• Viator

Viator

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Overview

Viator has a rating of 1.2 stars from 210 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Viator most frequently mention customer service, tour guide, and credit card problems. Viator ranks 343rd among Tours sites.

  • Service
    149
  • Value
    137
  • Shipping
    59
  • Returns
    101
  • Quality
    117
Positive reviews (last 12 months): 3.2%
Positive
1
Neutral
0
Negative
30
35
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How would you rate Viator?
Top Positive Review

“Viator is very reliable”

n S.
1/6/24

I had a problem with a guide in Seychelles because she didn't turn up (her name is Sheena) and at the end she wanted to get paid and refused to accept my full refund (for a tour she declined)…! Viator was very correct and professional because they refunded me. So, the tour operator wanted to cheat, but Viator was correct and reliable. I highly recommend and I will continue to book through them. Viator can obviously be also affected by unethical tour operators.

Top Critical Review

“Don't bother”

Hayley B.
10/1/24

If I could give less than 1 star I would Don't waste your time. Booked an experience and nowhere does it state the currency for the booking until it had processed and I checked my bank to see it had processed in USD. I also note they did not have all the fare options that the provider offered so we were charged full price for an otherwise free passenger. Contacted customer support and they gave ZERO support or solutions whatsoever. Not even a partial refund for the over charge. They even tried telling me that USD was an internationally used currency which really made me laugh

Reviews (210)

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Reviews that mention popular keywords

customer service (44) tour operator (30) tour guide (27) tour company (20)
Thumbnail of user hannahw649
1 review
0 helpful votes
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October 9th, 2023
Verified purchase

I booked a blue lagoon + northern light tour in Iceland. I chose a hotel pick up, but when I tried to choose the hotel in the reservation page, the drop-down for the hotel list showed ab error so I had no choice but to choose the hotel later.
I succeeded to set the pick up location afterwards via Viator app, the setting was confirmed and it's indicated in the booking details.
But on the day of the tour, they didn't show up at the pick up location. I called the tour operator directly, and they said there is no pick up location set. The setting did not go though from Viator to the tour operator. I waited for an hour in a freezing weather for a bus that is not coming. I recommend to reserve tours directly with tour operators.

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Thumbnail of user gene.nagel1
1 review
0 helpful votes
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August 22nd, 2023
Verified purchase

We had a conflict with a tour and were double booked. We called customer service and basically got the response of "too bad." And we were charged twice for 2 tours on the same day. All Viator had to do was either refund one or provide some sort of credit for another tour. The funny thing is we booked 4 different tours throughout Europe and you would think they would consider us a good customer. NO. BUYER BEWARE. You are on your own. They will spend more time refuting this review than actually providing what they call "customer care". For the amount of effort they put into damage control - they could maintain their customers. We are heading back to Europe in the fall and WILL NOT USE VIATOR. They are owned by Trip Advisor - so stay clear of them. Local, private orgs actually take care of customers - Try Getyourguide.com or Toursbylocals.com

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Tour

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Thumbnail of user lhuthoefer
2 reviews
0 helpful votes
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July 1st, 2023
Verified purchase

Worst experience of our whole trip. Spent over $100 to see the Royal palace in Madrid and were 5 minutes late due to blocked roads and the tour guide would not give us our tickets even though we arrived before she got to the entrance. Spoke to her in person and she was rude and inconsiderate of our situation. She turned away another family also--couldn't believe it after we spent all that money for $12 tickets that we had to stand in line for an hour to repurchase. Had been using another tour company before this called Headout that were so much better with 24-hour in person customer service. Viator only has chat and email customer service. After emailing them, they refused to reimburse our money. Worst experience of our whole Europe trip. Book with headout instead--great customer service and better prices. They pocket your money for profit and don't compromise at all or make any effort to retain your business. Beware!

Products used:
tickets

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Thumbnail of user davidl5822
1 review
0 helpful votes
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June 21st, 2023

We booked tickets for the Paris catacombs for this morning over a month ago, at midnight they sent a message "your tickets were cancelled by the tour operator".
They use substandard tour operators and take no responsibility when they screw things up. They made it very very clear they don't care deal with it.

Products used:
tour

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Thumbnail of user sharons3373
1 review
0 helpful votes
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June 28th, 2023

Booked several tours for a European trip. All were cancelled within a day of it happening. Totally unreliable and did not refund our money. Nobody to deal with and if you reach someone totally unknowledgeable. Found out, the hard way there are much better and reliable choices out there and a lot less money. Travelers Beware!

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Thumbnail of user linlinlin.zhang123
1 review
2 helpful votes
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June 14th, 2023

I tried to search multiple way wish to write the reviews for Viator and surprised that this company belongs to Tripadvisor, I wonder how come they can be review 4stars with this horrible service. Because Tripadvisor is controlling the reviews and you will not even able to find a connection to write the real review. Ppl are not seeing the true story from website. Be aware with this horrible service and helpless and wasting time non solving issue company! And spending my long distance money for nothing

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Thumbnail of user laszloe4
1 review
3 helpful votes
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May 30th, 2023

They changed the meeting time without informing us. The tour guide told us nothing but unimportant and uninteresting things. We did not receive what we booked. Although we can prove this, they refused to give a partial refund. The operators you can talk to know nothing and only misinform you. Spoiled two complete days, causing stress and nervousness. Avoid Viator, never book with viator.com.

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Thumbnail of user nielss28
1 review
0 helpful votes
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July 4th, 2022
Verified purchase

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we were running a few minutes late in getting to the rendezvous point for the Barcelona Wine and Tapas experience. We tried at least a half-dozen times to call the number given for tour-specific enquiries, to at best have them wait for us or at worst let us know where they were headed so that we could meet them at the next destination in the tour. No answer! We arrived at the meeting point shortly after the rest of the group had gone to the first stopover on the tour, and we had no idea where that stopover was so couldn't join them. Despite a very reasonable request for a refund, such refund has been emphatically refused. So that was €160 down the drain...

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Thumbnail of user rinar23
1 review
0 helpful votes
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March 22nd, 2023

I booked an Airport transfer from my hotel in Pattaya Thailand. Driver did not show up. I messaged Viator and they responded - informing me that the Driver is waiting. By then l had already engaged a hotel transport. Viator acknowledged initially that maybe the Driver had not gone to the correct address and promised me that they will complete an internal investigation. I was told l can provide the paperwork to show that l was not late etc with checking out. I received two emails - one to inform me of the investigation and the second within hours to inform me regretfully that they are not able to refund my money! How disappointing- l did not receive the service l had paid for and Viator refused to refund me. This is not the first time that this has happened. My bad luck for not reading more about Viator.

Products used:
Nothing. They are scammers. Failed to impress.

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Thumbnail of user brucel645
1 review
1 helpful vote
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November 25th, 2022
Verified purchase

I booked a tour through VIATOR and their operator never showed up and didn't respond to text and email messages. They told me to ask for a refund through the operator they contracted. They continue to market the service and collect money for the same tour.

Tip for consumers:
read the feedback un the reviews

Products used:
too late to use another service.

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Thumbnail of user neilh392
1 review
0 helpful votes
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October 17th, 2023
Verified purchase

While the site makes it easy to see tours near the location you are visiting the amount they upsell the tours is ridiculous. For a tour the company running it charged 22.50 per adult. I was charged 32.50 per adult. I would not use there services again.

Products used:
Booked a tour and the upselling price was not worth the service provided.

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Thumbnail of user bettes9
6 reviews
16 helpful votes
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December 18th, 2019

This company is owned by TripAdvisor, so you will see them on the TripAdvisor site. I booked a skip the line' ticket for an attraction in Paris. Not only was my skip the line ticket totally ignored by the venue, I paid double the face value for a ticket that I could have had for a lot less and been in the venue faster. The tour company that Viator claimed managed this attraction ("My Genie in Paris") was a no show, didn't return calls, was impossible to reach. Viator is also impossible to reach, no phone number, no info. I had to contest the charge with my credit card company. Go to the reviews for this company on Yelp-- almost 100% negative experiences. Don't believe what you read on the TripAdvisor site about this company because it is owned by TripAdvisor.

Thumbnail of user sarahh2655
1 review
0 helpful votes
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September 25th, 2023

I just witnessed a (Seattle) viator bus pass 4 cars stopped for a road construction vehicle in a no passing zone, on a dangerous blind corner, on a road with frequent logging truck activity... Just unbelievably stupid and unsafe.

Thumbnail of user happycouple522
2 reviews
1 helpful vote
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May 11th, 2023

I would not trust this company for tours. The tour was impossible to find and the website says to contact the tour guide but you're actually calling the company who does respond when you reach out. They will not help you at all. They could have responded and told me where they were so I could find. They just stole over $200 from me bc they denied me a refund and did not even try to rebook me on another tour.

Products used:
None

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Thumbnail of user jingw29
1 review
0 helpful votes
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August 14th, 2023

This is the worst tour I have ever had in Hawai'i. Period. Our tour is called " Pearl Harbor: USS Arizona Memorial & USS Missouri Battleship Tour from Waikiki". The tour guide (who refused to give his name and instead call himself Cousin B and all of his passengers Cousin A) is so rude. No consideration for the elderly. Potentially a racist. He even laughed at another driver who was a Chinese with his son. I really doubt he's a racist. He was polite to all other white passengers but so rude to us (Chinese). Never ever will I book any tour with this tour or this company. We don't pay to get humiliation. We came to get respectful service and decent treatment.

Products used:
Pearl Harbor: USS Arizona Memorial & USS Missouri Battleship Tour from Waikiki

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Thumbnail of user jeramyw3
1 review
0 helpful votes
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April 6th, 2023
Verified purchase

I booked a tour of the Colosseum in Rome well in advance. With in 24 hours of the planned trip, I received an email stating the tour had been cancelled. They are unable to provide a reason as to why it was canceled. Needless to say our trip to Rome was based on seeing the colosseum. Find another booking site to book your tours to avoid this from happening to you.

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Thumbnail of user milesl38
1 review
0 helpful votes
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August 31st, 2022
Verified purchase

Based on our experience you can't depend on viator to deliver the tours that you paid for. We had two days in Anchorage before our cruise. On both days we had reserved and paid for a tour through viator. One of the tours was cancelled the day before the tour was scheduled. The guide for the other cruise arrived for the pickup hours late and told us he had to cancel our tour. Both our days were wasted! If their customer does not show for a tour they keep the amount paid as compensation. If they don't show for a tour we get a refund but no compensation. Based on our experience, they are undependable and unwilling to accept responsibility for the damage caused by their lack of dependability.

Products used:
Tours of Anchorage Alaska

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Thumbnail of user joycej580
1 review
0 helpful votes
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June 1st, 2023

Granada Alhambra could not be canceled or change dates through their tour operator They took their side. I lost good money and had to rebuy a ticket. Get the Granada Card. You can go in any gate and you pick your entry time. All the Viator company does is give you a voucher which can only be exchanged for a ticket in one place. The company said there were no more available times in the next two days that I'd be able to go. That was a lie as I booked it myself for the next day. The individual people got in faster than the groups! I called Viator over this as the vendor they were using did not respond to me from their email or phone that was listed. I notified the company 21 hours before my time slot. They never responded until the next day and that was because I called Viator over it. You can book everything direct. Viator "grabs" you on the internet. Won't use them again.

Thumbnail of user peterg1829
1 review
0 helpful votes
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October 24th, 2023

TripAdvisor should be ashamed for owning the scam company Viator. This is not a tour company but only an over priced reseller to tour operators who can be completely unreliable. If things go wrong forget about any help as their real motto is probably: NO REFUND, EVER! Save your money and use a real tour company.

Service
Thumbnail of user carolh2079
1 review
0 helpful votes
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September 20th, 2022

We were in Nice for a pre-Viking trip, August 21st, 2022. We did not book the bus trip to Monoco because we wanted a smaller group to sight see with. We dressed up to go to the Casino and dinner. When the tour guide arrived he had already picked up the other tour guests... a husband, wife and CHILD - all casually dressed.
Who wants to pay for an evening like this and share it with someone else's child? Totally not what we wanted for this once in a lifetime experience. Viator should know better for an evening tour. Eve though the tour guide was friendly and well informed, it did not make up for ruining the evening by putting a child on a "grown up" tour. This tour should be ADULTS ONLY. (we love children but not on a special night out in Monte Carlo.

Thumbnail of user markd3551
1 review
0 helpful votes
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September 30th, 2023

We are in Spain on holiday. We booked a tour through Viator. The local tour company told us they had no confirmation from Viator when we arrived for the tour. We did have a confirmation from Viator. So when we contacted Viator, they had untrained staff incapable of resolving the issue. Already six hours, no tour, no admission of guilt by either company. Waste of an entire day. Total b.s.

Tip for consumers:
Was in chat room for hours with no resolution. They suck.

Products used:
None

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Thumbnail of user josep1071
1 review
0 helpful votes
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May 27th, 2023

Yesterday's trip didn't deliver what I pay for (detailed on the Viator web page):
1- The trip started late around 10:40 (start hour 10:00)
2- We were 10 people (maximum 8 people)
3- The trip lasted around 6 hours (should be 8 hours)
4- We didn't make it into the Blue Grotto.
5- They didn't have snorkeling equipment, and even worst they didn't have a life vest available! This is unbelievable!
6- They stop in Capri Port only to put gas, they didn't allow us to get down and walk around Capri.
7- They gave us a snack (a little Caprese sandwich) - No Lunch.
8- The boat was small, with no seats for 6 people, and they ride in the front part of the boat.
9- Only one person speaks a little English, so it was very hard to understand him.
Based on that I want a refund because you didn't deliver what I paid for.
Guiliani Charters was the company that deliver the trip.
It was a terrible experience!

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Thumbnail of user jl882
1 review
0 helpful votes
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June 10th, 2023

Booked Viator in Dominican Republic for our tour of Santo Domingo. Firstly, no prior arrangements made with us, just a random text saying "Hi" on Whatsapp. Just showed up at our hotel unannounced. The Viator website advertised it to be a "private party" tour with ONLY my group. Turned out to be completely false. First it was a minivan stuffed like sardines, with 13-14 people total and roaches EVERYWHERE. Then we got taken to a gas station and deposited into a HUGE tour bus and over 40 people on the bus. The drivers were all insanely fast (it might be a Dominican Republic way of driving) For $500 USD for 6 people...I definitely would never do this again. Please consider booking your tour with the resort you are staying at. Double the price but much better experience.

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Thumbnail of user sanjac8
3 reviews
5 helpful votes
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October 9th, 2022

I was just setting up my account for the very first time and I accidentally put the wrong payout method and wanted to delete it - surprise, surprise: you can't! Here's what they say: we currently do not have an option to remove any payout method set in any supplier's account. When asked why - they didn't reply. Then I decided to delete my account, here's what they said: For a Viator Supplier account, we do not have an option to delete any account. When asked what gives them the right to do so - again: we don't have an option to remove it. They STORE your account information and payment methods without permission. Will never use Viator again. Not worth the risk. Undependable.

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Thumbnail of user genevievel48
1 review
0 helpful votes
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July 15th, 2022

Beware. I made a reservation for 7 people for $1400 for an all day wine tasting tour of the Douro River. I told them I was coming a few days before. They emailed the night before and said they could change our pickup time from 9:30 to 10:15 because we had a 45 min drive. I missed their emai at 8am of the tour asking for confirmation but wrote back at 9:00 am saying we were on our way. They wrote back at 9:23 saying it was too late. I called and they said it was my fault and that the guide had taken out another group. They refused to refund the $1400. Do not use them.

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