Cruise Voucher Buyers Left High And Dry

Employee Interview

We spoke with a former employee of Creative Creations about the troubles in the operation. You can watch that interview in the video above.

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There are new twists in the Fact Finders investigation into cheap airline vouchers that are months overbooked. It’s not just air travelers left scrambling by an Omaha event company.

The Rubys got their cheap flights to New Orleans but can’t board the cruise ship booked through Creative Creations. Cruise voucher buyer Steve Ruby said, “You would think you had a cruise booked and then you go during embarkation and when you get on the boat they say, ‘Oh I’m sorry, you owe us $2,240 more.'”

Two former employees of Creative Creations, one worked there up until Tuesday, didn’t want to be identified for fear of retaliation by the company or customers. The former employee said, “It seems like the employees are getting the brunt of it.” The recent employee said, “I just want people to know the people who sold them the vouchers really had no idea what was going on.”

Both said Creative Creations also sold cruises that will sail without many who paid the company. The recent Creative Creations employee said, “I had other families who didn’t even buy their kids Christmas gifts because they invested all their money in these cruises and now they have to figure out how to tell their kids they can’t go.”

While told automatic deposit payroll cleared, the recent employee said that at a final staff meeting Tuesday a manager warned that paper paychecks would bounce. They’re not alone.

Last week some customers showed Fact Finders refund checks from Creative Creations, and they’ve been checking with the company’s bank to see if there’s enough money to cover those checks.

A customer holding a $1,600 check said, “I have not been able to cash that check even at her bank.”

She came to the Douglas County Attorney’s bad check division. She said, “I hope a little pressure here will force her to put funds in the account so me and other families can get their money.”

The owner of Creative Creations has 10 days to make good on the checks or a felony bad check charge could be filed.

And for those still hoping to use the airfare vouchers they bought? The recent employee attended the final staff meeting and told us, “They said the travel side would be indefinitely closed and the legal counsel will be taking care of the travel side going forward. There would be no more travel, no more bookings.”

Fact Finders contacted a credit card provider for advice to customer who purchased vouchers on credit. The best first step is to submit a dispute to their card issuer. In the dispute, include as much documentation as possible including receipts, trip itinerary, notice of cancellations and any other documents regarding Creative Creations.

The last time we were able to reach the owner of Creative Creations she told us that customers should email travel@creativecreationsomaha.com for refund information.