Overseas Adventure Travel Reviews

With 2 troublesome travelers. The tour guide asked to send the travelers home. Against their terms and conditions, OAT did not allow the tour guide to suspend the troublesome travelers. This was a huge disappointment as the two travelers caused much annoyance to other travelers and were not fit to travel. It also took up much of the tour guide's time so he/she had less time to attend to other travelers. I will never book with OAT again.

This was my 3rd trip with OAT after using another tour company for a trip in 2023. The reason I came back to OAT is their focus on "learning and discovery" as well as interacting with residents of the cities/country visited. On my tour we had numerous personal interaction with families, craftspeople, couples, specialized guides from each city or site visited and spontaneous interactions during the day as we walked places. It is these personal interactions that I remember the most and help me feel "connected" to the new location I am learning about and experiencing. Once I realized that the personal connections are what make a tour more than a tour - I have aligned myself with OAT and have already booked a 2025 tour.

Do not feel that we were notified that many stores and restaurants would be closed during much of the trip due to the holidays and possibly being the low season for traveling in the area. Not have many other folks traveling was a plus and the local tour guides were all great and engaging.

I've traveled several times with OAT, and it's been ok. Unfortunately, this time, in Australia, in the midst of our trip, Cyclone Jasper struck as we were to head towards the Great Barrier Reef. It was clear that roads were closed between Cairns and Port Douglas, yet, instead of switching our itinerary to avoid that area and go later in the trip, OAT sent out coach directly into a hazardous area, with landslides that closed the road for flooding (we drove through the beginnings of this, going over floods and rocks in the road), and into a town which proceeded to run out of water (not just drinking water, but showers and toilets!) and food.

This was a wonderful trip. The guides were excellent, the itinerary was amazing, the food was delicious and plentiful, the hotels were great and the river cruise was spectacular. I blogged about the trip, so if you are interested, you can see photos and read my commentary at **

Xin Chào!! Although at 82 I've traveled quite a bit this was my first OAT experience.. A friend who has done a few suggested we do a trip together and we chose the Inside Vietnam plus I wanted to also do the post trip to Cambodia.. Unfortunately she wasn’t able to go so I packed my stuff and off I went.. I got there a day early, met our TEL and a few others who had also arrived early.. They asked me to join them for our free day and that was the beginning of a most awesome and amazing adventure!! Our TEL AnLi was kind, caring and he was a wealth of knowledge.. He was there for our every want or need. And when we did have free time he was right there with great suggestions, for an activity or taking us to his favorite spots for dinner!!! Awesome!!

Just came back from this amazing trip with OAT. Our guide in Quito and Amazon was exceptional. Having grown in Amazon, Delfin has a vast knowledge of the flora and fauna of Amazon, rivers and also the Amazon way of life in general. Home-hosted lunch in the forest and a visit to the one room school were true highlights of the Amazon part of the trip.

Our trip took us to the White Continent, Antarctica. The greatest part of the trip was the wonderful care we received from the Expedition Team. They were top of the line in everything that they did, true professionals. Our guide, Laura from Overseas Adventure Travel, went out of her way to make sure that our every need and desire was satisfied. It was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

If you want a unique experience to enjoy part of Eastern Europe, this winter trip is for you. Select the “Christmas cruise” in December, when we left our perfectly located Hotel Dubrovnik in the heart of Zagreb (after the OAT introductory briefing) to roam the city streets. My husband and I enjoyed mulled wine and sausages at one of the many booths and strolled the downtown squares lit brightly for the holidays. Everywhere you visit, cities will be decorated: Christmas trees overlooking waterways, in front of cathedrals, at public buildings and teddy bear Santa’s in windows.

I have traveled alone and planned every trip myself until now. Having decided to let OAT plan my trip, I am forever grateful! Morocco was a place I have wanted to visit for a long time and it did not disappoint! A beautiful country and every city we went to had its own charm and personality. We had a day with locals where I truly enjoyed the family, their meal and without speaking Arabic I was able to communicate well with Hadika, the wife. We visited medinas, millenary irrigation systems, museums, mosques, palaces, kasbahs, a spectacular farm, stayed in great hotels and met wonderful people.

My husband and I recently returned from the Backroads of Iberia: Paradores and Pousadas OAT tour. We found both Portugal and Spain to be beautiful, but our Trip Experience Leader, Joel, needs some retraining. The first night, I asked to speak privately with him after we got off the bus. Joel invited two other guests to our conversation. I told Joel I was not a fast walker, and I would refrain from going on optional walks so that I would not hold back the group. The others he had asked to join our "private" conversation were also slow walkers. Joel agreed to my statement that I would refrain from optional walks. I held true to my word and stayed in my room when I would have liked to see the places we visited.

We enjoyed an all-inclusive trip to the best of Peru. Our guide, Fredy **, was a local speaking several languages. He made our trip memorable by the care he gave us each day. He reminded us to drink water every day and supplied water bottles; because of this we never suffered any altitude sickness nor had any other physical problems. He constantly stayed with us, answering all our questions, and showed us many interesting sites. We visited several archaeological sites, including two days at Machu Picchu, which was invaluable. Take your time to see this sacred and ancient land. We visited locals and participated in a "Day in the Life" of the Peruvian people. We visited a farmer and a school to talk to the student. The food was fabulous, and we were well fed. Everyday was an exciting new adventure led by our enthusiastic, well informed, hard-working guide Fredy **! We highly recommend traveling with OAT.

I just came home from my FOURTEENTH TRIP with OAT/GCT. I am a book editor with an eye for details, striving for perfection, and OAT/GCT has never disappointed me. The guides are always knowledgeable. The accommodations are clean and comfortable. The daily program is fun and informative. I already have reservations for two more vacations, in 2024.

After following the advice of OAT on how to file for reimbursement and being told for two months that a check will be issued, OAT now tells me that the claim must be paid by the insurance company, while the insurance company claims that OAT must pay. I have spoken with several representatives, most of whom were quite disrespectful and rude. The problem remains unresolved and I am owed over $4000.

Besides seeing the tourist stuff, it was all about the people. You interact with local people and learn more about their life. We had lunch at a family’s house and talked to them about their customs, not to mention eating their home cooked meals. Our tour leader was excellent and catered to our every needs.

Just returned from my 4th Oattravel.com adventure - A South Pacific Odyssey: Australia, the Outback & New Zealand. It's great to travel with a small group, ours was just 10 adventurers - it makes the tour more intimate in that we all get to know each other and makes for a fun experience since I'm a solo traveler. The immersion into the cultural aspects of the countries we are visiting, learning about the people, their food, their homes is an experience that I truly enjoy since it's a great learning experience. Visiting places like the Outback, the Great Barrier Reef, Sydney, Melbourne, Port Douglas, Alice Springs was amazing. Then on the New Zealand where we visited Christchurch, Hokitika, Arthur's Pass, the amazing glaciers, Queenstown, Auckland, the Bay Islands and so much more. Our trip leader was knowledgeable, fun and amazing. All my my OAT trips have been wonderful and I highly recommend them for your next adventure.

I have recently returned from 17 days traveling in Morocco with OAT. It’s my 4th trip with the company and once again, I was extremely pleased with my experience. There were many highlights but what I’d like to note first was our wonderful guide Abdel. He was knowledgeable, efficient, accommodating, with a good sense of humor and ability to relate to all members of our congenial group. He made the trip for me! That said, the itinerary was well structured and offered many opportunities to interact with a range of Moroccans. Two nights in their Sahara camp were very special but I also enjoyed our time Rabat and Marrakesh. I’d recommend this trip especially if you’re game for a unique experience in a captivating country.

We are traveling with OAT for 15+ years. About 8 trips is the total. Few weeks ago, we returned from OAT trip to Vietnam, S. Korea and Japan. As usual, local and professional guides, organized contacts with the locals, including visiting their homes, and no unpleasant surprises during the trip. The group size was 15 people, which is a typical size of an OAT traveling group.

After I responded to their 1/18/2024 answer they assigned our issue to a staff member named Andrew who was able to resolve the issue to our satisfaction. Thank you for your help.

Outstanding guide/trip leader in Hany. Good pacing, lots of energy and fun travel. Very good understanding of history of region and current affairs. Worked well with sites visited and the travelers to ensure everything went smoothly.

OAT had thought of everything when they planned this tour. The tour leader was beyond exceptional! Zoran was highly professional and organized, but his main talent was teaching us a lot about the past, present, and future of the countries we visited while making it FUN, FUN, FUN! It was obvious that our safety was a top priority. As a former teacher, I appreciated how many times he warned us about upcoming steps. He went out of his way to treat every individual with respect and attentiveness while facilitating us in bonding as a group. The trip was fantastic!

My trip to Southern Africa was my first trip with OAT. OAT was highly recommended by friends so I felt confident booking with them. OAT communicated clearly what to expect and our group leader was extremely knowledgeable about the animals, flora, history, social issues, of the region. I learned so much!! He was very organized and made the whole trip run super-smoothly. The small group was perfect for me since I was traveling solo; it was easy to connect and bond with the other travelers. The accommodations were very comfortable and exceeded what I expected. My only wish would have been more opportunities to hike. I am already looking forward to my next trip with OAT!

Have tried with OAT 16 times and never disappointed. Always well managed and delightful from Africa to the Middle East. The Azores are beautiful and the experience laid back but yet productively busy. Remarkable volcanic experiences, lush greenery, and fascinating historical sites. Great Portuguese dining experiences with Madiera the final leg of the journey. A bit more touristy naturally (three cruise ships docked) but trips into the inner island were stunningly beautiful. This is a great trip for nature lovers and those looking to experience the culture/people in a meaningful way.

My wife and I recently returned from our 3rd OAT trip, this one to Sicily in October/November, 2023. Like our previous trips with OAT, this trip was fabulous. Unlike our previous trips, Sicily was by far and away the most extraordinary trip we've taken. From arranging the air component to the small things like checking in with us at each new hotel to make sure everything was to our liking, the investment in assuring our comfort and happiness was evident to all. Our guide in Sicily, Martina, had such an in-depth knowledge both of the island and of her constituents on the trip that it seemed like she was personally guiding us to everything that we specifically wanted to see, hear, and do.

This was my first solo trip and first trip with OAT. The trip exceeded my expectations, our guide, Davide, did a fabulous job sharing his enthusiasm for his country and teaching us about Sicilian culture and history. I enjoyed the meals with the locals, the food was delicious. I am looking forward to another trip with OAT in Fall 2024.

OAT is one of the less expensive tour companies. The big draw to me is getting a room by myself for no extra cost. I have been traveling for over 45 years. It is difficult to do today. Too many people everywhere. The vast percentage of people today I consider "tourists." I find the people on OAT are ones that have just begun traveling in the 21st century. So many come with no prior study of the area. ** tourists have become so fat and sloppy. The constant picture taking w/ their smart phones drives me crazy. Pictures of their food, olive oil bottles, the most minor of things. I do not enjoy the group meals. Set plate of pretty inexpensive food. Heavy on the carbs and sugar. But you get what you pay for!!!

My friend and I took the tour Crossroads of the Adriatic in September 2023. The tour itself was overall satisfactory. However, our experience with OAT's handling of our airline reservations was totally unprofessional and unacceptable, and we would have cancelled the tour had that been a choice. We made our reservations on January 13, 2023. We were told that OAT would arrange four flights involving two airlines going to Paris, then Croatia, and returning the same way. Subsequent emails from OAT confirmed that itinerary, as well as their "My Planner" online site for their customers.

Just returned from a great trip to both Jordan and Egypt with OAT. Our 5th trip and more booked. Great company to deal with, exceptional Trip Leaders, great value and wonderful experiences - both seeing the sights and meeting locals in so many places. Thanks to our guides, Wael and Ayman. Both went above and beyond! Can't imagine having a better time! Jan and Tim

I just returned from an Overseas Adventure Tour trip to Scotland. I loved how this company incorporated a wide variety of Scottish citizens in "A day in a life of...". Crofters, Harris Tweed weavers, highland cattle breeders, Isle of Mull cheese farmers, sheepherding, guga hunters, straw weavers, having tea in a Gaelic speaking café in Stornoway, home-hosted dinner with a local family, Soul Food Sisters - a community run café, tours in Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh. I really enjoyed a debate on the controversial topic of Scottish independence, an education of both sides of the debate.

Our first trip with OAT. We reserved a room on the main deck of the small ship Artemis. When we arrived, the only room available for us was in the bow, small and dark with two little portholes. The larger room like we expected was given to a single woman from the “other” group which was over the so called small group size. A late cancellation opened up this room and the other person was chosen and we were moved to tiny quarters. OAT appears to treat returning customers with much more consideration than new ones. The over large other group also dominated the lounge space and did not meld with others. Our guide, the staff, all were excellent, but I won’t trust this company again.

This itinerary provided a closer look at areas of Italy off the beaten tourist path. We visited unique historical places I’d never heard of previously but shall now never forget. The locals were friendly and outgoing; we sampled culinary delights along the way. Program Director Annunziata ** was extraordinary, sharing a passion for her country, wealth of knowledge about the area, and touching personal experiences about growing up and living there. After eating in restaurants, she told us how she prepared menu items--appetizers, entrées, and desserts--in her own kitchen. She was a master in handling our group, providing alternative plans as necessary, and always had an upbeat, positive attitude. I highly recommend this trip for anyone who wants an amazing adventure seeing Italian highlights other than the traditional ones in Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan.

This was my first trip with OAT and I have to say I was extremely satisfied not only with the trip as a whole but the trip leader was phenomenal. Anas is so knowledgeable about his beloved country. Very organized, great sense of humor and showed he really cared about each and every one of us. He truly went above and beyond to make this trip enjoyable and fun for all. As a single traveler, I’m always apprehensive in general about the group I’ll be traveling with but this group was so wonderful! Absolutely amazing people, now friends, that I’m thrilled I got to meet. I can’t say enough about this trip which Anas made an adventure!

This was my 12th trip with OAT and while I have enjoyed each, this trip was really spectacular in the sights, the meals and the experiences. I have visited Paris often but never seen any other part of France. On this trip I visited several chateau and even slept in one! Played Boule de Fort, a game somewhat similar to bocce, walked through a traboule (a secret passage in Lyon used in the Middle Ages and again in WWII by Resistance fighters), mixed a blend of wines to create my own "red" at a vineyard, and visited the Lascaux Caves.

I had never thought of visiting Vietnam and Cambodia, but nudges from a friend who had recently been to Africa with Overseas Adventure Travel persuaded me to go. I'm glad I did, because of things I learned, people I met, and memories I have. There were 12 of us on the Vietnam trip, and all in all, we got along well, and more than a few of us got closer as we spent more time together.

I have recently returned from my first OAT trip. OAT was recommended to me by friends but I was a bit apprehensive about traveling solo with a group of people I had not met before. I was pleasantly surprised. The group was comprised of both couples and singles. We all meshed very well and did activities together outside of our scheduled events. I have traveled quite a bit but never with an organized tour group. There is no way I could have had as many and as varied of experiences in Sicily if I had planned the trip myself.

We were a 1st OAT traveler and were disappointed that there were not more educational experiences and very little interaction with First Nations People. There were so many missed opportunities for cultural interaction. We did our best to do extra activities. According to experienced OAT travelers, this trip was much less educational than others and most were disappointed. Also the Great Barrier Reef experience was not as described in the brochure. We were on a boat with 170 people which made snorkeling a cattle car type experience. Our tour leader had to wrangle the marine biologist to talk to us for about 15 mts as a special favor. Also half the hotel rooms were very small if going as a couple. Good things about the trip was the itinerary which included going to the interior of Australia and the great group of fellow travellers.

We were scheduled for a trip to Israel, Suez Canal, Petra and Egypt in December 2023. We paid in full by credit card on October 6 and unfortunately the WAR started on the 7th. Of course OAT was unable to go forward with the trip. We were told that they would refund the nearly $10,000 to our credit card. It is now 39 days since the war started and 23 days since they agreed to the refund and we still don't have the refund. To me this seems a deliberate way for OAT to draw interest on our money. I am very disappointed in the way this is being handled.

After planning 10 trips w/ this company, I can NO longer recommended this company. In Feb, we booked a trip to Africa, paying an additional $3890 for business class upgrade, AS WE ALWAYS DID WITH INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS. When OAT went to finally purchase the air fare in Aug, (after keeping my money for 6 mos) they erred in purchasing coach seats and sent me a refund for $3890 without any explanation. I NOTICED we were in coach, called them and was told we would now have to pay $12k to sit in business class. Therefore this trip is now costing me an additional $8k that we never expected to pay!! If I had known this in Feb, we may not have taken this trip. NO ONE AT OAT HAS APOLOGIZED OR ADMITTED TO THIS ERROR. I too have been getting continued poor customer service as of late, since the pandemic.

We didn't know what to expect since this was our first experience with O.A.T. Generally, we organize our trips ourselves. We could not have organized this one to experience the broad range of places, people, and events. Our Trip Leader and Local Guides were very knowledgeable. The range of activities gave us an appreciation for the kind hearts and hard work of the people of these countries, and their peaceful demeanors! We visited ancient sites, always with knowledgeable guides to share the history and significance of each place. The guides gave us plenty of time to explore on our own and were always willing to organize our free time if a critical mass of the group was interested in participating.

I must commend OAT on providing an excellent in country experience. The group leader was well versed in the country's history and issues. However, OAT was completely unavailable when my flight was cancelled to rebook the flight. I was left to deal with this on my own resulting in the loss of two days of my safari. Further, it provided the wrong info to the airline resulting in my losing 10,000 miles on Delta. Again it refused to intervene with the airline.

We had a great trip experiencing this part of the world. Our guide was superb and the local guide were so knowledgeable. We love the small group (18 travelers) experience. The ship was comfortable and the landings were made easily for all. There was extra heavy rain at Iguazu Falls, closing the park for days. Our guide was able to quickly adjust our schedule so that we were able to see the falls on the one day they opened.

My friend & I joined 9 other travelers who had been on a PRE trip. The 9 other travelers had already bonded & we were never welcomed or included. Also, I was in a jeep the entire time with Bird Watchers who constantly asked the driver to stop for them. I was on this trip mostly to see the animals & not the birds. Our other jeep travelers had named us the bird jeep as we were always stopping. Although promised that we would revolve seats & jeeps, this NEVER HAPPENED! This was my first time traveling with O.A.T. & I would NOT RECOMMEND!

Everything about our trip to Spain and Portugal was 5 star. Every excursion was well planned and meaningful. The food on board the ship was wonderful as was the staff. The accommodations on the ship were excellent. We enjoyed the entertainment. They provide a very comprehensive experience and I would recommend them to anyone. Our guide was very well educated into all of the stops that we made. It was really great to have a local Guide in addition to our travel counselor to accompany us on all of the excursions. It’s hard to say what a favorite place was but anyone would love this trip.

We recently returned from a two week trip to Scotland with O.A.T. It was our first trip with them and after a friend recommended traveling with them, we booked this Scotland trip. From the minute we got off the plane, we were tended to by the wonderful OAT staff. From our guide in Scotland, David **, to the local guides in every city we visited, to the bus drivers who safely ferried us around...we were ALWAYS in good hands....The hotels were comfortable and our meals were fabulous. David couldn't have been more attentive and was a fountain of knowledge wherever we went... It was clear he loved his beautiful country and we all felt that as he regaled us with so many stories...

We have just returned from this trip - and it has been another great experience. We are frequent travelers with OAT - since 15 years - and had never a bad experience. From booking to the tour guides. Can recommend to my friends.

Only 11 people in our group, a knowledgeable and kind tour guide, and the activities were wonderful! A day in the life of was my favorite, the restaurants were great and the Savoy hotel in Rome was outstanding! I will definitely go on another trip with OAT soon...such a bargain!

My wife and I booked a trip with OAT in March 2023 and traveled to northern Spain & Portugal for 16 days in October 2023. The Team leader, Ricardo, was OUTSTANDING. He had everything ready on a daily basis. His knowledge, travel experience, English, punctuality, hotels, meals, transportation was flawless. The trip had a total of 15 guests, who all shared the same feelings.

I just completed my 7th trip with OAT. The trip leaders I have had on each and every trip have been outstanding! They are really the backbone of this company. The itineraries and experiences I/we have had have been memorable. I have grumbled at times regarding phone wait times and some calls that have been answered by someone who is not fully trained but I seem to forget those experiences when the trips are so great.

The Affordable Peru tour was amazing and our tour guide, Jose, was always available and very organized. He reached out to everyone prior to the trip to make sure he knew each of our expectations. He made sure we had much contact with locals giving us extra personalized experiences that were not in the handbook. I love OAT's small group tours and no charge for a single supplement. When I was not able to hike Machu Picchu Mountain like I had hoped, Jose got me a guide to hike with me from Aguas Caliente to Machu Picchu which was still quite a challenge. The cost of the tour was comparable to other companies but the service I received was the best. I will definitely travel with OAT again.

Over 15 years we have traveled on 13 Overseas Adventure Travel tours. Highlights include superb guides, maximum size of 16 participants, experiences with locals of the country. We rave about OAT to our friends and new acquaintances; Those who have traveled with OAT equally praise them.

Even though I read reviews, I rarely write them…. I am a 70 year old female who traveled to Peru without my husband in the OAT Affordable Peru travel group in October 2023. This was my 1st experience with a travel group. Prior to traveling with Manuel, our travel guide from OAT, I didn’t have a positive opinion of travel groups. But my opinion changed dramatically. Before even leaving home Manuel contacted me and the rest of our travel group, providing helpful additional information on our future 11 day trip to Peru. When I asked, he arranged for someone to pick me up from the airport and transport me to the hotel because I booked my airfare on my own and not through OAT. He provided an element of safety, ease and comfort right from the start.

I just returned from the OATs Tuscany and Umbria trip and I can’t say enough good things about it. Our tour leader was fantastic, the motels were good to great, the pacing of the trip and most of all, the experiences offered beat my expectations. I have traveled with many other tour companies but I am now completely sold on OATs.

September 2023. Have had some lovely trip experiences with this company in the past, however unless you are paying or booking, it is tiresome to contact them. AND, on my last trip I had their Allianz travel insurance BUT… got covid. Policy dictates NO contact with group from then on, including paid for meals and transports. Because I was sick enough to interrupt my trip, but not sick enough to bother a doctor, I got NO compensation for $3000 trip extension. Got NO response from Overseas Adventure Travel at all.

It grieves me to see so many negative OAT reviews recorded in ConsumerAffairs. My wife and I have now completed four OAT trips, having recently returned from the Ultimate Africa tour. After reading many reviews, it appears that most complaints are regarding reservations and what happens or doesn’t happen administratively with the OAT organization. There are many dissatisfied customers who feel they have not been treated fairly or honestly by OAT, most often regarding health issues and decisions or schedule changes. In their defense, there is a lot of paperwork to sift through and I would encourage potential travelers to carefully review and ask questions to throughly understand what is being agreed to. By comparison, there are very few complaints regarding the actual trips and trip leaders.

I just got home from Colombia, SA with stars in my eyes. My trip leader was Diego, who was fabulous. He searched out extra experiences and was and available to us 24/7. I had a couple of issues that he graciously helped resolve. He was patient with every person on our trip. Each place we visited was relative to the experience, and interesting. Our local guides were engaging, knowledgeable and fun to be around! Our food was SOOO good!

I have traveled in the past with OAT with a companion. On all of the trips I was very pleased with the company, services, employees, itineraries. I am now traveling solo. Since my past experiences with this company were positive, I decided to see what they had to offer for a solo traveler. They have several itineraries that are geared to solo travelers and they do no charge single supplements on most itineraries.

I loved traveling with OAT in Rwanda. Our tour leader, Ismail, was amazing -- knowledgeable, well-organized, funny, thoughtful, a problem solver, and patient. The small group made it easy to get to know each other and enjoy the experience together. Although I chose the trip primarily to see gorillas, it was learning about Rwanda that had the greatest impact. The country and people are amazing. Their reconciliation since the '94 genocide is phenomenal. OAT's immersive experience and "difficult conversations" allowed us to really understand how they accomplished their remarkable transformation into a beautiful, functional, progressive and unified country.

I have traveled with OAT now 3 times. Each time I have gone as a single with no supplement to pay. The Trip Leaders have ALL been excellent. Every one of them wanted the travelers to learn as much about his/her country as possible. We had the opportunity to spend time with local families for a day or two in what they call "A Day in the Life". We work with them to carry out daily tasks as well as meal preparation. We have the opportunity to learn a lot about the local culture, history, language and cuisine.

My wife and I took both the main trip, Back Roads of Iberia: Spanish Paradores & Portuguese Pousadas, and the post-trip, Northern Spain: Bilbao, San Sebastian & Medieval Villages. This combination provided us with a terrific overview of the culture, history and lifestyles of the people of Spain and Portugal. It covered a small portion of Portugal, southern Spain and northern Spain. Much of our lodging was in Spanish Paradores and Portuguese Pousadas; these facilities were former sites such as monasteries or castles that each country converted to lodging; each was beautiful and comfortable.

Unfortunately this is the place where those that have unfortunate experiences come and the many happy travelers don't make the effort. I just returned from a 19 day tour "JAPAN's Cultural Treasures" (Tour + pre tour extension), my first OAT tour. I feel that OAT knows their targeted market very well. The activity level and daily walking amount were accurate. The free time seemed like a lot but was just right for resting or additional activity. I noticed a very subtle change in food about 2/3 through. It went from full on Japanese to adding more western type food and food that needed a fork!

When I received a link giving me the opportunity to write a review I was shocked at the negative reviews. I have been to the Amazon, Machu Pichu, Four parks in Southern Africa, Egypt and Jordan with OAT. Every trip I have been on has had repeaters with many more trips with this company than I have had! Why would there be so many repeats if this were not the best company? I had a great adventure on and around the Nile! Don't go if you are not interested in real wonders, real visits to the people who live there and a knowledgeable friendly guide who makes sure your transportation is there. Bags are carried, tickets purchased and most of the time at the head of the line! The only problem I have is getting through on the phone! But they are worth it. Don't start with Egypt, the luxury of food and hotels will spoil you! Smiles M.A.

The tour guides do everything they can to help you have a great experience! I highly recommend this company! They are fantastic! There was not one problem in their planning. They made it fun and interesting. I learned a lot about the culture and met some fun people in every place!

I have now been on 8 trips, 6 of which were wonderful. The Amazon portion of my recent trip was really awful. Though I had been on more trips in anyone else, except for two couples, I was given a cabin which attracted all the sun and was about 103. The guy did not provide water on for our trips in the middle of the Amazon, and did not point to bathrooms or water telling me that I could go to the bathroom in the woods. He did not treat me as a trusted traveler as the six other guys in other countries did. I’ve been trying to contact them for over three weeks now and they do not respond to my emails or phone calls. They have not hired enough people to answer the phone. I heard from a friend who will not travel with them again that they have gone conglomerate and are no longer a family owned business.

Actually, we haven't left for our trip yet. We are scheduled to leave in mid October and decided to arrive early and spend the nights of 10/13- 15 at the hotel in Lisbon where the tour will start. My mistake was booking and paying for this early arrival before the tour starts thru OAT. The friend I am traveling with wants to take me on a special trip to Porto for the nights of 10/14 (my birthday) and 10/15. So I called OAT to cancel the early on our own pre tour starting nights of 10/14 and 10/15. No can do.

Avoid this company at all cost!!!! We booked a 15 day Tuscany & Umbria Italy tour in October 2022 for a party of 4 (2 couples). One month before we were to leave I received our document packet confirmation with a list of fellow travelers and realized the couple we were traveling with were not on the list. We called immediately and the agent on the phone assured us that we were all on the same trip. Not feeling completely assured, we called back a few hours later and were told that we were NOT on the same tour, they had overbooked and the couple we were traveling with, were put on a tour leaving the day after ours, in other words we were not traveling together. At first the agent said sorry, but there was nothing they could do and offered no recourse.

Beware of OAT when booking a trip. They will tell you if you need to cancel for legitimate reason you will get a full refund (less cost of insurance). My wife and I booked a trip to Turkey and Greece to leave on 8/19/23 only to cancel due to dangerous wildfires in Turkey and Greece that threatened our health (my wife has one lung and I am a Type 1 diabetic for 44 years). I provided full documentation of these wildfires and government warnings to stay away.

In July I received a flier from Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) with specials on fall trips. I booked one, but had specifically discussed Thanksgiving with the sales staff at the time of travel. After the trip was booked, I realized I return home the NIGHT of Thanksgiving, so I attempted to change the trip... It was going to cost half as much as the trip. I then tried to move the trip to next yr., it was going to cost me almost 2x the trip price. Then I tried to cancel and they added the same amt. in add. fees as the travel ins. so it was going to cost me $1,000 to cancel the trip. This is totally erroneous from what they advertise, "You cancel for any reason." NO YOU CAN'T unless you want to be assessed very high fees. This is totally false advertising.

When I tried to get my deposit back from cancelled trip in 2019, I was talked into leaving the deposit and receiving a $1000 additional credit. Now that we can travel, OAT sales said credit expired and the money for 3 referrals was not showing up (even though I kept an OAT letter thanking me for referral! In Covid times, this is despicable. Given that OAT tends to attract seniors, the expiration of my deposit will force me to go to another travel company.

I booked a tour with you (**) and paid $700 up front as a deposit. Yes. These were my hard earned dollars. The trip was cancelled, and I was assured (by your phone call) that the funds would be applied to a future trip. I come to learn that you "cancelled" the applied funds with no warning to me, and your answer was "take our $100 back". Please reconsider refunding me the ENTIRE $600 that you still have - I made the reservation with you in good faith - How can you tell customers "Please contact us at request@oattravel.com and we'll assist you, " in good faith? You cheated me out of $600 and I need the money back! Please reconsider and resolve this!!

We had booked a safari with OAT for November 2022. My wife was not able to travel, because of a hip/back problem. OAT did agree to provide a travel credit for my wife’s unused trip, expiring Dec 31, 2023. Unfortunately my wife’s condition is requiring additional medical treatment, and she will not be able to travel during 2023. I’ve made several requests to OAT, requesting an extension of the credit expiration date to the end of 2024. Unfortunately, I can’t get a response to my request. While the company tells us that they have invested in additional customer service representatives, it doesn’t appear that they have yet resolved their ability to provide responsive client service.

I had reservation for Peru/Amazon in March 23, 2023. Paid in full. I had a stroke in Jan 18 2023. I was not stable to cancel till I got out of ICU, which was the end of month. They had already cancelled January and February trip. I called to explain the situation. The reception was very understanding. Ask if I could get a refund, said to call back within a week. IF I CALLED THAT DAY I HAD THE STROKE, I WOULD HAVE GOT A FULL REFUND. I called back and this other reception was rude. Would not let me explain. Said yes, they did cancelled the March trip that week. BUT since I called them first, they will penalized me $3,339.00. Trip was $4,339.

We planned a trip far in advance with OAT. It was not our first trip with them and we were always satisfied before. Why would I not believe it when we were told if we bought the travel insurance and there was a medical problem, with a doctor's note, all of our money would be refunded. Unfortunately, that is not true. I asked them to review our phone calls, which are supposedly recorded to hear what we were told and hopefully stand behind it. Now because of a medical problem, I can't go on the trip, and I can't get all my money back. I'm disappointed and surprised. I thought they were a reliable company, but reading all the rest of the reviews, I guess not. Too bad!

Picture it. US. 2023. A group of friends book an exciting, expensive, 17 day trip to Africa. With great anticipation they make arrangements to cover work shifts, take care of pets, shop, pack, buy medications, day dream and share with others the anticipation building for such a big adventure. Then. Less than a month before the trip is scheduled to depart, the travelers are informed that there has been a mistake and the trip is actually over-booked. So we can no longer go. To Africa. In 21 days as is still listed ("confirmed") on our OAT trip planner. To be fair, OAT has acknowledged their extreme error, but as of right now we have not been offered anything close to reasonable reparations.

Responded to an OAT invitation to a presentation in my locality. I received a confirmed reservation for my wife and I to attend the meeting at a local hotel. Upon arriving at the hotel there was insufficient parking (cars were backed up onto a city street trying to get in). Maybe not the fault of OAT, blame the hotel. Parked down the street and walked to the hotel. Upon arriving at the meeting area there was a large crowd milling around and insufficient seating for many people. A number of people, including us, left because of the lack of seating and organization.

We booked a trip to Indonesia with OAT. I talked to them about airfare in February and decided to go with my own. I told them on Feb 22nd of the flight details and they canceled the trip on Feb 23rd but did not tell us. We found out when we called about our next trip. They offered nothing and have not yet returned our deposit for the Indonesia trip. I would not trust them ever again or use them.

As I write this, my husband and I are finishing up our 2nd of 5 days of being confined to our cabin after testing positive for covid along with several others onboard. Although I feel there are better ways to handle this, it is extreme to be expected to stay in our cabin when everyone is off the ship today and it is 80 degrees and we can’t even take our meals outside on the upper deck or have been offered the opportunity to go out with masks on for a walk around the deck! We were asked this morning to go into bathroom as steward said we couldn’t go into hall while room was disinfected with spray! It would have been nice if ship doctor had at least offered ** to anyone wanting it with a positive test.

I have travelled 16 times with either OAT or its parent company GCT. I was forced to cancel a trip last fall because of Hurricane Ian which closed the Fort Myers airport for a week. I had travel insurance yet it has taken 5 months to get reimbursed for both of our tickets. In the meantime, OAT has strung out the payment to its own convenience with no explanation. When pressed through countless phone calls and letters it has reacted defensively and has made no effort to mollify this long-term traveler who by any definition would be considered a loyal customer. Make that, used to be....

Updated on 04/23/2023: Mid-day 27 March we were notified by Allianz Global Assistance that our two travel protection claims had been approved for the refund amounts we requested. The Allianz rep verified the dollar amounts and said to contact OAT for the details of how and when we would receive the payment. We followed-up with OAT; the OAT rep we spoke with verified the settlement dollar amount and said we would receive a check through the mail within 30 days.

March 6, 2023. I was scheduled for a trip to Sicily to leave March 9, 2023. I came down with Covid and verified by my physician. In consideration for those on the airplane, and the fellow travelers, I asked to postpone the trip to not get others sick. I was very disappointed that I caught Covid, but also not to visit one of the areas on my lifetime bucket list. On March 6, I called immediately to OAT and told them I did not feel it would be fair to other travelers to go on the trip. I could have, but it would have been unethical on my part. OAT told me that unless I had travel insurance that they sold, that they would consider ME cancelling the trip and no refund was due. They were NOT going to give me a refund or allow me to credit the money already paid to another trip when I was feeling well. This is extremely bad business practice and unfair.

We have traveled with OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) a number of times (Sir Edmond Hillary Members) and we were pleased with our experience until now. We had scheduled a trip to Morocco on January 3rd and canceled January 4th. To date, we have not gotten our $700 refund and were told by customer service that we would have to wait 2-3 months to get our refund. We have waited up to an hour on hold for customer service to get the answer that refund will take 2-3 months.

I have been scheduled for a trip that is only offered once per year. It requires a visa. I contacted OAT many times to ensure that the required information be sent to me giving them a two week period of time when I would be out of town. I made several phone calls indicating that the trip was to begin in 3 weeks and I had not received the application forms. No one returned my call. Yesterday I spoke with a supervisor. I confirmed that I never received the needed information (subsequently discovered that my travel mate had not either.). She was also able to send me the information I needed by email.

Have traveled with the company 2 times before and all went smooth. This time doing Australia the guide is great but he did not set up the schedule and whoever did was an idiot. Put us in remote areas in the outback on a national holiday when everything was closed. Then sent us to another town on a Sunday when everything was closed. Then sent us around the country from the outback to Sydney to Brisbane back to Cairns. However we didn't make it due to flight connection problems. Rather than them scheduling us direct from Sydney to Cairns. Probably my last time traveling with them as I'm missing most of my time at the Great Barrier Reef.

This is by far the worst travel company we have ever worked with. I have spent 8 hours of my life on hold to correct mistakes on their end. Trip cancelled by OAT due to political unrest. 45 days to get refund. I will never use them again.

Booked a trip in July 2021, scheduled for September 2022, had to cancel for health reasons in August 2022. Rather than forfeit the money already spent, I booked a different less expensive trip for March 2023 and received a refund for a small percentage of original trip cost. March trip was at that point, paid in full. Began receiving invoices for first $1400 and later $1900 in December, with no indication of what the bill was for. After hours on phone hold, then arguing with agents, and many unanswered emails to OAT, I was able to cancel trip and promised a very small refund. Conclusion: In my opinion, OAT is taking advantage of customers and basically stealing from them.

Had booked a trip and was calling to ask more questions. Was on hold for 50 minutes. Unacceptable! At the very least, they could have a call back option where you leave your number and they call back when they're available.

I canceled a trip on Nov 9th 2022 and have yet to get the deposit refunded. It's now January 13th and no one even answers the phone anymore. I've been on hold for 1:17:13 thus far today. I called (and got someone to answer) two previous times and was told it was being processed. They are liars; highly recommend anyone to work with a different travel company. Awful company/horrid customer service.

Currently on line with OAT into the 3rd hour, trying to book flights. Have been disconnected 4 times, now spoken to 3rd person. 1st person (Adam) disconnected us and although he had 4 different numbers to call us back on, he did not a solid attempt to do so. Still waiting and now the price is changing... The customer service is the WORST in the industry.

In June of this year, I purchased a trip to Tanzania; a trip I had been looking at for 5 years. I have a friend who also signed up for the trip. I was told to call on Sept. 1 to finalize my air flights. I called and was never able to get a human being on the line. I called back about every other day and was on hold for hours, but no one ever picked up my call. Feeling like something was wrong, I told my friend I was nervous and thought we should cancel the trip. Finally on Sept. 29, a human answered the call. I explained what had happened and that I wanted to cancel my trip. She said she could take care of that for me. I said I expected all of the money back, including the insurance money and she said yes I would get all of the money back. When asked when I'd get the money, she said 30-45 days. I wasn't happy with that answer but said ok.

I am on my 3rd trip with OAT, and possibly my last. They make travel arrangements and in the past was great. This trip is turning out to be a royal pain! They originally made an error with the travel date and instead of calling me to give alternates, just booked it on another airlines. Ok - it works out, but would have appreciated giving input. Now though, I can't seem to change return flight seats or see about an upgrade. OAT says I have to call Korean Air. Korean Air said the ticket was booked thru Delta & I have to change thru Delta. So Delta has the ticket number but says the return ticket had not been pushed thru. Called OAT and they "pushed" the return flight and to give it 2 days. It's been 5 days, Delta is still not seeing the ticket. 20 freaking hours in coach. NOT HAPPY!

I choose a trip and signed up, the very next day I had to cancel. My cancellation was accepted; but I was told that I had to wait 45 days for this company to return my payment. I have called several times and have not received any satisfaction.

We booked trip to Egypt from OAT paying them for all hotels, transportation (flights), tours and most meals. On the return trip OAT booked us on British Air from Cairo to London, to Philadelphia to our final destination of St Louis, which was on American Airlines. When we arrived in Philadelphia at the American Airlines desk to check in for our flight to St Louis we were advised our tickets had been cancelled by British Air. We were not late for the flight and the flight was not full--only our tickets had been cancelled. If we still wanted to be on that flight we had to pay $649.20 additional for the two tickets that we had already paid OAT.

OAT stole my money! That’s a fact. I received a letter from the owner of the company Hariet ** stating that I can cancel my trip and receive a full refund. The letter says for reservations over 90 days out, I could cancel and receive a full refund. So I cancelled my reservation on on September 30th, 2022. Reservation was (NEXT YEAR) - November 2023!!

I am a 13 time traveller with Overseas Adventure Travel, and have recommended three other people, all of whom have taken trips with them. Recently I booked a trip that includes Israel, Egypt, Jordon and the Suez Canal. I didn't buy trip insurance, and 75 days before the trip was to begin, I called to cancel. The wait to speak to someone was one 1/2 hour, instead of telling me that I could apply my money to another trip, he asked me if I was interested in going another time or taking another trip. I told him no, and he transferred me to the cancelation department, again a wait of over 15 minutes.

We signed up for a post-trip extension expecting the OAT published average group size of 22 people. Instead, 30 people were signed-up for the trip (one couple got sick) so there were 28 people in the group with one leader. As a result, the group stretched beyond the range of the tour guide's communication device, so we missed most of the commentary, and because of the large group size, we often couldn't get our questions answered and problems properly addressed. A very bad experience, certainly won't use them again.

Booked a trip in September. Trying to finalize air arrangements for five weeks. Never able to reach anyone by telephone or by email, including 5 hours on hold just this week. When they had a chance to make things right with us, they basically said forget it.

I booked a Scotland trip for September after they told me "no issues" on other trips with COVID. Just before I left, I heard two recent horror stories from folks who said OAT didn't enforce their COVID protocols and both got COVID and/or positives and lost part of trips within several months. I cancelled because of that and requested refund. Calls and 2 letters were futile. Finally a call that said they'd reimburse. What did I get? A voucher that must be used within 3 months this year, still during COVID and bad travel time re weather. I sent letter rejecting this, no response for another several weeks! BTW, I'm one of their "loyal travelers" with a number of past trips with them. And I've heard of several similar complaints about lack of COVID protocol enforcement in buses and other enclosed areas. I'll think twice about signing up for future trips.

I have been working to book my third trip with OAT. I am scheduled to travel this spring to morocco with my partner. We had to cancel due to health problems a trip we had hoped to take this fall. They convinced us that it made more sense to have a credit than to use our insurance for cash reimbursement. In any case we went to book the trip and invited a friend who is a new client to sign on as well. She had to advocate for herself to get 10% off for early booking that is printed in their material.

We have not taken our trip, yet... but we are scheduled for this November. I hope it will be more positive than their credit policy. We have been signed up for a tour since pre-covid and have had to cancel and reschedule a couple of times... NOT their fault. We have finally scheduled a trip and are using our credit because they would not reimburse our money.... We get it, no problem. The problem is that we are in France and OAT will not use our credit to purchase our airfare (which is cheaper from here).

I made a reservation along with two other couples to travel together on the Suez Canal crossing trip with OAT travel company. We paid for the trip in full. A few days ago I received a voice mail saying that they could not accommodate us on the tour so they were moving us to another date. They were supposed to follow up with an email and a phone contact regarding the change but that never happened. Now we have to change our airline reservations and bear the cost of that and we are no longer traveling with our friends. The email has never arrived and it is impossible to reach them by phone to try to work it out. I cannot believe any travel company would behave this way. And forget trying to call them. They never respond to emails. The worst company I have ever dealt with. I will never book a trip with them again. Terrible service.

I have tried to get in touch with a person at OAT for a month- basically since I booked my trip in the beginning of August. I was able to get ahold of one person who told me they could not help me but that a supervisor would get back in touch with me - three weeks later I'm still waiting. This is absolutely not acceptable. I have been on hold for two hours at a time. I cannot imagine if I truly had an emergency. Additionally, I e-mailed several times; I got one response but the person conveniently did not address my concerns.

I'm am stunned at all the negative reviews as they do not match my experiences with OAT. We took the Iberian Voyage: Lisbon to Barcelona cruise that departed the US on May 9, 2022. This was the first tour post-pandemic for virtually every crew member on the ship and for all our tour guides. They were all positively thrilled to be back at work and it showed in their attitude and attentiveness. Our overall tour guide, Gabo **, was the best guide we have ever had on any of our tours. The ship experience was phenomenal. The food and the service was perfect. The land portion of the trip went according to schedule and was great fun. I would give the tour 5 stars but I downgraded to 4 stars because there were a few negatives. First, getting someone at OAT on the phone was aggravating to say the least.

I fractured my spine 2 days before my Overseas Adventure Travel trip to Spain, France & Portugal in April of 2022. I was in the hospital when the trip departed and then in a back and neck brace, leaving me unable to travel. I have received communication that my paperwork is complete, but after repeated phone calls with long wait-times I am unable to determine why I haven't received a refund. The entire trip plus airfare was purchased through OAT and insured, which should make a refund simple. I'm expecting a refund of around $9,000 and extremely frustrated after repeated attempts to contact the company about the delay, I do not hear back from them.

I had booked and paid in full the Kenya and Tanzania Safari three times, and all were cancelled. I was added to a fourth trip two months before departure. However, I lost my reasonable airfare paid for in November 2021. Now I had to pay another $5,000 for the increased airfare in June 2022, more insurance, and an additional hotel room expense since I had to stay alone one more day. I was told that I would get a refund of $1,000 in 2-3 weeks since OAT caused the increase in expenses not me. I called OAT two days ago, and I was told that the refund was denied. I am a 14 time traveler with GCT/OAT and will NOT travel with them again.

I was finally able to reach someone at OAT and get my return flight changed. During that conversation, I discovered that the change I had requested to my departure months ago, although confirmed via email, had not been put through. The agent I spoke with couldn't help me but referred me to a supervisor, who called me the next day, made the necessary adjustment, and waived the additional cost because she acknowledged that it was their error. I have to admit that, when I've been able to reach a human by phone, they have all been friendly and very helpful; and I'm very pleased with the resolution of my issues.

The organization was great before the pandemic and now is perfectly terrible. First, you have to wait at least half an hour before they answer the phone, and it's more like an hour and a half! Second, last year they cancelled a trip a couple of weeks before it left. No problem about getting our refund back, BUT to get the airfare was a nightmare. We used a company outside OAT because OAT's travel times are so terrible, but OAT said they would only reimburse us $250 of the $1400 cost. We knew that legally they had to reimburse us the whole amount but it would be such a hassle, we finally got the amount back from the airline.

I have travelled with OAT several times pre pandemic and was very satisfied. This past April I booked a trip to Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland. I used their airfare and pickup service in Scotland. Upon arrival at Scotland airport, we were not picked up and had to get to hotel on our own. I have emailed and called several times experiencing three hour wait times asking for a refund for lack of airport pickup. Finally got through on the phone and they took down the information two weeks ago and said management would call me to discuss. I have not been contacted. This company has changed from pre pandemic, and their excellent service has become terrible. I may use them again, but not for a couple of years to see if they have changed. Very disappointing. Be careful when booking a trip with them since they do not seem to have their act together and you do not want to be stranded at a foreign airport.

2020 trip canceled due to Covid. 2021 added trip extension 2095 dollars. Trip then canceled due to Covid. July 2021 spoke to Courtney. I was told I’d have a refund in 50-60 days. ***Never received refund. Called early in 2021 regarding refund. At this time I did say to hold my money as I’ll just go on a 2023 trip. And, to please have management call me regarding Courtney not putting through my refund. I was told management would contact me by the following week. No contact from management.

I have been calling & calling and you can't reach anyone and after 2 hours of holding they transfer you and again you're on hold for hours. No one cares and it has been a horrific experience. I was approved for a refund but the company will not send it even after I received a letter stating I was approved for a refund. I would never used this company again nor will I ever recommend them.

We have not been able to get through on the phone to OAT to correct the incorrect flight information. We have waited up to 2 hours many times. We have sent in requests to cancel our trip and can't get our $700 deposit back. We are very disappointed in the amount of time we have given them to straightened out their problems. WE have been dealing with this since March of this year, for a trip that we scheduled for Oct.

I have traveled with OAT numerous times, mostly without problems. However, current conditions are horrendous. I've spent hours on the phone trying to resolve problems with a reservation I made 3 months ago. Hold times are often over an hour. Most recently, I asked to speak with a supervisor. I was placed on hold for about 10 minutes, after which the representative said no supervisors were available, and someone would call me back. It has been over 24 hours with no call-back. I'm sure supervisors were available at least some of that time. Now I've been on hold for 20 minutes, so I decided to check reviews. ALL of the recent reviews are negative, many with comments about being unable to contact the company. Customer Service used to be excellent. Not any more.

We reserved two places on OAT's Portugal/Spain trip for September 2022. We received an email informing us that OAT/GCT had cancelled the trip. We have not gotten a REFUND - but only a credit toward some future trip. We have tried multiple times to reach OAT/GCT and have waited on hold for hours with no human available. We need a refund - and do not want OAT holding our money for some future trip we may never take. Please help us! Thank you.

Denise, I was surprised to hear that O.A.T. is also not refunding your money. I booked with their sister/brother (?) company, Vantage, over a year ago. The trip was a high-end Mediterranean cruise, but they couldn't get the ship in time for a June 8 departure because it was coming from China. I have spent the past two months trying to get my money back. When I can reach anyone, they keep saying it's "in process" while not giving me a timeline. I've been looking at several O.A.T. opportunities. I traveled with them several years ago on five different occasions and was happy with the company, but I'm very concerned about booking with them at this point. Promises of refunds are empty!

Like many of the other reviews, I experienced a three hour wait only to be kicked off. Why force someone to be on hold that long without providing any reassurances that someone will really call you back? Why not provide a call back option? This kind of treatment is not conducive to building customer loyalty. Given this poor service, I would rather pay more and have my issue handled than listen to their boring music.

We have been trying to take a trip that was booked over two years ago that has been rescheduled twice due to cancellations by this company. Our trip to Iceland is scheduled in July but we have a family emergency and needed to speak with a representative about our options to reschedule. I have waited on the phone multiple times for hours, sent numerous emails to customer service and received ZERO response for over a week. Amazingly, after pressing the “make a payment number” on my phone I got a rep within a few minutes.

No communication, even after group trip cancelled for May 2022. This company sucks, and I will never book with them or any of their associates ever again. I had two other trips cancelled which were both resolved within 10 minutes on hold. After 3 hrs, 15 min on hold with OAT, I was cancelled and told I'd receive a call back within 72 hours. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. NEVER AGAIN for all OAT, Great Circle, etc.

I booked a Northern Italy tour on 5/22/22. I didn’t book airline portion as I wanted to decide on pre-trip options. First call right to agent. Since then I haven’t been able to get through. I’d travelled w OAT in 2018 & it was a 5 star experience. This inability to contact them has soured me on using them now. I am canceling this trip & contesting my Visa charge.

During our recent OAT trip to Machu Picchu and the Galápagos Islands OAT allowed another airline (LATAM) to cancel our business class flight reservation back home. (This reservation had been in placed for 2 years). OAT response was that we could remain on our flight but in economy class (five hours in a middle seat). The other option was to fly on COPA airlines which would get us home a day later. We eventually booked our own flight back home (at additional significant expense) in business class.

OAT is very unprofessional. They cancelled our trip to Portugal/Spain in March 2022. Have held our money since December 2021. $30K. Promised a refund within 30 days in March. That was 6 weeks ago. Can't get anyone on the phone. Their line is perpetually busy. Waited hours to get a live person. They happily take your money, but won't give it back even when THEY cancel a trip. This is a lot of money.

We booked a Baltic Cruise two years ago with OAT. It was "postponed" two years in a row due to Covid. This year, the cruise was cancelled due to the Ukraine war. We indicated that we did not want to book another trip, or keep our deposit on account, we simply wanted our $1,000 back. We understood we would lose all of our credits, etc... We simply wanted our money back. We we informed we would get in in 30 days. Then they said 30 BUSINESS days. We still have not received our refund. We cannot get a call thru, and there is no place to write them. WE WILL NEVER BOOK A TRIP WITH THEM AGAIN. AND, WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK!

Trying to reach a human to get clarification on the terms and prices. Have been calling and emailing for over a week. They have left messages but I cannot call them back. I have requested an appointment time to take the call to no avail.

I booked a trip with OAT and decided to cancel very soon after. Firstly, when I had said NO insurance through them, they put me on it. It took more than an hour of wait time to reach the company via phone and more than one week till the money was refunded to my credit card. I then decided to cancel the trip. Over 3 hours on hold I finally gave up. Many emails during this time and no response. Finally got through the next day when I pushed the choice that I was making a payment - boy did they respond to that fast! Despite it saying “RISK FREE” all over their materials, my choice was they hold my $700 disposition towards another trip or I only get $100 back. I will never travel with OAT. When booking, they purchased to get as much of my money ASAP (offering discounts on the trip), but NEVER said cancellation penalty.

Similar to other potential travelers; I'm unable to connect with the company. I have a trip that has been postponed for 2 years but am now scheduled to depart 4/26/2022. I have some questions, but after 6 hours on hold listening horrible taped music, I'm still holding. There is no excuse for this level of service, these jobs can be performed from home with the proper software. I'm sure this Company received a large Covid stimulus that was obviously pocketed. I also sent an email which has not been answered to date. Do Not Book with this Company; I will never book with OAT again.

I have a trip booked with Overseas Adventure Travel, to Tanzania in August 2022. My flight itinerary has a few problems, including departure city. Today is the fourth day, trying to contact OAT by phone. All in all, I’ve spent over eight hours (and counting) on hold, without ever speaking to a “live” person. In addition, there has been no response to email. Here’s the rub…They also have a policy about not making air itinerary changes within 90 days of the trip…which gives me just a few weeks, to make these changes. I can’t even cancel this trip, because they don’t answer their phones or respond to email. Needless to say, I will no longer book trips through OAT.

Once they get your money you cannot get in touch with them. They have our itinerary incorrect and have been trying for months to get them to change it and I am leaving soon. They have done nothing. Stay away from this travel company.

I have a trip booked with OAT to depart later this year. Between the time I booked the trip and now, the world has changed (collectively and personally). I need to cancel the trip. I called a year ago (in the middle of COVID) and was talked into leaving my money and booking further out, which I did. Now there are so many obstacles, I am unable to travel at all and want to refund my deposit (well over $6,000). I have called and hung up because the wait was too long. I have emailed (twice) asking for help in cancelling the trip and getting a refund. No response. Today, I have been on hold for FIVE HOURS waiting for someone to answer (and hearing every few minutes how important my call is to them). I am frustrated and angry! Needless to say, I will not be traveling with this company. Now I am on a mission to let other solo women travelers (their target market) know that they cannot be trusted.

We want to cancel a very expensive trip, which includes Russia and other vulnerable Baltic towns that are currently dangerous. We’ve been on hold for hours, many days, and no one responds. How do we contact them? We are insisting on a refund.

I booked a trip to Africa with OAT and business class airfare. The trip is not until October. The preliminary air itinerary has a couple problems with 6-8 or more hour gaps for change of planes. In the past, I have found airlines will not check luggage all the way through with that length of time (particularly with a change of airline). One of the gaps is from 11 at night until 8:30 the next morning and they have not responded to my request for in transit accommodations. I emailed, waited 2 weeks, emailed again--NO RESPONSE. They were more than happy to answer the phone to take money, but not since. This is ridiculous. Their phone message indicates to wait until 4 months prior to departure. That may be too late for needed changes. I have had positive response from OAT in the past, but never again.

My trip leaves in 18 days, and I discovered 2 weeks ago that a ticketing agent for OAT made an error in my air itinerary. Our airline tickets incorrectly have us departing Egypt to return home on March 15 and not March 25, which is the correct date. For the last 12 days, I have called and emailed OAT repeatedly and cannot get any response from anyone in customer service. I have been on hold for up to 4 hours almost daily; no one is answering the phones. I can't get anyone to help correct the error made by OAT.

Stay away from this dishonest company! I booked a trip by phone six months in advance. I was told that I had 10 days to cancel with my money back. I called four days later and was told that it's in their online terms to keep $300. How would I know their online terms when I booked by phone and was lied to? They reviewed the call and said that the guy told me only the insurance was refundable, which makes no sense because they refund $50 of the deposit. When I repeatedly asked if the guy specifically told me about the $300, I never got a straight answer, just the same ridiculous reference to their online terms that I was somehow supposed to know from a phone call. After multiple times of being on hold for over 40 minutes, I was able to finally reach someone only by using a different phone and clicking that I was a new customer.

This company touts itself as a travel agency that specializes in solo travel. A few days ago I enquired about a tour. They talked me into a $350 fully refundable deposit so they would notify me when one of the 3 single spaces became available on the trip I was interested in. The trip with extension would cost close to $10.00. I agreed to the deposit, but when I read the terrible reviews of this company I called back, only a few minutes later, and talked the the same person (Ed), to cancel and request a refund.

Booked a trip with OAT to Morocco for 9/28/2021. Unfortunately, I fell and hurt both of my knees and my doctor felt I was a fall risk and did not feel I should be taking this trip. I needed physical therapy. Between Allianz and OAT they gave me a run around. Allianz informed OAT to release my money but I have not seen one penny of this money. Can NOT get through on phone. I have stayed on hold for over three hours with NO one helping me. Any suggestions on how to get my money back would be helpful.

I was booked in a three week tour of Egypt and Israel for April of 2020. Unfortunately the pandemic hit and my tour was cancelled. Even though I had purchased the insurance, I was informed that I could reschedule but was not eligible for a refund. I carefully explained that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. I was encouraged to pick a date for 2022 and just see if something worked out. In September of 2021, I notified OAT by email that I would be unable to travel. In December I was notified that they needed information from me for my pending trip but that I could receive a refund for the Israel portion. I again informed them, I would not be traveling in January. They offered to start an appeal on my behalf so I could receive a refund on remaining monies.

I had a lot of second thoughts about booking at trip with OAT after reading all the negative reviews and problems people had once they booked a trip. I am a hard man to please, just ask my kids or my wife. My experience with OAT was stellar from start to finish. When I finally decided to book my Feb. 2020 15 day trip to Israel the salesperson answered every question I had thoroughly and patiently addressed all my concerns about the negative reviews. I was invoiced correctly from the get go. I had some follow up questions after I booked and they were all answered promptly by email or a phone.

I am a 12 time traveler with Grand Circle and OAT. But maybe no more. They are impossible to reach by phone without waiting for hours. I even tried their emergency phone number and was on hold for hours. What if I had been stranded in a foreign country? They cancelled my Eastern Europe to Black Sea Cruise in Sept 2021 and cited "covid" or "civil unrest" issues. Baloney. They cancelled because they did not sell out the cruise and lied about it to me. I know because I went with Viking during the same month with no excuses like Grand Circle gave me.

I’ve been on 4 OAT trips and have 3 more booked. They have been fine rescheduling me and/or refunding money because of Covid. I have met wonderful and interesting fellow travelers. The tour guides have been excellent and the structure of the trips have been so well balanced with history, scenery, culture, hands on opportunities and free time. I’ve tried other companies and prefer OAT. The accommodations have been much, much better than Rick Steves and the smaller size (16 max) is better too and costs less. The people I’ve met are really great, not pretentious about their money or intellect. Just out to have fun and enjoy the surprises in store. Each trip has offered some very special moments that I doubt you’ll find as a tourist on your own or with another operator.

Something is going wrong with OAT. They are changing policies on people on the fly. I signed up for a trip to Spain for September, 2020 during the winter of 2019. Due to Covid, the trip was cancelled. I asked for a refund of my $700 deposit, but they said no refund, it would go towards another trip. I was not happy about that, being an advanced age and not knowing when Covid would end, but stuck with it. Today, June 7th, 2021, I tried to sign up for another trip to Spain in May of 2022. But they wanted another $700 deposit. I said that they already had my $700 deposit from the cancelled trip for more than a year now, but they said it was a "credit" on my account and I needed a new $700 deposit. Ridiculous! They want me to cough up another $700 a year in advance of the replacement trip? That would be $1400 of my money they would have and I still don't know if Covid is going to allow travel to Europe a year from now.

OAT has held our money for two years, and although they promised a full refund at first, minus travel insurance, they changed the deal and just held it as future travel voucher. We really want to have our money back at his time. We were supposed to go to Kenya and Tanzania, and due to Covid, it is not safe to travel there for the foreseeable future. I would NEVER book a trip with this company again.

We signed up for a trip which we paid in full in Oct. 2020, because of covid they canceled the trip. When I asked for my refund they said it would take 90 business days to refund. Suppose to return our funds June 2021... I think that is ridiculous since other tour companies have returned our money immediately. I would never recommend this company for any travel. Very poor that they need to work on our money since last Oct. Thank you!

OAT cancelled my trip without my knowledge and refused to give me a refund. I learned about the cancellation when I received a strange email from their insurance company stating they had changed my travel insurance as requested. Since I had not requested a change to my travel insurance I contacted the insurance company to inquire about their strange email. It took several insurance company personnel to find out that OAT had cancelled my trip due to Covid-19 and arbitrarily placed me on a trip a year later. OAT's actions were particularly deceptive, because only 3 weeks before the cancellation I had attended an OAT traveler meeting during which OAT management assured the attendees that if OAT cancelled a tour due to Covid, OAT would issue a full refund. Yet only 3 weeks after that meeting, they cancelled my trip and refused to refund my payments.

I have travelled with OAT several times. Generally, the experiences were good. Our prepaid Norway trip for 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic. This trip was rebooked ($15,784 prepaid) for June 2021. Contact by phone was impossible, due to excessive phone hold time. This situation created undue stress and anxiety. OAT is privately held, no public financials available. We cancelled the Norway 2021 trip on 10/03/2020. Per OAT: "Your cancellation fee is $300.00 per person as well as the Travel Protection cost of $1898.00". My request to have $600 cancellation fee waived was not responded to. Insurance: Per OAT, they are not involved in Travel Protection Plan compensation matters!! More than a month after the cancellation, we still don't have our money back. Will not use OAT again.

This would have been my 12th OAT trip. In March 2020, booked a trip to South America for Nov. 2020 departure, 8 months in future. OAT Tripadvisor promised I could cancel any time for any reason and get 100% refund, which is stated in their contract, and I agreed to take travel insurance, for which she pushed hard ($2300). Had to cancel for unforeseen medical reasons following month. Had paid $1000 deposit to OAT. OAT refunded $400, then told me I had to contact a company called Allianz to whom they had given $600 of my deposit to without my knowledge. After months of filling out Allianz's online forms, plus sending them hard copies and a physician's letter, since it was impossible to reach anyone there by phone, I gave up being stonewalled by Allianz and recontacted OAT.

We have previously enjoyed four tours and excellent service with Grand Circle Travel (parent of OAT). Our 2020 OAT tour to Israel and Greece was cancelled due to COVID-19 (understandable). Customer care since then has been awful. Originally OAT offered a full refund and future travel credit. When we opted for a refund, we were notified that refunds were no longer available and we were required to rebook the same or different tour for future travel. I protested this and was elevated to a manager who told me they would not make an exception.

Updated on 08/27/2020: This is an update to an earlier post of 7/29/2020. I have been informed by OAT and their insurance company "Allianz" that I am to get a full refund and to expect same within 8-10 days. This was almost a month ago and I have received "nothing". Just thought consumers should be informed as to what type of company they are dealing with. Should I get a refund from the above company I will post a response when that event happens. Steve **

My wife and I booked a Sicily tour for spring 2020 and paid over $17,000. OAT cancelled the trip due to COVID-19 and originally offered a full refund as an option (as required by Mass state law). Without any prior notification, they withdrew the refund option and instead booked us on an identical tour for 2021. They ignored our written request for a refund and did not provide any satisfaction when contacted by phone. We filed a complaint with the Mass attorney general and a dispute with our credit card company. Luckily after a waiting period of 60 days, we received a full refund from Visa. OAT obviously valued short-term monetary benefits over long-term customer loyalty and in our case, lost.

In 2016, I began my first OAT trip in the Peruvian Amazon. The next stops were Lima (Macchu Pichu), Quito, and, finally, the Galapagos Islands. Upon stepping off the plane in Lima, my chest severely contracted -- the first time ever! Clearly, I had developed High Altitude Sickness, severely exacerbated by our direct travel to an artisan village at an higher altitude than Lima. Within two hours, I was very ill....parched, dizzy, exhausted. I now understand that our very competent guide was communicating with his 'local' supervisors who made no attempt to provide medical assistance, even oxygen, for three days until I was hotel bound in Quito.

I am among the many customers whose travel was affected by Covid-19. I was to travel to Morocco in March. I had the same unacceptable treatment as many customers who wrote reviews. I was stunned by the poor communications and unfair treatment by OAT. However, over the last month OAT has made a complete turnaround. I have received a full refund, a $500 credit for future travel and a written apology from the Vice Chairman Harriet Lewis. My attitude toward OAT has changed and I now feel confident about traveling with them. This is a difficult time for everyone and OAT has made full reparation. This difficult experience is behind me and I hope covid-19 will not be an issue when I want to travel to Morocco with OAT next March.

OAT no longer provides refunds for trips, even if the company cancels. They hold funds and require you apply them to subsequent travel. This can be thousands of dollars and is not consumer-friendly.

I paid a $350 pre-deposit for OAT's trip to South India for 2021, which is refundable until dates are selected. OAT informed me that that are not running the trip in 2021 due to COVID, so I requested a refund. It's now been over 2 months and I haven't received the refund. I've called a couple times and have also sent emails, which they never respond to (maybe because they don't want a paper trail?). The last time I called they said it would take 90 days for them to refund the money. I'm now going to try going through my credit card company to see if the amount can be credited to my credit card (one of the reasons I would never pay them with a check).

Beware! I made a $1000 fully refundable pre trip deposit (I have that in writing from them). When the 2021 trip was announced I elected not to go. Since March of this year they have held my money and NOT RESPONDED to 7 e-mails. I have traveled 8 times with OAT/GCT and enjoyed all my experiences. Something is very wrong now. Are they suddenly incompetent, unethical, or insolvent? Is it due to Covid? They should at least have the decency to explain things to a former frequent traveler.

OAT has been unbelievably difficult in issuing a full refund for the tour THEY canceled due to COVID19. We had a group of 14 friends booked for a tour to Costa Rica in June 2020 for a cost of $50,000. Due to COVID19, OAT decided to cancel our trip and reschedule a different trip to July 2021. The group members decided the changed itinerary and new travel dates were not agreeable and requested a full refund (via phone, email and two registered letters) by the 60 day deadline for getting a refund per the terms and conditions in place at the time our group paid for our trip.