Danguole B.
Misleading advertising, poor value for money, and disappointing customer service
I booked the “Hawaii – Kauai & Maui Islands Adventure” tour because it was advertised as a small-group experience for solo travellers, but in reality this was not a group tour experience at all. The trip was self-exploration with separately booked activities, and much of the time I was travelling entirely by myself rather than as part of any meaningful group experience. The package cost nearly $5,000, including a $1,000 “solo supplement” which the operator justified by saying hotel rooms cost more for solo travellers. However, hotels generally do not charge more simply because one person stays instead of two, so this felt very misleading and unjustified. The accommodation choices appeared to prioritise the cheapest available options rather than guest comfort or overall experience. The operator stated they booked “garden view” rooms in both Kauai and Maui. In reality, the Kauai room overlooked a parking lot, while the Maui room was directly next to a busy main road in Kihei with significant traffic noise. These were basic working-class hotels, not accommodation that reflects a premium-priced Hawaii experience. Transportation was another major issue. In several cases, transport to activities was my own responsibility. One single transfer to an activity cost around $100 because the hotel was booked far away from the marina/activity location. Ironically, some activities were simply booked through Tripadvisor with hotel pickup included, while others left customers entirely responsible for arranging and paying for transport themselves. Food was also mostly not included apart from limited breakfasts, despite the extremely high overall package cost. What made the experience even worse was the customer service. Responses were repetitive, dismissive, and focused on defending the package instead of genuinely addressing concerns or improving the guest experience. The overall impression was that the operator simply books whatever is cheapest and easiest without taking pride in what they are selling or caring how their guests actually experience the trip once they arrive.