

We travelled with Tripadeal in May 2018. 

Our 8-day route covered the capital city Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan in east Sabah.

Booking the trip was easy and uncomplicated.

The quoted price included international flights, accommodation and virtually all our meals.

Bottled water was provided free and in abundance by our tour guide.

Dehydration in the hot and humid climate is a no-no, so personal hydration is a must.

We also usually had access to free tea and coffee wherever we stayed.

Our 8 days on this TripAdeal Borneo holiday were packed with included activities and excursions and we soon discovered there were plenty of things to do in Sabah .

There was little spare time to chill or relax.

We covered a lot of territory in our coach with 28 other adventurers.

Highlights Of Our TripADeal Borneo Tour

A tour of the largest most modern city.

An insight to compare with home, with waterfront walks, busy markets, and various malls.

A particular highlight was the City Mosque or White Floating Mosque of traditional Moorish architecture, it is built on a platform in the middle of a reflective lake.

Via short ferry from Jesselton Point Jetty, Kota Kinabalu – a tropical island ‘paradise’.

A few hours to chill and relax by the azure-coloured water’s edge.

All under the cover of lush palm trees with a stunning island treehouse setting and Malaysian style smorgasbord lunch. 

Shame about the floating plastic mimicking jellyfish.

Or the derelict beached fishing boat and rubber tires masked as plant holders. And the piles of discarded empty sacks of biscuit flour (contents ‘Vitamin C and benzoyl peroxide’) at both ends of the beach.

A 3 hr visit with a local dinner and cultural performance.

A delight to see and experience local traditions and foods.

Evil rainforest insects though. Super strength insect repellent is a must!

A shortstop passing through the Crocker Range with stunning Mt Kinabalu and National Park in the background.

Great for local food tasting, local handicrafts and cheap T-shirts for presents.

A guided walk through the rather stunning rainforest.

A taste of some Mt Kinabalu park trails and the Summit & Climbathon route to the top of the mountain (4095m).

A self-guided tour of the Memorial to the infamous 250km death marches from Sandakan to Ranau.

Two gardens commemorate the Australian and English POW’s who died.

The Borneo Garden is for the locals who helped them.

The Contemplation Garden honours all the victims of these horrors of war. 

The Australian Memorial Hall was full of emotive memorabilia.

A Channel 9 Jana Wendt documentary video about the death marches brought tears to everyone’s eyes. 

We even met Mr Sevee Charuruks, a great honour, a Thai national who was instrumental in restoring the Memorial in 2005.

He still works in the souvenir shop café, along with his family and grandchildren.

The beautiful tea gardens overlook Mt Kinabalu, great for photos.

The informative tour of the factory of Borneo’s top tea producer was hard to hear because of the loud machines.

Just don’t lean on anything green that may look freshly painted.

It probably is. Warning signage is not a Borneo thing! 

Our heavily accented tea guide was very difficult to understand. But the tea tasting at the end was very enjoyable. And many of us purchased various Sabah tea product souvenirs.

Not what you would expect in a western world spa.

Definitely third world in its execution.

Hundreds of (large) fish hilariously nibbling your feet and legs at the edges of the river.

The locals look on and laugh!

Experience a beautiful three-course lunch in a classic colonial heritage house and gardens. Takes you back to the good ol’ days of English occupation.

A self-guided tour of remnants of the actual World War II Sandakan POW camp.

Dedicated to those who died in the Sandakan Death Marches to Ranau.

A circular route through restful rainforest gardens. See original remnants of an excavator and the steam generator.

A beautiful Memorial Pavilion and nearby Memorial Obelisk complete the park.

Very emotional and moving.

Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary  

A personal highlight was to experience a feeding session of wild proboscis monkeys.

From a seemingly quiet and empty rainforest to feeding platforms full of troops of big-nosed proboscis monkeys.

A photographer’s delight!

Cruise along the river from a local Muslim fisherman’s village on an authentic fishing longboat.

More wild proboscis monkeys. And sparkling fireflies in the bushes along the river’s edge. 

A sunset return for a traditional dinner cooked and served by village ladies.

Soup, fish, vegetables, chicken and pineapple curry with refreshingly cold rose water to drink. 

Another personal highlight, this visit starts with an introduction video about the wildlife.

Then go on your self-guided tour to feeding platforms and an Outdoor Nursery. 

The latter has both air-conditioned and open-air viewing rooms.

Both provide slightly different angles of viewing the juvenile orangs, which is especially important for photography with ever-changing sunlight, reflections, and shadows through the glass. 

We were even lucky enough to meet a young male orangutan walking along our boardwalk handrail.

Talk about an up close and personal experience. Memorable!

The informative guided garden tour was fascinating.

A great introduction to many tropical plants, herbs, and spices. But the highlight was the rainforest canopy walk.

The view of the top of the rainforest was amazing. As was the birdlife we encountered along the way.

A tour of the world-famous bat and cockroach-ridden caves.

Another personal bucket list item. And we were not disappointed. 

Although we did miss the wild orangutan hanging in the forest along the boardwalk.

Similarly back at the educational exhibition area on the way to the cave. Aaargh!

Included were sunrise and sunset river cruises along a remote stretch of this river.

Stunningly mesmerising in the middle of the Borneo jungle.

Listen to sounds of monkeys howling and birdlife calling as numerous hornbills fly overhead.

The included daytime jungle walk was hot and humid, consequently, little wildlife was seen.

But the optional nighttime walks were a different story.

From Malay and Palm civets to a rare mouse deer and skunk, as well as sleeping kingfishers and a Draco flying lizard.

So worth braving a few forest leeches…

• Camera Fees – Local government bodies charge ‘camera fees’ at certain excursions. Included were: Gomantong caves, Labuk Bay Monkey Sanctuary, and the Orang-utan/Sun Bear Centre. But at only a few dollars at each site, they were more than worth it. And phone cameras were exempt.
• Optional Tours – We paid about AUD $10 each to experience the evening guided rainforest tours at Bilit. What we saw in insects and birdlife was well worth the leech attacks!
• Sundry Items – Alcohol and other drinks, a local Malaysian tourism tax ($3 per room per night) and tips.

Well, to be honest, there were very few.

• The coach was very comfortable and air-conditioned. Toilet and food stops were regular.
• Similarly, the accommodation was 4 star in the city and towns. Our rooms were nice and clean, with air-conditioning and swimming pools. In the Borneo jungle, it was 2-3 star. But there was nothing higher in these remote areas. As one could imagine.
• Where possible, we experienced traditional British colonial-style hotels. Our Sepilok Jungle Resort was right next to the Orangutan and Sun Bear Sanctuary. And our authentic jungle lodge was in a remote riverine rainforest area on the Lower Kinabatangan River.
• Most noticeably, the food. Well, that was fantastic. We experienced abundant local traditional fare. But there was always international food if you wanted it.
• Furthermore, the currency exchange makes travelling here very cheap. Food, tips, and drinks were only equivalent to a few dollars. This was a great bonus as the Australian dollar went a long way.

However, one relatively unfit, medically challenged elderly couple did comment: “There was too much sightseeing and walking, especially in the humidity and heat”, and: “Wildlife did not particularly interest us”.

So, if you fall into this same category, perhaps this Tripadeal Borneo 2 for 1 trip may not be the tour for you.

All in all, this was an AMAZING trip. Everyone commented on how much we had seen and experienced.

The wildlife, in particular, was stunning. We even saw wild orangs outside our rooms at the Bilit Adventure Lodge, with numerous wild proboscis monkeys on the river cruises.

However, Sabah’s rare pygmy elephants remained elusive. Just another reason to re-visit one day, I guess!

So if you want value for money, wildlife galore and a true authentic Borneo experience? Then you could not do any better than book this trip.

Read about my TripADeal Cruise, Canada and USA trip here. 

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Tripadeal review: completing your bucket list for less.

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We all have our bucket lists — places we want to go, activities we want to take part in, challenges we want to conquer, journeys we’d like to take. Sometimes, it’s easy, all we need is to go out and do it; other times, we are stuck at the moment, not knowing where to start. Thankfully, the internet is a goldmine of resources, with a multitude of places where we can learn information to make our dreams come true.

Most people’s bucket lists involve travelling, and while blogs and articles are always helpful, sometimes getting advice and help from professionals is the best way to go. TripADeal, Australia’s leading online travel deals website, offers just this exact service. They take the legwork off from you, and you are left with good experiences to enjoy. In this review, we’ll take a good look at TripADeal, their offerings, and some frequently asked questions. We hope we could help you better understand the platform and have a good idea of what it’s all about.

What is TripADeal?

TripADeal is an online travel agency, offering a variety of travel experiences, tours, and cruises at massively reduced prices. It’s based in Byron Bay, founded in 2011 by travellers Norm Black and Richard Johnston. They believe that travel is an experience that should be enjoyed by everyone, and the goal of TripADeal is to provide an affordable option for everyone. As travellers themselves, they believe in the importance of experiencing new things, and they wanted to deliver that with quality that’s easily accessible and hassle-free for their customers.

TripADeal has seen a massive growth through the years, sending some 60,000 travellers to amazing destinations and experiences all over the world. With good feedback from clients and irresistible offers, TripADeal was named Best Online Travel Agency by the Australian Federation of Travel Agencies (AFTA) in 2017.

Why Book with TripADeal?

TripADeal has been around for a while now, and while it’s relatively new, it has definitely made a name in the travel industry for its variety of offerings. While there are still many who are hesitant about booking through the website, TripADeal has made it sure that they provide proof of legitimacy, acquiring accreditations from credible associations such as the Australian Federation of Travel Agencies (AFTA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Aside from its credibility, TripADeal also hires a strong team of travel experts that will handle and fulfil your bookings, creating a personalized experience. The founders of the website, Norm Black and Richard Johnston, are an avid fan of travelling, thus, they share a multitude of perspective when it comes to choosing what’s convenient and good in the best price possible.

Additionally, TripADeal also offers over-the-phone bookings, as well as real-time customer sales support, ready to take calls and walk through the deals even off-screen. They also have a reservation team that books everything from start to finish. If you ever find yourself needing help while travelling or if you want some changes in the packages available, they are open to customizing and creating a flexible and enjoyable trip for you.

While everything is served to you on a silver platter in this website, we still strongly advise that you read through their terms and conditions. They create set details of what you can expect from their services, and while it may feel like all the research has been done for you, it’s still best to gather and read through all the information that is presented in the platform.

Is TripADeal for Me?

TripADeal is perfect for people who are looking for a convenient trip while paying for reasonable prices. They will help you book your perfect holiday and vacation, letting you experience a luxury escape for a good price. Hence, we include TripADeal as a Luxury Travel Hack . 

If you are booking with a big group or travelling with a partner, this could also be helpful as you would no longer need to endure the hassle of booking everything for each of your companions. You’ll get to enjoy quality time with the people you love without having to attend to all the nitty-gritty of travelling.

TripADeal Destinations

TripADeal offers cruises, tours, and full on escapades in multiple countries worldwide. They have packages for Asia , in countries like Thailand, Japan, and Indonesia. Want to explore TripADeal’s home, Australia? They also have something for you.

TripADeal also offers getaways to South Pacific, like the gorgeous islands of Fiji, Vanuatu, and Samoa. Looking for a romantic getaway? They have European cruises available, too. They also have African tours (including Safari explorations!) as well as North and South American escapes. I have also seen Antarctica promoted on TripADeal. 

Is TripADeal Legit? Is TripADeal Dafe?

While the offerings are unbelievable low at times — and can even feel like it’s “too good to be true” — TripADeal is a legitimate and safe platform to book your trips. They are a part of credible associations like the Australian Federation of Travel Agencies (AFTA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Do I Need to Pay Upfront Fees? How do I Pay?

Since the offers listed on TripADeal are heavily discounted and are available for a limited time only, they usually require full payment upon order. Typically, this is also non-refundable.

Published prices on the website are in Australian Dollars (AUD) and are inclusive of taxes, charges, and service fees. These prices are all subject to availability.

Additional requests, extras, and surcharges may be payable after order placement as specified on the tour’s fine print. These additional costs may also occur for any customizations and additions made by you. All other mandatory surcharges such as solo traveller surcharge, other government taxes, levies, and gratuities will be in addition to the listed price.

TripADeal accepts payments through major platforms such as PayPal, POLI, ZipMoney, major credit cards, and bank transfers.

Is TripADeal Worth Trying?

Yes, we think it’s a great opportunity to travel at a relatively low cost. If you’ve been dreaming of a vacation or experience but never had the energy to go through booking everything for yourself, then TripADeal is just right up your alley. Everything will be taken care of and you all you need to do is to sit back, wait, and enjoy your experience.

Despite all the perks of booking through the platform, we still want to remind you that researching is still essential. We recommend that you read through the fine prints and really learn the things that you’d expect from the platform. At the end of the day, TripADeal will do the legwork for you, but it is still your responsibility to know what you are signing up for.

Also, it must be clearly mentioned that it is the travellers responsibility to check on the visas required to travel to any country. The last thing you want is paying for your dream trip and then be denied entry due to an insufficient visa. 

If you are wanting luxury on a budget be sure to check out TripADeal for some once in a lifetime specials. You shouldn’t ever regret the amount of money you save to see the world. 

Good luck and happy travels! 

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Reviews 2.8.

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Very disappointed to see Qantas has all…

Very disappointed to see Qantas has all but taken over Tripadeal. You can no longer take advantage of these great deals as they want total payment up front, no deposits ! For a trip you want to book almost 18 months in advance. Definitely not handing over a massive amount of our hard earned dollars that’s far in advance. We’ll stick to our TA now. Such a shame as so many pay with deposit, think Tripadeal will lose a lot of customers now

Date of experience : 27 November 2023

Reply from TripADeal

Hi Vivien, Thank you. We appreciate your feedback and are always looking into new payment options to help make our customers' travel dreams come true. Our deals are heavily discounted, so need to be locked in with payment at time of booking. We do accept Paypal and Zipmoney, both of which offer payment plans. Alternatively, you might prefer to arrange something more suitable for you through your bank or other credit providers. If you'd like to read more about the TripADeal Team at HQ in Byron Bay and our recent growth, here's a link for you to check out: https://www.tripadeal.com.au/our-story Please give us a call on 1300 198 242 if you have any further questions or need some help booking in your next bucket list holiday at a fraction of the price. Best regards, TripADeal Team

Nina Opened China up for us

We recently bought the super cheap package to China for 9 days. We took the Terra-cotta Warrior upgrade and glad we did. Our guide Nina in Beijing was one of the great travel people we have met in our life. She took every care, ensured we were accompanied every step of the way. The help desk prior to our trip was the most responsive help desk we have used. Quick responses and good information. This was obviously a cheap trip to get us to spend and we did but happy with all of our purchases. Accomodation was excellent and food was good. Our trip was made all the better by Nina who looked after every detail and kept us laughing on the bus trips. She deserves every yuan she earns.

Date of experience : 01 March 2024

Hi Mark, Thank you for the awesome review! It's fantastic to hear that Nina made your holiday so memorable and enjoyable, going above and beyond to ensure your comfort and satisfaction throughout the journey. She'll be overjoyed to receive your compliments. Thanks again for choosing TripADeal for your trip to China! We hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon! Best regards, TripADeal Team

Frustration and Anxiety Before Trip

Reunion trip booked independently (for travel complimentary credit card insurance) by 3 couples, within less than 15 mins apart in June 2023 for China Trip id 4828 leaving May 2024. Sent multiple requests by each of us independently to TripaDeal to advise that we are travelling as a group of six and to ensure that we will be travelling/staying together as a group. Simple request one of would think with trip 10 months away! Repeated response from 3 different consultants - not helpful, not even willing to assure us that our request would be fulfilled and not to worry. Instead, like all bad operators, take your money and run without a care about customer satisfaction, they made sure they covered their back and mentioned "NO GUARANTEE" in bold prints. I am prepare to walk away from my trip but I surely will make sure all my family, friends etc etc are made aware that TripADeal is a very unreliable tour operator. Stay away!

Date of experience : 24 July 2023

Hi Cheryl, Thank you for reaching out. Sorry to hear that you're experiencing some concerns about you're upcoming trip. If you'd like to discuss this in more detail, please send an email with your booking number to [email protected]. We look forward to chatting with you further. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Great Customer Service

This company is completely AWESOME. It is the first of its kind in the world to offer these wonderful travel advantages. It is truly Australian for Australians! This is to also compliment Margurete Beesley for her exceptional Customer Service.

Date of experience : 05 March 2024

Hi Maria, Thank you! We're on a constant mission to bring customers more bang for their buck by offering bucket list travel experiences at prices that are accessible to everyone. Your recognition of our efforts means the world to us! Looking forward to many more awesome adventures with you in the future. Best regards, TripADeal Team

Not Happy Trip A Deal!

Not Happy Trip A Deal!. We have travelled with Trip A Deal pre 2020 Covid & Qantas influence & greed. It was fine. Now they've added $400 surcharge for every month, not just peak season. Plus they want full fare upon booking even though we don't want to travel for another 7+ months. We had intended to do several trips now all 4 of us will go elsewhere for our holidays. Too greedy Qantas & Trip A Deal . Mmm is the zip payment plan also affiliated with Qantas ???

Date of experience : 26 November 2023

Hi Not Happy Jan, We truly appreciate your feedback regarding our booking process. Your feedback is invaluable, and we regret any inconvenience this may have caused. Our goal is to offer a seamless booking experience while providing transparency in our terms and conditions. We strive to ensure clarity and fairness in our policies to accommodate our travelers' needs. Regarding your concerns about surcharges, it's important to note that not all months carry additional fees. Sometimes, due to high demand, specific months might experience increased bookings, resulting in limited availability and adjustments in pricing. Regarding the Zip payment plan, we'd like to clarify that TripADeal does not own or have an affiliation with ZipPay. Your feedback is invaluable, and it helps us understand our customers' perspectives better. We sincerely value your past support and hope to have the opportunity to continue providing you with exceptional travel experiences. If you have further concerns or need clarification on any aspect of our terms, please don't hesitate to contact us directly. We're committed to ensuring your experience with us remains positive and satisfactory. Warm regards, TripADeal Team

A disgrace Re advertising frequent…

A disgrace Re advertising frequent flyer points I have been chasing my frequent flyer points for over 3 months. Every time I contact TAD I get a different person and a different story. One minute they’ve said my ff number wasn’t listed, next yes it was on my booking form as I knew it was ( 6 minutes Beth’s BEFORE) I travelled and now today they are claiming it wasn’t on my booking prior to travel and no spit on form for it. I know I informed them when I booked but have no way of proving They are a joke and ( despite I was looking at three more trips) I’ll never use them again nor recommend them. So so so disappointing

Date of experience : 30 May 2023

Hi Geri, Thank you for sharing a review of your experience. We understand your disappointment and are very sorry to hear that. We always want the best result for our customers and our team really has done their best to help you with resolving this. To earn Qantas Points with TripADeal, Qantas Frequent Flyer members are required to provide a valid Qantas Frequent Flyer number and last name at checkout, or otherwise prior to the time of departure. Qantas Frequent Flyer numbers cannot be provided after departure. Our team has been diligent in investigating your queries and followed up with you to confirm that a Qantas Frequent Flyer number was not provided prior to departure, so unfortunately the booking is not eligible to earn points. Please reach out again if you'd like to discuss anything further. We'd certainly love to have you back onboard soon for some more wonderful adventures. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Best of Europe Tour

Did a European Tour in May 2023. This was a bucket list trip for us and was totally spoiled due to a very a rude, disorganised guide and hotels that where no where near major tourist stops (contrary to advertised itinerary) resulting in many extra hours of travel. The biggest disappointment however was the day we visited Cinque Terre where due to poor management by the tour guide we spent 9 hours on a bus and only 90 minutes at the sites, typical of the trip. Would not book with this company again

Date of experience : 17 May 2023

Hi Donna, Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback and the time you've taken to share it with us. We're very sorry to hear of your dissapointment and have addressed your concerns with our team to ensure any issues are resolved. If you'd like to discuss your experience in more detail, please give us a call on 1300 198 242 or send an email to [email protected]. We look forward to chatting with you further. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Tripadeal was recommended to me by one

Tripadeal was recommended to me by one of my colleague who is going for a trip to China in March 2024 and was going to book a similar trip, but looking at the reviews I am not impressed. Thank you everyone for being posting the honest review, I will not book a holiday with TripADeal now. If it is smell like a rat, walk like a rat it is a rat. Free cheese is only in a mouth trap.

Date of experience : 06 December 2023

Hi Svetlana, Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. We understand the importance of considering reviews when planning a trip. We value our community's feedback immensely as it helps us improve our services continuously. Your insights are truly appreciated. We also want to highlight our TripADeal Travel Buddy Facebook group, where over 39,000 past, present, and future TripADeal travellers actively engage. It's a friendly space where travellers connect, share experiences, and offer helpful advice. It might provide you with further insights and firsthand experiences from our community. https://www.facebook.com/groups/TripADealTravelBuddy Should you have any specific concerns or questions in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to ensure all your travel experiences are seamless and enjoyable. Warm regards, TripADeal Team

I am amazed that these thieves are…

I am amazed that these thieves are still doing business. Absolutely disgusting and shameful behaviour from them when trying to recoup some sort of refund for a +$4000 trip booked and paid just before COVID was announced a worldwide pandemic. Gave us the runaround for many many months before completely denying any sort of refund or compensation. Now taken over by the biggest airline crooks Qantas who were bailed by my tax dollars and both companies are merrily continuing to trade without conscience or retribution.

Date of experience : 30 November 2022

Hi Ed, Thanks for reaching out. Sorry to hear that your travel plans were disrupted by the pandemic. If you'd like to discuss anything further, please give us a call on 1300 198 242 or send an email with your booking number to [email protected]. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Scoot flight home terrible

Just returned from trip to Japan and South Korea. Difficult start when no guide at airport ti greet us. Another TAD guide meeting a different group was reluctant to help, eventually advised guide would be at airport in 15-20 minutes. 55 minutes later guide arrived. Eventually found bud had been sent to wrong airport and we had to transfer to different terminal. Once settled tour continued and was good. very upset that was offered fir additional charge to select carrier for flights. Being first time TAD travellers chose to pay substantial amount to have Singapore airlines. Endured close to 5 hour lay overs on both trips away and home. Very upset our last flight was with Scoot NOT Singapore airlines. Scoot flight was terrible and substandard, we paid to ensure a quality carrier and did not receive this. Not happy at all and will be following up.

Date of experience : 17 October 2023

Hi Hermarnee, Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear that you experienced some issues and appreciate you sharing that with us. Our team will be in touch to follow up with you. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Hi Adam, Count yourself lucky - they charged us $900 handling fee with no refund offered for the remainder - just a credit coupon. You now get to look forward to a generic email that will thank you for reaching out. We are complaining to a robot! No sight of a human being at all, presumably because no one is interested.

Date of experience : 10 July 2023

Hi Colleen, Thanks for reaching out again. As per our response to your previous review, so that we can best assist you with any complaints, please send an email with your booking number to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you out with any queries. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Great Service from Tripadeal Agent!

I booked a holiday with tripadeal for the first time and was slightly apprehensive. The Agent I dealt with, whose name is Kate Waters, was nothing short of amazing. She was patient, extremely informative and couldn’t have been more helpful. Nothing was a problem. I can assure you I will be booking all my future trips with Kate.

Date of experience : 26 February 2024

Hi Grace, Thanks for the awesome review! We're delighted to hear that Kate made your first experience with TripADeal a fantastic one. We'll be sure to pass on your kind words. Looking forward to assisting with your future trips! Best regards, TripADeal Team

I am booked on a trip to Egypt in a…

I am booked on a trip to Egypt in a week & am concerned about our safety entering a country with a border in a war zone. But TripADeal does not want to consider our concerns about a postponement—a very disappointing customer relations policy. Kevin

Date of experience : 24 October 2023

Hi Kevin, Thank you for reaching out. We understand that travellers have concerns about the very unfortunate situation at present. But we assure you that we're monitoring it closely and will be in touch directly if changes need to be made to any booking. The safety of our customers and staff is our utmost priority. Please reach out to us at [email protected] if you'd like to discuss anything further. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

What you should know before booking with Trip a deal.D.

I think that the ACCC should look into this company due to the false information that they give you. Once you have paid, they don't seen to want to know you. You get contacted approx. 3 weeks before the flight, Qantas frequent flyer points is a farce, the additional charges is a joke, dietary issues on the plane they lie about. TaD reps telling us that it is booked twice and the airline have no info about it. This is before we even leave Australia. There is not enough room issued for me to talk about the rest of the holiday. If travelling, I suggest you review other Travel Agents before you book Trip a Deal

Date of experience : 03 September 2023

Hi Richard, Thank you for reaching out to share your thoughts. Sorry to hear that you have some concerns regarding your TripADeal experience. If you'd like to discuss anything in more detail, please give us a call on 1300 198 242 or send an email to [email protected]. Our friendly team is always here to assist with any enquiries. For clarification, a Travel Pack is sent by email approximately 4 to 6 weeks before departure. We can confirm that the Travel Pack for your group was delivered accordingly. Qantas Frequent Flyer points earned will be credited to the nominated account approximately 8 weeks after trip completion. Here's a link for some more information about that: https://www.tripadeal.com.au/campaign/qantas-frequent-flyer-points We're certainly keen to hear more about your holiday and look forward to chatting with you further. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Literally the worst travel company in…

Literally the worst travel company in the world - do not book with them! Communication is so poor. They also wont refund my mum who spent 8k on a trip she cannot go on as she has aggressive cancer - her doctor has written a letter and they wont budge. Its disgusting.

Date of experience : 14 July 2023

Hi Hayley, Thanks for reaching out. Sorry to hear that you're feeling that way. Our friendly team is here to help 7 days a week. Here's a link to our phone number and opening hours: https://www.tripadeal.com.au/contact-us If there's anything that you'd like to discuss further, please send an email with your booking number to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you and following up on any issues you've experienced. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Hi everyone the pros and cons of our 12…

Hi everyone the pros and cons of our 12 day China trip a deal holiday. Overall it was a good trip. However we had four tour guides over the 4 days. The first guide King said I'm here to collect the service charge as he asked everyone for $12 a day. I said what service charge. Another customer said I think.he means tip. He was very pushy on collection of that money. The next guide was the same and wanted 1.5 days $18 for 20 hrs with us. The third guide was extremely pushy as well. The last guide was the best. Kevin he was worth the tip. So so helpful and gave us a lot of knowledge. The trip had many optional side tours which added up but we're good. A lot of customers said they wouldn't go on trip a deal again because of the persistence and pushynuss of the guides wanting their $12 a day tips. It made most people very uncomfortable. Just a suggestion to trip a deal. Charge $200 more per trip. We would still all go and take away that $12 a day the tour guides pressure everyone for. It's the biggest negative to the whole experience. We found the locals in china so friendly and helpful. The hotels were clean and a good breakfast was provided. Buses were clean and comfortable. So please trip a deal tell your tour guides don't be so forceful in practically demanding the $12 a day tip. Thank you

Date of experience : 16 March 2024

Hi House On The Hill, Thank you for taking the time to share a review of your recent tour of China! We're pleased to hear that overall it was a good trip! We sincerely appreciate you sharing this valuable feedback with us so that we can make improvements. If you’d like to discuss anything in more detail, please reach out via our online support page: https://www.tripadeal.com.au/support Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Booked a holiday to Italy in October…

Booked a holiday to Italy in October this year, had phone call this week to say it’s been cancelled due to not enough people booked on trip but have been told it can take up to 2-3 months to get a refund. Can’t understand when we we have to pay in full right away, that it will take 2-3 months to refund the money back.

Date of experience : 16 June 2023

Hi Jo, Thank you for reaching out. So that we can best assist you, please send an email with your booking number to [email protected]. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Never again will we travel with TripADeal!

Our initial flight was delayed by 10 hours and we received NO communication until 2 hours prior to the original flight time! We endured 11 to 13 hours days in the bus! One toilet break was a 1 x long drop! the men went into the bushes! We were told that we would be having lunch in a shopping mall, only to find out that we were eating in a petrol station! Leaving early every morning sometimes without breakfast due to no cafes open this early. Finding dinner after 8pm most nights was very difficult! Rushed through points of interest! However the Alaskan cruise was great.

Date of experience : 30 April 2023

Hi Bruce, Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's great to hear you loved the Alaskan cruise! We really appreciate you letting us know about your experience. Our team is certainly keen to consider your feedback and look into any possible ways to further improve the longer travel days on this itinerary exploring the wilderness of North America. If there's anything you'd like to discuss in more detail or have any additional information to share, please reach out to us directly by email to [email protected]. We look forward to speaking with you. Kind regard, TripADeal Team

You have my sympathy Ed

You have my sympathy Ed - our trip was interrupted by the pandemic. Our next trip was all booked for August 2023 but they cancelled early May 2023 as "not enough numbers". They have had my $10,000 since March 2019. Read the terms and conditions standard answer! No compensation for holding my money for 3 years. Would not even know if it is held in a trust fund. And now I am too scared to book a holiday as I read all the reviews and just feel sick in the stomach.

Date of experience : 20 November 2023

Hi Colleen, Thanks for reaching out. Sorry to hear that your holiday plans have previously been disrupted due to the pandemic. We understand your disappointment and concerns. Though all things travel are now back in full swing and our team would love to help you get booked in for your next vacation. For some inspiration about where to go next, check out our Travel Buddy Facebook group. It's a very friendly and active community of almost 40,000 past, present and future TripADeal travellers. Here's a link to join if you'd like to follow along with daily updates from their adventures around the world: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TripADealTravelBuddy We look forward to chatting with you further. Please give us a call on 1300 198 242. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Don't expect your Qantas points

I don't have faith in TRIPADEAL any more and would advise others to look into other companies. I had nothing but trouble from the start when l booked my trip to the Stans l was to share a room and because the lady booked before me all the emails were sent to her and l received nothing, other lady paid but had to.pull out. I now can't get my Qantas points as they have been put on to other ladies membership

Date of experience : 05 May 2023

Hi Gaylene, Thank you for reaching out. We really appreciate your feedback and have sent you an email to follow up. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

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Reviews 3.0.

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Do not book with Tripadeal

TripADeal have been totally unhelpful since illness had prevented me from travelling. I have lost $10,000 and they will not discuss delayed travel, credit or even partial refund. They are full of platitudes, “your wellbeing is foremost in our mind”, when they have demonstrated no such thing.

Date of experience : February 15, 2024

We have just arrived home from our 17…

We have just arrived home from our 17 day Tripadeal Vietnam 🇻🇳 and Cambodia 🇰🇭 holiday.Very impressed. All the Guides we had were Fantastic. Full of information. Answered everyone’s Questions.There was one Standout for us He went by the nickname of Mickey Mouse.Siem Reap Could not be more helpful. Loved the experience,recommend to everybody Cheers 🥂🍻

Date of experience : May 13, 2023

Seriously why would you give your money…

Seriously why would you give your money to this Australian based company. There are hundreds of customers who have been battling for months trying to get refunds for cancelled trips only to be fobbed off time and time again with reasons why you can't have a refund. Offers of credits is not acceptable as will this company still be operating next year? Based on how they treat their customers it seems doubtful. Worst company I have ever dealt with,! Shame on you Tripadeal!!

Date of experience : September 26, 2020

We paid TripaDeal $12,960.00 for our…

We paid TripaDeal $12,960.00 for our family trip of a lifetime "16 Day China & Japan Discovery". Quantity 4 people (our family). Scheduled to Depart 6th Feb 2020. On 27 January TripaDeal cancelled the trip. We didn't cancel it, they did. And they have kept our money. Australian and NZ consumer law is clear - TripaDeal must refund our money. In NZ, where we booked from, TripaDeal use famous All Black Dan Carter to front them. What a joke. When we booked we told all our friends "Dan Carter fronts them in New Zealand, we'll be right" What a crock - his integrity-brand, and integrity-brand of the All Blacks means nothing when it comes to TripaDeal. TripaDeal cancelled our trip while airlines and cruise ships were still travelling between China and Japan and BEFORE COVID-19 became epidemic in China or pandemic globally. Regardless, they cancelled the trip, not us, and the law says they must pay us back the cash. The only satisfaction we get is knowing that these guys will go bankrupt pretty soon because nobody is booking with them.

Date of experience : April 24, 2020

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Reviews 2.8.

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‘ Without Prejudice’

‘ Without Prejudice’ We have just returned from the day Grand Egypt & Nile tour which was nothing short of spectacular with Hesham Nour our utterly exceptional guide leading us for 18 days with his Egyptology knowledge outstanding. My complaint and my reason given for such a low star score is this: We are originally booked on Oman Airways with two stopovers looking at 30 hours total travel time. We are both 79 years of age so decided we would prefer a flight that was more convenientimewise and was offered a flight with Qatar Airlines at a cost of $5626.45 for two persons which we accepted given we had only 2 hours to make that decision. To add, the cost of $602.60 for selection of available seats took the total cost of the change was $ 6229-07. All paid in full. As my wife had organised this tour, she called Tripadeal on our arrival back in Melbourne to enquire re a refund for the initial flight which we had not received since this change in booking and was promptly told that acceptance of the additional cost voided the previous flight charges. This comment has resulted in her being totally stressed which is the reason I’m writing this review. Current Omar flights inc 2 stopovers is $1990 return. Current Qatar flights inc 1 stopover is $1778 return. Given we have 1 extra day in Cairo with Qatar flights, I can see no reason why firstly we have been charged $5,625 45 extra for fares that are worth $3,540 on todays market ( $2,805 overcharge!) plus no credit for initial flight value $3,980 Total overcharge $6,785 less one nights accommodation in Hotel. My thoughts are that Tripadeal has tried to ride roughshod over my wife given our age however I will pursue our consumer rights if we do not have positive retribution back from Tripadeal. Neil Bowen

Date of experience : 01 March 2024

Reply from TripADeal

Hi Neil, Thank you for taking the time to share a review of your recent experience. We're so pleased to hear that you had a spectacular time exploring Egypt. We're sorry to hear that you are disappointed, however we can confirm that forfeited included flights are non-refundable. As requested, a quote for alternative flights was provided, and accepted and ticketed accordingly. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

TAD Morocco Tour Great service experience

I booked 4 couples on a TAD Morocci tour. Without Margurete's persistence, we would not have been accommodated together. She was extremely courteous, responsive and 6 all my questions and requirements including extending our stay. Very thankful for all she has done

Date of experience : 29 March 2024

Hi Jerry Thanks for sharing your feedback, we are so lucky to have the wonderful Margurete on the team. We love that she's made the booking process easy for you and your travel companions! You are just going to love Morocco. Don't hesitate to let us (Margurete) know if there is anything we can do between now and your departure. Regards, TripADeal Team

Grand Japan

I am just on my way home from a tour of Japan (15 day Grand Japan). This is my fourth tour with Tripadeal and it didn't disappoint. It was a comprehensive tour visiting many places in this beautiful country, and it was so successful due to our tour guide (Rose) and driver (Captain). Rose was absolutely brilliant, giving detailed information about the places we visited. She was so helpful, energetic and approachable, and our driver kept us all safe with his expertise. Thank you both so much. I was very happy with the accommodation. I thought the rooms might be small but I was pleasantly surprised to find them roomier than expected and immaculately clean. The breakfasts were varied and the local dishes interesting. So, Tripadeal, you've done it again. You provide value for money and I will travel with you again.

Date of experience : 20 March 2024

Hi Jenny, We're thrilled another one of our amazing, value-packed deals has enticed you back for a fourth time! Japan is such a marvelous country, that tends to exceeds expectations in more ways than one. It's fantastic to know your guide, Rose and driver, Captain, made the trip so special. We look forward to welcoming you back for the fifth trip- the real question is, where to next?! Warm Regards, TripADeal Team

No Star deserved Worse then Car Sales…

No Star deserved Worse then Car Sales People. Be Careful I had a crap experience horrible customer service with no accountability and rude sales experience won't be using them. There are other companies to name a few TourRadar.com Inspiring Vacations, Flight Centre, Expedia

Date of experience : 22 March 2024

Hi Litza, Thanks for reaching out. We are very sorry to hear that you're feeling that way. So that we can best address your concerns and assist you, could you please send an email to [email protected] and we'll look into that further. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

I wish I had read these reviews before…

I wish I had read these reviews before we booked a holiday. Has been a huge disappointment & we haven't even left yet! our trip of 22 days was supposed to be 18 days on cruise & 4 days in Honolulu turned out to be 15 nights on cruise 5 nights in Honolulu & 2 days travel time!!!! I have been in contact several times to try & get verification & itinerary..... different answers every time total confusion & frustration!!!! 5 nights in Honolulu not 1 meal included!!!!!

Date of experience : 07 March 2024

Hi Robin and Stephen Deaton, Thank you for reaching out. We apologise for any misunderstandings. However, we can confirm that the 22-day itinerary which you would have read prior to purchase, states that it includes a 15-night transpacific cruise, accommodation in Honolulu and a one-way international flight back to Australia - yours is a direct flight of approximately 10 hours. A copy of the itinerary was sent to you by email with your booking confirmation and is available for you to view and download anytime through your TripADeal account via our website and app. If you have any questions or further concerns, please give us a call on 1300 198 242 or send an email to [email protected]. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Frastration + anxiety before trip

Frastration + anxiety before trip Keep ringing TripADeal about documentation for our trip as we were promised 6 to 4 weeks before cruise going on to 3 weeks now. We just hit a stone wall no one knows what the problem is. We can’t organise getting insurance getting ESTA or start preparing for our trip. We are having sleepless nights worrying if our dream 50th wedding anniversary will never happen. Just disappointed + will be sticking to Flight Centre in future.

Date of experience : 06 March 2024

Hi Zelda, Thank you for reaching out to share your concerns. We understand this is a very special holiday for you. We're pleased to confirm that today is 4 weeks to departure and you can rest assured that our team is actively working to promptly provide you with the necessary documentation. We will keep you updated if there are any delays. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

First time with Tripadeal and the last…

First time with Tripadeal and the last time. Our bucket list holiday, 25 day South America and Antarctica was not what we expected. Not only was the 3 day first hotel in Rio well below the standard, actually dirty the Latam Airline that Tripadeal used has to be the worst Airline we have ever flown with. No crew available, 1 small cup of water for a flight over 12 hours long and NO CREW available to bring any more water. The Pilot told the passengers to close the overhead luggage compartments themselves and the crew didn't check them. Needless to say when the plane was starting to fly 2 compartments flew open and there wasn't any crew member to close them. We feel Tripadeal used a cheap Airline and so do the people we shared the tour with. I have given my feedback to Latam and heard nothing. The Tripadeal staff member waved goodbye at the cruise terminal and we still had a 14 day cruise with no communication from Tripadeal. Very poor. We had to pay upfront 12 months prior to the holiday, others up to 3 years. The itinerary was poor, too much waiting around and not enough excursions. Wouldn't recommend them.

Date of experience : 04 March 2024

Hi Bridget, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are glad you got to visit your bucket list destinations, however, we’re sorry to hear your expectations were not met. By offering our customers a chance to visit their bucket list destinations at unbelievable prices, we use a range of different airlines across our deals, all of which are outlined prior to booking. It’s disappointing to hear you were dissatisfied with the nominated airline, although we appreciate you bringing your experience with Latam Airlines to our attention. We value your feedback and will thoroughly consider your concerns, as we aim to enhance the quality of this trip. We would love the opportunity to restore your faith in TripADeal. Regards TripADeal Team

Greedy Tripadeal

Greedy Tripadeal. Typical to squash in as many travellers as is possible when the holiday specifies 24 or less on a current tour of Northern Lights in Norway & Finland! There are 10 additional people ( one of which is myself and husband) so they threw us into another group. Us 10 were 2nd rated the whole trip even put into different igloo accommodation and not seeing the ice hotel what the other 24 saw. We didnt stay where they said we were staying in the itinerary despite paying the same $$$. We had to wait for the group of 24 to do all activities to which we were always ladt. We missed out on city tours as our guide was inept being thrown in to accommodate the additional 10 TAD greedily added on as 2nd class citizens. The whole trip has been a shambles and it has not been cheap. Buyer beware of this company

Date of experience : 02 March 2024

Hi Maria, Thank you for your feedback. We're looking into your concerns and will reach out to you directly. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Why no booking number given

I booked the Iberian delights and ancient wonders tour, departing fourth of Sept 2024, for four adults under my name, which included 2 veranda cabins on the cruise part of the tour. The booking was made under my name, which was suggested by Adam so that our seats and cabins will be close to each other. My friends were able to pay the tour in full with theirQFF points I was able to use a small amount of points but paid the rest with my Visa. The booking receipt in total excess of $44,000. Fully paid on the 1st of March. With the tour less than six months away, we requested to have information details as soon as possible so we can start arranging our holiday. Mainly booking numbers for the cruise and flight details because we took the option of arriving two weeks early to do our own thing. This tour for us was mainly taken because it was fulfilling the life long dream of visiting Athens, pyramids, Sphinx etc. It has now been three weeks since full payment has been made. We have only been given one booking number which is for my friends cabin but to date there is no booking number made for us nor is there any booking or name existing in the Holland America files under our name. Our friends have already looked into the shore, excursions and of course all the popular ones have sold out. I have made numerous calls to Holland, America and Tripadeal, speaking to the supervisor to no avail. They can’t give me an answer as to why I don’t have a booking number yet. I have asked them why there is no booking number, why/ Where is my money? I have sent a lengthy report in to a current affair. I have also spoken to Qantas frequent flyer and even called Byron Tweed police department, all, waiting on an outcome. They only all had one thing common to say, that a booking number should have been allocated to me on receipt of payment. It is illegal to keep peoples money. I am still waiting on an answer. If an error has been made on Tripadeal part, please just admit it and give me a refund as soon as possible so I can book with another company I just want answers.

Date of experience : 21 March 2024

Hi Marisa, Thanks for taking the time to share your review. We can appreciate your concerns in regards to your booking, however we can guarantee that we have your booking in our system as do all of our travel partners that make up the wonderful components of your trip. We understand, since posting this review, you've spoken to our team these concerns have been resolved and that our booking process has been explained. As is the case with all bookings, travel details are provided 4-6 weeks out from your departure date. So, with a trip in September you would receive your details late July. These important details are provided at the time of purchase and can often alleviate concerns such as yours. We are sorry for the undue stress caused and we are sure this trip will be the one of your dreams visiting the Sphinx, Athens, Istanbul, Spain, Portugal and so much more! Please don't hesitate to contact us directly if there is anything else we can help with. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Good follow up on system problem

When trying to book a promotional offer (50% Qantas points) close to midnight on the last day - Easter Sunday, the system was unable to complete the process. There are two sides to this review: (1) on the following day, I contacted Tripadeal and was advised the offer would not be honoured. (In summary,) I endeavoured to escalate my query/ discontent and after successive prompts, the representative advised that they had made note and I would be contacted - maybe in a couple of days due to Easter Monday workloads. I was left very dissatisfied and uncertain whether the promised action would be taken. (2) on Easter Tuesday, I received a call from a second representative following up on an incomplete booking in the system. When I explained what has transpired the previous two days, the representative (Mitch) informed me that the system glitch was known, that he would follow up and without making unrealistic promises advised he would follow through and contact me again. His communication was informative, courteous and efficient. It inspired confidence that follow up would occur. The promised follow up call arrived the next day with positive news and the booking was progressed as per the promotional offer. Once again, the communication was clear, efficient and helpful. The two experiences were vastly different - the latter saved a customer from moving to the competition and supported positive word of mouth rather than 'bad press'. Full credit to Mitch.

Date of experience : 02 April 2024

Hi Elizabeth, Thanks for your feedback. It's been a very busy long weekend here at TripADeal! While many of our team have been enjoying a well-deserved short Easter break, our valued customers have been hopping online at the last minute to fill their baskets with cracking deals. We're so pleased to hear that Mitch has been successful in courteously and efficiently helping you with that. Don't hesitate to reach out if there's anything further that we can assist you with. Best regards, TripADeal Team

Stop complaining and enjoy

I have been reading all the negative reviews and thought I’d counteract these. In 2019, my husband and I did an India tour and the entire trip was AMAZING. Yes we had to wait for flights, we had to buy some meals and some of the accommodation was basic BUT for the price of these trips who cares. Recently Samantha from head office has helped us immensely with an upcoming trip in June. This particular tour was booked out and she magically made it happen for us. I can’t thank her enough. For all the people who complain, think about what you are actually getting for your money. I’m counting down the days until we go away again with TripADeal.

Hi Lee, Firstly, thank you so much for taking the time to leave your 5 star review. We appreciate your positivity and recognise the value of your attitude (we love the title!). We like to think our bucket list trips are high in value and easy to enjoy, and we’re glad you felt this way about your trip to India in 2019. We’re also very happy to hear that Samantha worked her magic for your upcoming trip, what a legend! Once again, thank you for sharing. We wish you all the best for your trip in June, and hope to take you on plenty more in the future. Best Regards, TripADeal Team

Re Middle East and India Deal query Feb 2024

Re Middle East and India Deal Leaving early March 2024 We have booked a Costa cruise transiting the Red Sea The cruise line Costa has officially cancelled the cruise because of Houthi terrorism at least five days ago Cannot get any information from Trip a Deal as to what is happening with this booking I have rung Trip-a deal information line several times to get the answer. …..We are looking at this and wait for an email! Surely some current information would be helpful so passengers in this position can make other arrangements going forward.

Date of experience : 02 February 2024

Hi I Stelle, Thanks for reaching out. We are in the process of sending all affected customers an email to advise of the cancellation. We're working on alternatives and will be in touch soon with options. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Great trip and amazing tour guide in Shanghai

We have just returned from the 2 for 1 China tour. I had the misfortune to trip and badly damage my face on the hotel steps. Our tour guide JJ was amazing. He calmly escorted us to the hospital where not one person spoke English. He stayed with us for 4 hours whilst I was stitched up and we returned to the hotel. He then came shopping with us to the pharmacy the next day to get dressings and then checked on me personally each day. We had nurses on board to do the dressings. We could not speak highly enough about how we were treated by JJ our amazing tour guide. Even at the airport when they were reluctant to let me fly JJ was there behind me explaining it was not surgery. 10/10 for us!

Date of experience : 12 March 2024

Hi Denise, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re extremely sorry to hear you had the misfortune of a trip on the stairs, we hope it didn’t put too much of a damper on the mood for your holiday. Although, if we ever have such a trip, we hope JJ is there to help us! It brings us solace to know how supportive, prompt, and benevolent JJ was in attending to you, each step of the way. It also sounds like you handled it quite gracefully, with a positive attitude! Again, we hope you still thoroughly enjoyed your time in China, and have recovered swiftly. We’d love the chance to take you on another holiday, with a guide just as great as JJ. Best Regards, TripADeal Team

TripA..dud DO NOT USE , even if you think its a great deal. IT NOT Raised an issue re a elderly passenger having medical problems before they went on the trip/ cruise. Given all the wrong info details and process to follow, which i did undertake and no reply. They said they would call me , NO call. So i called them , I got a very abrupt employee... who could not give a damn about anything and said it wasn't her fault the last person had given me the wrong details . Ended up giving up after 40 mins of being stone walled. Customer service ...forget it. Also very slow at sending you documents so you can book travel insurance. IF your old ... they make it difficult for less tech savvy people to complain, DO NOT GO near them, however good the deal looks .... hopeless and when they have your money ... you are cut adrift!!

Date of experience : 24 February 2024

Hi Sage, Thanks for reaching out. Very sorry the hear that you're feeling that way. So that we can best address your concerns and assist you, could you please send an email with the booking number to [email protected] and we'll look into that further. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Tait L. Consultant

Tait L. is our consultant at TripADeal, for our up and coming, fly to Singapore, cruise back to Australia. I have to say we have done a few trips through this company and others, BUT ! her attention to detail, taking that extra time to answer your needs and obtain documents is absolutely outstanding. Thank you Tait, you have made all 4 of us that are booked on this trip feel so much more confident with the finer details, removing all the worry that usually goes with these trips. If you get Tait L, you have got the best.

Date of experience : 15 March 2024

Hi Peter, Thank you for the glowing review! It's been Tait's absolute pleasure to assist you with planning this wonderful trip. Wishing you an amazing adventure ahead, and looking forward to hearing all about it! Best regards, TripADeal Team

India is a must! Put it on your bucket list!

Our first tour ever as usually go it alone. But for India thought we needed go be on a tour and we picked Trip a Deal. Definitely impressed with everything! Our main tour guide Nadim plus driver and assistant were all superb. Nadim gave practical and helpful information each day. His knowledge of political and cultural interests was exceptional. He dealt with everyone and their needs well, even though some travellers could be bit of a challenge at times. Our small group of 19 was a perfect size. Hotels were promoted as 5 star and they were certainly that. The tour made our trip to India unforgettable. Loved every minute. Would definitely look at future Trip a Deal tours again.

Hi Carolyn, Thank you for choosing TripADeal for your first tour experience! Your fabulous review has been an absolute pleasure to read. We're so delighted to hear that you loved every minute of your holiday exploring India with Nadim. We truly appreciate the time you've taken to share this feedback, and hope to have the opportunity to help make more of your travel dreams come true in the future! Best regards, TripADeal Team

Tripadeal Booking Process

Just wanted to review Tripadeal's booking process which was excellent. I rang Tripadeal originally to book the 2 for 1 Balkans deal that had been advertised only to be told that the dates I wanted were sold out. I then emailed Tripadeal to ask if they did have any places available and dealt with Stephanie R. who proceeded to deal with the tour company to negotiate some places on the trip over a period of a few weeks. It wasn't looking promising as per the original phone call but Stephanie R then rang me to say that she was successful so we will be going on this trip to the Balkans in October 2024. I can't thank Stephanie R enough for persisting as I was told initially that the trip was all booked out so thankyou Stephanie R. I have been on 3 other Tripadeal holidays before :- Nepal,India & Sri Lanka, Russian & Baltic States and just recently to Morocco, all were great, very well organised, wonderful guides and a great standard so looking forward to this trip. Based on my previous experiences I would have no hesitation in recommending Tripadeal. Thanks Joan

Hi Joan, Thank you so much for your valuable recommendation, and for sharing your experience booking the 2 for 1 Balkans deal. We’re extremely pleased Stephanie’s persistence, and dedication resulted in you securing a spot on this popular deal. We endeavour to go above and beyond for our customers, and make the impossible happen! We wish you the best of luck for your upcoming trip and look forward to taking you on many more in the future. Best Regards, TripADeal Team

Be warned Fake Silk in China

Fellow TripAdeal Travellers, do not buy a set of discounted bed linens at the Silk Spinning Factory at Suzhou . They are not silk. Also check the weight of the silk bedding. We got lightest one instead of the middle weight that the manager promised. China Discovery | 10 days Highlights Tour $1500 if you go Xi'an ********Updates at 25/3/2024********************************* Hello again my fellow TripADeal travellers, So what had happened? I had filed the complaint at the trip a deal contact web page. I had received an email address for the silk factory in China. And guess what? The money had been returned. I've got refund in RMB. It was not easy. I translated all correspondence into Chinese and the person who was corresponding with me kept asking a receipt paid by a credit card. We paid with cash. It was good thing I had asked the receipt for the cash sale and kept it. If not, no refund. It was also good thing my husband had set up Alipay and had it worked in China. So we had received full refund by RMB2980 by Alipay.The money is sitting there for the next trip to China. It can not change back to A$. The person corresponded with me at the silk factory was very nice. I was doubtful when I wrote the first email to the silk factory but they treated the matter earnestly. She/He kept replying even it looked impossible to refund, that was because we paid by cash. I had received the refund. However, I must say, the way those goods were sold at the silk factory was not right. I still advise my fellow travellers to check the quality before you buy anything in China.

Hi Yuki, Thank you for reaching out. We're sorry to hear that you're disappointed with your purchases. Have you been able to connect with the seller to address your concerns? If you need any further assistance please send an email with your booking number to [email protected]. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Cheap for a reason

On a positive, the accommodate was excellent. The guides in Beijing and Shanghai - Lisa and Serena were very good. The negatives- hotels were out in the sticks with no access to transport apart from taxis. Food choices around hotels were very limited. Tipping was not optional. Guides were very insistent and ticked your name off a list. Those who didn't have cash were asked to borrow from others. The guides in Xian/ Zhengzhou wanted an extra half day tips. The optional tours were not optional because we had already checked out of hotel and were often on way to next destination. Take plenty of money because most of the sights are an excuse for shopping - Jade museum, silk factory, Chinese medicine, tea plantation. Even many of the optional tours were to shopping venues. Much of trip was spent on a bus or train or waiting for a bus or train. First and last TAD.

Date of experience : 28 February 2024

Hi Dee, Thank you for taking the time to share this valuable feedback with us. We always appreciate hearing about what we're doing well and what can be improved for the future to ensure our customers enjoy the best possible travel experience every time. We're sorry to hear that you've returned home feeling disappointed with your first trip to China with us. If you’d like to discuss anything in more detail, please send an email to [email protected] and we’ll be in touch. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Refused re-imbursement for failed airport pick-up

Booked Nowegian Northern Lights deal. That component was great and I'd recommend Hurtengruten Line. I booked an add-on in Singapore which in retrospect was a "gauge". Changed hotel to one without any without any add-ons and the airport pickup did not turn up. Phone numbers given for emergency contact were in Portugal and some Arab country. The Aussi number did not pick up. Caught taxi to hotel and emailed problem. After 6-7 weeks got told that we were a no-show and no re-imbursement for having paid twice for the transfer. Generic evidence that driver could not find us and plane was early. The outward flights were not do-able with a very short transit in London so that everyone on that flight missed their connection. I suspect that for a bargain standard booking, you get what you pay for but any add-on or change - beware!

Date of experience : 27 November 2023

Hi Margaret, Thank you for sharing a review of your experience. As previously confirmed and discussed, the driver was there waiting for you for quite some time. We did send you an email a few weeks ago and are waiting to hear back from you with more information so that we can investigate further and better understand why you didn't connect and were registered as a no-show. We look forward to hearing from you and continuing to assist you with your concerns. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

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TripADeal (now a QF company) Reviews & Problems

Edit: New readers to the topic can join at post 78, 14 April 2022.

TripADeal packages - misleading and poor value for money

We have just returned from a TripADeal tour to Vietnam. We had some really bad experiences which we wish to share:

• We paid for 4 star but the hotels we stayed in were not - when we queried TripADeal it is because they use self rating as an indicator
• The trip was advertised as a tour - but it was not guided. TripADeal onsells your ticket to a Vietnamese travel agent that then onsells to other one day trips. There were numerous times when our tour was not met by guides when we arrived by plane, train etc. It was chaos.
• We booked on the premise of being provided family rooms. In the 6 hotels we stayed we only had access to one family room.
• They book the cheapest flights and had us flying out at 2.20am despite the fact we were traveling with children.

We paid $12,000 for this trip and could have booked it much cheaper on our own but we went with TripADeal because we felt it was a fully guided tour. It is not. Do not be fooled by the marketing language it is very misleading. I have now lodged a complaint with AFTA.

Wow that sucks. Thanks for sharing though, it’d be interesting to hear if other people have had bad experiences with TripADeal or similar package tour companies

A couple of years ago a group of us booked a trip to Japan for the Cherry Blossoms.Awful trip. The trip advertised all 4 star hotels in the Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. We were taken to Fujisawa[over 50 kms from Tokyo…Then we went to Kyoto to have a look at the sights,then taken to our hotel in Kobe…75kms from Kyoto,the next hotel we were somewhere in Osaka but were not told where or if there nearby attractions We spent so much time on a bus it was pathetic.There were lots of other things that went wrong. We did accept a minimum amount of compensation, I tell people that always make sure the Travel Agent is a member of AFTA/ATAS This was not Trip a Deal

The problem is - is that TripADeal is an AFTA member.

@margstevenson2003 are you able to share who that trip was with?

I cannot as I got a small payout.Wish I could.The list of things that went wrong are incredible.In fact you would not believe it.,The guide was the one rude Japanese person I met. His comments at times were atrocious …we had 2 elderly ladies on the tour and when we reached one destination he said "you have 45mins here if you cannot walk fast stay on the bus"Considering this was a trip advertised in one of the senior magazines What a thing to say. i can email you privately

I thought AFTA would have helped I can sympathise with you not getting what you paid for.I have booked another trip to Japan later this year to see Tokyo and Kyoto,I barely saw anything the first time.This one is independent.

@margstevenson2003 yes please you can email me at [email protected]

TripADeal should be Rip a deal. There are several companies doing this “specials” style travel, rip a deal is one to miss. We paid for accommodation only with them as a trial run, following it up prior to leaving it was found to be nothing but a con job with prices that could be obtained far better with plenty of other good options available. We did not travel so lost out on the original booking but as it turned out the deal we did was far better overall and we came out about square. This happened several years ago prior to looking at all available options and learning a few things on overseas travel. We do about 80% ourselves 20% with a good travel agent as we do not believe in asking for information ( which is required at times ) without putting some business her way.

Luxury Escapes is one “specials” we have used and very happy with (will use them again) but one needs to read the fine print carefully and understand it. First thing we do is google the position of the accommodation as it is often well out of town away from services and action and limited transport options, this depends on what sort of holiday you want.

Overall we have only had good experiences traveling the world but we learn something every trip. A few hours spent with “Dr Google” can be well worthwhile, if what you want to find out is not there don’t do it!!!

I want to get a forum going on this topic to review TripAdeal tours. For example I just got back from their 2-for-1 China tour. It was very good value and we enjoyed good accommodation, breakfasts and local guides. You might like shopping but most in our group did not so we felt there was too much time wasted in places like jade, terracotta, medicine, pearl and tea factories and shopping strips. Most of us felt that they were just a trap to get our money but those in the group who could afford it, had a good time bargaining and buying. Some of our group thought that the advertised price should have included the non-optional extra charges of almost $500 per 2-person trip. We were told that the mandatory $10/day tip for tour leader and driver goes to head office and then is “somehow” distributed so it’s not fair to call it a tip or gratuity; it should be included in the advertised price of the trip. I am looking at doing another TripAdeal tour next year and would like some feedback.

WE have just returned from a Tripadeal tour of Italy. We were not at all impressed mainly because almost all the hotels were changed (false advertising in my opinion). The hotels were supposed to be 4* but we all rated them around 2*, mostly nowhere near anything where there was nothing within walking distance in iterms of shops, restaurants and places of interest. We did not get the promised free time, and the tour guide did not control the group well allowing people to wander off and not return meaning that others had to continually wait. On one occasion he stopped at a place on the way home at a place that most people did not want to go to. Many of the group just stayed on the bus for more than hour - this was a non-scheduled vote. We also had to continually ring regarding our tickets as nothing seemed to come on time. Would not recommend Tripadeal.

Some of the hotels on our China trip were also poorly located for access to places of interest, eateries and shops. But they were 4/5 star so, to me, it was a fair trade-off.

You might be interested in reviewing on tourradar .

Although they are ‘in the business’ they seem a huge repository of good, bad, and indifferent reviews of the tour company industry if you look around their site. The reviews are about tour companies and their tours, not deal companies or consolidators though.

WE went to China in May with Tripadeal ( 2for1 option) The advertised accomodation was all changed when we received our final itinery. I had checked all hotels etc with google and was happy with the list prior to booking. As i was taking my 12 year old very fussy eater grandson I made sure there were ample food places nearby. So when the final documentation arrived I was shocked to find that numerous hotels were nowhere near food sources. The hotels were mostly Ok about 3-4 star except the one we had in Beijing. We arrived at airport at 1.00 am in the morning to find we had a double bed after confirming 3 times wanting single beds (2 Beds) so at .30 am we had to find someone who could speak english and could change rooms for us. We were given the most disgusting room I can imagine. It would have barely made star with a push… The room stank, the carpet was putrid and lifting in places. There was a whole in the wall where our fridge was supposed to be…no fridge…Kettle didnt work but had at some stage because all the steam had gone up the veneer wall and lifted the panelling. The toilet was blocked for the 2 nights we were there and we had to use the lobby toilet. We couldnt use the bath/shower as the enamel had all peeled off the bath and was the bottom of the bath and sides of the bath were mouldy. My grandson had a blood nose in bed the first night and we were not able to get to bathroom in time and therefore blood got onto the pillow and sheet. WE arrived back at hotel next night to find bed made but same sheets were on bed so again to reception and were told that the sheets would be changed if we paid for another night accomodation. Fat chance of that so g/son slept on top of doona for night. Worse was to come…next morning at breakfast one of the ladies at our table dropped her folk onto the floor and when we went to retrieve it we found crumbs , food , dirty cutlery and rotten half eaten food under the table…We told the tour guide who was going to report it but to date we haven’t heard anything back…The hotel was the Grand An in Beijing…All other hotels were clean and fine but as we had already booked another trip to Japan in September we are very worried as the hotels listed on the original flyer are nothing like those that have been issued with our documentation. But I am aware now and will not put up with inferior hotel rooms again…so look out tripadeal if this tour is not up to scratch…I have photos of the Grand An and have sent then and written to trip a deal twice but have not had a reply… so keep tuned…

Sorry to hear about your poor experience in Beijing, and it’s also a shame that TripADeal has failed to reply to your concerns. You can also use the image button when writing a post if you’d like to share those hotel images here.

Seeing as though you have a trip coming up, it might be best to sort out any issues now if possible. We have a CHOICE Help service for members offering consumer advice, or you could also give your local fair trading or consumer affairs body a call to discuss the issue.

My husband & I have travelled with Tripadeal to Vietnam & Cambodia 2 years ago - I am surprised at the really negative reviews and comments in this forum we had a really positive experience with incredible value for money and have since recommended tripadeal to quite a few friends who have done the same trip plus two of them have gone on to do two separate trips to China each with Tripadeal and been totally happy. Of course on our tour there were a couple of minor glitches but they even happen on very expensive tours and all form part of the travel memories we make on every journey - by comparison we did a webjet exclusives trip to Japan last year and were so disgusted we complained to webjet (form email response only) and will never travel with them again - every traveller has different expectations and experiences we will continue to use and recommend Tripadeal until we are in a situation where we are not satisfied and get poor customer service -if that ever happens.

I’m with you Roby, my husband and I have not long got back from the 2 for 1 China trip and it was fantastic, I couldn’t fault Tripadeal at all. It was fully guided, we were never left alone at any point, they went above and beyond to make sure everyone was looked after. Like you said everyone has different expectations and some more than others. I will definitely use tripadeal again. I feel that most of the complaints in the above posts were in the fine print of the information that we received.

this sounds like our experience with webjet exclusives!!

We would like to apologise for our late arrival to this thread, it has only just come to our attention and reading unhappy reviews of our travel deals isn’t something we’re used to seeing.

We have proudly sent over 50,000 happy travellers around the world since 2011 and any feedback that our customers have provided from previous tours is always welcomed and taken constructively. Improving our packages and overall experiences for our loyal TripADeal Travellers is always at the forefront when designing our incredible travel deals.

If anyone has any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us (Australia: https://www.tripadeal.com.au/contact-us | New Zealand: https://www.tripadeal.co.nz/contact-us ) and there will be a TripADeal Travel Expert available for a chat, we love hearing from you!

Kind regards,

TripADeal Team

My wife and I have travelled in India, China and Taiwan with TripADeal and have on all three occasions been impressed by their value for money. We have travelled with other companies and on our own but have found that where a TripADeal tour is going where we we intend to go, it is far cheaper to go with them. We have never had trouble with accomadation and have generally found it to be of a high standard and so far the hotels we were promised have been the ones that we have stayed in. The transport has been as advertised and the guides have been good. We are already booked on a TripADeal tour to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia and are contemplating taking another to Bornio or Sri Lanka.

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Tripadeal Grand China Tour 2023 - Never... - Trip a deal

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I just booked a trip with TripADeal and my booking experience was fantastic. Michelle M helped me... read more

Trip a deal 10 day to china $1000 each. Was very sceptical for the price but only have to survive... read more

Tripadeal Grand China Tour 2023 - Never again

It all started well with our first experience with Tripadeal. Staff very friendly on the phone and that is how they trap you. Once the trip started, it was downhill. On our flight, the seats are booked via an App and on checking in, you are left with the dregs of seats and cannot sit together, unless you pay for your seat selection. This was the same on all the flights. Our Beijing Hotel stunk of old cigarette smoke, to the extent that our clothes smelt for the next couple of days. We were dragged around in pouring rain for a couple of days and got totally drenched, even with umbrella and coats. Tour Guide didn't care and most of us got sick. The hotels are also 40 to 50 kilometres from the cities, therefore, you are unable to get to the cities to see anything. In Shanghai, this resulted in a 1 1/2 to 2 hour bus ride into and out of the city to see our scheduled sights. Optional Tours were structured into the itinerary and if you did not participate, you had to sit around and wait with the bus until the Optional Tour finished. This resulted in us having 12 to 13 hour days on at least 4 occasions. Tripadeal indemnifies themselves by claiming to only be a "Travel Agency" and it is the Operators responsibility to ensure the quality of accommodation. Tripadeal list the 4 star rating but include (Self Rated) as an out for themselves. Our river cruise on the Yangtze River was atrocious. It would have been lucky to have been a 2 Star. The food was terrible, the carpets worn and sticky, plaster ceilings falling down and dirty ensuite. Tripadeal did not advise that Credit Cards are not accepted in China, Alipay or Wepay apps are the regular way to pay. We ran out of cash and had to get an advance on our Credit Card. Out of 21 members on our tour, at least 17 were disgusted at the quality, some calling it 'Trickadeal'. Most of us got sick with some sort of virus, with a handful testing positive to COVID on our return to AUS. When raised with Tripadeal on our return, we got a 'so sorry you weren't happy with your trip. We will pass your feedback onto the relevent people.'

Booked and paid over $6000.00 to Trip a Deal for a trip to Singapore and the Maldives . However,the airlines stopped flying due to covid19,so we asked Trip a Deal if we could eaither have a refund,or at the least, a future credit. They advised us that they do not offer refunds and if we still had any problems, we should book future holidays with a travel that has Principles and Integrity. We took their advice and have not looked back since. We couldn't speak poorly enough of our dealings with Trip a Deal.

Do not touch this company with a forty foot pole. If you want to see what people think of them have a look at the TRIPACON Facebook page. Everyone is being diddled out of their money. Deplorable.

My experience with TaD has deeply disappointed me. I purchased a prepaid package tour, cruise and flights. They cancelled and refused to refund, refused to accept credit card chargeback twice and now I have to take legal action. Their customer service for me was terrible. So I didn't get to go on my trip of a lifetime and they've only offered time limited vouchers with new terms that reduce their liability to me as a customer. I cannot recommend them.

We toured Egypt as a package with Jordan and Turkey which were both lovely but Egypt was way below expectations. No Wi-Fi, no water and the Wi-Fi sold to us for $30US cut out at 500mb instead of 15gb. TripaDeal response....not our problem!! Never again!!

Hotel accommodation was dreadful in Beijing, the whole room smelt like really old, stale cigarettes and everything was sticky from years of nicotine build up. The day we went to the Forbidden City, we were all saturated by unexpected rain and as a result as much as half of the people on the tour got sick over the next few days. Care factor by tour guide was absolutely zero and there was no offer of assistance at all, no Plan B for sick travellers. We ended up taking ourselves to hospital to try to get some antibiotics but herbal teas are the cure all in China so that's what we were given. Be prepared to take lots of cash with you, we were constantly shelling out money for everything in cash in AUD. ATMs are few and far between and Australian Credit cards are only accepted in a few places. Attractions we visited were all Government owned and controlled from the Forbidden City to the Tea Plantation, to the Silk Factory, the Jade Factory - everything. We did the so called cruise up the Yangtze and whilst the slow pace was welcome, it was little more than a barge with cabins and inedible food. We paid extra for a cabin upgrade and I'm so glad we did. If our cabin was an example of an upgrade, I would have hated to see the basic cabin. Getting off the boat in Chonquing was a drama, approximately 120 steps straight up and unless you handed over cash to one of the locals, you had to carry your own bags. Once at the top of the stairs there was another kilometre walk up hill to the bus. By the time we got to Hong Kong on the return trip, we had had enough and flew straight back to Australia. My husband was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia when we got home and spent several weeks recovering. I had a sinus infection. This was a very cheap trip but never again will we deal with this Company nor will we ever return to China.

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Review – TripADeal 12 day tour of China

• Post author: Sally
• Post published: July 7, 2019
• Post category: Asia / China
• Post comments: 35 Comments

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I’ve recently returned from a 12 day tour of China with TripADeal. When people hear this the first question they ask is ‘what was TripADeal like?’. So I thought it must be a question many people are asking so best I put my thoughts on line.

I knew a little about the TripADeal phenomenon as I have been following the company founder’s wife on Instagram for a few years now. @Jetsetmama and her adorable brood of gorgeous kids is quite engaging and having followed her for a the very least 5 years, I feel like I kind of know them all! Her husband Rich pretty much started TripADeal from home soon after they arrived back in Australia from Bali after their Balinese Guesthouse burnt to the ground without being insured. See I listen to you @Jetsetmama!

TripADeal has grown from strength to strength and so has family! Claire is English and is pregnant with her fourth, no doubt will be another hippie, natural home birth surrounded by Atlas, Sochi and Zephyr eagerly awaiting the arrival of their new sibling!

Anyway I digress! Back to TripADeal.

You’re also welcome to join my Hong Kong & China Travel Planning Facebook group – it’s a great resource for all things travel in Hong Kong and China!

TripADeal 12 day China Highlights Tour

I did the 2 or 1, 12 day China Highlights tour visiting Suzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Xian and Beijing. You can read my Ultimate guide to visiting Beijing , it details all available options for visiting the Great Wall of China and whats different about them. If you are heading to Shanghai, I’ve got you covered there as well with our Shanghai with kids, the Ultimate Guide .

This trip was AU$1000 per person twin share but we upgraded to include a visit to Xian to see the Terracotta Warriors. The Xian side trip cost an extra AU$500, so we paid AU$1500 each . Both my friend and I said why would you go to China and not upgrade to see the Terracotta Warriors, its like going to London and not seeing Buckingham Palace!

That price included flights from Melbourne via Sydney to Shanghai returning to Melbourne from Beijing also via Sydney with Qantas. Everyone on the tour was on the flight from Sydney and we were pretty much sitting around each other. Lesson number 1, don’t annoy the person in front or behind you on your way over because its highly likely you will spend the next 12 days with them!

What’s included in the China Highlights TripADeal tour

I’m going to tell you what is included in the cost of the tour. There were a number of things that were not included which I will cover further down:

• Return flights with Qantas;
• All hotels for the duration of the tour;
• Breakfast each morning;
• High speed train transfers;
• Bus and driver;
• Tour guide.

All the specified tours outlined in the itinerary were included in the price. This included at least one activity every day and included the main attractions such as the following places:

• Great Wall of China;
• Beijing Zoo;
• Tiananmen Square;
• Forbidden City tour;
• Pearl factory;
• Jade factory;

• Terracotta Warriors;

• Henan Museum;
• Erqi Tower climb;
• Meijiawu Tea Village;
• West Lake boat ride;

• Lingering Garden – UNNESCO World Heritage Site;
• Wuzhen Floating village;
• Silk factory;

• Shanghai The Bund visit;
• Shanghai Museum.

Optional Tours offered by TripADeal

You can choose to do all or none of the optional tours. Optional tours are not included in the original price and you pay as you go on the tour. We paid using local currency although you can use Australian dollars if that’s what you have with you.

I thought the optional tours were quite good and we did most of them however there were 2 that we decided to give a miss. What you have to consider if you don’t do the optional tour is what will you do instead. Now if the only option was sitting in the hotel, well the optional tour was definitely a better option don’t you think?

One down side of the TripADeal tour are the hotel locations. They were often well out of town and while there was food options around there was little to see and do. This is another factor in choosing whether you will participate in the optional tours. There is no pressure to participate from tour guides but they will talk up the tours and that is very normal for a tour guide with every company I have ever travelled with.

Following are the optional activities and where they were located:

• Chinese Acrobatic Show – The Intersection of Time – we did this show and we had great seats and  the program was excellent. The performers are very talented and have obviously been practising their trade wear for many years, I highly recommend doing this optional tour;
• Shanghai Half Day City Tour – we did this tour and I loved it. We saw so much more of Shanghai than we would have, had we not done this. The tour included extra time at the Bund, lunch at the French Quarter, Yu Garden then a few hours shopping at the Yuyuan Garden Malls. The malls were a highlight for me, not only did we get some free time shopping for souvenirs but the old Chinese architecture was amazing to see;

• Night cruise on the Huangpu River – another highlight of the tour, we got on the boat at 6.45pm, the tour guide told us the best place to stand on the roof top deck to capture the best photos. The lights of Shanghai Pudong city come on at 7pm, our boat was in the perfect spot to view the lights and I captured the video of the lights come on. I definitely recommending doing both the city tour and the river cruise;
• Maglev Train Experience – The maglev (magnetic levitation) train goes from Shanghai city out to the new airport at Pudong. Traveling at 431kms per hour the maglev train does the 30 kilometre trip in 8 minutes! We didn’t do this tour as we have travelled on the Shinkansen in Japan that does 430kms & we visited the Maglev Museum instead. The others that did do it said it was fantastic though & well worth doing.
• Shaolin Kung Fu Temple Full Day Tour – we did this optional tour and while I was a bit skeptical at first, I actually really liked it. Kung Fu is synonymous with China and Shaolin Temple is one of the most highly regarded Kung Fu schools in China. It was amazing to see the current students do a Kung Fu performance in the onsite theatre. This is the only reason for going to Zhengzhou, if you don’t do this optional tour you’ll be spending the day at the hotel in an industrial city that has no main attractions to visit. The people that didn’t do this optional tour did some shopping and visited the hotel day spa. I highly recommend doing this optional tour.

• Terracotta Warriors –  this is a pre-booked optional tour and let me tell you, if you don’t do this optional tour you are crazy! You can’t upgrade to include this once you have arrived in China so make sure you just include it from the start. The Terracotta Warriors were an absolute highlight of my whole trip to China. I can’t for the life of me understand why you would go to China and not see this, it would be like visiting Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tour! If you don’t do this you get to spend an extra day in Zhengzhou and its no secret Zhengzhou was my least favourite place.

• The Golden Mask Dynasty Musical – a large scale dramatic musical set in ancient China, the show is broken down into 8 different sections and has been running for 10 years. Acts range from acrobatics, to dance, singing, martial arts and more. We didn’t do this show and I’m kind of sad we didn’t because those who did said they really enjoyed it and it was pretty spectacular. On this day we took a taxi to Silk St shopping and that was nice to have some free time to ourselves as we had very little free time as we did most of the optional tours;
• Hutong Tour with Dinner – the Hutong means narrow street and this is where you’ll see the old China, the way it use to be before the population boom and the introduction of high rise housing. The Chinese Government has kept some of the Hutong and the canals with their gorgeous traditional bridges just the way it was for tourist and locals to visit. We did a rickshaw tour of the Hutong and stopped and had dinner at a local home. The Hutong homes don’t have toilets and they share their bathrooms just like in holiday parks. We did this tour and I highly recommend it, it was definitely a highlight of Beijing.

Accommodation on our TripADeal Tour

I have found that many people have been asking about our accommodation on our tour. The standard of accommodation was very good, mostly 4 star with a couple of Faulty Towers type hotels that looked good from the outside but just didn’t hit the mark on the inside. Overall the standard of hotels was sufficient.

The only issue I have with the accommodation is the location! Now I would prefer to pay a little bit extra and have a hotel in the best area as this would mean you can get out and do your own thing a little bit more in the evening. The hotels were rather isolated and had few facilities that we were interested in. We did find places to eat and generally at reasonable prices and we also found the hotel restaurants to be of a reasonable standard and price.

All hotels had wifi, some better than others but overall they were good. Obviously you are very restricted in what you can access on your smartphones in China but that is easily fixed by using a VPN. Download one of the many options in the app store and then you can access all your social media platforms using the VPN. I signed up to ExpressVPN and utilised the 7 days free option, I then downloaded the Betterment -best VPN proxy for another 7 days free access.

Food Options on the TripADeal Tour

Breakfast was provided every morning, a buffet breakfast at each hotel. They were pretty much of the same standard and were all pretty good with plenty of options both western and asian style food.

Most other meals were not provided however we were always taken somewhere that we could purchase food. You can eat really cheaply if you want to or you could find a restaurant close by the hotel. my friend and I called our trip the dumpling tour of China! We pretty much had dumplings every day and in every city.  Many of the group went looking for a Peking Duck restaurant when we were in Beijing but we didn’t go that night, some group members were foodies and went looking for local restaurants at the every city. We were often happy with dumplings at the hotel restaurant and a local beer!

When we weren’t eating in the touristy areas we could get dumplings and a beer each for under AU$10. This meant we were happy to have a blow out every now and then like when we had lunch in the Shanghai French Quarter, my hamburger was AU$20 and a craft beer was AU$15. However, generally if you ate local food was generally on the very cheap side.

Tipping on a TripADeal Tour

Now this is a bit of a sore point for me. The tipping requirements are clearly set out in the terms and conditions of the tour. Basically it is AU$12 per person each day. TripADeal breaks it down for you into sections relating to each tour guide. I had mine in a ziplock bag with the exact amount for each section of the tour.

Don’t be an arse and refuse to pay your tips in any circumstances!

This is not an optional tip, it is part of the conditions of travel, do not become an ugly traveller and be seen arguing with a tour guide over AU$12. I’m not going to go into details but we had to deal with some very ugly behaviour and its down right embarrassing.

If you can’t afford $12 for your tips, you shouldn’t be travelling. Also these very cheap tours are great for us that really appreciate travelling but it also opens the door for some people that maybe really shouldn’t leave Australia. Comments like ‘Why don’t they have an English speaking person at this restaurant’ is not really in the spirit of travelling and if that’s the case, I suggest you book a trip to New Zealand and not a foreign speaking country. Enough said!

There is also a $150 tourist tax charge that will need to be paid while in country. The $150 is per travel couple ($75 each) and the reason for it was quite grey. It is in the terms and conditions of travel and needs to be paid in Australian dollars. We forgot about this charge, I had it confused with the compulsory tips. There were others on the bus that had Australian dollars spare so we bought some off them. Apparently you could have paid local currency however I recommend being organised and have the money ready to go.

Tips on visiting China for the first timer

China blew me away, it was nothing like what I expected it to be like, it was 10 times better. I feel that China is poorly represented in the media here in Australia and while the language barrier is difficult, the Chinese are very welcoming and are very happy to show off their lovely country.

Bartering – barter hard, its a national sport and they love it. In my experience when they give you a price slash it by 95% then barter a little. If they get upset with you, you know you have come close to a decent price. If they are jovial and happy they have got a price they are happy with. Barter till they get upset then go up a little from that.

Toilets – most toilets will be squat toilets and you will need to take your own toilet paper. I took small travel packets which are $1.20 for 8 packets in Aldi. Most toilets are exceptionally clean, there will usually be a disabled toilet that will be western, the queue is usually long for it though. All hotels have western toilets.

Traffic – traffic is a nightmare but it seems to work, they have a very big problem with road users using mobile phones will driving. Our bus had an accident on the first day, involving another two cars, we were told the first driver was on him mobile phone. There are many expensive cars on the road in China, they are moving towards electric cars and there are many Teslas there.

Scams – like all countries there is a certain amount of scams, we got scammed by a taxi driver, we paid AU$80 for a taxi ride that should have cost $5. Not cool, but it happens. I knew it was happening at the time but didn’t know how to fix it, we put it down to experience.

Government Stores – all the tours will visit the silk, tea, pearl and jade factories its part of tour groups being allowed to enter China, suck it up and don’t whinge, remember the gem factories in Thailand? Same thing. They are very overpriced and bartering is welcome. Don’t be afraid to put a stupid price out there, they love the game. We bought silk scarf and pearl earrings and while I’m certain I paid more than a local would, I’m still happy with my purchases.

Packing – make sure you have plenty of room in your suitcase to bring home your shopping. I’m not a big shopper and still had to sit on my case to zip it up to come home. I’m also a light packer and my case on the way over was only 10kgs. The shopping can be very cheap if you barter well.  You’ll definitely find some ‘great quality knock offs’ and I love the oriental tea cups and prints and things.

Beijing Zoo – Beijing Zoo is a zoo of old, there is a great enclosure for the giant pandas, their national icon, but the rest of the zoo is all concrete and at times confronting. I would prefer to pay a bit extra and fly up to Chengdu to see the giant pandas in an ethically responsible conservation centre than in a sub standard zoo. TripADeal gods can you please make that part of the tour? I understand that will bump the price up a bit but I think it would be a better tour or at least another optional extra like Xian.

ATM’s – ATM’s are widely available, I had a travel card from my home bank which I pre-loaded with Chinese currency, I had no issues withdrawing money from various banks ATM’s. I even used my normal EFTPOS card when I ran out of money on my travel card. However my friend had issues at a lot of different machines and her card being accepted was pretty much hit and miss. A week after we got home, her bank contacted her and advised that her travel card had been compromised in China and it had been cancelled. No explanation was given and she has new cards in the mail.

What did I honestly think of TripADeal

Being a family of 5 we are normally very independent travellers and I do all of the research and bookings myself. I thought I would struggle with the lack of control but I’m pleased to report that I was pretty happy to kick back and let someone else look after it for once.

It’s a fast pace tour and you’ll need a decent level of fitness as there is quite a bit of walking involved in some places. I like fast paced as I like to see as much as I can and any down time means I’m missing out on something. We had a pretty good bunch of Aussies and we really did have a good time with them.

I had a few things that niggled at me, things like the day we went to the Great Wall of China, one of the biggest highlights of the trip and we were only allocated 2 hours there. Our bus was late that morning due to a traffic accident, no big deal that happens but they took us to a jade factory first then to the Great Wall and back to the same jade factory for lunch.

I would have thought it was a better idea to go straight out to the Great Wall as we got there in the late morning and it was already pushing 36 degrees. If we went earlier it would have been cooler and we would have had a better chance of getting further up the wall. We could have then gone back and done the jade factory and had lunch in the same stop.

Zhengzhou we spent 2 nights, its an industrial city with absolutely nothing to do. I would prefer they tweak the itinerary and give us 2 nights in Xian instead. We had a great central hotel in Xian and there is plenty to see that we didn’t get a chance as we were there pretty much only one afternoon and evening. The afternoon is the busiest time at the Terracotta Warriors and we got there in the thick of it.

I would have preferred to have visited the Terracotta Warriors in the morning and had less crowds and more time to wander at leisure. I would loved to have gone back into pit 1 again as this is the best viewing spot for the Warriors.

I can’t fault the tour guides, they were fantastic and all but 1 had great English. They all had varying amount of experience with being a tour guide. Big shout out to Thomas in Shanghai with 26 yrs tour guide experience, Bryan in Beijing with 28 yrs experience, Jesse in Xian with 11 yrs experience and Sean is doing a great job in Zhengzhou with only 18 months experience. Sean was faced with some pretty average behaviour and he handled himself very well considering.

All in all I highly recommend TripADeal but I can’t stress enough, don’t expect the bells and whistles when you are paying these prices. If you want the bells and whistles pay for it. TripADeal’s mission is ‘To make travel dreams come true’ and I think they are definitely delivering on that. While their core belief is ‘Travel is an experience that should be enjoyed by everyone and we’re proud to make it an affordable option for all’, I’m not certain that everyone should travel…..!

Last of all, TripADeal is excellent value and I can hardly fault them, I would happily recommend them and I would certainly travel with them again.

Anyone what to go to Bhutan?

Safe travels,

Disclaimer – this is not a sponsored post in any form, this is my opinion after my experience. TripADeal please feel free to throw me a free tour to review for you, Bhutan maybe..!

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This post has 35 comments.

This is great to read as I know a few people who are rather nervously hoping their booked Trip a Deal hol is a bargain, not a horror! It sounds given you go with the right attitude it is good value and I will look again at their site! I would love to go to Bhutan for sure!

Definitely going with the right attitude is key, my mum always told me ‘you get what you pay for’ and in this case I think you get plenty more than what you paid for it. I would have no issue travelling with them again and I will continue to recommend them to others. Like any tour though, its what you make of it. I’ve just returned from having lunch with others from the tour and I created a Facebook group for us all to keep in contact. We will definitely all be catch up as a bigger group in the next month or so!

Thanks Sal & Co.

Thanks for a great blog, very useful! We leave in 10 days so the practical information is terrific. I know quite a few people who have done this tour (I wouldn’t have been game for it if they hadn’t recommended) with pretty much the same response as you – importantly, no bad experiences. For Fiona, re currency – RMB (renminbi) and CNY (China Yuan) are for practical (tourist) purposes interchangeable terms. You will mostly see CNY referred to in FX charts.

Thanks for your comment.

You will be leaving soon, sorry for my late reply, I have been in Hawaii. I hope you have a wonderful time in China and yes I had no bad experience with TripADeal. I think any tour like these would be pretty much the same, in the end its what you make of it.

You’ll have to let me know what was your favourite place and what you thought of the tour.

What an eventful and exciting 12 day tour! Really looks like you can cover so much and see a ton of amazing landmarks in China. Those Terracotta Warriors look amazing to see, I would go on it just to catch a glimpse of them.

It was very eventful, we covered a lot of ground. Its not my preferred way of travel but it certainly have me the thirst to want to return. China is such an amazing country with so many major sights, sometimes a tour serves its purpose.

Thanks for commenting.

China is full of amazing sites and many of them are UNESCO World Heritage listed. Terracotta Warriors definitely blew me away, and its definitely something that should be on your bucket list. I actually had a photo and met the farmer who discovered them in 1974.

Looks like you got a heck of a trip with TripaDeal. Since we are U.S. based and it looks to be an Aussie company, not sure we’ll ever use them. You went in with the right attitude though, and got the experience you expected (albeit not exactly perfect such as a later arrival to the wall than was ideal). Glad you recommend them though. That’s a good sign.

Hi Michael,

Yes TripADeal is an Aussie start up online travel agency, they are running cost price tours and often having 2 for 1 packages for unbelievable prices. Like all tours they have their pros and cons. It was my first tour and I struggled a little with the lack of free time and ability to stay longer if I wanted to. It served its purpose and I would gladly go back and travel independently with what I know now.

I am keen to go to China and see some of these famous landmarks and amazing cities, but I need to weigh up if a tour like this one is right for me. Glad to know I have this option, as I am in Oz. I will definitely consider Trip-A-Deal. It looks like you had a fabulous time.

China has so much to offer and is rapidly changing, I can’t imagine what it would have been like 15-20 yrs ago! I love all the UNESCO World Heritage sites and so much history. Its definitely a great place to visit and a tour is a great option but independently would be great too.

I also usually do all of my own research and booking and am always hesitant about these type of tour companies. But some countries, like China, tours do seem the best way to go. I’ve been looking into various China options and your review on TripADeal is very helpful!

I am not familiar with TripADeal, are they a local company? I agree with you if I was ever to travel to China, I believe I would look into using a tour as well. It sounds like you covered a lot of ground, which would be impossible to do without a tour guide’s expertise.

Hi, thanks for your comment.

Yes TripA Deal are a local Australian online travel agent. They are offering base price trips to various places across the world and are expanding rapidly. We definitely couldn’t have seen as much without being on the tour in that short time.

It looks like you had a great tour. With everything planned i am sure it took pressure off of you. I know my friend and I could do something of this nature but I don’t think my family could. My husband is a photographer and he can spend hours at one location waiting for the perfect spot. Sometimes my daughter will leave him so we can explore and come back when we think he will be finished.

Yes the lack of independence is difficult when you are use to travelling independently but its the price you pay to see a lot in a short amount of time. Initially I was concerned about travelling there believing that it would be to difficult but now I am confident we would have been fine travelling independently and we’ll definitely be returning to explore some more.

I’ve never heard of Tripadeal but that’s perhaps because we aren’t in Australia. I love the itinerary and the options of the extra tours. Like you, I’d absolutely do as many as I can. It’s too bad the hotels are in the outskirts of areas. When planning my own trips, I really like to be more central. Perhaps that’s part of the reason I haven’t given control of my itinerary over to a company yet. That said, there’s something to be said for having a details plan with transportation included.

Yes TripADeal are Australian so you would be unlikely to have heard of them if you live elsewhere. One of the main things I would change would be the hotel locations, it was a big downfall of the whole trip. Some people like to have a slower pace so the optional tours are a great way to meet everyones needs. Personally I like to do and see it all!

That sounds totally full on and such a great way to see a lot in a very short time. I love the idea of the Lingering Garden, although there didn’t seem time for a lot of lingering. But as you say, it’s a great way to identify what you’d like to see more of on another visit, and I’m liking your fair and balanced review of the experience.

Yes that’s the price you pay to see a lot in a short time. I usually travel independently so travelling on a tour was a shock to the system but it was definitely nice to pack a huge amount into a small amount of time but I’m definitely confident to go back independently for our next visit.

China definitely exceeded all my expectations though and its a great place to visit.

I have never heard of Tridadeal yet. But I think booking a tour for China is the best way to do it. Local tours know the best of everything and having an English guide is an advantage. Sometimes its good to not go about booking the tickets and itinerary and let the tour guys do it. Ofcourse there is negative side of it as you mentioned. But I enjoyed this 12 day tour of yours.

Yes TripADeal is an Aussie company running low cost trips to various locations around the world. The packages they run in China are particularly cheap yet cover a lot of ground. I was very happy even if some places I would preferred to have had more time. I’m happy I did it and would love to return.

It was very interesting reading your experiences. Having studied abroad in Shanghai for a whole year, it is a wonder to me that you were able to cram in seeing so much of the country in just twelve days. I am not surprised to hear that it is fast-paced and requires a fair amount of stamina and walking. I also saw the acrobat show in Shanghai a few days after arrival, and that is quite a sight to see, isn’t it? I’m glad you had a great time and it is refreshing to read an honest review complete with all the details. I can see that a tour like this doesn’t have the “bells and whistles” as you mention, but sometimes that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?

I would love to base myself in Shanghai, I think it would be an amazing city to explore and wander around. I didn’t have nearly enough time there as its such an eclectic city and rapidly changing.

Tours serve their purpose, when you want to see a lot quickly. China exceeded all my expectations, in fact it totally blew me away. There was anything I didn’t like, we had great weather and the smog/haze was no where near as bad as I had expected.

I think people have a lot of preconceived ideas about China which is why i started my Hong Kong and China travel planning group on Facebook to help dispel some of those myths. I would love you to join, nothing like the view of someone who has lived there!

Thank you for your description of the tour. Very interesting and informative. We have booked this trip next August. Did you book the optional excursions before you left Australia or when you were on the tour? Looking forward to our holiday.

Hi Rosemary,

You book the optional tours when you arrive. We paid in local currency and paid our tour guide as we went. The only think I recommend is organising your tips into ziplock bags prior to arrival and just hand them over when required. You don’t have to do all the optionals but they were all pretty good. The ones I missed (only 2) people come back and said it was wonderful so kind of kicking myself a little.

I hope you have a wonderful trip, China exceeded all my expectations and I would return in a heart beat.

Hi Sally, would this trip be ok for kids aged 7 & 10?? thanks simone

Thanks for the comment.

The tour is pretty fast paced, I have 3 kids aged 14, 12 10 and I think they would definitely be able to keep up the pace. We travel very regularly though. Honestly I think they would be fine. Like all tours there is a bit of sitting around in buses and the Shaolin Temple day the bus trip is about 2-2.5 hrs each way. That is an optional tour so you could decide to have a mid tour break. However, I recommend doing it, we enjoyed it.

As long as the kids are happy to walk a bit (Forbidden City day was about 5kms walking), Great Wall they will probably make it up before anyone else! It is an old style crowd but that’s fine. There are western food in all the buffet breakfasts each morning so they won’t starve!

I would say yes, go for it, you couldn’t do it cheaper independently, trust me I researched it!

Hi Sally, a friend had advised me not to take the kids, so great to hear from someone that has. We travel OS with the kids every year too, so was conflicted. I did read the fine print and kids need to be 8yrs, but we are considering for next year. Thanks so much for your honest review simone

Hi Sally, Would this tour (or any of the tripadeal tours) be suitable for 20 year olds???

Hi Natalie,

Yes definitely suitable for 20 year olds but its a high likelihood you’ll have an older crowd. If you don’t mind that then all good. However if you are looking for group tours more your age maybe Intrepid Tours would be a better option for you. My group didn’t have anyone under 30’s.

Thanks so much for sharing. We,ve just booked with TripADeal and this is pretty much what we expect. I also had the thought of pre-packing the tips! Good to know about the loo paper. A trip to Aldi is on the list now….. Also appreciate knowing about the hotel locations. Obviously not something you’d choose but again, much like you’d expect for the price. I’ve noticed on the TAD page they quote RMB currency yet I can’t find that on XE. What was the currency you used and how did you find the best way to pay for the optional tours?

Oh that’s great news, I’m sure you are going to love the tour. Like all tours they are fast paced but that’s the price you pay to see a lot in a short period of time. I transferred my cash onto my Commbank travel card as RMB, I changed about $400AUD into RMB at the local exchange to take with me. This lasted me a good while. I paid for the optional tours in local currency over there. I was able to withdraw cash at most ATM. I withdrew about $200AUD each time but you could increase that therefore meaning less withdrawals.

Avoid changing cash at the airport, its the most expensive place to do it. Casino’s are normally good if you are near one at all. Chinese money is fairly easy to come by these days.

Hope you have a wonderful time, I would love to hear what you think about it all when you get back.

My Mum and I are heading to China with TAD in 5 weeks time! So very excited. Never done a tour before so we are prepared to take it as it comes, as I wouldn’t have travelled to China independently due to the language barrier. Thanks for the review, its great to have some insider tips and know what to expect.

Hi Shannon,

Oh you guys will love the tour, its a great way to see a lot in a short amount of time. Independent travel to China is challenging but I didn’t find the language barrier all that much of a problem. There has been a massive influx of tourists in recent years so you’ll find most people will have a translator app or will find someone that can speak english. Getting around is what you would find most difficult I think.

Make sure you sort out your tips sorted prior to arrival and have your money for optional tours. You can pay that in local currency directly to your tour guide. Most of all do it all and enjoy it.

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TripADeal   Reviews

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Trip a deal have their own law.

Had a trip booked for 2020 for $10298.00 it was cancelled by trip a deal,they offered me $9298.00 credit, under Australian law, if a service was not provided by the company you are entitled for a full refund and now I have been battling for a refund for 3 years now.

Date of experience : 13 September 2022

Reply from TripADeal

Hi John, Thank you for reaching out. We're looking into this for you and will get back to you directly. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

ABSOLUTE DOGS. DO NOT GO THERE!

In 2019, I booked a trip through the national parks in southern China due to depart in September 2020. We all know COVID brought the industry to its knees, but the Terms and Conditions clearly stated "if the tour does not depart for ANY REASON WHATSOEVER, a full refund will be issued." As yet, no tour even similar has been made available through their website. I have already been to all the other places in China on offer through TripADeal. The best they have offered me is a refund minus $300 "handling fee". That is not acceptable. QANTAS now own Tripadeal and just made a profit of $2.475 BILLION. So where is my full refund? You guys have been absolutely horrendous to deal with for the last three years. Oh...did I tell you I am a travel agent? A very successful one too...

Date of experience : 30 June 2023

Hi Adam, So that we can best assist you with your enqiries, please send an email with your booking number to [email protected] and we'll look into that for you now. Thank you! Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Tripadeal accommodated my disability requirements to make my holiday very easy.

Tripadeal was great to work with. As a disabled person with special needs they catered to everything I required with ease. I would definitely book again through them.

Date of experience : 29 February 2024

Hi Dean, Thank you! Your positive feedback means the world to us. It's been our absolute pleasure to assist you with your enquiries and help to make that travel dream come true. We hope it was a wonderful experience, with many more awesome adventures to come! Best regards, TripADeal Team

We have been left on the side of the…

We have been left on the side of the road in Rome with our suite cases and bags. We were on a 2 for 1 Europe deal. Our flight has changed to a day early so the tour has dropped us on the side of the road and left for us to make our own way to the airport. Tripadeal have said not there fault the airline has changed the flight. So 120 others have carried on with our trip and we are left to sort out our own airport transfers. I'm so upset shame on you tripadeal. Zero care zero service.

Date of experience : 27 November 2023

Hi Gary, Thank you for your review. We understand that the airline schedule change was disappointing, and are sorry to hear that you're upset. Our team will always do their best to help when things don't go as planned and did reach out to you with alternative travel options. We're pleased to have been able to assist with accommodating you're flight preferences, though unfortunately due to logistical and time restraints on the day of your group's disembarkation from the cruise, a transfer back to the hotel then to the airport in time for your flight was not possible. On the way back from the cruise terminal, the guide endeavoured to arrange for a convenient place for you to get a taxi to the airport form the city centre, and we were advised that you chose to disembark the tour bus nearby the Colosseum, have lunch and later make your own way to the airport. Should you wish to discuss anything further or make a claim on your travel insurance for any expenses due to your flight schedule change, please reach out to our friendly team. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Booked a trip for October 17th...during…

Booked a trip for October 17th...during the sale which was to end last Friday. At the time the Boreno trips were oct/Nov and Feb/Mar 2024. The only one that would work was October 2023. Then deal sale was extended and had more dates released in 2024. Called today and they said maybe possible if they speak to product manager but expect to pay $100 change fees and possible airline fees etc. Only booked 5 days ago. First timer Not Happy!!!

Date of experience : 27 March 2023

Hi Diana, It sounds like the team are already looking into this for you and have advised you of any possible change fees (these are also listed on the deal page). The consultant who is assisting you will get back to you shortly to let you know whether or not we can accommodate your special requests. Please reach out to us at [email protected] if you'd like to discuss anything further. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Lookout and know the risks of Trip a nodeal

Please be careful and know the risks of booking. We missed one flight and Tripadeal wanted to cancel our trip. It cost us over $7000 to reconnect with the tour!!! All Tripadeal said was, "Read our terms and conditions." We were out. Had we known this amount of risk, we would have NEVER booked a Trip-a-nodeal at all.

Date of experience : 21 June 2023

Hi Kevin, We're very sorry to hear of the disappointment and distress that you've experienced through missing your flight due to an oversight on your behalf. If a flight is missed and there are still remaining sectors on the ticket, those flights will automatically be cancelled by the Airline. Though the costs involved to rebook flights at the last minute can be expensive, it's fortunate that you were indeed able to catch up with the tour and still have a nice trip. Please reach out to our friendly team if you'd like to discuss anything further. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

TripADeal - REFUND

Booked a TripADeal Turkey/Mediterranean Cruise holiday with a departure date of 30 May 24 however have been recently informed by TripADeal that due to insufficient numbers the trip is cancelled. Options given were another departure date, credit note or full refund. Opted for full refund but was informed that the refund will take 8 weeks or longer due to “high volume of refunds”, this is not remotely fair or acceptable timeframe as TripADeal wanted trip cost up front (EFT Jul 23) before any bookings will be made. Based on TripADeal’s demand of payment first I think it is only fair and reasonable that our money is refunded ASAP, whether this will happen, I’m unsure as their customer service is appalling. Additionally TripADeal excuse of “high volume of refunds” speaks volumes of this company’s poor customer service as it appears many customers are opting out. I will never deal with TripADeal again and will recommend to anybody to steer clear of this travel company!!!

Date of experience : 07 December 2023

Hi Gary, We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the cancellation and the delay in your refund process. We're actively expediting the refund, and while it's taking longer than usual, we aim to finalise it as quickly as possible. Your patience during this period is appreciated. If you have further concerns, please let us know. Warm regards, TripADeal Team

Trip A nightmare…

We booked a Unbeatable Japan Tour leaving 30th May and returning 7th June. Trip a Deal utilised Philippines Air. We flew via Manila. We were due to fly out on the 6th of June. On the evening of the 5th we received an email from Philippines Air informing us of a change of flights. The leg from Tokoyo to Manila was OK. But the leg from Manila to Melbourne was rescheduled to the 10th June, a 4 day delay. I tried to contact the Airline online but to no avail as I had not booked the flights I should go through my travel agent. Since being back I have tried to get Trip a Deal to act on our behalf getting some of our flight costs back. NO GOOD. They will not act. DO NOT USE THEM TO TRAVEL>

Date of experience : 06 June 2023

Hi Stuart, We hope you had a great time in Japan and are very sorry to hear that you experienced disruptions to your flights on the way home due to some airline schedule changes. Thank you for getting in touch and providing further details and documentation to our team. We appreciate your patience in this matter as we endeavour to assist as best as we can. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Extremely poor service causing great personal stress, and unfair business practices!!!

I booked a trip in Febuary 23 for a friend and I to go to Egypt and Morocco in September and it got cancelled two months later as not “enough people had booked the trip.” I’ve been trying for weeks to get a refund.I get told it will take between 6-8 weeks as they are short staff.That means they have have my money for over 3 months in a bank account earning interest !!Yet I have to wait so long to get a refund. They are a company now own by Qantas and I’m a retiree waiting for a refund ( close to $ 8000. Each) I rang over 10 times often get a person from a call centre in the Fillipines who I struggle to understand. When I ask to speak to a supervisor they say I can’t. The experience has been so stressful to say the least.

Date of experience : 01 June 2023

Hi Rosy, Thank you for reaching out. Can you please send an email with your booking number to [email protected] and we'll follow this up for you. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

We burned our fingers twice. First trip was supposed to be Japan, which they were selling knowing Japan was closed to tourists, cancelled the trip almost immediately after we purchased, would not refund, only issued credit, which we recently used towards Canada and Alaska Trip. Air tickets were issued only about a month prior to departure, and the flights were very long, with 2 long layovers. So we arrived in Calgary at midnight (with a broken suitcase which we needed to sort out as well), and drag them to the 3rd floor in the hotel, as the lift was out of order. Hotel needs a lot of TLC, that is type of hotel TripADeal uses. When we received our itinerary I contacted TripADeal, complained about the tickets, however their attitude was nothing can be done! The tour itself was very intense, we spent a lot of time on the bus. The tour guide was very good and knowledgeable. I would not recommend to take this particular trip, as you spend too long traveling,and the actual trip time is far too short and you don't get to see many of the things which they write on the website and in the itinerary. If you decide to go to Canada and Alaska take longer trips.

Date of experience : 03 May 2023

Hi Dana, Thank you, we really appreciate all of your feedback. It's great to know that you found your guide to be very good and knowledgable. We're sorry to hear about your broken suitcase and apologise for the inconvenience of the hotel lift being out of order on the first night of the tour. Our 15 Day Alaska & Canada deal certainly does have a few long scenic travel days at the beginning of the tour exploring the wilderness of North America before setting sail on a fabulous seven night Alaska Glacier and Inside Passage cruise. While this is one of our most popular deals, we do offer longer itineraries and a range of experiences throughout the region such as our 18 Day Premium Rockies Rail & Cruise deal, 20 Day National Parks of USA & Canada deal and our amazing new 12 Day Canada & Northern Lights Winter Experience! Please give our friendly customer service team a call on 1300 198 242 if you'd like some assistance with planning your next holiday. They can help you to choose a trip with a more relaxed pace, answer any questions you have and also take your booking over the phone. We hope to hear from you soon and look forward to chatting with you further. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

We are having terrible experience

We are having terrible experience. We purchased a tour from Sydney to Japan. We supposed to leave Sydney on June 10th with a connection flight from Manila on the same day. We have found by ourselves that flight from Sydney to Manila changed to 2 days later (June 12th) but our connection flight from Manila to Tokyo is still June 10th. We are calling the company many times and explaining situation but no help at all. At the end we have been sent new bookings on June 9th however there is no flight from that airlines. We told them in airlines website it shows the flight is cancelled but they insist that we should go to airport. It is like a joke. After hours we spent with a trip a deal still there is no solution. Flight is supposed to be today and we do not know if we are flying or not. We asked them to fly us a day later and do not mind losing half day in Tokyo. They are still checking. Definitely poor customer service. Almost 24 hours no solution.

Date of experience : 09 June 2023

Hi Hulya, Thank you for providing us with this valuable feedback, and your patience and understanding while our team worked diligently to address your concerns. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience the flight disruptions may have caused. We’re pleased that this has been resolved and wishing you a wonderful holiday in Japan. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

The worst holiday I have ever booked.

Stopover changed 6 months after booked ticket. "full service flights" 2 out of 5 on budget airlines Small group tour 25 with maximum 30 people. Ended up with 55 people crammed onto a bus. "Quality centrally located hotels" All but one changed from brochure. Many well out of town. One in a completely different city. Many would struggle to get two stars. Several have breakfast rooms with seats for less than half the passengers in one sitting and breakfasts generally basic. Most with one or two small lifts some had no working lift. In many cases bus could only park several hundred meters from hotel. A long way to carry bags. Optional tours a complete rip off all 30-40 Euros more than if you booked them yourself. Unable to hear local guides due to size of group. All days with a "free afternoon" we arrived after 6.00pm when all tourist sites shut. Blamed on traffic Completely missed one country listed in brochure. Hence missed out on seeing a lot of the things we should have seen. No flexibility on tour. About 2 hours a day wasted in roadside garages doing toilet stops. The toilets on the bus was used to store the cleaning gear and not usable. Nearly 2 hours wasted one day because the guide forgot his phone. Nearly 2 hours wasted while the bus driver/operator was being fined by police for not getting an entry permit. No COVID protocol resulting in most passengers catching it and some hospitalized. Guide said no need to test or wear masks even if sick. Guide recommended restaurants dubious and expensive. Offered a $200 voucher to use with them in compensation for all the problems

Date of experience : 07 May 2023

Hi John, We're so sorry to hear that we didn't meet your expectations with this recent trip and really appreciate you sharing all of this valuable feedback with us so that we can address these issues and make any necessary improvements. We are aware that your tour was affected due to a very unfortunate incident involving one of our tour leaders at the beginning of the tour. Rather than cancel or postpone the tour, which would have resulted in much greater disappointment for everyone, two tour groups were merged into one temporarily until alternative arrangements could be made to replace the tour leader who remained in hospital. We sincerely understand the impact this had on your overall enjoyment of the tour and express our heartfelt apologies. With regards to Covid safe practices, our tour operators follow all local guidelines. As Covid is now common in the community, passengers should come prepared with any requirements for their personal protection and adequate travel insurance. To ensure that a clean, fresh and hygienic travelling environment is maintained on our tour buses, the onboard bathrooms are not in use. Instead, adequate rest breaks are made as needed along the journey for everyone's comfort, to stretch, move, stock up on refreshments and make use of the facilities. Again, we really appreciate all of your feedback, however rather than discuss everything else in further detail on this page, please give us a call on 1300 198 242 or email [email protected]. We look forward to speaking with you. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Trip-a-deal shamelessly overcharge

Trip-a-deal shamelessly overcharged for the holiday by $1800 and refuse to refund this. They are attempting to fob me off with vouchers. I want no further commercial relationship with this awful company.

Date of experience : 24 August 2023

Hi Dan, Thank you for reaching out. We'd really appreciate it if you could please send an email with your booking number to [email protected] so that we can look further into your concerns. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Disappointed with flights

This is the second time we have used Tripadeal. The first trip pre Covid in 2019 to Vietnam and Cambodia was amazing and we couldn’t fault. This time around our trip to Japan was tainted by a shocking flight itenary. The tour itself and hotels were excellent but our return to Sydney was horrendous. A 5am start from our last hotel for a 6 hour bus trip back to Tokyo, then a 5 hour flight to Manilla, a 4 hour layover, then a 7 1/2 flight home. Over 25 hours travelling for a 9hour direct flight. The itenary listed the hotel trip to the airport as 172km not a 6hour drive and if the flight schedule had been transparent at the the time of booking we would never have gone with this trip. It is a shame because we loved the tour and guide we had and the country was amazing.

Date of experience : 12 October 2023

Hi, Thanks very much for taking the time to share a review. It's great to know that you've previously enjoyed an amazing trip to Vietnam and Cambodia with us, and that your recent tour of Japan was also excellent. Sorry to hear that you weren't happy with the flights this time. At TripADeal we have an unwavering commitment to making travel accessible for everyone, with hundreds of bucket list tour, cruise and hotel experiences at a fraction of the price. To connect our customers with a huge variety of exciting destinations around the world, we use a range of airlines across all of our deals. Each deal has a Flights section in the Important Info with a list of the airlines used for that itinerary, for travellers to read through prior to purchase. So while we don't make any promises of the most direct route, customers can still book with confidence. We really value your feedback and if you'd like to discuss anything in more detail, please send an email with your booking number to [email protected]. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Cancellation of Europe Tour

Our trip which had been booked for 6 months to Eastern Europe was cancelled due to lack of numbers (min of 14 required). Cancelled 4 months pre departure which seems insane given there has been no advertising in any of the travel sections of newspapers. Of great concern is the only available options are now October - the off season. Was told they are unlikely to go ahead due to lack of numbers - but anyone unsuspecting in the mean time can sign up as they are still on the website as going and not get their money back. Cannot find any integrity or duty of care or transparency. Like all the other shocking reviews they just trot out the T & C's. But people who sign up for a trip and pay in good faith have no idea of the risk involved of their trip being cancelled and no refund offered. It is incredible to believe that a min.number of was not reached. Is it all about the cost of the flights and travel at the moment and them not wanting to lose money? With no regard to the upheaval it causes for the people who have organised their tours. As this trip was to use up a covid credit there is no refund despite Trip a Deal doing the cancellation. I can book for next year which will cost another $800

Date of experience : 05 May 2023

Hi Colleen, Thanks for reaching out. We're very sorry that your tour has been cancelled and understand your disappointment. In the unlikely event that a trip cannot go ahead due to not meeting minimum numbers, customers are offered a full reimbursement back in the form of the original payment method. When possible, we may also provide affected customers with the option to transfer to another Travel Offer or departure date. We appreciate that you were looking forward to exploring Eastern Europe in September but if you're open to discovering somewhere new, we do have over 50 other amazing local and international itineraries to choose from departing that month. There's a search bar on our website homepage to help you browse through all of our deals by date and destination. https://www.tripadeal.com.au Our team is really keen to help you get your holiday plans sorted, please give us a call on 1300 198 242. Looking forward to chatting with you further. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Feedback on trip to JAPAN    jUNE 16-26

Feedback on trip to JAPAN   June 16-26 The free days i feel are not value for money To go on a cultural tour with Hans costing $85 each($170) to spend 2 hours in a shopping centre as against 60 minutes only at Hiroshima was beyond disappointing-We were showed puppies and cats for sale as well as a giant transformer Are your tour guides aware we have them in Australia. We filled in the Trip a deal survey that your company requests us to fill in(Courtesy of Hans) but doubtful they were legitimate more fill this in with the $10 a day to pay) - i kept a copy if you would like to read it I feel 2 1/2 free days that we were offered to travel at non cultural sights borders on a scam run by the tour operator and driver ( no museum apart from Hiroshima $500 a head- ) ---the tour was limited in time 9 days with 2 1/2 days you cant fill (the hop on hop off bus would be an idea $38 and you can see the whole town) and not having a prepared day or options on where to travel was not in the travel spirit( they were designed by the tour guide on the spot)    It  really started day one 45 for a tour and breakfast-    he reduced this to 40.00   and we had to get our own breakfast at the airport then meet him at 9.00   some 3 hours after arrival  When travelling almost all groups were allocated seats separate to there travelling partner Look forward to your reply Wayne

Date of experience : 16 June 2023

Hi Wayne, Thanks for reaching out. Please give us a call on 1300 198 242 or send an email to [email protected] if you'd like to discuss anything further. We appreciate your feedback however free days are just that, an opportunity for travellers to explore at their own pace and according to their personal interests. Those who are keen to make the most of their time should come prepared with some ideas of what they would like to do, whether that be to wander through beautiful traditional gardens, have a relaxing experience bathing in natural hot springs at an onsen or visit one of the very popular cat cafes. Japan is such an extraordinary place to discover! Of course for those who don't have any plans and would like some help, tour leaders may as a courtesy be able to assist with arranging additional local sightseeing excursions and activities. If you have questions about any of our deals, the itinerary and inclusions, please give our friendly team a call. We're here 7 days a week and look forward to chatting with you. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Mekong tour

Today was a total nightmare, no part of the journey was comfortable. The Meekong river was extremely dirty with floaties of faeces, boats used were dangerous getting in an out of particularly for the elderly, we were taken through narrow thick brush at times, steep stairs to places that was only for you to purchase there goods. I believed it was to be a journey along the Meekong with stops on the way, a nice lunch on board a airconditioned boat, for $90 per person not worth it. Also I have picked up a gastro bug and with the conditions we were dragged through was not pleasant at all, I can not understand why there are no toilet facilities on the tour buses, now I have to face a 7 hour bus trip on a public bus to khnom Penh from Ho Chi Min with no toilets on the bus and they told us they will only stop every 2 hours, when your unwell this is not ok

Date of experience : 20 June 2023

Hi Thomasina, Thank you for reaching out. We're very sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy the optional Mekong Delta Day tour yesterday. We always endeavour to provide the best possible travel experience for all of our customers so we really appreciate your feedback and are following up with local team in Vietnam about that now to ensure any issues are resolved. Your health and safety is of the utmost importance to us. Please be sure to speak with your tour leader if you require medical assistance and are unable to proceed with the tour. We've provided you with emergency contact numbers in your Travel Pack and are always here to help. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Travel broker only. Book with a real Travel Agent

I called to enquire about a Japan holiday in October 2024. The consultant was very friendly, but of course like a usual call centre operator. Tunnel vision. Like reading a book of rules. I enquired about deposits and final payments etc. I was absolutely gobsmacked to be told I would have to pay $8000 upfront. Since when has that been a rule in travel with 11 months before your holiday. With that, I mentioned we would be travelling with friends who had already booked. I was then told I would need to be on the same booking number as there was no guarantee we would be travelling together. What happened to cross referencing ? Then I was told only 1 couple could receive the Qantas points. You advertise we receive points with every booking. You are only travel brokers with no travel experience or travel knowledge. They take ALL of your money 11 months in advance. You can't even book a plane until 10 months in advance. My advice is book direct with a real Travel agent and you will receive thorough destination,visa or any travel advise you require at anytime with the same consultant. Plus, you will not need to pay all the money upfront. They do all the work for you. All Trip a deal are interested in is your money with no service or advise as to who you are flying with or touring with . You may know a couple of weeks before you travel. NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Date of experience : 25 November 2023

Hi Andrew, We're genuinely sorry to hear about your disappointing experience while inquiring about our Japan holiday package. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns. We deeply regret the miscommunication regarding payment terms and the inconvenience caused by our reservation policies. We understand the frustration caused by the upfront payment requirement and the complexities in arranging joint bookings for couples traveling together. Your remarks about our service standards not meeting your expectations are duly noted. We strive to ensure a seamless experience for all our customers and apologise if we fell short in providing you with the level of service you anticipated. We are constantly refining our processes to offer a more comprehensive and customer-centric approach. Your comments will be shared with our team for review and improvement. We genuinely value your feedback, and we understand the importance of a seamless travel booking experience. Should you reconsider, we'd welcome the opportunity to assist you further or address any remaining concerns. Warm regards, TripADeal Team

India/Sri Lanka/Maldives

After a long uncomfortable flight with srilankan Airlines, we arrived in Colombo, then another flight to India. Arriving at 5 am Is not ideal when you don't have an early checkin. After paying extra, rooms were allocated. Our welcome dinner that night had no guide in attendance. Guide had very poor English and was not very informative during trip. Went to sleep on the bus. Sites were interesting, but far too much time on the bus. Arriving at hotels into the evening. Srilanka was a little better, with our guide Harsha doing his best to fulfil our itinerary which for some reason was different to his. Our first nights accommodation had not been booked, but he managed to get us accommodation, once again late into the evening. Tours were great, but far too much bus travel and little time to enjoy our lovely accommodation. Well done Harsha, for keeping your cool. Maldives were relaxing, but I feel overrated. Long flight home- maldives to Male, to Colombo (leaving at 2am) to Australia. We have travelled TAD before, to China and it was amazing. I feel this last trip was not up to scratch and a bit disappointing but met a great bunch of travel companions and had fun along the way. More attention to schedules and details needs to be taken by TAD. Thank you. DAWN

Date of experience : 10 November 2023

Hi Dawn, Thanks for sharing your experience. We are sorry to hear about the challenges you faced during your trip. We'll take note of your feedback on the flights, accommodations, and guide's language. Your comments on bus travel and schedules are duly noted. Thank you for your constructive feedback, and I'm glad to know you found joy in the company of your fellow travelers. If there's anything specific you'd like to discuss further or if you're planning future travels, feel free to reach out. Best regards, TripADeal team

Thankyou everyone I was contemplating a booking…

No review I was contemplating a booking however after seeing the reviews I just wanted to thank everyone who gave their time to avoid disaster and dramas for us.

Date of experience : 26 November 2023

Hi Kat, Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. We understand the importance of considering reviews when planning a trip. We value our community's feedback immensely as it helps us improve our services continuously. Your insights are truly appreciated. We also want to highlight our TripADeal Travel Buddy Facebook group, where over 39,000 past, present, and future TripADeal travellers actively engage. It's a friendly space where travellers connect, share experiences, and offer helpful advice. It might provide you with further insights and firsthand experiences from our community. https://www.facebook.com/groups/TripADealTravelBuddy Should you have any specific concerns or questions in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to ensure all your travel experiences are seamless and enjoyable. Warm regards, TripADeal Team