Overseas adventure travel complaints. There are some overseas adventure travel complaints that are so annoying that it should be brought to our attention before using their services.
I am aware that it is a stressful period for everyone involved in the travel industry, and it’s an emotional time for all. But, I am dissatisfied with your cancellation policies.
We’re scheduled to travel to Ireland on the 1st of October. CDC and the State Department have put Ireland on an alert red (do not travel there), but the overseas adventure travel complaints tour continues.
According to the customer service representatives, the cancellation options are very limited. We’re just hoping for a full refund as well as price security for our next trip.
We’ve reluctantly scheduled a trip for 9. May in 2022. But, I am shocked that they would charge loyal customers $100 to make changes in flight prices.
My mother has been on GCT several times. Doesn’t loyalty really matter the small amount?
In the last 3 days, I’ve attempted to reach OAT to get updates on the status of their service using three different numbers. Each number is equipped with prerecorded messages that can last as long as 2 hours.
On 7/28/2021, I was for more than two hours before I gave up. On 7/29/2021, I was on hold for more than three hours before finally ending the call.
I contacted Support and was told that they’d reply within between 8 and 10 working days. As of now, I’m probably going to cancel my booking and ask for a full refund that is allowed within the Travel Protection Plan.
Because of COVID, we were forced to relocate our trip. After a year, we demanded our money be returned.
They would not return our money. They advised us to call Alliance to request an exchange.
We did. Alliance suggested calling Grand Circle.
Then I read some of these complaints and created a submit a file with the suggestions by other customers who were able to get refunds. We will keep updating this website.
I will never go on a trip with them again.
Overseas Adventure Travel 2022 Iceland
The actual OAT tours are excellent; however, in recent times, the administration and customer service have become more difficult to resolve. Like many others of us, our May 2020 OAT excursion was canceled OAT.
According to OAT’s Travel Passenger Agreement, which I had to electronically confirm as having read and agreed to in order to secure our June reservation, 2019 specifically states that should OAT cancels a trip, we can claim an amount of money back if we would like.
The first email we received from OAT about the cancellation of the trip acknowledged this fact by saying, ” We (OAT) hope that you will hold your reservation to travel with us in the future.”
OAT has signed a contract with us in 2019, and it isn’t able to unilaterally alter the terms of that contract at present. However, this is precisely the thing they’re trying to accomplish.
By 2021 OAT will not be offering the same trip we bought for 2020. They claim that you’ve paid for the trip. We’re no longer offering the service.
You might not be able to get your money returned. Therefore, choose a product among our other overseas adventure travel complaints options. Really???
If you contact them, you will only speak with an employee of customer service who will simply say that “We’ve changed our policy.” If you request to speak to an administrator, the rep replies that “They don’t accept inbound calls.”
It’s an obvious Catch-22 that clearly aims to stop the client from getting any relief.
Grand Circle Travel Cancellation Policy
My journey in Egypt, along with Overseas Adventure Travel, was scheduled to begin in the middle of March. O.A.T. The tour was canceled due to Covid-19.
It was an immense relief. The company informed me about the cancellation and offered the option of a credit to rebook or a full refund which would include travel expenses.
Within a week, I was informed via email that I was booked for the same trip next year. I was unaware that the policy stated had altered: O.A.T. did not offer refunds anymore.
I informed them I had an illness that required medical attention, and I was not sure when or if I’d be able to travel. I asked if they’d just retain my $17,500 if they were unable to travel by 2021’s end. Answer: Yes.
Did you get that final section? Grand Circle says it can offer credit to you should it wish to, instead of a full refund.
But wait! What are the terms which you initially agreed?
I looked up the terms as of the beginning of 2020, prior to the outbreak, and the last sentence regarding refunds being given your money in the fashion that is determined by the company was not in the contract.
Companies such as Grand Circle have argued that you’re also committing to the overseas adventure travel complaints terms and conditions when you accept an offer of credit on your next trip.
This means that they will effectively continue to provide credit until you decide to take a trip or end the trip. I’m not sure if I am in agreement with this.
I’ve contacted Grand Circle on your behalf. They have made their overseas adventure travel complaints position regarding refunds clear to my advocacy team as well as me before.
We thought, however, that we’d suggest Grand Circle take another look.
Grand Circle Travel Financial Problems
Have Overseas Adventure Travel or another tour operator offered you a refund in the pandemic, only to cancel afterward? If so, you’re not the only one.
One of the more frequent issues we’re hearing about is tour overseas adventure travel complaints operators changing their contract conditions following the coronavirus cancellations started.
The positive news? One of the leading tour operators recently changed its mind again — this time in favor of its clients.
If you’ve been fighting for the right to reclaim your money from Overseas Adventure Travel or Grand Circle during the outbreak and you’re lucky, you’re in luck.
As the first signs of the pandemic’s global spread at the beginning of this global pandemic, the Elliott Advocacy team began to notice strange complaints.
Certain of these complaints involved companies that had not previously been on our list of companies that received bad treatment of consumers.
Customers reported that many travel agencies were canceling their scheduled trips and, after providing a full refund, eventually refused to honor the offer.
One of the companies included Overseas Adventure Travel, a subsidiary of Grand Circle. Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) has always been very responsive to our team’s requests, and complaints have been very minimal.
The businesses seem to have quickly set lawyers to work on updating their overseas adventure travel complaints agreements following the pandemic hit the world.
The newly updated rules and regulations are utilized against customers who are seeking an exchange — even if the business is forced to cancel the customer’s plans.
Are these post-facto modifications to the cancellation conditions actually legal? More importantly, for these companies to maintain their loyal customers, is it ethically appropriate?
Previously we have written articles about names that mean travel or adventure.
Overseas Adventure Travel Reviews Yelp
Today I came across an online travel forum that has since been closed. It discussed the distinctions between Overseas Adventure Travel tours and Rick Steves tours.
Participants addressed the quality of hotels, the size of groups as well as other concerns. They are no longer relevant given the differing responses to Coronavirus cancellations among the two businesses.
Overseas Adventure Travel originally offered refunds to those whose overseas adventure travel complaints trips were canceled or who had to cancel their own travel plans within the cancellation guidelines that were published.
Overseas Adventure Travel is now not honoring its promise of cancellations and is offering only travel credits. They basically changed their policy and then retroactively applied it for all cancellations.
A quick glance at feedback from Tripadvisor or The Better Business Bureau will tell the truth. In light of Rick Steves’ ethical and caring reaction towards Coronavirus cancellations, there’s no longer any competition between the two businesses.
I am able to testify to the authenticity of this article because I am one of those who are affected by their changes in policy. Be aware that OAT has stopped canceling tours.
They have been “postponing” them, and people will be automatically assigned for the tour by 2021. They also have the overseas adventure travel complaints option of switching the tour.
I was fortunate (or stubborn, as my wife puts it) in the sense that I did not accept “no refund” for a response. I made a complaint about it to Massachusetts Better Business Bureau and State Attorney’s Office.
I received my refund because of my complaints. If you’re due a refund from OAT, Try these two methods. It’s also been successful for others.
I had an advantage to my name when I had to process a chargeback for my credit cards. I will always make use of my credit card, no matter what the cash discount (even to pay for Rick Steves Tours, which I have been on).
OAT Egypt Tours Cancelled
As you can see from the reviews that follow, OAT canceled trips as due to an outbreak. They first waited to cancel the trip until they were unable to access the countries of the trip and the travelers couldn’t get back home.
They were hoping, maybe that their customers were first to cancel so that cancellation charges wouldn’t be applied. (Even when a customer decides to cancel a day earlier than OAT overseas adventure travel complaints does, they’re still liable for the cancellation fee).
However, after OAT cancelled the trip and promised over the phone or via email, that if passengers were not willing to rebook their trip, OAT would refund their funds.
That’s what they’re actually obliged to do according to the provisions of their “Terms and Conditions” (which are, of course also require arbitration as well as do not allow class-action lawsuits).
However, as you will see in the following reviews the company has backed off on their promise (and legally binding) and will no longer offer a refund, but instead credits towards booking a new reservation.
This unprofessional and unlawful practice is in addition to the most unprofessional customer service that you will ever encounter anywhere.
There is no reliable email address and hold times of that can go over an hour to connect with the customer service representative who has no power for you, and there is no follow-up from a supervisor when they promised.
I have been very pleased with my trips through OAT over the years, despite the long wait time on the phone that have plagued their customer support for many years.
However, their refusal to reimburse a payment made for a trip that they do not be able to provide despite promises and a contract duty to refundis a reprehensible transgression.
However appealing the tours they offer, their small group sizes and no-cost single overseas adventure travel complaints supplement could sound, I would suggest to stay clear of OAT. The whole thing won’t be worth the cost if they keep your money as a hostage.
Who Owns Overseas Adventure Travel
Alongside Kensington Investment Company and other holdings In addition, in addition to other holdings, the Lewis Family owns America’s leading group of travel businesses, Grand Circle Corporation.
Specialized in international travel, adventure, and exploration for American travelers over 50, we are committed to providing meaningful and cross-cultural experiences that transform people’s lives. Visitors as well as the communities we travel to.
Since its inception in the year 1978, overseas Adventure Travel has offered unique small-group experiences all over the world.
Through land and sea, we travel off and off the beaten track with a local OAT Trip Guide, taking in the local culture, trying different modes of transport as well as staying at authentic hotels that capture the essence of the destination.
In 1958, Grand Circle Travel was founded to assist American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) members; Grand Circle Travel is now offering well-known international travel options for all Americans.
The key to the success of the company are the foundations on the basis of every trip we plan that include a broad overseas adventure travel complaints range of value, leisurely and a wide range of options as well as cultural discovery.
Our company is also well-known for its expert, resident Program Directors, as well as our distinctive Discovery Series of cultural and educational activities and events.
Better Business Bureau Overseas Adventure Travel
BUY THE INSURANCE! If you’re planning to book your trip with OAT, which I wouldn’t recommend, ensure you purchase their extremely expensive vacation insurance.
We didn’t, and I can tell you how much we had to pay…our car was broken up into 18 hours before the travel date.
The entire passports for luggage as well as my wallet were taken, which meant we couldn’t travel on our highly anticipated overseas adventure travel complaints excursion to Turkey.
It was the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, and nothing was available, so there was no way to get replacement passports.
Then, not only did OAT provide no assistance for us, but they also did not want to surrender their airline tickets that were issued in our names in order to allow us to at the very least travel in the future after our passports were issued.
The cost of this trip and since we’re not wealthy retirees like many of their guests, so it is going to take us a long time to recuperate from this setback.
Should I have booked my trip on my own, like the previous trips, I’d have had the option of using the flight tickets later and then changing my hotel room. BOO OAT! You’re all that’s wrong with America’s corporate culture So rich!
Yes, you are correct. I attempted to get in touch with the top management of the company since they didn’t stop the trip to Italy despite the Level 4 warnings that were issued by CDC. I did not receive a response.
They said that the security of their customers is their top first overseas adventure travel complaints priority. I would say that money is their top priority. I would not ever take an excursion with them.
Overseas Adventure Travel Not Giving Refunds
OAT cannot be relied upon. They’ve lied to me.
Repeatedly. They are also not in compliance with the terms of their “Passenger Agreement”/Terms and Conditions (which they force you to sign to confirm your reservation) in granting my request to refund my trip.
In addition, they provide terrible customer service.
I found this out the hard way. It is my hope to spare others from the same adversity and difficulties I am having.
Based on the reviews on TripAdvisor as well as other sites, I’m not the only one.
The first time that I have ever been unhappy with an airline, having previously worked with OAT’s smaller group rivals Odysseys Unlimited and Road Scholar with excellent satisfaction.
This was our first time traveling with OAT, and we’ll not book another trip with them. Once burned, it’s learned.
In November of 2019, I scheduled a trip in October of 2020 Sicily using OAT for my wife as well as me. We paid for the entire overseas adventure travel complaints trip for $11,000 (a huge error, given what I now know, even with the discount of 5%).