Reviews

Review Details

• Review fromPatricia S

  Date: 12/03/2023

  1 star

  Patricia S

  Date: 12/03/2023

  My first tour with Odysseys Unlimited was 11/2022. The tour itself was a safari and everything was really good except for hundreds of bugs (really) in our tent in ******. I sent Odyssey pictures and they offered me a $150 discount for my next trip with them. On the first trip in 2022, I gave the guide a $150 tip. He was highly professional and although friendly he did not make friends with the guests. There was no drama and he did not engage in or listen to gossip. The service was excellent and he treated everyone equally.The second tour in 2023, the same one as in 2022, was not good and I will never travel with Odyssey again. They gave me flights beginning on 11/4 from ****** and arriving on 11/6 in ******. 36 hours in airports and planes, 21 hours flying and a ***************************************************************** **** *****. No separate gate room for my flight and people laying all over the floor in a common area, no orderly boarding. I am 77 years old and I could barely walk when I finally arrived in Joberg. I called before leaving the USA and they refused to change my flight and I had already paid The 2nd trip guide was very gossipy and badmouthed people behind their back I was told. He planned to abandon the group in ******, a foreign airport where most didn't speak English, so he could go home a day early. However, after I told everyone, he decided he better stay because the other guests got upset.This guide then helped everyone but me check in and I had to stand in line and arrange my own wheel chair while he went to lunch in the airport. He was completely and totally unprofessional and I dont think he understands, and neither does Odyssey, what it means to be professional.I didn't give him a tip at all and the 6 other old ladies on the tour each gave him only a $25 tip. Karma is a bi*ch.I have been traveling for over 50 years and taken over 100 trips. I have only complained 3 times and 2 were about Odysseys Unlimited.
  

  Odysseys Unlimited, Inc.

  Date: 12/05/2023

  We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Africas Wildlife tour when you first took it back in 2022, though regret that you had a difficult experience during your most recent trip.
  
  We would again like to extend our sincere apologies for any dissatisfaction caused by the included flight arrangements.  As we discussed with you, we work with tour operator tickets that allow us to provide excellent value to our guests.  However, these contracts do come with restrictions regarding the flights that we are able to book.  We always do our best to obtain the most direct routing with sufficient connection times within the limitations of these contracts; the availability of certain routings ultimately varies between airlines.
  
  Flight arrangements are sent to guests approximately two and a half months prior to departure.  These arrangements are, however, preliminary.  If guests are unhappy with their flight schedule, we can explore other options.  That said, we confirmed that your preliminary airline was emailed to you in August, but we did not hear from you until a month and a half later; by that time, we were no longer able to make changes within our airline contracts.   Additionally, we do offer a land only option for our tours, knowing that guests may prefer to make their own air arrangements.  We do highly recommend this option for guests who wish to have any aspect of the flights guaranteed or have flight itineraries released in advance of our schedule with the airlines. 
  
  In regard to your comments regarding your tour director, please be assured that, in the past, his performance has been superior; otherwise, we would not have entrusted your group to him.  That said, one of our senior staff has addressed your concerns with him to ensure that guests receive the highest level of care throughout the duration of their tour.  I would be remiss if I did not note though, that your tour director did remain with the group for the scheduled tour; it is customary to part ways at the ************** before the return flight home.  Individual flight arrangements vary, and the tour director remained, as planned, to bid all guests farewell.  However, certainly you should always feel cared for and have everything you need prior to departure.  
  
  Thank you for all of your feedback.  We regret that you did not have a more positive experience.

• Review fromThomas M

  Date: 08/29/2023

  2 stars

  Thomas M

  Date: 08/29/2023

  It is important for potential customers to understand that Odyssey is in the business of providing assembly-line tours rather than personalized travel service. When I booked Odyssey's ********* tour and paid a deposit ten months prior to the tour, I requested a ****************** upgrade. Two days later I was told no business class upgrades were available "within their contract," so I would be booked in economy. Given what I have since learned, it seems apparent to me that no business class upgrades were ever available for this tour. When I requested more flight information to enable me to make my own air reservations, Odyssey was unable to provide me the information necessary to coordinate my own flights with theirs (airline, times, transfer arrangements) since Odyssey does not make flight reservations until closer to the tour date. When I called back three months prior tour date, they were still unable to provide me any detailed flight information despite the fact that final payment was due on the tour, making it impossible for me to make my own reservations on a schedule that would be coordinated with the tour. It is unclear to me how Odyssey could determine that no business class upgrades were available when they could not even identify which airline they would be using for the tour. I also requested additional information about tour details to enable me to plan what photography equipment to bring and how to deal with the severe baggage restrictions imposed on domestic flights within *********. In each case, I found the Odyssey representative unable to provide the specific information I was requesting, making it difficult for me to make specific plans for the trip. I have come to realize that Odyssey is not in the business of accommodating the personalized needs of their tour customers; they are in the business of forcing customers to accommodate the limitations of their tour contracts. I canceled my reservation and received a refund of my deposit.
  

  Odysseys Unlimited, Inc.

  Date: 09/05/2023

  Dear ********************, I would like to apologize for the inconvenience and frustration caused by our airline policies. We do recognize that the flight component is an important part of any trip and as a company we are frequently reviewing our policies in an attempt to provide an excellent experience for our guests. The following is offered as an explanation, not an excuse. As we work with tour operator contracts with our partner airlines, we are able to pass along an excellent value to our guests; however, these contracts also come with restrictions. One restriction is that airlines will only offer a percentage of their upgraded seating to those of us who work within these types of contracts and all tour operators are all bidding for these same seats. For this reason, we do advise all guests requesting a seating upgrade that it is subject to airline availability. We are often able to secure upgrades for our guests, especially if the request is submitted well in advance of the tour, as yours was; however, it appears that this was an instance where the upgrade was unfortunately unavailable. Additionally, we prepare preliminary airline itineraries two and a half months prior to departure, which is inside the final payment deadline for our tours. Historically, this has worked well for our guests, though I understand you were hoping to receive it further in advance. As you are aware, we offer a land only option for our tours, knowing that guests may prefer to make their own airline arrangements to allow for greater flexibility. This option would ***** you access to the full selection of upgraded seating. Our Travel Counselors are always happy to review arrival/departure cities and the exact dates of a tour at any point to try and make the process easier. Once we have flights for air-inclusive guests, we can also review that information to assist with coordinating transfers. Though again, the exact flight schedules are not prepared until two and a half months prior to departure. While these explanations may be of little comfort to you, please know we do value the feedback of our guests and will take this into consideration when negotiating airline contracts for future tours.

• Review fromBernard M

  Date: 10/26/2022

  2 stars

  Bernard M

  Date: 10/26/2022

  On a recent trip to ***** with Odysseys Unlimited one of my bags was lost/stolen while being transferred from the hotel in **** to the hotel in *******. I handed my carry-on piece which was a backpack to the driver outside the hotel in **** and watched him place it on the bus in the luggage compartment. This was witnessed by others in the group. On the way the bus stopped and the bags were transferred to a smaller van for transport to the hotel as large buses cannot go into the city of *******. The group continued on to dinner and upon arrival at the hotel later that evening my BACKPACK WAS MISSING. The tour operator checked with both the bus and van drivers and personnel at the hotel but it was gone. Inside this bag were numerous personal items, medication, medical device for sleep apnea, cash and most distressing of all my PASSPORT!The secure transfer of luggage from one hotel to another while on tour is an essential trust between the guest and the tour company. In this case, Odysseys Unlimited FAILED in their obligation. Odysseys Unlimited informed me they are not responsible for lost luggage (even though the loss occurred while in the care of their contractors) and urged me to file a claim with the trip insurance company. Odysseys Unlimited apologized for the unfortunate incident and any inconvenience caused.I commend the tour operator on site who was wonderful assisting me with filing a police report and getting me to the American Consulate in ******** to purchase an emergency passport but this was more than an inconvenience. This unfortunate incident caused extreme anxiety and stress that greatly impacted myself and my wifes enjoyment of the second half of the trip.I chose to travel with Odysseys Unlimited because it was highly recommended and many aspects of the trip were worthy of that praise but this breach in their transfer procedures is cause for concern for all customers. ***********************************
  

  Odysseys Unlimited, Inc.

  Date: 11/03/2022

  Dear ***********************,On behalf of Odysseys Unlimited, I sincerely apologize for the anxiety and stress you experienced due to the loss of your carry-on bag while you were on tour in ***** with us. Simply put, the loss of your bag was unacceptable and we offer no excuses. While it may be of little comfort to you, please know that In our almost 25 years of operating tours around the world, this was indeed a one-off situation. We do encourage you to file a claim with your insurance company, if you havent done so already. And, we hope that what we discussed with you privately may give you reason to consider giving us another chance. Again, you have our sincere apologies.