I became a Royal Holiday club member around Oct 2009 part of my agreement of becoming a member was that royal was going to buy my current timeshare. Now its Aug 2010 and royal holiday still hasn't taking over my other timeshare account. I have called and email several dozens time but they keep giving me the run around. finally i requested a full refund because my other timeshare has gone into collections because i was inform that everything was transfer over but it wasn't.

Royal Holiday sold us a time share on the agreement that they would purchase my existing time share. We made it perfectly clear to them that this entire deal was contingent upon the purchase of our time share and that we could not afford it otherwise. They made guarantees that our time share would be purchased within 180 days from the time we signed. We then took their advice and opened an account with RCI that would give us 6 months of no payments and no interest with the understanding that it needed to be paid in full before 6 months were up to avoid any interest. No problem we thought since we had a guarantee from them to buy our time share.

After we got home, we did not hear back from anyone for months so I called Royal Holiday numerous times only to be ignored time and time again. I then decided to call the company that was going to purchase our time share (Gene Cantrell from International Leisure Group)only to have him blow off my calls for weeks. Through persistence and numerous calls, I finally got a hold of Mr. Cantrell only to have him tell me that he was in trouble with the IRS and that he hoped to get it cleared up soon. I called a representative from Royal Holiday to let them know that this did not look like it would happen and that I wanted out of the deal. They said they would find someone else to purchase my time share and would get back to me within 24 hours. I heard nothing for weeks. I then started calling daily until Joe Harrison from Royal Holiday finally told me that Mr Cantrell and International Leisure group was back on track and would be purchasing my time share days before the 180 day deadline. When I called Mr. Cantrell to confirm, he told me that he was still trying to work it out and he was hopeful that he could make this happen. Both were lies. Neither company called back, and my 6 month deadline came and went with no returned calls. The problem was now that the loan was due and needed to be paid in full, along with interest for the past 6 months since we missed the deadline.
It is very obvious that both Royal Holiday and International Leisure group colluded to string me along so I would be forced to pay the extra charges and give me little chance of getting out of this contact.

I then started talking with Joe Harrison from Royal Holiday about terminating my contract due to the fact it was rendered void when they could not honor their guarantee to purchase my time share. Mr Harrison seemed sincere at first, but that quickly turned into the same run around that I had already grown used to. He promised calls from supervisors, promised to find a new buyer for my old time share, and then finally promised to come up with a new deal. Of course, all of this has taken 3 months and still nothing. Mr Harrison promised me a final resolve on Aug 1st only to tell me the person he needed to speak to was on vacation and he would need a few more days. After a few more days passed, he again promised to have an answer for me by Aug 8th, knowing I was leaving the country on the 10th. Today is the 22nd and still no call. I tried calling Mr Harrison today only to have the office number ring endlessly and his cell number is now disconnected.

i am also a victim of royal holiday, i am canadian.i would like to be inform by email if it would be possible to reach or to create a class action against royal holiday, you can reach me at:[email protected], thank you!

Royal Holiday Rip Off
In July of 2009, while enjoying a trip I booked on Expedia online, at the Royal Holiday Cancun, I was unaware I was a lamb being set up for the sacrifice. When I booked the trip it cost about $1600, airfare and all. When I arrived a man at the front desk area who seemed concerned met me. I believed he worked for the hotel. There was a reception desk as you entered the hotel with a big banner with Royal-Holiday club on it. He said we had to wait because our room was not ready and we were getting an upgraded room. The room was nice but the hotel was really crowded. Immediately we became a target for the Royal Holiday Lions. I think the color of our armband was like a signal to them, because we had a different color than the locals. After two days of hounding we agreed to hear their pitch. 1. I was told they could provide the vacation cheaper than I paid Expedia, including airfare; even after my maintenance fees. My salesman, Jason Easton, an American, even wrote the numbers on paper and showed me. I was not allowed to keep any of the scratch paper they used. 2. If I joined I would receive a free Cruise. $1200 voucher. 3.The price started at 25K then went to 20K then to 10K. Each time it went down I lost points but I was told someone was upgrading and I could buy theirs at the discounted price. The salesman pointed at several couples in the room and told me they were in there to upgrade.4. We were taken to a beautiful Hotel near by and shown a presidential suite and told we could stay in it on our next visit if we wanted to. (Royal Holiday Caribe)5. We were told the daily all-inclusive fee was $35 per person. 6. We were given a free week in Cozumel (pay all-inclusive fee, airfare, and ground transportation ourselves.)7. We were told since we are over 50, the points could be stacked, bringing points from the last year to the first. I joined and got the basic 10k points for 10K.(30 years) My monthly payments were $151 with $4000 up front on a credit card. Payments for 5 years.6. I would be a privileged customer, which meant I would get five years free stay in Cancun, Cozumel, Ixtapa, and Alcapuco. Just pay the all-inclusive fee. ($35 a day per person.)7. We were told the club would rent our week if we choose to not use it.We joined in July 2009, so we didn't need to use the services until 2010. Our first maintenance fee was due January 2010. I was told to call Ice Gallery Cruises to register for the cruise. Since we joined in July our maintenance payment was not due till January. Ice Gallery told me to call back in January. When I called on January 2nd 2010. I was told they no longer associated with Royal Holiday. I called my new customer representative who told me Park Royal would just substitute it for another cruise. She told me to call another number now, so I did. After about 30 hours on the phone, and talking to about 10 representatives, and faxing my certificate four times to a number, which rarely worked, I finally got 1000 points added to my credits. Which to this day is not there. That does not equate to a $1200 free cruise. I was also hounded via phone calls and e-mails for about two months to pay the balance quickly; even given incentives in large discounts. I was suspicious why they would discount a good deal by 50% to get the money quickly. I know now. I paid my $400 maintenance fee in January. In May I decided to book a trip. I called and was told only limited availability for the days I wanted in the end of July. (when my employer allowed me to take a vacation) They tried to get me to switch my dates. I was told the all-inclusive fee was $90 a day per person. I would try to work it out then call back and speak to another person, who would tell me the all-inclusive fee was $80 a day. Then $90 again. I could never speak to the same person twice. Remember I was told $35. I found airfare for $460. Maintenance fee $400. The seven days all-inclusive fee for two, $1260, Ground transportation, $200. Totaling $2320, if the hotel was available. Only the hotel I stayed at in 2009 was available. I could go in non peek times and the fee would be $60.I tried for September. The all-inclusive fee was $60. $840 for two. Total $1920. I tried every way I could to get the price down by changing dates and even buying points, but could not make it happen. I was trying to use my Privileged Member Certificate (free travel for five years) and was told my fee would be less if I used my points. If I used the points I wouldn’t have enough so if I bought the difference I would still spend more. Finally I went to Expedia and got in a hotel on their list, (they said was not available) when I wanted to go, for a better price, including airfare and transportation. Total $1700 I will be staying in the Cancun Caribe Park Royal hotel they showed me during their sales pitch, for less. I now see that anyone can give a free hotel stay if they charge enough for the food to offset the price. Expedia has the rooms (meals included) for $110 a night for two. The points and fees are a slide of hand. You think your getting something but you're really not. They say you can have up to four people in the room for free. All you have to do is pay the all-inclusive fee. Add it up, $90 times 4 times the nights, (7) $2520. That is not a deal. I'm now paying $300 a month for five years plus a $400 yearly fee for nothing. I saved money buying a trip on the internet when the club I belong to constantly tried to rip me off. Every location in their book is booked up. Availability is slim to none. I can't believe they operate inside the hotels like they are a legitimate business. When I was there in the Park Royal Hotel, I was told all the brown arm bands were members. I never asked but I doubt that because some brown bands were in the presentation rooms. The sales man told me they were there to upgrade. All lies to rip you off. Not a bit of truth in their presentation. Stay away from them and any travel club.
Thanks very much for your support.

Mitchell Pate

On or about July 15th, I was contacted by a Royal Holiday Supervisor (first time I've spoke to one of them)who asked me to remove my complaint from this website. I told him the complaint was the truth and I would not. He said Royal Holiday would send me something in writing giving me options with my membership to satisfy me. However he never sent me anything, nor did he call back.

I did take my vacation at the Caribe Cancun Park Royal, which is the Royal Holiday training grounds. The agents were everywhere; like flies on trash. I felt like running through the crown yelling the British are coming, but was afraid to spend the rest of my life in a Mexican Jail. I wonder what the rights are for freedom of speech by a visitor.

If you are reading this complaint and have a similar complaint, please write another complaint on this website. I wish we could somehow join together and make a change, but after being at the hotel this past week, I can tell you the Mexican government will never do anything about them. We just need to worn fellow Americans to beware.

I am still waiting for that phone call. They won't call.


Thanks very much for your support.
Mitchell Pate

We have been trying to get out of this bait and switch fraudulent low-life company since we purchased in 2003. We have recently been harrassed by phone telling us all late fees, one maintenance fee, and special assessment fee (the 2nd such since hurricane)would be cancelled if we pay the 2009, 2010, and 2011 maint. fee within in 24 hours. Told them "NO, " that they had defaulted on their contract with us in their failure to perform their obligation to provide promised accomodations, that they already had $13, 000 from us, that we would be joining a class action lawsuit against their company, and to not call or contact us further, i.e. to quit harrassing us. They are now threatening us with dire credit reporting circumstances if we don't become current. Please keep posting any info related to possible class action lawsuit and other punitive measures against this very large den of thieves.