I recently had a terrible experience with LeBoat during what was supposed to be a relaxing and enjoyable three-week tour with friends and family around Venice, Italy. Instead, it turned into a nightmare due to the appalling conditions of the boat and the company's shockingly poor customer service.
From the moment we boarded, it was clear that the boat was not up to standard. It was much older than typical, and after a few days we discovered it was infested with bedbugs, which resulted in multiple bites for me and my crew. Reporting the issue immediately, the response from LeBoat was shockingly inadequate. Instead of taking responsibility and providing a professional solution, they sent us ant traps and a can of bug spray, which did nothing to resolve the bedbug infestation.
The customer service was equally appalling. When made aware of the infestation they emailed: “After you reported the issue, we conducted an extensive inspection using professional equipment and expertise….no evidence of bedbugs was found. This includes the thorough checks carried out in all areas of the boat where bedbugs might typically reside.“ They repeatedly denied the presence of bedbugs, despite the evidence we provided, including photos and text exchanges. The staff was dismissive and unhelpful, insisting that we handle the situation ourselves rather than providing the safe and clean boat that was their contractual obligation.
Despite all of the evidence we provided, LeBoat refused to issue a refund, leaving us with a ruined trip and no compensation because, in their words, “you had raised the issue with the ants, not the bed bugs, on board.” This is absolutely untrue. We raised the issue of bedbugs repeatedly with no mention of ants.
Communication with LeBoat was terrible. The staff was uncooperative and condescending, often talking over me and not listening to my concerns. It took raising my voice for them to finally pay attention, yet they still failed to provide a proper solution. Their repeated suggestions that we should handle the bedbug problem ourselves, rather than ensuring the boat was safe and clean as per their contractual obligation, was outrageous.
Our experience with LeBoat was so bad that one of my crew members renamed the company "Le Bugboat," a nickname that perfectly captures our feelings about the trip. The bedbug infestation not only ruined our vacation but also posed a risk to us and our luggage, potentially leading to further infestations in our hotels, airplanes, and homes upon return.
In summary, I strongly advise against booking with LeBoat. Their lack of proper maintenance, inadequate response to serious issues, and terrible customer service turned what should have been a pleasant vacation into a horrendous experience. Save yourself the trouble and choose a different company that values its customers and upholds basic standards of cleanliness and safety.