Those who have been on 5+ RS tours: which is your favorite, and why? Least favorite?

Best at the time - 21 day Best of Europe.

One that provided the most knowledge that I still use on every visit - Best of Paris

I've done 12. TBH, I think one thing that makes a tour stand out or makes it less of a favorite is the guide. Sometimes they are not as good as you'd want them to be. Sometimes they are having personal issues which affect their performance. Sometimes you are on a tour that has a big group traveling together and that affects the experience.

Pam,

I agree. But when a guide is "meh" - nothing bad, just not exceptional - do you give feedback? What do you say in this case?

I have a hard time being critical of guides because it's a hard job.

I’ve taken six and liked them all very much. What I didn’t like was some of the food. Most group meals were fine except in Spain. I honestly got sick of Tapas. The meals that were not Tapas were good. I was traveling with two other women who were happy with the closest restaurant to our hotels. I like to get off the main tourist streets and find that little gem!

All six guides were great but one who followed his own Covid guidelines when vaccines and masks were required by RS and the local governments. I’m taking my seventh next fall.

I honestly got sick of Tapas.

Just curious - how do you get sick of Tapas, which is almost by definition 'variety'? We haven't experienced Tapas in a 'group meal' setting, but I would imagine that a wide variety of tapas plates would be delivered to the table, and everyone could presumably sample at least a little bit of each plate. We enjoyed Tapas on a recent visit to Barcelona so much that we added 3 days onto our next European trip and flew to Barcelona and revisited the same Tapas restaurant 3 nights in a row! Is there something about the 'group meal' setting that made it less appealing?

Our favorite RS tour was Switzerland; to experience the Lauterbrunnen Valley was out of this world. But on that tour, the 'Fondu' meal was awful. One big pot of melted cheese shared across the big table, plus plain bread and boiled potatoes. We assumed it must be the appetizer but no, that was the main meal! But that didn't stop the overall trip from being our favorite! On a subsequent RS trip to Switzerland, we found out which meal was the 'fondu' meal and made alternate plans for that evening; there's no requirement to participate in the group meals. The guide on that trip was nothing short of amazing. If I could, I would travel anywhere and everywhere with him because I know he'd make it interesting!

"What do you say in this case? I have a hard time being critical of guides because it's a hard job."

It is a hard job but I try to give honest, factual feedback. And try, within the limited parameters of the evaluation form to give concrete reasons. Some of the reasons include - Not learning tour members names (at all), Not knowing some of the basic stuff RS guides should know, Not giving any talks or explanations on longer bus rides, not able to flex with a "neighborhood walking tour" when the tour hotel is in a different area than usual. It doesn't do me any good to have cute little places for coffee pointed out when they are 2 tram rides away from where the tour is staying.

My hope is that some can be helped to be better guides with more training from some of the top guides in their geographic area or some can swing over to do a My Way tour where their talents may be better used.

It is a hard job but I try to give honest, factual feedback. And try, within the limited parameters of the evaluation form to give concrete reasons.

I agree with you. I am going to assume that RS picks the cream of the crop and pays top dollar for them. It's not like you are going to put them out of a job if you criticize them; at worst, they have to find a different company to work with. Our main guides have been extremely professional and competent, so I could never criticize a 'tour group leader' so far. But I have been quite critical of individual 'location guides' - the ones who give the orientation tours when you get to a new city, for example. Most have been great, but one or two have been really sub-par and I've noted that in my review.

It’s hard to pick a favorite. Each was good, all were different.

If I had to choose my favorite, it would be between this year’s South of England because of my friendly tour mates and relatable history and last year’s Village Italy because of the small village sights and fantastic guide.

Least favorite was Berlin, Prague & Vienna. Nothing to do with the tour itself but because of the overwhelming 20th history and the group did not mesh as kindly as other tours.

Other two tours were South of Italy for in-law research afterwards in Calabria and South of France for castles.
I choose tours partly for logistics to see out of the way locations; those more difficult to use public transportation to reach.