I am writing to this review to share my recent Dubai trip experience. Unfortunately, our trip was filled with unpleasant surprises and disappointments. Below are the key issues we faced:
1. Visa Charges
We booked our trip on January 13, 2025, and made an advance payment for travel on January 21, 2025. However, on the following day i.e. January 14, we were informed that we had to pay INR 4, 000 more per person for urgent visa processing. If there were potential issues with visa processing, your team should not have taken the booking or should have advised us upfront. This left us feeling stuck, frustrated, and misled.
2. Airport Pickup
There was no representative holding a DePauls placard at the airport, leading to confusion and multiple calls/messages to coordinate our pickup. This was an early indication of the mismanagement we were about to experience throughout the trip.
3. Dubai Frame Visit
We were taken directly to Dubai Frame from the airport and given only an hour for the visit. Due to long queues, it took us an hour just to enter. Despite informing the driver, he kept pushing us to finish quickly, making the experience stressful rather than enjoyable.
4. Dhow Cruise Dinner
The cruise, operated by Falcon Oasis, was overcrowded, disorganized, and poorly managed. We were assigned two tables, but one couple in our group was asked to sit separately. There was no proper queue management for food, resulting in chaos, with some people cutting in line while others had to wait excessively. The food was tasteless and of below-average quality. Worse, it caused stomach issues the next day, raising serious concerns about hygiene.
5. City Tour
We booked the "Value Package, " which was supposed to include an upgrade to full-day city tour. However, we were given only a half-day tour, which is part of the standard package. This was a misleading and false promise. Additionally, we had to wait about an hour in the morning at the hotel and another hour in the evening at the Gold Souk, as your local tour operator(Falcon) was busy picking up other guests from different locations. This wasted valuable time.
6. Desert Safari
Another disappointing experience with Falcon Oasis. Their camp was below average, unorganized, and a repeat of the Dhow Cruise experience. There was no proper queue management for food, leading to chaos with people pushing and cutting in line. The food was bland and of poor quality. The washrooms were dirty and unhygienic. We were not taken deep into the desert for the safari, but instead, driven directly to the camp in 4x4 for the sake of the safari. Based on feedback from a local friend, it seemed like the cheapest desert safari available in Dubai. Additionally, we were the last ones to be picked up, waiting for 45 minutes. The so-called "free camel ride" was a joke. Furthermore, we were overcharged by Falcon people for the quad bike ridenormal rate AED 100 per person while we were charged AED 150.
7. Limo Ride & Yacht Ride
We were supposed to get a one-hour limo ride and a one-hour yacht ride. However, the limo arrived 20 minutes late, and both experiences were rushed. Your local tour operator misled us by repeatedly saying the limo was waiting, only to later retract the statement. The limo ride was reduced to 40 minutes, and the yacht ride to just 30 minutesnone of this was our fault. Both activities were lined up with no time gap with no consideration for the time required to reach the yacht gate from the Limo drop off point. Additionally, no one was there to guide us, and the gate number was changed at the last minute, causing unnecessary stress. Despite our complaints in the WhatsApp group, they remained a silent spectator and did not intervene.
8. Transfers & Transport Quality
All land transfers were poorly managed, leading to unnecessary long waits and repeated follow-ups. The vehicles provided were often old and not up to Dubais expected standards. On our return from the safari, the vehicle had a strong odour, making the long ride extremely uncomfortable.
9. Invoice, Receipts, and TCS Certificate
I have yet to receive a formal invoice with VAT details, payment receipts, and proof of the TCS that was charged to me. I had requested these documents before the trip and was advised that I would receive them after returning. These are still pending, and I request immediate action. My last message to Mr. Parvesh remains unanswered.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this was an extremely disappointing experience. The trip was poorly managed, far below expectations, and not worth the money we paid. The "superior" package we were promised did not deliver anything superior. Given this, I cannot recommend their services to anyone.
I hope, my honest feedback will help future travelers, and DePauls improve their services to prevent others from facing similar issues.
My Feedback email to them remains unanswered.
Dinesh Yadav