Gift of Time

Jersey Girl and Guy

What is Tauck's policy on gift of time?

We are planning to arrive a day early for a tour and stay an extra day at the end of the tour. The Tauck rate for one hotel is twice the rate for the other hotel. Does Tauck automatically apply the Gift of Time to the less expensive hotel? The difference between the two hotels is $200.

AshvEd

We have always been able to select the hotel for the Gift of Time, and it's the most costly one.

[Deleted User]

In our experience (on more than one trip), if you book both a pre- and post-trip hotel room through Tauck, the Gift of Time will be applied to the less expensive hotel. We always book the less expensive hotel directly with a note that we will be with the Tauck group and don't want to change rooms which has always worked. On another occasion, the difference between hotels was only a few dollars so we didn't bother.

A specific example was the river cruise from Paris (using the Waldorf Astoria in Versailles) ending in London (at the Savoy). We booked the WA directly through Hilton (actually a bit cheaper than through Tauck, though Tauck's extra hotel nights don't have the ridiculous premium that some cuisse lines have), and had the extra Gift of Time night at the Savoy (which was WAY more expensive)

Of course, if you don't want to add an extra night at each end then the choice is easy.

Sue

I'm taking the Week in Spain trip in October. I took the more expensive hotel as the Gift of Time.

Sue

Richardb

I have always understood, and followed, the principle that the Gift of Time is available either at the hotel where the tour begins or ends. So, if the tour begins at hotel A then you can choose to arrive early and use your extra night there, OR if it ends at hotel B you can stop over an extra night at that hotel instead - one or the other. We have always followed that. It has always worked and it avoids any disturbance of changing rooms.

Sue

I'm arriving a day early and staying an extra day at the end. I asked if I could use the more expensive hotel as the Gift of Time. I was told I could so I am paying for the cheaper hotel.

Sue

Leslie Ehrlich Eisner

Sue we also are on the 10/22 week in Spain...2 couples in our early 60's and my 83 year old single mom! We are arriving on the 18th at night, and added 2 days in Madrid. One of which we will go to Toledo. Staying at same hotels; thanks to SPG points!