Earned an extra star as a second timer! Still dusty but went on a Thursday and VIP was empty! Ride was VERY bumpy, I moved to the back & was given many vomit bags (don't recommend having beef jerky and popcorn at 9 AM) Workers were helpful and patient (another family got rly seasick & was given time to get off ferry) read more

I had no clue what Catalina Island was other than an island that SoCal people liked to visit, and so I found a deal for The Catalina Flyer, a 600-passenger catamaran ferry, that made the fare more reasonable than typical. These ferry prices are crazy - they're almost on par with airfare! So yes, I recommend grabbing the Groupon that nearly halves it. Keep in mind this trip will not be cheap. It will cost you money to leave your car parked all day (there's a max rate, which you'll hit if you take the 8:45am ferry and arrive back at Newport Beach at 6pm). Prices vary based on season - you can look up the prices via "Newport Beach parking rates". We paid basically $45 just to park for that day in a random city lot near the docks. Be confident in your dates, because it seems a lot of complaints stem from people who needed to cancel or modify their reservation. Otherwise, it was a very seamless process to order the tickets and scan the QR code when boarding. Wi-fi password is only $1 when purchased with the ticket. There's additional charge for luggage, since some people stay overnight on the island. When you're boarding, they're a bit aggressive about selling the VIP experience, which was very sus. You should show up pretty early to line up for the ferry, as that'll get you first dibs on seating. We arrived over half an hour early and the line was already sizeable. They said it was possible seats would run out if they overbooked, and you'd have to stand. So, I get relatively mild motion sickness, but I can typically get over it pretty fast, or not get to the point where I feel a need to hurl. The Catalina Flyer made me uh, experience this. And I've been fine on various boats and ferries before, so I definitely was not expecting the constant push and pull of the torrent during the trip. It was hard to maintain composure even closing my eyes and blanking my thoughts. The first ~15 minutes of the ride was ok, but the next hour was praying for the time to pass without incident. When the trips ended, a lot of people looked ill, and the captain mentioned it was a bit more turbulent than usual. The trips took a little over 75 minutes each way, as you need to account for boarding. I can't imagine what it was like on the topside, as it was cold, windy, and fully booked on a random weekday morning. If you're prone to seasickness, you should aim to sit near the middle of the boat or on top. Most people wanted the window seats, and the leftovers got the sundeck. There's only two bathrooms by the way, and I don't recommend needing to go during the trip since you may rock back and forth while doing your business. The Catalina Flyer's employees even made a joke about the bathroom experience, especially because the ferry that leaves from Long Beach has way more. I absolutely recommend Dramamine before boarding, and that's exactly what I got for the trip back. There was a guy who offered "discounts" on various Catalina Island experiences between $50-100/pp (such as a semi-submarine, coastal cruise, conservancy, and city tour), announcing them when we sailed off - they were cheaper than our golf cart rentals, but they remove autonomy. If you're thinking about purchasing experiences, I'd research how much they typically cost online, so you can compare prices. I also wasn't personally interested because I like to rotate through Hawaii and Florida when I go on vacation, which I think offer better versions. Our Catalina Island day consisted of lunch, golf carting for two hours, grabbing souvenirs at Leo's Catalina Drug Store, watching a religious parade, alcohol and dessert, and tons of photos before we had to line up for the trip back to Newport Beach. I thought I was going to regret booking this trip because I'd get bored, but I'm glad I got to see what Avalon was all about. It seems like a mix of tropical culture, fishermen food and vibes, with junior Hawaii experiences and an Amalfi Coast aesthetic. And definitely touristy. If I had to take a ferry out again, I'd probably opt for the Long Beach ferry or come here from a cruise. But I probably won't go here again, because it's more expensive than Disneyland! read more

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No one apparently answers their phones. Now we gotta go to Long Beach to catch the next boat out. And we can't get a refund on our parking that we paid $75 for so that's a great way to start a vacation. Frustrating customers service. Oh a heads up for anyone in Newport CA that's a tourist like myself, there is only 1 time slot 9am going to the Catalina island that's it! 4:30pm is the boat coming back from Catalina . read more

It's a Boat time! Made it to Catalina Island by taking the Newport Flyer. This Flyer sets sail only twice a day. Once in the morning and the return back in midafternoon. What an Oar-deal. And speaking of deals our group upgraded to the V.I.P package on the way to Catalina. It includes boarding 1st. 50% off drinks. The crew members go around with excursion packages with discounts as well. Yeah Buoy! The water can be a bit Rocky but the view is knot to shabby. If you're feeling a little nauti the Catalina Flyer is the way to flow and this is no Bull-Ship! read more

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Pretty good the bathrooms are clean. It's quick and easy. The boarding process is a little long but overall a good experience. They do try to scare you with getting the VIP lounge which I personally snuck in there and saw it. It's not super worth it but if you want half off drinks, I guess it is worth it, is I think it's $40 extra if you want the VIP lounge there are cash bars inside. Regardless of vip lounge or not. Some things to feel a little bit like a cash grab. But we're all a decent experience. read more

The crew were very friendly. Explained everything about the ride & what to expect. They told you about the seating arrangement or which level is best for seasickness & why. Also offered Dramamine. Very comfortable seats. Nice bathrooms. Clean boat. The ride was about an hour & a half. Choppy going, smooth sailing back. Pleasant experience. It was Super Bowl Sunday, so they played the game on the tvs. I've taken them a couple years ago, I'd use them every time. read more

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SCAM!! Their lack of boarding instructions caused us to miss the ferry and we had to pay an extra $250 to get back and they refuse to refund!! They have no humans to speak with inadequate boarding insurrections. No gate listed on boarding pass! DONT USE THEM! read more

Clean boat, Super friendly crew. I would suggest to arrive early, as there are no specific seat arrangements. The upper deck is the funnest and best for watching for orcas and dolphins on the way over, but bring a hooded jacket or sweater because it's cold up there, specially on the way back late in the afternoon..the sunset is amazing from the top deck, going home. Looked like the bottom deck had a movie playing and would be warmer and closer to the bathrooms, but you are sitting in long rows with A Lot of people..top deck was more our style and the deckhand up there was super cool, friendly and ready to answer all questions and concerns I'd take the Flyer anytime. Whole experience was top notch read more

We sat in VIP section of boat which $20 extra and we appreciated having the option as we traveled with an 85+ year old and needed to get him situated before everyone got on the boat. It was nice though, had a concession with coffee, snacks and alcohol if you wanted it! What wasn't great...picking up luggage when you arrived at island. Must be a better system? Took us about 30-45 minutes which seems like forever when your engines are rolling to get going on the island! read more

Been going to Catalina forever and always preferred the Express. If I'm ever stuck taking the Flyer, I'm usually sitting outside dodging throw-up from the uppermost deck as there's little indoor seating . Most recently, a reservation agent gave me incorrect information regarding their cancellation policy at the time of booking in-person. Now stuck with $400 in credit to this crapper. Save yourself - take the Catalina Express! read more

This company is dishonest, a rip off, and not well managed. It's seems there website announcing a fee waiver for rescheduling is a lie. They try to charge me twice even when their website said otherwise. Veronica decided to loose a costumer completely than to work with me on making a rescheduling process for $25. The Catalina ferry at Long Beach is way better. This one should close. read more

Zero stars if I could give them!! I'm writing this in the hope that the owner or someone at the corporate level actually sees it, because the people currently answering the phones at Catalina Flyer are SHOCKINGLY unprofessional and should not be representing any business that expects paying customers to return. After needing help and requesting a text about 3 times and not getting any, we finally called today to ask about redeeming older, unused tickets. We were told they could be used, but then informed too much time had passed and they would not honor them. Fine. policies are policies. That was not the problem. The problem was the way we were spoken to. The girl on the phone acted as if we were bothering her just by calling. We had already purchased new tickets, about $300 worth and were simply asking about credit for a service we paid for but never used. Being treated like an inconvenience for asking about our own money is unacceptable. After hanging up, I called back to ask a simple question about our upcoming trip. The second employee was just as bad. She was mumbling, hard to understand, and refused to answer the most basic question: what time we needed to arrive for a 9 AM departure. She kept saying "it's in the email," even after I explained that the email never came through. Instead of giving a quick answer, she refused outright and insisted on resending the email while still not telling me the time. It honestly felt petty, like she was deliberately avoiding giving information that any paying customer should be able to get in ten seconds. But instead, stayed on the phone for 5 minutes but still wouldn't answer After being spoken to so rudely twice in a row, I finally asked why she was being so disrespectful. She talked over me, said she wouldn't answer any more questions, and claimed she "couldn't hear me" because I raised my voice, after she had already refused to help. Five minutes later, someone who sounded like a manager called back, not to resolve anything, not to ask what happened, but to cancel our trip entirely and say they would refund us. No discussion, no explanation, no attempt to fix the situation. Just canceled. My husband and I were honestly stunned. We sat there wondering what we possibly did to deserve being treated like that for simply asking questions about tickets we paid for. At this point, the cancellation doesn't even matter. We will never give Catalina Flyer another dollar. We'll gladly drive farther and use Catalina Express out of Dana Point, San Pedro, or Long Beach, because at least there you can call, ask a question, and be treated like a human being instead of an annoyance. The most unbelievable part is that the male manager never even asked what happened before canceling our trip. I am beyond angry, completely dumbfounded, and will be contacting corporate directly because no business should be allowed to treat customers this way!!! THEY NEED TO BE FIRED!!! read more

Took the Catalina Flyer from Newport Beach to Avalon and had a good experience. The ride was a little bumpy, but the views were beautiful, and the staff were friendly. The boat is spacious with indoor/outdoor seating and a small snack bar. Just one trip per day, so plan accordingly. Make sure to arrive early because long line can add quickly. Overall, a convenient and scenic way to get to Catalina Island! read more

Catalina Flyer - Boat Charters Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I got a Groupon for the Catalina Flyer and all went great! I was able to book my date and time and received confirmation right away. You did have to pay an additional $20 extra through the Catalina Flyer website that wasn't mentioned on Groupon so that was confusing but still cheaper than without Groupon. Our pass said to arrive an hour before. We arrived about 30 min before, and they started boarding around 15 min before departure. Boarding was the longest part for sure. Once we found our seats, I grabbed coffee from the snack bar (~$4 each) and sat back. One thing to note is that, though emergencies are unlikely, I really wish they would have done a proper announcement. Both there and back, an employee stood up front in the section -- no mic, nothing to amplify their voice -- and kind of just shouted where lifejackets were located. No one could hear. I sat in the bottom cabin on the way there and saw several people grab sick bags. I heard from a crew member that you are less likely to feel sick on the higher levels in fresh air, so we did that on the way back. Totally worked! They had large bathrooms with lots of stalls on board which I wasn't expecting! Very nice. All in all, this is a great way to get to Catalina. Journey is around 1 hr 15 each way. read more

I feel compelled to share my extremely disappointing experience with Catalina Flyer. My sister, my wife, and I purchased vouchers for round-trip tickets. However, when attempting to book through the proprietary Groupon link provided, the website would not allow us to make any reservations. Every single date -- including weekdays -- appeared blacked out and marked as sold out, which seems highly unusual. I called customer service to troubleshoot the issue and unfortunately experienced the worst customer service interaction I've ever had. As a sales manager for a large corporation who manages hundreds of customer relationships, I do not make statements like this lightly. The representative who answered was dismissive and unwilling to help troubleshoot the booking issue. Instead, she stated she could manually make the reservation for an additional $5 fee. I explained that I should not have to pay an unnecessary reservation fee when the system itself was not functioning properly on my end. She then abruptly hung up on me. I called back and politely asked for her first and last name. She refused to provide it and hung up again. I called a third time requesting to speak to a manager. I was told there was no manager on site, that she was not obligated to transfer the call, her tone escalated, and she hung up yet again. For reference, this occurred on Thursday, February 19th, between 12:30 p.m. and 12:35 p.m., and I was disconnected three separate times by the same young lady. This is not how paying customers should be treated. If calls are recorded, I strongly encourage management or ownership to review them. The lack of basic customer etiquette and professionalism is concerning and reflects poorly on the organization. I sincerely hope this feedback is taken seriously and addressed internally. I was finally connected to a gentleman named Kurt. He was patient, polite, and truly took the time to listen and address my concerns. The difference was night and day, and I appreciate his professionalism. That said, I strongly urge management to address the behavior of the initial representative, as this type of treatment is completely unacceptable. read more

Catalina Flyer is a great boat to get to Catalina. Tickets can be purchased through the site or you can get deals from third party vendors such as Groupon, or a work-sponsored discount website. General seating is indoor and outdoor; however, there is one VIP cabin that is on the second level (out of 3) and is indoor. Outdoor is the second floor and third floor. If you show up late, you will most likely sit on the top as the indoor seating fills up FAST. When reboarding the boat, for some odd reason if your name is not on the manifest, you will be expected to surrender a valid ID. I would definitely utilize the Catalina Flyer again :) PS it can sometimes be more crowded returning from Catalina because of the people who were staying the night there. read more

I called to ask if it's possible to change my reservation time and the worker very bluntly replied no with no explanation or apologies. Very rude. A little kindness or empathy would be appreciated. read more

Bought a round trip ticket yesterday was fine, today no seats available so my daughter who is recovering from stand I had to stand for 90 minutes I asked the employee on the 430 return trip if she could sit in the vip room since she was struggling He said kits no different then a bus, if they run out of seats you stand l, even though we paid for SEATS! read more

Smooth ride from Newport to Catalina and back. The captain was very kind to slow down so guest can watch dolphins. Crew members came around to ask if guest would like anything from the snack shop. However, there were tons of people standing because there were no seats on the way to the island and back. We lost almost 2 hours of visiting the island to start making a line to ensure we had seats for our children. The crew should ask guest to take up one seat and backpacks or sweaters do not go on seats, in addition they should ask people to scoot in or allow others to take seats. It was very uncomfortable to stand for over an hour specially for elders and children or for those who had babies in their arms. read more

Catalina Flyer - Catalina Flyer - Boat Charters Near Me - Newport Beach, California

We had a great experience with the Catalina Flyer. The boat was on time, very clean, and well organized from start to finish. I was traveling with my 5-year-old daughter, and she got a little seasick during the ride. The staff and crew were exceptionally kind, attentive, and helpful, which made a big difference. They checked in on us and made sure she was comfortable, showing genuine care for their passengers. The crew also pointed out a pod of dolphins, which turned the trip into a really special moment for my daughter. Overall, professional, friendly, and very family friendly service. I'd absolutely recommend the Catalina Flyer and would use them again. read more

If I can give 0 stars I would! I've been trying to get some assistance over the phone but it seems like their number does not work and just redirects you to message them. I began messaging them but they are not helpful. I ended up calling again and finally spoke with a representative by the name of Veronica and oh my she had such an attitude. She put me on hold or mute for 5 minutes and I wasn't aware since she didn't advise she was going to, I thought the line disconnected so I ended the call & I called again. The same representative answered my call & Before our second call ended she asked if I had more questions and I said no thank you but then right away I was actually going to ask another question that came up but she clicked the call right away. Veronica did not end the call properly, no "thank you have a good day" or anything. I hope their supervisor sees this so they can get additional training to treat people with respect. If Veronica doesn't like dealing with people she should get another job! read more

Catalina Flyer - Messages between Catalina flier service and I - Boat Charters Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I've called back and forth 4 times today, trying to get a clear understanding of how to try to re-purchase a different time slot for my ticket. Everytime I've talked to someone they have been short and not wanting to explain how to transfer, just to call "as soon as my waitlist notification has popped up". The issue is that I have already done this and by the time I get through the tickets are gone. I understand now that it's first come first serve, so if we don't get through in time that's just bad luck. No worries. What I don't understand is why the lady I was talking to on the phone started yelling at me and when I tried asking a question (because she was repeating the same narrative that I have been told 3 times prior by other people) she yelled at me and said don't talk over me. I immediately hung up as obviously I am not going to get any help or stay on the phone as she yells at me? Your customer service team is extremely unprofessional and not willing to help explain the process. It's the first time we've tried using your service, and as it's a lot of money, we want to fully understand how to access tickets. This is no way would ever have me consider using you guys again, it's been extremely frustrating to say the least. I'm sending this as I do not expect anyone to care, but in hopes that you could at least talk to your staff and have them listen to customer questions so we can better understand the process. I'd recommend saving yourself the hassle and using the Catalina Express. I've used them before and never had any issues. read more

Employees are great and cordial. Ship left on time and clean. I will definitely be a repeat customer! Please don't forget to tip them.

Beware Do not book with this company Return trip was overbooked left over 60 people standing including men women children . Impossible they had life jackets for everyone Myself and my grandson had to stand on top tier at the very back of the boat holding on to rails he's 12 years old horrible experience and completely illegal . I'm outraged and will report this to every agency I plan to stop them from running a third world country boat ride treated like we are cattle shoved in together. Staff is pathetic didn't care at all and did nothing to help us . read more

Can't say enough good things about this boat and yall know how I like to get on yelp and say bad things. The staff was awesome, starting with Armen and trickling through everyone on board. Much more relaxed than other boats I've taken to the island and...temperature control!! So u don't have to decide between freezing or oddly warm. Smooth ride, nice bar, again I'd like to pick something apart but I've got nothing haha. Also, I don't understand the negative reviews, maybe they're people that get sea sick or had smooth boat rides. People are weird. Highly recommended!! From The U to You, B-Walk read more

Catalina Flyer - The U on the Catalina Flyer!! Perfect combination!! - Boat Charters Near Me - Newport Beach, California

It's expensive but we had no complaints. It was pretty organized and everyone had a seat. We enjoyed the ride. They were very accommodating to all the sea sick guests. (There were ALOT). I would use them again! read more

Catalina Flyer - Outside - Boat Charters Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Easy booking and the ride was straight forward. My recommendation is to pay for VIP because if you don't get in like an hour early, you'll be in the back of the line and not have a seat. Staff is friendly and the ride isn't too long. There are drinks available for purchase as well. Bring Dramamine in case you don't know if you'll get seasick. read more

Ticket buyers beware of these folks!! They run a horrible business robbing people of their hard earned money.. We booked a round trip a week ago and they ended up canceling our trip due to weather conditions which is understandable and totally fine.. what is not okay is that they did give us a full refund only half. Absolutely unacceptable. Today we call to get a better understanding on what's going on and it seemed like nobody could help us. Finally a lady gets on the phone and is extremely rude and would not let us speak, she seemed irritated and very aggressive yelling on the on the phone. We asked to speak to a manager and she said no mangers work there and to call back tomorrow unacceptable.. I call back ask to speak to a manager again and she proceeds to lie and says there all gone for the day I ask for her name and she proceeds to yell Veronica which I'm sure is also a lie and hangs up! This company has to do better. The people representing this company are not properly trained for customer service. Horrible this will not end here.. read more

Very rude people answering phone, highly unprofessional. Very low customer service. Choose boat company departing from long beach, not Catalina Flyer. read more

Rude reservation staff and horrible service. They have an attitude and are very unaccommodating.

When booking a VIP reservation the policy is to check-in at "white kiosk". However, there is a Flyer employee who is on a megaphone announcing "you need to upgrade to VIP" because it's climate controlled. So, instead of having a peaceful and quiet ride to the island, VIP is sold out!? The line for VIP is longer than general admission. What a scam for those who felt obligated to upgrade. Definitely take the Express out of Dana or LB. read more

Catalina Flyer - The line for VIP goes past the Fun n the Sun shop! There is 30 people in line for general admission! - Boat Charters Near Me - Newport Beach, California

This is the most ridiculous and unprofessional staff. I spoke with Edith to ask for assistance in a refund due to me. NOTE if you buy a GROUPON you will need to add each person individually, you cannot add them as a passenger, the form does not allow you to add additional Groupon voucher information. Anyway, she was rude, condescending, refused to have me speak to her manger and hung up on me. Use Catalina express, thy are a better choice in Customer service. At this point I am trying to cancel my upcoming trip. read more

Erik was such a blessing to have on this trip! The crew was so accommodating to my friend who was injured and kept her and all of us in such good spirits! The crew is always amazing and we just wanted to shout out Erik because he went above and beyond and is an amazing crew member. read more

ABSOLUTELY DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. Date of Experience: August 17, 2025 - 9:00 AM Called customer service this morning at 9 a.m., and immediately the woman who answered the phone was unbelievably rude. She was short with me, basically hung up, and told me to "text only." When I tried to explain my Groupon situation (which clearly stated the information I had) she refused to help me and flat-out refused to honor it. I called back, thinking maybe it was a misunderstanding. I was polite, I tried to be nice. Instead, I was met with even more attitude. I cannot believe this person is still employed here, representing the Catalina Flyer. She was dismissive, unprofessional, and downright nasty. This is the face of your business? She should be fired immediately. To make matters worse, she refused to honor my Groupon despite all the information being correct. I even provided a screenshot showing it. She just didn't care. That's not just rude, it's unethical. I was so shocked by how bad the experience was that I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. And here's what's truly unhinged: there are over 10 years of bad Yelp reviews citing this exact same issue. Groupon problems and this same rude woman and yet nothing has been done. What a disgraceful, embarrassing business. Honestly, it should be shut down. If you want to go to Catalina, do NOT take the Catalina Flyer. Go from Long Beach instead. The staff there are kind, the prices are better, and the boats are cleaner and nicer. read more

READ REVIEWS FIRST! I can see from other reviews that I'm not the only one dealing with this exact same issue, which honestly makes it worse. Here's what happened to us. I was gifted a Groupon for the Catalina Flyer. It expired, and that's fine, I get it. When I called, I was told I could still use the amount that was paid for it, since it literally shows that on the Groupon confirmation. The rep we got on the phone immediately rushed my husband off, told him she'd "just text him" instead of helping over the phone (very weird), and then went back and forth basically saying the Groupon we had wasn't valid "documentation." She said we had to provide an original receipt, which... if you've ever used Groupon, you know that's not how it works. On top of that, she said if she booked it for us there would be an extra $5 per ticket fee, which is nowhere on their site. When my husband pushed back, she told him to "do whatever you want" and sent a thumbs up emoji. That's not customer service, that's being petty. When I called her myself, she was immediately rude. I told her she was being rude and her response was "that's just how I talk." The "sorry" that followed was dripping with sarcasm. I asked for a manager and was told there wasn't one available and that I should fill out some random complaint form. Only after pressing did she admit I could try again the next day. I don't mind if there are policies that can't be bent. But being dismissive, rude, and sarcastic isn't policy, that's just bad customer service. And the fact that review after review points to the same thing shows me this is a bigger issue that management is choosing not to address. If you don't want to deal with that, you're better off with Catalina Express out of Long Beach. read more

The absolute worst customer service ever I had some questions prior to booking and on their website they offer a chat option to reach a customer service representative. Well, it turns out the customer service representatives are out of state not on site have no clue what they're talking about and just have form responses to feed you. Might as well use an AI bot for as useless as they are. I had questions about parking and the person repeatedly sent me the link to. The cities parking website. This had nothing to do specifically with parking for the Catalina flyer. I had questions about if there was reserved parking if it was public parking is it often available or do some people have problems getting a spot, how much on average parking per day is this person was clueless and sent me the same link over and over again. When I asked them to please stop sending the same link over and over again, which was reaching the point of spamming me, they sent it two more times! I asked for their name or identification number and they refused to provide anything. obviously, there's a reason they work in a call center. What's worse is when I reported my interaction to management at the Catalina flyer they got defensive and we're just as useless! If this is the initial customer experience, I will never give them my business and I suggest you stay far away from them and take the Catalina express, which is a different company instead. Just Horrible!! read more

Rip off! They said they are extending our tickets but never did until it expired! Now they are saying we can use the groupon ticket but not the discounted price anymore which means we have to pay more. read more

SCAM!!! Getting insurance with them is fraud. Rude people with bad attitude .. hang up on customers ... refused to refund our tickets even though have medical condition.. TOTAL FRAUD .. TOTAL SCAM... they also go by CATALINA ISLAND FERRY ... HORRIBLE SERVICE ... DO NOT BOOK WITH THEM read more

They move through the lines very quickly by having clear instructions. The boat is clean and managed well. On the way back, there was another vessel that delayed departure before the Catalina flyer could dock for us to board, but we still managed to leave on time. I only got a hot chocolate on here, which was the typical powder mix and had to be stirred/shaken throughout to taste ok. The boat ride itself is smooth and quick. It's fun to go to the back of the boat and enjoy the views. read more

Every time I call this location, they are always so rude and have no customer service at all.