Has anybody used the Rick Steves tours and what was your impression of experience/cost?

Hi George, I usually travel solo and do my own planning. I would usually take some day tours and the like while traveling, but I decided to give a Rick Steves tour a try. What attracted me was the notion that we would stay in smaller hotels, that the focus was on culture and history, that the numbers would be controlled. I was a bit concerned about finding time for myself and spoke with someone at ETBD and felt that there would be enough time. So, I took the Berlin, Prague and Vienna tour. I thought it was a great tour. I did bracket the tour with a weekend in Berlin on my own at the beginning and a week end in Salzburg and a trip to an old college haunt at the end. It went well. I liked the people on the tour. They were very interesting people. I shared a room and that was okay. I might do a single supplement next time, but only if I'm feeling flush. :) The guides were excellent. The pace was very good except for one late afternoon intro tour to Vienna. It was ruthlessly hot and the city guide didn't seem to be attuned to the need for shade. That's when another woman and came up with the "hot song." I still am Facebook friends with Anne 6 or so years later.

I would definitely do it again. Could I have done it all cheaper? Yes, by staying in cheaper hotels. by using more time to travel by public transit, and by eating more plainly. But, I enjoyed the level of the trip. We stayed in the kinds of places I would like to stay in. And, we did somethings that I might not have tried on my own, most notably the luge.

Pam

Hi George- I think you'll love a RS tour to your chosen area. We've tried a variety of travel experiences: by ourselves, with adult kids living in Europe & U.K., a river cruise, day tours and the RS tour of Italy. We consider ourselves to be pretty fit 60+. We are not ocean cruisers or big bus tour kind of people. So, that's the context for what I write.

We chose RS for the following reasons:
1. We like to be able share the experience with others.
2. We'd rather eat gelato even if we don't quite know what flavor we ordered than baked Alaska with 150 other people.
3. We like being turned loose to navigate a city on our own rather than see it through a bus window. We share a sense of pride that we can navigate the public transportation system, knowing that someone will come looking for us if we don't show up.
4. We love the walking and hiking that allow us to stay in shape so we can eat all the great food.
5. We appreciate the quality of the guides. And, we appreciate seeing places in their best light, I.e. the statue of David in the evening and the Uffizi gallery in the a.m.
6. When the language of the country is totally off our radar, it's nice to know there is an expert around to help.

We could do it cheaper, but we haven't found any way we like better. I had a friend tell me she chose another tour company because they provided more meals - we liked finding places on our own.

Hi,

My husband and I have travelled independently in Europe for 20+ years now - planes, trains, automobiles and boats with some day tours thrown in. Last year we did the RS Turkey tour. It was fabulous. We had experiences on the tour that perhaps we wouldn't have had on our own. We were with a group of really well-travelled, well-educated amiable people. Our guide and bus driver were top-notch. Yes, we probably could have done it for less$$ on our own and I would prefer a bit more upscale accomodations but that being said I would not have missed this tour for the world. We loved it so much that we signed up for the RS Adriatic tour in June.

Mary

Hi George,

There are several people on this forum that are repeat RS Tour members, myself included (I've done three so far). For example, If Charlie chimes in, he's been on at least 9 I think; Ken, at least 7. Overall I think that is a good testimony of how well organized, informative, and well-regarded his tours are.

Although I haven't done either the Eastern Europe or the Adriatic tours yet, they are both on my list as possible next choices. Here are some things to consider:

1). RS has a "No Grumps" policy, so I've found that many of the tour members are often like-minded. We all tend to enjoy learning about the culture, art, history, museums, etc. but we're also up for new, fun experiences and really enjoy getting to know people both on the tour and the Europeans we encounter each day.

2). In my opinion about tours, especially in an area you may be less familiar with, it's helpful to not have to deal with all the details: figuring out the train schedules, finding the train stations/hotels, etc. You may or may not be the person that really likes these details, so that's something to consider when choosing.

3). I travel solo too. The first time I signed up for the tour, I was worried that it would be hard to join in/find people to do things with. Actually, it was just the opposite! As I said, the tours attract like-minded people, so it was easy to just jump in and join someone for dinner, etc. Also, there's usually at least one other solo person on tour (on my Village Italy tour, there were 5 solos) so you might spend time with them if you'd like.
4). Something to note: there are usually single supplement options on each tour, but if you choose not to spend the extra cash, you will most likely have a roommate (unless you're the only single male, in which case you automatically get your own room).
5). The cost of the tour may look higher than some others, but (a) it includes more to begin with-there are no "excursion" fees or tips and (b). I find I often feel like I got way more value that what I paid; in terms of the learning and the extra "experiences" (such as on Village Italy- eating and singing at an Italian farmer's home).
6). You can also do a combination of a tour and solo time: several tour members often arrive at the tour a few days before or stay a few days after to check out others areas/sites. That's why RS tour prices do not include (or arrange) airfare.

7). Personally, I find I really enjoy socializing with tour members. Actually, I'm a better traveler on a tour since I find if I have someone to do stuff with, I actually do MORE overall. This may or may not be the case with you; just something to think about.

I hope this helps!!

And if you couldn't tell, I'm all for you going on the tour (but you know your travel style, not me).

Enjoy,
Gretchen

RS tours have been a part of 4 of our trips to Europe and we've gone 100 percent independently 5 other times. From all of these trips I would say that:

• our experience on a tour has been nearly completely positive,
• you can do it less expensively but you will be giving up something--the shared experience, the history and culture you gain from a guide, certain foods/restaurants, and more,
• the knowledge and information about an area or city brought by the guide would require a person to read/study more than most of us are willing to do,
• a bit of planning is required to travel independently and if you aren't up for that an RS tour is a great alternative.

Enjoy your trip!

I have been on 11 RS tours and gone solo except for two tours. Great fun, great guides who are very informative and great source of information. Well worth the money. Saw many things I would have missed or not gotten to see had it not been for the tours. They have a great plan and teach you how to get around, good hotels, good restaurants and you really learn a lot along while having a great time. No need to worry about how to get into the palaces, the Vatican, museums, boat rides, all planned out for you! And all the hotels are centrally located, no tipping to the guides or bus drivers. it is not a rip off in any way shape or form. Tours are top notch and most people on the tours have taken at least one or two tours already. And you even see things that are not listed in the tour. You will not be disappointed. If you can, do try to stay a few days before and after the tour, if your time allows. If not, do go at least the day before the tour starts. And this web site has a wealth of information and his guide books ( which you get with the tour) are excellent. I have been on the Paris, Rome, Istanbul, Florence, London and Prague week long tours and the Ireland and France bus tours ( and some tours twice). Glad I did it. Read the tour comments from the tour you are thinking of taking. See if Rick Steves has any videos on the places your are going to. Have a great time!

George,

The answer to your question is "Yes". As Gretchen mentioned, I've taken seven RS tours and planning to take another one this year. As it turns out, the tour I'm considering this time is the Adriatic tour which covers Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia. A few thoughts on the tours.....

• I find RS tours to be good value, considering all that's provided (even though they don't include air fares). They provide not only the Guide and Driver, but also local tours with exceptional Guides, good local hotels in a central location, all breakfasts and about half of all lunches and dinners. The group meals are usually exceptional!
• I find that I learn far more on a RS tour than if travelling on my own, so it's a more interesting and enriching travel experience. So much information is provided, that I feel "overloaded" at times (I've thought of taking notes so I remember all that was covered).
• RS tours tend to attract like-minded people, mostly well educated, very interesting and easy to travel with.
• The small group size is a great feature of RS tours. Groups are no more than 28 on a full sized Bus, so everyone can have their own seat and lots of room to stretch out.
• As someone else mentioned, I also travel solo and I typically pay the single supplement which adds a bit to the cost but I prefer having a bit more privacy (however I should add that I stay in dorm rooms in Hostels at times so can take short periods of shared accommodations).
• I always travel on my own before and after RS tours, so I visit more locations than those covered on the tours.
• The RS Guides are fantastic! They're well educated and many speak at least three languages.
• In some areas with less developed public transit, taking a tour is sometimes a good way to see the country as it makes the transportation aspect so much simpler, and is really the most efficient way to get around. That's one reason I'm considering a tour in the Adriatic. Getting to all the places covered by the tour on my own would be somewhat complicated.

If you're considering taking a tour, be sure to read the information on what tour members should expect, in terms of carrying their own luggage, the activity level of walking each day, etc. I'd highly recommend the tours. If you take one, I think you'll discover why many people come back each year for another tour.

Happy travels!

Just a quick question about the tours - how early do you have to get up and be ready for the day on these tours? Are you up early every morning or are there ever days where one could sleep until 7 or 8?

@Deanna,

The tours typically depart about 08:30 - 09:00 each day, but that varies slightly depending on the schedule for each tour and circumstances at the time. The Guides sometimes have to make adjustments for road construction or other things.

You should be able to sleep until 07:00, but keep in mind that you'd still need to allow some time for breakfast and the usual morning activities.

Thanks Ken! I've often wanted to take a tour but was afraid I'd have to be up at 6 everyday! And then I wouldn't fit with Rick's "No grumps" policy:)

George
I have travelled independently in Europe many times. Took a RS tour in 2012, and signed up for another this year. I think it is great value. What you get, besides the logistics, is the experience of the guides. I saw and learned so much more having a guide to direct us to the best things to see and give the historic and artistic insights that I would never have found on my own. Also ate better and enjoyed the company. Hard to put a price on that.

Spouse & I have both lived in Europe and have done a good bit of independent travel. That said, we have taken 5 RS tours and are looking at 2 more. Have nothing but good things to say about them. TC

Well, I agree with everyone else. What I will add is how impressed I was with our guide on Heart of Italy. She asked if people had any particular interests during the intro meeting. My 20 yr old nephew said he had an interest in the Medici family. For the rest of the trip she went out of her way to point out or explain Medici related things. In the Uffizi we had a local guide. During the tour I looked around and our guide had the nephew by the arm taking him to another part of the gallery to show him a Medici-related painting. That level of service and commitment is priceless.

Last Fall I also took a couple of Road Scholar trips. They costed out to about the same per day as the Rick Steves' tour.

I'm so glad to see all the positive feedback, as I've signed up as a solo traveler on the RS Venice-Florence-Rome tour in May. This will be my first time on any type of tour, and all the reasons why I decided to finally do it were mentioned in everyone's posts. Not being a seasoned traveler, I feel that planning everything is kind of overwhelming for me; knowing I'll be on a tour lets me relax and peruse the helpline in search of useful info for my pre/post/independent tour time and learn from the very helpful experts. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences -- I'm looking forward to my trip even more so now!

My husband and I are young early 20's (don't know if that helps with perspective) and we both had an ABSOLUTE AMAZING TIME!!!!! We went for the first time last year on the Best of Europe tour and it was a trip of a lifetime. You get every dimes worth that you pay for! We loved being oriented, informed and then let loose. We had many great memories with our group and many memories on our own! My husband was reluctant to go to Europe and he fell in love!! We are going on another tour this year and we can't wait!!!!
I will say that we had gone on a cruise before and really hated the fact that there were so many people and such short time frames! Since we stay in the city centers multiple nights you have time to explore without the added stress of making it back in time!!!!!!! I would say do it!
Also, my "buddy" (had to make sure he made it back to the bus, etc) was a single gentleman as well and he had a great time, all walks of life go, and everyone is looking for the same thing! Having an amazing time experiencing Europe!!!

As Gretchen posted, we have taken 11 RS tours and will be taking our 12th in May (Greece). We took the "Best of the Adriatic Tour" last spring and enjoyed it. We go to Europe every summer for a month and while there take a RS tour and the ones we have taken have all been 14 days (I think) and one 21 Day. We spend time either before the tour, after the tour, or both, exploring on our own. We are in our 60s and are of like mind for the folks you will find on his tours. 24 to 28 tour members on a bus with about 56 seats so that everyone can have two seats if they want but some couple always sit together leaving lots of room to move around. We have always had excellent guides and have very few issuers after 11 tours. We usually are able to get up around 6 to 7, getting up early enough to eat the daily provided breakfast. The hotels have improved at least a star since we first started in 2001. I first met RS about 20+ years ago at a travel show and found his talks right down my thinking and got me started to go to Europe for the first time in 2001 taking the 21 Day Best of Europe Tour and we have never looked back. Be sure to read all of the find print in all of the literature related to his company and the tours. Take your one carry-on sized suitcase and get in some kind of shape since most all of his tours involve lots of walking. However, tour members do not have to do anything that is scheduled, except to be on the bus when we leave, just notify the guide of your plans.
Most tours today have a day near the middle where there is very little, or nothing, scheduled which they call your vacation from a vacation, to do as you please. Happy travels.

We have taken two RS tours. 14 day Best of Europe and week in London. Hope to do more in retirement, starting with Heart of Italy tour. So much more of Europe we hope to see and for us, RS tours are easily worth every penny. Ditto to all the great previous comments. Fabulous, fun, informative, remarkable guides. Easy touring with such interesting people. Some of us still remain in contact and get together here in the states. Delightful centralized hotels and yummy meals. Go a few days early and stay a few days after the tour if you can swing it. Use this forum for assistance. That's what I did in preparation for our tours. Have a blast.