In May I went on the Odysseys Unlimited trip to Greece that includes Crete. Although the itinerary is great on paper, not enough time was allotted in the important archeological sites. On top of that, the guide was mediocre at best. Before I describe her faults, please note that the president of Odysseys Unlimited responded to my review stating that they would EDUCATE this guide, meaning that they would use her again. She was so bad that she should simply never be used! And the president offered me an insultingly small amount of money off my next trip, hardly enough to compensate for a subpar guide. This guide had incomplete knowledge of the sites and objects in museums, sometimes giving us the wrong information. I know this for a fact because in my free time, I stayed in some museums and had time to read the information, and on Crete, I actually went back to Knossos and hired a private guide. The Odysseys guide didn't utilize the time on the bus to educate us, thereby using up valuable time at the various archeological sites to stand and introduce it to us when she ought to have been showing it to us. She seemed shocked when we wanted to know more about the politics, education and health systems of Greece. She would partially block our view of items she discussed in museums. We would pass by interesting statues in towns, aqueducts on the road, which she never thought to address. I had a food restriction which she ignored, repeatedly. This food restriction was in my pre-trip paperwork. She ignored it even after I spoke to her about it.
I have taken 3 trips with Odysseys. India was excellent with a superb guide. Japan was excellent because the good guide was supplemented with a curator from my local museum. Greece was partially ruined by this terrible guide. In spite of the nice accommodations and good food, I am not sure this track record merits traveling with Odysseys again.
Posted by
Freedonia
19199 posts
I took the same tour right after Covid and it was also disappointing. I had taken three other tours with Odysseys and they were very good.
I found out that Odysseys hires a Greece based tour company to run their tour in Greece. It seems to cut corners and didn't feel the same quality as the other Odysseys tours.
I also learned something on that tour that I thought was true but wasn't sure. Multi-day tours are not for me.
Posted by
West Coast
482 posts
Kudos to you for getting the information you wanted on your own, especially at Knossos. How frustrating. I had a very similar experience with the Gate1 tour director for Scotland. I just came to dread the bus rides and his useless monologues...
I have come to the Forum previously looking for reviews of tour companies other than RS. Odysseys Unlimited (I used them for Patagonia- excellent), OAT, Intrepid, Road Scholar, Gate 1. The tour leader really is so critical to the overall experience, from ensuring efficient sightseeing to guarding your health. (On my Morrocco Intrepid tour the leader actually went into the kitchens to double check, for my dietary restrictions, for example. )
I tried to find reviews specific to the Greece tour on their OU website but didn't see any? Hiring local tour guides and companies would explain the inconsistency and yet there should be at least a base level of experience? I was surprised by how many of the OU tour mates had taken so many of their trips- 10, 12, etc. They are devoted fans. Did others in your group feel the same?
Still, I hope you have some wonderful memories and many future interesting travels!
Posted by
OP
12 posts
Yes, others on the trip definitely felt the same way about the tour guide. We were a very well educated group, and very keen on the subjects of Bronze Age and Classical Greece. She was geared more to elementary school level.
I am willing to try Odysseys again based on their very good India trip, but they have to make me a less insulting compensatory offer (in terms of a future discount). I feel as though I am taking a risk if I opt to travel with them again.
Posted by
Freedonia
19199 posts
As I stated, my tour was right after Covid. It was a time when you had to have a negative Covid test to fly back to the US.
Odysseys arranged for tests to be done at our hotel so tour members didn't have to go to a clinic.
I didn't take a test as I was not going back to the US at the time but staying in Europe.
Long story short--half the tour members and the tour director tested positive. The farewell dinner was canceled, the tour director was forced to go home--she lived in Athens--as the hotel didn't want her there, and our dinner was served in our rooms.
I tested myself just in case and it was negative. I felt fine.
I don't know what happened to any of my fellow tour members after that since email addresses are usually exchanged at the farewell dinner and that didn't happen.
I will say that OU's customer service is usually excellent. I don't remember what they did for this tour but I think we got discount vouchers towards another tour.
On a different tour I took, a hotel made a mistake with availability and we had to change hotels, and the itinerary, at the last minute. We didn't miss anything just the schedule and one night hotel changed. Even though it wasn't OU's fault, then gave a $100 refund to everyone and added an extra dinner to the schedule.
Posted by
Atlanta
2701 posts
I have a good friend who went on their Scotland tour in 2024 and their tour guide was drunk the whole entire time. She said the group bonded over the guide’s drunkenness. She told me so many instances of the guide’s lack of knowledge, chronic lateness and disorganization. She (my friend) was left behind once and only because one of her tourmates noticed, she would still be in Scotland (a little exaggeration).
She was given an apology about the guide and a $600 credit for the next tour.
She recently signed up for Odysseys Central Europe tour leaving in a couple weeks. She was determined to use the $600 credit! Hopefully this tour will turn out to be a better experience!
Posted by
Freedonia
19199 posts
How can a tour director be left behind? The driver won't leave without the tour director's okay.
Posted by
SE Pennsylvania
3343 posts
Oh, no, how disappointing.
I have taken 3 OU tours, all in North America and all good.
I did the Rick Steves Greece tour earlier this year and is was great. Good main guide and knowledgeable local guides at all locations.
Posted by
Atlanta
2701 posts
Frank II,
My friend was almost left behind, not the tour guide, a man. As I said, the tour guide was drunk everyday.
Posted by
OP
12 posts
Oh - that raises an interesting question: Do all Rick Steves tours have this arrangement: a general guide and local experts? That's what Road Scholar does. I've had it work well and not work well, but theoretically it is the best system.
Looking forward to your answers.
Posted by
Minnesota
772 posts
I’ve been on 12 Rick Steves tours. They are led in a variety of ways. For instance, our main guide for the Istanbul tour led the entire trip. This was logical since he really lived and breathed the city. In most cases, the main guide leads the tour when they are either on their home turf or are especially familiar with a location, and local guides are used in other locations. I have found that the main guides are the best in the business (yes, I’ve traveled with other companies) and most of the local guides are very good, excellent, even exceptional.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
6704 posts
Do all Rick Steves tours have this arrangement: a general guide and local experts?
I’ve taken 10 RS tours and I think nearly all have had local guides although not at every stop. In some countries, you are required to use a guide who is licensed for that particular city/region. On some of my RS tours, the tour leader was also licensed locally so they served as the local guide in their home area.
Have you had any local guides on your other 2 Odysseys tours?
Posted by
OP
12 posts
The two purely Odysseys trips I've been on have only had the one tour guide for everything. These were India and Greece. In Japan, the trip was sponsored by my local art museum, and a curator was with us, giving talks on the bus. My understanding is that Smithosnian Travel also uses Odysseys Unlimited as their tour operator, adding on experts. I don't know if these experts acutally give all the tours on such trips or if they just lecture and there is an odysseys guide on the trip who manages arrangements and gives on site tours. Or perhpas there is some combination of the above.
this explains why Smithsonian and Odyssesy often have the same itinierary, with higher prices for Smithsonian due to the inclusion of experts.
does anyone have experience with Smithsonian travel on such trips?.
Posted by
Twin Cities of MN
8519 posts
I find this post and the responses quite helpful. My takeaway is that not only should one research and read reviews of the various tour companies, it is good to check on specific destination as well.