Capital Vacations' Air, Sea, and Land Package - "Gotchas" and the Full Fine Print
Capital Vacations' Air, Sea, and Land Package offers "free" travel, but significant hidden fees and restrictions were revealed. Always read the fine print.
During Suwanee Fest in Georgia, I encountered a booth run by Capital Vacations. With a colorful prize wheel and promises of big rewards, they were actively drawing in the crowd. Having prior experience with timeshare presentations, I approached them skeptically and shared my story. Without hesitation, they handed me their "highest tier prize package", the Air, Sea, and Land Package without even spinning their wheel. It was $399 but it offered so many rewards such as a three night hotel stay, VIP entertainment tickets, travel, vouchers, and the infamous Air, Sea, and Land Package. Naturally, I was intrigued and determined to uncover the fine print.
Read more: My timeshare presentation experience with Capital Vacations
The Fine Print Revealed
After completing the required timeshare presentation and collecting the package, I finally had access to the details behind the alluring vacation offers. As expected, it came with numerous hidden fees and restrictions. As expected, nothing is truly free. You get your choice of four options, each with their own set of costs and restrictions. All four options are facilitated through a website called "gocrv.com" which is owned by Customer Service Network Group (CSNG). Here's what I discovered:
Your Gift Options
Option 1: Two Round-Trip Airline Tickets
What You Get: 2 Coach-class tickets within the continental U.S. or select Canadian cities. No Hawaii, Alaska or Mexico. Hidden Costs:
$150 non-refundable deposit.
Government taxes, carrier, and agency fees of $105 per person at booking.
Reality: For two tickets, you're paying a minimum of $360. While still a discount compared to retail prices, it's not the "free" trip it seems. On top of that, you barely get any say in the dates or flight times.
Option 2: A Mini Vacation (3 Days, 2 Nights)
What You Get: Hotel stay at chains like Baymont Inn, Howard Johnson, or Ramada. Hidden Costs:
$100 non-refundable deposit.
Taxes/fees starting at $18 per night.
Reality: A minimum cost of $136 for a low-tier hotel. Additional upgrades and peak season surcharges likely apply.
Option 3: A Cruise (4, 5, or 7 Night)
What You Get: An inside cabin for two with cruise lines like Carnival, Norwegian, or Royal Caribbean. Hidden Costs:
$150 deposit.
Per-person fees ranging from $151 (4-night) to $188 (7-night).
Blackout dates during holidays and peak season (June-August).
Reality: Expect to pay $452-$526+ for the cruise. While this offers some savings, the restrictions and cabin type limit its appeal.
Option 4: Resort Condo Stay (8 Days, 7 Nights)
What You Get: 7 nights in a 1-bedroom condo for up to 4 people in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. Hidden Costs:
$150 deposit. Taxes starting at $15 per night per traveler.
Extra guests cost $100/person plus fees and taxes.
Reality: A family of four could pay $600 or more for the stay. Availability at popular destinations is severely limited, and additional taxes may be charged on arrival. Some popular destinations only offer upgrades to two bedroom condos and these upgrades could cost anywhere between $600-$6000 and up.
The Booking Process: More Hurdles
To redeem your prize, you must:
- Select two potential travel dates at least 45 days in advance, with the dates being 30 days apart.
- Pay the deposit and fees upfront.
- Await confirmation, which isn't guaranteed for your preferred dates.
Even after securing a reservation, the resort or hotel may charge additional fees at check-in, further inflating the cost.
Is It Worth It? Key Takeaways
While some options (like the cruise) can save money, the heavy fees, blackout dates, and restrictions make these prizes less appealing than they appear. Ultimately, these "gifts" function more as discounted travel vouchers, not the free vacations they're marketed to be. As long as you don't expect too much from these vouchers and you're able to break even under the assumption that the travel voucher is worth nothing you should be golden.
- Read the Fine Print
If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. - Factor in Fees
The advertised prize value often omits mandatory fees that significantly increase costs. - Be Prepared for Restrictions
Blackout dates, limited availability, and inconvenient booking requirements can dampen the excitement of any "free" vacation. - Do Your Research
A little digging can reveal whether the deal truly benefits you or serves more as a sales tactic.
The next time you encounter an enticing offer at an event, remember my story and approach it with a healthy dose of skepticism!
Full Terms and Conditions
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Terms and Conditions for this promotional certificate are on both the front and back this page. It is important to read and understand the terms and conditions of this promotional certificate prior to registration or payment of any fees associated to this promotional certificate.
This Promotional Certificate is Not Free, Deposits, Government Taxes, Carrier and Agency Imposed Feesare Required and to be Paid by Registered Individual who must be one of the Travelers
Registration of this promotional travel certificate: must occur within 6 months from the issue date, by the individual that received this certificate. Certificates registered outside of the registration period are subject to being voided. Only one registration per certificate number is eligible. Registration is performed online @ gocrv.com. Registration process requires the registering individual to provide their complete name and contact information, along with a valid email address and contact phone numbers. The email address provided will require opt in validation at the start of the registration process. Following a successfully completed registration, a registration confirmation email will be sent. Registration requires acknowledgement of review and understanding of terms and conditions as well as agreeing to being contacted by Customer Service Network Group, (CSNG) its vendors and servicing providers electronically, by U.S. mail or phone on matters related to this promotional certificate. The expiration of this promotional certificate is defined on the face of the certificate. Travel must be completed before the expiration date.
Travel Itinerary Selection: Following a valid registration, the authorized registered individual will select a travel itinerary at gocrv.com. Travel itinerary selection requires two (2) travel itinerary begin dates to be selected, a preferred and an alternative from the provided itinerary calendar. All dates selected must be at least 45 days in advance of the date the selection is being made. At least 30 calendar days must separate the two dates selected. Only valid travel days, dates and seasons will be offered for selection as defined on the promotional certificate. Other travel selections may be required and are based on the promotional certificate, including departure city, arrival city, and or departure cruise port. Cruise itineraries presented will be that of actual sailings. All availability will be determined at the time of booking and confirmation.
Reservation Deposit: Following a travel itinerary selection, the Reservation Save the Date Deposit is due. The Reservation Save the Date Deposit amount is defined on the promotional certificate (see Reservation Save the Date Deposit). The Reservation Save the Date Deposit must be paid and posted to the travel certificate account for the selected travel itinerary to be activated. Once the Reservation Save the Date Deposit is paid and posted, the promotional certificate account will be placed in the itinerary activated status. Reservation Save the Date Deposit must be paid within 30 days of the itinerary selection, or the itinerary selected will be inactivated requiring the registered individual to reselect a valid travel itinerary. The registered promotional certificate holder will be notified by email when this occurs. The promotional certificate account may be cancelled (see Cancellation of Certificate) at any time prior to a reservation being confirmation. At the time a proper cancellation is processed, all refundable deposits paid will be refunded in the form of a check. If the registered individual fails to comply with the Terms and Conditions of this travel certificate offer or fails to respond within a timely manner to correspondence received, they will forfeit all refundable deposits paid at the expiration date of the promotional certificate.
Reservation Confirmation: Within the defined number of days of the certificate account being placed in itinerary activated status an email communication will be sent inviting the registered promotional certificate holder to the booking facility assigned to the promotional certificate. Booking facility may be the CSNG reservation center or a web page provided by CSNG. A prompt response to the invitation offers the best opportunity to secure one of the travel dates and or itineraries selected. Only named individuals on the certificate account in the itinerary activated status have access to the reservation center, web sites and reservation specialists. Reservation center hours of operation are available online @ gocrv.com. During the reservation process, prior to confirmation, named individuals on the certificate account will be verified and charges associated to this promotional offer will be collected (see Charges section below). Failure to identify all travelers and their accurate years of age at the time of booking, may result in additional costs to the traveler at check in, which will be the responsibility of the travelers. If CSNG is unable to secure availability for the itinerary selected, alternate arrangements will be offered. Following the reservation confirmation of travel, an electronic reservation confirmation with instructions and itinerary details will be sent to the email address on the certificate account within 72 hours. Named individuals on the certificate account may need to obtain other electronic travel documents from travel partner or the travel partner's website. If airline flights are part of the travel certificate, airline schedules offered are at the discretion of CSNG who will select departure and arrival airports in cities where multiple major airline carriers operate. Flights generally depart between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. and return between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. Flight schedules are at the discretion of the travel provider. Commercial and charter airlines are utilized and no guarantee is made for a specific airline, route or itinerary. When cruise itineraries are included coordination of air travel is required and will require arrival the day before the sailing to ensure sufficient time for named individuals to arrive at the departure port. At least one adult over the age of 21 is required on all reservation confirmations. Travelers under the age of 21 must be accompanied in the same cruise cabin or stateroom by a parent, relative or guardian 25 years or older. Confirmed reservations are non-refundable, any changes made to a confirmed reservation will result in the traveler having to pay all costs and change fees associated to the change requested. Failure to check in at the confirmed destination on time will result in the traveler forfeiting all amounts paid. It is the responsibility of the traveler to confirm their travel itineraries with the travel vendor, airline, hotel, resort, cruise line within 72 hours prior to arrival. Charges: Travelers are responsible for government taxes, carrier and agency imposed fees which are subject to change without notice, per person fees as defined on the promotional certificate (see Government Taxes, Carrier and Agency Imposed Fees), along with charges incurred in excess of this offer, such as but not limited to: ground transportation to and from airports, hotels, and cruise port, purchased additional travel options, travel upgrades, meals other than meals and snacks on cruises and gratuities. Government taxes, carrier and agency imposed fees vary by travel provider, departure cities, destination cities, length of travel, and ports of call when cruise reservations are included. The government taxes, carrier and agency imposed fees are payable to Customer Service Network Group (CSNG) at the time of booking. Refundable deposit paid amount on file at the time of booking will be applied to the charges amount due at the time of booking. Charges in excess of any refundable paid deposit amount on file are owed by the traveler and must be paid at the time of booking using a valid credit or debit card. Amount paid, including applied refundable deposit cannot be refunded after confirmation of travel occurs. Any Refundable Reservation Save the Date Deposit balance remaining after charges, will be refunded 10 days prior to travel. Group travel fees of $350 will apply to each promotional certificate (more than 1 certificate) requesting to travel together. Each certificate holder must submit travel requests separately.
Reservation Cancellations and Changes: Cancellations or changes to confirmed reservations are subject to forfeiture of all paid fees and deposits. Any changes to a confirmed reservation are subject to additional charges. Cancellation of a confirmed reservation will result in the promotional certificate to be ineligible for future use. This promotional certificate may be cancelled without penalty or obligation prior to the expiration date or confirmation of travel (see Cancellation of Certificate). Documentation: It is the responsibility of each traveler to provide proper travel documentation, visit travel.state.gov for information relating to travel requirements. Do not depart until you have received a reservation confirmation. All travelers will be required to provide proper photo identification and valid credit card at check-in. Neither CSNG nor the distributor of this promotional certificate assumes responsibility for denial of check-in for any reason whatsoever. Restrictions: Reservations must be booked and confirmed with CSNG. This certificate has no cash value and is non-transferable or renewable. This promotional certificate is void where prohibited by law and is not valid for distributors, employees, or family members of distributors and employees. Fulfillment of this certificate is the sole and exclusive obligation of CSNG. This offer cannot be used concurrently with any other travel offer. CSNG reserves the right to offer alternative travel dates, accommodations, departure ports, and destinations.
Responsibilities: Neither CSNG nor the distributor of this offer assumes any liability or responsibility for damage, expense, or inconvenience, nor for loss, injury, death or damage to any persons or property or liability whatsoever due to delays and/or cancellations regardless of cause. CSNG assumes no responsibility for any verbal or written representation made in conjunction with this offer by any distributor and/or their agents other than those included in this offer. CSNG and the distributor of this offer are independently owned and operated. The distributor of this promotional certificate is not responsible for any obligations of CSNG, for any representations of obligations of CSNG, or for content of this promotional certificate. Customer Service Network Group: (CSNG) PO Box 24527, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33307-4527, gocrv.com 954.525.1777 for assistance, have certificate number available to expedite service. CSNG is registered with the state of Florida as a Seller of Travel, Registration No. 17213. CSNG is a licensed California Seller of Travel, Reg. No 2025280 (registration as a Seller of Travel does not constitute approval by the State of California). California law requires certain Sellers of Travel to have a trust account or bond. This business has a bond in the amount of $20,000 issued by International Securities LTD. Seller of Travel Licenses: California # 2025280; Washington # 602 005 020; Hawaii # TAR-5681.
Cancellation of Certificate: This promotional certificate may be cancelled without penalty or obligation within 30 days from the date of purchase or receipt, whichever occurs later. You may cancel this contract if accommodations or facilities are not available pursuant to a request for use as provided in this contract. If you decide to cancel, provided that confirmed reservations have not been previously made, you must notify the seller, (CSNG) in writing of your intent to cancel by returning the certificate and sending notice to: PO Box 24527, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33307-4527. NO PURCHASER SHOULD RELY UPON REPRESENTATION OTHER THAN THOSE INCLUDED IN THIS PROMOTIONAL CERTIFICATE. This certificate is for the purchase of a vacation certificate and puts all assignees on notice of the consumer's right to cancel under section 559.933, Florida Statutes.
