Is Barclay Vacations Legit or Scam Free Bahamas Trip? Find Out!
Did you receive a text message from Barclay Vacations that says you’ve won a free cruise package to the Bahamas? Is it scam or legit? Read this review to find out everything you need to know.
Barclay Vacations: What is It?
Like Lennox Travel,Barclay Vacations is a travel program that offers vacation cruise programs to the Bahamas. Often times, the program gifts people ‘free cruise’ vacation package after they must have participated in a raffle draw in a mall. However, there happens to be some inconsistencies about Barclay Vacations, it travel packages, and how it works.
First of all, the ‘free cruise’ is not entirely free. You’ve to pay a $19 per person for an admin fee. Secondly, what you get is a ‘2 free days for a cruise’. But in reality none of the cruises are 2 days long. Some are six or seven days long. So in the end you have to pay for the extra 4 days.
Facts You Should Know About The Barclay Vacations Bahamas Cruise Package
- The form you filled states you are a “winner” just by filling out the entry card
- There’s a cruise fee of $87.50
- A $20 booking fee
- Bahama entry fee $99
- You’ll have to pay a (hotel fee) resort fee of $20-80 depending on the choice of resort.
- You are responsible for all normal travel expenses inc transportation etc.
- You might get a few free nights at a resort, but there will be “extras” that in the end cost as much as a regular resort.
Is Barclay Vacations Bahamas Trip a Scam?
No, it isn’t a scam. However, it’s one hell of a sales tactic. The Bahamas cruise vacation package is not free perse. You’d be made to pay booking fee, Bahama entry fee, resort fee, and other travel expenses. In the end, it costs same price as every other resort vacation package.
How To Contact Barclay Vacations
The official website for Barclay Vacations is barclayvacations.com. You can contact them either through the contact form on the website’s contact page, or through this phone number (954) 590-0886
How Much Should You Budget For The Bahamas Cruise?
If you’re planning of going for a vacation at the Grand Bahama you should budget between $1000 – $1700 for 2 persons. As of May 2018, Macey a travel blogger, spent $1037.24 all together, of which $846.62 was unavoidable fees/transportation. This is what he has to say;
Our trip was not a scam, but expect to spend about $1000 on your “free” vacation when all is said and done. They also had an upgrade for an all-inclusive hotel, but we did not go for that. Expect some black out dates and patience when booking the trip.
How To Cut Down on Expenses During Your Bahamas Vacation
- Make advance booking online
- Travel during the off season
- Go for affordable transportation
- Don’t pay extra tips at restaurants (the main bill already included 15% gratuity)
- Have a splurge budget, so you don’t overspend
- Don’t spend much on local food. Buy what you can eat, not for experiment or picture sake
When Is The Best Month To Travel To Bahamas To Save Costs?
The best time to travel to Bahamas to save costs is from the end week of April to the second week of December. This is because, there are a few months in which Bahamas experiences visitors much more than the average. As a result, prices of everything increase by a large scale. The off season is between end of April to second week of December. So, to cut down your expenses there, you can plan going to Bahamas in the off season.
Conclusion
Barclay Vacations is not a scam perse, however it uses deceptive marketing. They claim winners get ”free 4 day 3 night vacation in the bahamas” but in reality, winners will still be responsible for all normal travel expenses, including transportation, resort/service fees and taxes.
Have you received a text message from Barclay Vacations? Please share your experience in the comment section. Or join the conversation on Reddit.
Meanwhile, you can report scams, untrustworthy websites and tell us why you consider the websites fraudulent. See similar phishing scam; Wal Tracking Scam, Delware BPO Scam, Publix 90TH Anniversary, etc.
