Contiki Tour Europe 2010
Aug 30th, 2010, 01:01 AM
#1
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Contiki Tour Europe 2010
Hi all, i just signed up for 2-week European Contiki Tour, in around mid OCtober 2010. I'm not sure what to expect, but from my readings on forums, it seems that the schedule of a Contiki tour is very rush, is that true?
Is it true that i'll spend most of my time in the tour buses and the sightseeings will take place while I'm in the bus itself???? I also heard that i wont have much time to explore a place.
Please advise!!!
Is it true that i'll spend most of my time in the tour buses and the sightseeings will take place while I'm in the bus itself???? I also heard that i wont have much time to explore a place.
Please advise!!!
Aug 30th, 2010, 09:20 AM
#2
Well I've never been on one myself, but yes how you describe it is how I've always heard the Contiki Tours are set up. Also that the group is most young (20's) and that they can be "party" tours. I'm just repeating rumor so hopefully someone with some real experience will come along and advise.
Did you also post this on the Europe forum? More people read that board than here on Travel Tips. best, Suze
Did you also post this on the Europe forum? More people read that board than here on Travel Tips. best, Suze
Aug 30th, 2010, 04:41 PM
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I took a Contiki tour 20 years ago, and being on the "older" end (35) wasn't much fun for me. It was a theme tour vs. hotel tour, (stayed on canal boats, castles, RV and such.) It was cliquish, bus driver wanted to bed some of the younger girls and when we had a Renaissance type of dinner, drank alcohol, so getting back to our abode took a long time, as we had to take small shuttles back since the tour guide wouldn't allow the bus driver to drive us back.
At the end of the tour, we stayed in a hotel the last night and there was only one key for each two people. The person I was to share the room with wanted to stay with the friends she came with, and without coming over to me and giving me the key, just dropped it off at the box at the front desk (didn't even give it to the hotel clerk), I was already exhausted and tired and spent one hour running around looking for her and the key. I would NOT recommend it, buy I guess it's good for a "party" type of tour (also mostly Kiwis, Aussies, and Canadians so there's also a kind of anti-American feel to it.)
At the end of the tour, we stayed in a hotel the last night and there was only one key for each two people. The person I was to share the room with wanted to stay with the friends she came with, and without coming over to me and giving me the key, just dropped it off at the box at the front desk (didn't even give it to the hotel clerk), I was already exhausted and tired and spent one hour running around looking for her and the key. I would NOT recommend it, buy I guess it's good for a "party" type of tour (also mostly Kiwis, Aussies, and Canadians so there's also a kind of anti-American feel to it.)
Aug 30th, 2010, 07:24 PM
#4
There are clues in every tour description. Tell us the actual name of the tour (or even better - post a link) and we can help you work out what is covered/how fast.
"Tour Brochure speak" is a refined art to put the best spin on everything. We can show where the "oops" are lurking.
"Tour Brochure speak" is a refined art to put the best spin on everything. We can show where the "oops" are lurking.
Aug 31st, 2010, 07:42 AM
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I too have thought about doing a Contiki, but in Australia. I have not booked a trip yet though as I want to go in Oct/Nov of 2011. I can't decide if that is what I want to do or not because I have heard on message boards and such that they are somewhat party tours. One thing I like about doing a tour is that everything is planned out and I don't have to do a lot of the work on getting from place to place. Just not sure what to do though as Australia is huge.
Aug 31st, 2010, 01:42 PM
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Bus tours are one thing, a Contiki tour is a version of a bus tour.
Most (if not all) bus tours tend to be pretty rushed. There's a ton of things to do and see and you have to stick to a group schedule. Contiki is well known for crummy hotels on the outskirts of town and a ton of drinking. It's entirely aimed at the under 35 crowd (and mainly the younger 20's) and everything is about drinking and partying. If that's not your style, then you might be better off with another bus tour.
I just got back last night from a bus tour in Italy. It was a lot of fun and I met some great people, but it was very rushed in some parts. We only had 2 hours in one small town and I could have happily had another 3 hours there. As with any method of travel, they have their pros and cons. For me, a Contiki bus tour would be my personal version of Hell. A bus tour is fine and I actually enjoy them as I often travel alone but not a Contiki tour.
Look at the itinerary you've booked. It should describe each day. If it says that you'll see something, it means that you'll drive by it. If it says that you'll stop somewhere, then you'll stop for 5-20 minutes for photos. Also look at the hotels that are set for your tour. Look at Trip Advisor (use caution with the reviews, some are fake) for the hotels and see if they're in good locations or not. Bad hotels can ruin an otherwise great trip.
Since you've already booked the tour but it sounds like now you're doubting it, you might want to look into your cancellation policy. Can you cancel with no penalty, or with little penalty? If you can't cancel at this point then suck it up and be determined to enjoy yourself. If you can cancel, then figure out quick if it's something you want to stay with or not. There are other tour groups out there that aren't aimed at the young crowd and are less party/drink related.
The Trafalgar tour I was just on had 34 or 35 people total. There were a handful of us around 20-26, a handful in their 30's, a large portion in their 40's-50's, and a handful in their 60's+. I went out a few evenings with a group of a 18, 22, 23, and 26 year old. As with any group, it's a crapshoot for what age and (more importantly) personality mix you're going to get.
Post a link and we can help review the brochure.
Shianne, there are other tour groups and not just Contiki. If you're interested in a tour group but are hesitant about Contiki then look at Trafalgar, Cosmos or one of the many other groups. If nothing else you can look at their trips as an idea for places you might want to go. Depending on what you sign up for, people often use tour groups to just set up the in country transportation and hotels and then they do their own thing. The tour may be doing a guided tour of a city but that doesn't mean that you have to go with. Just let the tour director known not to expect you and it's no big deal. We had a couple on my tour who did just that. We saw them on the bus to the next city and at a few included dinners/tours and not much else.
Most (if not all) bus tours tend to be pretty rushed. There's a ton of things to do and see and you have to stick to a group schedule. Contiki is well known for crummy hotels on the outskirts of town and a ton of drinking. It's entirely aimed at the under 35 crowd (and mainly the younger 20's) and everything is about drinking and partying. If that's not your style, then you might be better off with another bus tour.
I just got back last night from a bus tour in Italy. It was a lot of fun and I met some great people, but it was very rushed in some parts. We only had 2 hours in one small town and I could have happily had another 3 hours there. As with any method of travel, they have their pros and cons. For me, a Contiki bus tour would be my personal version of Hell. A bus tour is fine and I actually enjoy them as I often travel alone but not a Contiki tour.
Look at the itinerary you've booked. It should describe each day. If it says that you'll see something, it means that you'll drive by it. If it says that you'll stop somewhere, then you'll stop for 5-20 minutes for photos. Also look at the hotels that are set for your tour. Look at Trip Advisor (use caution with the reviews, some are fake) for the hotels and see if they're in good locations or not. Bad hotels can ruin an otherwise great trip.
Since you've already booked the tour but it sounds like now you're doubting it, you might want to look into your cancellation policy. Can you cancel with no penalty, or with little penalty? If you can't cancel at this point then suck it up and be determined to enjoy yourself. If you can cancel, then figure out quick if it's something you want to stay with or not. There are other tour groups out there that aren't aimed at the young crowd and are less party/drink related.
The Trafalgar tour I was just on had 34 or 35 people total. There were a handful of us around 20-26, a handful in their 30's, a large portion in their 40's-50's, and a handful in their 60's+. I went out a few evenings with a group of a 18, 22, 23, and 26 year old. As with any group, it's a crapshoot for what age and (more importantly) personality mix you're going to get.
Post a link and we can help review the brochure.
Shianne, there are other tour groups and not just Contiki. If you're interested in a tour group but are hesitant about Contiki then look at Trafalgar, Cosmos or one of the many other groups. If nothing else you can look at their trips as an idea for places you might want to go. Depending on what you sign up for, people often use tour groups to just set up the in country transportation and hotels and then they do their own thing. The tour may be doing a guided tour of a city but that doesn't mean that you have to go with. Just let the tour director known not to expect you and it's no big deal. We had a couple on my tour who did just that. We saw them on the bus to the next city and at a few included dinners/tours and not much else.
Sep 7th, 2010, 02:42 PM
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I have gone on two Contiki tours & really enjoyed them. I was in the upper age range & am meeting some of my ex-tourmates in NYC in a few weeks as they finish a New England tour. Having said that, I probably wouldn't take a European Contiki tour b/c of your same fears. I toured the Canadian Rockies & New Zealand to avoid having to do all that driving myself. It's nice to sit back & take in the the views as someone else drives & knows the terrain. Both were active holidays so there was partying but you're not forced to go out or stay up all night. Most people didn't since days were usually filled w/ activities that you already paid for. I met a great group of people who I stay in contact with. Who knows? You may travel w/ them again some time outside of Contiki like I have.
I think she was really surprised by how much walking we did. We were constantly on the move, with the tour and on our own. We both had a great time, thanks for asking.
