JEJE

We booked a trip called "The Eternal Nile" from Oak Travel, leaving in about a month. We were assured that the price we paid would not be undercut and that our price would be the best available. Now we are getting brochures from Oak by mail showing that the price has been reduced $1400 for the same trip.

Oak declined to refund the difference on the phone or provide any compensation.

Does anyone know how we may approach this situation to get some of our money back? It just isn't fair for late comers to get so much better price for the same trip. They say it's now too late to cancel, but we won't be happy knowing that we overpaid so much.

Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.

JEJE

Roccco

JEJE,

Just to play Devil's Advocate, technically, the price was not undercut, since the reduction is for a last minute booking as opposed to a lower price offered at the same time you booked. I would just let this one go and try to enjoy your trip.

Pumbavu

You always take a chance booking early. They are well within their rights to reduce the price and not give you any refund. Unless you have a price guarentee in writing? What are the cancellation terms? Could you get a full refund and then rebook?

I tend to book flight last minute if my trip is not tied to particular dates... flights are perishable goods. If the plane leaves with empty seats they can't be filled at a later date... so late comers get a bargain.

sandi

What does the itinerary look like? Days, hotels, Nile cruise boat, stops, any internal Egypt flights, and options (if any)? Is your International air included (from where). And what are you paying?

Am I correct in assuming this is a group tour? If so, my guess would be that they didn't have sufficient participants; in order not to cancel those already booked which would have been very disappointing to you, seems Oak Travel decided to offer reduced prices to fill the space.

$1,400 is a big reduction.

Thyra

Wow, that is a lot.. I suppose you could check the cancellation terms of your agreement and if they are favorable enough, you could cancel and rebook with a different agency. Many Egyptian companies sell identical tours at a fraction of the price paid by US companies. Of course, this is providing that you aren't past the dates for refunding of your deposit. Good luck.

Ericka

JEJE, you say that it is now too late to cancel. Do you mean that it is now to late to cancel without incurring a penalty? If so, is the penalty lower than $1,400? I think you see what I am getting at...