coach tours

My first trip to Europe, back in the dark ages, was on a Trafalgar Tour. It was your typical coach tour.

I later become a tour director but never worked for Trafalger--mostly their competitors. Never heard anything bad. (Later on, after I left, they bought one of the companies I worked for.)

Many here will bash them because they aren't Rick Steves tours or they've "heard" negative things from others. Well, they are not meant to be Rick Steves type tours.

The one thing I do suggest is to do some homework so that you can maximize your free time to your advantage. Contrary to what others will say, inculding RS, your tour director is not out to cheat you or get you to part with all your money. He/she wants you to have a good time and is a valuable resource.

Also understand that these types of tours are "highlight" tours and nothing is really seen in-depth. Not knowing which exact tour you're on, you might want to add a few days in London because it's rare that any tour gives enough time to that city. (If London is either the first or last stop.)

Excellent advice, Frank, and said before the "you should do it on your own" crowd climbs aboard.

Trafalgar really let us down. We booked a tour with them and then had to find out through their own message boards that it was cancelled due to lack of participation. We spent a lot of time trying to confirm this -- initiated by us, they never contacted us. They didn't offer much in the way of customer service. I'd look elsewhere.

My parents went on numerous tours with Trafalgar over the years and had nothing but good to say about them. My sister, more recently, took the Trafalgar tour of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. She traveled solo and was very delighted with this tour company.

If you can afford them, Tauck Tours are superior. Very in-depth, sights that are optional on other tours are included with them. They are more expensive, but definitely worth it.