COMING AND GOING
Grand Circle: Still Grand?

Sunday, August 27, 2006

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TOUR TIPS
Grand Circle: Still Grand?

CoGo was skeptical when a reader asked if it was true that the Better Business Bureau had hit Grand Circle Travel and its sister operation, Overseas Adventure Travel, with an "unsatisfactory" rating.

The Boston-based tour operator, in business for 28 years, is, after all, a major player. But the reader was right: The company's membership in the BBB was revoked last October. The offense: a "pattern of complaints" involving changes in advertised activities or amenities like hotels, and dissatisfaction with resolutions to complaints about such changes.

Grand Circle spokeswoman Priscilla O'Reilly said the company hopes to regain membership soon and has changed an overbooking policy that prompted many of the complaints. But even before the change, she said, only a tiny fraction of 1 percent of customers complained to the BBB. Last year, she said, 97 percent of customers rated their trips as excellent or good, with nearly 80 percent saying excellent.

The BBB report shows that in the last three years, the nonprofit received 135 complaints about Grand Circle -- during a period that Grand Circle had about half a million customers. Of those 135 complaints, 30 were resolved and 105 were closed, meaning that the company responded to the complaint in some way but not to the customer's satisfaction.

Bottom line: Before paying for a trip (use a credit card, not cash), check BBB reports. CoGo, however, would consider Grand Circle's volume when calculating the meaning of 135 complaints in three years, even if they do show a pattern.

For the full BBB reliability report on this or any other company, go to www.bbb.org and search by typing in the business's name.

CAR KEYS
You Auto Share

Even in cities with good public transit, you sometimes need a car for quick trips to out-of-the-way attractions. Luckily, the continuing explosion in the concept of car sharing means you can rent a car for just the hours you need it in many major cities in Canada, the United States and Europe.

"The rate of expansion recently has just been incredible," says Kevin McLaughlin, director of CarSharing.net, a nonprofit company that explains the concept on its Web site and lists the car-sharing companies that serve dozens of cities here and abroad.

Under the concept, you typically pay $35 to $50 a year and a modest sign-up fee for an access card to that club's fleet. You then reserve by phone or online , show up at the appropriate car lot and use your access card to help yourself to the vehicle you've reserved. By-the-day prices aren't so great -- typically $50 or more -- but by the hour it's a steal. Prices vary by city and style of vehicle, but typically start as low as $5 an hour, with gas and insurance.

At least 17 car-sharing companies operate in the United States alone, but travelers who plan to use their memberships in many places should check out the two major companies, Zipcar ( http://www.zipcar.com)/ and Flexcar http://(www.flexcar.com)/ . Between them, they have dozens of locations in a dozen cities, plus a number of college campuses .

TRAVEL TICKER

A new Orbitz feature lets travelers use their mobile phones or other wireless devices to check travel itineraries, flight status and last-minute hotel availability in 20 U.S. cities by typing in www.orbitz.com  . . . Search for smoke-free hotels with a new shortcut feature at the hotel discounter Quikbook.com.

BARGAIN OF THE WEEK
Brit Pack

Save $220 round trip on British Airways' World Traveller Plus service between Dulles or BWI and London. The premium economy seat is now $429 each way ($1,011 round trip with taxes) for travel through Oct. 25; 14-day advance purchase required. Book by Sept. 4. You must register as an online user and purchase at www.ba.com.

Reporting: Cindy Loose.

Help feed CoGo. Send travel news, road reports and juicy tattles to cogo@washpost.com. By fax: 202-912-3609. By mail: CoGo, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.

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