Complaint Review: Capital Resorts -Branson

Please avoid any vacation package offers from Capital Resorts as inducements to sit through their time share presentation.  The vacation package which included a two night stay at Grand Crowne Resort in Branson, a five day cruise, and 3-5 day stay at a Windham property.  Cost $199.

First - undisclosed fee - $30 documentation fee, bringing the cost to $229.

Our two night stay was nice.  Grand Crown Resort was clean but dated.  If you want to call and book it yourself it costs $99/night for a one bedroom suite.  I would consider staying there on a future trip.

Second - undisclosed $100 deposit at Grand Crown Resort at check in.

The 90 to 120 minute timeshare presentation stretched to 3 hours and was high pressure, but this should be expected.  After the presentation, we were given vouchers for the cruise and Windham properties stay.

Third - A Florida company listed only as gocrv.com provides these vouchers.  I was told that we have 18 months to take the cruise, 12 months to stay at a Windham property.  The cruise voucher was for only one year and stated the package was for off peak travel only.  The off peak travel was not disclosed since I made it perfectly clear our plans were to travel during the upcoming summer.  I was told " we are not required to disclose this information" by the rep at Capital Resorts.

gocrv.com requires you to register your certificates online.  I found out there is a $150 deposit required before you can see the calendar, and an additional 30 day blackout ( total 90 days) if you mail in the deposit.  So, I paid the deposit to with my credit card.  After viewing the calendar, there is a 60 day blackout.  This prevented us from taking a cruise during the summer as planned and if we wanted to cruise during the summer months, it would cost an additional $249/ person.

Fourth - Undisclosed $150 deposit.

Fifth - Undisclosed $9.99 payment processing fee (I reported this to Visa as a fraud).

Sixth - 60 day blackout period.

Seventh - $249/person upgrade for summer travel

Eight - The Windham property stay is at Ramada, Days Inn, or Travelodge.  No Windham resort listed.

Nine- I called Capital Resorts to complain.  I was directed to a Compliance Dept rep for resolution and was told someone would call me.  No call.  When I called back and finally talked to the Compliance Dept rep, I was credited $50 for the cruise portion of the package.  When I stated that the cruise's value was much more than $50 and that I should receive a total refund on my package since I had in writing that I had 18 month, not 12 and was not told of any blackout dates.  The rep's reply "we are not required to disclose"

Nine - The cruise voucher was cancelled and I am still waiting for gocrv.com to refund my $150 deposit.

Bottom line - Yes, I received a two night stay in Branson at Grand Crowne Resort and the package cost $229 (assuming I am refunded my $159.99 deposit for the cruise), but my time is worth something for sitting through a high pressure 3 hours sales presentation while on vacation plus dealing with the undisclosed fees and finding out when all the added fees to get the cruise that I told the rep at Capital Resorts I wanted made it more expensive than if I had just booked it myself.

As a fellow vacationer reading this, I hope that you find this helpful.