RS Tour with Solo Travel

I have taken 2 Rick Steves tours and totally agree with everything Diane said.

I've taken three RS tours and also totally agree with everything Diane said.

Diane, very well put and I totally agree. Now when people ask me why I like the RS tours, thanks to you, I'm ready. I will take my 4th tour next week and hope it is an annual event for many years to come.

Diane - I totally agree also. We are taking our 5th RS tour this fall.

So do any of you combine a tour with independent travel, or just do the tours?

I am thinking of traveling this way and still do
indepent travel.

What tours have you guys done?

I ended up in beautiful Ireland after the volcano
changed my Holland & Belgium tour.

Diane,

I definitely agree! I've just finished my fourth RS tour (Athens & Pelpponese) and it was as fantastic as all the others. I have also taken the Ireland tour, so I can appreciate your comments (who was your Guide?).

I was on my own for a week prior to my tour, and also for a while after the tour (I'm still in Europe).

Cheers!

I learned on my first RS tour that it is a good idea to get the jetlag out of the way before the tour. On that tour I spent a couple of days in France dragging around. I like to arrive 1-3 days in advance at the beginning city. After the tour I stay over either in the last tour city or on to some other place in Europe. At the end of a tour I have a better idea of the country or city I just toured, so have more ideas about finishing up the vacation or for future travel.

The RS tours look interesting as heck; now if only Rick would permit travellers to pay for his tours using a credit card. We live on one particular card that gives us air miles every time it's used and a $6K+ trip would add more than a few miles to the balance.

I take at least one international/overseas trip per year using my card miles and find it incredible that a travel company would not encourage the use of such benefits. Even if it raised the prices 5% +/- I'd be enticed to sign up for a RSteves tour; but not until he changes the credit card rules.

BTW, I questioned it once and got quite a nonsensical answer that basically told me to suck it up and that it's R's personal decision. I like what he and his folks do and his/their philosophy. I've no doubt his tours are worthwhile and even though I'm a seasoned traveller who has never taken an organized European tour in the past, would consider using his services; only, though, if/when I can chalk up some air miles by doing so.

Our last trip to Italy was the 7 day Florence city tour with 5 days of independent travel beforehand. Which we really enjoyed because we could have the flexibility to do what we wanted part of the trip, and also be taken care of on the tour. The only thing I would have done differently is put the independent travel at the end of the trip and the tour first. After being on our own for the first week, it was a bit of an adjustment to adhere to someone else's schedule.

This might depend on whether or not you tend to get hit hard by jetlag when you arrive in Europe. Thus far, we've been lucky to arrive in Europe in pretty good shape and ready to hit the ground running. It's the return that kills us.

One of my favorite things about Rick's tours is that it prepares you and builds your confidence for traveling on your own. My first trip to Italy as a nervous 24 year old was the 7-day Rome city tour. Three years later, I am planning a 16-day independent trip to Sicily for next March (Rick doesn't offer tours to Sicily in our time frame, unfortunately).

But Geoff, after reading your comment about credit cards, I clicked on Rick's Tours and at the bottom of the page, "How to Sign Up". The info gives the various ways to use your cc.

Unfortunately, Darcy, credit card only for the $400 deposit but for the big whopper, the actual trip. Geoff

I agree with Geoff, wish Rick would accept credit card payments for the tour balance.

A tour gives you a good overview of a country or region, usually covering a fair amount of territory and you get lots of cultural, historical, and practical information from the guide. Some places, that overview is enough for me, but other places, the overview whets my appetite for seeing an area in more depth. For example, I took the Eastern France tour last year and was glad to see towns in Alsace but have no desire to return. A few years ago, I took a tour that covered Provence and that taste of Provence sparked an independent trip to Provence the following year to return to favorite places and see new ones that the tour didn't cover, and to see them at a slower pace.

Geoff,

I don't know for sure, but I suspect that one of the reasons Rick doesn't accept credit cards for the full payment is that the commission paid to the Card Issuers would be much greater. His policy may be intended to keep the cost of the tours as low as possible. If he has to include the commission, guess who will be paying that.

I've now taken four RS tours, and while it's a bit of a nuisance to get a money order for the final payment, it's not really a big deal.

If you decide to try one of his tours, I think you'll be pleased.

Cheers!

I just returned from my 9th RS tour (Turkey) and have found that spending a few days before and after the tour makes for a much better vacation. RS has said that he does not accept credit cards for the final (big) payment (he does now for the deposit) which would drive up the cost for everyone just so some folks can get their frequent flyer miles. Way to go Rick - keep those costs down as low as possible.

We have taken a couple of RS tours and combined independent travel at both the beginning and the end of the tours. We usually travel independently, so spending all of our travel days on a tour doesn't fit our travel style. I'm still surprised we've taken tours, but I have to say that occasionally it's nice to leave all the planning and transportation to someone else...

As for tour payments - we use our credit card for everything too, but paying by check hasn't stopped us from taking one of Rick's tours.

I've always wondered if credit cards aren't accepted for tour payments not only because of the merchant fees, but due to the liability and other costs. When you pay by check, you have paid and are bound by the contract... When you pay by credit card, you have the option of disputing the charge whether it's correct or not. Then the merchant has to jump through the card issuer's hoops to ensure the payment isn't lost and refunded to the customer. Just having to handle that piece of the business would significantly drive up overhead costs and ultimately the cost of a tour.

The non usage of credit cards does keep all these various costs down that many of you have indicated.

In light of this fact, I suppose we have to adapt to saving for our travel. Then, write the check or use a bank check, to make that final payment.

Ken, we were blessed to have Stephen McPhilemy.