Custom itineraries.
Zero consultation fee.
Cruises, river cruises, all-inclusive resorts, rail and air — planned by John Oates and team. Other agencies charge $75 just to talk. We never will.
- $0
- Consultation fee
- 14+
- Yrs experience
- 5
- Travel modes
Five ways to wander, one team to plan it.
From concept to boarding pass to the last excursion, we handle every stage of your journey.
FeaturedCruises
Major lines, premium and luxury. Cabin holds, group rates and onboard credit when available.
Browse inventory
River Cruises
Rhine, Danube, Douro & beyond — small ships, big landscapes.
All-Inclusive Resorts
Caribbean and Mexico favorites with vetted room categories.
Railway Travel
Scenic rail across Europe, Canada and the U.S.
Air Travel
Award seats, multi-city routing and upgrades sourced.
Travel that feels considered, never staged.
For more than 14 years, John Oates was the customer. Then one day his longtime agency introduced a $75 consultation fee just to start a conversation about a trip he'd been planning for months.
Oates Travel exists so that never happens to anyone else. We make our money from suppliers, not from your time.
14+
Years
$0
Consultation
1:1
Planning
The fee math is simple.
Most agencies start the conversation by charging you. We start it by listening.
Consultation fee
$75
- Paid before they plan anything
- Non-refundable if you don't book
- Pressure to commit fast
Consultation fee
$0
- Talk as long as you need — free
- Paid by suppliers, not by you
- Zero pressure, zero obligation
Journeys we've crafted.
Real moments from the trips we've planned — captured in transit, on deck, and off the beaten path.
Two humans. Every trip.
John Oates
Owner
Jill Clapper
Reservations
Travelers who came back — and came back again.
"John found us a balcony cabin at a price our 'membership site' couldn't touch — and answered every question in hours, not days."
Megan R.
Mediterranean cruise · 2025
"We've used three agencies over the years. Jill is the only one who has called us back the same day, every single time."
David & Linda P.
Anniversary in Aruba · 2024
"Oates Travel mapped a multi-stop trip for six of us, ages 7 to 71, and didn't charge a dime to plan it. Unreal."
The Hartley family
Alaska rail + cruise · 2025
Correct. We are paid by suppliers when you book. Talking to us — even for hours of planning — costs you nothing.
"Travel is the one thing you buy that makes you richer. It is our privilege to craft journeys that feel like home — wherever you roam."
— John Oates, Founder
Tell us about your trip.
Two minutes here saves hours of searching. We'll come back with options, not a sales pitch — and never a consultation fee.