Marsha and Bill Johns’ journey from first-time travelers to seasoned adventure advocates reveals how authentic enthusiasm for exploration naturally inspires others to discover the world in new ways.
With 35 O.A.T. adventures spanning the globe and an impressive 30 successful referrals under their belts, Marsha and Bill Johns from Venice, Florida, have mastered the art of sharing their travel passion with others. As dedicated participants in our Vacation Ambassador Referral Program, they've discovered that introducing friends and family to meaningful travel experiences creates a rewarding ripple effect—one that offers increasing cash incentives and potentially even free trips.
The Vacation Ambassador Program makes sharing your love of travel genuinely rewarding. When you refer new travelers, they receive $100 in travel credits when mentioning your name and Customer Number. You'll earn $100 cash for your first referral, with rewards increasing up to $7,900 or a free trip after eight referrals. Best of all, you continue earning cash with each reservation your friends make—the benefits are unlimited.
Here's what Marsha and Bill shared about their experiences:
How do you decide whether a friend or family member is a good fit for group travel with O.A.T. or Grand Circle?
We first identify which friends/family members enjoy traveling. Then we consider if they would appreciate O.A.T.'s small group size, the benefit of having an exceptional Trip Experience Leader available 24/7, and the unique experiences like A Day in the Life and Home Hosted Dinners with locals that make each program special.
What information/benefits do you share to encourage referrals to join us?
When people ask about our travel experiences, we simply suggest they compare their desired destination across several companies to see what's included and the costs. Then we direct them to the O.A.T. website. That's typically when we gain another referral! We also encourage booking air travel through O.A.T., as they've assisted us many times with flight cancellations or changes.
Do your referrals typically travel with you, independently, or a mix of both?
On our first O.A.T. trip to Egypt in 2009, my cousins Susan & Arthur Merrow joined us. Later, Len Lamberti traveled to Sicily with us. Otherwise, our referrals travel on their own.
Are there any trips in particular that your referrals have especially enjoyed?
We usually wait anxiously until our referrals return from their first O.A.T. trip to hear how much they loved it! We've never had anyone dislike their trip. Since destinations are unique to each traveler, this is difficult to answer. Wherever they chose to go was special to them. We believe most of our referrals have become dedicated O.A.T. travelers.
Have you earned a free trip through your referrals? If so, which one?
We've earned a free trip three separate times but chose the cash option instead.
Which trip—or trips—stands out as your most memorable?
Having completed 35 trips, this question is like choosing your favorite child or fruit from a basket. We've loved all our trips in different ways. Having an exceptional Trip Experience Leader always makes the journey more memorable, and we've had many great ones. Our first trip to Africa, Egypt, Argentina & Chile, Iceland, Norway cruise, all six Italy trips, the riverboats and most recently Antarctica are among our favorites.
Can you share some of your favorite highlights?
For Bill, places with wildlife he hasn't seen before are always winners. We both prefer small towns or villages to big cities. We love meeting locals and experiencing how they live. Going off the beaten path is always interesting, as are different modes of transportation, new foods, and varied geography.
What advice do you have for travelers interested in referring friends and earning rewards?
Don't hesitate to share what you loved about your O.A.T. trips. Simply provide a card and direct them to the website. We've had people sign up for trips after brief conversations we had months or even years earlier.
Where to next... And why?
We're doing O.A.T.’s French & Italian Rivieras: Avignon, Corsica, Elba & Rome adventure with the Central Italy: Hilltop Villages of the Apennine Mountains pre-trip extension in July. We've completed most of our bucket list, but there are still places that need exploring or revisiting. We try to do 3-4 trips each year and simply see what new offerings align with dates that work for us. Our goal is 50 trips by age 80!
Learn more about our Vacation Ambassador Referral Program and start earning rewards today.
