A failed trip down the Danube

We are just returning from the river boat cruise Berlin to Krakow. This was our first Tauck experience and first group travel. I am not alone in feeling very disappointed. Let me list pros and cons.

Pros.

-we travelled through beautiful countries of German, Austria, and Poland.
-the hotel in Berlin and the river boat were beautiful facilities with incredible staff
-the weather was incredible
-the tour guides at various locations were good, some great
-the food was great
-dinner at the parliament building in Berlin and the palace in Vienna was incredible.

Cons

-very old group of people. We asked tauck about ages of guests. They said 60 percent over 60 almost everyone was over 75 many over 80. Only 2 people under 60. Very disappointing. Felt like floating senior citizen home.
-group was large and impersonal. Felt like I was being herded like cattle. Tauck staff while nice did not engage with guests. Even when we went on a small group bike tour of 7 Tauck person did not speak with us but spoke with bike leader. Felt like cattle
-Sheraton hotels in Nuremberg and Krakow were mediocre. In Krakow we were given horrendous room with stairs covering our window. We had to insists on a change. There was no turn down service. When we asked they said they do not turn down Tauck rooms. Front desk was not helpful when I needed to mail postcard.
-

Overall would not recommend or do a Tauck tour in foreseeable future.

Comments

  • Mtong wrote:
    We are just returning from the river boat cruise Berlin to Krakow. This was our first Tauck experience and first group travel. I am not alone in feeling very disappointed. Let me list pros and cons.

    Pros.

    -we travelled through beautiful countries of German, Austria, and Poland.
    -the hotel in Berlin and the river boat were beautiful facilities with incredible staff
    -the weather was incredible
    -the tour guides at various locations were good, some great
    -the food was great
    -dinner at the parliament building in Berlin and the palace in Vienna was incredible.

    Cons

    -very old group of people. We asked tauck about ages of guests. They said 60 percent over 60 almost everyone was over 75 many over 80. Only 2 people under 60. Very disappointing. Felt like floating senior citizen home.
    -group was large and impersonal. Felt like I was being herded like cattle. Tauck staff while nice did not engage with guests. Even when we went on a small group bike tour of 7 Tauck person did not speak with us but spoke with bike leader. Felt like cattle
    -Sheraton hotels in Nuremberg and Krakow were mediocre. In Krakow we were given horrendous room with stairs covering our window. We had to insists on a change. There was no turn down service. When we asked they said they do not turn down Tauck rooms. Front desk was not helpful when I needed to mail postcard.
    -

    Overall would not recommend or do a Tauck tour in foreseeable future.

    Wow, slamming an entire tour because, despite apparently not being in the demographic and being told by Tauck what it was, you took the tour anyway! The Tauck rep might have overstated the ages, I would say our group averaged 65, but certainly no where near 60% over 70 and very few over 80. Oh, my gosh, no turn-down service! The world is coming to an end!! Seriously? It sounds to me like you might be better off traveling on your own.
  • So basically you don't like old people and find no value in their company. Can't imagine why you didn't enjoy yourself.

    In what way were you herded like cattle? Except when the group has to make a move from town to town, Tauck never makes you go on the daily tours. Yes, you do need to show up on time otherwise you are delaying the entire group.

    Did you talk to anyone? Did you make any effort to engage with anyone?

    After 5 Tauck tours i find it hard to believe the TDs and CD didn't engage with anyone. Totally not the experience we've had.
  • I recall that around 1968 there was a counterculture cult classic movie entitled "Wild in the Streets". where the "young people" declared anyone "over 30" too old! LOL. :-). Hmmm,,,, I wonder. LOL. :-). I have now been on 38 Tauck tours, including 3 or 4 riverboat cruises with Tauck, and all of them, including my fellow travelers were fun and interesting folks. Just saying. :-).
  • Since Mtong has only made one post, and a negative one, they obviously made no effort to ‘communicate’ before the river cruise. So I’m not surprised that communication was difficult during the trip. All of the ‘pros’ make it sound like a really good trip. And the cons ... sound like a personal problem. These are not advertised as kid trips. It’s not like Sandals that advertises a bunch of young hard bodies, who spend more than $600 dollars per day, and the clientelle is actuallly quite senior.
  • I don't think Mtong had a very clear idea what group travel entails. You give up some freedom in how you spend your time in exchange for having Tauck make all the arrangements for hotels, drivers, tour guides, tickets, most meals, baggage handling, etc. In dealing with a foreign country I'll sacrifice schedule flexibility in order to have Tauck handle those details.
  • I guess I am getting a bit feisty, but I see some merit in Mtong's post. First, the pro's are being ignored...there are a lot of positives there, and, frankly, in areas where other posters have complaints (food? local guides?). After my "half-riverboat tour" I have to agree about our experience with our TD...he was a bit impersonal, but that might have changed had we finished the trip before it was cancelled. As far as ages of fellow travelers, many of us on the Forum have stated that we will do riverboat tours when we get older, and let's face it, it is a bit easier to unpack once and have a home base for the entire trip which might be more attractive to a less mobile traveler where one can participate in tours or not...
    And, I can sympathize with that "cattle" feeling as I have felt that way about the organization on another trip (although, I loved our TD who was very personable and engaged continually with us).
    Turndown...well, you've got me there! That's really not a deal breaker! I can never figure it out...some hotels provide it, others not always. Frequently, the turn down service will arrive around 6 PM just when we are returning from some adventure and need to shower and change. We have no problem telling them to return at some appointed hour. In fact, if we want a service, we call and request it. Maybe their usual practice is not to turn down Tauck rooms, but I bet if you request it, they will not deny you. Tauck does wield a bit of power.
    As far as unacceptable rooms, the same principle applies. If you have a problem with a room, ask for a change. We have had a couple of experiences where our room smelled of cigarette smoke (most recently in London in what was a "non-smoking" room). Even the receptionist who came to escort us to our new room couldn't deny that the room reeked! We have never had a problem being relocated. Then again, we do not ask for a Grand Canal view with a balcony if our room has a inner courtyard view.
    As far as the postcard is concerned, I can't sympathize as I haven't mailed a postcard in 16 years! That sort of does not connect with your observation of a "senior citizen home"!
    Touring with a company is all about expectations. I really think you need to clarify your expectations (you were pretty clear in your pros) and, if unable to find a company that satisfies all of your expectations, settle with a company that fulfills the most important ones (apparently age of fellow travelers is important to you, and frequently the luxury companies attract a crowd that is more established...also, the type of tour dictates the type of traveler...the more exotic tours attract a more intrepid traveler...)
  • Every tour has pros and cons, but writing off a tour as a failure because their expectations of their fellow travelers age and what group travel is like isn't really fair. And the comments on age were needlessly nasty. We had a young couple on a cruise once who made no effort to talk to anyone and barely participated in activities. One intrepid solo traveler in our group invited himself to their table. Turned out it was a honeymoon trip. Were they disgusted with all us old folks, did they have any interest in meeting others...... No idea. If you aren't willing to initiate conversation, don't be surprised when nobody talks to you.

    Still find it hard to believe 2-3 TDs and the CD didn't engage with anyone. If so it will be reflected in multiple evaluations.

    To me the river cruises aren't really easier physically than the 2 european land tours we've taken but easier in that i have more control over the type of room and the meals. I like the ship's buffet breakfast and lunch where I can focus on fruits and vegetables, not end up with more on my plate than desired and hence enjoy the happy hour and dinner with a little more comfort and less guilt. And yes it's very convenient being able to hang up my clothes so they aren't wrinkled, know how to work the shower controls, know where to find electric plugs, etc. I find I spend more time enjoying the tour not trying to readjust to a new room or hotel. There is plenty of walking and climbing to do and you better be able to climb the ship's stairs and walk the often awkwardly placed gangplank to shore. Unless you just want to sit on the ship you need to be fairly mobile.
  • We have decided to take all land vacations now and delay for a long time any river cruises. It's true river cruises are good for those who don't want to move to the next hotel, pack and unpack, and prefer their same room for their entire trip. That's a good thing for them. We look at it differently. A great part of what we want to experience in our world travels ARE different places to stay overnight and we gladly pack and unpack so we can experience them. Places like the Langham in Melbourne, the Intercontinental in Sydney (Prime Minister Netanyahu stayed there the same days we did - talk about an experience), Ashforth Castle in Ireland, the Traub Tonback in Munich etc. etc. It's simply a matter of choice for everyone.
  • Virginia Travelers - I agree with you. I don't get the appeal of the river cruises. They are slow moving and often don't go near the attractions you would like to see, so you wind up on a bus, anyway. Personally, I like to be active while travelling. When I did the China trip, I found the 3 days on the Yangtze boring. If Tauck offered the land-only version, which they just started, I would have taken that, instead. Similarly, I'm looking into an Alaska trip for next year. I was planning on doing the Tauck land-only trip, but they aren't offering it for 2019, so I'll be looking elsewhere.

    Regarding not getting turn down service, I would have nightmares for weeks :-)
  • Everyone has their preferences I see. We hate buses. So we don’t do land tours ... we have done one. There is some busing around doing tours, but it is minor compared to changing venues on a bus. We do mostly the small boat tours, and we intend to do more river boats. Our Danube cruise was the older active set but certainly not an old people’s home gathering. (;-)
  • It's good that Tauck provides so many options to choose from to fit all our preferences.

    As much as I like the convenience of the river cruise as floating hotel, I have enjoyed the usually welcome surprise of the hotels rooms we've had on our Tauck tours. In Ireland we had a suite in the Merchant with a 4th floor view of the city and at Glenlo Abbey a view Lough Corrib I could have stared at for hours. It made me willing to ignore the lack of AC during a heat wave and the tiny bathroom with the most frustrating shower. It had a stiff plastic control valve that took two hands to operate from inside the shower (getting sprayed with cold water) or attempt to wrap your left arm around a folding glass door to reach. Yep, pretty refreshing way to start the day.

    I do concur with BKMD that some of the cruise itineraries/stops put the ship in a locale that you don't want to walk around and explore on your own. When it is in a walkable location it's great. Our first cruise on the Rhone was like that and the reason it remains our favorite. I liked the places the tour went on the Rhine/Moselle but there was more bus time. The Seine a bit of a mix and I'm hoping the Danube/Main/Rhine cruise next year will have very little bus time and still see interesting places.

  • edited July 2018
    To date I have been on 38 different tours of the U.S., Canada, and Europe with Tauck, which includes Tauck river boat cruises on the Rhine, Rhone, Seine, Danube, and soon Moselle rivers (including "Christmas Markets" excursions on the Danube and Rhine from the river boats). Both the land tours and the river cruises have been top notch each in their own right as have been the interesting sights, sounds, food, wine, and people I have met along the way on these journeys. All I can say is that my travel with Tauck by land and river have been a joy. Hopefully, I will be able to continue to do so in the future. :-)
  • edited July 2018
    Ok, time for my experience..... I am currently on my first Small ship tour, I ‘m not counting the two Galapagos tours I have taken because the Isabella 2 has a maximum of 40 passengers, so as far as the group feel, it is the same as a land tour. This group is 180 strong. So there is no way it is going to be the same as a land tour. There are 4 tour directors, one who we know from a previous tour and a ship Tauck Liason tour director and three newbies observing the tour. Of course we have spoken to three of the four directors and I spoke to one of the observers today, but there is no way you can expect to have the same level of camaraderie or contact with other passengers or tour directors in a week plus than you can with the number of people you get on a land tour. We are finishing the second night and we have had the wonderful opportunity tonight, we had dinner at the Captain’s table with three other people. Then, most people went to their cabins but Mr B and I went to the bar and have been dancing along with a few others and the ship’s gorgeous young hostesses dressed in revealing white evening dresses. We had a great time. Don’t call us old people, if we still were not recovering from jet lag and a very rough night at sea last night, we would still be dancing.

  • I was on the same tour as Mtong, my seventh Tauck tour, first river cruise with them. I would agree that the threeTD's didn't engage with guests in the way I have experienced on my previous tours, perhaps because of their ages and lack of experience, they often looked hassled. It also didn't help that low river levels meant a night in a Nuremburg hotel and some lengthy bus rides. I was disappointed with the MS Savor, I felt not up to the standard of Uniworld or Viking. I would not want to travel with such a large group again although I was delighted to meet many interesting and amusing fellow guests from around the world. I would certainly take another land trip with Tauck as their itineraries often allow time to explore independently, which suits me fine. But I did feel the choice of venue for the final night dinner should instead be an option for a day tour. Dinner in a chilly salt mine?? No thanks.
  • rhgramsay wrote:
    I was on the same tour as Mtong, my seventh Tauck tour, first river cruise with them. I would agree that the threeTD's didn't engage with guests in the way I have experienced on my previous tours, perhaps because of their ages and lack of experience, they often looked hassled. It also didn't help that low river levels meant a night in a Nuremburg hotel and some lengthy bus rides. I was disappointed with the MS Savor, I felt not up to the standard of Uniworld or Viking. I would not want to travel with such a large group again although I was delighted to meet many interesting and amusing fellow guests from around the world. I would certainly take another land trip with Tauck as their itineraries often allow time to explore independently, which suits me fine. But I did feel the choice of venue for the final night dinner should instead be an option for a day tour. Dinner in a chilly salt mine?? No thanks.

    That's too bad. I wonder if the new-ness of this tour contributed. The team TD concept is something unique to the river cruise and small ship tours as opposed to the land tours where the TD is pretty much chief cook and bottle washer. We did have one river cruise where the TDs were all good and very personable but the CD was a bit preoccupied. A few minor incidents where communication within the "team" broke down.

    Not that I want to get anyone in trouble, but hopefully you communicated your impressions in you evaluation.
  • We did the Blue Danube from Prague to Budapest on the MS. Joy. The Cruise Director and three Tour Directors were outstanding. Odds are that on occasion there will be a sub-optimal trip. Fortunately our experiences have been outstanding on four land and two river cruises.
  • AshvEd wrote:
    We did the Blue Danube from Prague to Budapest on the MS. Joy. The Cruise Director and three Tour Directors were outstanding. Odds are that on occasion there will be a sub-optimal trip. Fortunately our experiences have been outstanding on four land and two river cruises.


    We will be on the same itinerary in early August, so I appreciate your comments. Looking forward to our trip. We've had nothing but good experiences with Tauck in the past.

  • edited July 2018
    Our first Small ship cruise ends today. We are veteran Tauck land customers. All the tour directors have been friendly and outstanding as usual, but of course you do interact with them way less than on a land tour. But they were constantly available if you needed them.
    We did learn that Tauck has hired 50 new Tauck tour directors this year because the company is expanding so rapidly. I would guess that they maybe start them off on the river cruises because to me they would be the easiest tours to put beginners on, plus, because there are usually four on each boat, they would be able to suppprt each other. We had three new hires ‘observing’ on this trip, they were all young. Be sure to fill in your comment cards and maybe any tour directors who have been sub standard will get more training or be dismissed. Or maybe the original posters are more deamanding than the average Tauck traveler. Any situation can be looked at from two sides. The directors do ‘score’ ius the traveler too.
  • British wrote:
    Our first Small ship cruise ends today. We are veteran Tauck land customers. All the tour directors have been friendly and outstanding as usual, but of course you do interact with them way less than on a land tour. But they were constantly available if you needed them.
    We did learn that Tauck has hired 50 new Tauck tour directors this year because the company is expanding so rapidly. I would guess that they maybe start them off on the river cruises because to me they would be the easiest tours to put beginners on, plus, because there are usually four on each boat, they would be able to suppprt each other. We had three new hires ‘observing’ on this trip, they were all young. Be sure to fill in your comment cards and maybe any tour directors who have been sub standard will get more training or be dismissed. Or maybe the original posters are more deamanding than the average Tauck traveler. Any situation can be looked at from two sides. The directors do ‘score’ ius the traveler too.


    You could be right about river cruises being a good place to train TDs since they can work with the other more experienced ones. I only recall 1 TD that had done land tours before river cruising and she was kind of the junior member of the team learning the cruise itinerary, etc. The number of directors on board can vary. Now that the older ships have been reconfigured to carry fewer passengers (98 max) you may not see the standard 3 TDs and CD. That's what happened on our Seine cruise where we only had about 60 passengers so only 2 TDs. They did have a 3rd who was an experienced Danube TD but was cross training to the Seine. The cruise going back west after our Rhine/Moselle had the normal complement plus 3 more trainees.

    Hope you enjoyed your small ship tour British. I'm a little nervous of those due to number of passengers and sea sickness.
  • British wrote:
    Our first Small ship cruise ends today. We are veteran Tauck land customers. All the tour directors have been friendly and outstanding as usual, but of course you do interact with them way less than on a land tour. But they were constantly available if you needed them.
    We did learn that Tauck has hired 50 new Tauck tour directors this year because the company is expanding so rapidly. I would guess that they maybe start them off on the river cruises because to me they would be the easiest tours to put beginners on, plus, because there are usually four on each boat, they would be able to suppprt each other. We had three new hires ‘observing’ on this trip, they were all young. Be sure to fill in your comment cards and maybe any tour directors who have been sub standard will get more training or be dismissed. Or maybe the original posters are more deamanding than the average Tauck traveler. Any situation can be looked at from two sides. The directors do ‘score’ ius the traveler too.

    We are doing our first small ship cruise, which is the same one that British is on. I know one of the directors is Carla, whom we had in Patagonia. I cannot imagine her being anything other than totally friendly and helpful. We had some concerns about four tour directors, but we look at traveling as doing something different. We have previously done demanding land trips like Kenya/Tanzania and Israel. Life's been busy and we are looking forward to something new. Learned along time ago part of traveling and having fun is flexibility. And can't wait to get out of this South Texas heat!
  • Besides what British wrote/observed I think that Tauck too is "aging." I know of a number of older great TDs who are or are in the process of retiring as well as several others who are now "semi-retired" but returned to help out on special Events, etc. I am sure that the "new, younger" hires will do fine given time. Time marches on! :-)

  • Of the four trips I've been on, the best by far, TD, was 65ish.
  • Following on from a previous post where we had to miss a night on board MS Savor due to low water levels on the Danube, and Tauck then arranged one night in a hotel in Nuremburg with dinner, entertainment and free bar. I thought they looked after us very well in a situation that was beyond their control. Now they've issued a generous credit note against a future trip along with a cash refund. Well done! On the subject of TD's in my experience the oldies are the goodies, nothing can beat years of experience.
  • BKMD wrote:
    Virginia Travelers - I agree with you. I don't get the appeal of the river cruises. They are slow moving and often don't go near the attractions you would like to see, so you wind up on a bus, anyway. Personally, I like to be active while travelling. When I did the China trip, I found the 3 days on the Yangtze boring. If Tauck offered the land-only version, which they just started, I would have taken that, instead. Similarly, I'm looking into an Alaska trip for next year. I was planning on doing the Tauck land-only trip, but they aren't offering it for 2019, so I'll be looking elsewhere.

    Regarding not getting turn down service, I would have nightmares for weeks :-)

    Can't agree more! We loved all those places mentioned by Virginia, and we, took, were looking for Alaska alternative. Thanks for the mention about China land tour, too!
  • River cruises are not for everyone. Yes, they are slow, often miss nearby points of interest, but the biggest disappointment for me is too little time on shore, too rushed. I am always the last to return to ship. This is why, after reviewing nearly every Rhine cruise (all essentially the same), I am now designing my own cruise by train. I will have a day or two at each stop, plus towns in the Netherlands and Germany (Dusseldorf, e.g.) which may not be on most cruise itineraries. I suspect like me you are an independent traveler at heart. I hope your next travel proves more satisfying.
  • This entire thread reminds me a bit of ‘Yelp”.

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