Perillo tours
Aug 30th, 2006, 07:41 PM
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Perillo tours
My family (myself, husband, 14 and 16 year old sons) plan on visiting Italy next summer 2007 in June for 2 weeks. We just signed up for a Perillo tour but I'm worried that there will not be many families on this tour. Any suggestions or recommendations??
Aug 30th, 2006, 08:56 PM
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Hello Isand, I have never taken a tour but Perillo Tours have been around for ages. I am not sure what you would like to know regarding "suggestions or recommendations". Are you thinking of cancelling the tour and travelling on your own or are you looking for information from people that have travelled with Perillo Tours? Most people here on Fodor's travel independantly and I don't recall reading any trip reports from anyone who travelled with Perillo Tours but perhaps someone else here can help you. But perhaps you could be more specific as to what type of information you are looking for. Best wishes.
Aug 30th, 2006, 09:00 PM
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By the way Isand, I just noticed that this is your second post asking the same question.
Just to help you. When you start a thread if you cannot find it later all you have to do is click on your name which is next to the Welcome sign at the left top side of the screen and all of your posts will appear. I hope this helps you in the future with your enjoyment of using the Fodor's website.
Just to help you. When you start a thread if you cannot find it later all you have to do is click on your name which is next to the Welcome sign at the left top side of the screen and all of your posts will appear. I hope this helps you in the future with your enjoyment of using the Fodor's website.
Aug 31st, 2006, 01:04 AM
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"...but I'm worried that there will not be many families on this tour."
I'd say the above is the real heart of your question and in order to actually help you it might be good to start with an explanation of why you feel as you do.
I'd say the above is the real heart of your question and in order to actually help you it might be good to start with an explanation of why you feel as you do.
Aug 31st, 2006, 03:40 AM
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While escorted tours in general tend to get more couples and fewer families with kids, this can of course vary from week to week. The odds of having other kids your kids age on the same bus with Perillo will be very slim. If this is a priority you might want to look into Tauck Tours Bridges, which specializes in families. While at first glance they will appear significantly more than Perillo, you will find that when you compare apples to apples, features and inclusions to each other, they are only marginally more
Aug 31st, 2006, 05:51 AM
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I have taken many tours with several companies, at least 15, over the years, as well as about the same amount of self-organized tours, and I can say that I have NEVER seen a family with teens or any children on a bus tour. The only company that might do family tours is Elderhostel that does do Intergenerational tours, but one of the adults must be over 55. I do not think your sons will be interested in a Perillo tour.
That said, I wouldn't recommend Perillo at all, having taken a recent trip of theirs to Southern Italy and Sicily. They cram 50 people or so onto their bus by putting the seats closer together. Also they seem more expensive because they pay for all the evening meals which are served in tourist restaurants and are rather bland at best. Definitely take a tour that allows you to pick your own places to eat at least a few nights on the trip.
If I had to pick a big bus tour again, it would be Insight or Odysseys-Unlimited which is a small group tour company.
Don't know if you can back out of Perillo now so this info may be untimely.
Margo
That said, I wouldn't recommend Perillo at all, having taken a recent trip of theirs to Southern Italy and Sicily. They cram 50 people or so onto their bus by putting the seats closer together. Also they seem more expensive because they pay for all the evening meals which are served in tourist restaurants and are rather bland at best. Definitely take a tour that allows you to pick your own places to eat at least a few nights on the trip.
If I had to pick a big bus tour again, it would be Insight or Odysseys-Unlimited which is a small group tour company.
Don't know if you can back out of Perillo now so this info may be untimely.
Margo
Aug 31st, 2006, 07:07 AM
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Is your heart set on taking a tour?
Have you thought about doing it yourself?There are many people here who would be more than happy to help you plan a fabulous family vacation.You can do it-and probably for less!
Have you thought about doing it yourself?There are many people here who would be more than happy to help you plan a fabulous family vacation.You can do it-and probably for less!
Aug 31st, 2006, 07:36 AM
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I guess my heart isn't into a tour with 50 other people. My family has always planned vacations with Fodor's and Frommer's books. We've been to Europe twice via my husband's company where everything is planned for us. I'm really worried about long lines at major attractions in Rome and Florence and felt that a tour would help get us quickly into these areas. The Tauck Tours Bridges looks great. Has anyone ever tried American Express tours??
Aug 31st, 2006, 09:03 AM
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I think your sons would be bored stiff on a standard group tour with other adults - many of them seniors.
I really encourage you to do this on your own if you can organize the planning.
Otherwise the Tauck Family Tour sounds better.
I have no personal knowledge of Perillo but friends of my parents who frequently do tours (in their 70s and don;t want to del with luggage etc) took one and hated it. There were 2 hotel substitutions to much worse places (one in Mestre), the food was mediocre to awful and they felt like cattle.
Caveat: they ususally do Tauck tours, did Perillo only for relatives they were traveling with - and said it's like comparing a Kia to a BMW.
I really encourage you to do this on your own if you can organize the planning.
Otherwise the Tauck Family Tour sounds better.
I have no personal knowledge of Perillo but friends of my parents who frequently do tours (in their 70s and don;t want to del with luggage etc) took one and hated it. There were 2 hotel substitutions to much worse places (one in Mestre), the food was mediocre to awful and they felt like cattle.
Caveat: they ususally do Tauck tours, did Perillo only for relatives they were traveling with - and said it's like comparing a Kia to a BMW.
Aug 31st, 2006, 10:59 AM
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Thank you NYTRAVELER --- I had the same thoughts concerning my sons. I'll have to research more options available that will interest them. We might do a shorter tour with a better group and have some time on our own. (We will be in Italy for 16 days.)
Aug 31st, 2006, 11:44 AM
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I second the thoughts that you would be better off on your own rather than a Perillo tour. I did one in Italy quite a few years ago ( filling in for my mother-in-law who had broken her arm) I would not recommend them and I think your children would be bored.
Use the wonderful help of these forum contributors, get some good guide books and with a lot of research you can put together a wonderful family trip.
Use the wonderful help of these forum contributors, get some good guide books and with a lot of research you can put together a wonderful family trip.
Aug 31st, 2006, 02:18 PM
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Hi Isand, there are lots of wonderful reports here on Fodor's by people that took their teens to Italy and I think these trip reports would give you so many ideas about travelling independatly. You could book day tours as many others do for the places where you don't want to have to stand in line for ages. Many Fodorites do that. That way you and your family would have all of the freedom and yet would avoid the long lines, which I wouldn't want to contend with either. So give that idea some thought. Best wishes.
Sep 2nd, 2006, 07:09 AM
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Hi island
I took a tour with Globus in 2003 (my one and only tour) with my son (who was 14) and we both enjoyed it. We were not the only family (although there were not a LOT of kids) and although I like to travel independently as a rule, this worked best for us at the time. I called the tour company to get an idea of ages on the tour. That might work for you too. I don't know anything about Perillo so can't advise you there.
I gave you a list of non-historic things that my son liked in Rome on your other post:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...=1&start=0
I took a tour with Globus in 2003 (my one and only tour) with my son (who was 14) and we both enjoyed it. We were not the only family (although there were not a LOT of kids) and although I like to travel independently as a rule, this worked best for us at the time. I called the tour company to get an idea of ages on the tour. That might work for you too. I don't know anything about Perillo so can't advise you there.
I gave you a list of non-historic things that my son liked in Rome on your other post:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...=1&start=0
Sep 12th, 2006, 09:15 AM
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Hello lsand. Let me give you my impressions since I actually took a Perillo tour with my two teenage girls last summer. We all loved it! Yes, you can plan a tour on your own, but if you don't want the hassle of getting from here to there, a tour is a great way to go.
We had around 46 people on our bus. There was one other family with teens, a few mothers traveling with daughters in their 20's, and the rest were mainly couples in their 50's. I think you if travel in the summer, you are more likely to have other families traveling.
We visited Venice, Florence, Rome in 10 days. Guides were excellent. Plenty of free time to explore on our own so we did not feel "trapped" with the group.
The ease of travel was a total plus for me. We did not have to rush to trains, or carry our luggage. Being the mother of a teen, you know how difficult it can be to get them out of bed in the morning. With the group, there was a schedule, so the kids got up and out without my nagging...too much.
Before we went, I also had some concerns about group travel. I worried that we would be forced to stop and shop in certain stores, or that we would always be waiting for people, or that the food would be bad in the chosen restaurants. None of my fears were realized. The tours left promptly, we did not have forced shopping stops, and the food was fine. The only thing I did not like was the location of our hotel in Florence because it was a little far from the center of town. The other hotels were of excellent quality and perfect location.
I felt that the pricing was reasonable and I would recommend a Perillo tour without hesitation.
We had around 46 people on our bus. There was one other family with teens, a few mothers traveling with daughters in their 20's, and the rest were mainly couples in their 50's. I think you if travel in the summer, you are more likely to have other families traveling.
We visited Venice, Florence, Rome in 10 days. Guides were excellent. Plenty of free time to explore on our own so we did not feel "trapped" with the group.
The ease of travel was a total plus for me. We did not have to rush to trains, or carry our luggage. Being the mother of a teen, you know how difficult it can be to get them out of bed in the morning. With the group, there was a schedule, so the kids got up and out without my nagging...too much.
Before we went, I also had some concerns about group travel. I worried that we would be forced to stop and shop in certain stores, or that we would always be waiting for people, or that the food would be bad in the chosen restaurants. None of my fears were realized. The tours left promptly, we did not have forced shopping stops, and the food was fine. The only thing I did not like was the location of our hotel in Florence because it was a little far from the center of town. The other hotels were of excellent quality and perfect location.
I felt that the pricing was reasonable and I would recommend a Perillo tour without hesitation.
Sep 12th, 2006, 10:17 AM
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My husband & I were on a Trafalgar tour during Easter break a few years ago & there was an extended family of about 10 on the tour with 3 kids included. They were the only ones on the tour.
By the way, when we were in Capri our tour director was laughing & talking with a tour director from another company (I can't remember which one) about the Perillo tour director making a big fuss about his "VIP" tour. It was our experience on the trip that Perillo books a couple of buses per tour & that is why the second bus gets the lesser hotels. We were at a couple of the same hotels & paid a lot less money for the same places. After seeing that, I would never take a Perillo tour. I hope this helps.
By the way, when we were in Capri our tour director was laughing & talking with a tour director from another company (I can't remember which one) about the Perillo tour director making a big fuss about his "VIP" tour. It was our experience on the trip that Perillo books a couple of buses per tour & that is why the second bus gets the lesser hotels. We were at a couple of the same hotels & paid a lot less money for the same places. After seeing that, I would never take a Perillo tour. I hope this helps.
