Booked the May 2021 Eastbound Cruise
I just put a deposit on the May 2021 eastbound cruise. This cruise seems to book up faster than many others so we thought we would go ahead and do it. According to the agent we aren't the first, but there are still lots of cabins available.
We haven't decided on the extra day yet, but will probably take it in Budapest.
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I see the itineraries and prices are now posted for the 2021 sailings. I expect we will hear from Tauck soon about confirming our reservation. I see two cabin classes on our sailing are already sold out.
Looks like no real changes in the itineraries from 2020. I suppose that means everything worked satisfactorily.
We have put deposits on two tours very early in the past and Tauck has failed to call us before they became available for everyone!
I don't understand why that's an issue - we chose a cabin when we made the deposit, so I figure we're set.
I expected they would want a commitment and the rest of the deposit, but now that I look at what we paid as a deposit on our last cruise I see what we've already paid is about the same, so I guess we don't owe then anything more until the final payment.
We put a deposit on our Switzerland trip last summer before the 2020 prices were finalized and Tauck didn't notify us when they were and we had the limited time to change out minds. We didn't want to but was surprised not to get a email at least.
I was not notified by Tauck or my travel agent when the 2021 prices for South
Africa were finalized. Fortunately, I learned from the travel forum that the prices had been finalized and was able to cancel my trip within the 2-week grace period. (As a non-animal person, I decided it wasn't worth the cost to spend 4 nights at game preserves. I hope to get to Cape Town and Jo-berg on my own sometime in the future.) Alternate travel plans are in the works.
I understood the Grace period meant that if you did not contact Tauck within the two weeks that you would lose the reserved place on the tour, not the deposit. Am I incorrect?
First, we usually book as soon as a trip is posted to the website (sometimes before then, e.g. Jordan & Egypt
) In over a dozen trips we have never received notification when prices have finally been posted (l check regularly, however). Right now I am waiting for 2021 Treasures of the Aegean prices to be posted (our departure is already sold out 
)
I always wondered about the two week policy, but have never tested it because we always take the trip- we don't play the "book just to hold a spot in case we decide to go" game.
It was/is my understanding that once prices are posted, you have a two week grace period, to cancel and get 100% of your deposit back. After the two weeks you fall under the standard refund schedule.
We cancelled months after the two week grace period once, but were allowed to apply the deposit to another trip without penalty.
Since it appears they have been monitoring the forums lately, maybe Tauck Tim or Tauck Emily will weigh in.
What Alan said is what Tauck told us when we put down the deposit. That once the prices were listed you had two weeks to get your deposit back if you decided not to take the tour - one presumes if you thought the price too high. If you did nothing then you were booked. I just thought we'd get an email saying the prices were available and reiterating the 2 week policy.
I signed up and put down the deposit for a late 2021 Egypt trip before prices were posted. My travel agent contacted me the DAY the prices were posted to confirm my intentions.
Here is the standard blurb (I added red/bold).
"Reserve your preferred departure date and we will advise you once the 2021 trip is finalized and priced. You will then have two weeks to cancel; should you cancel, you'll receive a full refund of your trip deposit and the cost of the Travel Protection Product (if purchased). . . ."
It doesn't say how they will advise people- email, phonecall, telepathy? I have never been advised.
We put a deposit down on the 2021 Australian Adventure trip. I saw prices were posted (not sure if it was in the first two weeks because I only checked time to time), but did not receive an e-mail alert from Tauck. While I thought there might be an alert, we still want to take the trip so everything worked out fine for us. It would be helpful to know the protocol from Tauck Tim or Emily.
This discussion has been dormant for a year it appears. Anyone going on this one. I’ve booked a few times and the pandemic intervened. I’m doing the trip solo. Anyone else going on their own?
Btw seems like the discussion has sometimes deviated from the original. I’m discussing the Bucharest to Budapest cruise in May. Hope I’m in the correct spot.
Oops this is eastbound and I’m westbound. Never mind🤔