Grand Circle Tours
Nov 16th, 2005 | 06:11 PM
#21
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,623
Likes: 0
After giving extensive thought (and comment) to a complaint posted a while back on this board about GCT's affiliate, OAT, I would offer this comment:
As Ozarksbill's comments attest, both GCT and OAT have their fans. I've read several people comment favourably about the guides, itineraries, hotels, etc used by these companies. On the other hand, even just the one complaint that I read points to a weakness in the booking phase. Although it seems only a few consumers each year are affected by this weakness, the weakness is serious enough that I feel compelled to warn you.
I suggest that if you want to use this or indeed any other tour company, that you be proactive, and take the initiative to minimize your likelihood of running into difficulties.
Specifically, I suggest you:
politely but firmly request - in writing - that while you understand the company practices overbooking, you wish to be apprised immediately, in writing, at the time of initial deposit, whether you are on the primary list for tour space or whether you are in fact on a waiting list for the specific tour departure you've chosen. I suggest this since, at least according to the person making the complaint I mentioned, her being waitlisted was not done subject to her final approval, but done without her knowledge. As a result, again according to her, it came as a shock to learn, at virtually the last minute, that the tour was overbooked and she was to be bumped. Whatever happened, it is clear there was a communication failure, and a serious one.
Ozarksbill quotes the company as saying they wish to improve their communications re overbooking practices. Yet in the complainant's instance, apparently, the company didn't so much fail to communicate the practice (the policy is published on both GCT and OAT websites) as fail to communicate when specific tours were overbooked as soon as this information became known to them. Waitlists are one thing, and I understand why companies overbook, but given the inflexibility of many people's vacation schedules, these consumers need to be apprised of a tour's overbooked status as soon as possible. This is so that they can make the decision for themselves as to whether the given tour they've chosen is desirable enough that they want to risk being bumped from an overbooked tour, and at a time when it is too late to make alternate plans.
As Ozarksbill's comments attest, both GCT and OAT have their fans. I've read several people comment favourably about the guides, itineraries, hotels, etc used by these companies. On the other hand, even just the one complaint that I read points to a weakness in the booking phase. Although it seems only a few consumers each year are affected by this weakness, the weakness is serious enough that I feel compelled to warn you.
I suggest that if you want to use this or indeed any other tour company, that you be proactive, and take the initiative to minimize your likelihood of running into difficulties.
Specifically, I suggest you:
politely but firmly request - in writing - that while you understand the company practices overbooking, you wish to be apprised immediately, in writing, at the time of initial deposit, whether you are on the primary list for tour space or whether you are in fact on a waiting list for the specific tour departure you've chosen. I suggest this since, at least according to the person making the complaint I mentioned, her being waitlisted was not done subject to her final approval, but done without her knowledge. As a result, again according to her, it came as a shock to learn, at virtually the last minute, that the tour was overbooked and she was to be bumped. Whatever happened, it is clear there was a communication failure, and a serious one.
Ozarksbill quotes the company as saying they wish to improve their communications re overbooking practices. Yet in the complainant's instance, apparently, the company didn't so much fail to communicate the practice (the policy is published on both GCT and OAT websites) as fail to communicate when specific tours were overbooked as soon as this information became known to them. Waitlists are one thing, and I understand why companies overbook, but given the inflexibility of many people's vacation schedules, these consumers need to be apprised of a tour's overbooked status as soon as possible. This is so that they can make the decision for themselves as to whether the given tour they've chosen is desirable enough that they want to risk being bumped from an overbooked tour, and at a time when it is too late to make alternate plans.
