Travel

[CHIP62]

@lolakimono,   

Love cruises, with my children usually bigger ships.

2 years ago went to the Mekong river and they enjoyed it.

The Danube is not blue however woul like to do it with my mother, too peaceful for athletic teens🌻Awesome map.

This summer:

Paris

Viena

Prague

Budapest and whatever we can in between.

[Stray]

@World Traveler- I only travel Tauck when I do a tour.  But, I traveled with them to Africa, Austrailia/NZ, Spain/Portugal, Sicily, Scandinavia & Israel/Jordan.  I am very fussy about hotels and Tauck selects the better hotels in the areas as well as the restaurants.  They seem to have good connections in local communities so you do unique activities.  We went to a prominent Chef's home in So Africa and he, his wife and assistant cooked us a meal.  So you learn a lot when you travel with them.  I really wouldn't try another Company as I've been pleased.  They also are prepared for international incidents and evacuations.  In Sicily, a large number of people became ill and the guide was right on it providing good quality physicians who spoke English or were trained in US hospitals.  She worked so hard on the trip but it made me feel safe.  The guides really are knowledgeable about the countries they tour.  

[Stray]

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@judy0330 wrote:

@World Traveler I'm sorry -- I thought you had used Tauck. As I have said to friends who have the same questions -- it really depends on what is important to you. For example -- some people regard the hotels as just a place to sleep. I love great hotels -- and with Tauck you will stay in some of the best in the world. The view from our hotel room in Paris was the Eiffel Tower -- in Moscow St. Basil's Cathedral -- we stayed right in the park when we went to Iguazu Falls and had a view of the falls -- etc. -- etc. That is one major difference between Tauck and many other tour companies. Another is the food. Unlike many companies -- with Tauck you rarely -- other than some lunches -- eat as a group. When a dinner is included -- it is at a restaurant and you can choose the time and the people you would like to eat with -- and order off the menu. In terms of touring -- yes there are things Tauck does that other companies do not. For example -- to avoid the crowds -- we went to The Hermitage before it opened and to the Sistine Chapel after it closed. A much better use of time. We went to Stalin's Bunker near Moscow -- and Tauck was the only tour company who was given access. (I don't know why -- but that is no longer included in their tours.) Similar to what you said about your experience with Micato -- a friend went to Africa with Tauck and when she returned to her room after dinner -- her name was spelled out on her bed in rose petals. (It was a Four Seasons.) When we checked into our room at a beautiful hotel in Buenos Aires -- there was a bottle of wine and lovely chocolates -- courtesy of Tauck.  Little things like that can't help but enhance the enjoyment of a trip.

Yes -- Tauck is expensive -- especially given that their prices do not include airfare. Several times I have thought about doing one of their trips on our own and when I calculated the price I couldn't touch it for what they charge. Obviously they get great rates at the hotels that individuals cannot. Their insurance is expensive -- BUT allows you to cancel at any time and for any reason. No questions asked. I have friends who have compared Tauck's cruises -- which at first glance appear to be much more expensive -- but when they got into the details they found that all gratuities are included -- as are all tours -- as well as other extras. So there are no surprises and you are not nickled and dimed once you get on the ship.

Sometimes I feel like Tauck has become almost a cult (in a good way) and they have many clients who have taken an incredible number of trips with them. (My aunt and uncle took 30 before becoming too old to travel.) While my husband and I think that they are a wonderful company -- we do not believe that they are infallible -- as many of their clients seem to The prices of some of their trips are getting ridiculous -- keep going up every year -- and still often fill up more than a year in advance. As I said -- we used a different company for our Croatia trip. It was recommended by several friends and just did not live up to what we have gotten used to. (My favorite was at one of the hotels I had to pay 5 Euros for an extra bath towel. That has never happened to us -- or to anybody on our tour -- anywhere in the world.)

Again -- I think it is all about what matters to each individual traveler. I will say that Tauck has an incredible amount of clout in the industry. All of our tour guides have been excellent -- as have all of the local guides. (I can actually say the same thing about our Croatia tour guides but I think it is more likely that we lucked out. Their tour directors are contracted -- whereas Tauck's are employees.)

I hope this answers your questions.  If there is anything else you would like to know -- feel free to ask!  Do you have a favorite company you travel with?

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@judy0330- agreed.  I travel Tauck exclusively and would be reluctant to try another company.  

[Stray]

I've been working on my bucket list and just have two places left:

Japan is scheduled for fall

Thailand - leaving 2/19 for a month 

Antarctica 

Patagonia 

[judy0330]

@StrayAre you doing Japan with Tauck?  We did Essence of Japan the first year it was offered.

[yellowrose]

Wow, you all have some exciting trips planned.  Sounds wonderful.

Happy and Safe travels to everyone

My "next" can't compare, but still looking forward to it.  Soon as it warms up, going to hitch up to the 5th wheel RV and take off.  No destination in mind this time, just see where the road leads up.  

Next cruise on my list is one to Hawaii, just waiting for that good deal to come my way.

[lulu1]

I no longer have a bucket list.  I've traveled to most of the destinations I once dreamed of visiting.  I am fortunate to have 2 travel partners, my husband and my sister.

Up next (in less than 2 weeks) for my husband and me is Punta Mita, Mexico. Generally we go to the Caribbean in January but with the devastating hurricane, we are changing locations.

My sister and I have booked a 'chic(k)" trip to Ireland in April.  We will be celebrating her birthday while there.

[Stray]

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@judy0330 wrote:

@StrayAre you doing Japan with Tauck?  We did Essence of Japan the first year it was offered.

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@judy0330- yes, I think I am taking the same tour.  The land tour not the cruise.  I'm not a cruiser but like to learn about the Countries I visit and I just don't get that on a cruise.  Plus, I don't want to be in the Sea of Japan these days with the missiles landing there.  

[Happiness Is Inside JOB]

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@World Traveler wrote:

@qualitygal Totally agree with you! If you love to travel, do it while you are physically able to do so. You never know from day to day what will happen. I know people who were going to travel "later when we have time." They are now physically unable to go where they wanted to go.

When my father died 13 years ago, one of the last conversations we had was when he told me that I should keep traveling. He loved to take my sister and I to different countries. He had visited over 60 countries by the time he died at 85. He loved meeting people from all over the place.

He felt it was so important to our education to travel. Sometimes he took us out of school to go places, because he felt we would learn more by traveling than the week or two that we would miss of school. And I found that when I studied US or World History, I connected better with the lesson because I had visited the places I was reading about in school. 

I also want to chime in, I am traveling NOW!!!!  I always here people say....plan to travel when you retire but in today's economy, many people can't affort to travel when they retire.  I looked at my budget and my pension will be my full salary but like 1/2.  So I have to rely on my 401K.  Now that means WISDOM is required. 

I might spend 4000.00 on an alaska cruise (including excursions, new clothes, spending money, drinks, souveniers, etc) but when I retire.  I have to THINK LONG AND HARD to spend that KIND of money.  It will take much LONGER TO replace that amount.

While I'm working and the "CHECKS" are coming in every two weeks we are going EVERY WHERE I can budget for us to go.

This may sound silly but I'm also doing the expensive trips NOW.  I'm saving the virginia beach, ocean city, new orleans, savannah....trips for retirement. I have been many places in the US but that is not my focus. 

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[Happiness Is Inside JOB]

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@Annabellethecat66 wrote:

No, when my husband was alive we did a lot of traveling all over Europe for a month at a time.  We'd often go to Canada, California and Florida and so on.

If I go anywhere it will be to visit my daughters.  One in Florida and the other in Denver.  I spent a week at Thanksgiving in Denver with the youngest daughter.

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Ms. Annabell ---

You were so blessed to be able to travel for a month at time.  I'm jealous!!!