The following are reviews that customers have posted on Yelp.com. When a new review is posted on Yelp.com, we display it here as well because any positive review will almost certainly be filtered from our Yelp rating within 48 hours.
Yelp claims that their automated software that makes the recommendation selections is unbiased, see the updated Yelp video that explains their recommendation software (complete video found here) has been updated to say "...Yelps recommendation software automatically evaluates all reviews. It's looking for those that may be most useful and reliable from active users. These are recommended reviews. And, in fact, most reviews are recommended. Our philosophy is "quality over quantity", which is why the rest are not recommended. These are written by users we don't know enough about, or sometimes they could be unhelpful rants... Reviews that Yelp doesn't recommend can still be seen via a link at the bottom of each businesses profile page but they don't factor into the businesses overall Yelp star rating or review count...".
Admittedly, Yelp has significantly cleaned up the language in the newer video. It is much more accurate than prior videos. However, there are still things that we want to point out here to for our customers and potential customer to consider.
Yelp is not forthcoming that they have an automated system that filters reviews. You only find that out when you click "71 reviews that are not recommended". Then they show you the video before they show you the filtered reviews. Goldrush Getaways has 167 recommended reviews. As of August 2023, we have 3 negative reviews this year and all 3 are 1-star reviews from people posting their thoughts on a promotional piece that we sent in the mail. In fact the majority of the negative reviews come from people that received a marketing piece and have not contacted out company. We had the drawing for 2022 winner of the Tesla 3 or $49,000 cash earlier this year. It is a legitimate, insured promotion. We can understand if someone is not interested, or wants to be placed on a do not mail list, which we are happy to do, but Yelp leaves these 1 star reviews on their website for several years, yet filters dozens of 5 star reviews from our actual members that use our service, so we feel the need to point out the imbalance of our recommended reviews. They also penalize companies that ask for reviews from customers, so we don't solicit reviews from our members.
We don't feel that Yelp is out to get us. We just want everyone to be aware that Yelp filters customer reviews with an automated system, Yelp recommends reviews that Goldrush Getaways can prove contain false information, and that Yelp recommends reviews without verifying claims made by the reviewer. Yelp is permitted by law to allow someone to libel our company on their website. Yelp will not take down a review purely based on a false claim as their response is that they don't take sides. As a small business, all we can do is reply to the review, which is at least visible to the public. It appears that Yelp thinks a review from over 9 years ago from a person that received a marketing mailer but never even visited our business, has no friends (on Yelp) and only 1 review is more credible than a review from one of our actual members that has been a customer for years. We only ask that you keep all of this information in mind. We welcome both positive and negative feedback from the public and our members. We view negative feedback as an opportunity to learn and to improve our product and our service. Thank you.
We are so happy that we signed up with Goldrush. From our first visit everything has been so positive . The sales people were just great, they took their time to answer all of our questions and the whole staff is so helpful. We are going on our second trip using Goldrush, of course the office staff has helped me with booking everything and I still get 100% of the commission. We are going to Europe and just on our airfare (business) we are saving over $4000.00. also saving on the hotels and cruise not to mention we still get that wonderful commission. We are retired and love to travel and Goldrush is diffidently the answer for us.
My husband and I are so very happy with Goldrush, we are still learning new ways to save every day. Sincerely, Johanna
Great Company! Very Friendly and great service
I just left Goldrush Getaways. Elizabeth was amazing!! She was so helpful. Was able to book a cruise for less then expected. She was a fountain of information. She made me feel at ease. Thank you Elizabeth!! This visit made the start of our cruise experience less stressful.
My husband and I just went to a presentation today after learning about them from our county fair. I really enjoyed the presentation and love the whole concept of being your own agent. I hate the idea of timeshares. Our friends got sold into one and it has been a waste. I love that this is NOT a time share. I feel this is the best way to go if you love to travel and love to save money. My husband and I didn't sign up because we can't financially afford it since I am a stay at home Mom of two boys (5 months and 19 months) and going to college to become a medical assistant. My husband and I didn't really feel pressured by the agents. Yes, they tried their best to make it worth our wild but were totally understanding that we couldn't do it at this time. We do plan on attending another presentation in about 3-4 years when our children are older and are at a good age to start traveling with us and hopefully we will be able to afford to do so. We have dreamed of being able to go on nice family vacations every summer with the boys, but with how expensive it could be to do we thought it would always just be a dream. With this opportunity I believe our dream can become a reality. I am really glad we went to this presentation. We actually only went for the free cruise but gained much more than we expected. We even won $500 on a scratcher :-)
I would like to commend this company for it's integrity and follow-up.
I have yet to experience this opportunity, however, I am encouraged to do so after my recent conversation with this company.
Thank you for your dilligence
I've been a member of the Goldrush getaways since 2004. I have benefited by saving on my own travel and at this point, I have more than paid off my purchase through my commissions. I've taken many of their classes and get support every time I call the office.
The reason I haven't given them a five star rating is that I think they should offer members like me higher commissions and they can be sometimes slow paying the commission checks. All-in-all, if you are truly interested in purchasing travel at travel-agent rates and earning commission on travel you book for others, vs. just going for the prize in exchange for listening to a presentation about the program, then don't enter the contests at home shows and fairs. This type of marketing is typical for travel and timeshare or vacation programs and isn't for people who don't see value in making memories with family and friends.
Went to the 90minute pitch meeting. Everyone with the company is very professional, polite and efficient. They are not as high pressure as a pitch for time shares, but they have to inform you of all your options to join on different financial levels. We did not join, but might consider down the road for the travel discounts. We are not retired or wealthy, so for us, it wouldn't pay to make the up front investment. I'm sure we will enjoy out "free" 4 night cruise to Catalina/Ensenada when we go in the next year. Don't know any one that has used this company, but they have been around for 18 years. The test will be how we are treated in the cruise when we go!
I see a lot of reviews which are negative, but it seems to me all the negative reviews are people who didn't purchase. The people who purchase the packages love Goldrush. It's almost as if some people went there for a prize and not to learn about travel. So what is their review actually about? Is it about travel or the presentation and the ease of claiming a gift? The reviews about the Goldrush program and product are good so if you want to actually use a traveling program then you'll probably leave very happy. I personally really like Goldrush Getaways and have only had good experiences dealing with everyone involved in their company. 5 Stars
My husband and I went on the Reno Train trip (2/2015) and Elizabeth Pitcairn concert. What a delight to have "no worries". Train ride, hotel accommodation, transportation, all went smoothly. Micki, our Gold rush Rep took good care of us and added personal touches; a picture with Elizabeth Pitcairn and our group and a box of Valentine chocolates on the 14th. We learned about the California Zephyr and feel confident about using the train again. And we liked Micki so much we are checking out an Australia trip with her.
We went on a trip to Reno by Amtrak train on February 13th and returned on the 14th. It was a package deal that included a one night stay at the El Dorado Resort & Casino, dinner and a concert that included Elizabeth Pitcairn, the owner and very gifted soloist of the very famous 1720 "Red Mendelssohn" Stradivarius Violin. The concert was fantastic and there were 5 standing ovations. Great job by Micki King with Goldrush Getaways who did a wonderful job of coordinating this trip to ensure we all had a great Valentine's Day experience! Where are we going next, Micki?
We've been member of Goldrush Getaways for over two years. I wish we had found it sooner. We like to travel, especially going on cruises. The deals we've gotten for cruises have been fantastic and have more than paid for our investment.
Being able to book a hotel or cruise for our personal use and get the commission is great. So many of the cruise lines offer special deals for travel agents that absolutely blow mind.
One thing we really enjoy is the never ending training provided by various vendors as well as the Goldrush staff. It's great when you can't be there in person that most of the training is available via Webinar.
Great presentation by Ann Zinda. Sold us on the program. Very happy
I have been an agent with Goldrush for over 3 years and this has ABSOLUTELY been the best investment we've ever made. As most people, we were skeptical during the presentation, but saw that this was a "no brainer." Even if you don't travel much, every booking you make for yourself, at the very least, you will get commission. We cruise with Princess and after graduating from their on line class, we get a FREE cruise (could be 35 day world cruise, 12 days Australia/New Zealand, 10 day Tahiti), not to mention we are treated like we have traveled over 150 sea days...royalty. When ever I book a trip, I'm always asking for travel agent rates. If you go to their presentation because they offered you a free trip to get you there, they will carry out their promise, but don't expect a 4 star hotel and the cruise will be Carnival. TRY TO LOOK BEYOND THE FREE TRIP. This agency is much better than that. Their agents are always there to help and they offer continued education several times weekly to enhance your knowledge. They also bring tour operators and cruise line reps to GR. We went on a x-mas/New years 12 days cruise to Australia and New Zealand for $999...where can you travel, get all your food, entertainment and hotel room for $83 per day. This is a fabulous opportunity, they have been in business for 20 years and still going strong. We are taking Princess along the British Isles (12 days), and have over $1000 ship board credit for me and my husband to use.....most are travel agent perks. You are truly missing out if you continue to pay rack rate or even discounts with Costco travel. Yes, the prices are probably comparative, but you WON'T get commission if you book with another travel agency. We are getting $300 each for our commission on our June cruise. The money you pay to join is purely to give you access to travel agent resources and you get us use their IATA number, which is gold in the travel business. DON'T MISS OUT........it's fabulous and I haven't regretted our decision to join at all.
I am very happy with the experience I have with goldrush Getaways. Everyone is always very helpful and nice working with me. When I joined as a member, I didn't know what to expect. Once I started the classes, I knew that joining was the right thing to do because of the opportunities.
We have been members of Goldrush for over 3 years now and we are happy with their services.. As a member, we truly appreciate the personal attention and advice provided whenever we have wanted to travel. Our personal experiences has been nothing but good..
They have shown us how to travel at really reasonable rates.. In fact, we have taken 3 different cruises in the last 2 1/2 years that Goldrush booked. Our membership has saved us $1,000s of dollars off the retail cost of the cruises.. A great value ..
In todays digital world, booking and buying travel has become this impersonal self-guided maze.. At Goldrush we get the access to wholesale membership only prices..
My fiance and I met their marketers at the Sacramento Book Fair. We thought we'd check out their presentation for a free weekend in Hawaii.
As an estimator myself, I appreciate their atmosphere, ambiance, uppity soundtrack, luggage in the lobby, and other props. The presenter had high energy and enthusiasm. The power point shown was obviously professionally done, and makes my power points look like caveman carvings.
On the negative side, she made a quasi-racist statement which was pretty funny. She said "You people have a lot of family reunions," referring to two black couples in the room with us along with a finger wave. It was a reference to how much we all travel.
:*)
The layers started to peel back when I saw a Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce plaque with no year marked.... lol!
Also, there was no state license info associated with the "junior travel license" they were selling. So, we weren't really sold on the general concept as being legitimate. We're buying a home soon, so there was just no way.
If the concept is indeed legitimate, and someone has the money, then this might be a good deal!
I am new to Goldrush and after talking with Micki, I know I made a good choice by joining. She was most helpful and made me feel very comfortable learning about travel. She also seems to be a wealth of knowledge and told me to fell comfortable about calling her whenever I had any questions - and I will take her up on that. I am so excited about being a part of Goldrush.
Great presentation. Well done by the staff. We enjoyed the time spent learning about this company. We felt NO pressure to buy their service but it actually made a lot of sense because we travel a lot and plan to travel even more next year. The staff had promised gifts to attend the presentation and we received each gift with no hesitation at all. Everything was a explained by phone and e-mail. We thank Goldrush Getaways for honoring their promise of a time limit and promotional gifts. I've already set up our restaurant gift card account and it is a true 50% savings at local establishments in our area.
I'd like to express my gratitude for the level of service provided by Goldrush Getaways for really exceeding my expectations. We normally do all of our own travel arrangements, but with the craziness of the holidays we decided to try our luck with Goldrush. I personally be happier with the knowledgeable & friendly service provided given this was our very first cruise. I was surprised by the number of options offered to me and was very pleased with the final outcome.
Your agents made booking our cruise a wonderful experience that I will be sure to brag about to friends & family.
When my husband and I first went to the presentation, we were very unsure, but now that I have been doing this for one year and selling, plus traveling, I Love doing this. I am an Independent Travel Agent for Goldrush Getaways, I have been doing this for one year, At Goldrush, they offer a lot of classes to take in all the vacations they offer for us to sell to our family and friends, I also can call at any time when I need help and Elizabeth Chandler has always been there to answer and assist me so much, I am very please with my membership, I just renewed it, and it also gives me time to travel more with family.
Bob did a very good job for explaining the benefits, pros and cons.
At end we decided not to join. Bob still was very professional and polite
I went on a wonderful day trip with travel guide Micki King....the trip was so much fun and really educational....all the 3 locations we went to gave us wonderful tours and it was very fulfilling...we had a wonderful lunch at an old fashion cafe and the food was wonderful as well as the service...this trip was top notch from Micki King our travel guide down to our wonderful bus driver....I am looking forward to more of these bus trips...I have already booked my Victorian Christmas trip in December.
Micki @ GoldRush Getaways always plans the best trips. This trip to Chico was no exception. I had no idea that there were such interesting places to visit in Chico. Bus was great, lunch was great at a local eatery and the Orient & Flume was very interesting. Really enjoyed the Honey Run Covered bridge too. Again, who knew?? Wonderful!
I question the intriguity of the telemarketers and sales people used, they certainly don't represent the Goldrush Getaways that I am a part of. I was amased to discover that the sales people at fairs are not Goldrush employees. The ones I've encountered are not that familiar with what Goldrush does.
**NOW let me tell you about the Goldrush Getaways I'm associated with: I've been an Agent for 4 years, my reason for joining was never about getting something for free, I joined to learn how to be a Travel Agent, have a small business in my home and yes, find bargains. I have learned how to be an Agent through excellent training and support from the people at Goldrush. I would never expect Goldrush to do it for me, but, I do expect them to show me what to do and they have done that very well.
I am very proud to be affiatiated with Goldrush Getaways and also feel they represent me well. I make a little $$ and have lots of fun helping my friends and family plan their vacations and trips of a lifetime. My only concern is that it takes about 3 months to get paid.
In reading the other comments I feel you should get rid of the telemarketers and do a better job of screening and training those who work the fairs. Make sure they represent all of us the way Agents want to be represented. We work hard, are good Agents and create wonderful and exciting trips for our clients and ourselves.
Here's a thought: maybe Goldrush Getaways should think about hiring some Marketing people, pay them a salary, teach them what we do and get good qualified people.
It makes me a little sad that this medium is not creating an accurate picture of the organization regarding what it represents and how hard everyone work.
We recently became independent agents with Goldrush Getaways and had to go throught initial training offsite since we live in Southern California.. We worked closely with Micki King, travel agengt, who was excellent and provided us with a great deal of triainging and assistance. She helped orchestrate webinars and hands on training on line and explained a lot of details that were not evident. He knowledge and expertise made the process seamless and fun. I took a lot of notes to help in setting up future trips. She was responsive and executed on everything she agreed to do for us along the way. I really enjoyed working with her and know that as we beginning the training journey, we can count on her assistance. She alaways followed up and clearified any queastions we had. Micki is clearly an asset to the firm and should be recognized for her efforts.