When it comes to Stray, the old adage, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." I have learned a very expensive lesson and hope my bad experience with Stray will help you decide if this is the type of company you want to deal with.
Before considering this supposed hop-on, hop-off bus service I would urge you to do a deep-dive of research. Start by sifting through all the Stray marketing surrogates who provide a glowing review (especially if it's the only/first review they've posted) or superlative photo-laden blogs since many have identified in the small print that they received their trip either free or deeply discounted. I desperately wish I had done so prior to enthusiastically falling for Stray's slick presentation.
Unfortunately, I am not a travel blogger nor a social media "star" so I used my hard-earned money for a standard fare and am now paying the price in the form of a HUGE penalty for cancelling (20%) even though it was far in advance and I never stepped foot on a Stray bus. Stray's MINIMUM cancellation policy is 20% and they won't budge on it no matter the reason.
You may eventually find, like I did, that there are some problems with Stray's model and not everyone has an over-the-top experience described with gleeful hyperbole. Those who have legitimate complaints like me are quickly drowned out by sarcastic on-line statements from company reps.
I must stress this again - be fully aware that from the second you hit "book" Stray will immediately charge you for the total amount of the bus trip. From then on, there are no full refunds whatsoever - even if you haven't selected a start date (and maybe won't travel for months yet) and even if you haven't stepped foot on one of their buses. The policy states that there is a MINIMUM 20% penalty for ANY cancellation, no exceptions.
The first problem I discovered is it isn't as easy to hop on and hop off as they portray. But you only find this out AFTER you've booked and get access to the app. They also obfuscate the fact that "Straymark" locales are MANDATORY. You MUST stay at these locations for the number of days/nights listed and you must pay the listed additional charges for doing so. There is no way around these mandatory stops without booking an alternate bus service other than Stray and you must pay out of pocket for it. If the Straymark location does not have activities that appeal to you or are too expensive, then you may find yourself sitting around a remote area for a couple of days while you twiddle your thumbs.
While some people may thoroughly enjoy these stops and what they offer and are fine with spending their money at a place Stray dictates, there are others who would rather be free to do something else.
Stray "guarantees" a bed for you for the first night on your stops which seems appealing. But I then learned it may be in a mixed dorm (meaning men and women sleeping in the same room and sharing a bathroom). While that may not be a problem for many it may not appeal to all and for some, it can present an extremely uncomfortable situation if their RELIGIOUS OR CULTURAL beliefs prohibit such arrangements.
Also be aware there is an exclusive and COMPULSORY overnight stop at one of the Straymark locations where shooting "feral" animals is one of the optional ENTERTAINMENT activities. This may be fine for those who enjoy hunting in order to balance the natural environment but VEGANS and animal advocates may find it highly objectionable. This information should be identified very clearly and locations like these should not be "compulsory."
If you do NOT want to spend a few days at a compulsory Straymark location then you must find another means of transportation (at your own cost) to meet up with the bus further down the line. Stray buses don't run every day to each location so that means finding your own lodging while you wait. BTW, trying to read Stray's bus schedule is like trying to break a cold war-era encryption code.
IMO, all these issues may rise to the level of deceptive marketing practices and can be reported to the NZ government. I plan to do so and encourage others with bad experiences to do the same. I attempted to resolve my complaints by asking to deal with a member of Stray management but I was just directed to another glib staff member who abruptly blew me off. I trust the NZ government office of oversight won't.
Be sure to read all - and I mean read ALL, every word - of Stray's policies! Be well aware that you will automatically lose AT LEAST 20% of what you paid should you cancel at ANY time for ANY reason!! While I certainly understand that companies may need to charge a small administrative fee for a cancellation, charging a minimum of 20% full cost when it's many months or weeks before travelling is far beyond the pale.
In my experience, Stray's "fine-print" marketing maneuvers and cancellation polices are the most rapaciously egregious I've had in many years of travel. read more
