Tour Packge to England. Should I?
 

Is a tour package to England a good idea for first time visitors? If so, which one's are the best? We have friends that got a 10 day package from Pittsburgh for $3400. Seems vary resonable to me but... Thanks for any help.<BR><BR>Jim

Jim<BR>What places are you interested in visiting, and how long do you have for your trip, not counting arrival and departure days?

If that is a per-person price, it's certainly not cheap. The value would depend on what the package includes. Even for a first-time visitor, the United Kingdom is not all that intimidating. Still, only you can decide whether you want to pay for the services involved.

The vast majority (myself included) people on this Forum are non-tour people. England is very easy to do on your own, but some people prefer tours if they have not traveled much before or are uncomfortable with non-US environments. Frankly I'd say $3400 is a lot of money and it can be done for less but it's up to you, of course.

We have some very very well travelled friends who totally freaked out in the U.K. upon renting a car! They could not adjust to driving on the left and all the roundabouts. We were shocked, they seemed very sophisticated in other ways. If this is a concern to you, it could be valid, other have it too as it turns out. As far as tours in general, there is a huge variety. $3400 could be fine if it includes 3 or 4 star hotels, luxurious transport, great tour guides, airfair and breakfasts. London particularly is costly for high quality accomodation. For meals you can spend a fortune! On the other hand nowhere has such tacky choices in hotels and restaurants as the U.K., you really have to know what you are getting. Also the other people matter, be sure they are similar to you in interests, age, etc. I think a tour can be fun, meet people and very hassle free for a first visit. Just pick a good one, it's not the $3400, it's the value for the money.

I went to London this spring for 7 days (plus 2 travel days) for a total of about $1500 - that included airfare, a nice 3 star hotel, meals, and everything else. And it could certainly have been done much cheaper - I could have stayed in a decent budget hotel for about half of what I paid. True it was only London, but that would be the most expensive part of England. So I think 3 additional days, even including train tickets or a car rental would have been not much more.

sounds like a lot of $$ unless it's for both people.<BR><BR>My husband and I just got back from a 2 week trip. I estimate we spent just about $4000 for both of us including airfare from West Coast (trad. more than pitt. I would think) 3-4 star hotels, mid size car rental, meals, souveniers, and any other misc. expenses.<BR><BR>It was my hubbies first time in UK and we did just fine with everything including driving, etc. <BR><BR>I don't personally think tours are necessary unless you really hate planning.<BR><BR>Hope that helps.<BR><BR><BR>I'm quite positie

My husband and I did a four-week Globus tour of the U.K. and Ireland last year and really enjoyed it. The tour guide was great, and we hit many of the high spots. I meant it to be a survey-type trip to see where we would like to go back and see in more depth, and for that purpose it was great. E-mail me if you would like details.

It could be nice or not nice, I'm sure. I found it not at all hard to spend 7 in London nights at a really good quality place for $1300 for two people, and airfare for $400 each.<BR><BR> Then we took several day trip tours to places we wanted to go. If the places you are interested in are in a 1-2 hour radius of London, consider this strategy--day trips, stay in London, then you can see plays, eat well, etc. at night. <BR><BR> We were going to see gardens; we didn't want to drive or figure our trains & taxis, or to stay overnight in small (but beautiful) towns.

That is outrageously expensive unless it offers very upscale hotels.<BR><BR>About 4 years ago I arranged a trip from the west coast for myself and 12 friends. we stayed in London 7 days and in the Cotswolds 7 days. We rented 3 very nice apartments in London, three lovely cottages in Burford and 4 cars for a week. The total for EVERYTHING -- airfare, transport passes, rental cars, heritage Passes, petrol, theatre, food sightseeing - everything except personal shopping came to a little over $1500 per person. <BR><BR>Now it would be about $200 more since airfares are generally higher.

There's no good answer to this except to examine what is important to you in terms of time, money, transporation, etc.<BR> Personally, my husband and I prefer to travel on our own. We just don't like vacationing on someone else's fixed schedule. As well, some of the highlights of our trips have been "discovering" unexpected places. In addition, for me, the planning is part of the joy.<BR> However, friends took an escorted UK trip earlier this year and loved the fact that they did not have to think about where to go,driving, directions, hotels, parking or any other the other day-to-day issues. <BR> Neither approach is right/wrong, just different. Yes, you can go for less money than you mentioned as many here have pointed out. But I think there comes a time when you pay for the services of type of trip you want and then just let it go and be happy.

Please keep in mind that the questioner is a first time visitor. A tour, if one can be found that meets the traveler's needs, is just fine and eliminates having to arrange apartments in London, hotels or B&Bs out of the city, train tickets, renting a car, etc. <BR><BR>As an aside, roundtrip airfare from where I live in the midwest to London is $1200, not $500. There is no way I could do airfare (1200), 7 days at 3-star hotels in London (700-1350) and two days of travel (100) for $1500.

Simone: $1200 for airfare is REALLY more than you need to pay. I live on the west coast and have NEVER paid more than $630 R-T to the UK (London/Manchester/Glasgow) <BR><BR>From the mid west it is even less and from the east coast cheaper yet.<BR><BR>Depending on the month, I have paid between $398 and $630, while friends in Mass. have paid between $198 and $500. Midwest fares should fall somewhere between these two.

Couldn't you get the sort of package where the company sorts out the air travel and accommodation but leaves you to arrange excursions as and when you wish?

Virgin Holidays does it that way Sylvia.<BR>You book a tour and they take care of hotels and airfare ,transfers and a few optionals and you can see and do want you want. They have a website and are part of Virgin airlines.<BR>Jim: I also took a Trafalgar tour some years ago that was very good. Went to England and Scotland for 2 weeks and it was around $2500.00. For the first time I would say go for a pkg tour but there are alot out there so check around.

I guess I should have said that the $3400 was for two people. This is a 10 day tour of London and Edinborough, Scotland. It includes airfare, hotels and some, but not all, meals.

Janis: I have not seen airfares from the Midwest to the UK at the rates you mention unless you are flying in January or February.

Assuming it's during this summer I'd say it's an okay, not great, deal, but much depends on the level of hotel and what excursions are included. If the equivalent airfare is around $800 per person, that leaves $1800 for 10 days, or under a hundred dollars per person per day. Given hotel prices in London and EdinBURGH, if you're staying at anything better than a 2-star hotel you're probably ahead.<BR><BR>The key will be to bug out of any tours that don't interest you and head off on your own, so that next time as an independent traveler you'll be more self confident. <BR><BR>I'm sure you know this, but never, never say you're traveling to England when your itinerary includes Scotland. You're traveling to the UK or to Britain.

Thanks to everyone for all your help. It sounds like I have a lot of homework to do. I've gotten quite a bit of good infor mation here.<BR><BR>John: Thanks for straightening me out. You are, of course, quite right. Although I've traveled a lot in the U.S., I've never been abroad and this is all new to me.

xxx: No - I meant those fares for year round - except in Late July and August when you really can't get any bargains.<BR><BR>The last time I went over in January (2 years ago) I spent $397 inc taxes. I usually go in May, June, Sept or Oct and pay between $500 and $600 - sometimes a little more.<BR><BR>The last time I went was Sept/Oct last year and paid $628 inc taxes from SFO &gt; LHR. <BR><BR>A friend from Chicago joined us for a few days and paid about $580.<BR><BR>I think you need a better travel agent.<BR><BR>