For those of you have been on Rick Steves' tours - how much time should we allocate for the Day 1 meeting with the Tour Manager a the hotel in Spain? I'd like to book tickets to the La Pedrera Night Experience at 7pm but am wondering if the meeting is longer than one hour. I would appreciate hearing from you on this.
Thanks!
Posted by
Sapulpa, OK, USA
6311 posts
I had a lengthy answer ready to click "post," then it occurred to me you might be asking about a My Way tour. Is that so? Because I suspect the answer would be very different. I've never been on a My Way (at least not yet,) but on regular RS tours the initial meeting can run well over an hour.
Posted by
1222 posts
Adding to Jane's you also have a little walking tour usually and your first group dinner which you would then miss. So that is something to consider.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thank you for your responses. I am on a My Way tour as it happens, and I will arrive the evening before. **If anyone has been on a My Way Tour, are those Tour Manager Meetings over one hour?** do they include dinner (I don't think so since my info says the My Way Tours only include breakfast). Thanks for your help.
Posted by
Hudson Valley
2267 posts
I'm sure the RS office would have a quick, current, correct answer to this.
Posted by
Northern Minnesota
599 posts
We've been on the Alpine My Way and we went on an orientation walk after the meeting at the hotel. I remember one tour member begrudgingly went on the walk complaining the entire time that it was a MY WAY tour, and she shouldn't have to go on the walk (no one told her she had to go).
Posted by
Alexandria, VA
771 posts
I don't think there would be any problem. Like the previous poster, we did the Alpine My Way tour, and the meeting was about an hour, followed by an optional walking tour. Not everyone went on it, especially if they had been in town. Your tour itinerary says your tour manager will "offer" a walking tour after the meeting. I'm sure that if you mention to the tour manager that you have reservations, there would be no problem. After all, that's a My Way tour--you make you own plans.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15593 posts
The Alpine tour is the one myway tour I took. I guess it was about an hour. She explained "technical" stuff and then had everyone introduce themselves and we chose our bus/tour buddies. She offered an introductory walk in each new location. There's absolutely no obligation to do that.
On one other RS tour (in fact it was my first RS tour), I completely missed the meeting because I'd been to a tennis match - planned before I even signed up for the tour. I met up with the group in the middle of the first day's dinner. And the next day, I went my own way because I'd been to all the places the group was touring. No one minded. BTW since the group was an odd number, the tour guide was my bus buddy.