ITALY Archives

Verizon won’t correct a billing error – now what?

August 27, 2023July 31, 2014 by Christopher Elliott

I couldn’t get a customs stamp — is a refund out of the question?

October 1, 2012October 1, 2012 by Christopher Elliott

1-stamp — A stamp for you. / Photo by Sarah Parrott – Flickr Creative Commons

Note: You’ve probably noticed two things about today’s post. 1) It wasn’t available this morning; and 2) We’re back to Disqus 2012. The two are not related. We had server problems this morning. Disqus removed the ability to view comments on mobile from the “old” version, so we were forced to upgrade. (I am very unhappy with Disqus, but feel I have no choice.)

What’s an immigration stamp worth? If you said $61.55, you must know Nancy Bestor. She’s been fighting with her credit card over a tax refund after a recent trip to Italy, and she wants me to help.

Abramson's western Mediterranean cruise on the Oceania Marina last April did not end well. After a sudden illness.

My cruise line left me stranded in Naples — is this voucher the best they can do?

September 21, 2023July 24, 2012 by Christopher Elliott

Judith Abramson’s western Mediterranean cruise on the Oceania Marina last April did not end well. After a sudden illness, the ship’s doctor decided she needed to go to the hospital, and she was unceremoniously disembarked in Naples, Italy, under less than ideal circumstances, she says.

Do I deserve a refund for a hotel shower that didn’t work?

June 18, 2012 by Christopher Elliott

1-3933261021_283453912b_z — Showers not included? / Photo by Muig - Flickr

The Hotel Universo in Florence, Italy, describes itself as a “hyper-modern” property where you can be surrounded by “bright colors and pop art-inspired prints.”

Presumably, that also includes working showers.

Three years later, Alitalia still owes me $528 for my lost baggage and ruined Italian vacation

November 2, 2010 by Christopher Elliott

Noah Markewich’s lost-luggage case had “lost cause” written all over it when he contacted me last week.

Why? It involved Alitalia, the historically troubled Italian airline.

It was more than three years old. Old cases are almost always unsolvable.

And it involved misplaced baggage, which is a problematic complaint category.

Still, Markewich epic, four-page, single-spaced letter is such a stunning documentation of an airline’s awful customer service, that I wish I could publish it in its entirety. It describes how Alitalia ruined his Italian vacation by losing his luggage — and when I say “ruin” it may be something of an understatement.

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