Compare OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel vs. Odysseys Unlimited
Sep 2nd, 2012, 10:10 AM
#21
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southeastern - you can't make statements like "everyone loves..."
I happen to hate going to the schools! I think it's embarrassing for the kids. But I do like the home-hosted meals. I believe GCT chooses families who need the money. The families in Croatia definitely seemed like they could use a bit of extra cash.
I happen to hate going to the schools! I think it's embarrassing for the kids. But I do like the home-hosted meals. I believe GCT chooses families who need the money. The families in Croatia definitely seemed like they could use a bit of extra cash.
Sep 16th, 2012, 10:31 AM
#22
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I just returned from an Odysseys Unlimited tour of Peru with the Amazon Extension. There were 22 in our group, and we always travelled in coaches that had extra seats to spread out!!
I travelled as a single, and gladly paid the single supplement. Never felt like I had to pay extra bills for options, like on OAT/GCT. Nor ever have to tip local guides. All included!!!
I have travelled in the past with OAT and Grand Circle, and have had uneven experiences with them, especially in the areas of hotel locations and food quality. Some in China were in industrial parks, and The hotel in Budapest was practically in Romania!!!!
Odysseys beats OAT/GCT in so many ways, IMHO. First, dealing with them on the phone in the planning stages is clear and a pleasure. No surprises or "oops, changes"! I love that they do not ask for installment payments along the way. Pay $375 deposit, and give the balance 95 days before you go. Simple. None of the B.S....save this amount if you pay early !!! ( so we can use your money)Refer people and get $$$$! (join our GCT pyramid scheme!) i also detest the way OAT treats repeat travllers so much better than first timers. Its like a "wink-wink" club...here's your special jacket and hat!!!! Give me a better hotel, forget the jacket!
Also, no silly name tags around your neck with Odysseys.
The tour directors at Odysseys, overall, and local, were amazing. I found OAT tour directors to be consistently awesome, but some of the local guides were often a waste, and could not even be heard or understood. the hotels w/ Odysseys were top notch, with wonderful staff, services, food and accomodations....five star in many cases, and the locations were the best I have ever had in a tour group. I would rather pay a little more and be able to stroll two blocks to the main square rather than take a 20 minute metro or taxi......(Prague w/ GCT) Group meals were very good, and many times offered choices.
We did not do any school visits, except in the Amazon extension. For me, schools are a waste. Just personal. No palms were out for charity cases, thank you very much. And honestly, I do not have to hear about how your "foundation" supports all the country's charities. (OAT) I am paying to be a tourist, not a peace corps volunteer.
We did have a home hosted lunch in Cusco that was delightful and genuine. All the host families worked for the culture board in Peru and knew each other. We interacted and actually could speak with them and their families, and never felt like we were just paying them to feed us.
For some, who just want the basics and do not want all the options, Go with OAT/GCT. But I appreciate paying once and done. When a real comparison is done between the cost of options and extra cash out of pocket, Odysseys wins! I only had to allow some cash for the head tour director at the end of our trip.
Never again with OAT/GCT...I would never want to go with them in any areas of the world that may be very underdeveloped. Too many unknowns like "or similar" hotels! I have.already booked for India ( just because of hotel quality and locations) with Odysseys and looking forward to Turkey and Spain in the future!!!
If I sound like a snob to some on this forum, that's fine. I just feel I have worked hard for my travel money and experiences and life is only a one way trip. If I cannot go first class, skip it!!
I travelled as a single, and gladly paid the single supplement. Never felt like I had to pay extra bills for options, like on OAT/GCT. Nor ever have to tip local guides. All included!!!
I have travelled in the past with OAT and Grand Circle, and have had uneven experiences with them, especially in the areas of hotel locations and food quality. Some in China were in industrial parks, and The hotel in Budapest was practically in Romania!!!!
Odysseys beats OAT/GCT in so many ways, IMHO. First, dealing with them on the phone in the planning stages is clear and a pleasure. No surprises or "oops, changes"! I love that they do not ask for installment payments along the way. Pay $375 deposit, and give the balance 95 days before you go. Simple. None of the B.S....save this amount if you pay early !!! ( so we can use your money)Refer people and get $$$$! (join our GCT pyramid scheme!) i also detest the way OAT treats repeat travllers so much better than first timers. Its like a "wink-wink" club...here's your special jacket and hat!!!! Give me a better hotel, forget the jacket!
Also, no silly name tags around your neck with Odysseys.
The tour directors at Odysseys, overall, and local, were amazing. I found OAT tour directors to be consistently awesome, but some of the local guides were often a waste, and could not even be heard or understood. the hotels w/ Odysseys were top notch, with wonderful staff, services, food and accomodations....five star in many cases, and the locations were the best I have ever had in a tour group. I would rather pay a little more and be able to stroll two blocks to the main square rather than take a 20 minute metro or taxi......(Prague w/ GCT) Group meals were very good, and many times offered choices.
We did not do any school visits, except in the Amazon extension. For me, schools are a waste. Just personal. No palms were out for charity cases, thank you very much. And honestly, I do not have to hear about how your "foundation" supports all the country's charities. (OAT) I am paying to be a tourist, not a peace corps volunteer.
We did have a home hosted lunch in Cusco that was delightful and genuine. All the host families worked for the culture board in Peru and knew each other. We interacted and actually could speak with them and their families, and never felt like we were just paying them to feed us.
For some, who just want the basics and do not want all the options, Go with OAT/GCT. But I appreciate paying once and done. When a real comparison is done between the cost of options and extra cash out of pocket, Odysseys wins! I only had to allow some cash for the head tour director at the end of our trip.
Never again with OAT/GCT...I would never want to go with them in any areas of the world that may be very underdeveloped. Too many unknowns like "or similar" hotels! I have.already booked for India ( just because of hotel quality and locations) with Odysseys and looking forward to Turkey and Spain in the future!!!
If I sound like a snob to some on this forum, that's fine. I just feel I have worked hard for my travel money and experiences and life is only a one way trip. If I cannot go first class, skip it!!
Jul 18th, 2016, 03:46 AM
#26
Join Date: Jul 2016
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Traveled with both and there is no comparison judging from my experence. Traveled to Vietnam with Odyssey, the accommodations blew me away. I took pictures of the hotels so I could remember how beautiful they we. Also traveled to Costa Rica with Oats. People actually left the tour because the hotels were so poorly maintained. Almost everybody had at least one bad experience; many people had several (air conditioning that didn't work, showers backed up, etc.)
Our Odyssey guide continually asked people how they felt about the trip, what could be improved (nothing as far as I could see) and promised to let the company know. The Oats guide didn't appear to feel he could do anything and if your toliet didn't flush, oh well.
And it wasn't just the accommodations. The whole experience with the Odyssey trip was better. Why would anyone choose Oats? The main reason is because Oats does not charge a single suppliment, which means, of course, that couples subsidize singles. Definitely not a good deal for couples and I would be willing to pay more for Odyssey even if traveling alone.
Our Odyssey guide continually asked people how they felt about the trip, what could be improved (nothing as far as I could see) and promised to let the company know. The Oats guide didn't appear to feel he could do anything and if your toliet didn't flush, oh well.
And it wasn't just the accommodations. The whole experience with the Odyssey trip was better. Why would anyone choose Oats? The main reason is because Oats does not charge a single suppliment, which means, of course, that couples subsidize singles. Definitely not a good deal for couples and I would be willing to pay more for Odyssey even if traveling alone.
Jul 18th, 2016, 03:46 AM
#27
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Traveled with both and there is no comparison judging from my experence. Traveled to Vietnam with Odyssey, the accommodations blew me away. I took pictures of the hotels so I could remember how beautiful they we. Also traveled to Costa Rica with Oats. People actually left the tour because the hotels were so poorly maintained. Almost everybody had at least one bad experience; many people had several (air conditioning that didn't work, showers backed up, etc.)
Our Odyssey guide continually asked people how they felt about the trip, what could be improved (nothing as far as I could see) and promised to let the company know. The Oats guide didn't appear to feel he could do anything and if your toliet didn't flush, oh well.
And it wasn't just the accommodations. The whole experience with the Odyssey trip was better. Why would anyone choose Oats? The main reason is because Oats does not charge a single suppliment, which means, of course, that couples subsidize singles. Definitely not a good deal for couples and I would be willing to pay more for Odyssey even if traveling alone.
Our Odyssey guide continually asked people how they felt about the trip, what could be improved (nothing as far as I could see) and promised to let the company know. The Oats guide didn't appear to feel he could do anything and if your toliet didn't flush, oh well.
And it wasn't just the accommodations. The whole experience with the Odyssey trip was better. Why would anyone choose Oats? The main reason is because Oats does not charge a single suppliment, which means, of course, that couples subsidize singles. Definitely not a good deal for couples and I would be willing to pay more for Odyssey even if traveling alone.
Jul 18th, 2016, 09:19 AM
#28
Join Date: Apr 2009
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joyschenker:
First of all, this thread is eight years old. The last previous post is three years old.
Second, what do you mean with "couples subsidize singles"? How? As a single traveller I only sit in one seat and eat for one person. Why should I pay for two?
First of all, this thread is eight years old. The last previous post is three years old.
Second, what do you mean with "couples subsidize singles"? How? As a single traveller I only sit in one seat and eat for one person. Why should I pay for two?
Oct 4th, 2017, 04:56 AM
#29
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We have used both OAT and Odyssey several times each. Initially, we were thrilled with OAT and still consider them to be a good value. Although we had not ever had a problem, we were concerned about the large number of online complaints that referenced lack of responsiveness to customer complaints. We looked at Odyssey as a possible alternative and became interested initially b/c we liked the inclusive fee structure. We tried it and overall felt it was as an upgrade and well worth the difference in price. Actually, after adding OAT's tips and optional tours, it probably comes out about the sane.
(Oh, and I don't like OAT's school trips either. Someone mentioned that it felt uncomfortably like visiting a zoo and thereafter, I couldn't shake that image. On the other hand, the home visits were unique and amazing.)
(Oh, and I don't like OAT's school trips either. Someone mentioned that it felt uncomfortably like visiting a zoo and thereafter, I couldn't shake that image. On the other hand, the home visits were unique and amazing.)
