I guess US companies aren’t bound by TPS. Sounds like a rip-off. Don’t think I’d go so far as to call this type of thing a scam, I agree with this guy:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/053/RipOff0053598.htm#302698

What worries me is when we get lumbered with badly drafted legislation. In the news recently I heard that there were plans to ban various types of “high-pressure selling”. Hm. Giving people the impression they are protected by the law from all possible harm makes them all the more vulnerable.

Also, while publicsing specific cases like this is all well and good, remember that there will always be companies trying to sell you things you probably don’t want. More general advice is useful: always understand exactly what you are getting before you pay; don’t make snap decisions on the phone; if it sounds too good to be true it’s not true; shop around and find the best deal for yourself, good companies don’t need to cold-call people or make “one-time only” offers.

Hi. I also received a very similar call on the June 03, 2008. I actually was transferred to a US call centre where I provided my address info and was told someone from the travel dept would call me within 72 hrs. It’s now been 48 hrs and still no call. Will update if I actually do hear and this is genuine but to honest I’m not holding my breath.

I too just got this call 01/07/2008 will not be holding my breath either as will probably now get lots of junk mail, the chap at the holiday centre sounded asleep and kept sniffing down the phone, Nice…..

Be warned, accessing http://www.householdsurvey.com and submitting access numbers will inject a script that infects you with Maliframe trojan which is a downloader that connects to malicious sites to further infect with more nastier viruses like autorun.

If you’ve submitted any information via this website from any page, run a virus scanner immediately.

“The following message has been brought to you by Consumer Victory Group….”

This appears to be a sponsor of this nasty group.

I got through to a human operator who claimed to have no knowledge of who is dialing my phone number to do this automated survey.

He was then quite rude to me when I asked to be removed. The last time I asked to be removed he said, “I don’t wanna”. Then he put me back on some automated attendant thing.

I wish there was a button on my phone to send electric shocks.

*69 says: The last # that called me was 000 000 0000.

I suspect it is a phone fraudsters.

W

I fell for it…… really need a holiday. Now have been on phone to credit company to get my money back. My credit company phoned them and they wanted to speak to me. Imperial Majesty Cruise person said I’d phoned at 9am and made reservations for September…. a lie. Am still waiting for them to e-mail me! the rep then said someone else had phoned them, Marianne French (whoever she is), and made reservations using my ref. no. I was very firm and forceful. I tried to give him my ref number to check, but it was like he was talking fro a script. Eventually he conceded to have been mistaken and is refunding me my money. I will be keeping a close check on my account to make sure they do. Please be careful out there. Do not make same mistake.. I feel SO stupid.

Hey there,

I had been doing a search for some information on this so called cruise. I listened to the recordings, lo behold I got the same o same o (btw I love your accent, wolala) anywho glad I saw what this was all about.

Now I got the information I needed…. thanks….

Would you consider doing a voice take for a website?

I just checked my messages on the phone to find a call from a lady called Geena, from Imperial Majesty Cruise Lines with a different phone number to one of the replies above, mine was 954 331 4121, But I thought I would type their name into the google search bar and hey ho here you are saying it’s a con.

Thanks guys. no need to get excited now.

i should like to accept the free cruise offer.

I have been receiving many automated phone calls from Imperial Majesty Cruise Lines telling me I’ve won a cruise. I’m a disabled person sick in bed and it takes a lot for me to get to the phone. I called the company to stop calling me, but they continued calling me anyway. Then I lost it, called them back, and screamed bloody murder into the phone before hanging up. I then went to the DO NOT CALL.GOV registry site and filed a complaint against the company. I will contact my State’s Attorneys Office for some kind of law enforcement procedure. I suggest that wherever you live, file a complaint in your country. Together we can beat these obnoxious bastards.

i cant believe i fell for such a scam, all i can say is all you guys larry 7253 and nicholas craig who work for this company along with the remada plaza hotel, i really dont know how you sleep at night you must be the most hard faced hard hearted uncaring shits in the world doing this to all these innocent people, do you not have any idea how hard life is already with out all this shit, getting people excited just to let them down big time and thats not even taking into account the money you’ve taken off us, i hope one day you get scammed big time see how you all feel then, you total utter twats rot in hell

Just finished a 40 minute length phone call from a woman called Andrea Berlem, employee no. BIN0156. whom i assume works for Imperial Majesty Cruise Lines. Andrea told me the holiday itinery, starting off in Florida for 4 days, then a 5 day cruise, 3 day stay in Orlando and did she also mention 3 days in Las Vegas all for approximately £440.00 for two people (a saving of 80% of the retail value). However I would have to pay for the flights to and from U.S.A and other ancillary bits and pieces, airport taxes, drinks on board the ship etc. But what really annoys me, is the aggressive pesistance they use telling you unless you say yes and hand over your credit card details now after just one very long phone call, they cannot offer this holiday of lifetime ever again. I did ask for all the information to be sent to me via email, but alas still nothing has arrived, and i dont expect it to either. Andrea, realising my reluctance to accept their marvelous offer, promtly passed me on to her manager, and when i told her that my partner would accompany me on holiday and I really did need to discuss this matter with him when he returned from work, afterall he would be responsible for paying half the holiday, Andrea’s manager suggested that I just go ahead, make it a suprise holiday or better still, if my partner doesn’t want to go, take someone else instead. This is not an organisation I would want to have anything to do with, they just want your credit card details and dont give a toss about anything else. A holiday should be something you enjoy and not feel you have been bullied into.

I recieved the same call, and answered the questions, and was also told to go on a website http://www.householdsurvey.com to register with my phone number, or if i did not have a computer that someone will contact me w/in 72 hrs to confirm the reservation for the 2 free all inclusive tickets to a nassau Baha..cruise. im glad i found these comments before it was to late.

i will not be giving info to them …. i really thought i was lucky lol

I see alot of negative comments about the cold call for a cruise to Nassau Bahamas, I have been on this a few years ago with a company from FloridaCalled ‘ Take me on Vacation’ as part of a Disney package, it is GENUINE, but!! the accomodation is dire, you will want to upgrade, you only get from 9am til 17.00 on either the Island which I recomend NOT THE excursion as it is Shit, a sandy man made lil Island with nothing on. We paid about $59 back in 2003 so its still the same price, the ship staff were Phillapinos and made the cruise, the rest…. its worth a go , oh I forgot you cant spend onboard you get a card and all the drinks & sales go onto a credit card back home but that is standard on many ships. So back to you If your going to Fort Lauderdale you could spend 3 day wasted else were, so why not give it a go

We have recently been bombed with calls from imperial majesty.WE have kepy putting phone down so it is good to see previous comments John

I was recently suckered into one of these vacation deals, and while I’m not saying that I wasn’t incredibly naive by giving out my credit card info over the phone, this company does practice some questionable sales techniques. For instance, they got my contact information from a contest that I entered at a Ribfest (innocently enough), and when they called me, they said I had been “selected” to receive a fabulous and luxurious vacation package to Florida and the Bahamas (valued at $2500). Now, the package was nowhere near worth that (after I later did some research). Plus, there are many hidden fees that wouldn’t be aware of until you actually go on the vacation (just Google the people who have traveled with Imperial).

However, it’s natural when they quote you that value that your mind jumps to visions of grand cruise ships and the “white glove treatment” that Imperial promises. Needless to say, when I agreed to pay the heavily-discounted promotional fee of $299U.S./pp, I had no idea that this would be non-refundable and that the company had a “no vacation cancellation policy.”

If you do your research, and look up the “Sellers of Travel” section on the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services website (http://www.800helpfla.com/complnt.html), you’ll see that according to Florida Law (and I live in Canada by the way), a consumer is entitled to a full refund within 30 days of purchase. However, every time I called Imperial’s customer service, they refused to cancel the package, offering to extend the period that I could use the vacation, or a 100% money back guarantee (after you go through with the trip), or to upgrade your package. They told me that they could not refund the 149$U.S. security deposit that I supposedly agreed to. And that if I cancelled, I would lose all my money.

Know your rights. Contact your credit card company’s dispute department, and they’ll advise you on how to return Imperial’s package (through registered mail) and with an official letter of cancellation. Or better yet, complain to the Florida Better Business Bureau (Canadians can send a complaint through our local BBB), and complain to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

I did, and got my full refund within one week (August 22, 2008) of falling for this “luxury” vacation package. Now I just hope there aren’t any weird or unauthorized transactions on my credit card statement.

The irony is that Imperial Majesty keeps calling my house, and asking to speak to my parents. They seem to be aggressively targeting Canadians now, so warn your friends even if they are “smart.” I considered myself smart, and yet I fell for this. They are incredibly persuasive!

Thanks for all your detailed reports - it seems this scam is really causing a lot of people aggravation.
Keep ‘em coming! And don’t forget, if you know how to “digg”, then click the “digg” button at the end of the article to help spread the word!

Today I got a mail saying that I have won a free criuse to Bahamas which will leave from florida + 7 days of free stay in Ramada plaza resort.
All the transpotation to and from florida + taxes + port taxes + other taxes I will have to pay. After that I put “Imperial majesty” in the google and I have seen lot of scam like things with this company. Can anyone suggest what I should do?

Thanks,
Mayur

I have been called every day for over two weeks from Imperial Majesty Cruise Line, This has to be a rip off how can a company call the UK fourteen times just think of the cost to do this thousands of times a day all over the Uk, Yes they are making big money form some poor MUGS.

Well, I agree with most of the above, particularly Louise, although my call was from Terri Nash, the Senior Travel Co-ordinator! So far we have had numerous calls the last one went on for some considerable time before I actually put the phone down. Luckily I have not, and never will, give out my credit card details so unfortunately I presumably will still be getting more calls. I was promised 3 nights at Fort Lauderdale, a 5 day cruise and 6 days in a Ramada Hotel in Orlando. We have done all of this before, and paid for it, and since we live in Plymouth, GB we will not be doing it again. Just remember - if it sounds too good to be true then IT IS.

I have just paid £449 for a cruise and stay with imperial cruises. Should I be trying to get a refund. or is it worth going on the holiday. Any advice please.

hi is there any one here that can advise me how to get a refund for this so called fantstic cruise? i have been intouch with my credit card company disputes and they say they can not help me on this occaision!! i have no phone number or contact details for imperial cruise or remada plaza resort all the numbers they gave me were boggus, believe me i have tried to get intouch to cancel, please if there is any one i really need your help and advise as i really cant afford to loose £465, im a single parent and fell for this as i thought it was a great way to give my daughter a dream holiday, im from england and feel very distressed that there seems to be nothing i can do

Thanks to all you folks, I was told that I had recieved Holiday the n told to go on a Website. But I saw the rip off website, and boy am I glad. Thanks to all of you.

Help!I seem to be inthe midst of being dragged into paying a lot of money to this company and the more I talk to them the more money they seem to want! First they cold called and said I had been selected for this free cruise offer which included hotel and car hire and full board! I have already booked a holiday at Xmas but needed hotels and car hire so it seemed a good option…I needed 2 packages so I was told and it would cost $895 twice payable immediatly. I was then told to phone a number and book the actual dates and cruise etc…Iwas promised a cruise and car hire upgrade for £300 ,when I phoned they proceeded with my booking and agreed to the upgrade then decided to charge a further $1800 for the upgrades and extra hotel and cruise upgrade most og which I was told was included. Not sure what to do now,if it was legitamate the price would be okay but even with the car hire you dont get insurance and the US car rentals can charge a fortune for this if you buy it seperatly…I’m really unsure what to do

Hi there. I live in Plymouth, UK and for the past two weeks or so I’ve been getting these calls every couple of days. I work odd shifts and it’s extremely irritating to have to keep getting up from sleep to answer the phone just to have that stupid fog horn blaring in my ear as I pick up the receiver. What’s worse was I tried hanging up and making a phone call and I couldn’t get them off the phone! Every time I put the phone down and picked up again they were still there, blaring this ridiculous message at me. I tried calling Virgin Media but they say there’s nothing they can do. This is getting beyond a joke.

Guys, sorry to burst the bubble, it is a genuine offer though right? Every forum on the internet slag them off for phoning up cold but as I understand it it is a genuine deal. I understand people have been on it and it is a geuine deal.

Hi Ant;

The cruise ship exists, the opportunity to cruise on it exists.
However, the opportunity to get totally scammed also exists.
Many people do not realise how poor the ship and cruise is, nor how much all the extra fees add up. There’s no such thing as a free cruise - I think the most important thing to remember is that as soon as you have given your card details, you are in a contract with an overseas company to pay all the fees. As you can see from above, these add up, and by the time you work out that you have to get yourself to the USA - well, the other postings say the rest!

Thanks to everyone who has commented on this site. I got the same automated call saying i would recieve tickets for a free cruise today, same spiel ( just pay $59 taxes ). I too thought it was too good to be true and there must be a catch, how right i was! Due to the fact that i have recently entered lots of competitions and surveys i thought i would log on to the site as requested, but how pleased am i that i spotted this one and decided to check it out first. I will not be logging in and entering my details and will also be blocking any more calls from this company. Thankyou to you all for making me aware of this scam and saving me from what could have been a costly mistake!

Our 76 year old mother was called by Imperial Majesty back in June. She was conned out of £472 for which she received a load of unintelligble blurb and some bloody worthless reservation slips. To book the holiday, she would have to pay yet more, not to mention flights ect. She is diabetic, unable to travel any distance and would never be able to take up this holiday. When we phoned to ask for a refund, we were told this would not be possible and they suggested we take the holiday instead. It’ll be a cold day in hell before any of us have anything to do with this bunch of rip off artists.

Hi I have so far received a refund for half of the amount I paid. When the documentation arrived the cruise was not 5 days as promised but 2 days 1 night and 5 different flights were required to take the holiday plus £60 admin fee plus taxes. No transfers. 2 meals per day not All Inclusive as promised. Hanging on though for my total refund as I will need it to pay for all the phone calls.

I just received a call from these guys and in my hung over state, I completed the survey and gave up my name. That was not the smartest thing to do but then again it is quite easy to get this kind of information today anyway.

I found this forum and it has opened my eyes to this scam. I am now awaiting the phone call asking for the money and confirming my details. I shall be having a lot of fun with whoever is on the other end of the line until they get so annoyed with me that they hang up. Ive done it before and damn it, ill do it again.

I can only feel for anyone who has been done by this Imperial cruise scam, but hopefully with forums like this, it will stop people being taken advantage of.

Cheers to everyone who posted before with advice and warnings.

I have just recently come off the phone to this “Imperial” company. When I started enquiring about things it was obvious the answers had been scripted.

I was not in a position at that time (during the call) to make commitment to the cruise etc and after going round in circles with a guy based in Florida, he passed me onto his boss (a woman). and she was a little more stroppy by the fact that i had not ‘told’ him that i couldn’t commit at this time.

The call lasted about 15 mins total and from being on the phone to the ‘boss’ for 2 mins and basically being asked could i commit or not - I said no, then the phone was hung up!!!!

PLEASE AVOID AT ALL COSTS - I AM GOING TO CONTACT BBC WATCHDOG TO SEE IF THEY WISH TO MAKE ENQUIRIES - I have been duped already this year - had no intention of it happening again. Watching the The Real Hustle is a great way to pick up and avoid some of these tricks afftecting you.

I have also fell for this and should have know better I was asked for £399 GBP and refused telling them I was just back from holiday and the woman hang up but the following week was called back and told there was a bigger discount and was offered it for $499 and to this i am affraid agreed to and paid up. What made it more plausable was they asked if I would donate $1 to a charity run by a ex boxer for under privilged children. This there any holiday here or is it a complete scam.???

Got a call as above and put the phone down I have the usual thought if it sounds to be too good it is:
What I would really like to know is, who did they buy the phone numbers off as these are the real criminals

I live in the UK and have been getting these calls almost daily for over a year, at all times of the day. I have complained to BT and OFCOM, and they are both absolutely IMPOTENT when it comes to stopping the calls.

I posed a very simple question to BT - why can’t your network stop me receiving these calls from this caller or, indeed, any international calls? There answer: there is no international agreement in place that allows them to do this!

I am totally gobsmacked that, at as a consumer in what must be one of the most highly regulated industries and countries in the world, I am forced to be a hostage in my own home to this fraudulant company’s activities!

I will be contacting Trading Standards in the morning… I may even try speaking to the BBC’s Watchdog programme…

Ok people, the following is my complaint to the BBC’s Watchdog website - maybe some of the Brits here want to do the same and get problem on the Watchdog programmes radar?

“I am constantly receiving cold calls from an international number, with a pre-recorded message to take part in a phone survey in return for 2 free borading passes for a cruise to Nassau Bahamas.

From what I can tell, Imperial Majesty Cruise Line appears to operate from the USA.

I’ve complained several times to BT and also to OFCOM, but they are apparently powerless to protect UK consumers from this company!

Digging around of the internet, I found the following web site with some very useful information and someone’s recording of the calls, which will give you the full unadulterated benefit of what I have been suffering:

http://www.digitaltoast.co.uk/free-imperial-majesty-nassau-cruise#comment-169686

If you listen long enough, the recorded message asks respondents to visit a web site (www.householdsurvey.com) - I would suggest you are cautious about doing that as there are reports, via the first link above, that this site attempts to install malware…

Please can you help me, and many others, stop these annoying and fraudulant (and possible illegal) calls?”

Good luck

I actually received my “call back” jsut tonight! should have probably done the research before i went on the website, left my name, given them my address tonight, and wasted 20min of my life on them.
The good part was that i was dead set on just getting those free tickets which they would not give up w/out getting my credit card number. After talking to 2 people and having them screaming in my ear (even after i told them to talk quieter) they finally gave up on me. I’m pretty sure I made soOmeone’s blood pressure go up today :)

Do you guys know if there was any harm done in me leaving them my first name and my address? Please advice if I should contact my credit card agency/other parties!

Thanks!

Got the same call today - 20 Sept. 08 - “any time with in the next 18 months - only $59 PP ” right up front said I was not giving my credit card number over the phone - then was asked for my BANK account number - refused that also - the caller lost interest and hung up……………………

I am in UK and recently hit upon a scheme to generate money from these companies. Even though my home tel no is ex-Dir, withheld, and does not accept anonymous calls, I receive telemarketing calls from USA. In the past, just to frustrate these nuisance callers, I have got them to phone me back on my ‘070’ personal number, which cost them .50p per minute, kept them on the phone for an hour, and then ‘burnt’ them (ie, told them what I had done, why I had done it, how much it had cost them, and NOT to call me again!). It then dawned on me that I could make cash from these miscreants! So, I got a free 087 revenue share tel no for these calls. I then e.mail these companies under a pseudonym and give them my 087 tel no to call me back. They then ring me and I keep them on the line for at least an hour, clocking up my bank balance. I get .4p per minute, so an hour only brings me £2.50p. However, I have a cordless digital headset, and I just let them talk at me whilst I get on with work, (ie, sending e.mails, weeding my Outlook folders, typing letters, packing goods, washing-up, cooking, even gardening and decorating!). The way I look at it is that I am getting paid to have a background noise in my ear. In 6 weeks I’ve earned about £40 ($80 USD) (approx 2-3 hrs per week). I calculate that I can earn about £600 pa with one hour per day, 5 days a week. I’m currently looking into a premium rate line at £2 per min (my share would be £1), but I have discovered that international callers can’t ring these. I am still investigating other options.

Thanks folks I was just about to go to householdsurvey.com after receiving a call telling me I was chosen for a cruise, when I seen all of your coments about this scam. Obviously these crooks are expanding there business as I live in GB.

I am in the UK too - they are on the phone to me as I type this. *yawn* the sell just goes on and on and on
Cheers for all this info on the scam

Just got the call from Inperial Majesty Cruiselines, very dubious from the start. So I checked it out on google while I was on the phone to them, found this page. Thanks you confirmed my suspicions and saved me a lot of needless bother.

Another Ant here, but I’ll more of the sceptical kind!

I just answered the phone at my parents place and got the silly cruise ship automated cold call. They get them all the time and I get them every now and then (or at least ones very similar).

I really hate scam artists, cold callers, general fraudsters, opportunist and all round PITAs. I can feel a little investigation coming on (I love digging dirt on these kinds of folk).

My wife took the survey a few weeks ago which was followed by a number of phone calls with the “offer of a lifetime” As I was not about, she fortunately put them off by saying she wished to discuss it with me. Today however I was in and took the call from “Selina”. The approach was very aggresive almost insisiting that I part with £515 today. I then requested a WEB site or something to enable me to confirm her credentials and I was reluctantly given Imperial Cruise Vacations which in turn led me to this site. During the call Selina became quite abrupt when she realised that I would not part with my card details there and then!

Called tonight!

Having answered the questions (incorrectly - I only have the number 1 on my phone, ahem!!) I got through to an almost real person. She said her name was Operator 5578 and asked for my name. Instead I asked:
1. What is your company name?
“Answer Solutions”
2. What do you do?
“Provide an answering service”
3. What is the name of your client?

Clearly the last question was too hard for poor 5578 because she hung up. Ah well, guess I won’t get my free boarding passes just yet!

hello everybody…

about 1 week ago, i recieved the phone call and it was some kind of survey questions.. I have participated in that survey and then trasfered to a lady who told me that she will contact me in 72 hours.

i recieved the phone call about 72 hours later and they said, they were calling from Florida imerial majesty cruise. the lady went through general infromation about this holiday and how to make a payment, and that i have 18 month to choose travel date and make a payment.

i did not give her a credit card details, but i told her that i will need time to think about it and asked her a telephone number. she then transfered me through to a manger and manager start pressurising me to accept that offer…

i told him that i wanted to discuss with my partner and i would call them back on monday to confirm.

then i hang up coz, he was really agressive and demanding.

he said that, he will send me a ticket anyway. is there any chance that he will send me a tickets? if he will, will i have to pay 59dollars for each person anyway?

please help me, dont know what to think.

After hanging up on this (obvious) scam phone call several times over a period of several weeks, I must have been bored last night, because I went along with the press 1, press 2, press 3 routine.
When I got through to the muppet on their end I asked him the name of his company; he did tell me but I regret I failed to note it. I asked how I could write to them, but he insisted (several times) only on offering me their website, which I wasn’t interested in.
As we susbcribe to the Telephone Preference Service, it really p!55e5 me off to get calls like this. I did ascertain (dunno the truth of it or otherwise) that they were ringing from the UK, which should be within the scope of TPS, but we’re obviously powerless to get them stopped, OR ARE WE? (anyone know?)
Anyway I’m afraid I lost it a bit, shouted some profanities at the turd on the end of the line and I think his supervisor told him to hang up, which he did. I’m not a violent man but just sometimes……….!

Answered questions as above and had a call back last evening. American lady checked my name an said that she was from Imperial Cruises. She had my name wrong and I did not correct as I had become suspicious from her ‘pally’ attitude. She then proceeded to tell me that I had won the cruise for up to 4 people and that I would need to pay $59 per person port duties immediately by either credit or debit card and that we could take the cruise anytime within the next 18 months. I started to ask quesions - where did the cruise sail from? Florida to Nassau: What was the duration of the cruise? 2 days: She then told me that she was not able to answer any more questions until I had given her my card details. This I refused to do and said that I needed to consult my possible travelling companion(s) and put the ‘phone down.

At the end of the original ’survey’ I was asked to either ring an international telephone number or register on a web site ‘cruiseclaims.com’ which I could not access.

Over ther last month I have received calls daily from this company and had not answered for various reasons. I only answered in the end because I was bored and subscribe to the TPS and wanted to know how they had got my number.

Got this call today. My wife also had one the other day. Sounded dodgy from the comical fog horn start to the automated call from the ‘captain’ of the ship. Rang off and as I was online Googled it to find this (and other) sites. These blogs are great reference sources and for the informal documenting of this type of frustrating telephone scam. Thanks. I do wish we could get revenge for the invasion of our privacy somehow.
Never buy at the door or phone, always check it out, that’s one of my golden rules. Give cold calls the cold shoulder! Spread the word! Only then will they stop.

I also got this call today…. It all sounded so good..I asked for all this in writing and was refused :)
I said thank you but no thank you…. what a scam!