Your First Tauck Trip
What was your first Tauck trip?
Mine was Colorado. It was a really nice trip for a first timer, not too expensive for a test trip and it covered a lot of beautiful territory. We visited Mesa Verde, Durango, Aspen, Vail, Colorado National Monument, and Rocky Mountain National Park where we had thunder snow.
It's a shame this tour is no longer offered.
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Ours was our first K&T. I had been looking at OAT, but someone recommended that we look at Tauck ... who I had never heard of. So I did. Where OAT was driving, Tauck was flying, and the ‘hotels’ were of course much better. After doing more research I decided upon Tauck ... although my wife thought I had lost my mind due to the cost. It was less than twenty-four hours into the trip when she gave me ‘two thumbs up’.
Ours was Classic Italy. I had done a spread sheet comparison of about 6 different tour companies. We decided on Tauck even though it was a little more expensive. However, we soon realized that with all that was included, it was a good value. Now we only travel with Tauck.
8 under my belt. - My first
Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand .
My first Tauck trip was in 2002, only the Australia portion of a 21 day Australia and New Zealand land tour as I couldn't get off work for 3 weeks. I had previously travelled independently and had taken many trips with OAT as they were very affordable. I remember receiving a brochure for the Tauck trip a couple years prior and I had the brochure so "dog eared" from looking at it so much that my husband, at the time, took pity on me and said we would find some way to scrape up enough cash to take that trip for my 50th birthday even if he had to sell some personal items. From that point on, I was hooked and other tours just seemed to pale in comparison. I still remember all the details of that trip, it was extraordinary. I am saving my pennies so that I can take another river cruise to France to replace the canceled tour from last year.
Ours was the "Spotlight on Australia" trip in February 2016 that no longer exists. We actually booked OAT on our own for Australia, then hired a travel agent (we know that's backwards), and she recommended we cancel OAT and book Tauck. We did just that and have never looked back. As Travel Maven said above - "other tours just seemed to pale in comparison" - is so true. Our Farewell Dinner was on the top floor in the tallest building in Sydney in a revolving restaurant. We had so much fun on that trip that we instantly became forever TAUCKTORIANS !
Our first trip was A Week in Italy in 2006. The itinerary has changed since then. When we went it was Rome Florence and Umbria region. We took our two sons. The youngest had just graduated college. It was the best! And money well spent. We have never had a bad tour director and have taken 9 tours since then. Although expensive I have no regrets.
For first timers, you are a adventurous bunch!
I think our first tour was named something like Rome, Amalfi coast and Capri, around 2003. We took the Colorado tour mentioned above, loved it, don’t know why they don’t do it anymore. Took Spotlight of Australia too. Took Florence Tuscany and Umbria, no longer done but loved that too. Took Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos , they no longer do that one.....it must be my fault!
Taken one tour with OAT, never ever again!
Our first was China. Thoroughly enjoyed it and have taken a total of 6 Tauck trips. We are scheduled for Viet Nam, Cambodia and Thailand this fall (cancelled in 2020) and are hoping it goes thru.
We have found Tauck trips to be very well done, and worth the price. You see a lot and the guides are excellent We like the fact that almost everything is included (no nickel and diming)
Our first was Treasures of the Aegean: Greece & Turkey in 2011. The itinerary is different now. It no longer includes Istanbul, which is a shame. We met a couple on that tour, it was their first Tauck tour as well. At the time that couple wasn't married. They since have married. We attended their wedding in Palm Springs and have gone on 6 additional Tauck tours with them and 2 other Tauck tours without them. We are booked to do Egypt: Jewels of the Nile with them in October, 2022 (originally October 2020).
You see lots of wonderful things, stay in spectacular places, and meet lots of great people on Tauck tours.
My first Tauck trip was the Alps trip in 2011. It was the only one that my husband was able to take, so I never include it when ranking my tours, because it's such a different experience traveling as a solo. It's in a category of its own. We met lovely people, and I have kept in touch with two of the couples. The tour spoiled me. The itinerary has changed somewhat since then, but I'm sure its still a wonderful trip. I've taken 8 Tauck tours, had 3 cancelled this past year, and have 2 more booked for this year (one of which, Ireland in June, I fully expect to be cancelled soon) and 2 booked for next year -- so far.
Virginia_Travelers: Everything on the Australia trip was fabulous, however, the one event that I will never forget is traveling to view Ayers Rock in the desert and when we arrived there was a banquet table with a white tablecloth and chandelier in the middle and filled with yummy hors d'oeuvres . We had several waiters all wearing black bow ties who served us endless glasses of champagne and hors d'oeuvres as we sat in our camp chairs watching the sun go down. I still recall a tour next to us that consisted of young people in their 20's who stared at us in awe as they stood watching the sunset, drinking cans of beer and eating cheese and crackers. I wanted to tell them to be patient and that one day they too could experience the life of a Taucktorian.
Travel Maven - we remember the same thing. Are these the tables you speak of ?? Notice some have already donned the fly masks for protection. As we were walking to the tables our TD made a comment about some other group setting up those tables and laughed. As we got to them he said "Welcome to Tauck"! He also recommended that we take as many continuous photos as we could when the sun started to cast shadows on the Rock. So we did and later we saw the many changes in seconds. It was fabulous !
St. Petersburg & the Baltic Sea May 2012
My first was Peru/Bolivia in 2015. 7 done, 2 currently scheduled for 2022, and who knows how many more.
Derek - that trip looks amazing! We are thinking of the Russian Glories land tour.
Our first Tauck trip was a bridges tour to Costa Rica that we bought for our family. Although we have travelled extensively ( been in about 100 countries), we never did a tour. We were so impressed with Tauck that we purchased 2 more Bridges tours and have traveled on 2 regular tours. They do a great job! Suppose to go to Egypt and Jordan in October. I guess we’ll see about that.
Speaking of which...my first trip (first solo trip EVER) was Russian Glories in 2013...it was amazing!! I became a devout Taucktorian❣️
Virginia_Travelelers: Yes, that picture is indeed the same one that we experienced back in 2002 except that it had a huge sterling silver candelabra in the middle of the table and all of the waiters were dressed in white shirts and black slacks with black bow ties. Fabulous.
2013, England, Scotland, and Wales. Many in between and hopefully next is Jordan & Egypt: Petra to the Pyramids, March, Inshallah!
Virginia_Travelers
Yes, the Baltic Sea was enjoyable, however Cuba in July 2015 is the trip that made me a Taucktourian (?).
Our first was the Best of the Canadian Rockies in 2009. Great itinerary and met wonderful people. We were amazed at how smoothly Tauck handled all of the logistics. We were hooked!
Classic Italy 2006
Our first Tauck trip. The Grand Canyon. We took our son a sophomore in high school then. Since then we have had 11 more with Tauck. Hoping for number 13 next May. That will be The Seine plus London and Paris. We are taking our nephew. Tauck has always given us a fabulous time.
Karenna -- our first was also MAJESTIC COLORADO 2004 - we still don't understand why they no longer do it. The train ride from Durango to Silverton was a highlight for us. Since then, we've done only 3 other tours with them, but have 3 more booked in 2022 & 2023.
Our first was the French Waterways river cruise that evolved into the current Savoring France. I think I had a grin on my face the entire cruise. Did not want it to end. Came home and immediately booked the next cruise but longer. So far 4 cruises and 2 land tours done with 2 more land tours and the Douro booked.
Since that first trip in 2013, I have usually emailed Tauck while still in the trip to book the next one!! The most important question I always ask my fellow travelers is What was your favorite Tauck trip?? (Note to all solo travelers: this is a great conversation starter!) Obviously I’m very impressionable—I wanna go whereever they went!!
I think I'm getting to the bottom of the bucket list then find another tour that looks interesting.
Our first trip was Imperial Europe (now called Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna, Prague) in 2015.
Warsaw
Aushwitz
Budapest
Prague
Essence of Japan - 2006