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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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• 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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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

Reply from TripADeal

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

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

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

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

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

Excellent service and help

Hi, I recently booked a complex trip with Genaro from TripADeal. We had many questions and a few logistics issues as people were coming from various locations around Australia. He helped clarify answers by responding via email and follow up phone calls within 24 hours. He was brilliant. We,re now all booked for our trip next year and really looking forward to it. Craig Australia

Date of experience : 25 August 2023

Hi Craig, Thank you, we really appreciate you taking the time to share a review! We're so happy to hear that you're all set for your holiday next year. It's great to hear that Genaro has taken such good care of you, efficiently assisting you with all of your enquiries and the logistics and planning for the trip. The excellent feedback you've provided means a lot to him! Please give us a call if there's anything else we can do for you. We'll be looking forward to hearing all about your adventures when you get back! Best 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

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

Vietnam & Cambodia Discovery 15 day tour

Having never used TripaDeal before, we were pleasantly surprised at how well everything went. There were no major issues, all connections went as planned and for the most part, the tour guides were great. The best of them all was Miss Lien who was with us for Da Nang and Hoi An, she was lovely. Really knowledgeable, kind, nothing was too much trouble and she looked after us really well. Anyone who gets Lien as the guide is very lucky. We also got very lucky with our group and enjoyed every day in the company of our 18 Australian travel buddies. The only negative was the bus they used for the transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap which was awful - too small, AC did not work for half the bus, luggage didn't fit well and the seats were hard and uncomfortable. We nearly abandoned the bus halfway through we were so unhappy. Also it was never going to be a 6 hour drive (we did it on a public holiday and it was close to 8) so they needed to be honest about the travel time to set expectations.

Date of experience : 05 April 2024

Thank you Cntravels for taking time to share your feedback and experiences with us! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your trip to Vietnam and we will be sure to pass your kind words onto Miss Lien. It is great news that you made some new lifelong friends on your trip. We are sorry to hear you encountered some issues surrounding your transfer and we will sure to clarify the expectations in the future. Thank you for travelling with us and we hope to see you again in the near future! Warm 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

2 for 1 Japan Review

Our tour guide Rose and our bus driver were fantastic. Extremely helpful, knowledgeable and kept a tight schedule. The tour itself was very tightly packed and we found ourselves wanting to stay longer in a lot of places we had to rush through. The hotels were all very nice though the locations were not always the most ideal and our flights were broken up by huge layovers far out the way of our destination.

Date of experience : 17 October 2023

Hi Tristram, Welcome home! Thank you for the fantastic feedback regarding our team in Japan. We appreciate you taking the time to share a review of your trip! It's really helpful in our ongoing efforts to provide the best travel experiences. Thanks again for choosing to explore Japan with us! We hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon. Kind regards, TripADeal Team

Have booked a trip with TripADeal & am…

Have booked a trip with TripADeal & am hoping it goes well. I received an email upon booking & paying & nothing since. Hope this doesn't mean they aren't interested. Have emailed them with a query - no reply????? 🤞

Date of experience : 19 April 2024

Hi Carol, Thanks for getting in touch! We can assure you our team is currently working behind the scenes, curating your exciting Norwegian Arctic Expedition for next year! We are here to help with any queries you have, but unfortunately, we can’t see any correspondence from you. Please send us an email to [email protected], and we can help you right away! Warm regards, TripADeal Team

TripADeal China The trip for 9 days

TripADeal China The trip for 9 days was good the Hotels were nice just a bit out of town which is expected for the price. The thing I did not like was they say it is recommended you give them $12.00aud a day tip which I think is a bit high and is mandatory. Now there were 31 of us on the bus that is $372.00 a day for tips that converts to 1674 in Chinese currency now times that by 8 is 13392 in tips for our tour. In response to your answer I just recently returned from the trip and the tip was mandatory NOT recommended the tour guides told us it's mandatory

Date of experience : 14 March 2024

Hi Wayne, Thank you for taking the time to share your review. We're glad to hear you found your China trip to be good, and the hotels to be nice. We're sorry to hear you felt disappointed with the recommended tips per day. We'd like to reiterate this is our recommendation provided prior to booking and is not mandatory. We do hope this has not deterred you from choosing to travel with us in the future. 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

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!

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

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

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.

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

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

Recent trip to China

China, 21 October to 2 November 2023 I would like to congratulate Trip-a-deal on a very proficient, knowledgeable and helpful ground crew in China. Only by being well organised could so much be squeezed in so little time. Nina in Beijing and Walker in Shanghai were outstanding and ever ready to help, often well beyond the call of duty. Sam in Xian and Leon in Zhongzhou were also extremely good, but we only stayed there for one short day. It is due them that we had a memorable experience. Thank you.

Date of experience : 02 November 2023

Hi Heidi, Welcome home! Thank you for the fantastic feedback. It's great to hear that you had such a wonderful time exploring China with your local guides. Your recognition of their professionalism, knowledge and helpfulness is most appreciated. Thanks again for choosing TripADeal. We look forward to planning some more amazing adventures with you again soon! Best regards, TripADeal Team

Booked Alaska cruise with Kate Waters…

Booked Alaska cruise with Kate Waters easy to deal with gave good travel advice and followed up service has be excellent . Trip is planned in May looking forward to a great Holiday with TripADeal organising Flights and Accommodation. Thanks Peter C

Date of experience : 05 October 2023

Hi Peter, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback. It's great to hear that Kate provided you with excellent service and valuable travel advice. We're just as excited as you for your upcoming trip, and are here to ensure you have an unforgettable adventure in Alaska. If you have any further questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out. Wishing you a fantastic holiday! We look forward to hearing all about it! Best 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

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Inside story: The truth about those incredible holiday package deals

The destinations look amazing. The prices are unbelievable. Package holiday companies are booming in Australia. So how can you tell if a deal is too good to be true?

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You see them every week – larger-than-life, glamorous, and so surprisingly cheap.

No, not Real Housewives, but the luxury travel packages and exclusive tour deals that sing from the pages of the very paper you’re reading right now. They’re on your TV, too. And flashing up in your inbox, selling a VIP express pass to the Best. Holiday. Ever.

These alluring all-inclusive holiday deals – for the Maldives, Hawaiian cruises, and tours to China – beckon with their unbelievable prices and VIP extras like spa credit, welcome drinks, and complimentary breakfast.

And for time-poor wannabe travellers, the one-stop-shop element makes these deals all the more appealing.

“Twenty years ago a lot of package travel was sold but it was an airfare and accommodation,” says Ignite Travel managing director Randall Deer . The company behind the My Holiday brands and Get Luxe saw an opportunity to create their “Holiday in a box” concept in 2009 in response to a new type of demand: The indecision about which destination to go to and what to do when you get there.

“If you’re a consumer you’re generally not an expert in a lot of these places you want to go and explore,” Deer says. “I wanted to show them the holiday they should buy if they knew as much as we make sure we do before we present something.”

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Around the same time, companies like TripADeal and Luxury Escapes launched onto the market, each tapping into a slightly different niche – end-to-end tours and affordable luxury escapes, respectively.

“We identified travellers, especially baby boomers, had an appetite for more adventurous, exotic destinations but they really didn’t have the wherewithal to go out and book it, other than to go to their offline travel agents,” says TripADeal founder Richard Johnston . “We saw an opportunity to provide the same service in a much more dynamic, direct fashion.”

Suddenly, packages became cool again.

But the question on everyone’s lips is: How do they do it?

These deal kings act as editors and curators – drilling down to discover the most desirable destinations and the best ways to explore them. Then they go further, like Goldilocks, sleeping in each bed until they find the ones that are just right for their customers.

What this means is a more streamlined offering of high-quality deals they’re prepared to stand behind.

“If you sell everything, by nature you sell the good the bad and the ugly,” says Deer. “We went, ‘there are 106 resorts in Fiji, but these are six we would stay in’. I call it ‘best of breed’ for want of a better term.

“If we tried to compete with the Flight Centres, the Expedias and the booking.coms we would have got smashed, we would have never got off the ground. We had to find our niche and our niche is less is more.”

For TripADeal, it’s about curating the entire experience for their customers.

“We control all aspects of the journey,” Johnston explains. “From the moment the customer purchases to the moment they’re delivered back they’re in TripADeal’s hands.”

That’s meant building a network of operators across the world who are dedicated TripADeal travel operators.

“Because of that relationship we’re not competing with other people for availability,” he says. “We can streamline in terms of costs and also manage the experience so the quality stays high.”

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PRICE?

There’s power in numbers, which explains deal companies running highly visible advertising campaigns. The more travellers who see the ads and buy the deals, the more customers on their databases, and the stronger the bargaining power.

“The true intent behind Luxury Escapes is enabling people to get the most out of our negotiations,” says Luxury Escapes general manager Blake Hutchison . “What we’re saying is, you are getting the best price on earth for this great hotel where we have gone out there, tested the bed, had the cocktail, had a massage, negotiated directly with the general manager, and therefore we stand by the quality.”

For Webjet Exclusives , CEO Brendan Sawyers says they’ve been able to negotiate with the power of Australia and New Zealand’s largest online travel agent behind them. The other factor keeping prices down is that “we just don’t have the overheads that traditional agencies do,” he says. “We don’t have the rents in Westfield, we don’t have the wages for late-night trade.”

Scarcity is another ingredient. With some packages only on offer for two-to-four weeks, it protects the hotel or resort pricing for the rest of the year while providing a golden opportunity for consumers to bag a bargain holiday.

In order to get the big discounts there are some trade-offs. For example, you’re unlikely to get the mega discounts during peak periods, like school holidays, and it will always come down to availability. But as Hutchison puts it, “Hotels are quite big so it’s very rare for a hotel to be running at 100 per cent occupancy year-round. If they’re running at 90 per cent occupancy and they’re a 500-room hotel that’s 50 rooms available every night.”

TOTALLY V.I.P.

The group-buying power then allows companies the ability to offer exclusive branded experiences to their guests, like the My Fiji island experience – which is essentially a takeover of a local charter to provide a day tour exclusively for their guests, with alcohol and entertainment – and an exclusive area at Malamala Beach Club where towels and a My Fiji concierge is at your beck and call.

It’s the things take your holiday from good to great – such as an escort to rush you through customs in Bali and access to the business class lounge when you’re departing – that keep people coming back for more. Brands quote repeat customer figures between 30-70 per cent.

“Once upon a time people in this demographic might have gone on an overseas trip once every two years,” TripADeal’s Johnston says. “Because of the way we’ve been able to price our products, the same people can now buy two trips per year.”

PUSHING BOUNDARIES

Because deals are, for the most part, driven by price, companies have had an opportunity to test the waters with new destinations and experiences and get almost instantaneous feedback. They’ve seen that travellers are out there looking for a new experience – they don’t necessarily want to go on the same holiday to Bali or Thailand again.

Webjet Exclusives is seeing a huge resurgence in Egypt and Morocco tours and they’ve also been able to launch an Antarctica trip with flights included for under $10,000. Scandinavia is next.

In turn, the availability of competitively-priced deals has surprised consumers by helping them realise they can afford a Maldives holiday. The Maldives is one of the top-selling destinations for both Luxury Escapes and Get Luxe.

The typical duration of holidays is also being shaken up by deals. While Dubai has always been a popular stopover destination, Luxury Escapes has seen length of average stay creep up to five nights.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

Of course, not all packages are created equal. While some are available to book on the spot with a deposit only or with interest-free payment options, others require you to “buy now, book later”. Some will include flights while others keep those separate, while offering a booking service.

Here are a few hacks to keep in mind when considering a hot deal:

● Always get another price - check prices with the property direct and compare with other deal sites.

● If flights aren’t included, check your flight prices before jumping on that unbelievable accommodation package.

● If they are, make sure you can see which airline it is and what the flight duration is. And be aware of fees for flight changes, upgrades and extensions when booking.

● Check if transfers are included. “If transfers aren’t included for somewhere like the Maldives it can be very expensive,” says TripADeal’s Johnston.

● If you’re booking a tour, check that you will have a guide for most of your tour. “Some just include days of free time and the cost can double or triple very quickly,” says Webjet Exclusives’ Sawyers.

● Read the fine print. Is your “included food and drinks” unrestricted? “You don’t want to feel like a second-class citizen when you’re handed a different, limited, menu,” says Ignite Travel’s Deer.

● Make sure the company offers a full money-back guarantee if you don’t get your dates.

● If it’s not exactly the right deal for you, give them a call. “We often have access to exclusive deals that we’re not publishing,” says Luxury Escapes’ Hutchison.

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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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Bad and Unprofessional company

Bad and Unprofessional company. No response given since 10 days by email. Also customer care people not advising on the confusion on package price given on website. Very unprofessional.

Date of experience : July 22, 2024

NOT WORTH YOUR TIME AND MONEY

They don't plan a holiday for you to have a pleasant time at your destination. They plan travel based on what works for them. Our 10-day trip to Georgia was planned horribly and we were very disappointed with the choice of Hotel, at the time of booking we didn't know staying all 10 days in Tbilisi wasn't wise, for the money we paid the service that we received was horrible. Will not recommend this to anyone. The agent booking for you will sweet talk to earn your trust but don't fall for the sweet talks. Once booked nothing can be changed, eg. If a hotel is bad they can't change the hotel so don't expect any fix or compensation from them.

Date of experience : April 04, 2024

Reply from World Trip deal

We apologize sincerely for not meeting your expectations during your trip, and we wish to emphasize that it would have been beneficial to communicate with us before the trip so that we could work towards improvement and ensure your satisfaction. You can also change the details of your trip with one click on our website. We believe that if there were areas requiring improvement, we would have been prepared to take the necessary steps to meet your expectations. We greatly value your feedback and hope to demonstrate the improvements we have made in our services. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we look forward to seeing you enjoy a delightful and satisfying trip shortly. If you have any further inquiries or wish to discuss details further, please do not hesitate to get back to our customer care.

Planning my vacation with World Trip…

Planning my vacation with World Trip Deal is always a pleasure. Their intuitive platform and helpful features make it easy to create the perfect itinerary for my trips

Date of experience : May 01, 2024

Thanks a ton for sharing your experience with us! We're absolutely stoked to hear that you had a great time. Your feedback seriously means a lot! Can't wait to have you join us on another trip with World Trip Deals. Cheers to more adventures ahead!

I tried this out with my friends…

I tried this out with my friends because it had the cheapest options out of all the other websites, turned out to be great and we had an amazing and easy trip, i recommend it

Date of experience : February 22, 2024

We're over the moon you had a blast!If there's anything else you want to share or need a hand with, just give us a shout anytime! We're here to make sure you're sorted and smiling.

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!! They don’t keep up their commitment, only after more money

Date of experience : April 07, 2024

We're truly sorry to hear about your experience, and we're here to help make things right. Could you please share your booking details with us? We'll do our best to sort everything out quickly for you. Thanks a bunch for your cooperation!

Unorganized company! Loads of in-house work pending

Offer letter issued, visa not done. Very unorganized company and wasted all my time and opportunities. DO NOT JOIN OR BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY

Date of experience : February 20, 2022

We apologize for any inconvenience or disappointment you experienced with our company. Now we can celebrate with you after we launched a new system for visas just a few days ago. you can check it out on our website. Please do not hesitate to get back to our customer care. Thank you for bringing these matters to our attention, and we hope to have the opportunity to demonstrate our improvements in the future.

Best Tourism services

Hiring the services of WTD is an amazing experience as they provide the best of the best packages and the best valued services.

Date of experience : November 19, 2021

Awesome to hear you had a great experience! Making sure you're happy is what we're all about. If you're thinking of another adventure soon, we'd love to hear about it! Just give us a shout.

The worst ever

The worst ever. Unethical and scammers

Date of experience : September 01, 2023