My experience with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) has unfortunately led me to change my previously positive view. Based on recent events, I must express my disappointment and caution to potential customers, as my encounter suggests practices that are far from trustworthy. In fact, my dealings with OAT have left me feeling deceived and lead me to believe they have lost a once-loyal customer.
Initially, we had booked an exciting “Overseas Adventure Travels” package, a trip encompassing Jordan, Egypt, and Cyprus, which was already a revised itinerary from our original choice of Israel, Egypt, and Jordan. To further enhance this adventure, we also arranged an Athens post-trip extension, specifically designed to complement our main journey.
However, our plans took an unfortunate turn when OAT cancelled the primary trip. At the time of cancellation, we were presented with two options: a complete refund immediately or the option to reschedule the trip, with the price protected at the original rate, for December 2024. The rescheduled trip was set to revert to the initially planned Israel, Egypt, and Jordan itinerary. Given the significant discount we had secured on our original booking, even with the itinerary change back to Israel/Egypt/Jordan, it still represented excellent value. We opted to reschedule for December 2024. Current events in Israel, however, cast significant doubt on whether this trip will proceed as planned, leaving us in a state of uncertainty, especially regarding OAT’s handling of potential further cancellations and resolutions.
Adding to our frustration, a significant issue arose concerning the Athens post-trip. We had paid over $2,000 for this extension, intended to follow our main “overseas adventure travels” experience. When both the main trip and the post-trip were cancelled by OAT, we were informed that while the main trip could be rescheduled with price protection, the Athens post-trip, no longer available, would be fully refunded. We were quoted a 30 to 45-day processing period for this refund. Seeking reassurance, I contacted OAT twice and was repeatedly assured that the refund for the unavailable post-trip segment was being processed. Day 45 arrived on February 2nd, yet no refund was received.
Upon contacting OAT again on February 2nd, I spent over an hour on the phone, speaking with two different representatives, much of which was spent listening to on-hold music. The first representative, after numerous holds, initially stated that the refund processing had inexplicably failed but would be rectified that day, with the funds expected in 30 to 45 days – a repeat of the initial, unmet promise. Unsatisfied, I requested to speak to a supervisor. After further delays, more hold music, and extensive discussion, the supervisor delivered a completely contradictory statement: we were not entitled to any refund. The rationale provided was that since we declined a West Bank of Israel post-trip (offered as a replacement for the cancelled trips), we would not be reimbursed for the Athens post-trip we had already paid for and which was also cancelled. Effectively, having already paid over $2,000 for a post-trip that was not provided, and being denied a refund, we were also prevented from taking the West Bank post-trip because of our initial declination when our original trip was cancelled.
The supervisor’s stance implied that our $2,000+ payment was essentially forfeit to OAT. This feels like a bait-and-switch tactic. Despite prior assurances of a refund, the supervisor’s resolution was merely to retrain staff to avoid promising refunds that OAT purportedly has no intention of issuing.
Based on this experience, I strongly advise caution when considering booking “overseas adventure travels” with OAT. Their pricing may appear attractive, seemingly offering incredible deals that might seem too good to be true. My experience suggests that this might indeed be the case. If you are not directly impacted by cancellations and denied refunds, you may still encounter similarly disappointing practices.
Learn from my mistake. Avoid OAT. Their actions feel like nothing short of deception and theft.
