He makes you feel welcome, informed, comfortable and I did Overseas Adventure Travel's Posadas and Paradors trip to Spain and Portugal, including both the pre- and post-trips in May 2023. Travel Troubleshooter: Southwest refunds flight to Princess, but Princess wont pay up OAT trips are fantastic. But we were out of pocket nearly $2,400 (deposit, insurance and seat upgrade). Save. . On our COVID canceled trips, we have received 100% refunds in a relatively short time from all companies. If that doesnt work, you can file a complaint with the Massachusetts attorney general or with me. Overseas Adventure Travel Complaints: 8+ Secret Informations They never called back, and the records remained wrong. I just looked through my photo album for my trip to Morocco with OAT 15 years ago. I phoned and told them that I would still take the trip and that they could take some of the $7,340 that I paid for the canceled Mongolia/South Korea trip and refund the rest to me. All the best to you for a future journey to Morocco. OAT has been a fantastic company for the past two tours we have taken with them, but now I am worried our $9,864 they agreed to refund will disappear. Thanks for asking. https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/grand-circle-travel-rescheduled-a-canceled-trip-without-asking-its-customer-what-about-a-refund-travel-troubleshooter/?utm_source=marketingcloud&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Evening+Brief+06-22-20_6_22_2020&utm_term=Active%20subscriber. Today, I forwarded your information to our finance team to track the status of your $2398.00 refund.. James, I am not sure why it takes 30 days for a refund but I have run into this before with refunds from other companies so I wasnt too concerned. Get a Quote 1.36/5 Customer Complaints 354 complaints closed in last 3 years 108 complaints closed in last 12 months Read Complaints File a Complaint BBB Rating & Accreditation A+ Accredited Since:. Know the location of the closestU.S. embassy or consulatefor your destination. We had a few Very reasonable questions we wanted answered. The second involves the travel insurance. Use your credit card, don't pay in cash to get a discount. You may wish to make sure that you are healthy enough to engage in planned activities by consulting with your doctor. Yes, we finally got a full refund. Since the money I owed on the Baltic Trip was $2, 916, where was the rest of my $7,340? May you be able to see Morocco in the future - our January 2019 visit was tremendous! Any applicable refunds will be returned to you in a manner to be determined by O.A.T. Weve been on hold for 12 hours across many days. Rescinded Refund for Trip Grand Circle Canceled - Review of Overseas I called the company to request a full refund for our September Morocco tour just a few minutes ago. Could not contact OAT from Paris because of long hold time on the telephone (40 mts.). Verify that appropriate protective gear, equipment, and training are available. Calling to get a refund or credits is impossible. After taking 12 tours with them, they treated us terribly. Share your photos and videos with others to prove the truth of your words. I booked first time through OAT for Mexico, specifically for a 1st-time tour with them because they prominently display their trips are 10-16 maximum guaranteed. Lesson learned. However, I lost the reasonable airfare paid for in November 2021. Mary, I hope you get your refund, and I'm sorry OAT has not been able to meet the deadline they agreed to. is part of Boston-based Grand Circle Corporation's family of travel companies, which also include Grand Circle Cruise Line and Grand Circle Travel. One week afterwards the refund appeared on my credit card! Most complaints on tour operators stem from missed connections, and OAT, in spite of their boasting about repeat customers, failed us. Since that trip, our second, we have OAT book our travel into the trip's take-off point (like Paris or Amsterdam) a week ahead of main trip, and we do our own 'Pre-trip". Travel Troubleshooter: Why is it taking so long, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Hilary left California desert roads covered in water and mud. OAT owed us $22,000. We had purchased our flights through Gate 1 along with the tour. Submit a complaint and get your issue resolved. On June 9, OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) canceled my paid June 12 trip to Mongolia/South Korea. Was a shark on the 405? Can Overseas Adventure Travel change its mind about giving me a refund Ive reviewed the Massachusetts Travel Seller law and saw that refunds should be made within 30 days. They want happy customers and know that word of mouth goes a long way these days. I booked an African safari trip through OAT back in 2019. If it had told me immediately, once the decision was made, that the pre-trip was canceled, the airfare would have been much less than it was two months before departure. But as Nigel says until the money is in my account, I will stay on top of it. We are trying to handle unprecedented call volume, and are recruiting, hiring and training as fast as possible. Ive wanted to visit Morocco for a long time and was looking forward to the trip. But that is insignificant, certainly not worth complaining about, when reminiscing about the incredible trip and fantastic guide (Aziz). I made the mistake of booking a trip with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) for several family members. I am a 14 time traveler with GCT/OAT and will not travel with them again. I did not receive an email or any other communication from them indicating the refund went through. Glad to hear that you had an easy go of it! Our country informationpages contain information on adventure travel in the locations you are traveling. Try explaining the impossibility of a timeline or the insincerity of an email exchange in 2 minutes. Update - I just received an email from Allianz that the travel insurance premium portion of the total is being refunded. I'd also encourage people to print out the refund policy at the time you book your trip. Aren't OATs tours somewhat less expensive than the others? In finding the problem hadnt been solved, I left messages for her, but she never called back. Life Travel Another canceled tour, another customer who wants a refund not a credit | Travel Troubleshooter June 14, 2021 at 6:00 am By Christopher Elliott Special to The Seattle Times. If it knew that your pretrip was canceled, it should have told you immediately. Here's more information about the Elliott Responsiveness Ratings. We made our reservations number 395357 for myself and Friend on early February. Upon pressing her, she agreed to handle it, but she evidently did no follow up. Overseas Adventure Travel Reviews and Financial Problems I believe I posted that we got the refund on the forum quite a number of months ago. These are not normal times. Thanks very much for your patience. Now its threatening Oregon and Idaho. The agent was polite and friendly and said she could certainly do that for me. Christopher Elliott, King Features Syndicate, Inc. Review: '80s pop music icon hits the concert trail instead of retiring, Dear Abby: My husband justifies his behavior by saying he doesn't like boys, SF Giants manager Gabe Kapler suspended by MLB. If youre considering a tour with Overseas Adventure Travel, its helpful to know that they will hold you responsible for their schedule changes, at least when it comes to airfare. Can you find out? We will all be looking at travel companies and airlines more carefully in the future and how they handled this crisis. Overseas Adventure Travel has registered the domain name for oattravel.com for more than one year, which may indicate stability and longevity. Can you find out? Adventure Travel Hurricane Hilary images debunked. SAFETY NOTICE: ComplaintsBoard has determined that Overseas Adventure Travel has an exceptional credibility, near-perfect reputation level of trust, with a legitimacy rating that is more or less around 87%. I was told by the travel consultant that they were processing the refund but it takes 2 weeks. But you shouldnt have to do that, and the state of Massachusetts agrees. 5,892 talking about this. Report response as inappropriate I was surprised to learn that even though I paid a premium of $1,398 to Allianz, Overseas Adventure Travel and not me, is the beneficiary of the policy. I received the refund from United in a week and Gate 1 in two weeks. My fear is that they will file bankruptcy and a lot of us will be left holding the bag. ), and errors on our flights to Italy. If you experience a health or safety emergency while overseas, our embassies and consulates may be able to assist. I stated that I asked for this refund on June 9 when they called to cancel the trip. That includes airlines, hotels, rental cars, etc. I expect a partial refund and a response. We may have been scheduled for the same Morocco tour! (800) 221-0814 Monday - Friday: 9am-8pm (ET) Saturday: 9am-6pm (ET) Sunday: 9am-6pm Effective 4/30/2023 For questions about your trip reservation*, contact us by email at Support@oattravel.com For questions about your flight arrangements, contact us by email at Air@oattravel.com I then booked a trip through the Adriatic for the summer of 2022. This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Examples of things that vary: statute of limitations, maximum claim, whether lawyers are allowed in the courtroom, and if the county will serve the defendant the summons for you at no charge. It took me several days by phone and emails to have it corrected. If these two companies can do the right thing, then why cant OAT? Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. A representative responded to me. Read our, Recommended experiences in and around Boston, Piers & Boardwalks, Historic Walking Areas. OAT cancelled all three. I waited 45 minutes today to ask a question before giving up. Here is an article from the end of May in the NY times regarding refunds. Yes, their website is attractive, but the website is not all. O.A.T. Ive done three trips with them over a few decades with no issue, fortunately. OAT has many problems but - Review of Overseas Adventure Travel Have been hesitant to book travel under the current conditions, but just like most on this site I am chomping at the bit to book a future trip. Travel Troubleshooter: Budget bills $2,133 for hail damage that never happened, Travel Troubleshooter: Ive been banned by Airbnb, but no one will tell me why. Not so much, James. It included pre-trip and post-trip extensions and round-trip airfare from San Francisco. Incidentally, no one mentioned in my previous post something key: small claims court filings can only happen in the county where the tour business is located, so that's a huge wildcard that fortunately works out for me since I live there. OVERSEAS ADVENTURE TRAVEL (Boston) - All You Need to Know - Tripadvisor This was my 14th OAT trip and I have another coming in August (Ireland). I fear that they are not going to return our money. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. I am giving OAT the benefit of the doubt at this time. When is the trip? So far we have been lucky with refunds on our trips booked for this year. First responders and other medical professionals may be unable to gain access to remote locations, and medical evacuation can sometimes be necessary. As recently as August 8, 2020 there are customer reviews noting very recent deviations/backtracking by OAT of their own policies and contracts. Do yourself a huge favor when booking your travel plans to foreign and exotic locations: do not use Overseas Adventure Travel / Grand Circle. For tour content and guides, I feel they are on the same level as RS tours. Overseas Adventure Travel- communication problems? Overseas Adventure Travel. I agree with Mary although I have not traveled with OAT thus lost no money with them. OVERSEAS ADVENTURE TRAVEL (Boston) - All You Need to Know - Tripadvisor 15.06) requires a full refund. We ask for patience as we navigate the time-consuming process of dealing with traveler issues fairly and equitably in the midst of the current pandemic. Buyer beware! I recently read that Overseas Adventure Travel was required to honor my request for a refund under Massachusetts law. Overseas Adventure Travel (Boston): All You Need to Know - Tripadvisor 7. We called to ask about it but waited on hold for 5 hours - and never got through. Period.Related Articles However, our call volume for Service has exceeded our projections. Overseas Adventure Travel, Boston: See 607 reviews, articles, and 549 photos of Overseas Adventure Travel, ranked No.150 on Tripadvisor among 451 attractions in Boston. They did the right thing. However, I found out, that once there is a problem, it is almost impossible to contact the company by phone or email and for them to honor their promises. If we reschedule, I think I will explore other travel options. International airfare was included in the cost. | Overseas Adventure Travel - The Leader in Small Group Travel and Small Ship Adventures. Silly me. Travel Troubleshooter: Ive been banned by Airbnb, but no one will tell me why. It issued an immediate refund. Canceled, delayed, or unreliable transportation No matter where you travel in the world, transportation will never be perfectexcept maybe in Japan where trains' annual average delay is mere seconds. Would you want your 78-year-old mother to begin an expensive excursion halfway across the world in a physical state like this? At any rate, their response today will certainly color my decision as to whether to book with them in the future. After we filed with BBB OAT said they would refund our money however they said it was given as a voucher and would take 30 days to send to us. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Nothing happens. The majority of applicable refunds are processed within 30 days of receipt of your cancellation. I suspect you've already put a note on your calendar to check progress in 30 days. I think they finally got religion so to speak. They offered us a good deal to reschedule but who knows if they will be around next year or if we will. They stand by their product and their customers. Neither time did I receive any hesitation about requesting a refund. It was an incredible, life-altering trip. OAT's email offering a refund would have made your credit-card dispute an easy win. The NYT noted that the Massachusetts Attorney Generals office had over 400 (!) Whether for mountain biking or bungee jumping, safaris or surfing, millions of U.S. citizens travel abroad each year and engage in adventure travel. Overseas Adventure Travel told them that the pre-trip had been canceled, but the company waited another two months to advise me of the cancellation. I have done independent travel in the past, but because of my age (too old) I am having troubles renting cars in Europe. We were scheduled to leave Aug. 29 for Morocco and return Sept. 26. 347 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210-1222. I have continued to call and they keep pushing the date for the refund forward. BEWARE VANTAGE TRAVEL - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums I called two weeks ago to request a reschedule to next year. This otherwise really good tour company which operates not only Grand Circle Travel but also Overseas Adventure Travel has one major flaw: If you travel as a single person (without a. Travel Troubleshooter: I might be on Alamos Do Not Rent list. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! What you need to know about Grand Circle Travel Our records indicate that you have been in contact with our customer service team following this review and that we've resolved this issue. Thank you for your patience. They put a lot of people through the wringer. Hi Mary, Italian Coastal Odyssey: Hidden Italy, Sicily & Malta, The Aegean & Mediterranean: A Voyage from Athens to Jerusalem & the Greek Islands, Mediterranean Cultures & Islands: A Voyage from Barcelona to Athens, Turkish Coastal Voyage: Greek Islands, Istanbul & Athens, Safari Serengeti: Tanzania Lodge & Tented Safari, Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Masai Mara to the Serengeti, Southern Africa Safari & Lake Kariba Cruise: South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana, South Africa & Eswatini: Kruger National Park, the Garden Route & Cape Town, Tunisia: From the Mediterranean to the Sahara, Rwanda: Mountain Gorillas in the Land of a Thousand Hills, Israel: The Holy Land & Timeless Cultures, Egypt & the Eternal Nile by Private, Classic River-Yacht, Suez Canal Crossing: Israel, Egypt, Jordan & the Red Sea, Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam, Java & Bali: Indonesia's Mystical Islands, The Silk Road: Central Asias Ancient Trade Route, South Korea & Japan: Temples, Shrines & Seaside Treasures, A South Pacific Odyssey: Australia, the Outback & New Zealand, Costa Rica: Natural Parks & Tropical Forests, Colombia's Colonial Jewels & the Coffee Triangle, Chile & Argentina: The Andes to Patagonia, The Wilderness Beyond: Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego & the Chilean Fjords, Ultimate Galpagos Exploration & Ecuador's Amazon Wilds, Crossroads of the Adriatic: Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Slovenia, Jewels of Bohemia: Czech Republic, Slovakia & Hungary, Georgia & Armenia: Ancient Lands of the Southern Caucasus, Northern Greece, Albania & North Macedonia: Ancient Lands of Alexander the Great, Irish Adventure: Dublin, Belfast & the Northwest Counties, Idyllic Great Britain: Englands Lake District, the Scottish Highlands & Orkney Archipelago, Scotland Revealed: Legends, Lochs & Highland Landscapes, Fjord Cruise & Lapland: Norway, Finland & the Arctic Circle, Maritime Jewels of the British Isles: England, Wales, Northern Ireland & Scotland, Upload your Videos, Slideshows, and Photos, Sharing Your Travel Videos, Slideshows & Photos, Cancellations & Refund policy on our Terms & Conditions page, Covid-19 Health & Safety: Land Adventures, Grand Circle Cruise Line & Grand Circle Travel, Your California and Other State Privacy Rights. Whether you reside overseas or are just visiting, it is important that you know what to expect in advance and understand the risks inherent with adventure travel in a foreign country. Look . 16 years' experience in successful complaint resolution, Each complaint is handled individually by highly qualified experts, Last but not least, all our services are absolutely free. Could it last? Sounds wonderful! Travel Troubleshooter: Should Overseas Adventure Travel cover fare after cancellation? Travel Troubleshooter: Why is it taking so long for my OAT refund? I am promoting them now as they finally did the right thing. Take a look at Odysseys Unlimited for your safari. Impossible to reach by phone or any other way, Read full review of Overseas Adventure Travel and 1 comment, Refund for cancelled trip Reservation No 3961333, Failed to honor incentives to reschedule and added cost of airfare on a trip with free airfare, Getting a refund due to Covid cancellations, Read full review of Overseas Adventure Travel and 5 comments, customer service contact information for Overseas Adventure Travel. Small Group Adventure or Small Ship Adventure for two Judges will also select a winning photo from each of the following four categories. If you need help with a coronavirus-related refund, please contact me. I never even had to contact United. The trip was cancelled September 30, 2021. increase price of airfare after OAT cancelled my 3rd booking and added me to a fourth safari. Had to buy a phone card to call OAT in USA and had to endure a wait time of 38 minutes. I was impressed both times with the way they handled my calls. . It seems the company strongly encouraged customers to accept a credit maybe a little too strongly. Beware of Grand Circle Travel and Overseas Adventure Travel Life-altering because there isn't a week that goes by when I'm busy in my modern kitchen that I don't think about the Berber mother out on the desert that showed me her kitchen: a few pots and plastic dishes secured to a big bush, a pit in the ground for the cooking fire, and a dried mud oven for baking the daily bread. Sorry to hear this, Mary. This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback. Overseas Adventure Travel: Overseas Adventure Travel - Customer Service Nightmare - See 601 traveler reviews, 538 candid photos, and great deals for Boston, MA, at Tripadvisor. Regarding Ms. Browns experience with customer service, we have expanded our traveler support team and extended our hours of operation to address the high volume of inquiries, the representative told me. I wish we read these reviews before we placed our deposit. What better way to ensure the company survives than giving it your business? Consular Information Frequently Asked Questions, Insurance Providers for Overseas Coverage, Information for U.S. Citizens in Russia Travel Options Out of Russia, FIFA Womens World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023. After 3 hours and 15 minutes on hold, our calls are disconnected with a promise to return our call in 24 hours. Beware of Overseas Adventure Travel - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums Because we were only two months from departure, the cost for this rebooking was an additional $1,056 per person, which the agent advised I would have to pay. After I paid them it was necessary to contact them for a number of reasons due to the complexity of our trip. Travel Troubleshooter: Should Overseas Adventure Travel cover fare after cancellation? I expected to have to argue with them but they were very gracious about it and will issue a full refund to my cc in about 30 days. Changes to your reservation made within 89-30 days of your departure will be charged a $150 service fee per person per call, plus any additional fees charged by the airline. They did offer enticements to get me to reschedule but at this point who knows when travel will be possible again. DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER:Id like some advice for obtaining a refund for a trip to Morocco my wife and I booked with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). It was more than 2 weeks so the consultant said he would resubmit the refund request. Whether for mountain biking or bungee jumping, safaris or surfing, millions of U.S. citizens travel abroad each year and engage in adventure travel. I contacted Overseas Adventure Travel on your behalf. Christopher Elliott, King Features Syndicate, Inc. www.elliott.org/company-contacts/grand-circle-travel/, Review: '80s pop music icon hits the concert trail instead of retiring. More charges: Five Antioch, Pittsburg cops allegedly accepted bribes, including tequila, to make traffic tickets go away, Dear Abby: I was taken aback by her appearance, and I hope my face didn't give me away, Miss Manners: She's so rich, but she never gives us anything, Fusion breakthrough highlights Tri-Valley's emergence as Bay Area tech mecca, 'No chance' Charles will meet Harry for 'peace talks,' with William adamantly opposed: report, Dear Abby: My neighbor is too noisy but I'm the one catching flak, Russian moon mission ends in disastrous crash, Tropical storm warnings for Hispaniola and Texas as hurricane center watches 5 systems in Atlantic and Gulf, Did Dodger Stadium flood? OAT canceled the trip in March 2020. You will also find information about visa requirements, safety and security conditions, crime, health and medical considerations, local laws, areas to avoid, and more. I contacted OAT late last year and again asked for a refund. Overseas Adventure Travels terms are clear that the company is not responsible for any losses you may incur as a result of cancellations. First it was 45 days and now they are saying 90 days so mid-October. It states I owe $2,416. Mary, nice to hear that you are promised a full refund from OAT. If I "only" had been out $2400 I would not have fought as hard as I did to get our refund. It's been interesting to see the experiences from Bob and also on the other forum about the post-AG contact experience so perhaps they (and some of the other tour companies) are now doing the right thing. Please contact us at request@oattravel.com so that we may review your situation. Subscribe to get up-to-date safety and security information and help us reach you in an emergency abroad. They have not cared to call us yet. read more, I would highly recommend any trip with Ardi! Travel | OverseasAdvTravel, Manager at Overseas Adventure Travel, responded to this review. It refunded the $30,000, as promised. He said he would take care of it. Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Families only recourse is an appeal to the school board and are subject to their "2 minute rule" for public comments. I suspect that helped as well. Overseas Adventure Travel bears some responsibility for the increase in your costs. Harriette Cole: Will I be able to convince my fiance we should have babies? I received a letter dated March 21, 2020 from the CEO, Harriet Lewis stating that I could get a full refund, reschedule for later 2020 or in My trip to Israel was canceled in 2020 in 2021 due to the Covid I was told I could rebook if I am fully vaccinated but I am not and due to medical debt conditions cannot be so I called on July 8 was on hold for two hours but finally reached somebody and talked to Rebecca and told her of my problem and stated I wanted a refund she said she would have to talk to the finance department and would get back to me within a week this did not happen so the following Monday the 19thI called and was on hold for two and a half hours and I was told but my whole time had reached it's limit and I was being disconnected but they would call me within 24 hours and this did not happenOn July 21 I called again at 6 o'clock my time 9 AM their time and was on hold for three hours and I finally had to give up because I had an appointment I then sent an email to their [protected]@oattravel.com and still have not received anything back, Desired outcome:
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