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I am writing to share our feedback regarding our recent charter in Volos. We have been sailing the Mediterranean since the 2000s and are highly experienced in Greek waters. While 99% of our trip was a wonderful five-star experience, the checkout process was handled in an highly unprofessional manner by the yacht owner, Effi.
Initially, the yacht was in excellent condition, and the base manager, Ria, was incredibly helpful. However, just before returning to Volos, we faced sudden severe weather with winds exceeding 45 knots. Per the owner's instructions, we delayed entering the harbor. During this storm, a bow cushion was swept away by a heavy gust. We view this as a force majeure event, particularly as we were given no specific instructions regarding the security of these cushions during check-in.
Upon arrival, Effi presented an immediate invoice of €1,260 just for the cushion. When we contested this, she began adding several unsubstantiated charges to the bill, using our €3,000 credit card authorization as leverage:
Alleged Toilet Blockage: We demonstrated to Effi that the toilet was operating smoothly. She disregarded this, brought in a third party, and charged us €150 for a non-existent blockage.
Dinghy Outboard Motor: The dinghy arrived to us, we started it for a few seconds and found it good. Unfortunately, when operating it longer the engine stopped. I discovered a missing fuel pipe sealer, then sent pictures to Effi. We waited half a day in Skiathos for someone that fixed this issues and did not complain. However, Effi later attempted to charge us an additional €100 for this pre-existing defect.
Hull Scratch: We were charged for a minor scratch. Ria promised to email us video evidence proving this scratch was not there prior to our embarkation, which we have yet to receive.
Thanks entirely to Ria’s professional mediation, we reached a compromised cash payment of €650 to conclude the matter, and she kindly offered a discount on a future charter.
While we greatly appreciate Ria's efforts, we are deeply disappointed by the owner's behavior and unfair billing practices. We request that you review this case, look into the outstanding video evidence for the hull scratch, and ensure that future charterers are not subjected to similar hidden fees.
In addition, we ask reimburse our credit card with the paid amount of 650 Euros.
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