Explorica US (explorica.com) has a 3.8 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 100 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Travel & Vacation and its reputation is mixed. 66% of reviews are 4 stars or higher and 17% are 1 star; The business has replied to 96% of negative reviews. Last updated 2026-08-10.
What people say
J
Jason · 2 reviews · Verified · Experienced 2026-03-22 ·
★★★★★
A thrilling and poignant tour of northern France, Belgium & Netherlands!
Our custom tour of France, Belgium & Netherlands was absolutely incredible! Working with Joe Wyatt to plan and cost the tour two years ahead of time was a smooth process in itself, and he also touched base with me during the tour, which was much appreciated. Our "on the ground" Tour Director, Luca Salamone, was just phenomenal in every way. He was flexible and supportive of us teacher chaperones when a few unexpected issues arose, and we had complete confidence in him from start to finish. Luca was extremely calm, friendly, and relatable with my students (ages 16 - 19), which earned him a great deal of respect and admiration. He was SO amazing, in fact, that I asked him (and he agreed) to be our Tour Director for the next two March Break trips we will undertake: Spain, Gibraltar & Morocco (2027) + Rome & Sicily (2028).
Although the itinerary I had custom-crafted was the most ambitious one yet - we were indeed VERY busy each day, but by design - students and parents could hardly believe the variety of incredible things we managed to see and do during our 10-day adventure in France, Belgium & Netherlands. From the glories of Paris and Versailles to pilgrimages to Vimy and Ypres to the charms of medieval Bruges to the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, we left students with both thrilling and poignant memories to last a lifetime. Students and parents alike have said this trip offered great value for money; if the "customers" are this happy, well, that means the Explorica team and us teacher chaperones who planned and oversaw the tour in motion have done our jobs very well indeed.
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-24
Dear Customer,
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with our services. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and motivates us to continue delivering exceptional service.
Best regards,
The Worldstrides Team
Looking for great Spring Break travel with students, Explorica offers organized travel and does all of the work....arranging lodging, transportation, tickets to historical sites and the evening meals. Bring your students and prepare to have entertainment for both students and adults. (parents and grandparents can tag along and enjoy the trip as well!) We have several trips through them and they never disappoint.
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-24
Dear Customer,
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with our services. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and motivates us to continue delivering exceptional service.
Best regards,
The Worldstrides Team
D
Dan Hood · 1 review · Experienced 2026-03-18 ·
★★★★★
Explorica does a good job with supporting trips.
These trips are loaded with great experiences. We get to see so much and learn behind the scenes information. The guides are always knowledgeable and take care of issues that arise. Every problem we have experienced such as lost luggage and cancelled flights explorica has had an answer for or taken care of.
My small drawback is we have added experiences over the years that our students have really enjoyed. We have also found hotels that are within walking distance of sites. We did not have those when we changed school contacts. I wish Explorica would keep a file on what our preferences were and continue to offer them.
Overall it was a good trip.
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-24
Dear Customer,
Thank you for your positive feedback! We're happy to hear that you had a great experience with our program. Your compliments are a great encouragement to our team.
Best regards,
The Worldstrides Team
J
Joseph · 1 review · Verified · Experienced 2026-03-16 ·
★★★★★
Great experience in the planning part and great experience on tour.
Jean Lavoie was great and our tour director Jamie Smith was amazing as always.
Our students loved it and were sad to leave for home!
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-24
Dear Customer,
Thank you for your positive feedback! We're happy to hear that you had a great experience with our program. Your compliments are a great encouragement to our team.
Best regards,
The Worldstrides Team
S
Sarah · 1 review · Verified · Experienced 2026-03-07 ·
★★★★★
Wonderful Experience!
Our school trip was an excellent experience, largely because of the professional and careful service of our tour guide and bus driver. The itinerary that Explorica built for us was the right amount of sightseeing, visiting popular attractions, and balancing time for leisure. If there was ever a surprise or issue, our guide was sure to resolve it right away. I will use Explorica in the future and recommend them to others.
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-24
Dear Customer,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're glad to know that our Tour Directors-Course leaders-bus drivers made your experience memorable. We will pass on your compliments to them.
Best regards,
The Worldstrides Team
If I could rate this company any lower, I would. They deserve zero stars. The communication within the company is horrible with customers. The agents are VERY polite but this only goes so far when it comes to actually facilitating what is being offered and the details behind it. EF Tours is a much smoother transition start to finish and an overall good experience. I will never book with this company again. If the agents/supervisors/managers tell you they will reach back out to you with information, please know this is a lie. Please know you will be cast aside once you pay with no care from this company. Ethically horrible!
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-13
Dear Customer,
We understand how frustrating it can be when things don't go as planned. Rest assured, we are committed to resolving your issue. Our team is actively working on it and taking steps to ensure similar situations are avoided in the future.
Our team is available to provide assistance if needed after tour, and we will be happy to continue supporting you.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
I would not even give this place a 1 I’m so mad and frustrated
I got hooked into this idea that me and my daughter would go on the New York trip this year with the school and paid almost in full for both our spots that cost $2400 a piece
I logged on one day to check on the schedule and make a payment and it showed that the trip goi push back a whole year and I just couldn’t make that work and I was literally never notified of the change and we were supposed to leave in 2.5 months
So I decided to cancel with ample amount of time and because the school changed it on me I did nothing wrong. In order to cancel it cost me $600 of my hard earned money that they will not give me back
I can understand the 99.00 deposit for each account hit $300 a piece when all they did was hold my money and the change to the trip was not because of me
These people robbed me and the insurance ment nothing and was a scam also cause they denied my claim
These people sick and I will never book again with them
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-13
Dear Jessica,
Thank you for sharing your feedback about your recent experience with WorldStrides. We truly value your insights and take all customer concerns seriously.
We understand that you are requesting (a specific action or request) which is not covered by our program Terms and Conditions. While we strive to meet our customers’ needs whenever possible, we have certain limitations outlined in our policies to ensure fairness and consistency for everyone.
If there is an alternative solution within our guidelines, we would be happy to assist. Please share any additional details or context, and we will do our best to find a resolution.
Thank you again for your patience and continued support. We value your business and are committed to addressing your concerns effectively.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
Well organized tour with an outstanding tour guide, nice hotels and the most amazing service project that will leave a lasting impact on myself and my travelers.
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-13
Dear Customer,
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with our services. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and motivates us to continue delivering exceptional service.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
One of the other groups was out of control, rude and loud.
Food was maybe a 6/10.
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-13
Dear Traveler,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience with us. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or frustration this situation has caused. Your concerns are taken very seriously.
We value your business and hope to regain your trust. Thank you for choosing WorldStrides, and we look forward to providing you with an improved experience on your next journey.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
Our guide, Alberto Melendez, was fantastic! He made the trip easy and fun. Thank you!
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-13
Dear Rebecca,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're glad to know that our tour director made your experience memorable. We will pass on your compliments.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team,
Our flights were good and our overall experience was ok, but there were issues.
1. I was not happy as a chaperone having to have kids fill out wavers and that I was expected to sign them for every activity. This should be done ahead of time and by parents. I will not do this again. That means, if something happened to a kid, I am taking legal responsibility and I did not know that would be the situation ahead of time and that is not fair to me at all. It was not the situation on my Costa Rica trip. If this doesn't change by the next trip I will not use Explorica. I did not like having to get food orders from kids every single time. There needs to be a more streamlined way of doing this. The students should be able to submit their order on an app. The system you have in place is chaotic and stressful.
2. The hotel you chose was nice but the pool is WAY too small for the amount of tour groups you have staying there. We might be back at the hotel at 7:00 p.m. and there is NOTHING for the students to do but swim but the pool is just not big enough. The roads are dangerous to be taking large groups of kids to stores. I recommend you change hotels and consider the pool size and safety of the surroundings for the kids if the tour has down time.
4. There is nothing to do for kids who did not do the optional activities. That is not fair to them to sit for hours waiting for the kids who are doing the optional activity to finish.
5. The food was terrible unless we were paying for it ourselves. The food at the ziplining place was the worst. The kids complained extensively about the food and I agree. For the amount they paid, they should have had a better food experience.
6. It seems highly likely the the tour guides get a "payment perk" for bringing their tour groups to certain places. On our beach day we were brought to a side road place where only 1 person was serving and the line was long. They ran out of food and it took forever. When we went to Luquillo beach, there were plenty of kiosks that we could have ordered from and spread out and not been frustrated with long, slow moving lines that had the same kind of food the kids would have enjoyed.
7. On the snorkeling trip there were NO lifejackets for the kids. It was pretty dangerous. Many of them didn't swim well. The kids should have been provided with lifejackets even for the trip over on the boat. That is dangerous and again..you are asking the teacher to sign a waiver for that with those circumstances? It made the experience stressful.
8. The students felt the bioluminescent bay tour was false advertising. They expected from the pictures they would go out to the bay and see the sea lit up. We were covered by a tarp which caused some anxiety. We weren't expecting that. And had to swish our hands in the water to see anything. We weren't rowing along and seeing the bay lit up like shown in the pictures.
9. Our tour guide did not seem to know things you would expect a tour guide to know. She was impatient and yelled because she "told us something." It doesn't seem like she understands learning and what to expect when people are over stimulated and tired from traveling and being in a new place. Several times she gave instructions or told us something that was incorrect and when she realized it she did not take responsibility for it and yelled at us or the group. My students were amused by here yelling and oblivious to her incorrect instructions or information, but the chaperones were not, nor was the group of 4 adults from New York who were on tour with us. I experienced this with your tour director on the Costa Rica trip as well. I think your tour directors need better training. She was very good the very last day...helpful, informative, and patient. My chaperones and I agreed we wished she had been like the way she was on the last day the whole trip.
I think that is it. I do not know that I would recommend Explorica or use it again. The kids did have a great time despite these things but my opinion is it was too expensive for what they got.
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-13
Dear Traveler,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience with us. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or frustration this situation has caused. Your concerns are taken very seriously.
Your feedback is crucial for our ongoing improvement, and we truly value your honesty.
If you have any additional thoughts or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly. We’re here to listen and learn from our mistakes.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
A
Amanda Kolb · 1 review · Experienced 2026-02-11 ·
★★★★★
Not a good experience
Our students used this company for a school trip to Quebec. The trip itself was fantastic — but Bus 2 was unacceptable.
The bus was visibly dirty (grime, stained/torn seats, trash left behind) and had malfunctioning audio/visual equipment, which prevented planned educational programming during travel. Temperature control swung from extreme heat to cold.
Most concerning: the bus broke down, students experienced smoke/burning fumes near seats, and we waited about four hours roadside despite supposed safety backup plans.
To make matters worse, the other student group on the same trip had a nearly new luxury coach. Same trip. Same cost. Completely different standards.
Our teachers were incredible. The bus company was not. Families deserve better.
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-13
Dear Amanda,
Thank you for taking the time to share your review. Your comments are essential to our continuous improvement, and we truly value your honesty and feedback.
We understand that your recent experience with WorldStrides fell short of your expectations, and for that, we sincerely apologize.
Our team is committed to addressing the issue and ensuring it does not happen again. Here are the steps we are taking:
1. Investigation: We are thoroughly reviewing the issue you raised to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
2. Training and Improvement: We are implementing additional staff training to enhance the quality of our service.
3. Resolution: We aim to make things right and would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns directly. Please feel free to reach out to our Customer Service Team at your convenience.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
K
Kate Werme · 1 review · Experienced 2026-02-11 ·
★★★★★
Guides are top notch!
Our guides Melanie and Gabriel were professional, experienced, and proactive. My only complaint was our bus. We were a school trip coming from the states. Out of the two buses, one was practically new and the other outdated. Our outdated bus broke down on the way home causing a 4hr delay. Despite the breakdown, the trip was amazing and very much worth the trip!
Reply from Explorica US2026-03-13
Dear Kate,
We appreciate your gratitude.
Your feedback helps us strive for excellence in the areas of opportunity. We truly value your insights and take all customer concerns seriously.
Best regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
N
Nonya Business · 1 review · Experienced 2026-02-11 ·
★★★★★
So far not great
So far not great. Haven’t even gone on the trip yet and they withdrew the deposit twice but then did refund the second withdrawal. And now a credit that was on my child’s account has mysteriously disappeared a week before the final payment is due and we have an increased payment due WITH NO EXPLANATION. Hope they keep track of the kids on the trip better than they do at managing accounts and payments.
A
Andrea Teutli · 1 review · Experienced 2025-12-15 ·
★★★★★
They cancelled our trip without prior notice and kept 70% of what we paid!
Customer service is terrible. My kid's high school planned a trip for summer 2026 to Scotland. We did not meet the minimum of people, and without notifying us, they cancelled the trip and are keeping 70% of what we paid. I do not agree, they are completely unresponsive and will NEVER use this company EVER again. I do not recommend at all!
Reply from Explorica US2026-02-06
Dear Andrea,
We’re truly sorry to hear about your experience and understand how upsetting this situation must feel. Trip cancellations, especially those involving schools, are never what we want for our travelers or their families.
Because school-group programs require a minimum number of participants to operate, trips must sometimes be cancelled when that threshold isn’t reached. However, you should have been notified promptly, and we apologize if that communication did not reach you as expected. That’s not the level of service we aim to provide.
We would really appreciate the opportunity to review your account, clarify what happened with your specific reservation, and take a closer look at the refund details. Please reach out to our Customer Support team with your booking information so we can assist you directly and work toward a resolution.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention, we take feedback like this seriously, and we want to help make this right.
Best Regards,
The WorldStrides Team.
Scam!! One star is way too much for this company!! This is now my second review! The same issue happened again! I was double charged again! I am a cancer patient and going through treatment. I can’t afford to be double charged each time I make a payment. I authorized a one time payment and they pulled it twice on two different occasions. They claim they can’t reverse the charge electronically and have to mail a check that could take 6-8 weeks at least. So now I have to pay interest on my credit card and take time to fill out paperwork with my credit card fraud department. I shouldn’t have to do Explorica’s job for them! Looking back at the other 3 accounts (my husband and two children) were double charged when I signed them up last year! After talking to other schools who have used this company has been a known issue and switched to other travel companies. I am going to encourage our school to do the same. Explorica lost 4 customers today over this! This is ridiculous! This 2026 and this company can’t reverse their mistake because they don’t know how! I have to take time out of my day and make multiple calls to get this fixed, I am still healing from surgery, I have to pay interest on this extra transaction, I have to wait an unacceptable amount of time to get refunded for their fraudulent transaction, and this is extra stress I shouldn’t have to be dealing with! I was looking forward to this trip and now seeing all the red flags and bad reviews regret signing up for this trip.
Reply from Explorica US2026-02-03
Dear Nicole,
We are truly sorry for the stress and frustration this situation has caused you, especially while you are going through cancer treatment and recovering from surgery. No one should have to deal with unexpected duplicate charges—let alone during such a difficult time—and we fully understand how upsetting and inconvenient this has been.
Please know that we take your concerns very seriously. While duplicate charges are rare, they should never happen, and we sincerely apologize that you experienced this twice. Our finance team is already reviewing the issue to prevent it from happening again.
Regarding your refund, we understand how important timely reimbursement is. Although our system requires refunds for duplicate credit‑card charges to be issued by check, we are working to make sure your refund is processed as quickly as possible so you’re not waiting any longer than necessary.
We also recognize the added financial strain this has created, including the interest on your credit card. We want to help however we can, and our team is available to walk you through next steps or provide any documentation your bank may require.
Please reach out to us directly at 1‑888‑310‑7121 or [email protected], and we will prioritize your case so you don’t have to make repeated calls or handle this on your own.
Again, we are very sorry that this happened and for the additional stress during such a challenging time. Thank you for bringing this to our attention—we appreciate the opportunity to make things right.
Warm Regards.
The WorldStrides Team.
C
Carrie Moore · 1 review · Experienced 2025-12-17 ·
★★★★★
This is by far the worst travel company…
This is by far the worst travel company I’ve ever experienced! Terrible service. Charged me more than was quoted, and not helpful at all when I spoke with them. I’m so angry. Do NOT book with them!!
Reply from Explorica US2025-12-18
Dear Carrie,
We're sorry for what you experienced. A price that differs from the quoted amount and unhelpful support isn’t acceptable to us. We’d like to audit your booking, compare the quote to the final charge, and provide a clear breakdown of any taxes/fees or third‑party surcharges. If we made an error, we’ll correct it. Please share your booking ID, name, and the quoted amount at [email protected] or call us at 1.888.310.7121 or via DM so we can resolve this promptly.
Best Regards.
The WorldStrides Team.
I would give 0 stars if I could.
We paid the down payment for our 2 kids, as well as the first installment for a trip 1.5 years out. My husband's health took an unexpected turn so, since we bought the "Cancel for Any Reason" insurance ($400 for each kid!!), I canceled their trip. However, our reason for canceling "did not qualify" for the insurance. Therefore we're out $800 for the insurance and only got back 75% of the amount we paid for the trip. Oh! And, we had to wait 12 (TWELVE!!) weeks for the refund.
To say I'm upset and feel taken advantage of is a HUGE understatement.
Reply from Explorica US2025-12-04
Dear Mr. Phillips,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We’re truly sorry to hear about the challenges you faced and the frustration this situation has caused. Your feedback is very important to us, and we understand how disappointing this must feel—especially given the unexpected circumstances with your family’s health.
We’d like to clarify that our “Cancel for Any Reason” insurance provides flexibility to cancel for reasons outside of standard coverage, but it does not guarantee a full refund. The policy terms outline that refunds are based on a percentage of the trip cost, and we regret if this was unclear at the time of purchase. Waiting 12 weeks for a refund is certainly not the experience we want for our customers, and we apologize for the delay.
Please know that we never intend for families to feel taken advantage of. We value your trust and would appreciate the opportunity to review your case further to see if there’s anything we can do to make this right. If you’re open to it, please reach out to us directly at [email protected] or call 1.888.310.7121, and reference your booking details so we can assist you promptly.
Thank you again for bringing this to our attention. Your feedback helps us improve and ensure a better experience for all travelers.
Sincerely,
The WorldStrides Team.
What they do well: Support and quick response to most questions and issues. They have a williness in most cases to try to make things right.
What needs improvement: Planning iteneraries to make the most of the travel time and locations and insuring that all hotels are adequate, comfortable, and functional.
Some of the aspects of the tour indicate that they're making sure you have a great trip, while others indicate that they're making money but cutting as many corners as possible at the cost of the experience.
Reply from Explorica US2025-10-17
Dear Emily,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We’re truly sorry to hear that the program did not meet your expectations. Your feedback is incredibly important, and we genuinely appreciate your insights.
Please know that we are committed to continuous improvement and take your comments seriously as we work to enhance our programs and services.
Thank you for choosing Worldstrides, we look forward to the opportunity to serve you better in the future.
Best regards,
The Worldstrides team
B
Beth Foster · 1 review · Experienced 2025-10-04 ·
★★★★★
High Prices for LOW Budget Experience
First, Iceland is pure magic, and we had an incredible time. This review does not reflect the country, our guide, or our experience but instead Explorica's poor management thereof. Had the parents in our group not been our own advocates, it would have been severely diminished in many ways.
First, the trip was expensive with the promise of "standard" hotels. The hotel we checked into 3 different times was substandard at best. I have seen nicer hostels. It was a European 2 star- a 1 star by US standards with horrible reviews. Our first night (and three later nights) in Iceland was spent at Hotel Cabin. You literally could not open your suitcase on the floor. There was barely room for two people to walk around each other. Outside of our window at night there were drug deals and a pretty horrible sight of graffiti, broken glass, and disrepair. I am not being hyperbolic. The stairs were duct taped up. Again, for what we paid, spending 4 of 7 nights there was completely unacceptable. For only $30-50 a night, I was able to upgrade the last few nights to an acceptable room. I am not a high maintenance traveler but do need to be able to open my suitcase (and not on the bed). If Explorica did not nickel and dime its travelers by using LOW budget hotels, it could boost its reputation by at least booking reasonable, "standard," modest upgrades to improve their experience. This is my second trip with them, and without major rectification it would be my last.
Second, the organization of the trip was poor. Explorica figures out how to maximize time spent on the bus so that they don't have to entertain you. Fjaðrárgljúfur is one of the most iconic and beautiful sights in Iceland. We had to beg our guide (who was great) and bus driver to add that as a stop. We were driving almost right by it, and Explorica did not even include it on our itinerary! It was $20 parking investment. That would be like sending travelers to Paris and not including the Eiffel Tower as a stop. Also, they arranged us to drive 3 HOURS each way to go VIEW the glacier lagoon. Again, through our travel awareness, research, and advocacy, we requested to add a stop at Diamond Beach, another MUST do and FREE stop that Explorica omitted. And it was RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET from the lagoon we were going to drive three hours to look at. To be clear, it was NOT on our guide's itinerary they sent him. We added a boat tour of the glacier lagoon. Explorica indicated they will reimburse us for that, and I will hope that happens. To plan an itinerary with 6 hours of driving to look at a lagoon and missing a gem across the street is completely unacceptable. Again, to use a metaphor, this would be like going to Rome to see the Vatican but not stopping in St. Peter's Basilica, which is of course adjacent.
One of our bus trips I asked our guide about the Viking Sushi Cruise that was on our itinerary and had been from the beginning. He looked at me with surprise and had no idea what I was talking about. We had all been so excited about it. I had to show him our Explorica generated itinerary. It was not on his. It turns out that they had stopped doing that tour 2 YEARS AGO due to insurance reasons, and Explorica kept it on there but removed it from the guide's. I guess they were hoping we would not notice?! Again, we had to advocate. They offered a museum to make up for it... not apples to apples for a sushi cruise. But, most striking is that they mislead the consumer.
One night 4 of us had to get bused to a different hotel from the group. This was not a major issue but was an inconvenience, for which they offered us $50.
Finally, the tour fee includes "breakfast and dinner." Of course, breakfast is already covered by the hotel so of no extra cost to Explorica. Some of the dinners were fantastic. However, we went to the same restaurant 2 nights in a row. Everyone was served a grilled chicken breast and French fries the second night. The last night, everyone was bused to a suburb outside of the city for an American buffet. We did not make a major travel investment to Europe to eat subpar America food.
In sum, we had a magical trip, thanks to our parents and NOT to Explorica. The fee they charge does not align with the budget experience they provide. If I had sent my child on that trip and been hands off, I would be quite livid.
I am a professor of public relations and have worked in reputation management for decades. Explorica, you will quickly lose customers if you charge for a nice experience then cut every corner to maximize your profits. Repeat customers are more valuable in the long run than saving money by delivering a budget experience and losing them.
Reply from Explorica US2025-10-17
Dear Beth,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We sincerely regret that your experience with WorldStrides did not meet your expectations. Your insights are invaluable to us, and we truly appreciate your feedback.
Please be assured that our team is actively reviewing the situation and implementing measures to help prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Thank you once again for choosing WorldStrides. We hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a more positive and memorable experience in the future.
Best regards,
The Worldstrides team
