Have you been on Elder Hostel trips?
Jul 19th, 2003, 09:08 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Have you been on Elder Hostel trips?
My wife and I are wait listed on an Elder Hostel trip to Cuba, and I'd like to hear from people who have personal experience with EH. I posted this on the Caribbean forum a week ago but have not gotten any responses, plus I'm interested in hearing about EH generally. I'm 56 and my wife is younger, so we've just qualified. I'm a little surprised, by the way, at the prices. They're not terribly high but still quite a bit more than I'd expect for an organization that uses "hostel" in their name.
Jul 19th, 2003, 09:24 AM
#2
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I do not have personal experience, but my friend has been on several EH tours. She is a retired academic who has enjoyed all of her EH tours. EH attracts a literate crowd. EH do not necessaryily place guests at minimalist properties that are like hostels. I wonder how EH got permission to take groups to Cuba when the U.S.A. State Dep't seems to oppose it:
http://travel.state.gov/cuba.html
http://travel.state.gov/cuba.html
Jul 19th, 2003, 09:35 AM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the response. The State Dept. announced in March that it would not renew licenses for educational trips to Florida, so this will be the last year for a while. Individual licenses apparently expire at different times through the year--at least I've seen different organizations promoting "last trip to Cuba" in different months through '03. Let me add that we're U.S. citizens and only interested in traveling legally, although I know that it's easy to go to Cuba from Canada or other countries.
Jul 19th, 2003, 09:49 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,525
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My experience with EH is that the domestic programs are very reasonable and the intl. programs are priced with commercial tour products. My wife and I are docents in a local EH here on Amelia Island.
Jul 19th, 2003, 10:17 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 458
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have taken two trips with Elderhostel this last year, one to France and one to Mexico on the Copper Canyon train trip. I thought both were great trips and compared better than average with the other trips such as Globus or Insight tours. There is an educational component to each trip which schedules experts to speak about the history or cultural aspect or whatever the days touring will be.
The price includes all meals and there are no optional tours to be added on to the price. So when comparing EH price to other tours they might seem a bit higher. Also EH discourages tipping to the driver and guide because they are paid at regular salary and not living on tips.
The hotels that we stayed at in France were 3 star and AC'd and were located in the best areas. The restaurants were local places for lunch, with breakfast in the hotel and dinner usually at a local French place which became our home away from home. In Mexico we stayed at the best in the area which were surprisingly fine in rather primative areas and also had good food.
Most of the people on the tours were in their 60's and 70's but were active and adventuresome. I had such a good experience that I have talked my husband into taking an EH tour to Australia/New Zealand in February 04.
I would not go to Cuba with any group. Try one of the other islands.
The price includes all meals and there are no optional tours to be added on to the price. So when comparing EH price to other tours they might seem a bit higher. Also EH discourages tipping to the driver and guide because they are paid at regular salary and not living on tips.
The hotels that we stayed at in France were 3 star and AC'd and were located in the best areas. The restaurants were local places for lunch, with breakfast in the hotel and dinner usually at a local French place which became our home away from home. In Mexico we stayed at the best in the area which were surprisingly fine in rather primative areas and also had good food.
Most of the people on the tours were in their 60's and 70's but were active and adventuresome. I had such a good experience that I have talked my husband into taking an EH tour to Australia/New Zealand in February 04.
I would not go to Cuba with any group. Try one of the other islands.
Jul 19th, 2003, 12:04 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,589
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Joe...
Yes, my wife and I have been on 19 Elderhostels. Most have been domestic, but one was Puerto Rico and one was Ireland. Almost all are worthwhile as a way of adding an educational component to travel. We look first for content, but location is a factor, for instance, if combining with a visit to a family member or place we haven't been to. We definitely recommend them
EH do attract people wanting to learn rather than shop. The accomodations aren't always ritzy, but you can get a surprise sometimes. Yes, the overseas ones aren't any bargain although most everything is included in the price...but we leave in a week for a Grand Circle tour of Scandinavia, our 3rd time with GCT, which is another option.
Glad to confer with you further. And let me recommend an on line review you can subscribe to, getting free reviews of EH in your email by participants, also an archive of past reviews. Contact me at [email protected].
Bill Longman in Missouri
Yes, my wife and I have been on 19 Elderhostels. Most have been domestic, but one was Puerto Rico and one was Ireland. Almost all are worthwhile as a way of adding an educational component to travel. We look first for content, but location is a factor, for instance, if combining with a visit to a family member or place we haven't been to. We definitely recommend them
EH do attract people wanting to learn rather than shop. The accomodations aren't always ritzy, but you can get a surprise sometimes. Yes, the overseas ones aren't any bargain although most everything is included in the price...but we leave in a week for a Grand Circle tour of Scandinavia, our 3rd time with GCT, which is another option.
Glad to confer with you further. And let me recommend an on line review you can subscribe to, getting free reviews of EH in your email by participants, also an archive of past reviews. Contact me at [email protected].
Bill Longman in Missouri
Jul 20th, 2003, 06:28 AM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,546
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My wife and I have been on international Elderhostel trips to Spain and Portugal, Mexico's Copper Canyon, and Tanzania, and the accommodations were very good to excellent. Those trips in the US vary in accommodations, and generally not as good as the international trips. You have to read the listed accommodations description for each trip.
"Hostel" was applied because the original concept years ago was more basic, but it has improved radically over the years.
We've been to Cuba a few years ago with a different educational organization, and it was wonderful, but I would feel uneasy going now because of the political situation.
My estimate is that the average age is about 70, although it might be getting less now, and depends on the level of perceived activity of the trip.
"Hostel" was applied because the original concept years ago was more basic, but it has improved radically over the years.
We've been to Cuba a few years ago with a different educational organization, and it was wonderful, but I would feel uneasy going now because of the political situation.
My estimate is that the average age is about 70, although it might be getting less now, and depends on the level of perceived activity of the trip.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
rjbriskin
Caribbean Islands
17
Mar 19th, 2012 04:11 PM
