Tours that specialize in seeing castles?
Apr 8th, 2001, 08:57 AM
#1
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Tours that specialize in seeing castles?
I am totally fascinated by castles. I know I can pick certain ones and make all the travel arrangement but I would love to find a tour or something that just went to various castles. I know on some river cruises you can see them but I really want to tour some if I can. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. If no tours are known of, does anyone know of a travel agent who might specialize in this sort of thing? Thanks so much!!
Apr 8th, 2001, 10:10 AM
#3
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Thanks Brenda, I am especially interested in Germany, Austria, Bravaria area. Thanks for your help. I can't wait for your reply. Since you have a business could you please also supply a business phone. I seriously would love to talk about this. If you prefer I could e-mail you. Thanks bunches!!!
Apr 8th, 2001, 01:43 PM
#6
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Yup. This is a little too close for comfort, Brenda. Even those likely to support you might argue that you're "within bounds" because "Lynn" posted the question, you only provided a response (You could have done that without identifying that it is your company, but others will argue that THAT would have been less ethical).<BR><BR>And Lynn - - you better come to the rescue here - - otherwise there will be allegations that you are asking a question to be answered by Brenda.<BR><BR>You know who would (will?) surely love to jump on this - - loves castles, without a doubt. But probably won't now.<BR><BR>And, if claims are to be believed, never writes to anyone unsolicited.<BR>
Apr 8th, 2001, 01:46 PM
#7
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Hmmm... you know who? refers to???? starts withh "e"? "b"? "z"?<BR><BR>Beats me.<BR><BR>Maybe one fun thing to do with this thread is to talk about all the different KINDS of castles Europe has to offer:<BR><BR>Palaces<BR>Chateaux<BR>Castle ruins<BR>Castle hotels or castle restaurants<BR>Castles for visiting that are/were movie sets.<BR>Vanity castles<BR><BR>More?<BR>
Apr 8th, 2001, 02:15 PM
#8
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well, even though I'm pretty anti-business and want the no adverts policy upheld, this thread doesn't bother me if someone specifically solicits a special-interest tour or agent and someone just says they are one and can be contacted. Assuming it wasn't a plant, of course. My contributions are these URLs which might be helpful: http://www.specialtytravel.com http://www.castles.org
Apr 9th, 2001, 01:49 PM
#9
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<BR>I agree with Christina.<BR>To Anon and xxx, how is Brenda's response any different than those who respond to questions like, "I am planning to go to Ireland. Can anyone recommend a tour company?" I've seen lots of names of travel companies put forth on this forum.<BR>If someone in the travel business is motivated and savvy enough to visit this site, then I think I'd like to work with them. I can't imagine that the travel agents who work for high volume agencies and who only care about commissions visit this site and respond to questions.
Apr 9th, 2001, 02:17 PM
#10
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Well, this is a rather accommodating atmosphere! Okay - - here goes! I would love to plan a castle-oriented Fodorites tour! I have been to numerous castles, primarily in Germany and France, but there are castles to be found in England, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Liechtenstein (though maybe the Prince won't let you in to visit).<BR><BR>Let me make it clear - - I am not a travel agent, and my primary interest would be in a trip of 6-12 people, which would help lead and plan, with one individual stepping forward as the "lead dog" (like yourself, Lynn) - - this person is the primary (but not necessarily the sole) traveler who determines such details as the best dates, work (with assistance) on the itinerary, gets first dibs on setting the "style" of travel (budget, intra-Europe transportation, moving around vs "basing", etc.)<BR><BR>Castles I know in particular include<BR><BR>France<BR><BR>Gaillard, Les Andelys<BR>Gisors<BR>Roche Guyon<BR>Versailles<BR>Chantilly<BR>Chambord<BR>Ha ut-Koeningsbourg<BR><BR>Germany<BR><BR>Burg Eltz<BR>Neuschwanstein<BR>Linderhof<BR>Wasserburg-Anholt<BR><BR>There have been numerous good threads on castles in the past month or two, including:<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/messages.cfm?fid=2&tid=1268109&numresponse s=10<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/messages.cfm?fid=2&tid=1268148&numresponse s=7<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/messages.cfm?fid=2&tid=1282833&numresponse s=7<BR><BR>What month do you have in mind?<BR><BR>I hope that anyone interested will post here - - better than to writing to me personally.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>
Apr 9th, 2001, 02:38 PM
#11
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I'm not that accommodating as what I interpret you doing, Rex, is soliciting business. The other person was not the instigator and did not solict business, just answered to someone's question. You are now soliciting clients for a large group tour you want to run. I could be wrong, I have an open mind, but I will be honest and admit that I don't believe you when you claim you are not a travel agent, you are too interested in soliciting business. I would be interested in knowing, for example, if whether you call yourself a travel agent or not (which may simply mean it is not your primary source of income), whether you want compensation in any way at all for these tours you want to lead, whether that compensation involves taking money from people or expecting them to pay your way. Furthermore, do you write off these expenses for these little trips on your taxes as business expenses, whether you are running a profitable or non-profitable business? If you can answer that you do not receie any financial compensation in any way whatsoever from this trip business you solicit, including tax writeoffs, I might believe it, but you have never been straightforward enough to state that which is why I suspect you are gaining from it, if you weren't you would have said so by now. I know you may be independently wealthy, some people are, and can afford to not work and fly around spending money on hotels, air fare, etc. Some of the things you have done in the past are rather incredible, that's all, if you are not gaining financially from this group tour stuff--for example, last year you claimed you were taking a trip to Eastern Europe simply to scout out hotels and things for a group tour you were leading there a short time thereafter. I'm sure you can see why I do not believe that someone who works for a living and is not in the travel business could afford to make two trips to the same area in Europe within a month or so of each other, or that someone would even want to do that. If you do not work for a living, but are retired, of what relevance is your MD degree that you posted on another thread? I have an advanced degree also but don't use that to sign my name on here or anywhere.<BR> Frankly, I do NOT want people to post here for your business solicitation purposes, they should mail you personally.
Apr 9th, 2001, 04:07 PM
#12
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Christina,<BR><BR>This is quite a dilemma. You don't want to "see" what I am doing here on the board, but it feels like people will think I have something to hide if I only correspond with you in private.<BR><BR>The more I tell about my life, the more I get accused that I am bragging or blaring my credentials to take people on trips.<BR><BR>I think I am in some gray zone, between the "idle rich" - - who can afford to travel anywhere, anytime they wish - - and people who "do" trips for hire/profit. I am neither extreme.<BR><BR>I am not independently wealthy. I do work for a living - - more the past several months than I did a year ago. Thanks to stock market (ups and) downs, a lot of "semi-retired" people are in this boat.<BR><BR>I do not propose to bear anyone else's expenses on any trip originating from this board, nor have them pay any of my expenses. Through sharing (primarily of group airfares, rental properties and car rental expenses), there can be savings for every participant.<BR><BR>All the trips I have led before have involved, family, friends or friends of family. I have never taken any tax deductions for travel expenses, other than those that related to my primary career(s) - - I have had more than one career: practicing medicine (which is my only current career), and setting up database management systems, used in conjunction with national and international medical meetings (1986-1999).<BR><BR>SOMEday, I think that I do aspire to plan and lead tours as a business, and so, I am seeking these opportunities, at an age while I still have the energy and inclination to do - - totally pro bono - - what I may sometime in the future charge people for. It doesn't/wouldn't cost me MORE to do this than to travel with friends/family. Taking other people on trips IS my idea of a vacation.<BR><BR>There has not ever been (yet) a "first" Fodorites' trip, as far as I know. It is an unproven experiment - - that is - - can I (or any other person) plan and lead a trip, designed "for" someone else - - and recruit enough people to make it a meaningful small group trip? <BR><BR>Bob the Navigator has proposed such a trip before, but I don't think it ever happened. The Eastern Europe trip which I imagined "might happen" (last fall) was based on a nucleus of four people who, I suppose, went on ahead and took their trip by themselves - - since there were no takers fom here. Yes, I did propose that I would take a scouting trip because I found an incredible fare of $500 roundtrip in May, into Budapest via Helsinki (this is all public on a thread somewhere). The whole premise there was that I was asked by a family of four if I would put together such a trip and help them find other people. I was overly optimistic. I ended up forfeiting that fare, and didn't take the scouting trip, nor the fall trip. Art Hussey has talked about a trip this fall, but so far, no one has expressed a serious interest.<BR><BR>I have said before, this forum is really NOT a place someone could come looking for "customers" anyhow - - people come here with a trip already in their heads. If a Fodorites' trip ever does happen, it might be that "relative" long timers who "get to know" each other decide to pool their interests. I got an e-mail just last night from someone interested in Italy - - semi-experienced, but she has never been to Italy, and a trip planned for last year fell through on her. Maybe that will turn into something.<BR><BR>This feels all rather unbecoming, but failing to answer your charges makes me feel more uncomfortable.<BR><BR>I am not soliciting business.<BR><BR>Why do you think that no one has ever said - - "oh yes he is in the tour business" - - "he quoted me a fee of such-and-such to put together a trip for me"? Because no such person exists.<BR><BR>This is much more frustrating than all the Unix errors which made it so difficult unable to access the site today.<BR><BR>I'm damned if I post this, and I'm damned if I don't. If you read this, and agree with me, let's join forces and ask that Fodor's remove this post, yours at 6:38 pm, and mine before that at 6:17 pm.<BR>
Apr 15th, 2001, 06:12 AM
#13
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I am the original poster. I certainly did not mean to cause all this trouble. I thank those who gave me the good tips and to those who try to cause trouble, get a life!!! These people are not soliciting business, they are answering my questions with the answers they have. If you have a better answer then please post it and leave alone those who are trying to help me. I notice the smart alecs are anon and the real helpers like Rex and Brenda are fully upfront. Thanks guys!!!!!
Apr 15th, 2001, 10:41 AM
#14
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To Lynn, Brenda, and Joyce, who seem to be one and the same: you'll expect that somebody that's "totally fascinated by castles" would elaborate a little more. What the post did quite nicely though, was laid it all out for Brenda's timely response. A bit too staged.... <BR> <BR>There is a NO ADVERTISEMENT policy on this forum. When and if a company is recommended and, therefore mentioned on a post, it is typically as a recommendation by a former CUSTOMER. A completely different animal.
Apr 16th, 2001, 05:03 PM
#15
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I love it when I review old stuff and come accross such highly controversial topics as castles and tour groups! <BR>I don't mean to be inflammatory, but I read all these emails where people seem really offended by other people's questions and comments. And I just wonder...if it bothers you, why don't you just move on and read something else? It's a free country! Live and Let live! Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge fan of salespeople, and I truly hope that most of these posts are not folks "soliciting business," but, if someone has specificially asked for information, on tour stuff, I think a response is ok. <BR>
Apr 16th, 2001, 07:29 PM
#16
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Susan, <BR> <BR>The point of "altieri's" admonishment is that Brenda may have simply created the personas of "Lynn" and "Joyce" to "ask" about Brenda's business. <BR> <BR>The resolution would be very straightforward, if Lynn or Joyce were to come forward, and state flat out - - "I am not Brenda" and "I did not post this question as an opportunity for Brenda to answer it". <BR> <BR>Signed, with a verifiable e-mail address woule be even better, though by no means necessary. <BR> <BR>I suspect that Brenda knows all about this, but she may not know what to say, especially if she is NOT connected to Lynn or Joyce in anyway. Defending one's self takes leather skin here. <BR> <BR>And surely Brenda knows that Fodor's can easily identify the IP address of anyone posting any message. <BR>
