Overseas Adventure Travel Reviews 

I am completely appalled by how Overseas Adventure Travel is treating me. In a nutshell, 2 friends and I booked a trip for January 2024 (that is why I clicked on Jan 2024 for the required time frame button), but we were unable to take that trip. Our insurance that OAT sold us was “cancel for any reason,” and we cancelled due to worries about escalating American military action in the region. Unfortunately, the “cancel for any reason” insurance policy did not include our reason: our concern about American military intervention in the area. In January 2024, the OAT agent told us that we would receive a travel voucher for the trip amount, minus the cost of insurance, and we would have two years to use the voucher. That was our only option. When my friends and I planned the only trip that interested all of us and that worked with our schedules, we called OAT in April 2024 to book the summer 2025 trip. We explained to the agent that we would be paying for the trip with our voucher, and the agent confirmed that it would be good for two years. However, in mid-April, my friends received their vouchers with an expiration date of April 2025, not 2026 as we had been led to believe. I called and spoke to an OAT representative who told me that yes, it should be two years, but nothing could be done until I received my voucher.
Then, in May, I received the voucher with the expiration date of late April 2025, which was a year earlier than I had been promised. I have called and I have written their Support team, requesting that OAT honor its promise (made by three agents) that the voucher would be good for two years, or, at least, the expiration date could be extended until the planned summer 2025 trip could be completed.
OAT has not helped me at all. No wonder they don’t work with travel agents; I know that if they accepted bookings from travel agents, my agent would be able to help me. But OAT has proven obstinate and unhelpful.
OAT thinks my only option is to find a trip of comparable cost to use by April 2025. However, my travel plans book up well in advance and I really cannot fit in another trip, plus the only OAT option I want to take is the summer 2025 trip that I have already booked. I only ask that OAT honor its verbal contract and allow me to apply the voucher for that specific trip.
OAT’s lack of professionalism and integrity have caused me a great deal of distress.

They really screwed us on the airport transfer. Their handbook states if you want come a few days early, your transfers are included. We came 4 days early so we could be rested up & see some of the things in Lecco not covered by the tour. Day before departure we find out that 4 days is to early & we aren't staying in their selected hotel, so, no transfer, which will be an extra $175 (approx). NOWHERE in the handbook does it say that.
We argued for 1.5 hrs on the phone but they wouldn't budge. We had even talked to an agent the week before & he assured us we would be met at airport. There were other issues but this is the biggest.BTW, this was our 3rd, and probably last, trip with OAT. If we do goo with them again, we will do our own air reservations. No advantage of doing with them as they don't take care of problems. Once on the actual tour, we have not had any problems

I booked a trip for 7 months in advance. Then found out I was going to need surgery so I needed to cancel the trip less then 30 days after making the reservation. They deducted $ 2,998.00 from my deposit for travel insurance I never used. Plus they will not process the balance of the refund for 45 days. This is a rip off and a money grab. It may not even be legal. I pressed my case with O A T and they said tough luck.

I was on an OAT trip to Tasmania/Australia/New Zealand 12/1/23-1/5/24. Cyclone Jasper (CJ) manifested approximately 12/5/23. At that time, our guide, GH sent email to OAT office in Sydney (S) about CJ recommending that our group be diverted from the Cairns/Port Douglas (C/PD) segment of the tour to another location in Australia. Our C/PD segment was scheduled for 12/16-12/20/23. CJ made landfall at PD on 12/13/23. CJ then stalled for several days in the area until 12/18/23. CJ caused power losses, drinking water shortages,trees to uproot,overflow of rivers and creeks,and mudslides and destabilizing damage on many roads. People needed to be rescued. C airport finally closed (12/16-17/23). Mossman and Daintree River also flooded. Crocodiles were seen floating through Ingham. CJ was the wettest tropical cyclone to impact Australia on record. On 12/16/23, while we were in Ayers Rock, G told us that after CJ had hit things were back to normal in C/PD. When we landed in C. we were met with torrential rain. After several detours, we arrived at the hotel about 12 Midnight. P told us to be in the lobby at 9am for the Wildlife Tour. On 12/17/23 morning, P told us that there would be no trip to the Wildlife Zoo nor any planned activities. We were confined to the hotel. Some of us wrote emails to OAT about our situation in PD. On 12/18/23, we all received an email from Marisela R. Perez, Traveler Relations, OAT that acknowledged the situation we were in and attributed it to circumstances beyond OAT's control. She reiterated that our safety remained OAT's priority. We were angered by her letter. On 12/19/23, planes started to fly in and out of C airport. All the various roads between C and PD were impassable. PD started up a Ferry Service between PD and C. On 12/20/23, we took the Ferry from PD to C and then flew from C to S as originally scheduled. On 12/22/23, we all received another email from Marisela reiterating that the change in program in C/PD was out of OAT's control. As a gesture of good will, we were provided a travel voucher for $500.00 per person to use on any OAT or Grand Circle Tour within the next two years. This second letter angered us even more. We wrote a group response where we all agreed to reject the $500 credit offer from OAT and requested compensation of $10,000.00 cash for each person for OAT's gross if not criminal negligence for sending us into an existing dangerous situation putting our lives at risk. G mentioned the suggestion for altering our itinerary was nixed by Sandrine Le Gillard, VP Regional General Manager, South Pacific. On 1/23/24, Marisela spoke with SC and said the Executive Team would not authorize any refund at all. On 1/28/24, I sent an email to Harriet Lewis, Chairman of the Board with Grand Circle Corporation (GCC), Brian Fitzgerald, CEO GCC and Nicholas D'Angelo, Executive VP Traveler Relations OAT. I requested the following from OAT: 1. A letter from OAT acknowledging their accountability in this grossly negligent incident with an apology 2. Compensation of $10,000.00 for the gross negligence. 3. A conversation with a person in the OAT organization with authority over quality control and processes to get assurance that this will never happen again-to anybody. On 1/31/24 Marisela and I spoke. She said that she was speaking on behalf of Brian Fitzgerald. She said that the decision to send our group to C/PD was based on phone calls to the airline where OAT was told that the planes were flying and to the tourist businesses in C/PD where OAT was told that the tourist venues were open. That was the info OAT had at the time and what happened in PD was unexpected. This is "Force Majeure" or "Act Of God". However, the foreseeable conditions in PD nullifies the third test of unforeseeability to trigger the "Force Majeure" clause. I received a refund of $27,000.00 that I had paid in full for four OAT trips. I will no longer travel with OAT.

It is interesting that it has taken OAT over 2.5 years to respond to this post. I have not and will not take any more trips with OAT. The company has changed from a caring company with an educational focus to one of for profit.

First and last trip with OAT. Absolutely terrible. Guide was horrible. Didn’t help or guide us- Hank was his name. He would drive us for hours in a bus and drop us off at museum and give us a brochure to read to learn about Japanese history and culture. I have so many horror stories. Do NOT travel with this company

I took an OAT trip to New Zealand with Australia add one for $3000.00. Half of this trip was supposed to be a trip from Sydney to Cairns. However this portion of the trip, which was half of what i paid for, was cancelled due to typhoon.

i contacted oat about this trip interuption and was informed by customer service representative that i would be refunded half of trip. this never happened. after many calls and literally hours on hold with oat "Customer service" i was informed that the representative had no authority to authorize this refun d and to file a claim with my insurance company. my insurance company is about to deny my claim because oat has steadfastly refused to provide necessary paperwork, Oat promotes itself as catering to seniors and single travelers. i am both of these categories and they have stonewalled, baited and switched and outright lied to me. having to deal with their cusomer service is a nightmare.

Poor experience when cancelling an additional night at hotel 34 days before our stay. OAT gave us a sevice fee of $300. I think this is excessive.
Paul Kaese - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

When I began to research OAT, I said to my husband, there are really bi-modal reviews – people either had a great time or it was a “horror show”. Initially, I was reluctant to sign up for a trip given the negative reviews, but then a friend who has been on a number of trips with OAT encouraged me to sign up.

So, I signed up on Feb 2 for a trip to Costa Rica in September. However, the trip didn’t get set up and I couldn’t see what I had reserved, etc. so I decided to cancel on Feb. 4. Our deposit was $1598 – most of which was for travel insurance. When I spoke with the representative, Barbara, she told me that the bulk of the deposit would be returned within days as it was for an outside agency and the balance would be paid 45 days later.
No credit appeared on my account and when I called about a week later, the fellow helping me left me on the phone for a while and then returned to tell me that the entire amount would be refunded in 45 days – that my information was wrong. The clock is still ticking and I have my calendar flagged to check on the refund – HOWEVER I feel compelled to write this for the record.
It is ridiculous that I should have to pay this charge on my credit card while OAT gets to use my money. There is NO reason not to refund the deposit in a timely fashion and I recommend that they PROMINENTLY display this questionable policy of their materials.
I'll be back if I don't see that refund hit my credit card on March 20.

I booked a trip but needed to cancel just in time to get my down payment of $350.00 back. I was told it would take 45 days. Now it is 55 days and no refund. I called OAT several times but was given excuses for the delay.

We cancelled a trip we had booked with OAT on 11/30/2023. It is now 1/9/2024 and we are still waiting for them to credit back our deposit to our credit card. Their stock answer when we call is that it takes 45 days to process a refund. As anyone with any intelligence know, that is not true. Every other travel company we have ever booked with processes credits/refunds in 2 weeks or less. Please be aware that this is the attitude of this company toward customer service prior to booking trips with them.

I have had the WORST experience in decades of travel with OAT. I booked a trip for 2024 and had to cancel. I'm due a refund of the amount paid over the deposit/insurance. It has been two full months since cancelling and no refund has been made. I have called OAT customer service twice - one month after cancellation then today, two months after. Both times, they CS reps gave the same story with a slight twist: first call after one month - my refund should've been processed within 30 calendar days, but it was "in process" and would be paid in the next 15 calendar days at most. Today, after two months, my refund should've been processed within 45 calendar days, but it was "in process" and would be paid "whenever finance got around to it." I am going to have to contact my bank for a fraud claim because, at this point, I don't believe that OAT will refund my money and "whenever" is not an acceptable timeframe. They seem to be unable to process refunds, which does not speak well of their financial health. I am an independent traveler and read high recommendations for OAT - not my experience at all.

This letter is effectively what was communicated no less than 8 times in writing and conversation to OAT representatives up the chain, beginning 19 days before the trip. OAT was IMMOVABLE on allowing us to find an alternative travel companion and it was 100% due to rigid policy, not real barriers. We never expected a refund and wouldn't have blamed them if we could not fill my spot. They refused to even give us the opportunity. Appalling and sadly representative of their customer service. Congratulations, you lost two customers and one long time referral source. I only think it is fair that folks know the nature of the company at this point. An absolute shame.

As a dedicated Edmund Hillary member of OAT with a history of introducing countless friends to your service including 4 who booked trips, I am writing to express my deep concern over the handling of our Galapagos trip booking in light of a recent medical emergency. This situation not only highlights significant gaps in customer communication and care but also underscores the need for immediate, effective action.

Timeline of Events and Communication Issues:

Initial Contact on 11/22: We contacted OAT 19 days before the trip, scheduled for 12/11, as soon as it became clear that extended surgical complications would prevent my travel.

Policy of No Refunds or Changes Under 30 Days: We were informed that the trip is non-refundable under 30 days, which is understood. However, OAT also refused to allow a replacement traveler, posing zero risk to the company. Both of us called, met with the same response.

Response from Exceptions Department on 11/22: The no-change policy was reiterated by the Exceptions Department on the same day.

Written Escalation on 11/22: Both parties sent written letters to escalate the matter.

Delayed Response Until 11/29: We did not receive any response until 11/29, with OAT mentioning the inability to make changes 12 days before the trip.

Policy vs. Practical Reasons: The response seemed more policy-based than practical. We offered to cover the cost for a replacement traveler for the internal Galapagos flight, which was declined. The rep always returned to the policy prohibiting it. She further added we do not sell trips within 30 days. Upon looking the next day, I found no less than 7 different itineraries with no less than 13 different trips that I could have booked within 30 days.

Further Escalation Request and Conversation on 11/30: A further request for escalation resulted in a 23-minute conversation on 11/30 without any change.

Given these circumstances, I propose the following practical solution:

Future Travel Credit in Exchange for Re-Selling My Space: If finding a substitute traveler is unfeasible, I suggest OAT resell my space to another interested party, crediting me for a future trip. This solution aligns with my preference and ongoing loyalty to OAT.

The lack of a constructive response and rigid adherence to policy without considering exceptional circumstances is alarming. It not only affects this immediate trip but also impacts my ability to continue advocating for OAT in good conscience. An amicable and prompt resolution to this issue would speak volumes about OAT's commitment to customer satisfaction and flexibility.

Unless there is a prompt and constructive resolution to this matter, we will be forced to escalate our concerns further. This includes reaching out to higher management within OAT, engaging with consumer protection agencies, sharing our experience through travel forums, and social media for breach of service. Our preference is to resolve this amicably, yet the current trajectory leaves us little choice but to pursue these avenues.

I implore you to seriously consider these options and respond in a manner that reflects OAT's values of empathy and customer support. Your immediate attention to this matter is not only appreciated but necessary for a resolution that respects both parties' interests.

Thank you for your understanding and prompt attention to this critical issue.

After planning 10 trips w this company, I can NO longer recommended this company. In Feb, we booked a trip to Africa, paying an addtnl $3890 for business class upgrade, AS WE ALWAYS DID WITH INTERNATIONAL FLTS. 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 addtnl $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.

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 pre tour starting nights of 10/14 and 10/15. No can do. If I had booked directly with the hotel I could have. So so greedy, OAT. Now for one night (1 night) it will cost me nearly $1,000.00, the full price of all 3 nights.. For one night. Checking in at 3pm on 10/13 and leaving the hotel at 10:00 am the next morning. Cost for 1 night/ 19 hours will be close to $1,000.00. So be aware, friends, that changes, even a month in advance, to early arrival pre-tour on your own will cost you the full price with no refunds if you book thru OAT. Book on your own with the hotel. This is the hotel they booked me in for that I now have to pay nearly $1,000.00 for one night. Check out the prices if you book on your own. Turim Marques Hotel in Lisbon, Portugal.
Rates at this hotel if you book on your own is between $100- $200 a night.
I have learned my lesson.
These companies may have been good pre pandemic. Now they are just trying to make up for lost profits by these sorts of business practices.
I have traveled extensively on my own (48 countries) but thought that traveling with a small group would be easier now. After this trip, however, I am back to traveling on my own. I would never have to spend nearly $1,000.00 for one night/19 hours on a hotel if I was traveling on my own.

Anyone know a good consumer class action attorney? That's what this company deserves. I was mostly satisfied with Road Scholar, but was seduced by an OAT trip's pre- and post-options, as well as the 'no single supplement,' so signed up. I told the Travel Dep't I wanted to travel Business Class, and they made the reservation I had researched and requested. Now that it's time to pay, I noticed that they also charged me $1200 for economy round-trip airfare. Even though their website says "Free round-trip economy airfare!!!" I have never seen anything so outrageous. The customer service guy I ended up practically screaming at kept repeating lines from the handbook trying to appease me, but couldn't/wouldn't address my complaint about paying for airfare that a) supposed to be free and b) I'm not using. The R/T business fare I found on Google was just a few dollars more than what they're charging me for the Business Class 'upgrade'. Please, someone sue these people on behalf of all of us!

THIEVES! Buyer Beware! My mother had legitimate reasons for cancelling and even purchased Cancel for any Reason insurance. Allianz insurance assured her she’d be reimbursed in full and then OAT deducted $2,000 from her reimbursement. This company lacks honesty and integrity and we will spread the word far and wide to save others from such deception and shameful business practices!

To be courteous and professional, I am letting you know in writing that this information is also going to the Attorney General’s office in Boston, the BBB, Yelp, Google, Tripadvisor, ConsumerAffairs, and Trustpilot. It has been a tremendous waste of our time trying to get our money back after cancelling our trip. Starting on 29 Nov 2022, we were told multiple times, both by phone and by email, that our request has been given to the finance department for review. We have never heard back nor have we received our refund.

This is ridiculous. Both my wife and I are retired and have traveled extensively with many other companies but never has any company given us such a runaround/delay. From numerous calls and emails and hours on hold, this is without a doubt the worst customer service we have EVER experienced. No one should ever be treated this way…especially a loyal returning customer. One can only theorize OAT is planning to go out of business.

We were told that we have until the end of 2023 to use the credits from our cancelled trip. But due to your policy of requiring a COVID vaccination, which you did not have in place when we initially booked our trip with you, we will not have time to use the credits.

Holding our money, from the initial booking on 29 Mar 2021, while making it impossible to use the credits is neither legal nor ethical. Also, if we were to book and trip after being treated like this everyone on the trip would hear firsthand how we have been treated. No…that’s a promise.

After this complaint is filed, there will be no more, “contact us at…so we can assist you”. Enough is enough. Just do what is right or we will keep this up.

Customer # 2822077

I canceled my trip for October on April 26th. I was informed in writing since I had the Allianz trip insurance that I would receive a refund by May 11th. When I did not receive it I wrote to inquire. I was told the policy had changed to 30 days - May 26th. I replied that I was not notified of any policy change and expected them to honor thw agreement they put in writing. The next response said I would not receive my refund to June 8th. I called and spoke to a rep then escalated to a manager and was told there was nothing they could do their finance department is overwhelmed. That might be a BIG clue for those thinking of booking with them!

i booked a trip w/OAT. my first return to international travel since covid. i liked that the trip was on a small ship with a cap of 25 fellow travelers . better yet the ship would transit through the corinth canal (part of my bucket list for years). two days ago OAT advised me via letter that he itinerary had changed a bit. i was informed that the corinth canal is closed and that instead of making the transit to delphi by ship , it would be done instead by a 7 hour bus ride over mountainous terrain. other modifications were also revealed.
I called OAT to cancel. i was informed that siince i was cancelling 35 days out, i would be subject to a 65% cancellation "fee" (read penalty) and that i could recoup the balance from the "any reason" trip insurance i had purchased from their travel partner allianz (more on this below).
by this time , i had researched the status of the corinth canal and had discovered that the corinth canal has been closed since january 2021and that the authorities have indicated a re-opening of the canal in summer 2023. NEVER at any time or in any correspondence did an OAT representative offer any information regarding the canal. in discussing my desire to cancel the OAT,agent asked if i would like to move my departure date to MAY 2023. you have got to be ...
that "any reason" trip insurance ? well it turns out that you do have to have a reason and the exclusion list of coverage is longer than the inclusions . cancelling because OAT made a consequential change to the itinerary does not qualify.so if you dont have a qualifying reason , allianz will issue a travel voucher w/OAT for a future trip w/OAT for the balance of what i had originally paid minus the 35 % reimbursement from OAT. had i not cancelled when i did , allianz would be offering me a 100% travel voucher. after my experience w/OAT the last thing i want is a travel voucher from them.
it is my sincere belief that OAT has ,from the very first contact ( and continues today) acted in bad faith. proof? go look up this trip on their website . they are still marketing the corinth canal today with nary an asterix regarding the canals closure. pure and simple deceit; delays in notifications that then create higher penalties; lack of transparency; disregard for ethical treatment of customers are all attributes that this company embraces.
if you are considering travel with them I STRONGLY ADVISE YOU TO RUN FOR THE DOOR
P.S.- i wish i could have gone with zero stars

We have traveled 11 times, spending more than $110,000 with this company---NEVER again!
Booked our last trip with them to Egypt. On our return home our tickets on American Airlines on our final leg were cancelled by British Air. The flight was not cancelled--only our tickets. If we wanted to get home we had to pay $650 for tickets on the same flight that OAT had already booked us on. we were at the gate ready to board and told tickets cancelled.
We paid, now OAT says it's not their responsibility even though they made all flight reservations and were paid for all reservations. Beware--OAT will take your money but give no help when they owe you $$$