Contiki Reviews 

We had a terrible experience with this company. We were meant to go on a trip of a lifetime to Peru in December but felt unsafe due to protests and state of emergency in the country.

Contiki has sent us no proactive communication and refused to offer any refund or altenative arrangements by telling us that things are starting to reopen even though tourists were being evacuated from Machu Picchu less than a week before our departure date. It doesn't seem right for them to take a decision on our behalf to potentially risk our safety by forcing us to travel to a country with such a volatile situation where things can change at any moment. Would recommend avoiding them as if anything goes wrong you will be left on your own and out of pocket.

Not being dramatic when I say they effectively have ruined a trip of a lifetime.

I’m due to go to Patagonia in February 2023 and they emailed me 5 days ago (with less than 2 months to my trip) to say that the tour I had booked on would no longer be going ahead due to “operational issues”. I have no rights to any compensation as they are not liable for anything if they cancel the tour up to 45 days in advance, but I am now faced with the challenge of rearranging the entire trip myself, as a solo female traveller, going to Patagonia in peak season when almost every tour is booked up. My flights are non transferable and non refundable so I’m not left with many options.

Their excuse is that unless a tour is marked as a “definite departure” on their website, it’s always possible the tour may be withdrawn. However at no stage was this made clear, and when I booked three months ago none of the tours were marked as “definite departures” so I would never have known the difference.

Disappointment doesn’t cover it. This is my first experience using Contiki and I can categorically say I will never go near them again.

I was a very loyal customer, went on two great trips before the pandemic. Before Covid Contiki was amazing and I really enjoyed the experience making friends and seeing unbelievable places.

But then after Covid, I then went back travelling with them in 2021 and although it started off ok and everyone started off fine, on the 4th day then this is when the trouble began, people were much more bitchy and were been discriminating towards anyone who was considered different and started leaving out certain people. This is when the double standards began such as people were allowed to be in the group and anyone who was different was put to the side, this was happen when I saw a group photo of everyone in the Contiki group except me and another person having a great time, even people I thought were my friends stabbed me in the back. After I filed a complaint towards the company about certain people in the group. The company advised this doesn't happen very often, which made me happy to go on another trip.

The second trip after Covid in 2022 had better people, but the Tour rep seemed to favour certain people and always gave me the short end of the stick. After a misunderstanding on the last night, I was once again given the short end of the stick by the Tour rep.

After a month later Contiki told me that I am not suitable to go on their trips due to feedback about me, yet they allow others who cause trouble to go back on their trips.

Contiki seem to have double standards - they are willing to let people do drugs, favor certain people and yet when it comes to certain people like me - they seem to give me the short end of the stick. Furthermore isn't the idea of the group was to travel and make friends along the way.

Don't travel with Contiki - their is favoritism and double standards in that company. Very disappointing how bad they have become.

Done a contiki way back in 2020 which was incredible before covid and that was in Australia. Was so incredible as the trip manger kept tabs on everyone and had rules and just wanted everyone to have a good time.

My recent Europe trip was good at times but near the end was completely ruined by literally nearly the whole group just taking tonnes of drugs and the trip manager done absolutely nothing.

You’re hardly safe on these trips now and it’s all about parting constantly. If you’re like me 25-30 age range steer clear of contiki. It used to be good but it’s really questionable. Also I got the contiki cough and got called a ‘dramatic’ by my trip manager when I ended up getting quite ill…. Turned out to be quite a bad infection in the end.

No care at all or consideration from the trip manager or group.

Like… made 1 friend LOL! Everyone was just off their face on drugs.

I was booking accomodation for before the trip in London, and booked through Contiki. Huge mistake.
Contiki told me I would have to pay a cancellation fee if I wanted to UPGRADE my room. This is absolutely ridiculous and no hotel would ever charge you a fee for wanting to upgrade (other than paying the difference of the actual room prices). I called the hotel (Royal National Hotel) to enquire about it, and they said there should not be a fee.
Contiki trying to rip me off is disgusting. To reiterate I WAS NOT TRYING TO CANCEL MY BOOKING. I WAS WANTING TO UPGRADE AND PAY MORE MONEY. Would recommend booking your own accomodation NOT THROUGH Contiki. Big mistake.

On hold for 28 minutes so far trying to cancel my trip because it can't be done online. I see now that the fee is 25% of the total, £270, because it's 41 days until departure, rather than their cutoff of 44 days.

The trips are amazing and well worth it. I give it 2 stars however due to terrible costumer service and faulty website (couldn't make payments, couldn't login, couldn't change password). Very unprofessional.

I don't know what these bad reviews are from, I've just been on the Grand Southern in the USA the first since COVID and it was excellent. Incredible trip with passionate guides, a great atmosphere and itinerary, I have made some amazing friends, met amazing people and grown so much as a person.

Some things to note are that they are expensive! I spent way more money than I was expecting, they're quite pricey to begin with so I thought that it would cut the cost with some included meals and activities however the majority of the "optionals" are not included. This is fine as hey it was well worth it, activities like a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon is something that will stay with me forever. You do also have to tip the guides or are expected to like all other services in the US, so it can be unexpectedly expensive but even with this in mind it was 110% worth it the most fun I have ever had abroad.

Booked a trip while they had to cancel the trip due to Corona. I was promised a full refund in the general terms and conditions for a case like that.

It took me over 3 months which only got me a voucher out of it. After I threaten to involve my credit card company and / or a lawyer i eventually got a partial refund.

At this point I was sick and tired and contact my credit card company and received a full refund.

I've travelled with them with well over 20 trips and for myself and my friends they have destroyed their brand during Corona.

I was a loyal customer of Contiki for many years, but recently am disgusted with their customer service after booking me onto a trip and reserving my spot, then cancelling my spot as I hadn't paid despite calling them countless times all week. Told me they had tried calling me only to have received 0 missed calls or contact, emails ignored, etc. nobody seemed interested in booking me onto the trip and it's their loss entirely

Criminals.
Received a call and voicemail from someone at Contiki .

The voicemail stated that I had previously booked a trip to Croatia with Contiki and would I be interested in a new trip departing in August.

This is a criminal offence to have received this call under the GDPR laws passed in May 2019. I did NOT consent for Contiki to hold my details for this purpose. I did NOT consent to receive marketing or sales calls.

I am deeply disappointed in Contiki and am seriously considering cancelling my upcoming trip to New Zealand with them as I am appalled to have been treated in this way.

I am sharing my poor experience with others on TrustPilot and Facebook so that other users can understand this is what Contiki practice.

They also insist on retaining a £60 deposit regardless of whether a trip was cancelled at your fault or not, which is outrageous considering I’ve paid for something and have not received it.

I gave one star as you can't continue but i would not have given them one star. DO NOT book anything with this company. I booked a surf and yoga event in Devon which was advertised as a 3 day event, however i was told to arrive on the Friday at 4pm.. which means it was only Sat and Sun til 3pm. They also said that no one would share a tent due to Covid rules BUT 2 women were told to share. I complained to the rep Emma McMahon who assured me i would get a refund so i left just after arriving.. since then i have received emails retracting the refund so i now did not have my holiday and they are keeping nearly £500 of my money. Avoid these people like the plague

I had an amazing first trip with them pre-COVID. I was so excited to take another trip with them, that I did so as soon as vaccines were being issued. Unfortunately, they decided to “postpone” the trip and instead of issuing a refund, they gave me future credit. At this point, I don’t think I will ever take another trip with them. It was them who decided to continue booking trips, why should I be punished for their actions.

My daughters trip was just canceled (by Contiki) and Contiki is telling her that they won’t refund her money.
This was a once in a lifetime trip for her and her friend. They won’t be able to go anytime soon.
This is terrible, a public relation nightmare and it’s crazy to me that they wouldn’t refund their customers money when the company cancels the trip.

Shame on you Contiki.
You don’t deserve to stay in business with this type of customer service.

They are currently holding my money hostage for a trip I booked in June of 2018 that was to begin March 31 2019. 10 days before it was supposed to begin they cancelled due to coronavirus but said they wont even give a partial refund if you rebook a trip that is less expensive. Extremely disappointing.

I requested a refund due to trips being cancelled. The full trip amount was initially transferred to a Travel Fund however I wanted a cash refund. Once I raised this with Contiki, they were super helpful and organised a refund to my bank account without any drama.

You cancelled the trip- no I can’t go next year! Your contract says if you cancel you will refund- but you are refusing to refund! Seriously! Lying thieves.

I have maybe written 2 reviews for anything in my life, and if I could give this company 0 stars I would. I purchased insurance for my honeymoon which was cancelled due to COVID-19 in May. They require you to reschedule rather than giving your money back, which we did. However I still do not feel safe going. I also have been furloughed, which ironically insurance doesn't cover pandemic OR furloughs. I will never be traveling with Contiki again and would seriously consider travel with any other company. Terrible customer service and business model by keeping your money and demanding you reschedule years in advance.

This company is completely unreliable. they do not honor their booking conditions. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY.
They cancelled a trip and did not want to give a refund for a trip THEY cancelled. Completely unreasonable options. They do not care about their customers.

Thieves. Contiki promised me a refund in accordance with their policy. They issued cancellation invoices for a full refund, however they only refunded me partially. I have been contacting them for 3 months to no avail, they keep promising to refund me the rest of the amount but do not transfer to money into my bank account. This company lies and exploits young people, many of whom are students like myself. Do not travel with this company, you’re better off with one of their competitors such as G-adventures, who have not stolen their customers’ money during the Covid pandemic. Contiki’s tour “managers” (really guides) do not have work visas for the countries they are working in. Contiki’s parent company has faced charges for tax evasion in the past. I wonder, has Contiki paid tax on the money they stole from me? They are definitely involved in some dodgy business practices and I hope they are investigated by the IRS this year.