What was supposed to be a warm, relaxing winter getaway on a cruise to the Bahamas turned into a nightmare for some Fall River area residents.
A bus traveling from New York to Fall River went up in flames in Connecticut during Sunday’s mammoth snowstorm, while carrying people coming from a cruise trip organized by Dreamy Destinations Travel of Rhode Island. The majority of those who went on that trip hailed from multiple locations in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
A video shared on Facebook by Gilberto Oliveira, one of the passengers, shows the bus completely engulfed in flames on Interstate 95 near Darien, while some of its occupants watched helplessly from the side of the road in the frigid conditions.
According to Darien First Selectman Jon Zagrodzky, there were 55 passengers and a driver aboard the DATTCO bus. According to local reports, about five people were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
“This was likely one of the most impactful incidents Darien has faced in several years, involving a fire and more than 50 patients who needed to be rapidly evaluated, treated, and either transported off the scene to area hospitals or safely sheltered and transferred back onto another bus to continue on to Fall River, Massachusetts,” said Zagrodzky in a prepared statement posted on his social media.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
Ana Borges, of Warwick, RI, one of the occupants, said the bus started overheating and the driver was trying to get to a rest area when they heard a loud noise coming from the back. Soon after, someone traveling in a car in the next lane tried to alert them that something was wrong. She said it didn’t take long before they started seeing smoke.
“Some of us got out by the front door, others by the back window,” she said in Portuguese. “Thankfully, everyone got out.”
Borges said the bus was engulfed in flames within a few minutes, and some drivers who were passing by stopped to help and offered their cars for people to get out of the cold.
Borges also expressed her sincere gratitude and appreciation to all the first responders.
“They did everything they could for us,” she said. “They were incredible.”
Borges said some passengers were taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation or panic attacks, but they were all released within a few hours.
She said the bus company put everyone up in a hotel, where they were given personal hygiene kits and free meals. Everyone returned home safely the following day.
“It was a big scare, and we lost our belongings, but we’re all fine and that’s what matters,” she said.
Bus incident may be the tip of the iceberg
Several individuals told O Jornal the bus incident was the latest in a series of unfortunate events related to a cruise trip that was advertised by Dreamy Destinations Travel as a ‘Cruise Party’ on the MSC Meraviglia from Jan. 18 to 25, with the local Moda Nova Band and singer Luís Pacheco.
Elizabeth Santilli, of West Warwick, RI, said she believed she purchased tickets for her family to go on the ‘Cruise Party,’ but found out about a week before the planned departure that her trip had never been booked.
Santilli said she paid $3,000 to Dreamy Destinations Travel in November. At the beginning of the year, when she realized she had not yet received a booking number, she said she called Louise Taveira Cardoso, who is listed as owner of Dreamy Destinations Travel, to find out what was going on.
“I was busy with the holidays, so unfortunately I didn’t realize it sooner,” Santilli said. “I reached out to her, but she never called me back.”
Santilli then contacted the cruise line herself.
“I called MSC, they said that she never booked it for me,” she said.
Her mom, Lucy Calouro, told O Jornal the same thing happened to her. She said she paid $3,000 to go on the cruise with her husband, but the reservation was never secured.
Meanwhile, others who ended up going on the cruise told O Jornal they didn’t get what they were promised.
“I was told the beverages and WiFi were included,” said Isabel Reis, of Pawtucket, in Portuguese. “That was not the case; I had to pay for it out of pocket. The same thing happened with others. And I heard more than 20 people were left behind.”
O Jornal contacted the phone number and email listed for Dreamy Destinations Travel to give them an opportunity to respond to these allegations.
A statement was provided by email.
“The matter is under investigation and once the investigation is complete, the parties who were actually affected will receive notification and their payments will be returned,” according to the email sent by the Dreamy Destinations Travel proprietor.
Dreamy Destinations Travel also posted the following statement on their Facebook page on Jan. 14: “Dreamy Destinations Travel, LLC was notified of a security incident involving a third-party vendor used in our operations. Upon learning of the issue, we took immediate steps to secure our systems and coordinated with the vendor as the matter is being investigated.
At this time, there is no evidence indicating misuse of customer information or travel reservations. Any individuals determined to be affected will be notified directly, in accordance with applicable laws.
We remain committed to protecting our clients’ information and appreciate your continued trust and support.
Harassment and bullying are not tolerated and can lead to legal action.”
Facebook group created for people who have been affected
Unable to find a way to get a refund from Dreamy Destinations Travel, Santilli decided to share her ordeal through her social media.
She also created a Facebook group titled “Members who got scammed with Dreamy Destinations Travel, LLC. Owner Louise” for “people who got scammed on a travel vacation with dreamy, destinations, travel LLC.”
She said she also filed a complaint with the Rhode Island State Police and contacted the Rhode Island General Attorney’s Office.
As of Jan. 28 afternoon, the Facebook group had 29 members, including Linda Rodrigues, of New Bedford.
Rodrigues told O Jornal she was supposed to go on the cruise as part of a girls’ trip. Some of her friends were able to go, but she did not.
“I want to share my experience and encourage others to speak up,” Rodrigues said. “I paid this travel agency in full for a cruise, received an invoice, and was told I was booked. One week before departure, I was informed no reservation had ever been made. When I asked for a refund, I was told the money was not available and was offered a future cruise instead, which is unacceptable.”
Rodrigues said she has made several attempts to contact Cardoso.
“She responded that her attorney would be in touch with me; however, to date, I have received no communication from any attorney,” Rodrigues said.
Rodrigues noted she has reported the incident to Rhode Island authorities and is asking anyone else affected to come forward and share their experience and report it to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, Federal Trade Commission, Better Business Bureau or the police.
“The more reports filed, the better chance we have of stopping this from happening again,” she said. “What she has done to hardworking people is unfair and shameful, especially to her own community.”
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