Key Tours International.....
Jun 27th, 2006, 07:58 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Key Tours International.....
Has anyone here ever taken a tour with this company? If you have, what tour did you take? Was the experience pleasant or horrid? This company sends me emails all the time on specials. I was just curious if anyone have heard of this company, and what was there experience with them. Thanks! T
Nov 24th, 2007, 05:25 PM
#3
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
After seven years, I still remember our trip with Key Tours in Turkey. Turkey, itself, is a wonderful place. Key Tours is a different matter. In essence, our 5 day tour was cut down to 4 due to an error in their description of going to Samos, Greece from Turkey. They had written the description that one left in the afternoon. The ferry leaves early in the morning. Consequently, we had, maybe 10 minutes to see Troy! We missed another site all together. I don't want to ever foreget waiting for two hours at the Istanbul airport, and never being picked up! We had to get our own taxi. They did refund us $40 bucks for that inconvenience. We were the only ones on the trip too! We were never given the option of backing out. So, my wife was stuffed in the backseat with all the bagged in a Honda Civic. Our LAST time with a tour company--at least with Key Tours. Turkey has great roads and people Do your own trip!
Oct 30th, 2012, 05:13 PM
#6
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
DISAPPOINTING!! Key Tours/Neon Tours is NOT worth the money, whatever deal you get from them. Here’s the thing, Turkey is a truly phenomenal country and a definite must see. However, I highly recommend NOT seeing it with this tour company. Pay the extra money and go with a Rick Steves tour, or probably ANY other tour. Or do it yourself. Although there were a few good points about the tour, they were far outweighed by the negative ones. My friend and I (both in our mid 30s and frequent international travelers) found ourselves constantly disappointed and frustrated throughout the trip. Most importantly, there was FALSE ADVERTISING. They advertised a price for the tour then after we paid they charged us extra money for our flight. Additionally, on the itinerary they listed that we would see the ruins of Pergamum (tour books say they are the most breathtaking ruins in all of Turkey), when in actuality we did not see the city of Pergamum ruins, but only the ancient medical center which was completely separate from the city and all the way at the bottom of the hill. That is false advertising! And to boot, they did not allow us to see the actual city of Pergamum, even when we volunteered to pay our own way, skip lunch, and find our own way up there.
The first night we got to the Istanbul hotel there was no information left at the front desk or posted that told us any information. Consequently, we missed the first informational meeting. Additionally, all the hotels were situated far away from the towns, making the towns not easily accessible in the evenings.
Our tour guide, Onur Yurtbasi, was knowledgeable, however he was generally unhelpful and at times even pretty RUDE. He did not help us at all get into town on our free time. He sometimes provided us with incorrect or incomplete information that kept us from doing desired activities during our free time. He never went above and beyond to help us and sometimes withheld information which led to INCONVENIENT AND UNSAFE situations (e.g. We waited in the dark on the side of the road for a bus that was never going to come).
The tour also says that breakfasts and dinners are included, which sounds great at first. However, what they don’t tell you is that you will be eating all your lunches at rest stop/gas stations (gross) and all your dinners at the hotels you stay at, even when town are accessible to stop in. The food is very unappetizing, making the culinary experience ANYTHING BUT AUTHENTIC. And when I asked our tour guide, Onur, if we could eat lunches at restaurants in the towns and not in gas stations, he actually had the gall to tell me that there were no restaurants in the towns and that townspeople only eat in their homes. Really? Please!
Key Tours and their Turkey component, Neon Tours, were INACCESSIBLE to us the entire trip, even when we tried to contact them to discuss matters we were having difficulty with. This is not a company you want to travel with. I wish I would have spent more money to go on a better tour than this one. I advise you to do the same.
The first night we got to the Istanbul hotel there was no information left at the front desk or posted that told us any information. Consequently, we missed the first informational meeting. Additionally, all the hotels were situated far away from the towns, making the towns not easily accessible in the evenings.
Our tour guide, Onur Yurtbasi, was knowledgeable, however he was generally unhelpful and at times even pretty RUDE. He did not help us at all get into town on our free time. He sometimes provided us with incorrect or incomplete information that kept us from doing desired activities during our free time. He never went above and beyond to help us and sometimes withheld information which led to INCONVENIENT AND UNSAFE situations (e.g. We waited in the dark on the side of the road for a bus that was never going to come).
The tour also says that breakfasts and dinners are included, which sounds great at first. However, what they don’t tell you is that you will be eating all your lunches at rest stop/gas stations (gross) and all your dinners at the hotels you stay at, even when town are accessible to stop in. The food is very unappetizing, making the culinary experience ANYTHING BUT AUTHENTIC. And when I asked our tour guide, Onur, if we could eat lunches at restaurants in the towns and not in gas stations, he actually had the gall to tell me that there were no restaurants in the towns and that townspeople only eat in their homes. Really? Please!
Key Tours and their Turkey component, Neon Tours, were INACCESSIBLE to us the entire trip, even when we tried to contact them to discuss matters we were having difficulty with. This is not a company you want to travel with. I wish I would have spent more money to go on a better tour than this one. I advise you to do the same.
Nov 19th, 2012, 09:36 AM
#7
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We would like to thank all our valued customers for their feedback and reviews. We use this information to constantly improve our services. We have received written evaluation forms for the same tour which stated clearly that the tour guide was excellent and that the tour was of a high standard. These reviews are available on request through our office.
The total price of the Classics of Turkey was $1966 per person (that is $164 per day). Included in this price were international airfares from New York, accommodation at superior first class hotels, touring by modern air-conditioned coach, all entrance fees and daily breakfast and dinners. Lunch was not included and was optional. The similar tours mentioned by these customers cost 30% - 40% more.
We would like to reiterate that Key Tours management and staff will continue to provide our valued customers with a high standard of service and detailed information on all our programs and tours to Europe and the Mediterranean.
The total price of the Classics of Turkey was $1966 per person (that is $164 per day). Included in this price were international airfares from New York, accommodation at superior first class hotels, touring by modern air-conditioned coach, all entrance fees and daily breakfast and dinners. Lunch was not included and was optional. The similar tours mentioned by these customers cost 30% - 40% more.
We would like to reiterate that Key Tours management and staff will continue to provide our valued customers with a high standard of service and detailed information on all our programs and tours to Europe and the Mediterranean.
