2021 Tours Opening For Reservations

If you watch his Monday Night Travel series, you might notice he's backpedaling a bit on the 2021 tours. Now he has implied that the 2022 tours may be listed before the 2021. He said if we book a 2022 tour, and then the 2021 tours open up, we can transfer any deposit we've paid for 2022 to 2021.

We're still hopeful, but the light of that hope is flickering dimly. Maybe if we all believe in fairies.... Clap your hands!

Pat, the forum isn't probably the best place to communicate what you think "they" should do as most of the staff involved with tours - or making big decisions about this year, anyway - don't spend any time here. If you want to talk to someone at HQ about updates, try using use the contact info provided here:

https://www.ricksteves.com/about-us/contact-us

"If you have general questions about the tours we offer, please see our Frequently Asked Questions, send an email to Tour Sales & Service, or give us a call at 425 608 4217."

As I understand it, firm 2021 time slots are still questionable. I believe 2022 announcements will occur in a few weeks, and it would not surprise me if now 2021 offering occur. I would like to travel in the fall and am looking at other tour companies.

On his Monday Night Travel episode he indicated 2022 tours will start February next year. Those who have indicated an interest in a 2021 tour will be contacted to see if they want to make a reservation and place a deposit for 2022. No word yet on 2021 tours as the episode is still airing.

Anything planned for 2021 must be provisional, as things may change.

The U.K. opened up restaurants, pubs and cafes for internal dining 8 days ago in addition to cinemas and theatres etc. Already, 8 towns/cities have been placed into local restrictions where internal gatherings are no longer recommended, as the Indian Covid variant takes hold, with infections tripling in a week. Germany has closed travel routes between there and the U.K. as a result, despite the U.K. having good levels of vaccinations.

Thanks to everyone for your responses!

Pat,
All 2021 tours have been removed. The 2022 Tours are up and ready for booking. I’m booked for Scandinavia in May 22-June4.

Feel so relieved I can look forward to traveling again!

RS and his employees pretty much have their finger on the pulse of travel in Europe.

If he has pulled his 2021 tours, it's for good reasons. Those reasons may or may not apply to people planning their own independent travel, and to other tour companies.

I plan to let some Big Bus Tours outfit work out the kinks first.

If I do go in 2021 it will probably be independently, and with flexible plans. One thing to watch is how widespread Covid is this Winter. This will tell us if a country has achieved herd immunity or some type of containment of the disease. Covid cases will probably increase a small amount in the Winter for various reasons, and there may be a few short lived hot-spots, but, if overall the rate stays low, then 2022 should be a much better year to travel and generally enjoy life. Of course, all of this is my opinion based upon what I have read. Time will tell.

Warning: A consumer advisor I follow is warning that some tour companies - that are desperate for income - may be taking deposits on 2021 tours knowing that they might not go, and paying refunds will be problematic. I see the lack of RS 2021 tours as a sign that they are not among that group.

Has Rick actually said that there will be no tours this year? Also, is there a reliable tour company that you know of that be running them if he doesn't?

Has Rick actually said that there will be no tours this year?

No but my gut feeling is that chances are fewer rather than more that there will be. This is what he says:

https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/coronavirus-faq

Can I book a 2021 tour?
If Europe's early reopening goes well, we hope to run some tours in late 2021. For now, we've cancelled all our departures through September and are keeping a close eye on evolving
conditions. If we determine we can run any 2021 tours safely and
reliably, we'll open any available dates for booking. These tours may
need to be flexible on itinerary specifics.

As of right now, only 2022 tours appear on the schedule.

What’s weird is.... in my tour portal, there is now a list of waitlist section of tours . There is mine for 2021 with an august 1 departure date.

** What’s weird is.... in my tour portal, there is now a list of waitlist section of tours . There is mine for 2021 with an august 1 departure date**

My waitlisted tours are there too. Since I’m booked for two in 2022, I just canceled them.

Thanks for all of your comments. We are proceeding with our trip in early October on our own. We will be in Rome, Cinque Terre & Florence for our trip. I will be asking for your expert opinions on our trip as it gets closer. Thanks again!

I had 7 waitlisted tours and deleted 5 of them. Maybe, just maybe, the 7 Days in Paris over Christmas will run.

Wow, thanks, guys. I didn't realize the waitlisted tours showed up on our page.

I had us waitlisted for all the South Italy tours, and I had added a couple of Loire Valley dates in the hopes it would help us get early notification for the 2022 tours. I just deleted all the Loire Valley tours from the list, and also got rid of one duplicate South Italy tour.

On the off chance that any tours go this year, I'm clinging to the hope that we make it. However, we are booked and confirmed on both these tours for next spring.

I cancelled all my waitlisted tours except for Paris over Christmas which I believe the date for 2021 was 12/26-1/1/2022.

I actually have tickets departing 12/24 - arriving 12/25 and departing 1/1 which fits with that timeframe…I’m waiting to see if my travel friend who has never been to Paris or Europe would like to go on This RS tour should it run or just go on our own….I also have a hotel reserved …so either way we are going to Paris.

I did the Paris Christmas trip in 2018…it was amazing and a great way to spend the holiday and my birthday.

A weird thing happened. I was scheduled for Paris city tour in 2020, which obviously was canceled. I recently signed up for a September 2022 Paris tour (no confirmation yet). A few days ago I did not have any waitlisted tours but today I had a September 2021 Paris tour waitlisted. I assume that this was done to offer me that tour in case it runs. I canceled it because I can't go to Paris this year.