Honesty, pricing, process and quality scores appear once 5 customers have rated them.
About Happening Travel Club
Happening Travel Club is a Non-profit (501c3) Travel Club which operates through our mission of helping our community raise funds while they travel for all kinds of community needs. Our suppliers make available free turn-key travel programs where they will provide trips to be used as revenue fundraisers. We have a popular television where we focus on sharing expert knowledge and inspire viewers to explore the world, demonstrating a deep commitment to promoting travel and cultural awareness. Through the television show, we ensure that audiences are well-informed about the latest travel trends, tips, and opportunities, solidifying their reputation as a trusted authority in the travel industry.
Happening Travel Club (happening.travel) has 24 customer reviews on The Fair Hearing, with an average rating of 3.8 out of 5.
I was interested in a cruise that was published for the Daily Sun Deals that go active today. I have searched for the link was supposed to give more details on the cruise that was published in the ad but the link never existed.
I also went to the Celebrity Cruise website and could not find that specific cruise.
I don't trust them at this point
By Gary N.
Response from Happening Travel Club· Jun 10, 2026
Dear Gary,
Thank you for your feedback.
We were disappointed to read your review, particularly as we do not appear to have any record of you traveling with us or purchasing this particular tour.
Regarding the website link, the page was intentionally taken offline once the available inventory associated with the promotion had sold out. We do this to avoid confusion and prevent prospective travelers from believing the offer is still available when it is not.
As for not finding the itinerary on the Celebrity Cruises website, Happening Travel Club specializes in creating unique hosted travel experiences that often combine a cruise with additional pre- and post-cruise land touring, sightseeing, accommodations, and group activities. As a result, our tour dates and overall itinerary frequently differ from the cruise sailing dates published directly by the cruise line, and the complete package would not be available for purchase through the cruise line's website.
We understand that when an offer is no longer available and the webpage has been removed, it can create confusion. However, this should not be interpreted as the offer being illegitimate. We have been operating group travel programs for years and work with established travel suppliers and cruise lines to create our itineraries.
We strive to provide accurate information and transparent communication regarding all of our tours. If you would like additional details about a specific itinerary, we would be happy to assist you directly.
Sincerely,
The Happening Travel Club Team
Problem with not being allowed to change date on day trip
I made a reservation for a day trip that our neighbors had already booked and wanted us to go on with them. I didn't realize there were two different dates for this trip. I booked the April trip, paid for it and never received any response from The Happening Club to my e mail that it was booked. I talked to our neighbor and they said they had booked the trip in March...they we're not going to be in town in April. I called The Happening Club and asked for them to check and see if they showed that I booked the trip. They checked and said they showed it booked for April. They said they do not respond when a trip is booked until a week before the travel date. I explained to them that I was suppose to go with our neighbors and had booked the wrong month...that our neighbors are going on the March trip. I asked if I could change to the March trip if there was still space available. The man I spoke to said he would check if that could be done and text me. The text came today and said they do not make changes. The original trip would need to be cancelled and I could apply for a refund only if I bought cancellation insurance. And unfortunately I did not. I don't understand why a change cannot be made when the trips are still so far out and space is available on the correct one. I have taken many day trips using other companies and they have never had a problem with changes. I understand the policy on no refunds if you cancel, but do not understand the reasoning for no changes.
After reading the response from The Happening Club, l must add that I was NEVER told that the March trip was FULL. If that had been said from my original request, all would have been understood and I would not have felt it necessary to give a one star review. I never asked for a refund, I only asked to change dates. Had they told me the March trip was sold out the conversation would have ended there. Sounds like we had a total miscommunication problem. I don’t think being a NonProfit has anything to do with how people communicate with each other.
By Barbara S G.
Response from Happening Travel Club· Mar 23, 2026
Dear Barbara,
First, we are deeply distressed with your review of a trip you have not even traveled on for our 501(c)(3) nonprofit travel club. We would like to kindly remind you that we are not a traditional travel agency, and we do not plan trips in the same way a commercial agency would. Our trips are designed to support and raise funds for other 501(c)(3) nonprofit charities.
Second, in your 1-star review, you mentioned that you made reservations for an April departure, while your friends booked the March 30 Sarasota trip, which is a different departure. Unfortunately, this means you were never scheduled to travel together, as the bookings were made for separate dates. We understand how this could be frustrating, but we are unable to take responsibility for bookings made on different travel dates.
Third, the March 30 departure has been fully booked and closed for quite some time. As a result, we were unable to move your reservation to that date due to lack of availability. That said, we would like to acknowledge that we should have communicated this more clearly and earlier in the process. This was an oversight on our part, and we sincerely apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.
Again, we are disappointed that we have not met your expectations. If you would prefer to cancel your April trip, we would be happy to provide a full refund. It is possible that our nonprofit travel model may not align with your needs, and we completely understand. There are several excellent commercial travel providers in The Villages that may be a better fit. For day trips and overnight tours, we recommend Workman Transportation and Lamers, and for cruises, AAA and Expedia—each of which offers a more traditional travel experience.
We hope this provides better clarity on what The Happening Travel Club represents and the unique role we serve as a nonprofit organization.
Sincerely,
Darren Loli
Happening Travel Club
Are yoh kidding me? Trip cancelled?
We paid for tickets and tours for the October 2025 Italy trip and were just told your canceling the trip. And you kidding me? This is bull. What kind of company is this?
By John S.
Response from Happening Travel Club· Jul 23, 2025
We apologize that the group itinerary was cancelled, but we are excited to be able to work with you to create an amazing journey through Italy! Rest assured that you will still have a memorable vacation, even if we were unable to follow the original group plans.
BETTER OFF SKIPPING THE CLUB
Not really a "Travel Agent" in the traditional sense, as they totally don't provide much in the way of true customer service. There were many hiccups from start to finish, which ended up costing us a lot more money & aggravation/frustration/stress in the long run, which is NOT how you want to remember a vacation!
By Armando P.
Response from Happening Travel Club· Jun 3, 2025
Hi Mr. Pazos,
Thank you for your feedback. We're genuinely sorry your experience didn’t meet your expectations, but we do want to provide some important context.
First, we are not a traditional travel agency — we're a nonprofit travel club. That means our goal isn't profit, but delivering an educational experience and incredible value to our members. This trip included full sightseeing, a cruise, all ground transfers, and more for an average per diem of just $92 including all taxes and fees — something no traditional agency could offer.
Regarding the issue with your missed train: the delay was due to MSC’s cruise arriving late and disembarking at a completely different pier — on a weekend, when our offices were officially closed. Even so, our team stepped in, communicated with you in real time, and helped you navigate the situation. If we hadn’t, you would have missed all your onward transfers and potentially the rest of your Spain stay. Thanks to our intervention, you were able to rejoin the group in Barcelona and continue enjoying the trip.
We communicated extensively with you and all our guests throughout the journey. While we're sorry the experience didn’t align with your personal expectations, we want to be clear: we worked very hard to support you during a situation that was completely outside our control.
We’ll continue learning and improving, but we stand by the care and service our nonprofit team provided.
Best regards,
Happening Travel Club Team
