Any travelers to China w/ LAURUS tours? (www.laurustravel.ca)
May 1st, 2002, 01:26 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Any travelers to China w/ LAURUS tours? (www.laurustravel.ca)
Looking for feedback on this Canadian based company, Laurus. I've been considering going to China with General Tours and then saw a post mentioning this other company. Laurus is reasonably priced with small group (20 or less). If not these, I'd also be interested in hearing about any other tour companies in similar price range. Thanks,<BR>Dawn
May 2nd, 2002, 09:29 AM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
There are so many postings on this sight asking about the merits of various tour companies, there's a point worth making again:<BR><BR>For now, foreign tour companies, with the rarest of exceptions, have to use local operators as 'ground handlers'--as the people who make all the arrangements on the ground. The companies make the arrangements are a very limited number of state-owned monoliths, who charge the tour companies the same prices they would charge you (or more than they would charge you if you showed up in China and haggled). The foreign tour company then adds a mark-up for its own overheads and profit.<BR><BR>Nevertheless, it's still wise to select a foreign company if you must go with a tour, because if something goes wrong you'll can expect fair treatment and compensation, and if you don't get that, then you can bring the laws and trading standards of your own country to bear. If you've gone directly to a Chinese operator obtaining compensation can be very difficult.<BR><BR>Foreign tour companies either buy tours set up by the Chinese operators, and add the air arrangements, or they devise the tour they think will appeal to clients and have the local company package it and price it. As as result, these tours are far less different from each other than you might think--and the guides, transportation, etc., are often the same people, the same vehicles, and the same restaurants (those providing kick-backs to the local company or its guides). <BR><BR>Hotels are more likely to vary, and you have to hope your company has done some inspections. But cheaper tours almost always mean cheaper hotels. <BR><BR>The most important difference between any two tour companies will be whether a foreign, Mandarin-speaking tour director goes along with you or not. This is worth having. There are almost always hiccups, and this person sorts them out, prevents corners from being cut, prevents last-minute substitutions, and so on.<BR><BR>Peter N-H<BR>http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html
May 5th, 2002, 02:44 PM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
We've signed up with Laurus for July. They had the best price and the best route for us. We did not want to take a 3-gorges cruise as part of our trip.<BR><BR>We were not too concerned that they do not credit cards, as we've known many other (good) companies that don't either. We searched the Forum here and on Frommer's and everything we read was positive.<BR><BR>We'll try to remember to post a report when we return.<BR><BR>Wish us luck (and a small group)!<BR>Sandy
May 17th, 2002, 12:36 PM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi Dawn,<BR><BR>Thanks for the wishes but I just found out yesterday that the Laurus trip is not going to make for July. I tried Rim-Pac (my 2nd choice) and they, too, don't have a July trip.<BR><BR>I'm now looking at China Focus . . . I've emailed them and am waiting to hear back.<BR><BR>I'm not opposed to going on my own but the airfare from DFW is VERY high.<BR><BR>I'll let you know how it goes.<BR>Sandy
May 21st, 2002, 07:51 AM
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Sandy,<BR><BR>From what I've seen, appears the best value if flying out of DFW (I live in Big D) is to book travel package and airfare together (rather than trying to snag an inexpensive airfare on your own). I assume you're going during July as that's when you have the time --- do you have a sense of how China climate (heat/humidity) compares to what we endure during our summertime?<BR>
