2024 tours are here!

Awesome, looks like the covid policies are much more relaxed now too.

Now to decide between these or Culture Discovery Tours.

They did not show up for me initially so I used the search box and typed in 2024 and there they were. Alpine My Way booked for 2024! Even got a $100 discount each for early booking.. Happy Travels.

Whoop! We're looking at Best of Tuscany and Best of England...

I see Sicily now! Looking to go in April, probably a few days in Amsterdam and Keukenhof before.

Always nice to see them up. I see Poland and Portugal now. Weren’t there earlier today.

Yippee!! Now I have to decide between Heart of Italy or Best of Tuscany. I’m adding more time in Florence and Rome plus Venice on my own. Mulling over May vs September.
Since i leave in two weeks for Germany and Austria + RS tour, I’ll decide when I get home.

Awesome, looks like the covid policies are much more relaxed now too.

Where are the policies for the 2024 tours? I cannot find them.

https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/tour-conditions

I feel a bit like an old race horse. I don't need to jump and start running at the bell but, but boy when those tours get posted there is this overwhelming urge to pick one and make a reservation!!

I told myself I was taking a year off of RS tours in 2024 for some other travel opportunities. I also told myself that I was cutting back travel in 2023 and that didn't happen. I'll have to see what 2024 brings.......

I wanted to mention that I don't see a huge difference in the Covid policies for 2024. The major difference is that the Health and Safety Pledge now uses the term "any contagious illness" rather than Covid. You can still be asked to test and you can still be asked to leave the tour. It doesn't mean that this will happen, but the possibility remains.

From the 2024 Health and Safety Pledge: "I agree to take personal responsibility for my own health and wellbeing while on tour. If I am asked to attest to my health on tour, I will do so honestly. If I exhibit symptoms of any contagious illness, I will notify my guide, quarantine myself, and, if requested by RSE, be seen by a health professional or be tested for contagious illnesses at my own expense as a condition of continuing on the tour. I understand that I may be eligible to receive a credit under the RSE Creditable Event policy for any portion of the tour I miss while properly managing my health."

COVID Policies for 2024 Tour, highlights:
1- No vaccine reqm’ts
2- Masks optional
3- No pre-tour testing
4- You are still kicked off your tour if testing positive

https://www.ricksteves.com//tours/covid-information

YEAH! Thanks for posting. I’ve been looking for awhile.

I just reserved the South of Italy tour for May 6-18, 2024! : ). Two weeks of a tour, and two weeks of independent travel.

I needed the timing to work, so that I could do this tour before it’s too hot, and I’m combining it with attending the Spello Infiorate again next year. It will be on the first weekend in June for the date in 2024. I would have picked the RS tour May 13-25, but that date is $300 more, and that is three more days of inexpensive hotels & food in Italy I can now spend. Oh, and early sign-up is $100 off, too. A generous “found money” budget for gelato, etc. I gladly accept both of those!

I have not seen the $100 early booking discount noted anywhere. Was this just given automatically when you booked?

TIA

Or maybe Spain …. We had originally signed up for the Andalucía tour this year, but realized we were biting off more than we could chew, and cancelled it.

We do miss the paper catalogs, though. It was so much easier to compare tours and dates, make notes, flip back and forth among any number of choices …. Oh, well.

I did not see the discount until after it was booked.

@Rocket, yes, the $100 showed up in the final screen when I was paying. It said “Early Booking Discount “.

Praise the Lord!

The only change I am noticing so far is one day eliminated from the Heart of Ireland. I suppose one could do an extra day in Dublin solo before or after.

Anyone see any other changes?

The Tuscany tour is a day shorter, and they've taken off the day in Elba.

Was there a specified date(s) for when the "Early booking discount" applies?

Confirmed for MyWay France in May (2024). Bring on the Cheese!

I was planning to sign up for the Tuscany tour but it seems there are quite a few changes. One less day. No island of Elba, no 3 night stays, and one of the hotels people seemed to love the most won’t be included because the itinerary has changed to staying somewhere else. So now I’m definitely conflicted as to what to do!

Well, we had a tour in mind, but, nope not if there is a chance I or my DH can be kicked off the tour. Happened already, not going to take the chance of it happening again. We will stick with the other RS tour company or independent travel.

Tammy, what "other RS tour company?"

And now Stan mentioned Poland....

I’m pretty sure Tammy means Road Scholar. I love them. Their tour pacing is slower than RS tours and they have some pretty unusual itineraries. We have done three in the last two years and are doing two more in 2024.

Thanks, Valerie. We’re tempted by some if those, as well.

YAY!! Just booked Best of Switzerland in June and Best of Tuscany in October!!!! Now the long wait and anticipation :)

Yea!, just booked the Best of Spain Tour for the fall.

Tammy, have you ever heard of Culture Discovery Vacations?
I recently came across them, and while I haven't taken any of their tours, I'm seriously considering one. They're mostly food/wine-focused, and all-inclusive. Anyway, their Covid policies are way more lax.

https://www.culturediscovery.com/

@ Jane-yes I meant Road Scholar the other RS😜. They have a lot of great itineraries like Valerie mentioned. We are now signed up for Central Mexico next January. In the fall of 2024, we will go to Italy independently.

Thanks. It’s great to see that RSE is offering the early booking discount. I think they didn’t offer it for the 2023 tours. Understandable given they went through the pandemic and kept most if not all of the office staff employed.

Just booked Athens and the Heart of Greece for May 6-19. The $100 was taken off each of us on the payment page.

I am currently on a RoadScholar tour in NYC, but found the time to sign up for the 2 Rick Steve's tours I had planned for 2024. Switzerland in June, and Southern Italy in Sept.

I'd been watching every day; we booked the 13-day Scotland tour, along with my brother and his wife, with whom we're doing Tuscany in 2 weeks.

They're going to fill up fast.

Does anyone know when the early booking discount ends?
I’m focused on leaving in two weeks. Am not ready to push the button on next year’s trip. Guess I can sign up for one possibility and change or cancel if I want.

@Horsewoofie, the deposit for our tour is refundable through Jan 8 ('24); so you could sign up to take advantage of 'early bird' discount and manage everything when you get back.

Question: Do we get past-guest discounts in addition to early discounts? The email didn't reflect past-guest discounts, and we're eligible for some.

Bob, yes of course.

Discounts for previous tours, multiple tours for 2024, and the early booking discount were reflected when I got my final confirmation.

Bob, yes, it’s a little confusing because the Early Booking discount isn’t mentioned, but it shows up when you’re making the reservation. The info mentions the alumni discount for each trip, but it doesn’t show up when you’re putting down a deposit. But, after you receive your email confirmation, both the early discount and the alumni discount shows in your Tour Account payment/invoice tab.

Happy to see the tours out, not so happy to see a $300 increase in the tour / dates we were thinking of taking. Im going to have to wait a month or so so see what airfare does. Right now I am seeing super crazy air fares as far out as I can select them...

I suppose it depends on the most recent cost of the tour, but those increases don’t seem too far out of line with recent inflation. At least with a RS tour there aren’t any hidden extras or tips.

I think we're settled on Poland and Best of England, but I'm waiting for input from a travel friend. Tick tock, tick tock...

Carol now retired, I agree I'm sure RSE is experiencing increased costs on their tours like everything else. The airfair prices are really expensive right now even for the most basic economy tickets...

I'm a little late to posting the early sign-up info. Deadline to get $100 early bird discount is Friday June 30. That takes the pressure off deciding which tour immediately. And "yes" to whomever asked if the Alumni Discount also applies. https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/tour-promotion-details

Very disappointed to see you can still be kicked off a tour due to COVID in 2024.

I have a feeling that RS is planning on making this a permanent rule. Too bad, I really liked his tours. Oh, and yes, I am vaccinated and boosted.

I see that Road Scholar has two of the tours intineraries that RS currently offers that I am interested in taking--without having the COVID caveat. I will explore possibly taking the tours with Road Scholar.

Very disappointed to see you can still be kicked off a tour due to COVID

Would you be happy on a tour knowing a fellow participant had COVID and wasn't asked to leave the tour? I wouldn't. That's a bit risky in such a close environment (bus) and common dinners.

Have the single supplements been eliminated?

@Robin. You should do what will match your needs the best. Happy travels.

Sharon, I signed up for the 2024 South Italy tour, and I purchased the single supplement option. It’s still an option.

@sharon, single supplement pricing is noted right below the "from $X,XXX" price on each tour page, immediately above the green "See Dates and Prices" button.

Sharon, I saw the single supplement listed on the two tours I'm considering.

Thanks webmaster, I was not looking at the info correctly.

I’m ready to pull the trigger for Poland, just waiting for a friend!

Still have to pay off my 2023 tour here in a couple of months. 😁 Thinking of doing Portugal next year but have to wait a bit.

"Best of Eastern Europe"

I thought he was going to stop saying "EASTERN" Europe?

Didn't the $100 discount date used to be the end of November (or December)? Now it's showing the end of June.

Didn't the $100 discount date used to be the end of November (or December)? Now it's showing the end of June.

Well they have to do what makes sense for running a profitable business. And as quickly as many tours booked up this year, maybe they decided they didnt need the incentive for early booking.

For us, we cant possibly commit this far ahead, but hoping to do at least the Poland tour.

Yeah, the early-booking used to be until Nov or Dec.
However, they usually have a $100-off promo in January during the travel festival.

An early booking discount when the tours first come out is a good idea for a tour company. Getting lots of tours booked up early is good for them in their planning for the rest of the year. And making it only for a short time at the beginning of the season encourages customers to do just that. Chances are that if there are quite a few unfilled tours come November there will be an 'end of year' discount again to hopefully fill up those empty spots. Good business sense.

Just finished the Poland tour. I will write a review once I get home, but suffice to say it is a Must Do! Every hotel was a winner, the food was plentiful and delicious, and our tour leader Tomasz was a constant inspiration.
This is the time to go to Poland. At this pivotal moment in history you will be humbled and awed by the courage and generosity you experience firsthand. It is safe, scenic, and one of the most special places I have ever been.
Go!

Hey, quit pushing the Poland tour! We're waiting a couple of days to book, waiting to hear from a couple of potential tour mates before we choose a date. If everyone rushes out to book, we may be out of luck. So just back off. Please. Lol

Athens and the Heart of Greece 2024 booked during Easter!!!!!

Well, the "potential tour mates" are still dithering (well, one of them is,) so we went ahead and booked: Best of Poland and Best of England for spring/summer 2024! Woohoo!

What's funny is, we were planning to do the Tuscany tour, and one of the Spain tours, either Best of Spain or the Andalucía tour. And somewhere in the discussion, we ended up with Poland and England. We do have a couple of weeks between those two tours, and plan to split them between Venice and (probably) Florence. And Spain? Well, there's always 2025....

Jane,
You are too funny! So glad you signed up for two fantastic tours. Also, very different ones. I know you will enjoy them.

Judy B, Stan's been talking about going back to Poland for several years now. I don't know how we came up with the Best of England, but I just reread the itinerary - after having signed up! - and said "Oh, yeah; this is going to be great."

Stan tossed out the idea of leaving the tour just before it goes back to London, and staying on in York. Hmmm. The London part of the tour is probably the least appealing to us, just skimming the high points that we have seen several times.

I'm thinking see the tour out, then hop on a train and go back to York for a few days, then back to London to fly home.

But this is more than a year away, so we have plenty of time to juggle plans.

But Jane. If you and Stan skip the end of the tour you miss out on the farewell dinner. For me that’s the best meal and always a highlight! I’ve also had the pleasure of attending a couple of after dinner mini parties. 😀. Enjoy your tours!

Jane, I probably wouldn't want to miss the end of the trip, either. But do go to York afterward! We did an independent trip to England and Scotland in 2019 and York was definitely one of the highlights!

We've booked Spain in 14 Days in 2024 - I'm so excited! I was in Spain 7 years ago with my sister and very much enjoyed it - I'm sure it will be even better on a RS trip! My trip 7 years ago covered cities in the north, so Madrid and Barcelona will be the only return visits, and I'm looking forward to Sevilla, Granada, Toledo, . . .

Rocket and Diane M, that's exactly what I was thinking. The final dinner is usually a very special occasion, not to mention excellent fare. No, we can skip the things the tour does that day if we want to. We were just in London for 10 days or so this past February, so most of the main sights are still fresh in our memories.

Diane M, I almost opted for the Best of Spain instead of England, but came down on the side of English. We'll be spending a fair amount of time in both Poland and Italy, and 2 non-English languages are enough for one trip!

Well, booked Sicily for late April. The plan is a few days in Amsterdam with a visit to Keukenhof before the tour. Saw Keukenhof on the Holland/Belgium tour in 2018 and fell in love! And after three trips to Italy, thought it was time for Sicily! Alaska cruise in two weeks, then I can start planning!

I just booked the 5/21-5/30 Poland tour! So excited!

A friend also signed up with me, separate rooms. We are discussing 3-4 nights in Berlin after the tour ends. I’ve wanted to return as my only time there was in 2015 and my friend has never been. A fascinating city.

I will likely arrive 2 or 3 days early to recover from jet lag and get oriented in Gdańsk.

Hooray, Judy B! Stan and I will see you in Gdańsk!