Egypt/Nile cruise with OAT

[VaTraveler]

Although only a small portion of my trip is a cruise, I thought I would get on this board and see if I could find anyone else going to Egypt with Overseas Adventure Travel in November. We will be leaving November 20 and returning December 9. The first part of the trip is 5 days in Jordan. Anyone else? I would love to talk with anyone doing this or a similar trip.

[btoohill]

We haven't booked this trip yet, but we're seriously contemplating it. I'd like to hear from anyone who's taken it and I'd also like to hear about your experience. Did you think about the Alexandria post trip excursion when you decided on the Jordan one? The Jordan one sure sounds great as well, but since the trip is 15 days, adding either of the excursions brings the trip up to 19 or 20 days and that's about as long as we feel like being away, so we'd pick one or the other and not both. How long ago did you book this trip?

[cmthomas]

I have not been to Alexandria so it is difficult for me to make a comparison, however if the Jordan trip includes a visit to the Lost City of Petra that is a once in a lifetime opportunity that should not be missed.

 

It is really difficult to describe something that is so overhwelming that it just makes you speechless. When you see what those ancient people did without the benefit of modern machinery you will be amazed. And to top it off, it is simply beautiful.

 

The Jordanian people are warm and friendly and appreciate tourists.

 

Possibly someone else who has been to Alexandria can describe what there is to see there to help you with this enviable decision! Either way, you surely won't go wrong. Our tolerance is also around 18-21 days but we have found that the additional time is physically easier to take if you do the land portion before the cruise portion.

 

Clarence:)

[VaTraveler]

Hello to you both. No, we didn't consider the Alexandria extension because I just felt I had to see Petra. I couldn't justify to myself getting that close and not going there. The Jordan extension and the Egypt itinerary were the reasons I booked with OAT. The itinerary is perfect for us. Twenty one days is also pushing the limit for us. It will be the longest we've ever been away at one time, next being about 16 days in China in 1999. I'm usually ready to get hom after about 2 weeks, and then 2 weeks later I'm ready to go again. It will be interesting to see how I do away for that long. Good to find some people who have or are considering doing this trip. I'm very excited about it.

[Benita]

Petra is absolutely amazing. We went as a day excursion from Eilat in Israel several years ago.

OAT has great trips, but we have ruled them out as a tour company. They pretend to offer multiple departure dates for the itineraries and buried in the small print, they reserve the right to change your departure date to any which suit them for the week before or after your date. If you do not go on the date that they change you to, they consider it your cancellation and you pay the penalty. They tried to pull that on us when they changed our departure date for a trip to Egypt in 2002. At that time, they didn't mention the right to change dates in their brochures. They told me they have the right to change itineraries and that was the same as changing dates.

I don't think so, and neither did my credit card company. I got my deposit back. The next year they put their penalties in the brochure. So read, and book, carefully. We are staying away from them.

[VaTraveler]

Well, that is indeed disturbing. I have read such glowing reports about them on other boards and have several friends who have traveled with them and loved them. I have already booked, although I haven't made my final payment. I thought they were a reputable company.

[cmthomas]

One way to find out --- call them and request that they give you written confirmation that your departure date is guaranteed. If they aren't willing to do that it should tell you something. I have never traveled with OAT but I have traveled with their parent company, Grand Circle Tours, and have been very happy with their product, but then nothing went wrong so see how they handled it. Clarence:)

[VaTraveler]

Not a bad idea. We are actually kind of flexible and could go a week early or late, but I still don't like the idea of having it changed on me.

[cmthomas]

If they won't give you the guarantee, maybe they will tell you how many are booked on that departure date (for the cruise) and you will be able to judge for yourself if it is at risk due to low turnout. Clarence:)

[VaTraveler]

My husband is saying we are going no matter when they say to leave. Since he is the one who is still working full time, I guess that's what we'll do.:D This trip was my idea since Egypt has always been my most desired place to go, but I think he is getting more excited than I am now.

[Benita]

Actually, I need to make a correction in my post - it only gets worse. In 2003, the last time I checked, OAT only penalized you if you could not change your date by five days before or after the booked date. On the web site, they reserve the right to change your departure by 14 days before or after the date. If you can't to within the month period that they determine, you lose your deposit. The lesson learned is read the small print. I have not found another company with such crazy rules.

[VaTraveler]

I couldn't find that on their website. This is what I found:

 

GCC, like most tour operators overbooks its vacations. We do this because historically, a few people cancel their trips when they book with us. Overbooking is done in the best interest of our customers and Grand Circle Corporation. With the revenue produced by filling spots on our trips that would otherwise go empty, we maintain exceptional value on our trips. This allows us to accept more reservations than decline them when customers call to make a booking. This does not necessarily mean that if you have a reservation you will not be accommodated on your trip.

 

If between 60 and 7 days or more prior to your departure, more customers are confirmed than can be accommodated, a Grand Circle representative will contact volunteers who are willing to give up their seats in exchange for compensation and a confirmed spot on a future departure date. On rare occasions, customers may be involuntarily moved to another departure date if a sufficient number of volunteers are not obtained. We may take into consideration at that time factors such as Inner Circle status, fare paid and severe hardships. With few exceptions, passengers denied their trips involuntarily are entitled to compensation.

[Benita]

Click onto the OAT website at http://www.oattravel.com Then, click on FAQ's along the top. Then click on Sales FAQ's . Then, click on the question, "What if I have to cancel my trip". Then, scroll down to the section which says "Group Size". You'll see the paragraph that says they can move you 14 days in either direction to fill up a trip and if you can't do it, it is considered your cancellation and you pay the penalty. No wonder that they make it so hard to find. No wonder they offer so many departure days to rope you in. They can't lose - you either move to their dates or pay them.

This might be fine for somebody with an extremely flexible time schedule, but those who need to plan in advance are out of luck.

I just went on the Grand Circle website and it is on there as well. Click on FAQ and sales questions and "What if I cancel my trip". Then scroll down to the section Responsibility. It is one of the paragraphs in there. See, you were even in the right spot and had trouble finding it. Not fair, in my book.

[VaTraveler]

I saw it. Thanks for the update. Prior to my final payment date, I'm going to try to get in writing that the date is solid.

[Venturagirl]

I hope you will post GCT's response on this board. GCT's rules, customer service and complaint resolution process seems to be an item of concern in other forums, too. :confused: We can all learn from your contact with them. Thanks!

[cmthomas]

It is this kind of situation where having a good agent who does a lot of business with a company can be of great value. GCT and its affiliates as well as Vantage and a few others will not deal with agents as they don't want to pay a commission. That is their privilege. Also, if they alienate one customer they probably lose only that customer but if they alienate an agent or agency that produces $100's of thousand each year they may be more careful. Certainly a point to consider when chosing a company where you are going to spend YOUR money! No, I am not in the travel business other than as a consumer.

 

A wise friend once told me that "you'll remember the trip long after you forget what you paid for it!"

 

Clarence:)

[VaTraveler]

I agree about the agent. I have always used one in the past, but this time it was the OAT itinerary that reached out and grabbed me. I even went to my travel agent to book it, not realizing at the time that she couldn't. Anyway, I just received a response from them regarding my concerns. Not a written guarantee, but at least it makes me feel better. Here is what they said:

 

"Thank you for taking the time to contact Overseas Adventure Travel regarding your trip.

 

Both the main trip and the Jordan trip are booked up, and this is the only reason we tend to switch dates or cancel an extension. I won't try to say that I can 100% guarantee that this would not happen, but it's extremely unlikely. I can tell you that this trip is considered a small ship adventure.

 

Thank you again for writing to us. Please let me know if you have any other questions or if I can assist you further."

[Joyfredsblondecruiser]

This is a very interesting thread. Thank you everyone. Happy Sailing, Joy

[patw]

Although this is an older thread, I would like to add some up to date information that has changed with OAT. They no longer reserve the right to change the date of your departure. We are booked on a Feb 2007 Egypt + Petra trip. We made sure that this was no longer the case with OAT. The couple we are traveling with are not flexible and we had it confirmed before booking.

 

I would like to hear from others who have been on this trip about the dress for the evenings for dinner. Did the men wear sport coats?

 

Thanks for the shared information on CC. It is invaluable to the traveler.

 

Pat

[paul929207]

We were on Grand Circle to Egypt, Israel and Jordan in March. (Grand Circle owns OAT). No one even had a jacket with them. We met some OAT folds in one of the hotels. They were also dressed without a coat.

 

Have a great trip.

 

Paul

[JordanF]

I can verify the new policy regarding date changes. We are traveling to Egypt with GCT in December. We were scheduled to go December 16th, but GCT cancelled that trip due to lack of people signing up for it. They changed us to the trip leaving December 17th--but gave us the option of a full refund. BTW, we are going on the 17th. A one-day change was OK for us in this instance.

[patw]

Paul, thank you for the information that most of the men did not wear sport coats. That will help reduce the packing.

 

Jordan, I am glad to know that although they cancelled the December 16 trip with a promoise of a full refund and that you were able to move to the new date. It appears that they did this before your final payment, excactly when did they contact you?

 

I will look forward to hearing about your trip when you return.

 

Pat

[JordanF]

I can't remember when they changed the date--early summer, I think. It was before the required payment in full date, but we had paid in full last October--in exchange for a nice discount. Nonetheless, GCT offered a full refund if we did not want the new date.