Anyone ever used Abercrombie & Kent, Tauck or another high end travel firm?

Midpack

Midpack

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I probably owe DW a trip to Europe sooner than later, and even though I lived there for 4 years, it was decades ago and I’d prefer the safety and local knowledge/arrangements of a well organized small group tour. I’m not put off by the extra expense, but I’ve read some alarming bad reviews for A&K among mostly glowing reviews. I know there will always be petty bad reviews, but the ones I read gave substantive reasons. We could just use Rick Steves tours and save considerable $. Again, I don’t mind paying more as long as we get commensurate value.

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We really like National Geographic. They do a beautiful job - smooth and organized. We’re going on another this year to Greece and then a Mediterranean cruise with their Lindblad partner. We tend to be history, archaeology and nature oriented so they are a good match for us.

I’ve heard people absolutely rave about Tauck and one thought they were even higher than Nat Geo. Nat Geo is already quite high end for us.
 
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Another fan of NatGeo. I've looked at Tauck and the like, but frankly I've been put off by their insistence on always using five star hotels and including fancy wine tastings in castles and the like. Being just one of the hoi polloi, I'm simply not comfortable in those high end settings. I do appreciate that I'm not their target demographic, but I would scrutinize their itineraries carefully before committing.
 
Braumeister likes Lindblad too. Lindblad has a long term partnership with National Geographic Expeditions - is pretty much their cruise arm. Small ship cruising (like 102 passengers or less) so quite pricey.
 
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We have taken 2 trips with Tauck, and were very happy with them. One was a Western Canada tour and the other was Philadelphia, Washington and points in between.
We were put up at high end hotels, and had choice of menu meals.
After your first trip, they have a "gift of time" which is an extra day's stay at a hotel.
 
Why do you want to be in a group, with all of its built-in issues? Just hire private guides in the cities you plan to visit. If you arrive with a part-day free, start with the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus. Then on your first full day hire a guide where you have a draft itinerary worked out ahead of time via email and zoom. If you plan another day or three, have the guide help with those itineraries or just continue with the guide hire. The right guides can give you hotel recommendations so you can make reservations and they will pick you up and drop you off at the hotel(s).

Re NatGeo we took a NatGeo trip to Ethiopia, mostly in the South, a few years ago and I don't think group travel could have been done any better. It was about a week, then we had a private guide and driver, mostly in the North. The cost of that second week was less than the NatGeo week. IOW, we paid up big time for the NatGeo nameplate and service. Our conclusion was that we were glad we tried them but they were not even close to being cost-effective.
 
The key to group tours is why you do them.
For me, I would only be interested if it goes somewhere I have never been before and if it gives me a good, comprehensive overview. Once I've had that, all future trips are independent travel.
Some exceptions apply, such as Antarctica or the Galapagos, probably a few others.

The other thing is how much effort do you want to expend? A well organized group (small group only) tour will take all the stress out of it and allow you to relax and enjoy it.

Sorry I can't be of any help here, because I've never taken a high end tour although I've considered quite a few of them. I'm pretty sure they all have good customer support people who can answer specific questions that aren't addressed in the online itineraries.
 
Where in Europe are you thinking of going? I think the value of group tours varies a lot depending on where you are. I'm not sure it's worth doing one in most of the major European cities, or in a country like Switzerland or Norway where it's easy to get around and English is widely spoken; but if you're aiming to visit rural areas where it might be hard to communicate and train service isn't as good then it could make more sense.

You can also combine multiple travel modes in one trip. We did a Viking river cruise this year from Amsterdam to Budapest and really enjoyed it. Each stop has an included tour (usually walking, but sometimes partially via bus) with a smaller group and a local guide, so you get a feel for each destination. It's a nice way to see a big area without having to pack and unpack every night. You could easily head out on your own from Budapest, Vienna or Amsterdam, or take one of the Viking extensions, or meet up with another tour company. There were lots of Aussies and Kiwis on our cruise who were doing things like that because they had so far to travel and they wanted to maximize their time.

If you are set on the small group tours, another operator to consider is Road Scholar. We've run into them a few times because apparently we like the same hotels, and the travelers we've talked to from their groups have always seemed friendly and interesting. They're on my list to investigate for future trips since it seems like they'd be compatible with our interests and style.
 
Old shooter has a good idea. On a trip to Switzerland, we found a tour itinerary that matched our thoughts, even stayed at the same hotel. If you are on a tour, you give up flexibility.
 
Agree with @cathy63 on Road Scholar. Although we like private guides, sometimes the RS offerings include things it's difficult to do on your own. In the past few years we've done two multi-day cooking school trips to Italy, one to Sicily and one to Tuscany. But we've also done a one-evening cooking school in Japan that DW arranged directly with the teacher/no group. So it can go either way.

(RS is mid-level luxury. Nice small hotels, etc. We hate big hotels and many stars. If we end up booked into one of those we consider it to be a low spot in the itinerary.)
 
Souschef said:
Old shooter has a good idea. On a trip to Switzerland, we found a tour itinerary that matched our thoughts, even stayed at the same hotel. If you are on a tour, you give up flexibility.
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If it were Europe, especially W. Europe (languages most similar to English so I can at least read them) that would be my thought, too. I've been using Overseas Adventure Travel and love them but am ready for just ambling around on my own and picking up the occasional local tour, either private or small group (have had good experiences booking through TripAdvisor). In May it will be Vienna and Brussels.

I've never had the nerve to drive in Europe but the trains are great- just make sure you have a reservation. And yes, I like the flexibility. If you were planning to do something outdoors and it's raining you find a good museum. I've had some great spur-of-the-moment experiences after seeing a brochure in a rack somewhere or a poster advertising an event.
 
cathy63 said:
Where in Europe are you thinking of going? I think the value of group tours varies a lot depending on where you are. I'm not sure it's worth doing one in most of the major European cities, or in a country like Switzerland or Norway where it's easy to get around and English is widely spoken; but if you're aiming to visit rural areas where it might be hard to communicate and train service isn't as good then it could make more sense.
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Really don't know yet - looked at a 10-14 day London-Paris-Rome though. I don't want to have to pack up and move every 1-2 days, I'd rather take a little longer in each place.

Thanks for the ideas. I will look into Nat Geo and Road Scholar - didn't know about either. Even though I visited all over Europe on my own when I was younger, not as sure of myself dealing with language barriers, transportation, directions, personal safety (safer in groups, not knowing which areas to avoid) in Europe - but maybe it's a lot easier now versus my younger pre-internet years where you had books and maps and that was it. Some Europeans were unbelievably helpful, others deliberately not - and I assume Americans are a little less welcome now versus decades ago.
 
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Midpack said:
I assume Americans are a little less welcome now versus decades ago.
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WADR, I would disagree. I think people generally treat you the same as you treat them.
I've traveled extensively all over the world, all my life. Rarely encountered anyone openly unfriendly.
As to language, I've always found that if you make even a little effort, they will meet you more than halfway to communicate.
 
A lot more people in Western Europe speak English now as it’s the official EU language. Big difference compared to before 2000.

Public transportation is usually great and these days with tap-to-pay very convenient. Google Maps does a great job of routing you via public transportation.

Americans are very welcome! I think the stereotype of the Ugly American Tourist has faded quite a bit. Tourism in Europe is a huge business supporting a large number of jobs so you are generally very welcome.

We’re doing small group trips this year because I’m burned out on planning myriad tiny details. So much work!
 
About 20 years ago, these guys put together a tour of Peru for just the young wife and me. We had a driver and a guide/interpreter just for the two of us, and it was customized to precisely what we wanted to see and do. I was very happy with them. Yes, it was expensive.

R. Crusoe & Son - Unusual Journeys

Creating custom itineraries around the world. Inspiration begins with our collection of brilliantly authored itineraries.
rcrusoe.com rcrusoe.com
 
If I were to give one piece of advice, it would be this.
First decide where you most want to go. That may not be the same for both of you, so work it out.
Second, spend enough time to really experience it. The old "If it's Tuesday, this must be Belgium" whirlwind tours are worse than useless.
 
Midpack said:
Really don't know yet - looked at a 10-14 day London-Paris-Rome though. I don't want to have to pack up and move every 1-2 days, I'd rather take a little longer in each place.

Thanks for the ideas. I will look into Nat Geo and Road Scholar - didn't know about either. Even though I visited all over Europe on my own when I was younger, not as sure of myself dealing with language barriers, transportation, directions, personal safety (safer in groups, not knowing which areas to avoid) in Europe - but maybe it's a lot easier now versus my younger pre-internet years where you had books and maps and that was it. Some Europeans were unbelievably helpful, others deliberately not - and I assume Americans are a little less welcome now versus decades ago.
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I understand the hesitation regarding safety and language, but I think you're better off making your own arrangements for travel and accommodations between those three cities. Then, hire a private guide in each of the cities you visit for a day or more. AirBnB Experiences is one resource for finding well reviewed local guides for things like touring art museums in Paris with a professor of art history or visiting archaeological sites in Rome with an archaeologist.

You can travel by train between those three cities and stay in 5-star hotels where a concierge can help with local logistics. Google translate on your phone is far more of a game-changer than not having paper maps. That and Uber.
 
We have used Tauck tours in Italy, Scotland, and Ireland and have been pleased. They are pretty high end and use excellent hotels. They get you head-of-the-line tickets for just about every tour and try to make each excursion as efficient as possible. I recommend them if you are not a DIY planner as their itineraries are pretty detailed.
 
Midpack said:
Really don't know yet - looked at a 10-14 day London-Paris-Rome though. I don't want to have to pack up and move every 1-2 days, I'd rather take a little longer in each place.
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that's a tight schedule, one that might be better served over multiple trips, especially for a first timer. And so much more to see in each country beyond just the capitals. But this is where a tour or travel guide can really help you explore other places.

Oh, and as far as the welcome to Americans? That's an old generalization which has never really applied unless you are the obnoxious loud caricature that anyone would find to be an embarrassment, which I doubt you have ever been.
 
Midpack said:
Really don't know yet - looked at a 10-14 day London-Paris-Rome though. I don't want to have to pack up and move every 1-2 days, I'd rather take a little longer in each place.
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When I look at nearly any of these tours, I think that it is a mad rush. 8 SW national parks in 8 days? No way. It's practically a wave at the sights from a crowded lookout or two and then on to the next one. We spend days per park. My sister runs a travel planning/booking service Custom European Itineraries and Group Tours | Euro Travel Coach that you could look into.
 
We just returned from an alumni travel small boat cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. The tour used AHI boats, a step down from Tauck, but it all felt luxurious. Food was amazing. Great speakers, very educational. Cabins were serviced every day. And the best part was making new friends from my alma mater and from other schools too. Yes, I'm an extrovert, but my introvert wife loved it too.
 
We like to mix tours and independent travel. Just booked our 21st trip with Intrepid Travel and while certainly not high-end they do offer premium trips in addition to their original style tours. Our last Europe trip was their Premium Turkey in Depth tour in September. Flew in early and stayed 3 nights at a nice hotel in Istanbul and followed up with 4 nights each in Prague and Budapest on our own. The nice thing about Intrepid's premium trips is that they have a max of 12 people. In Turkey we had 9 - 4 Aussies, 4 Americans, and one from the UK. Just returned from a combo Egypt and Jordan premium trip and there were 6 in the group in Egypt and just DW and I in Jordan. We did a Rick Steves tour in Spain last year and had 26 people in their "small group." FWIW we won't do another RS tour - nothing wrong, it just wasn't our thing. Huge difference between 12 people and 20 something in a tour group.

Intrepid tours #17 and 18 are premium trips to Sri Lanka and Borneo this spring and we'll get our lux fix at nice hotels with 3 nights each in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore between and after.

We've considered Tauck and A&K but at twice the price we can travel twice as often with Intrepid. BTW, the new A&K website is awful IMO.

#19 is Premium Greece in May, #20 is Premium Iceland in July and #21 is the Western Balkans Uncovered in October.
 
Midpack said:
I probably owe DW a trip to Europe sooner than later, and even though I lived there for 4 years, it was decades ago and I’d prefer the safety and local knowledge/arrangements of a well organized small group tour. I’m not put off by the extra expense, but I’ve read some alarming bad reviews for A&K among mostly glowing reviews. I know there will always be petty bad reviews, but the ones I read gave substantive reasons. We could just use Rick Steves tours and save considerable $. Again, I don’t mind paying more as long as we get commensurate value.

Ouch Abercrombie & Kent USA is rated "Poor" with 2.1 / 5 on Trustpilot

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Tauck is rated "Average" with 3 / 5 on Trustpilot

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Friend and his wife just completed A&K trip to South America and had nothing but positive things to say.
 
If you decide a group tour is what you want to do, read their tour descriptions very carefully, and "between the lines." DW and I were initially gung ho about a certain tour company for a Europe tour. But when we scrutinized the itinerary, the guide tour portions were actually minimal, with plenty of free time. Plenty of free time sounds nice, but in the end the tour company was offering transportation plus a quick rush-through of the given cities. That was not what we were looking for.
 
Maybe OP could consider a cruise , that way get to take various tours in various countries without any unpacking/packing issues.

We have avoided organized tours, as the thought of getting up at 6 am to put our bags out at 7am for a bus ride to another hotel and do it again in 2 days just seems awful.

Our first trip to Europe was the 15 day Grand European river cruise by Viking, we absolutely loved it, and it showed us that Europe was not so scary. It cost us $5K pp included flight and onboard ship extra benefit worth ~$300 pp, in June.

Only thing different we would do is, tack on days before/after to maximize our travel effort across the ocean.
 
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