Travel Review: Luxury Trip to New Zealand, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Hobbiton

I finally received all my CC statements to do an accurate account of transaction fees in US numbers.

I contacted Zicasso, because we wanted a trip of a lifetime that someone else would plan, we wanted to go from 3/9/17 – 3/26/17. 

Our agent did ask about the handicap, but I don’t think he had the empathy for handicap persons.

Note: husband has cerebellar degenerative disease; he uses a walker and wheelchair.  He can go up and down a few steps with assistance. He has balance issues, needs assistance with buttons, snaps, anything with hands undoing, pulling or opening, like taking a cover off a butter package, yogurt container and so on.

Two companies were suggested that would contact us.

One company out of Seattle, I did hear back but not in a timely manner and they apologized for the lateness due to sickness.  The other seamed very hungry for our business.  In the beginning our emails and phone conversations with this company out of the LA area, were always in a timely fashion.

After our flight deposits were made, poor communication skills set in emails were not returned.  I was beginning to think we were scammed but near the date we were to leave for New Zealand, Vouchers were sent.

I asked about the different prices of upgrades on the flights with prices quoted for each person.  One was a Sky couch (which was described as the US first class seats) that wasn’t the case.  The seats were three coach seats that made into a flatbed but very difficult for my husband with his disability we found out.  When making flight arrangements, our agent stated the upgrade costs were for two not each person, he apologized. I would have made business class upgrades if suggested.

Our agent did make sure the airlines understood the need for help on and off the planes. I have to ask at this point, wouldn’t you know that walking was difficult, you wouldn’t suggest a place that that is all you do?

We landed in New Zealand on Saturday March 11th, on Monday March 13th I left email messages for our agent to upgrade the flight home, it took him until March 17th to return a call, he said he would work on getting upgrades. March 23rd arrived in Queenstown and emailed our agent again to check on his progress, March 25th he left a message that he upgraded my husband, but not myself, we were to leave the next day, our agent had left his office by the time I received the message.  I tried to get the seats back with Air New Zealand (wasn’t an option), I then tried to get two seats together for another day to return home.  Had to wait until the 29th for me to upgrade and sit with my husband.  Note, my husband needs assistance in the restrooms, with meals as well as difficulty walking without his walker.  Having him in another section of the plane was not an option and with out help!

I had several discussions on having rooms with handicap facilities with our agent not one hotel made this accommodation, I had to ask at each. Two didn’t have any handicap facilities, I wouldn’t have booked there, in fact the entire Coromandel peninsula wasn’t a good choice for my husband (trekking, hiking dirt paths are not ideal for walkers or wheelchairs).  We stayed only one night at the motor lodge, we were booked for two.  The owner placed an acrylic chair in shower for a seat.  I asked another tour company (very helpful) to book us at another hotel  

When making plans for the trip, I had our agent rearrange helicopter suggested itineraries because my husband could not walk with his walker on the uneven walkways.

One hotel had car parking $18.00 a night had to use a car elevator, and another car parking $20.00 a night, no elevator from parking to the hotel rooms, our agent should have known this fact and included in the hotel rate.  Paid separately.

Our hotel wasn’t a wheelchair friendly accommodation.  The studio room was tight for the wheelchair, no shower chair or bars in the shower or bars at the toilet.  They did bring up a suction cup bar for the shower.

The Milford Sound cruise was problematic, no elevator, must have been 20 stairs and the walker didn’t do well on the deck, narrow and doorways have a high threshold to get over, once on the boat, everything went smoothly.

Trip all in all was wonderful, I would go back again, but with the added stress the trip not as wonderful as it should have been.  That is why you have a tour company make arrangements for you.

The added days were a cost we didn’t anticipate. I believe this should be reimbursed.

In closing, there were handicap issues that should have been addressed, inconveniences for this trip should have been made smoother.  After all this was to be a luxury trip! Actually, I could have made the plans for this trip on my own……I was lazy and wanted to not make any arrangements.  In the end, I did make arrangements.  I didn’t take a phone with me, I did have my Kindle, thank you to the tour company people who were terrific.  Why would this agent upgrade a handicap person without his caregiver?

I will expect a response concerning this letter!

Please contact me with questions or concerns about our trip.

Tonya and Michael C

I would use the tour company again!