Capital Vacations Air, Sea and Land Package: The Hidden Fees

By Chris - 2024-11-22 (updated 2026-09-30) - Tags: #Timeshares #Saving Money #Travel #Guide

Capital Vacations' Air, Sea and Land certificate isn't free: about $210 in fees for two flights or $302-$376 for a cruise, plus blackout dates and rules.

Capital Vacations' Air, Sea, and Land package is a travel discount certificate, not a free vacation. It's fulfilled by a separate company, Customer Service Network Group (CSNG), through gocrv.com, and every option requires you to pay government taxes, carrier, and agency fees when you book: roughly $210 for two round-trip flights, $302 to $376 for a cruise for two, and up from there for hotels and condos. Add blackout dates, a 45-day booking window, and no guaranteed dates.

I bought mine as part of a $399 package at a Capital Vacations booth at Suwanee Fest 2024 in Georgia, and received the certificate after the presentation in November 2024. Having done timeshare presentations before, I approached the booth skeptically and told them so. Without spinning the prize wheel, they offered me their "highest tier prize package": a 3-night hotel stay, VIP entertainment tickets, gift cards, and the Air, Sea, and Land certificate. Naturally, I was determined to uncover the fine print.

Read more: My timeshare presentation experience with Capital Vacations

At a glance: what each option costs

All four options are for two adults (the condo allows up to four travelers). The figures below come from the certificate. The "realistic minimum" is the fees for two people; your refundable deposit is credited toward those fees at booking, not charged on top.

Correction (September 2026): an earlier version of this post called the deposit non-refundable and added it on top of the fees, which overstated the minimum costs (for example, $360 instead of about $210 for the flights). The certificate says the Save the Date deposit is refundable until travel is confirmed and is applied toward the fees at booking.

Who actually runs it

After completing the required timeshare presentation, I finally got the certificate and its terms. As expected, nothing is truly free. You choose one of four options, each with its own costs and restrictions, and all four are booked through gocrv.com, which is run by CSNG. Capital Vacations hands out the certificate, but the terms say fulfillment is "the sole and exclusive obligation of CSNG."

Your gift options

Option 1: Two round-trip airline tickets

What you get: 2 coach-class round-trip tickets within the 48 continental U.S. states, or to and from Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. No Hawaii or Alaska.

What you pay:

$150 refundable Save the Date deposit, credited toward your fees at booking.
Government taxes, carrier, and agency fees of approximately up to $105 per person at booking.

Reality: about $210 for two tickets. That can still beat retail, but it's not the "free" trip it seems, and you get almost no say in flight times. Departures are Sunday through Thursday only, no travel from November 20 through January 5, stays must be 3 to 14 nights, and per the full terms, flights generally leave between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. and return between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Option 2: A mini vacation (3 days, 2 nights)

What you get: a hotel stay for two adults at chains like Baymont Inn, Days Inn, Howard Johnson, or Ramada, in destinations from Orlando and Las Vegas to Gatlinburg and Myrtle Beach.

What you pay:

$100 refundable Save the Date deposit, credited toward your fees.
Taxes and fees starting at $18 per night.

Reality: a minimum of about $36 for a low-tier hotel, before anything the hotel charges at check-in. Arrivals are Sunday through Wednesday only, and it's not valid on major holidays or for a full 7 days before or after one.

Option 3: A cruise (4, 5, or 7 nights)

What you get: a lower-deck inside cabin for two on Carnival, Norwegian, or Royal Caribbean, sailing to the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, or Mexico from ports like Miami, Port Canaveral, Galveston, and Baltimore.

What you pay:

$150 refundable Save the Date deposit, credited toward your fees.
Per-person fees of about $151 (4-night), $157 (5-night), or $188 (7-night).
No peak season: June through August and major holidays are blacked out.

Reality: expect about $302 to $376 for two, plus getting to the port (the terms require arriving the day before when air is involved) and gratuities. This is the option with the most real savings, but the restrictions and the inside cabin limit its appeal.

Option 4: Resort condo stay (8 days, 7 nights)

What you get: 7 nights in a resort condo that sleeps up to 4, in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, or Mexico.

What you pay:

$150 refundable Save the Date deposit, credited toward your fees.
Taxes and fees starting at $15 per night per traveler.
Extra guests cost $100 per person plus fees and taxes.

Reality: a family of four pays at least $420 in fees, and the resort may charge additional fees at check-in. Availability at popular destinations is severely limited, and some popular destinations only offer upgrades to two-bedroom condos, which could cost anywhere from $600 to $6,000 and up.

The booking process: more hurdles

To redeem the certificate, you must:

• Register at gocrv.com within 6 months of the issue date. Travel must then be completed within 1 year of registration.
• Pick two possible start dates, a preferred and an alternate, each at least 45 days out and at least 30 days apart.
• Pay the Save the Date deposit within 30 days of picking dates.
• Wait for an invitation to book, then pay the remaining fees. Your preferred dates aren't guaranteed.

Once a reservation is confirmed, everything you've paid is non-refundable, and changes cost extra. If more than one certificate holder wants to travel together, there's a $350 group travel fee per certificate. Even after all that, the hotel or resort may charge additional fees at check-in.

Is it worth it? Key takeaways

Some options, like the cruise, can save real money, but the fees, blackout dates, and restrictions make these prizes much less appealing than they look. They work as discounted travel vouchers, not the free vacations they're marketed as. My rule: only buy a timeshare package if it's worth it with the voucher counted as zero. If the hotel stay and gift cards alone justify it, as they did on my Pigeon Forge trip, the certificate is a bonus. The Odenza ticket certificate from the same package, by contrast, was a genuinely good deal.

• Read the fine print. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
• Factor in fees. The advertised prize value leaves out mandatory fees.
• Expect restrictions. Blackout dates, limited availability, and inconvenient booking rules can dampen any "free" vacation.
• Do your research. A little digging shows whether a deal benefits you or is mostly a sales tactic.

The next time you see an enticing prize wheel at an event, approach it with a healthy dose of skepticism. For what I actually paid and got at each timeshare presentation, see my reviews of Westgate Lakes, Hilton Grand Vacations, and Capital Vacations at Silver Lake.

Full Terms and Conditions

Full Text of the Certificate Terms

For reference, here is the complete terms and conditions text, transcribed in full from both sides of the physical certificate:

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 Fees are 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.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Air, Sea, and Land package really free?

No. The certificate itself says it is not free: you pay government taxes, carrier, and agency fees at booking, such as about $105 per person for flights or $151 to $188 per person for a cruise, plus anything at check-in.

Who runs the Air, Sea, and Land certificate?

Customer Service Network Group (CSNG) of Fort Lauderdale fulfills it through gocrv.com. Capital Vacations only hands it out; the certificate says fulfillment is CSNG's sole responsibility.

Is the Save the Date deposit refundable?

According to the certificate, yes, until your travel is confirmed. The $100 to $150 deposit is applied toward the fees at booking, and any leftover balance is refunded 10 days before travel. Once a reservation is confirmed, everything paid is non-refundable.

How far ahead do you have to book?

You register within 6 months of the issue date, then pick two possible start dates at least 45 days out and at least 30 days apart. Travel must be completed within a year of registration, and your preferred dates aren't guaranteed.

Which Air, Sea, and Land option is the best value?

On paper the cruise saves the most, since a 4-night inside cabin for two runs about $302 in fees, but it excludes June through August and major holidays. The flights are restricted to Sunday through Thursday departures with flight times chosen for you.