Another Money Belt? Another Tour Book?

I agree Laural. I am booked on a RS Tour this year, but I purchased the guidebook way in advance of the tour as I like to peruse these guidebooks as I contemplate what tour I would like to take next. By the time the tour kit was offered to me, I already had the guidebook, and, unfortunately, it was the same edition as the one currently being offered.

I sent an email to the RS folks, asking it they would allow a substitution as I already was in possession of the guidebook for the tour I was taking. I was hoping I could get a guidebook for the next tour I was considering. I was informed that, although they ordinarily allow this, they were not allowing substitutions due to supply-chain issues and wanting to make sure that a guidebook was available for all tour members. I was having a hard time wrapping my mind around this response as I reasoned they were still selling guidebooks on the RS on-line store, so couldn't the guidebook I requested just be taken out of the "for-sale" inventory ? I'm assuming they set aside a certain number of guidebooks for tour members and for general sale. I have to admit, RS lost a little bit of good-will with that transaction.

I know, in the past, RS had provided a $100 credit at his store instead of the tour kit, but he's back to the tour kit now. Lots of folks on this forum have stated that its very generous of him to even provide a tour kit, but I'm sure it is somehow built into the cost of the tour. What I would like is maybe a $25-$30 tour credit for ANY guidebook. Seems a much more practical solution.

And that is my two-cents....

I'm about to go on my second RSE tour, and I was given the option to choose a neck wallet in lieu of a money belt.

This will be my 8th tour and when I called I was given the option to choose the type of money belt than can hang from a belt, but inside your slacks or jeans. They did send the ear plugs though that I said I don't use. I prefer the silicon ones. I hate to throw away so hope I can find someone who uses them.

I read, probably on this forum, that the return to the tour kit was because people were using the $100 on bags/accessories and not buying the guidebook which was frustrating to the guides. Imagine multiple people on a tour without a resource of maps and things to do during free time, all clamoring for the guides time and attention at each stop.

On our recent tour, we were given the option of money belt/neck wallet/beltloop wallet or we could opt out, which we did as we have plenty from other RS tours. And as for earplugs, I also have my preferred solution so I don't need the ones that are sent (which only cost pennies in bulk) but I don't mind receiving them. They came in handy on a recent trip when a worker tripped the gate alarm which blasted for about five minutes before it was turned off. I popped in my RS earplugs and didn't have to flee the area!

I think SueH is right. They dont want people to have an excuse for not having these items.

Sell it at a discount or donate to your local library.

We contacted RS office asking the same thing: to get a different guidebook since we already had one for our upcoming Sicily tour. We were told that wasn't an option at this time. That's OK. We got a second Sicily book so we could rip out the essential pages to carry on the tour. We'll keep the other book intact on the bookshelf for later reference.

We also had all the security belt/pouch options, so we'd didn't ask for yet another. The one disappointment, though, was the lack of a 2022 tour patch to add to our collection. I can understand that Rick might have not ordered any since, for a time, the tours were in doubt, or it might have been a cost-cutting decision. It is a business. I get that. I would have paid for the patch.

I agree, it would be great to return to getting store credit rather than boilerplate items. We buy the tour book way in advance to start planning, so we don't need another one. We already have a vast wardrobe of various money belts and definitely don't need more. And, you can send everyone a tour book but you can't make sure they bring them along!

I've been on 5 RS tours so far: Istanbul, Village Italy, Scandinavia, Portugal and Spain. The only guide that referred to the book at all was the one for Scandinavia.

And she apparently had a newer version of the guidebook than I received. I'd pulled mine apart and kept the pages that seemed relevant, but none of the ones I had were the ones she referred to by page number.

For Ireland this year, I'm going to try to be smarter and keep the Table of Contents and Index so I maybe can find the right pages if needed.

The guidebook is the only party favor now given that is useful for me. I wish they weren't so dang heavy (about 19 oz for the 2020 Ireland book I never got to use), but pulling them apart helps with that.

I've tried every style of money belt and given away almost all that I've ever received because none of them worked. The last 2, a neck wallet and a hidden pocket, are waiting for the right recipient.

Long ago I switched to this style and never looked back. Obviously, I wear it under my clothes, not like the picture.

As for those ear plugs, they're trash because they hurt my ears.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but back in the distant past I think we got the book, the money belt, the earplugs and store credit. One time I caught a sale and applied mine with a little extra to get the Appenzell day pack and a few other useful travel items.

Ah, the good old days. 😉

We have our first RS tour coming up, and when I saw the “gift pack” I too was disappointed that I already had a (well-used) guide book and a money belt and don’t need earplugs. However, next time I will plan ahead to use the extra book…is there any reason I can’t keep my receipt from the bookstore and simply “return” the new book…not for cash but for a store credit to get the one I need to start planning my next trip?! Alternatively, I can use the new copy and extra money pouches to gift to a friend who shows interest in my trip and wants to start planning a trip of their own!

I work for a book publisher (not affiliated with Rick Steves). There are supply chain issues right now, specifically with the paper used for books. We have huge backorder issues. I am sure they are having similar issues and are just trying to manage their inventory.

That being said, I did like the the voucher to use in the online store to pick what I wanted instead of getting another money belt. I got a carryon bag, (which I still love and use) and a book.

When you travel as a couple, you only get one tour book. I now buy the kindle version of the book in advance, that way we can both read it on our iPads etc, and can use the paper version for the trip.

Thanks everyone who responded to my comments. An electronic version would be a great option. Just because you are given the tour book, not everyone will pack it in the suitcase. I'm not going until 2023, but I've already purchased the tour book to read and plan ahead so I don't really want another book.

I'm still hoping that R/S bring back the credit as an option in the future.

We are on our 3rd RS trip so yes – have several money hide-a-ways & we bought books for our tour ahead of time – so have 2 of each of the books – and while a discount at his store would be really nice – he doesn’t have to give away anything.

Extra books could be for tearing pages out & stapling instead of bring the whole book – one of our books is pocket size – great but it doesn’t include all of the tour! Not a huge problem!

And on our other RS tours the RS guides have given us tasty eats & a souvenir at the end: Paris was an Eiffel Tower keychain & 3 cities in Italy was a St. Christopher medal – all fun extra surprises!