Yet another Contiki question....about the bathrooms...
Dec 13th, 2004, 01:55 AM
#1
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Yet another Contiki question....about the bathrooms...
I'm 22 and have been working full time since I was 16. I know most people have been working longer, but I'm ready for a break! haha. I think I want to do a Contiki tour simply because of the decent price and the younger crowds. There seems to be a big difference between the "budget" and "superior" tours. I'm currently deciding between two right now. One is a 39 day budget tour that is $700 cheaper and 6 days longer than the superior one. I don't mind sleeping in cabins or having to make a little trek into town...BUT, I'm not a big fan of taking showers in front of other people or sleeping with bugs in my room. on the other hand, I want to stay in Europe as long as I can.
Can someone tell me what the shower situation is REALLY like and how the rooms REALLY are on the budget tours?
Thank you
Can someone tell me what the shower situation is REALLY like and how the rooms REALLY are on the budget tours?
Thank you
Dec 13th, 2004, 02:00 AM
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Dec 13th, 2004, 04:55 AM
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Brandon
First, be sure to follow ira's suggestion and head to lonely planet as well as this board. I went on a Contiki tour but it was a looooong time ago (i.e, before you were born!), so you will need more up-to-date info than the older crowd on this board can provide.
However, some things don't change. One is the relationship between value and money. If I were doing it over again I would have gone on my own. I couldn't have done it cheaper but I would have gotten more value for the money I did spend. On your own you can go for a cheaper hotel room with 'shared bath' - this does not translate to gang showers, since the shower/tub is yours while you use it. As for bugs, they are not necessarily a function of how much one spent for a room. Very cheap places can be bug-free, yet expensive rooms in older buildings can have a problem that defies management's best efforts to fix. Fear not that you will be lonely - you will meet lots of fellow travellers in hotels listed in guidebooks.
Unlike me, you have the Internet at your disposal to help you plan your first trip. You don't need to rely on a tour company, unless that is truly how you wish to travel. There are advantages to tours, but saving money isn't really the prime one.
First, be sure to follow ira's suggestion and head to lonely planet as well as this board. I went on a Contiki tour but it was a looooong time ago (i.e, before you were born!), so you will need more up-to-date info than the older crowd on this board can provide.
However, some things don't change. One is the relationship between value and money. If I were doing it over again I would have gone on my own. I couldn't have done it cheaper but I would have gotten more value for the money I did spend. On your own you can go for a cheaper hotel room with 'shared bath' - this does not translate to gang showers, since the shower/tub is yours while you use it. As for bugs, they are not necessarily a function of how much one spent for a room. Very cheap places can be bug-free, yet expensive rooms in older buildings can have a problem that defies management's best efforts to fix. Fear not that you will be lonely - you will meet lots of fellow travellers in hotels listed in guidebooks.
Unlike me, you have the Internet at your disposal to help you plan your first trip. You don't need to rely on a tour company, unless that is truly how you wish to travel. There are advantages to tours, but saving money isn't really the prime one.
Dec 13th, 2004, 05:09 AM
#4
Contiki has their own message board and you would probably get more information there. www.contiki.com Most people on this board are independent travelers and slightly older than you.
Dec 13th, 2004, 06:41 AM
#5
Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree BB is an excellent suggestion. There too most people favor independent traveling, but there are a LOT more posters your age there than on Fodors. If you want to stay in Europe as long as you can... I suggest you may consider going the backpack, youth hostel route on your own. Fits both decent price and younger crowds in your criteria.
