Around the World Ticket/Trips
 

Has anyone done one? What alliance did you use? Where did you stop?

My interest is peaked after that article in the Wall Street Journal this morning!

I've done 2 RTW trips. I didn't use an alliance, too restrictive regarding destinations. I used a consolidator both times. The agency I use for those and business class long-distance tickets is Airtreks. Superb service, good prices.

http://www.airtreks.com/

I should also mention, you can do parts of the trip using ground transport. Trains, ships, etc. as I did both times. Air tickets can pick up again wherever you want them to. It makes for an extraordinarily flexible and interesting itinerary. Last time I did the leg from Singapore to the Mediterranean (Suez Canal) on a freighter.

Current thread in the lounge, if you have access - http://www.fodors.com/community/fodo...e-world.cfm?21

Actually, judging from your join date at Fodor's, you probably can't access the Lounge forum, so have a look at a little primer I did on RTW tickets over at TripAdvisor - http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...ir_Travel.html

Yes - do read Gardyloo's primer. He is really expert on this topic and has been very generous w/ information and advice.

Here are some older Fodors threads that you can access:

http://www.fodors.com/community/air-...t-169191-2.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/air-...orail-pass.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/air-...-ny-saves-.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/air-...r-alliance.cfm

Haven't read the WSJ article, but have done three RTWs. All three were on the Oneworld alliance, using FF miles in biz class. This is an excellent deal, as biz is only 50% more "expensive" than economy.

I had one large open segment on each trip (only one open segment is allowed on the FF deal). For the most recent start here:

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...-excursion.cfm

or here with pix: http://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com/...-a-good-start/

For the earlier trips see: http://wilhelmswords.com - 2001 and 2004.

I now have enough miles for a fourth....

And this was the initial itinerary for my third RTW: http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...omment-6366587

Hey Gardyloo- how long do you need to be a member to get lounge access?

<i>Hey Gardyloo- how long do you need to be a member to get lounge access?</i>

The moderators "grandfathered" existing registered users a couple of years ago; people who have registered since are excluded.

Ah thanks!

Also, thanks to all for their suggestions!

RTW tickets are for tours. Are you planning a tour? Or do you want the flexibility to change plans mid-way, reverse course, spend a longer time in a place (or shorter), etc.?

RTW tickets are for those who are risk-averse. Unplanned long term travel for those who aren't afraid of risk and prefer an adventure which by definition requires the unknown and risk. Which are you?

>>RTW tickets are for tours.<|<<

??

No they aren't. Where did you get that idea?

"">>RTW tickets are for tours.<|<<

??

No they aren't. Where did you get that idea?""

Perhaps she meant they are for people with a set itinerary? I've never actually paid for RTW tickets, but on my FF award tickets I could change dates but not routing without penalty. I have also had one large non-flight segment (Beijing to Chennai, Glasgow to Bangkok, Kathmandu to Colombo), which gave me all the flexibility I needed.

Ah well, I don't have the time/flexibility at this point to NOT have a set route. So while I won't be on a 'tour', I will have a set itinerary!

Yes indeed, a tour simply means you have a set itinerary. How else would you define a tour?

The downside of course is that it pretty much removes the flexibility to decide to stay longer or leave earlier from any given place. The upside is that it lets you tick places off a list.

I find the assumption that anyone can know beforehand, how long they will want to spend in any given place, senseless. I doubt anyone can tell me just how they will know beforehand how long a place will hold their interest. A tour is not about spending as much time as you need in a place, it is simply about ticking a place off a list, whether anyone wants to admit that or not.

If your tour allows for 3 days in X, are you going to change all the dates on the remainder of your RTW ticket because you feel you want another day or two in X? I think not. If you did change your tickets to spend another 2 days in X, would you then change them again if after those 2 days you decided you still wanted another day there? You are far more likely to stick to the plan and thus leave X before you actually want to leave.

Needmorevacation, I disagree with your statement, "I don't have the time/flexibility at this point to NOT have a set route." That is patently false. You have an amount of time and money available. How you choose to use them is a choice, not a given. Often, people don't see it as a choice however, as your statement that you don't have the time/flexibility clearly indicates applies in your case. You do have a choice.

It is of course your choice but it is indeed a tour you are saying you have chosen. Whether you go to a travel agent and book a tour with a tour company or plan a tour on your own, if you follow a set itinerary it is a tour. I see no reason for those who choose to plan a tour to want to say they aren't doing just that. All I was suggesting is that it is a choice.

>> How else would you define a tour?<<

Well -- I'd guess 90% of readers would assume "tour" meant a guided group tour.

In previous eras the "grand tour" would be traveling around on ones own. But now the meaning of 'tour' is generally Globus/Trafalgar/Rick Steves/Tauck and all the usual suspects.

Soujourntraveller, what you describe as a tour, I call reconnaissance. On a number of occasions, not knowing, as you rightly said, how long I'm likely going to enjoy a place, I string several together so I know which, if any, will be the basis of a return trip and longer stay. So, while I tend toward longer stays, I don't disparage the use of shorter ones to learn my own prefefences.

I'll add, regarding the consolidator tickets I spoke of earlier, very often there's flexibility, depending on the airline, and on several occasions I've learned of a place from other travelers and have changed directions enroute without fees, then caught up after with the later tickets. It's something to consider before you decide from whom to buy.

What 90% of people would assume probably is a tour company. What 90% of people don't consider is there is no difference between a tour company arranging an itinerary and arranging it yourself. Both are a tour n'est ce pas?

I see no problem with a reconnaisance tour MmePerdu. It's still a tour whatever the reason. Why do you want to call it a reconnaissance instead of a tour? It's a quick tour around 10 places to see where you would like to return to and spend more time. I get that. I wouldn't do it myself but I get what you are saying.

I don't see why anyone has a problem with saying they are planning a tour. There seems to be a tendency here to want to avoid that word tour for some reason.

I can only assume the word tour has some negative connotation that makes peole reluctant to think of themselves as tourists. If you plan a tour you are a tourist. What else could you be?

"What 90% of people don't consider is there is no difference between a tour company arranging an itinerary and arranging it yourself."

Your premise (and likely your number) is absurd. Planning it one's self leaves open so many possibilities along the way, there's a huge difference. I have no problem with the word "tour" when it applies, but referring to independent travel in the form of an outline rather than a set itinerary and the ability to deviate at will for months at a time, a tour? I also feel the need to deviate from your word.

Personally, I prefer the word reconnaissance when I may or may not know where I'll go next between places I'm pretty sure I will go. If you find the need to call it a "tour", fine, but it may only be evidence of a limited vocabulary rather than a description of a trip not your own. Or possibly very narrow thinking.

On this logic, if (as I am about to do) I book a flight from Nice to Lisbon (both places I'm revisiting) a couple of months out, because otherwise it will cost me several times as much, I'm on a tour, but if I'm willing to blow the extra money (which would otherwise cover more time on the ground) I'm suddenly a cool "traveler" instead of a "tourist"? How silly.

"How silly."

Indeed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y
http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/l...d-why-they-not

LOL, obviously this ruffles some feathers.

MmePerdue, you are now contradicting yourself. You said that what I called a tour, you call a reconnaissance. Fine, I understood that. We were both referring to a fixed itinerary of places over a fixed period of time. Or at least I thought we both were. A la, 'here is my itinerary, what do you think of it?' type posts. Then follows a list of 10 places with dates beside them all. Travel and hotels are usually all pre-booked.

Now you bring up, "independent travel in the form of an outline rather than a set itinerary and the ability to deviate at will for months at a time" I certainly did not refer to that as a tour MmePerdu. Nor did you equate that to 'tour' in your first response to my comment. Are you trying to put words into my mouth?

I wrote, "Yes indeed, a tour simply means you have a set itinerary. How else would you define a tour?" Please note the word 'set' MmePerdu. I think it is clear what I was referring to by that and you yourself now write, "rather than a set itinerary". You can't have it both ways. If they have a set itinerary whether they booked it themselves or used a tour company, are they on a tour or not MmePerdu? Yes or no?

Thursdaysd, I don't see the relevance of your comment. What has flight costs got to do with anything? Are you suggesting that pre-booking your flights to save money somehow means you are not on a tour? If you go to A, B, C, Nice, Lisbon and then back home, are you not on a tour?

I also don't see the relevance of your comment re tourist and cool traveller. Who said anything about the word traveller being different from the word tourist? Not me. Who said anything about the word tourist being 'not cool'? Since you think one is cool that implies you think the other is not cool.

What is silly, is that you want to argue that a tour is not a tour and someone who plans a tour is not a tourist. It seems clear to me who is trying to suggest that an 'independent traveller' who plans their own tour is somehow not a tourist.

Gardyloo, the clip is amusing. It is indeed similar to those who want to say they aren't tourists or try to argue that a tour is not a tour.

The only difference I was pointing out to the OP in my first response was there are two kinds of travel to consider when thinking of a RTW ticket. Planned and unplanned travel.

A planned tour is well suited to the risk-averse. But it limits flexibility. Unplanned travel allows for total flexibility but will not appeal to the risk-averse who want to have a hotel booked ahead etc. and not take any risks that they don't have to.

Trying to argue what is or is not a tour and whether you are a tourist or an independent traveller is ridiculous. I'm done with this.

I'm beginning to get a sandralist/goldenautumn/etc.etc. kind of feeling here. Anyone else?

From http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de.../english/tour:

Tour: A journey for pleasure in which several different places are visited

From my OED:

Tour: Journey through a country from place to place

So, everyone who is traveling to more than one place is on a tour. We are all tourists, including the argumentative ST.

I really fail to see the point of spending a great deal more money than necessary, just to avoid having fixed points in an itinerary. But then, I travel on a budget.

I'm not the one arguing that a tour isn't a tour thursdaysd. As your definitions point out, going from place to place is a tour. You can plan a tour or you can do a tour without planning, the only difference is you plan or don't plan ahead of time.

That you fail to see the advantage of total flexibility vs. pre-planned flights (which it appears you are referring to primarily) simply means to you it doesn't matter since you are willing to fix some things ahead of time based on cost. I have no problem with that. As I've said, it works for some to pre-plan things.

But I do think that seeing something only from your own viewpoint and not being able to 'see the point' for someone who does value total flexibility, suggests something about you.

There is no reason to connect pre-planned flights with being on a budget either. That is false logic. You can be on a budget and not plan. It will simply change the decisions you make accordingly. The only time it would be connected is if you wanted to stick to a fixed plan.

Nor does every tourist go on a planned tour. That the one word shares the same root as the other does not mean they are necessarily connected at the hip. A tourist can go on a tour or go on unplanned travel. So while I would agree that anyone who travels somewhere for pleasure is a tourist, I would not agree that every tourist goes on a planned tour.


Your comment, "just to avoid having fixed points in an itinerary" seems to indicate you can't even think in terms of unplanned travel. An itinerary by definition has fixed points. That's what an itinerary is all about. Describe an itinerary without known points.

From your OED:
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...lish/itinerary

I really don't know what it is that you guys are trying to argue against here. What is it you think you are arguing against?

Is it that you feel it necessary to defend planned travel, as not doing so would not just indicate there is an alternative but somehow would indicate that your way is not better than the other way?

You are the one having an argument! We were having a peaceful until you showed up. Go back to drifting.

I had forgotten that ST was on my (very short) ignore list. Now that he has, regrettably, returned from whatever unfocused tour he was on, I have been reminded. I will read no more of his rantings.

If he is that concerned about semantics perhaps he should change his screen name to Sojourntourist.

>>I'm beginning to get a sandralist/goldenautumn/etc.etc. kind of feeling here. Anyone else?<<

I don't see sandralist/zeppole so much (well maybe a <i>little</i>) -- I get more than a hint of improvisor.

I don't know improvisor. Also among the banished and reborn? Certainly the name, improvisor, is redolent of the philosophy espoused above.

You people really are so predictable.

Stick to your planned vacations. Boooorrrrinnngggg.

yep -- improvisor for sure >)

Same syntax . . .

Sojourntraveller, you seem to be hung up on semantics and your interpretations of same. Why? Just curious...