Montreal partiers beware

Montreal tour companies advertise their trips to north of the border as a cheap, legal way for students to party and entice students with offers of free t-shirts and discounts on night club cover charges, However, some travel agencies may take advantage of college students, and caution should be used by students planning a Canadian excursion, travel experts said.

"Some companies offer better packages than others and some do take advantage of college students," said Games Away Tours marketing director Paul Kane. "One of our competitors has promised students things that they didn't end up receiving on their trip, but we treat every student fairly and have never gotten complaints from students since we've been in business."

Kane, whose company was founded in 1971, said it is best to work with only licensed travel agencies and to always ask questions before paying for the trip. Global Express, a competitor of Games Away Tours, offers a Presidents Day weekend trip for $99, while Games Away Tours offers a trip the same weekend for $119.

Global Express manager John Balastreri said rumors of scams at Global Express Tours are false, and said the company can offer cheaper trips because it does not hire tour escorts.

"We don't think students need babysitters," he said. "No matter what tour company you go with you're not going to be able to do what you damn please. You have to have some limits."

Elias Georgatos, a tour escort for DelSol Entertainment, a company which organizes trips to Montreal, New York City, Greece and the Caribbean, said the company transports 600 to 800 people to and from Montreal every year. He said the groups need to have escorts to ensure a safe and orderly ride to Canada.

"There are no scam trips to Montreal," he said. "The easiest way to check if a trip is a scam is to call the hotels and clubs the company deals with and see what they have to say about the company's reliability."

Students who have already been on Montreal trips say their experiences were good and problem free.

"I've been on the trip three years in a row with DelSol Entertainment and have never had any problems," said Rutgers University senior Manny Rodoussakis. "I always have a lot of fun with my friends and the people I meet over the weekend."

State University of New York-Stony Brook alumnus John Volikas said he has gone to Montreal with DelSol Entertainment for the past five years.

"Montreal is a very good place for college students who may not have the money to go to the Caribbean or Mexico for vacation," he said.