I've probably lost my grip, but we got the call from Tauck yesterday that 2022 dates are set and those on the early notification list were being called and had a week to decide. We put down a deposit for 26 Oct 2022. Will be interested to hear from those of you who finally get to take it in 2021.
We are taking the Northern Spain and Rioja Valley tour on May 19 to June 1. We are also schedule for the Douro, Lisbon and Madrid from June 3 to June 14. We like to do back-to-back tours as we travel in business class. Keeping our fingers crossed!
Noreen, I concur doing back to back tours saves on air fare and jet lag. Plus Tauck only charges you one guest protection. Right now we only have the Douro planned for 2022 but who knows between now and then.
We are on the 4/17 Douro River cruise and I am a bit concerned. Americans can’t enter Portugal/Schenghen countries now. Not looking likely for a while. 60 days out is 2/17. What would you do? If they haven’t cancelled it? Play chicken with T or just cancel?
I agree that it isn't going to happen. What is the cost of waiting for Tauck to cancel? In the unlikely event that 2/17 rolls around and Tauck hasn't canceled or extended the payment date, I would call them.
It probably is already canceled but Tauck hasn’t got around to calling you yet. Suggest you decide whether you might want to book it again for the following year, looking at specific dates you might choose.Think about another tour you might book next year. Decide whether when they do cancel whether you want your deposits back, which I have done twice. This will not include your insurance. Then call them with all these options ready. If they have officially canceled but not called you yet, they may do the cancelation by them with them then and there. I know they say do not call. We very rarely call Tauck apart from when we booking trips, but when we have called recently, about flights etc, there has been very little wait time which suggests they have plenty of people to answer calls. I also think they have designated people to call you when they are canceling. When our latest tour was canceled, the agent thanked us for being so nice, she pretty much said that most people are not pleasant on these calls. Good luck.
Just found the Tauck forum/discussion. So I’m new to this... My first post. I’ve travelled once withTauck... Solo river cruise on Rhône. I’ve a reservation for Douro Madrid to Lisbon June 10, 2021. Fellow travelers on Rhône cruise advised I use a travel agent rather than book directly as I had. So this trip was booked through a travel agent. I chose Tauck trip protection this time rather than John Hancock or Allianz. I am not understanding Tauck’s policy updates regarding my options. I got my first Covid vaccine and am scheduled for 2nd dose soon. But news from Spain does not sound promising for all the companies Tauck uses.
Patrice, welcome to the Forum and you're not alone in understanding Tauck's policy updates. Often your best option, if you have any burning questions, is to call and talk with Tauck directly. Oftentimes posts aren't of an urgency that a call to Tauck is required and you may get the answer you're looking for on the Forum (or possibly, lots of different answers, ).
The Forum is a fun way for all of us Want-to-be-Traveling people to have an avenue to stay connected to travel, travel issues, and travel discussions. Hope you enjoy your experience.
Welcome Patrice, yes agree with Sam, you may have to ask your agent to call and get a written explanation from Tauck. I should think if Tauck cancel your cruise, it may be your best option to book for the same dates in 2022. Their policies keep changing. But because you want a single spot, you might have to be ready to have a specific date you can book as soon as they call you to cancel....I guess they will call your agent, maybe you can give your agent the alternate dates to book for you so you don’t miss out.
I have used a travel agent for two of my Tauck trips, and I really think it is easier to book directly with Tauck. Unless you have a TA who offers some sort of ‘incentive’, it is much easier to talk to the source rather than through a ‘middle-man’. They have a system that identifies your phone number, and they almost instantaneously know who you are and what trips you have booked.
I've used our AAA TA since 2001 to book ALL our Tauck trips - she is invaluable to us. She finds out info for us before others in our group who don't use a TA do. Plus, we get a AAA discount off of trips and money off of airfare ($150 main cabin and comfort plus, $300 off business class). She has our back IF anything goes wrong too, as does Tauck - but we always extend our trips on each end of the Tauck tour and she has our back then too.
Comments
I've probably lost my grip, but we got the call from Tauck yesterday that 2022 dates are set and those on the early notification list were being called and had a week to decide. We put down a deposit for 26 Oct 2022. Will be interested to hear from those of you who finally get to take it in 2021.
We are taking the Northern Spain and Rioja Valley tour on May 19 to June 1. We are also schedule for the Douro, Lisbon and Madrid from June 3 to June 14. We like to do back-to-back tours as we travel in business class. Keeping our fingers crossed!
Noreen
Tucson, AZ
Noreen, I concur doing back to back tours saves on air fare and jet lag. Plus Tauck only charges you one guest protection. Right now we only have the Douro planned for 2022 but who knows between now and then.
We are on the 4/17 Douro River cruise and I am a bit concerned. Americans can’t enter Portugal/Schenghen countries now. Not looking likely for a while. 60 days out is 2/17. What would you do? If they haven’t cancelled it? Play chicken with T or just cancel?
Wait for tauck to cancel. It ain't gonna happen.
I agree that it isn't going to happen. What is the cost of waiting for Tauck to cancel? In the unlikely event that 2/17 rolls around and Tauck hasn't canceled or extended the payment date, I would call them.
It probably is already canceled but Tauck hasn’t got around to calling you yet. Suggest you decide whether you might want to book it again for the following year, looking at specific dates you might choose.Think about another tour you might book next year. Decide whether when they do cancel whether you want your deposits back, which I have done twice. This will not include your insurance. Then call them with all these options ready. If they have officially canceled but not called you yet, they may do the cancelation by them with them then and there. I know they say do not call. We very rarely call Tauck apart from when we booking trips, but when we have called recently, about flights etc, there has been very little wait time which suggests they have plenty of people to answer calls. I also think they have designated people to call you when they are canceling. When our latest tour was canceled, the agent thanked us for being so nice, she pretty much said that most people are not pleasant on these calls. Good luck.
Just found the Tauck forum/discussion. So I’m new to this... My first post. I’ve travelled once withTauck... Solo river cruise on Rhône. I’ve a reservation for Douro Madrid to Lisbon June 10, 2021. Fellow travelers on Rhône cruise advised I use a travel agent rather than book directly as I had. So this trip was booked through a travel agent. I chose Tauck trip protection this time rather than John Hancock or Allianz. I am not understanding Tauck’s policy updates regarding my options. I got my first Covid vaccine and am scheduled for 2nd dose soon. But news from Spain does not sound promising for all the companies Tauck uses.
Patrice, welcome to the Forum and you're not alone in understanding Tauck's policy updates. Often your best option, if you have any burning questions, is to call and talk with Tauck directly. Oftentimes posts aren't of an urgency that a call to Tauck is required and you may get the answer you're looking for on the Forum (or possibly, lots of different answers,
).
The Forum is a fun way for all of us Want-to-be-Traveling people to have an avenue to stay connected to travel, travel issues, and travel discussions. Hope you enjoy your experience.
Welcome Patrice, yes agree with Sam, you may have to ask your agent to call and get a written explanation from Tauck. I should think if Tauck cancel your cruise, it may be your best option to book for the same dates in 2022. Their policies keep changing. But because you want a single spot, you might have to be ready to have a specific date you can book as soon as they call you to cancel....I guess they will call your agent, maybe you can give your agent the alternate dates to book for you so you don’t miss out.
I have used a travel agent for two of my Tauck trips, and I really think it is easier to book directly with Tauck. Unless you have a TA who offers some sort of ‘incentive’, it is much easier to talk to the source rather than through a ‘middle-man’. They have a system that identifies your phone number, and they almost instantaneously know who you are and what trips you have booked.
I've used our AAA TA since 2001 to book ALL our Tauck trips - she is invaluable to us. She finds out info for us before others in our group who don't use a TA do. Plus, we get a AAA discount off of trips and money off of airfare ($150 main cabin and comfort plus, $300 off business class). She has our back IF anything goes wrong too, as does Tauck - but we always extend our trips on each end of the Tauck tour and she has our back then too.