Escourted tours to Hawaiian Islands
 

We are planning a trip to Hawaii in July 2001, and would like your opionion on escorted tour companies and their trips to Hawaii. Has anyone traveled with Perillo Tours, Cosmos, or Globus? I have heard that Tauck Tours are great, but they are out of our price range. Any comments about these companies or any others would be appreciated.

Sadie, <BR> <BR>If you're an American and live in the U.S. mainland, a big IF, then I wouldn't see any need for a "guided" tour of Hawaii. It's just another state, however tropical and wonderful, with all the comforts of home and so much more! Now, if you're from another country and don't speak English, then I can see why you might consider such a tour. I believe Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays has guided tours at a reasonable rate, but can't stake my retirement on it! Best of luck! <BR> <BR>Aloha, Joe

Sadie, <BR>Took the Tauck 3 island tour in May 99. Treated like royalty. But, by the third day, my husband and I were quite tired of the group. Most were very nice people but how much small talk can you take? The hotels were out of this world, dinners great. The point is you can easily tour Hawaii without a tour. Towards the end of the trip- we even rented a car and went off on our own.. Tauck is first class but I just was worn out listening to the tour guide non-stop. Check our guide books at your local library and have fun!

Joseph & JRD, <BR>Thanks for your responses. Joseph,I am American and live in the U.S. mainland. I guess one of the reasons that we are looking at an escorted tour as an alternative, is to cut down on the hassle of transfers to and from the airports, as well as arranging the flights from one island to another, etc. We would like to see at least two, maybe three islands in 12 days, as this is quite possibly the only trip that any one of the four of us (two couples) will be able to make to Hawaii, and we want to make the best of the short time that we will be able to spend there. I have looked into Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays as a possibility of an air/hotel package, I just wondered if anyone had any first hand info about any of the tour companies that I listed, as this type of trip is one option that we are looking at. JRD, your opinion of an escorted tour is very much appreciated. Were there any aspects of the tour that you did like? Was this the first escorted tour that you had taken? Any more about your experience would be great. I hope I get some more honest opinions to think about to help us make our decision. Thanks again to both of you. <BR>Sadie

As a travel agent, naturally I recommend Tauck, but as you said it is definetly high-end and more expensive. I have certainly heard of Perillo and from what I hear they are fine. I just have never really used them much. Globus and Cosmos are very good companies and I would surely recommend them. They are the same company but basically, Cosmos is just the low-end version...i.e. less expensive hotels which may not be as centrally located, perhaps less meals and other admissions or benefits, etc. Both are quite reputable. You may also consider having someone like Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays or Classic Hawaii put together a package for you which would include your intra-island air, hotels, transfers, and optional day tours. That is, if you prefer something less structured...

Sadie, <BR>We just returned last month from Tauck Tours 13 day Hawaii tour and it was definitely fantastic (although admittedly expensive). Your thoughts regarding the handling of transfers through airports and hotels is a valid one and we were most grateful that we had a tour director handling these things. You probably make better use of your time also as they already have you checked in and you don't generally have to deal with rental cars and luggage. As for a substitute tour to Tauck, I would like to mention that we frequently ran into Perillo folks at our hotels which were pretty much first class in every way. They even took the same helicopter tour we did (included!!). While we were very happy with Tauck and would use them again, Perillo would probably be a very acceptable second choice and probably costs about the same as the Tauck tour but that includes the airfare. So it really is quite a bit cheaper. <BR> <BR>Both my wife and I were very glad that we took a tour for our first trip to the islands. We might even consider doing it that way again in the future. <BR> <BR>Good luck in your tour planning, <BR> <BR>Paul

We used Your Man Tours last year, a California company that advertises in our local paper (KY) frequently. I am familiar with Hawaii and thought it would be a breeze to plan my own trip, but I could not match their price--I was down to three islands/ten days and their trip was four islands/I believe twelve days (of course, counting travel time) and they were still cheaper. They use a local hotel chain in the outer islands. It was a good trip, and I personally like having guides to tell me about history, legends, etc.

Sharon/paul/carolyn: <BR>Thanks a lot for your replies! Very helpful! Another question that I have is whether or not the brochure price on these tours are firm. Is there usually a discount for booking early? If so, how much early? I don't mean to sound cheap, but I like to get the best deal on things that I can. As I stated before, this is probably the only trip that we will be taking to Hawaii, and the main reason is the cost. <BR> <BR>Carolyn, <BR>Do your clients prefer Pleasant Hawaiin Holidays,or Classic Hawaii? Do you live in Hawaii? If not, have you vacationed there? Any more info you would be willing to give me would be greatly appreciated. <BR> <BR>Paul, <BR>Which helicopter tour did you take? The brochures don't mention the company, or the amount of time. Did you take any other optional tours? If so, which ones, and were they worth the cost? <BR> <BR>Carolyn, <BR>Does Your Man Tours have a website? I haven't seen any brochures form them. Would you use this company again? Did you take any optional tours? If so, which ones, and were they worth the cost? <BR> <BR>Thanks again. <BR> <BR>Sadie <BR> <BR>

Dear Sadie, Am a big fan of escorted group tours, and have done nearly two dozen. I wouldn't even going any other way for the above mentioned reasons (baggage handling etc.) Haven't been to Hawaii (yet), and haven't used Tauck Tours (too expensive), but have often stayed in the same hotels as Tauck Tours. Have mainly toured with Collette Tours, Brennan Tours, and Grand Circle Tours, but many friends have used Globus, and think they are great. I feel escorted group tours are great because (1) you see more, (2) you do more and (3) you learn MUCH more, all in a relaxed atmosphere. No worries about where to stay, where to eat etc. The downside would be the need to keep to a schedule if that would bother you. I have found that 98 percent of the people who use group tours are very warm and friendly. As far as the above poster getting tired of all the small talk, there is a lot of chatter and swapping travel stories etc. If you are not a "people person" perhaps escorted tours are not for you. Suggestion - try a small one (just a few days) first and see how you like it. Happy Trails. Marie

Sadie, back again. Meant to address your question about firm prices. yes, I would say the prices are firm, but some of the companies give a small discount if you book and pay before a certain date. Check with your travel agent for catalogs from the companies you mentioned, in addition to Brennan and Collette.

Dear Sadie, <BR>Just a little more in response to your question concerning our Taulk Tour of Hawaii. We went on a relative brief helicopter tour of Kauai using I believe Ohana Helicopter Tours. It was about 45 minutes in a 6 seat copter with everyone facing forward (a real plus). In 45 minutes we pretty much went from coast to coast as Kauai is a small island. I really do not know the cost as it was included in our tour price. That is one thing I would like to somewhat elaborate on concerning escorted tours. <BR> <BR>While I am not trying to talk you into a very expensive tour, as Taulk undoubtedly is, I feel that I should point out some of the things to look for in a tour company. We honestly really did not pay for any additional touring as everything was pretty much included such as the helicopter ride and the well known Old Lahaina Luai. All breakfasts, some lunches and all but three dinners were also included. Do not underestimate the value of these meals as with Taulk, they were unbelievable. As an example, one night we went to the clam bake at Mauna Kea which included unlimited whole lobsters, prime rib, crab, and the usual clambake features. This would have cost around $65 if you were booking it yourself. Another night we ate at the top of the Sheraton Waikiki overlooking the city. We ordered whatever we wanted off of the regular menu and the eight people at our table racked up around a $500 tab, not including drinks which are not included. Taulk also had three really nice cocktail parties spaced throughout the trip. On Kauai we also got a very worthwhile private tour of the National Botanical Gardens. <BR> <BR>During our free time which usually amounted to about one day per island, we were really content to soak in the beautiful resorts and beaches which don't cost anything. About the only additional thing my wife and I did was take a couple of catamarin rides which ranged from $10 to $50 depending on the duration and amenities. <BR> <BR>Also, I have heard that some cheaper tour companies push optional tours or sidetrips. Taulk strongly discourages this and they really weren't necessary as they pretty much kept us busy enough. <BR> <BR>So in conclusion, while I certainly acknowledge that our trip was quite expensive, be certain what exactly will be included for the price as we went home feeling that we saw more, ate better, and were treated more royally than we ever would have dreamed possible because of our choice of tour companies. <BR> <BR>Whatever you decide, if it is your only trip to the islands, enjoy and God bless. <BR> <BR>Paul <BR>

Hawaii is the absolute last place you need to take a guided tour of ..it's virtually impossible to screw up on your own! Every hotel has a web site, car rentals abound, there is zillions of kinds of info out on Hawaii -- why spoil a beautiful place by jumping in and out of a huge bus to "see the sites". Rent a car, go where you want when you want and eat what you want when you want too ... Hotels all have "deals" as well so you can shop around and do just as well, or better, than a tour. Condo's are very good as well and provide much more room then you will have at a hotel. I cannot even imagine anyone wanting to take a tour of the islands.

Hi Sadie. Sorry been sick.. I loved someone carrying my luggage-there were times we were asked to identify our bags <BR> before they were loaded on the tour bus. Check-in was lovely. Tour guide simply handed us a key. Several times we were upgraded. It appears that was done based on when we reserved the trip- this from talking to other tour members. In our group was a family of various ages- grandparents, parents, etc. They tended to contol the rest of us. Also had a man and his wife who were late to everything. Tour director kept saying to them if you are late again the bus will leave without you. Of course. we never did. <BR>When taking inter-island flights, often didn't have correct info on gates, etc. We were asked to run to catch the flight. <BR>Didn't care for the idea we could chose any restaurant in the hotel - then being told - we had to eat in a certain one on a certain night. <BR>Husband and I wanted time together. Often felt tour director was not happy we wanted a table to ourselves. Maybe it is the tipping. Most nights she encouraged all of us to share a table. Most people said no. <BR>I love people but didn't go to make lifelong friends. <BR>Traveling with a tour puts you on their schedule. Kept hearing about sleeping past 7.. Finally did on fourth day. Had a good laugh at breakfast. most of our group was just arriving to eat at 9 - doesn't that tell you we had been keeping a fast pace. <BR>PS we are in our late 40's <BR>I wanted to hear more history and culture of the Hawaiian islands. There were no stops at museums. etc. <BR>Read the brochure carefully. Saw most things from the bus window. <BR>Did visit one church. A different man drove us there in a small van- in groups of 8. When asked if we wanted to look inside, I spoke up and said yes. Rest of the group were anxious to get back to the pool. <BR>Different people like different things.

Everyone, <BR>Thanks so much for all the info! <BR> <BR>Sharon, <BR>I just noticed that I meant to ask Sharon, not Carolyn the questions concerning Pleasant Hawaiian and Classic Hawaii, etc. Sorry. Also, do you have any experience with "Blue Sky Tours" company? <BR> <BR>Carolyn, <BR>Concerning the Your Man Tour company, would you give me a comparison of the hotels they use with some familiar chains in the U.S. mainland? I found their website, and will quite possibly check into this company as an option. If you have time, would you also please go into more detail about the trip? Thanks. <BR> <BR>Sadie <BR>

Sadie, On Oahu the hotel was at the east end of Waikiki, a block off the beach. I've forgotten the name, but it was a medium range type facility. On the three outer islands, Your Man Tours used a local chain, again middle of the road. They were pleasant facilities but not luxury. All the hotels had pools, and on Waikiki we were just across from a good swimming area on the beach and within walking distance of the Kodak Hula Show which is free and fun. <BR> <BR>There were a lot of extra outings offered, and we did take a number of them. Of course, this makes your trip more expensive, but we enjoyed them. I'm not a fan of the Polynesian Cultural Center, and that was one of the more costly ones. I had been before, but my husband had not. He didn't care too much for the afternoon or the meal, but he did really enjoy the evening performance. <BR> <BR>E-mail me directly if you have other questions. One thing, YMT accepts your deposit by credit card but wants a check for the balance.

.

Hey Sadie! <BR>Sorry took me so long to respond! <BR> <BR>Classic is a "high-end" "package" company...They, to me, are the "Tauck" of package-type companies. They offer air upgrades, their documents are nice, personally engraved with clients name, they are very good to work with, and they are very reputable...(in Hawaii as well as elsewhere, though they started out with Hawaii though...) And, ironically, they are extremely competitive, price-wise. They do not, however, offer your less expensive hotels. <BR>Pleasant Hawaii has been around, as well, for years and they are also very reputable. They do, however, offer a greater array of hotel classes and budgets. <BR>Given that the prices are comparable, I prefer Classic...totally my opinion though...Their presentation is just nicer! <BR>(am I making sense so far? It's been a long day...) <BR>I have only recently heard of Blue Sky Tours...I believe they're out of New Mexico? I'm at a new agency (in Fla.) whose owners are from N.Mex. and they used to use them all the time. No personal experience or knowledge of them though...I believe they also cater to an array of budgets... <BR> <BR>(Whew! this has been too much like work! LOL) <BR> <BR>(Sheila, you're welcome to email me if you wish) <BR> <BR>Sharon

(whoops...I meant Sadie...Sorry!)

n/m

Sadie - I'm not sure of your age or any physical restrictions of anyone in your group but having been to Hawaii twice I really think this is very doable on your own with the help of a good travel agent. We stayed in a condominium both times we went and that would be perfect for two couples. There is so much space and you will have the convenience of a living room, etc to relax together at night. Each had a full kitchen, balcony, two baths and were furnished beautifully. The cost was reasonable and you had the kitchen available for snacks, etc. With a few good books the islands are very easy to explore on your own. Last summer we took a Globus tour of Italy and it was wonderful and absolutely the best way for us to see Italy for the first time - - but Hawaii should be viewed more leisurly and with the right travel agent putting together a package should be very easy to do. Good Luck.