Beware of Grand Circle Travel and Overseas Adventure Travel
 

Tour Operator Grand Circle Travel & Overseas Adventure Travel
Date 5/2010
Itinerary Turkey, Greek Isles, Greece
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 roommate) even though you pay a single supplement, you get the absolutely worst room they have. This has happened time and time again. I even sent a certified letter to the owners, who had someone call me who assured me that they had changed their policies and I would be treated equally. So I booked a trip to Turkey and the Greek Isles and Greece. Same thing happened. I was told that cabins on the ship weren't assigned until sailing. I called back 3 times, spoke with 3 different people who all repeated the same thing. Still got the worst cabin. Later when I got to know the other travelers they ALL told me that their rooms were assigned at booking. You are even limited on the departures you can take. They will have a room/cabin and tell you there are none available for a single person. I have even offered to pay 2X the price and was told that this is against their policy. This is true of Grand Circle and OAT. I feel discriminated against because I choose to travel alone even though I pay more.

www.affordabletours.com

many other companies of quality that do not do this.

rather than doing the same thing over and over

expecting different results might find a new company.

OAT is a middleman not a direct provider always

gets the left over stuff cheaply and marks it up.

Go local and direct for better experience

usually works best for me.

Galapagos cruises are the worst scammed in the world

The boards are infested with agents/scammers

touting as "destination experts" TripAdvisor is

the very worst so caveat emptor.

www.cruisecritic.com has many excellent providers

www.priceline.com allows me to precisely select

my exact single cabin # online and book still up to 70% off.

Might try them next time.

I hope you consider simply not using them again. You have been more than patient. BTW GC/OAT has had plenty of complaints filed against them with the BBB for poor CS practices. I thought they had improved but evidently not. The heck with them. I'd complain to the BBB if I was you. Good luck. Larry

I can't speak to this particular tour, but I can certainly say that this isn't true across the board with OAT. I've traveled with them, and on each trip there were single travelers who did not get inferior rooms.

You can certainly fault OAT for their inflexible policies, but this isn't a problem I've experienced.

And OAT is actually not a middleman. They have their own tour staff in many countries and make direct bookings. I don't think this is true in every destination they travel to, but it is certainly the case in their most popular destinations.

Doug when you traveled with them did they know you were from Fodors?

No, they didn't. And I was not the person traveling as a single.

Thank you.

I see you are new to Fodors. Welcome. I just returned from an OAT trip in December. There were more single folks then married ones on the trip and the singles appeared pleased. Some had opted for the matching roommate and there were 2 single rooms on the ship. I might add that if you are unsatified, why keep repeating? If they won't give you a room at booking, don't book. Simple.

By the way, if you were on the Athena or the sister ship, there are no bad rooms. We were on the main deck (cheap seats as I call them) and the rooms were excellent. The two single ones were good. One of the gals invited all to see it. No complaints.

We had a very bad experience with GCT..and swore we would never travel with them again. But time has softened our hearts, but DH said, never fall for their 'cash' discount policy, and put it all on your credit card. That way, if you have disputes, you have some leverage. The credit card will fix it...Many on our trip got full refund when they challenged their trip and requested a transfer from their credit card. We got a partial refund.

Again I have to say that there are no bad rooms on the boats that go to Turkey and Greece with OAT. Lots of singles and no complaining. I don't get it. There are only two single rooms on the ship and rest accomodate 2 people. There is a diagram on the website. She offered to pay twice the amount? Please, you can up grade to a high end ship for that. These are economy trips not first class.

What made you wait for 9 months to register here to post this one thing?

I do know Grand Circle uses "middlemen"..as we were caught up in it..Paid for a River Cruise; we questioned GCT at the last minute with several phone calls to their management about the 'cruise' as the rivers were then high; they lied and said "the river boats are on the rivers, as we speak, waiting"...but when we got there, there were 3 large busses waiting to take us on a 'pre-arranged' bus trip (3 week, mind you) thru the dregs of Eastern Europe, a place I never wanted to visit....and short of going straight to the airport and fighting with them for our refund, we took the trip...Never Again.!!! Is that called 'bait and switch?"

By the way, I find "dregs of Eastern Europe" offensive.

I also had a very bad experience with Grand Circle/OAT a few years ago and have not considered them since. I was kicked off a trip to the Amazon less than two weeks prior even after I had all documents (such as air tickets) in hand. I was told that they had overbooked. Since I was a single, I have to assume that I was chosen rather than a double for financial reasons.

southeastern: Since you were not there, not sure your opinion should influence. GCT did tell us, day before on the phone, that the boats were ON the river, 'as we speak".and they anticipated no problems. ..When we go there we were herded into a hotel lobby to wait; the tour that preceded us was just returning, and they were MAD...lots of letters, threats to sue, etc. Of course, since they had the entire fleet of busses lined up and ready to take us, it was not a 'last minute' accomocation by anyone's imagination. out and out subtrafuge.!!!! and deceit.

And No, there were several folks who were just unfit to take a strenuous bus trip...One guy was blind, totally blind, another lady needed constant medication---unavailable on bus, and one woman was so sick the entire time--they just put her on the back of the bus with a stack of depends and ignored her.

No, I did not bitch, but was about to when I found ground glass, several large chunks, in my Hungarian goulosh...a little PO'd about that, but luckily didn't get hurt. When I pointed it out to them, they just shrugged.!!!

We have traveled on 9 trips with GCT and OAT and have never had any problems. In fact, all of our tours were wonderful - with the best tour guides in the business. While we travel as a couple, we have never heard any complaints from others traveling with us as singles.

Ship cabins are generally much smaller than hotel rooms - if that's what the OP is comparing her cabin with.

GCT does own their own boats that are used on the river cruises in Europe. We will be taking another GCT - river cruise - in August, and look very forward to it. We do expect a much smaller cabin that we have had on ocean cruises, but that is the norm on river cruises.

Sad to say, there infrequently are travelers who complain about their tours for one reason or another. Most of the time it is due to unrealistic expectations.

If you have any questions about traveling with GCT or OAT, feel free to contact me at [email protected].

"Unrealistic expectations" Very doubtful as GCT/OAT has had numerous complaints filed with the Mass. BBB. Combine that with the many complaints voiced on this thread and many others here on Fodors over the yrs. and the picture is different, far different. Yes this has be up for discussion here before and it always is the case that GCT/OAT gets polarizing reviews. There is no in between. It seems that if all goes well there are great but when problems occur then its another story. Then they leave you hanging.

>>>unrealistic expectations<<<

somehow I don't think it was unrealistic to think that having documents and confirmation for a trip would mean that I would actually being going.

No, what is unrealistic is to make a blanket statement covering scores of complaints that you were not aware of inre to OAT/GCT to the Mass. BBB.

BTW I don't mean "you" specifically SusieQQ of course. Its meant in a general sense.

I suggest those that dislike GCT/OAT book a cruise on the ships that have state rooms, 3,000 passengers, 6 hours in a country and think they are special because someone puts a napkin in your lap. You will be far happier on one of those ships. Travel on your own also works well.

SE: I knew you would say something like that. We are trying to have a civil discussion here. No need for sarcasm. The facts are that while many like GCT/OAT many others have had bad experiences with them. Try to see things from another POV. Its a big world. If not I suggest to leave this thread. We'll be far happier. JM2C.

Actually, I think this is a useful discussion. I tend to agree that when things go well with OAT, they go very well, and when things do not, they really don't.

I've read many times about OAT shifting people on river cruises onto bus tours when the rivers were unnavigable. I don't really understand, I confess, why this is a particular problem with OAT because I don't read these complaints widely about other river cruise companies.

However, I simply don't agree that OAT treats single travelers with disdain by giving them the worst accommodations and cabins. That's something I've come to believe by both personal experience and word of mouth from people I know and trust. (I do think that single rooms and cabins, when they exist, are smaller than double cabins ... and that's just the way of the world, I'm afraid to say.)

My point as well Doug. They do seem to do things very well or they also can be quite unacceptable when things don't go as planned. If you like them then great but do listen to the other views as well as there are so many of them. Thanks for the input.

"dregs of Eastern Europe" "you get the absolutely worst room they have. This has happened time and time again." is civil discussion? I wasn't being sarcastic, I was being truthful. People that choose budget cruises are always upset that they don't get 5 star service. GCT/OAT are budget. You get what you pay for. I'm not for or against them. I'm just saying that crap happens on a lot of tours. Have seen lots of complaints concerning drunks and loud people on big cruise ships, kids in adult pools, etc. doesn't mean all are bad. As I said, if you want perfect do your own thing or book 5 star. "SE: I knew you would say something like that" gee, I didn't know we knew each other.

Actually SE you posted something similarly sarcastic some time ago inre to a comment I made about GCT. Yes we do know each other a bit or at least I know of you. And BTW it is now you who is being offensive.

Per Southeastern: I was being truthful. People that choose budget cruises are always upset that they don't get 5 star service. GCT/OAT are budget. You get what you pay for.

I disagree that these companies are budget. I just booked a trip with GCT for 2 people and the trip was $9,000. That is NOT a budget trip as far a I'm concerned.

Totally agree with h2otstr. GCT is NOT a budget travel company, and our experience with them has been very good. We felt they were organized, on top of each phase of the trip, from pre trip to after trip. We hope to travel with them again. But since they are not budget, we have to save a little. Sorry that someone had a bad experience. I honestly think that was a definate exception to what usually happens with GCT.

We always book "last minute travel" and save money. Some trips have been very inexpensive. GCT?OAT is not Tauck tours, so I consider it budget compared to them and some of the smaller ships like the Siver Seas. We have been pleased with GCT/OAT but we have also been pleased with Viking and others similar. We have a good time no matter what happened. Sometimes when things go wrong are the most memorable and most laughful parts of the trip.

Jackwatch: I am sarcastic but also beautiful, charming, funny, intelligent and sexy. I have it all. LOL

SE. At least we can agree about one thing. :S-

Barbara thanks for telling us about this "Grand Circle Travel and Overseas Adventure Travel"....I have booked them foe my trip but now i will ask the same question which you bring in our notice...as i am also traveling alone..

http://vakantiehuizenmoraira.villama...oraira&lang=nl

I just had my May 2011 trip to Nepal cancelled just 5 weeks before departure. They supposedly cancelled 2 dates in May. Why they didn't combine the two, I don't think I'll ever know. I find it odd that they couldn't get enough participants for those dates, yet the other dates in May were so full they didn't even have room for 1 single traveller. Now I'm waiting for the trip refund and refund for the visas. So far they have offered no other compensation.

Having had a a terrible experience with GCT a few years back documented elsewhere in the forum) my suggestion and advice to everyone using this company (well, maybe any company) is to put it all on the credit card...as little cash up front as necessary. When/if it comes to a dispute later, you can deal with the credit card co. American Express really goes to bat for you. We asked for a partial refund and got it, while a second couple travelling with us asked for a full refund and got it.!!! It's the only power we have over unscrupulous tactics.

blob,

Did you get any shots for the trip? When they bumped me off my Amazon trip, I got them to remimburse me for my shots.

I had a very bad experience with OAT recently. I was booked on their May 14, 2011 departure for Nepal and the Mystical Himalayas. They cancelled the trip just 5 weeks before I was to depart. Not only that, they had no room on any of their May departures available for me, a single traveller. I called them just a few weeks earlier to check that the trip was running before I shelled out $200+ for the visas. I was told that there was "no way" that the trip would be cancelled as there were more than enough people booked on that departure. I have made numerous calls to OAT, but no one is willing to give you a straight answer. It seems that they also cancelled the May 7 departure for this trip. I questioned why they didn't combine the May 7 and 14 dates, but no one knew why. I questioned why I wasn't contacted earlier so that they would have been able to put me on another May departure- no one knew why. I started to do some research on OAT and GCT. I was astonished at the # of complaints against them, many of which have to deal with cancellations (some trips cancelled the day before people were to depart). My recommendation to anyone considering this company is to do your research before you book with them. Just google OAT Complaints or GCT Complaints. They say they offer good value and their trips are cheap, but you get what you pay for. What kind of value is it if they cancel on you?

This discussion by now a bit dated. Does seem to cover some issues with single travelers or cancelations about which I cannot comment. But I will say that our April '11 river cruise with GCT LaHavre to Paris was quite nice in every way. Ditto two years ago Holland-Belgium. Mostly we take the optional tours. Besides other means of travel over the years we have been six times with GCT and appreciate their educational and cultural approach. Still debating whether we prefer river cruises or land travel...each has pros and cons.

Bill in Boston

Yeah Bill..we have had some nice trips with GCT too, but when they mess up, they do it big time, and there is no avenue of redress when you are out in Romania with no options, as we were..GCT just threw up their hands and backed away. Wonder why they don't get sued more often...although they are in bad with the BBB of Boston.

Actually Bill I have seen many such comments about GCT/OAT for quite some time here and its always the same. Either you love them or hate them. What justwishin said I heard many time B4 as well. I have looked up the Boston BBB complaints and again what JW said is true. I'm glad things went well for you and hope they stay that way.

I think their policy of being 'non responsive' is a planned one, in that they don't dare admit culpability or responsibility for fear of opening a can of worms they can't digest