Customer ReviewsforOverseas Adventure Travel

Billing practices are unethical and fraudulent. Trips are excellent.On May 18, 2024 I placed a down payment of $1749.00 on my Citi Mastercard. When I phoned Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) on 5-29-24 to pay for the balance of my trip I was told that I would need to do an *** transfer from my bank account to avoid any service fees rather than if I used my credit card. It is clearly documented on my statement from OAT that an additional $99.90 was withdrawn during the *** transfer. I was told that I would see the refund come back on my next statement. This credit did NOT show up on my 6-4-24 invoice from OAT. I phoned them today (6-18-24) to inquire. I was informed that OAT put the credit back to my Citi Mastercard. I advised them to reverse this credit since I did not authorize the use of my credit card for this credit and the error occurred from the *** payment on 5-29-24. A credit should go back in the same type of payment from which the billing occurred. I will now lose 100 travel miles from my Citi account. *** insisted that all supervisors were too busy to handle my call. OAT representative stated they don't keep any payment forms on file. They obviously kept my credit card info from my 5-18-24 payment and made an unauthorized transaction.**** states that there is nothing they can do even though this billing period is not yet closed.I demand that my credit of $99.90 goes back in the original payment form of *** to my bank account. This is a horrible way to treat a customer who has taken multiple trips with this company.Thank you

As part of an agreement with the company that allows us to take credit card payments, we refund all funds in the same order and method that money was paid to us. The $99.90 was refunded to Complainant on June 6 through their Citi Mastercard. Complainant was advised of this on June 18, 2024. Once we send a refund, we're unable to take the funds back and issue them through another method. Complainant has been refunded the money, and we consider this matter closed.

In May 2024, I cancelled an October 2024 trip to ******** through Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). An OAT agent suggested I find another trip using my extant deposit and travel insurance of $1,199.00. Choosing the "Crossroads of the Adriatic," in a current OAT catalog, OAT advised if I took the trip on August 22, 2024, it would cost $4,295, including airfare, and free single supplement. When the agent totaled the cost, it became $5,595! Since he was puzzled by the total, he advised I email OAT Customer Support with photos of the catalog cover and trip description. Subsequently, OAT Customer Support called to report an actual trip cost of $6,720! When I questioned why the extant deposit and travel insurance and the full cost of the flight from ****** were added to the total for a trip with free airfare from ********, I was told that their costs differed from the catalog costs. After futilely seeking further clarity about the cost of the trip, I decided to cancel and was advised I could cancel for any reason. Afterward, I was sent an invoice for $109.50 for an unexplained penalty. Today, June 10, 2024, I filed an ***************** claim, which Allianz will forward to OAT, where I originally purchased the trip insurance. I also mailed a complaint letter to OAT in ******. For the said trip that cost $4,295 including air and free single supplement, the total cost should have been $4,295+$200 (for the difference between NY and Dulles airfare) -$1,199 (already paid deposit and travel insurance)=$3,296, how did the trip costs become $5,595, then $6,720? Given these overcharges, this first-time customer has no interest in ************************* with OAT.

All of our catalogs show a "Starting from" price which reflects the lowest price tour and airfare available at the time of the catalog's publication. We had dates in March where the combination of the tour price and the airfare from ******** (the least expensive airport) combined to be $4,395.00. If travelers fly from a different airport or at a different time of year, then the trip can be more expensive. The agent who spoke with Complainant on May 25, 2024, the day they changed to this trip, went over these prices with them. We're sorry Complainant is unhappy with this, but this is the price everyone on the date they reserved is paying. Once we receive the information from Allianz, our Finance team will work on Complainant's cancellation refund.

OAT is failing to behave honorably in its dealings with me, a first-time customer. Briefly, when my friends and I had to cancel our January 2024 planned trip, an OAT agent told us we would have two years to use the travel voucher for the cost we had paid. In early April 2024, my friends and I booked a summer 2025 OAT trip; we made it clear to the agent that we would be paying for that trip with our voucher. The agent confirmed that the voucher would be good for two years. I spoke a third time with an agent in late April to make sure the voucher would be good for two years and was told that was accurate. Unfortunately, when we received our travel vouchers, the expiration date was for a mere one year, and the trip we planned is a few months beyond that date. I have called OAT and asked in writing that they honor the assurances given to me on three separate occasions. They have not behaved ethically or justly in my situation. All I want is for the voucher to be given the date originally promised, or at least extended by a few months so that I can use it for the planned summer 2025 trip. I wish I had never heard of OAT and I will encourage my travel-loving friends to avoid the company.

We tried to contact Complainant today but could not connect by phone. We have made an exception and are extending the expiration date of this credit to allow Complainant to apply it to their trip. This has already been done, and Complainant can view this on the My Planner part of our website. We're happy to be bringing this to a successful conclusion.

Do not engage with these Fraudsters under any circumstances. This company allowed my abusive husband and his mother steal my vacation. They just phoned up and took it without anyone verifying if it was me or if I was in fact cancelling my vacation. I spent months emailing them trying to find resolution. They told senior management would contact me, but nobody did. I was leaving a situation of domestic violence and financial abuse. OAT only reinforced that. It's pitiful for a company that's trips bring people to see women suffering globally and pretend to support women's rights. It was a gross invasion of safety and privacy that they allowed anyone phone up, pretend to be me and cancel my trip without any verification. They also allowed these people to steal the deposit I had paid for my vacation and then lied to me multiple times about the fact. Stay well away.

Complainant's reservation was made and deposit was paid by her mother-in-law. The mother-in-law contacted us and advised Complainant was no longer going on the trip, and she had the deposit transferred to another reservation. Since she was the one who paid the deposit and made the reservation, she was within her rights to do so. There was no imitation or deception involved. If she feels there was wrong-doing, Complainant should take this issue up with the mother-in-law.

I am a 18 time traveler with OAT. I reserved a trip to South ******* for late October 2024. Being that the safety issue in *** is not good I cancelled my trip on returning from ********* in December 2023. Thats 10 months in advance! I was told I would get my payment to date back charged back to my credit card but, I would lose all the travel insurance. This is $899. I have seen nothing back to my credit card and am angry that they are keeping the travel insurance that I paid for. I could see a penalty of maybe $300 but not the full $899. Today I get a letter from Grand Circle stating that I have a overdue balance of $419 from my past ********* trip. They state that the credit is due to a credit that can no longer be applied to your reservation. I was sent receipts saying I was paid in full ad I took the trip and was back home on December the 22nd 2023. Its March 4th 2024. What is going on with this company after nearly 14 years and 18 trips with them. I am now looking into other companies for future travel.

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 ********** with my husband in September. However, the trip didnt get set up and I couldnt 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, *******, 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.

Complainant's refund was processed March 12, 2024. A refund of $1,598.00 was processed back to the **** card that was used to make the trip deposit, and this should be showing up on Complainant's online statement within the next few days. We are happy to be bringing this to a successful completion.

I booked a trip for my self and son in December 23, 2023 for a trip starting on April 18, ****, trip deposit was $1,690. I was told at the time of booking I would be able to cancel with full refund as long I did so outside the 90 days prior to departure. Time frame, after discussion with my employer I was made clear the 24 days trip would not be feasible. In the first week of January I canceled trip and was told that. I would not get a full refund and I was informed I would get an approximate refund of $325. I plan ti seek legal advice in this matter

Normally, the travel protection plan is not-refundable after a short period. This would've meant that Complainant was getting a refund of $700.00 ($350.00 for the deposit of each traveler). In reviewing this situation, it was clear that Complainant was incorrectly told when they made the reservation that the entire deposit, which included the travel protection plan, would be refundable. Since this error was made, we are making a one-time exception to refund the cost of the travel protection plan. Complainant will be refunded in full within 45 days of their cancellation.

So far Ive been very happy with O.A.T. and have been on 5 trips. Recently cancelled a trip and was told 30 days, then told 45 days. Tomorrow will be 45 days so I called to confirm the credit of over $7k was processed and was told another few weeks. This is unacceptable Really wondering if they are in financial distress. I have 3 more bookings with them so Im nervous.

On January 19, at Complainant's request, we transferred a portion of their refund to pay for an ******* trip. The remainder of Complainant's refund was processed on January 23, **** to the same method of payment that was used to pay for the trip. We are happy to be bringing this to a successful completion.

I booked a trip with oat on 12/15/23 and deposited $3498.00via credit card.Upon receiving confirmation and asked to sign their agreement I decided I didnt agree with their terms so I called them on 12/15/23 to cancel the trip. I never signed their agreement. They cancelled the trip. The charge to my credit card was still pending so I asked them to credit my charge card before it posted permanently. They did not do this and I was told that I would have to wait up to ************************************************************************************* authority that could authorize a credit sooner. Any other company I have ever dealt with issues a refund within days. It should never take this long. Also their terms of agreement are beyond ridiculous. I would not recommend this travel agency to my worst enemy

Complainant's refund was processed on January 15, **** to the same method of payment that was used to pay for the trip. We are happy to be bringing this to a successful completion.