How I Scored A $4,895 16-Day Tunisia Tour For Just $8

Here's How I Saved — And How You Can Get Extraordinary Travel Bargains

I created the Thrifty Senior Traveler website to share my experiences and tips with others who enjoy traveling (and bargains). I don't work or get paid from any particular company.

I clearly like Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). They meet all my checkmarks: great tours for great value. I am after all the Thrifty Senior Traveler.

If you are booking a first trip with OAT, I have a favor to ask.

OAT has a special "Referral Program".

When booking your reservation, tell them "I was referred by Jesse Slome - his OAT # is 932019."

You'll qualify for the first-time traveler savings of $100-per-person.
And, I receive a 1-time credit toward a future OAT adventure. It costs you nothing. I only get credit once. Then you get to earn referral credits.

So far, 88 travelers have told OAT they were referred by Jesse Slome. If you decide to take an OAT adventure, I hope you'll be #89!

Thank you - and I hope to see you somewhere in the world!

Yes, the headline and the amount ($8!) are correct.

I've scored a 16-day, all-inclusive tour of Tunisia that includes 14 nights of accommodations, 33 meals, all land transportation, one internal flight, a local Trip Experience Leader, and gratuities for local guides, drivers and luggage porters.

And my final out-of-pocket cost for the trip itself?

Just $8. (Plus airfare)

Here's exactly how I did it — and what it can teach you about finding extraordinary travel bargains.

And, at the end, I'll share what you can do to start scoring some bargains of your own.

Choosing The Right Company To Travel With

Visitors to the Thrifty Senior Traveler website have every right to be skeptical.

Am I a secret employee or consultant hired by Overseas Adventure Travel?

Absolutely not.

We've been customers since 2005. I've simply become a very enthusiastic one.

That's because OAT does so many things exceedingly well. And one of those things is giving frequent travelers opportunities to score great trips for extraordinary — and sometimes downright crazy — prices.

Here's how I did it with Tunisia.

Here's How I Started To Save On This Trip

When I booked my trip, OAT's listed price for its Tunisia: From the Mediterranean to the Sahara tour was $4,895.

But OAT regularly announces promotional opportunities. These can range from free airfare to substantial discounts off the regular price.

If you sign up for OAT emails, you'll regularly receive announcements about these offers. And if, like me, you still enjoy receiving actual mail, OAT sends special offers that way, too.

I simply waited for an offer I could take advantage of.

When the right promotion appeared, I moved quickly. Desirable departure dates can fill up, so I didn't wait around. Score!

Picking A Date With No Single Supplement

For this particular trip, I'll be traveling alone.

And I definitely don't want to share a room with a stranger.

So when I called OAT to start the booking process, I explained that I would only reserve a departure where there was no additional single supplement charge.

Because my travel dates are extremely flexible — and because OAT makes a number of single spaces available — this wasn't a problem.
Score!

Using My OAT Frequent Traveler Credits

Over the years, I've accumulated OAT Frequent Traveler Credits from previous trips.

Those credits can be used toward future OAT adventures, and they've become one of my favorite ways to reduce the cost of a trip.

For this trip, I used my accumulated credits to reduce the special promotional price from $3,495 to just $358. Score!

And here's something that really makes the Thrifty Senior Traveler's heart swell with pleasure:

Even though I paid only $8 out of pocket for the Tunisia trip after applying all my discounts and credits, OAT credited me with $157 toward a future trip.

In other words, the value of my future-travel credit is based on the value of the trip — not simply on the amount I happened to pay after using my accumulated credits.

That's a pretty sweet deal.

The OAT Multiple Trip Discount

There's another OAT savings opportunity that long-time travelers should know about.

If you take multiple OAT trips within the same calendar year, OAT offers a multiple-trip discount.

And I don't count on the reservationist to remember to offer it.

I always ask.

For your first few trips with OAT, the discount is $250. Because we've taken 10 or more trips with the company, our discount is $350.

So let's do the math:

Regular listed price: $4,895
Promotional price: $3,495
Frequent Traveler Credits from prior trips: reduced cost to $358
10+ Trip Multiple Trip Discount: −$350

My final out-of-pocket cost: $8

Score!!!!

And that's for the tour itself — airfare is extra.

But even there, the Thrifty Senior Traveler was being thrifty.

The Thrifty Senior Traveler's Approach To Booking Airfare

OAT will arrange your airfare for you, and there are some definite pros and cons to having them handle it.

The Pros

When OAT arranges your flights, transportation to the initial hotel and transportation back to the airport at the conclusion of the trip are included.

There's another significant advantage: If something goes wrong — and yes, tours occasionally get cancelled or travel plans change — OAT is responsible for helping with the necessary rebooking.

That's a big benefit and one reason many travelers prefer to have OAT arrange their flights.

The Cons

Generally, you'll pay more for airfare arranged through OAT than you would for comparable flights booked yourself.

If you book your own flights, you'll have to arrange your own transportation to the starting hotel and from the ending location to the airport.

And if something changes with your flight, you're responsible for dealing directly with the airline.

There's one other consideration: In my experience, the seat assignments OAT has arranged haven't always been particularly desirable.

So what's my approach?

Here's What I Do For Each Trip

First, I check the cost of booking my airfare independently.

I don't necessarily choose the absolute cheapest ticket. I look for an airfare that can be changed if my travel plans change. I'm generally willing to pay a little more for a changeable ticket, but I don't necessarily need a fully refundable ticket.

Second, I find out where the OAT trip begins.

Typically, OAT will know the starting hotel when you're booking a trip a few months in advance.

For my Tunisia trip, I used AI to research the hotel and discovered that it was only a short distance from the airport. I also learned that a taxi ride would cost approximately $10 and that taxis in Tunisia accept credit cards.

That made the decision pretty easy.

By booking my own airfare, I was able to save a few hundred dollars.

And because I'm a seasoned traveler who is comfortable navigating on my own, I decided to book my own flights.

But Here's The Important Part

I'm not suggesting everyone should do what I do.

For the majority of people taking OAT trips, having OAT arrange the flights makes perfect sense.

In fact, we often have OAT arrange our airfare, too.

The extra cost can be worthwhile for the convenience, the included airport transfers and, especially, the peace of mind if something goes wrong.

The key is to know your options and compare the costs.

That's the Thrifty Senior Traveler approach.

How You Can Start To Score Great Travel Bargains

NEVER TRAVELED WITH OAT?

If you've never traveled with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), start by visiting their website and signing up for their emails.

OAT regularly announces special offers, and you can't take advantage of a deal you don't know about.

There's also another opportunity I'd like you to know about.

OAT has a Traveler Referral Program. If you decide to book your first OAT trip, simply tell them:

"I was referred by Jesse Slome, OAT #932019."

You'll receive $100 off your first OAT trip, and I'll receive a referral credit toward a future adventure.

I didn't use a referral discount for my Tunisia trip. I'm saving my referral credits for Brazil!

If the Thrifty Senior Traveler has been helpful to you, I hope you'll return the favor by giving OAT my name and referral number.

ALREADY TRAVELED WITH OAT?

What are you waiting for?

Keep watching for those special discount offers. And especially check the SPECIAL OFFERS section of the OAT website.

I've found some truly incredible bargains there.

The Tunisia trip is just the latest example.

And if you learn anything from my adventures, it's this:

Don't automatically pay the advertised price.

Be flexible.

Watch for promotions.

Ask about single-supplement-free departures.

Use those Frequent Traveler Credits.

Ask about multiple-trip discounts.

Compare your airfare options.

And most importantly...

ASK.

You can't get a discount you don't know about — and you can't get a discount you don't ask for.

That's how this Thrifty Senior Traveler turned a $4,895 trip into an $8 adventure.

Happy travels — and happy saving!

Before Booking Your First Overseas Adventure Travel Tour or Cruise

Written by Jesse Slome, The Thrifty Senior Traveler
Originally published September 1, 2026 | Last updated September 1, 2026