nankar

I heartily second the recommendation of Tauck. We are in our 40's, totally not "tour" people, but totally loved the Tauck tours we took to France and Italy. You can be as independent as you want to be. It is great to have all the details and luggage taken care of when you are traveling in major cities. I took my mother with us on the Italy tour and she loved the social part of it. You are not rushed, the hotels and restaurants are great, and I learned much more than I would have on my own. Tauck is more expensive at first blush but there are no extra charges and everything is first rate. We recently did a 3-week excursion through Scandinavia on our own but I look forward to doing another Tauck tour in the future.

dixon

I wish to offer a strong counter opinion about Insight. After my experience with that company this summer, I was left feeling NEVER AGAIN WITH INSIGHT.

The tour I described above in an earlier post was booked with Insight: The Magic of Ireland tour. Now that it is over, I shall wish forever that I had not ever heard of them. First, Insight switched tours on me without full disclosure. Second, the tour was mostly bus riding with commercial stops. Insight of course clams it did indeed tell me about the change, but I never got the word. Moreover, all people considering Insight should bear in mind that it is one tour company that absolutely will not talk to its already paid customers. I am not trying to be coy or funny here. I knew I had been switched from the tour I had originally signed up for, but the full information dribbled to me slowly over time. To learn more after I first got wind of the tour switch, I called Insight for information. When I did, the Insight agent who answered the phone absolutely refused to talk to me at all.
She would not answer the first question.

Frankly I felt the hotels on my tour were marginal at best. I described a little of one earlier. I can add to that that the Insight tour hotel in Dublin was well south of the cith center in Blackrock a long, long ways from the city center.
The other hotels, except for the one in Cork, were marginal or sub marginal. The one in Ennis was the worst. The rooms there were very small and in some rooms the lavatory was cracked and leaked all over the floor. (and it had been leaking for some time.) Also, that was the hotel where the rooms of some of the guests were over the rock and roll bar that had a band that played floor shaking music until 3 am.
I would not recommend Insight tours for anything, ever, no way, no how, after experiencing what it provided and experiencing the way they have treated me.
Nothing like paying your money to take a tour, and then having the telephone door slammed in your face when you have a legitimate question with a resolute voice saying to you "Go Away, now, we don't talk to customers around here."
I tried to cancel, but contractually my timing was such that I would have forfeited my deposit with zero refund. So I decided to go ahead and take the tour. My wife and I told ourselves, at the time, "Well it cannot be THAT bad." Hmm. Guess we underestimated Insight. It WAS that bad!! So it left me staunchly saying NEVER AGAIN WITH INSIGHT.
Even the tour bus was not comfortable for moderately tall people - 5 feet, 11 or so. Too cramped.
And, oh yes, it had a restroom on the bus, but we were told not to use it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wlzmatilida

Hi Alexsmith, and everyone else!

As a travel agent, this is what I do for a living - matching the right client with the right tour (or no tour as the case may be). Your parents sound like candidates for a tour as they are on their first trip, and are not saavy travellers. Your uncle falls into the other category, and he would not be happy on an escorted tour.

Everyone that's posted had very good advice; although I must tell you that while I used Trafalgar for many years, the quality of their tours, and the subsequent bankruptcy of Far & Wide (who acquired them) has made me leery of using them. I had clients on an Eastern European tour last year who had a bad experience and at this point I'm adopting a "wait and see" attitude about the company. (this is sort of like when you visit a restaurant recommend it to all your friends and then by the time they go, the place has changed hands, chefs, and they have a terrible meal).

The posters who recommended Tauck Tours are absolutely correct - they are more expensive, and worth every penny. In ten years, I've never had a client who was unhappy.

Many tour companies will also feature an "independent" tour that will feature a "meet and greet" at the airport, a transfer to the hotel, then X amount of days in that location, train or plane to the next stop etc. This gives the traveller some structure about things they may be unsure of (navigating a huge airport after a long flight, getting to the hotel, etc.) giving them confidence while still letting them set their own pace and have some freedom.

Of course, the biggest factor is where they want to go and how much time they have to spend! People mentioned cruises, and while I love them, it's my opinion that they are not the best ways to see Europe. For example, a ship will dock at the port for Rome and it will be a 3 hour transfer into the city (each way)..with the amount of time alloted, they're not going to see much of Rome! Where cruises DO work well are places like the British Isle cruises or Greek Islands, where the area is smaller and easily covered. Or, CruiseTours, such as Orient Lines, which involve a cruise plus a pre/post stay at the beginning and/or end and feature a few days in Rome or Barcelona with a half day sightseeing tour included as well as the services of a Hospitality Desk set up by the cruise line to help people.

Hope this is helpful!

Regards,

Melodie

twoflower

There's no right answer to this. It depends on what you want, and what turns you on. Do you enjoy being led, organised, and having decisions made for you? Or do you like to make up your own mind and do your own thing as you go? Do you like being herded through diamond cutting and glass blowing factories along with the good stuff, or would you rather pick and choose your own attractions? Do you want to venture out and meet locals, or are you content to do most of your socialising with other travellers on the same bus? Does the idea of foreign road signs and border hassles stress you, or would you regard these as a challenge? I could go on, but you probably get the idea! T.

Sue_xx_yy

The decision to take, or not, an escorted tour is probably not quite as dramatic as deciding if one is a 'zombie dimwit who must be led' versus a 'liberated intellectual adventurer.' When we travel alone, a lot of decisions are still being made for us - we only have so much control over the suppliers with whom we're dealing. Nor is traveling alone a guarantee we won't be overly 'led' by guidebooks or other people's opinions. But traveling alone is often cheaper per diem, all other factors being equal, and one's trip can be designed to more precisely fit such time and money as one has.

Dixon

I'm sorry your Ireland trip was so unsatisfactory.

I can't speak from experience since it's been a long time since I took a tour at all, and that wasn't with Insight. However, I occasionally visit their website, where I read a recent announcement by the firm that says they are 'repositioning' themselves as a more upmarket company. Changes are going to be made to the number of seats in the bus, hotel selection, etc. Perhaps the frustration of customers like you hasn't gone unheeded by them after all.

dixon

With reference to my confrontational experience with Insight, I would like to add this detail.

The whole problem would have been so easily solved IF someone had just talked to me and told me what was going on!

Others on the tour from New Zealand, Australia, Malasia, and Scotland told me that Insight had given them choices:
another tour all together, a refund, or
a switch in tours. I got the message in dribbles and pieces, with the final pieces falling into place shortly before we left.

What aggravated me was this scenario: I had paid for the tour yet when I called the person who answered reacted like I had a contagious disease that could be transmitted over the telephone.

She told me that I had to talk to my agent and then refused to talk to me.
I told her I was calling because my agent had referred me to Insight because I was asking questions for which she had no information or guidance from Insight. All to no avail.

I subsequently wrote client services, but the response was anything but conciliatory. I am the bad guy for asking questions about what I was buying. Rather than one of the associates taking the time to talk me for 10 minutes and answer my questions, I was greeted with rejection and dismissal.

The bottom line is that I, a paid up customer, was treated like an outcast.

I don't see how that type of public policy can improve Insight's business, but it must do something beneficial or the company would modify its behavior.

Perhaps Insight has so many customers that it does not need people like me to ask questions when a tour gets switched about without full disclosure of what the duece is going on.

If I could get the CEO's name and address, I would write him or her.
I have asked for it, but no one will tell me!!

Got any suggestions?

Christina

I don't know anything about Insight but the complaints and problems sound like a bad travel agent. Tour companies pay travel agents commissions to book the tours. So possibly Insight's policy of not talking personally to individuals has to do with the fact that they are not set up to do that -- travel agents are the middlemen who are being paid and are supposed to handle customer service. I don't really know, but most of the complaints sound like you had a terrible travel agent.

I've taken a couple tours many years ago and enjoyed them a lot. Almost all of the complaints I read about tours are from folks who buy a tour different than they want or don't bother to research itineraries or hotels, and then complain about what they have bought. For example, complaints about where the hotels are and what they are -- you can find this out ahead of time. Complaints about the itinerary and time on the bus, etc -- also completely within your control as to what you are buying. the tours I was on didn't have that much time on any bus because I didn't buy a tour like that. Complaints about meals and food -- again, you choose this, the tours I was on didn't have very many included meals because I didn't want that. None of the tours I was on had any problem with people delaying things or not showing up. As I recall, if you didn't show up, they left because they assumed you weren't going.

Personally, I think a good tour sounds like the best idea for any couple in the 60s whoi have not only not traveled to Europe but hardly ever traveled at all or ever taken vacations. I just can't picture giving a couple a "gift" that is forcing them to do something they have never done and may not want to do. I think anyone giving someone such a gift should know them well enough and covered the subject with them to know what they want, though.

travelinwifey

Sue_xx_yy, I am insulted by your "zombie dimwit" comment. The vast majority of people on my tours are very educated and well to do. My spouse works 80 plus hours a week and look forward to vacations in which we do not have to do everything on our own. He "plans" how to take care of life threatening illnesses each day. During our "off time" we prefer to be pampered. There is nothing "dim witted" about us or any other traveler on our vacations.

Sue_xx_yy

Travelinwifey, I can quite understand why you would feel insulted had I called people using tours 'dimwit zombies.' My intention was, however, quite the opposite. I wished to emphasize that many of the rather condescending descriptions of tour patrons - that they were 'led around, had decisions made for them' could equally be said for those who travel independently, and thus attempts to distinguish the two types of traveler in such terms are overly dramatic, i.e. exaggerated. If you read my post further, I took the concerns of a tour veteran quite seriously, which I would not likely do if I really believed said person to be a dimwit.

I am sorry for any misunderstanding, and if you should ever next time have any concerns about anything I write, I do hope you'll point it out to me.

Happy travels.

travelinwifey

No biggie, Happpy Turkey Day

Natalia

I just was in the middle of a lively conversation over tours vs. independent travel at a restaurant this past weekend.
Three couples of which I was one, were touting the "best" way to travel.
One couple would only take tour groups.
One woman travels only to visit relatives.
One couple would only travel independently.
The other man just looked uncomfortable.

The tour group couple want to visit museums and churches w/o a wait to get in, and enjoy being walked through with a local guide.
The independent couple rent villas and apartments and take day trips which they have researched themselves.
The woman who visits relatives goes along with whatever they have planned.
The man just wanted to go sit at another table.

It is all a matter of taste. I would sit down with your parents and have a heart to heart discussion and find out
what they really want to do and are capable of doing (not a put down, but they might not have the time or inclination to plan and research).

Myer

My opinion.

A couple of years ago I helped two couple plan different vacations.

My first question was are you the type of people who can sit down and plan, then carry your own luggage, read the guide books and then figure out which way to go once your there? If the answer is yes, you are a candidate to go on your own.

If the above didn't convince you and you have trouble walking, then take a tour.

I'm a fan of going it on our own. We walk all day and wander around. We don't spend much time inside museums.

There are some negatives. You don't have a tour guide explaining things every step. On the other hand you basically sit there and the trip goes by you.

By the nature of tour schedules you spend a lot of daylight time travelling. You arrive in towns late afternoon or evening. You pass many sights instead of sitting around them.

By the way, one couple went on their own and the other went on a tour. They both thought they had the greatest vacation.

SAnParis

Planning for me is a lot of the fun & very educational. I have no desire to be herded about by a person w/a red umbrella while at the same time being trampled by camera wielding tourists who are so busy taking pictures of pigeon droppings that they are unable to see you standing in front of them. That being said, to each their own. But, whenever I see your tour group, don't be upset to see me running away as fast as I can.

nytraveler

The key question is how comfortable your parents would be dealing in a foreign language in a foreing country by themselves. I personally believe tours descend to the level of the most incompetent member (making everyone wait while they find lost belongings or "forget" how to tell time or change money) and the "free" time is never adequate for someone who has specific things to see. But for your parents the security of a group and a guide may outweigh these isues.

Discuss a couple of scenarios with them and you should find out (Would you be comfortable changing train reservations in Paris? Would you be comfortable taking the tube by yourself in London?)

dixon

In my case I agree, there was a communications thermocline between me and Insight. But, if you ran a company and a paid up customer called with questions, would you chase him off?

I don't buy the argument that travel weakness absolves the providing company of any and all responsibility to keep the customer informed. The travel agent is not the one who switched tours and gave me half way answers.

If you were the parent company and you were the one who chased the customer away would you expect that person to have warm fuzzy feelings for you and your policies?

I don't care if I did have a travel agent. Insight was the tour provider.
Insight was the company switching tours.
Insight was the outfit with the answers.
Insight was the outfit who would not give me answers. What is wrong with satisfying a customer? And have no rights as a paying customer?

I don't buy the logic that argues to the contrary at all.

If you owned a business are you going to run it so that you alienate your customers?

If the travel agent is the weak link, would you not step in to preserve your business? And would you not try to keep two experienced travelers on the positive side rather than the negative?

I think only business owners can really answers this. But I will say this much, I think I should have been told what was happening. I don't run Insight's business and as a paid customer I think I am entitled to know what my money is buying.

If you bought and paid for a Lexus and the Toyota/Lexus distributor delivered to you a lesser brand with no explanation, would you accept it?

McBetsy

The majority of the answers on this thread have been respectful of the differences in travel styles. Even so, I get so frustrated by those who feel the need to respond just to say how people who enjoy tours don't know how to think for themselves.The response may be couched in language that is supposed to smoothe over the poster's point,(SAnParis, for example), but the message is that if one were any kind of traveler they would do it on their own.There are so many travel options and who is to say what's best for any one person? I like the response that recommends sitting down with alexsmith's parents to talk to them about what they would like. Travel like many things in life is enjoyed in highly specific ways and no one way is better than another. What matters is what's best for you and your enjoyment.

travelinwifey

It amazes me how people bash guided tours when they have never taken one. If someone does not have the authority to rate escorted travel I think it only fair that they keep their uninformed opinion to themself. Why do people result to insults when someone has a different opinion than their own? And the opinion isn't even based on personal experience... go figure.
In my travels I have learned much more on a tour than I ever have on my own free lance vacations. Most guides are historians and provide excellent information on each country you visit.

JJDave

My wife and I (both 51 years) travel each year, mostly to the Caribbean (have stayed on at least 12 different islands). Rather than renting a car and exploring on our own we take organized tours (simply less stressful, especially if you have to drive on the other side of the road). So far we have had nothing but good experiences. By using local tour companies we have the advantage of knowledgable locals that can show us many things we would likely miss on our own. In 2000 we took our first Caribbean cruise. We were reluctant to do so given the stereotypical comments about cruises being mostly taken by seniors or the opposite...too many kids, the food frenzies, drunken louts. We took an organized tour at each of the 5 ports of call. Again, by using local tour companies we gained a better insight to the country we were in then we would have acquired on our own. In June 2002 we took our first escorted bus tour (Ireland and Scotland) with Insight Vacations. Yes it is true that some of the hotels were not 5 star but they weren't motels either. Breakfast was included each day as well as the entrance fees to the various castles, distilleries, factories, etc. I kept a running tab of the entrance fees that we would have paid and the rack rates posted in the hotel rooms. Had we chosen to tour on our own the expense (renting car, gas, etc.) would have far exceeded (likely doubled) the cost of the escorted tour. I found Insight Vacations top notch. The tour director was very well informed and added greatly to our experience with his knowledge of the historical context of where we were. The bus drivers were very good, safe and collegial. We too were asked not to use the toilets unless it was an emergency, the reason being that your use of the toilet would permeate the bus (sound and smell). Personally I thought that was a good idea. We stopped frequently enough for our 'biological breaks'. I would not hesitate to use Insight Vacations again. Dixon...your experience with Insight is truly unfortunate and I too would be some po'd if treated similarly. By all means pursue your complaint to 'head office' they need to know.

Ozarksbill

And an amen to McBetsy...yes, many of us who do choose group tours are intelligent and equally like to plan ahead for what we will visit. We prefer to leave the travel worries and frustrations to someone else and concentrate on the places and sights. And I agree with travelinwifey that tour guides are a source of much information (beyond just seeing things).

As mentioned before, for seniors we prefer Grand Circle Travel and Elderhostels while others make will alternate choices, and of course many prefer to hire a car and make nightly reservations and go at their own pace. But I do recall a couple who loved to plan for do this having more than one problem, e.g., arriving at a Paris hotel late at night with no room despite reservations having been made. They were instructed to take the subway across the city to somewhere else. This plus a robbery they had on a train persuaded us to seek a different way.

Previous GCT trips were to Greece and Italy and went well. In fact, the tour personnel came to our rescue when wallets were stolen in Athens. On our recent GCT to Scandinavia it was amazing
how congenial a group of 45 were and how we did become acquainted.
Bill in Missouri [email protected]

jmb67

There are definitely many pros and cons to going on a tour versus on your own. I went on my first trip to Italy on a tour, and don't think I would do it again. I'm a person who likes to take my time getting to know a region. However, one very good thing about the tour, they take care of all arrangements, handle your luggage, etc. My biggest problem with the tour was that we spent too much time on the bus.

If you hate planning trips and don't mind the tight schedule, then by all means a tour can be for you. You do get some free time on your own.