One of the first questions travelers have to face when planning for a trip is whether to travel independently or as part of a group. Singles often feel more secure as part of a group, and some tours may arrange for a roommate so that you don’t have to pay a single supplement. Most escorted tours are limited to one or two weeks so if you want extended travel you’re probably on your own. That may be as simple as just adding a few days to a particular destination or it may mean booking all of your own arrangements.
Of course. the advantages of booking an escorted tour include some assurance of quality and reliability as well as a total package price, although many also offer optional excursions, attractions, or meals. It’s nice to know that you have a room for the night and won’t have to bother with the luggage, taxis, or exchange rates. Many tours are organized around special interests as well as geographic locations so you have the opportunity to meet people who share the same interests. On a month-long trip to Europe a few years ago, we added two tours together and arranged a couple of weeks on our own.
Many people think of escorted tours as only being by bus, but there are train tours, riverboat tours, inland waterway boat tours, safaris, adventure tours, holiday tours, church tours, and locally arranged tours for seniors. The mode of transportation is less the deciding factor that the destination and your interests. Many of the airlines offer vacation packages, and of course Disney offers package deals not only on their theme parks but also on their cruises. Tour groups can also be the target of street people hustling trinkets or begging, especially during the peak summer vacation season.
Another option is to book the basics: hotel, airfare, and rental car through a tour company and set your own schedule and travel independently. Some may offer an orientation tour of a ½ day or so and then you’re on your own. We have done that very cheaply in Europe during the off season when most venues are not as crowded.
Rick Steeves has made a career in books and on television promoting the advantages of independent travel. You’re not set to a rigid schedule, you have more opportunity to meet local people, you can change your mind and stay longer in one place or skip something all together. You can focus on your particular interests and spend all your time in museums or attending sporting events. It ‘s certainly more convenient to travel on your own now with credit cards, ATMS, the Euro, open borders in much of Europe. Of course, the disadvantages can be serious if you get sick or lost or lose your personal effects. I guess that it depends upon how adventuresome you are.
I had an 80-year old friend who would get on a bus or a train and travel to when she got tired or saw an interesting town and would get off and to the nearest tourist hotel. She did that in Europe where public transportation is more frequent and reliable, but she also did it in the U.S. She also was fluent in several languages.
Which type of travel do you prefer? What experiences have you had (good or bad)? What are your particular interests in travel?
Here are a few of the major tour companies:
http://www.gate1travelcom
http://www.collettevacations.com
http://www.trainpackages.ca (Canadian VIA service)
http://www.amtrak.com
http://www.americanexpress.com
http://www.vantagetravel.com
http://www.gct.com (Grand Circle Tours)
http://www.cosmos.com
http://www.globusjourneys.com
http://www.nationalgeographicpexpeditions.com
http://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/
http://www.elderhostel.org/
http://www.tauk.com
http://www.taukvacations.com
http://www.tourvacationstogo.com
http://www.trafalgar.com/