Tour groups

Old Jan 18th, 2017, 06:21 AM
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Tour groups

My husband and I have decided to go to Ireland in June and have opted to use a tour group this time. We have done a Rick Steve's tour and enjoyed it, but his only one to Ireland is 15 days and we would like a shorter tour. I have found three: Trafalgar Best of Ireland , 10 days.Second is an Insight tour ,Irish Elegance a 9 day tour with one night at Ashford Castle! They call your first day your travel day, so it is really only 7 days! We also have talked of seeing Stonehenge, but this would require flying to London. There is a CIE 10 or 11 day tour that starts in Dublin, then goes to Cardiff. We would then see the Roman Baths and Stonehenge and arrive in London on day 8. We can extend this part of the trip one day, so I think we could see most of the sights. Wouldn't have time to go into most of them, but this isn't our first priority. As much as we would like to see Stonehenge, Ireland is our first priority. Has anyone done any of these tours and what are your thoughts? The Trafalgar tour would give us more of Ireland. Dublin,Co. Wicklow and on to Waterford. Blarney, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula, Cliff of Moher, Kylemore Abbey on our way to 2 days in Galway. Through Connemara to Sligo, up to Donegal and back to Dublin. There is time in Adare as well. Lots of moving around, but I think we would get a lot of area covered. If we chose to do one of these tours, then do our own short London stop and trip to Stonehenge, how would that work? Looks like a ferry ride (weather permitting) and several hours on the train to London. Can you fly from Dublin to London easily? I have planned all our trips over the years and just wanted a break with this one. Not a big fan of tours, but I think we need to do it this time. We are 74 and 72 and in good shape. Did very well on the Rick Steve's trip a couple years ago. Had to haul all our own luggage and walked a lot! We are just interested to know if anyone is familiar with any of these specific tours or these tour companies. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 06:59 AM
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Check and see if Rabbies works for you:
https://www.rabbies.com/en/tour-ireland

I've done a Scotland tour with them, and it was great.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 07:04 AM
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RS does have a shorter tour to Ireland:

https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/ireland/heart-ireland

The longer tour is 13 nights, not 15 days:

https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/ireland/ireland
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 07:08 AM
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I agree with elberko, Rabbies would be a good choice if one of their itineraries work for you. They only do small group tours of no more than 16 passenger which I've found is much better than large coach tours.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 07:19 AM
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Thanks. I am aware Rick Steve's has a shorter tour. We want to see a little more. The 14 day tour is a little pricey when you add in air fare. Too picky I know! Trying to keep the budget down a little more. Will look into the Rabbies tour.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 07:30 AM
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Funny I was telling my wife when we get older we should look into tourtravels. I find the idea more relaxing.

My only remark would be to select a tour with people who have the same interests... You'll be with them for 14 days - imagine they are all hard line Trump voters...
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 08:00 AM
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How old are you? Unless you're pensioners and deep into your AARP memberships, Trafalgar's probably not the way to go.

And Woin is right - imagine 2 weeks of dealing with Eurosnobs who malign 1/2 the American electorate of which they know nothing.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 09:37 AM
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Lost me at the point you enjoyed a RS tour..

Depends if you want to experience Ireland on a small group tour or cram on a big bus.

Rabbies has already been given.
Driftwood, the sedate arm of Vagabond. (see also Wolfhound for Adventure tours)

If you want information on Ireland I suggest you have a look through some independent, nothing to gain and most important Knowledgable guide books..
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 10:10 AM
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I've used Rabbies, Rick Steves, and Trafalgar. Trafalgar was the most traditional--big full bus, shopping at places that offer kickbacks to tour guides, tipping. It worked for the short trip I took, and it wasn't as bad as expected.

Rick Steves tours are much closer to Rabbies in experience. Their limit is 25 or so people, so any bus rides are in a half-full bus, no shopping or tipping, and well trained local guides.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 12:02 PM
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@Tony - have you been on an RS tour? Because it sounds like you don't know what you're talking about. The buses are half full, the hotels are in the middle of town, the tour guides are excellent, the food is local and there are NO shopping ops and NO tipping. You do have to pack light and carry your own luggage and be up for a fair amount of walking. On the plus side most people on the tour are easy to get along with. I have been on five of his tours, and only on one tour did I encounter a couple of people who watched FOX.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 12:21 PM
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BigRuss - I know enough of guys who vote for a sexist racist impulsive arrogant candidate. I need no more.
You would probably be welcome in that group since you could not read the ages the OP posted (...)

You got my point : imagine we are together on a tour ...
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 12:27 PM
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I plan itineraries for people who want to experience Ireland, I work with people who know Ireland, I do research on the ground in Ireland I don't sit in an office across the Atlantic and have folk in the same building do research for me over the phone, I don't plagiarise and I have never published advice that is likely to get a visitor slapped on the wrist by the local Guard.

Please excuse me for thinking his tours take folk where He likes and avoid places He doesn't. I guess (but i don't know) that his physical guides are as useful as his authored guide books

So know what I talk about? you decide. I don't care.

I do know that he has cult following but so do Marvel Comics. so don't ask me to join the fan club.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 12:59 PM
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I have been on one organized tour, a Rick Steves 7-day tour of Paris, and I enjoyed it enough to seriously consider another week-long city tour. My other 10 trips to Europe, Turkey, and Japan I organized and researched myself, for better or for worse.

For me the big plusses for the RS tour were terrific local guides for certain neighborhoods and museums, lots of free time, a good central hotel (Hotel Duquesne in the 7th), a small group of 24 people, no tipping, and no organized kick-back shopping or any kind. One of the three restaurants included was rather ordinary, but that's the only complaint I would have.

"Please excuse me for thinking his tours take folk where He likes and avoid places He doesn't."

Why would a tour guide take his group to a place he thinks sucks?
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 01:15 PM
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"Why would a tour guide take his group to a place he thinks sucks"

Because it's his Clients trip not his.. ? perhaps?

Blacking places like Killarney, Blarney Castle, Bunratty Castle etc etc would be like me blacking Dingle, Doolin and Kinsale.. I might not like the places myself but I'm not arrogant enough to imagine the 1,000 000's that do like them shouldn't get my best advice on how to enjoy and make best use of their time if they want me to send or take them there.

Anyway that's enough publicity for Mr Steves, he has his own forum if folk only want his positives.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 01:59 PM
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If you need to join a RS tour to no tip when visiting countries where no tips are required I start to understand the success of the guy.
His forum is ok though. A lot of hand holding but very civilized.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 02:02 PM
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Wow!!!! Not exactly what I was hoping for here! Just wanted to know if anyone had done any group tours with the three I mentioned. We did like the RS tour, but not too jazzed about where he is going in Ireland and it is a bit more than we wanted to spend at this time. May have to reconsider I guess. I have done ALL the scheduling for ALL our trips for many years and just wanted a break! I surely didn't want to start a war! Sorry!!!!
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 02:19 PM
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"Blacking places like Killarney, Blarney Castle, Bunratty Castle etc etc would be like me blacking Dingle, Doolin and Kinsale.. I might not like the places myself but I'm not arrogant enough to imagine the 1,000 000's that do like them shouldn't get my best advice on how to enjoy and make best use of their time if they want me to send or take them there."

A travel author is not doing his readers any favors by putting a happy spin on a place he doesn't think is worth his readers' valuable vacation time. I appreciate frank assessments and honest opinions. "Go here, not there" is exactly the kind of valuable advice guidebook authors should be offering to people who have very limited vacation time. In fact, it's the kind of advice offered on this forum all the time - which is one reason it's a popular site.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 02:26 PM
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Thing with Ireland is that you can get place to place by public transport then take local tours, especially from places like Dublin, Galway, Killarney, Cork and some others including Belfast if you want to go north.

Give me an idea what you yourself would like and I (along with others) will make some suggestions. an idea of what time of year and how many days would help.

As you say Trafalgar Tours are exhausting (as are many more) hence the "what you yourself would like" and yes you could work the UK sights into a combined tour.

The odd skirmish is hardly a war and only apologise when you're wrong,
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 02:27 PM
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@Edward - precisely. One pays an expert for their opinion and knowledge, not to have one's own opinion reflected back.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 02:43 PM
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landfree1,

It's what we do here--don't let it scare you off. It's nice to here other opinions, no?

WoinParis,

It's not locals that we were asked to tip...it was the guides.
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