Wait listed tour

You could add your name to the waitlist and also sign up for another tour. If the tour you want opens up, you should be able to transfer (unless it is too close to travel date). One time, a spot opened up within a week of me adding my name to the waitlist. Another time, I never got on the tour.

I think the feeding frenzy for tours is fed by the sheer relief and joy at being able to plan traveling again, by support and loyalty to RS and his business model, and by the current refundable deposit policy. I believe there will be plenty of shifting around with availability once deposits become non refundable and/ or work and family schedules become normalized again. I would say that if there is a certain time frame you really need, get on the waitlist. If you are at the head of that line your chances for getting a spot are excellent. After all, the first tours being offered are a year from now. Lots could change. Book your second choice week but let the staff know that you are waitlisted for your first choice. Good luck!

Here is a link to an easy way to check tour status by type/ date:
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/all

woofie, once the frenzy dies down, the wonderful folks at RSE will give you some idea of where you are on the wait list. They may not tell you how many people are ahead of you, but they may well gently urge you to stay on the list, or equally gently suggest you make other plans.

I added my name to the wait list before I posted the thread. Sorry I didn’t make that clear. I am going to sign up for an earlier date. Hopefully the wait list date will open up and I can change. If not, it’s still a good two weeks and a great sounding tour. I’ve been anticipating the South of France tour for a year now. And now it’s finally going to happen.

"Unfortunately it'll put me in Paris the last week of August."

What is unfortunate about the last week of August in Paris???? That is the absolute PERFECT week to be in Paris. Most American tourists have headed home, as have European tourists. The September tourist season has not yet started. There may be a very few restaurants/stores closed but so very few that it will not impact your trip.

During the last week in August the entry into the Louvre (d'Orsey, Orangerie) takes like 2 minutes (no line at the Carrousel entrance)...that will quickly come to an end as the crowds steadily grow larger and larger as you delve deeper into September.

Dreaming of the Loire and South of France tour helped get me through the Pandemic but I have booked the Best of Scandinavia tour instead thinking my years of traveling time are shorter now and I need to do first the tours that are difficult to do independently. I think Eastern Europe will be on tap for 2023. Rick’s email last night that 7,000 people have already booked has nudged me to consider booking the St. Petersburg tour in September 2022. At least I have until the end of the year to change my mind.
Horsewoofie, I know you will love this tour and as Onefastbob says, Paris in August will be easier to enjoy without the crowds at your elbows.

I’m trying to decide between Eastern Europe and Scandinavia for the same reasons, Judy. My husband says just pick one. Decisions!

Thank you, TravelingMom, for the link to the page showing the status of all tours.

Additional tip: Once on the status page, click on the word “Begin” to re-sort the list by start date. Why? In order to get out of the country ASAP! I have already signed up for My Way France in September. Now I am looking for something much earlier in addition. The very first tours depart on February 13: Barcelona & Madrid in 8 Days and Paris in 7 Days.

See you in the piazza!

I did it! Signed up for Loire to South of France Sept 11-23 and sent RS an email to cancel the wait list. Just waiting for confirmation.
This morning a friend signed up for the same tour so it's perfect.
Have fun traveling everyone. We've all waited a year for this.

I just want to say I've never heard the phrase "wait listed" before

divided by a common language.....

Priscilla,
Go eeny meeny miney mo and voila, you have decided. I don’t think you will regret your “decision”.
This will be my 8th RS tour and I am so ready!

Good going, Horsewoofie!

Anne, see you in the piazza!

FYI today I was looking at the tour we booked, and see they have added at least one more date, so its worth checking back.

Judy, decided on Eastern Europe. Not confirmed yet, just keeping my fingers cross as more tours go to waitlist status!

I think you'll have a better idea in December when the time comes for cancellation with full refund. I think many people jumped on the sign up frenzy thinking the tours would sell out, which, of course, a lot of them did. People will now have time to really think out their decisions and there will probably be cancellations.

My only experience with being wait listed was a tour that I really wanted to go on that was full. I put myself on the wait list and was notified some months later that a spot had opened up and it was mine if I was still interested. I had already booked another tour so did not use that slot. On another tour that I took with RS, a couple had to cancel last minute due to a family emergency, the two spots opened up and were never filled. Bottom line, you just never know and it could be very last minute.

I've gotten on waitlisted tours in previous years And I'm confirmed on Istanbul Tour, Apr 17 - 23. 2022 and waitlisted on Athens and Heart of Greece tour. Apr 25 - May 8, 2022. These will be my 10th and hopefully 11th RS Tours.