Best Of
Re: Inter-Island Flights
This is the only "domestic" Tauck tour I've done, and I did this trip shortly after Covid restrictions were lifted. These are domestic flights involving mostly smallish airports, and the flights are short. This is the USA, so expect standard TSA screenings.
The advantage of doing a land tour in Hawaii over a cruise is you have much more flexibility in your free time activities, and coming and going as you please. You won't have deadlines to return to the ship to be held prisoner during very slow and inefficient travel.
BKMD
Re: Inter-Island Flights
I did this tour in August 2021, as Covid restrictions were being lifted (though when we were there, the governor of Hawaii asked tourists not to come). As BKMD noted, you do have standard TSA screenings. We also had a lot of early morning flights. On my free day on Maui, I took a day trip along the Road to Hana, probably booked on Viator. My daughter, who accompanied me on the trip, enjoyed a beach day instead.
MCD
Re: Good Review of Cruise Options
I liked his comment about Viking River Cruises - "The Carnival of River Cruises." That's what I've heard from people who have taken Viking River Cruises.
Re: Good Review of Cruise Options
@British - You don't pay any extra. The tour/cruise company pays the TA. If you had to pay, most people would probably book on their own. I suspect the tour/cruise companies have complex formulas for the payments to the TA - the higher the booking dollars, the more the TA gets (in percent).
I know the compensation to the TA is based on the cost of the tour/cruise, so there's some incentive for the TA to try to talk you into a higher category cabin, for example. But most of us have been around the block and know what we want and what we're willing to pay. I haven't encountered that with my TA. She often suggest a lower grade cabin to save money, but we like a bit of luxury.
But you need to find a good TA who is looking out for you and who you get along with well. Additionally, they need to respond to your questions quickly.
Re: Yet another Tauck Freebie
The whole staff is going to Florence. It sent an email saying they will likely be busy before they go. Closed February 3-6!
Re: Good Review of Cruise Options
Let me just clarify that I'm not suggesting that anyone use Shawn as a travel agent (or that anyone use any travel agent) - I just thought his comments about the various cruise companies were right on the mark and that people here would be interested in what he had to say.
Re: Valparaiso
They are not going to refuse them !
We did not exchange any money. Credit card use everywhere
British
Re: Good Review of Cruise Options
So what value added does 'Shawn' bring if, "He doesn't do airfare, (before and after) hotels, or any other type of ancillary arrangement?" (unless he gives a handsome, but prohibited, kickback). It is easy peasy to book a tour thru Tauck, it is the other stuff that can sometimes require the assistance of a TA though I've only used a TA once, when we took our family of 10 to WDW followed by a Disney cruise- talk about ancillary arrangements! Yikes 
AlanS
Re: Good Review of Cruise Options
I stopped using a travel agent, find it so much better to make contact myself and I can do research for extra days and time. I've always booked by own air, only once I used Tauck. I really enjoy booking the trips myself.
Re: Salzburg visit or Nurenberg Past and Present
I've been to Salzburg 3 times, the first time I had booked a tour with Viator from Munich, don't remember how long it took to get there but it's a lovely place and worth seeing, the other 2 times where on river cruises, one of them was a Christmas Market cruise and we went during the day and then returned at night, it was magical.