Anyone Familar with Collette Tours?
Nov 4th, 2004, 05:56 AM
#7
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
frank....if you purchase the collette tour they will send you the document package about a week before departure. it will include things such as clothing suggestions, tipping suggestions, optional excursions you can purchase, travel bags and name tags....things like that. we did not purchase our airplane tickets thru collette. but we did purchase the hotel transfers to/from airport. we were met at the airport by a huge limo. i was shocked! the price was very reasonable. when we reached the hotel our collette tour manager was waiting in the lobby to greet us. most of the meals provided by collette include tips as well and that was something new to get used to. our tour director always kept us well-informed of the days activities and what the next day's schedule would be. there were no unpleasant surprises and no "bumps" in the road. give us a trip report when you return. i have wondered about the tour you are interested in. tell us all about it when you get home.
Nov 4th, 2004, 11:34 AM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,974
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks Carla for the detailed info, won't be taking this tour until the Spring but will post a report at that time.
CarrieK: Glad to hear you enjoyed Tauck. Collette is a notch down but hopefully will provide an enjoyable experience also.
CarrieK: Glad to hear you enjoyed Tauck. Collette is a notch down but hopefully will provide an enjoyable experience also.
Nov 4th, 2004, 05:31 PM
#10
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
my neighbors aross the street have used tauck several times and they praise tauck. when they retired and their income was less they took a collette tour that was more affordable for them. they enjoyed the heck out of the collette tour and have taken a few more since. but their foundest memories of tours is when they took tauck tours. someday i would like to try a tauck tour. i have always been interested in globus also. when i compare brochures it seems globus may be between collette and tauck. oh frank, when we took our collette tour in new orleans there were quite a few people in the tour that were collette "regulars". too bad you are not taking the tour this week so we can read your trip report sooner! oh well, we will just have to wait.
Nov 5th, 2004, 06:23 AM
#11
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 480
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
An important factor in any tour is where the hotels are actually located. I took a Globus tour in Europe and discovered to my regret that the hotels were located way out in the suburbs of the cities, or in the case of Venice, actually in a nearby town -- not Venice.
I have since switched to Tauck, and although the tours are expensive, the hotels have been centrally located. Also, the meals have been very good.
Find out what hotels Collette is using and then check their locations and ratings with Fodors, AAA, TripAdvisor, etc.
I have since switched to Tauck, and although the tours are expensive, the hotels have been centrally located. Also, the meals have been very good.
Find out what hotels Collette is using and then check their locations and ratings with Fodors, AAA, TripAdvisor, etc.
Nov 5th, 2004, 06:33 AM
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 371
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We have taken two Grand Circle tours (one to Norther Mexico & Copper Canyone and one to the Canadian Maritimes and Nova Scotia) and have been very happy with them. We talked to others on our tours who had gone with Grand Circle many times and they had the highest praise for them. Our hotels were always very nice and close to the downtown areas. I think these tour groups go out of their way to make the tours very comfortable. Plenty of stops and shops 
We are looking forward to taking many more.
We are looking forward to taking many more.
Nov 5th, 2004, 07:54 AM
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,974
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
mscarls: Sorry about your Venice/Mestre experience, thanks for the heads-up, the hotels seems fine and centrally located as follows:
Doubletree - Buckhead (Atlanta)
Renaissance - Charleston (Historic Dist)
Radisson - Savannah (Historic Dist)
Jekyll Island Club (Same as Tauck)
mamajo: I checked Grand Circle, but they don't offer this itinerary, I'll keep them in mind for the Canadian Rockies. Thanks.
Doubletree - Buckhead (Atlanta)
Renaissance - Charleston (Historic Dist)
Radisson - Savannah (Historic Dist)
Jekyll Island Club (Same as Tauck)
mamajo: I checked Grand Circle, but they don't offer this itinerary, I'll keep them in mind for the Canadian Rockies. Thanks.
