RS Tour vs Trafalgar vs ?? Suggestions Please!

I've never been on a Trafalgar Tour (and I don't plan to go on one), but I have been on two RS Tours (wonderful) and Tauck Tours (significantly more expensive, but more high-end). The reviews I read about the Trafalgar Tours several years ago were that many sites were "drive by" only, and their post-tour reviews seemed to be loaded with people griping about their fellow tour members........people loading up purses with breakfast food and leaving nothing for others. At the time when I was evaluating that company, I could not think of anything I would rather NOT do. RS Tours are filled with like-kind, open-minded, kind, interested tour members. We have made some long-term friends of fellow tour members, some we sincerely hope to travel with again. You will see things IN DEPTH, with GREAT caring, energetic guides. No options will be sold to you....it will be clear what is included on the front end (a lot). Guides will not have their hands out for tips at every turn. Hotels will be charming, locally owned....not the Best Western equivalents of Italy. Watch the videos of a typical RS tour...read his travel style. If what you see and read appeals to you, pay the extra $s over Trafalgar. I learned a long time ago, life is short, and you get what you pay for. How many times will you be in Italy...do it nicely with no regrets. I bet if you were to do a column of what is include with each company, RS would come up the better value!! I could not figure out how Rick Steves makes (much)money on his group tours...that great of a value.....no way we could have done it on our own as reasonably. And RS tours are reasonably priced compared to many other group tours.

On Trafalgar tours much luggage is allowed. I've seen these groups at Eurostar stations and the luggage is often of the massive size. Friends have taken Trafalgar tours and scheduled their own side-trips, after doing their research. They enjoyed themselves. RS tours cover tips and many meals, plus the scheduled guided parts. You will only have to buy some of your own meals. Any days off, you are on your own as to activities and misc. expenses. On one trip a couple attended a bullfight on their own. Others opt to go to the local baths (like Turkish baths). RS guides will help group members find things, take local transit, get to airports, etc. On one trip my RS guide called ahead to make a hotel reservation for me. The previous refers to the regular RS tours, not the ones that are hotels and transportation only. You will get specific info regarding what is included and what is not included.

I did the RS 17 day best of Italy and loved it. Read the tour reviews to get a feel for what people like. Compare side by side the costs and what's provided for a RS tour (all listed) against Trafalger (and what they DON'T include with the price). You'll be surprised that the "extra" excursions that you'll want to do with Trafalger add up quickly. Also RS tours stay in centrally located hotels - making good use of your sightseeing time. And, be aware, that there are no RS Best of Italy tours in March, the first tour starts April 13.

I have toured with both. RS I did week in London, the week in Paris(2010), Best of Western Europe (2010) and the Best of Eastern Europe(2011). All were fantastic and worth every penny. I like the small group size, the location of the hotels, use of local places for group meals, the tour leaders' high level of interest and participation in group activities and helpful suggestions for free time activities. Trafalgar I did England and Scotland somewhere in the mid 1980's. I have not and will not do another Trafalgar tour. Most of the issues are related to their huge group size and lack of interest by the tour leader. They have a poor rep for a reason.
Sometimes you get what you pay for...

We booked a Trafalgar Tour back in 2004 (Vienna, Prague,Budapest). On the section of their website where you could meet your fellow travelers I read that it had been cancelled due to lack of participation. I called repeatedly to confirm and the company wouldn't speak to me. It took about three weeks for me to confirm that it was a no-go. Never once did they offer me an apology or an alternative. It was fairly close to departure too. I suppose I should thank them. We did it independently and for less. It was our first time in Europe other than Britain. I am tempted to try an RS tour. Maybe someday!

Alexandra.I have only done one RS tour, but was impressed with how much was included, I don't recall having to pay for anything extra or not already clear it was on your own ( lunches and some dinners are your responsibility).My nephew took another tour, much cheaper up front, but complained he was nickel and dimed all the time, plus hotels were not central , so free time was not as fun since you had to get somewhere central for sights by public transport,,which eats time and money. The small group size is great too.. you don't feel so creepy trailing behind 50 other people .. invading places you visit. You will carry your own luggage , so if thats an issue ,, don't go RS.. but I totally recommend them for anyone else.

I have taken 2 RS tours and would recommend them as the price is inclusive and includes tips to the guides/bus driver. They have a good balance of free time/tour time and the small groups size is nice. The buses are large buses giving you the freedom of sitting anywhere you want. Most tours have assigned seats.

I am guilty of taking a Trafalgar tour 2 years ago. We compared the cost of Trafalgar vs RS and we went for the cheaper tour. I really have no regrets because I did use my RS books to supplement the tour, for example, while most of our tour mates took the 4 hr Burano side trip on our only day in Venice, my friend and I "got lost" in Venice and followed Rick's advice to wander to the Frari Church. Our tourmates were very nice and although we were guilty of taking a few items from the breakfast buffet for snacks, we didn't see anyone stuffing their bags and leaving nothing for the rest. I know Rick's groups are half the size of the Trafalgar tour but that really didn't bother me too much. Our suitcases were picked up and brought to our rooms. I hear on Rick's tours you have to haul your own. We were probably the only ones on the bus that had carry on luggage though, the rest had huge suitcases! When our tour guide (who was lovely) saw my RS book, boy did she have alot to say! She said Rick's tours take public transport around the city instead of being bussed around. Is that true those of you that have done RS tours? Anyway, long story short, do what you can with what budget you have and refer to RS for lots of good advice. We followed our bus tour with a 3 day stay in Rome and 2 in London and again relied on our RS books to get us through.
If you ask me if I would travel on a Trafalgar tour again, I would say that if budget allows, and if I ever take another bus tour again, I might try Rick's next time.

Yes, Claudette, when in large cities, it is very common for Rick Steves' tours to hop on the Metro (or walk, if not too far) to get to various sites. Train or bus used for between cities. The philosophy both guides had in common on both RS tours is that they often said, "now you have the confidence to return to Paris (or Italy) by yourselves." We were learning the city, not just seeing. While I will never forget stuffing ourselves into the Metro during rush hour on an RS tour, it also showed us what it was like (note to self: avoid rush hour if possible). During our free time on the tour, we were comfortable dashing about on the Metro and the trains. But, yes, there is a certain "comfort" of a nice bus and there is a certain comfort of not having to worry about steps at Metro stations. If one is not in very good physical condition, a Rick Steves' tour is not appropriate. The RS tours have a disclaimer on the web site, and one sees that disclaimer again before making a deposit.....it should be read and pondered carefully. Your fellow tour members would have accepted that disclaimer, too. We like the smaller size of the RS tour group. We like the energy. That said, we also thoroughly enjoyed the extra creature comforts and pampering of Tauck Tours, which are normally a full-bus size tour (unless one opts to pay more for a small tour size). Different experiences, both special in their own way. We found Tauck (and also Silversea) only because Rick did not offer 7-day tours to certain places

Alexandra, I've never taken a Trafalgar tour, but have spoken with a number of people that have. The usual response is that "they're OK", but there's a definite lack of enthusiasm. In one case, I was told that tour members were "pressured" into giving generous tips for the Guide and the Driver. That will NOT happen on a RS tour! On the cost, I also initially felt that they were "pricey". Having now taken 5 tours (hopefully my 6th this year), I've reflected on that point more and have done some "number crunching". I now feel that RS tours are actually good value, especially considering everything that's included (it's difficult to realize all the "extras" until you've seen them). I travel on my own for awhile before & after the tours, and while that might be slightly cheaper it requires an enormous amount of work and planning. I find that I learn FAR more on a RS tour, and get a much more detailed look at the local culture, customs, food and people. The local Guides have all been outstanding! On the topic of "transportation", RS tours do encourage members to use local transit whenever possible. I believe the intent is to teach people how to "travel like a local", so they'll be comfortable going on their own. I definitely agree with this approach, as it allows people to wander about cities and explore on their own. There's always at least one "free day" on tours (and often free afternoons), so it's good to have the skills to "wander" comfortably. On the Best of Italy tour (which is one of the most popular), I think you'll find it to be exceptional and possibly one of the most memorable tours you've ever taken! I was speaking with many of the Guides last Saturday, and they're all fantastic! Happy travels!

Another choice would be Grand circle 8 trips always excellent and a lot cheaper then RS usually enough to pay for international air . RS does include tips and several others extras and living in Seattle I know of many positve RS reports.

Having worked in the tour industry, let me suggest you look at another company instead of Trafalgar: Insight Vacations http://www.insightvacations.com/US I'm familiar with all of the main tour companies and if I had to choose one to take, excluding RS, I'd go with Insight or Tauck. But, as mentioned, Tauck is pricey.

Alexandra ...
Have you considered traveling to Italy on your own? Our first trip to Europe was to Italy. With our trusty Rick Steves book in hand, we had a wonderful time, for probably half the cost of a tour. That allowed us to return the next year for another three weeks! In order to go the last week of March and first week of April you'd need to get busy planning right now. You probably couldn't go to all of the places on the Best of Italy tour in two weeks, but you could pick the ones most important to you. And you have this entire helpline of people who could support you through the planning process. Tours are good, but they're not the only way to see Europe.