We want to share our negative experience with the American tour operator Sonata so that they dont step on our rake.We did not ask anyone before choosing this tour, so we were sure that after all the events of the last 2 years, the best and strongest remained (survived) in tourism. But we have never had such a thrash ((And if you think that one misfire is our flaw, then a continuous series of inconsistencies and misunderstandings, as well as inconsistencies with previous statements and promises, is unprofessionalism and an unfair attitude to work.So, the story is long, but who cares how not to spoil your vacation or, God forbid, celebrate the New Year in Miami, make yourself comfortable and read on ...Even in the process of approving the route and paying for a month before the start of the tour, moments began that should have alerted:- for example, in the morning they wrote to me that we urgently need to make an advance payment today and if we don’t do this, the tour will not take place.- initially the tour was considered for our mini-group, the number of tourists should have been at least 6 and maximum 10. We gathered a group of 8 people, and a week before departure we were told that this was not enough, we need 10 to fit into the cost. Lets urgently look for +2 people. The price we were given was zero for them, but at the same time we saw an advertisement for our tour on social networks, where the manager of the Sonata Tatyana promised the agents a commission of 20%, it’s no longer docking, if it’s in the NET, then how can you give commission from this price. And then how to explain to our tourists that they paid one amount, while others paid less. As a result, upon arrival in Miami, we were extremely surprised when we were confronted with the fact that there would be +3 people from the Sonata, and not 2, and they gave us a bus in which, according to the rules, a maximum of 9 people should sit, and rammed 11. We were also lucky, that 3 people arrived without luggage. When asked why this is so, the answer is again: that the tour would not have taken place with our number of 8 people, this is unprofitable for them. Although in Kiev, Vitaliy promised me that we would have 2 mini veins for 5 people each and everyone would be comfortable moving around. When I remembered this, they answered me: there would be no other transport and hung up.- a guide and a driver in one person, as it turned out later he was not a Sonata guide, found him on some guide website and offered to work (we thought that Sonata had its own staff of guides, it turned out that only the director Vitaly Osyka himself drives his groups, when its busy, they hire freelance guides). The guide was very tired and sick, on the very first evening his voice completely sat down, there was no one to lead the tour. In this regard, we drove to Tampa from Orlando in silence, they brought us to the location, they said take a walk here for 5-10 minutes and drive on. We did not receive any information about the city and sights. The guide was sitting on the bus, we explored the city on our own.- We had evening and afternoon shows booked in Orlando, such as Du Soleil Circus, Pirate Party, Universal Park and more. As it turned out, transfers to these shows are not provided, they say, tourists are adults, they will get there themselves. After long discussions with Tatyana and Vitaly, we were still taken to the show. Tourists googled the cost of entrance tickets, it turned out that on each ticket Sonata threw at least $30, or even $50. we had completely free days, except for electives paid. At the same time, they also wanted us to collect 7 dollars per person, sort of like when issuing tickets with a card, a commission came out.- there is no catering along the route, you came to gas stations or food courts, go take hot dogs, pizza, burgers, etc. Usually the guide tells where to go for dinner in the evening, what dishes to try, this was not the case here.As it turned out later, the guide had not been in Florida for 4 years, of course, he had already forgotten, if he knew something)). Therefore, we very often circled in one place, got lost with the navigator and were late.Breakfasts were promised in hotels - they were not, in the last hotel there was juice in a bag and a bun in the morning on coupons.Continued in next review:
Total reviews rating 1
1 Reviews for Sonata Tour Operator USA 2023:
Review №1
2022-02-18We want to share our negative experience with the American tour operator Sonata so that they dont step on our rake.We did not ask anyone before choosing this tour, so we were sure that after all the events of the last 2 years, the best and strongest remained (survived) in tourism. But we have never had such a thrash ((And if you think that one misfire is our flaw, then a continuous series of inconsistencies and misunderstandings, as well as inconsistencies with previous statements and promises, is unprofessionalism and an unfair attitude to work.So, the story is long, but who cares how not to spoil your vacation or, God forbid, celebrate the New Year in Miami, make yourself comfortable and read on ...Even in the process of approving the route and paying for a month before the start of the tour, moments began that should have alerted:- for example, in the morning they wrote to me that we urgently need to make an advance payment today and if we don’t do this, the tour will not take place.- initially the tour was considered for our mini-group, the number of tourists should have been at least 6 and maximum 10. We gathered a group of 8 people, and a week before departure we were told that this was not enough, we need 10 to fit into the cost. Lets urgently look for +2 people. The price we were given was zero for them, but at the same time we saw an advertisement for our tour on social networks, where the manager of the Sonata Tatyana promised the agents a commission of 20%, it’s no longer docking, if it’s in the NET, then how can you give commission from this price. And then how to explain to our tourists that they paid one amount, while others paid less. As a result, upon arrival in Miami, we were extremely surprised when we were confronted with the fact that there would be +3 people from the Sonata, and not 2, and they gave us a bus in which, according to the rules, a maximum of 9 people should sit, and rammed 11. We were also lucky, that 3 people arrived without luggage. When asked why this is so, the answer is again: that the tour would not have taken place with our number of 8 people, this is unprofitable for them. Although in Kiev, Vitaliy promised me that we would have 2 mini veins for 5 people each and everyone would be comfortable moving around. When I remembered this, they answered me: there would be no other transport and hung up.- a guide and a driver in one person, as it turned out later he was not a Sonata guide, found him on some guide website and offered to work (we thought that Sonata had its own staff of guides, it turned out that only the director Vitaly Osyka himself drives his groups, when its busy, they hire freelance guides). The guide was very tired and sick, on the very first evening his voice completely sat down, there was no one to lead the tour. In this regard, we drove to Tampa from Orlando in silence, they brought us to the location, they said take a walk here for 5-10 minutes and drive on. We did not receive any information about the city and sights. The guide was sitting on the bus, we explored the city on our own.- We had evening and afternoon shows booked in Orlando, such as Du Soleil Circus, Pirate Party, Universal Park and more. As it turned out, transfers to these shows are not provided, they say, tourists are adults, they will get there themselves. After long discussions with Tatyana and Vitaly, we were still taken to the show. Tourists googled the cost of entrance tickets, it turned out that on each ticket Sonata threw at least $30, or even $50. we had completely free days, except for electives paid. At the same time, they also wanted us to collect 7 dollars per person, sort of like when issuing tickets with a card, a commission came out.- there is no catering along the route, you came to gas stations or food courts, go take hot dogs, pizza, burgers, etc. Usually the guide tells where to go for dinner in the evening, what dishes to try, this was not the case here.As it turned out later, the guide had not been in Florida for 4 years, of course, he had already forgotten, if he knew something)). Therefore, we very often circled in one place, got lost with the navigator and were late.Breakfasts were promised in hotels - they were not, in the last hotel there was juice in a bag and a bun in the morning on coupons.Continued in next review: