We are planning to take a tour of Scotland in August 2001. While I know that 99.9999% of fodorites think an organized tour is sacrilege, my wife of 27 years thinks diffently (guess you know who wears the pants in this family). <BR> So, I am not asking opinions of tour vs non-tour. I am asking people who have done tours, which tour company they like and why. I have looked at Insight, Trafalgar, and Braedon. Any comments on these or other companies? <BR> <BR>Please, I am only doing what my wife asked of me!!

We have spent many hours looking for hotels, restaurants, train schedules, and waiting in line to enter museums when we traveled on our own. That's why we have decided to take an extended tour of Europe with Globus. Traveled with them before and they were great. Only problem is the short stay in each city. If we like the city we will return on our own.

Argh. I am reminded of a line from HMS Pinafore sung by the Admiral who was the Monarch of the Sea. <BR>"I grew so rich that I was sent <BR>by a pocket boro into Parliament <BR>I always voted at my party's call <BR>and never thought of thinking for myself at all." <BR>If a canned tour it must be, then try Tauck. <BR>

Al <BR> <BR>I am reminded of a quote from Mrs. John Bobbit.."Now where did I leave that knife..."

Easy guys, men never ask for directions, maybe the lady wants to actually get to Scotland. <BR> For the enlightened males who will ask for directions, my apologies. <BR>Tours aren't all horrific. It will give you a taste of the major sights and, as Jackie said, you then have a reason to return and stay longer. Rationalization is a wonderful thing.

Just to claify the quote from Mrs John Bobbit. It wasn't directed to Al. It was what my wife would be saying to me if I didn't do this post.

Is anyone actually going to deal with Karl's question?

Hi Karl: <BR>I like CIE. So I like tours, especially for a first timer. I went to Scotland with CIE. I had a great Irish tour guide and a native Scotsman (do not call them Scotch) for a driver. We got in the attractions without waiting on line, into a cabaret show in Edinburgh with front table seats and had a wonderful experience. People say CIE is expensive but when I did research I found that CIE included alot of things that other tour companies would have you pay extra for. Any way, enjoy your trip Scotland is a wild wonderful country!

Well Karl, Tauck is a good tour company. <BR>So if all your wife or whatever is capable of handling is "Pay and be present," then take the tour. I do recommend getting a first rate company because otherwise you get second class treatment. <BR> <BR>I guess my reaction was based on the old Aussie custom that no respecting bloke is going to let the sheilas boss him around. If my wife made dictatorial demands on me like that, I guarantee one heck of a ruckus.

Thank god we aren't all married to you then Mr Godon. <BR> <BR>I get the impression you wouldn't be so pissed if it had been a woman posting that her husband had decided what was what. <BR> <BR>Sheesh

As the lady said to Otto von Bismarck, "If you were my husband, I would give you poison!" As Bismarck is said to have responded, "Madame, if I were your husband, I would take it." <BR>If my wife wants to know something she has the ability to ask it. I don't speak for her; nor her for me. <BR>Why cloak your questions behind anyone's <BR>identity? If the question had been: <BR>I don't feel comfortable planning my own tour to Scotland. Will someone please recommend a good tour company." I think my response would have been different. <BR>Or, let me put it this way. If my wife wanted to take a tour, you would see the question presented over her own signature line. And, for the record, I have had only one wife, for more than 35 years. <BR>I don't sink any tour plan in concrete by buying tickets and making reservations until she signs off on it. You don't travel about the globe time after time with someone you don't want with you!!

I also recommend Tauck and have taken six of their tours, including Switzerland and France. They are definitely a superior tour and we always come home wondering if we could have done so much on our own for the same amount of money. We get more than our moneys worth and I doubt we will ever go with another tour company. The guides have always been top-notch, hotels, fantastic, almost all meals included and you come home really feeling that you have seen alot of the area you visited. They also provide enough time to be on your own...stop by a travel agency and check out their British tours.

Al, <BR>sorry to nitpick, but the exchange about the poison was between <BR>Nancy, Lady Astor and Winston Churchill

Bismarck also has had the story told on him. <BR>He also is reported to have caused Queen Victoria to faint, saying she could not bear to be in the presence of such a godless man. Perhaps it was the Queen who caused herself to faint. I believe that was a common control ploy in those days. She couldn't kick him, so she fainted. Queens could faint; commoners could kick. I think I would rather have been a commoner because kicking would have been more effective. <BR>(I get a great fantasy image of little Vicky trying to kick big fat Otto anyhow. She might have gotten him on the calf!) <BR>Afterall, old OB understood best Blut und Eisen. But there were no commoners present at the party, except possibly for the servants. <BR>Wonder how badly old Otto scarred the tables at Versailles with his boots? <BR>My guess is that the first occurrence of this little tale about poison happened during the First Dynasty of the Nile. <BR>

Karl, <BR>If this is your first time posting here, please know that you are not the only one who has ever gotten "picked on" <BR>It still amazes me each time someone asks a simple question, and then a few others just start in with their comments. <BR>Goodluck with your trip and have fun. <BR>nancy

Karl. I too am sorry you are getting picked on - we have travelled with Trafalgar Tours in Europe and England/Scotland. They are good, but I am sure you would do better with one of the more expensive Tours. It has often been said on this Forum that you get what you pay for and this is reflected very much in tours such as these. Our main problem has been the siting of hotels way out of the CBD, and the ordinary standard of these - but again that is what you have paid for. However, they cannot be faulted for efficiency and care of their passengers, and the general day by day touring. Good Luck on your travels and I am sure you will enjoy it whichever you choose. <BR>Incidentally, my husband and I have only done tours because I know jolly well our marriage would never survive a self drive - self navigate situation!!

Karl, there are many of us on this forum who like tours, who study up on the destinations, who conduct ourselves in respectful and appreciative ways when travelling, who attempt to learn some of the language....and who resent strongly those people on the forum who look down on us. My wife and I are in our 60's. Both of us worked overseas in a third world country and travelled extensively and independently through Africa and Europe with children. We did some adventurous travelling. Now I have bad knees, and adventurous is not so appealing anymore. I like being met at the airport and having someone else take care of our baggage and the details of room and board so that we can concentrate on enjoying the sights and the experiences. I like having travelling companions on the tour that we can share things with and spend as much or as little time with as we like. I'm not crazy about the food that we get on tours, and the fact that we don't see everything I would like to see and do everything I would like to do. But I expect there would be this same deficiency to a greater or lesser extent if I were travelling independently. I like learning things about the country from the tour guide that I would probably not learn on my own. For instance, so many things on our Ireland tour would have been missed or passed by without noticing if I had been driving those roads on my own. <BR> <BR>Now... tour groups we have used. We really liked CIE for the British Isles. We felt we stayed in hotels that were not typical tourist hotels. We had a good experience with Globus in Turkey and Grand Circle in Egypt. I happen to like the Grand Circle and Saga Extended Stay vacations, where you stay in one place for 2-3 weeks and take mainly day tours from that place, with open days in between. I've rambled enough. Hope this helps.

Let's also include Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), a subsidiary of Grand Circle that specializes in small-group trave -- never more than 16 persons. We have traveled with OAT, Grand Circle, Globus, China Delight, and Brendan. Fortunately, we have been very satisfied with all of them because their guide-leaders have been top notch. I would quarrel with your perception that 99.9% of Fodorites are against tours -- because that simply is not true. Just read these postings, if you doubt me. Lots and lots of happy group-travelers as well as many of us who go alone or with others. To preserve peace in the family, try a tour. Then go on your own. Either way, you are in for a new experience.

Karl, <BR> <BR>I was recently on a Globus/Brendan Tour in France for 14 days. Had the most wonderful time. I'm a single gal who loves to travel with her friends. This trip was a spur of the moment decision for me. Some friends of mine (Mother, father, daughter) picked the tour and were taking the trip for the daughter's high school graduation. I had been asked a few months previously if I wanted to join them and foolishly said no, because I had a trip planned with two different friends for the East Coast just about four weeks prior to the departure of this tour. Didn't think I could do both trips, financially or time-wise. But after losing lots of sleep over possibly missing this opportunity, I decided I could somehow make it work. So glad I did. I'm still daydreaming about it, and have been back home for almost three months. The point of my long story is the tour was great. I saw so many places and some really memorable faces. The group of people on my tour were such a fun crowd. Can't say enough good things about the tour director and motorcoach driver. And I can't wait to take another escorted tour. I hope you will have the same luck that I had on your tour of Scotland. <BR> <BR>Happy Planning! <BR> <BR>Sandi <BR>

I like Rudy's reply! The most even handed, stating some of the advantages of tours versus independent travel. If this is a first trip, especially to Europe, a tour is a good way to let someone else sweat the details. If you can try not to let price drive your decision if you can only take a very inexpensive tour. Better to wait until you have freedom to select a tour based on recommomendations or travel on your own.Your definitely get exactly what you pay for on les expensive tours. <BR>