As Johanna implied.. you've been had.

There are no Port Fees such as they state, and for the most part, you could get a much better vacation than this for a lot less money if you go the more traditional route.

The hotels they put you in are remote, and you will spend plenty on cabfare.

There is a government departure tax of $19, and you will be responsible for an additional Hotel tax of 12% of the value when you leave your hotel. (this is not included in your package). As well as energy surcharge of abou $3pp/per nite depending on the hotel.

Check out the links Johanna posted.

Dear Johanna/ Scubagirl,

Thank you very much for your valuable advice!

As you guessed, I have taken this package through a pop up message; I was not smart enough to suspect something wrong when the operator warned that I would lose the package if I were to disconnect the call for verifying the actual rates for each of the individual package included!

I have given Easton, PA as my address in the message posted but I am actually working in Southern Africa and would be in PA only at the time of my planned vacation in June next year, at my brother���s place.

I went through the abundant views on the subject, available on the web links that you had suggested; it was a real eye opener!

I got through to the Customer Service department after trying for two days and got their Fax number for further communication. At this juncture, I have a doubt; whether ���Special T��� is a generic term for all the operators (including All Seasons Travel that I am now dealing with) who sell their travel packages in this manner!

My case is slightly different; distance (and cost of International Calls) forbids a firm action! So I am going for the third option, make the best of it ��� after I receive the package, hopefully in a couple of weeks!! I have also noted the website www.800helpfla.com to be approached in case of any trouble with the travel agency. Although my agency is located in Atlanta, Georgia; there must be a parallel monitoring agency in that state too!

Basically I have complicated things myself and introduced an element of anxiety in an otherwise enjoyable vacation! Hope it will be a lesson for prospective travellers encountering such situations!!

Thanking you again for your valuable time,

Regards

Spu_Deep.

I too supposedly 'won' some travel from Special-T-Travel. I won $2100 travel shopping spree. And if I rang straight away I could win a cruise for 4. I'm am in Melbourne, Australia, so I'm sure the call cost me quite a bit, especially when arguing with the person on the other end, trying to tell him that I couldn't give him my husband credit card details without speaking to him first. They basically said, what kind of husband is he if he won't let me use his credit card. I explained that things are done differently in Australia, you can't use someone else's credit card. I did some research on the internet myself, and came up with someone who actually got their trip, but certainly was not as expected. You can check it out here: www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff79977.htm

I'm glad I didn't give them any money, but my husband works in a litigation dept and he is going to try and follow up as the winning screen did not say there were any terms and conditions, that I had won $2100 towards travel, therefore I should be able to book my trip and get that money off it, not they book the trip and I have to pay more.