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Itineraries and Prices be posted?

Smiling Sam

What is typical for when Tauck posts the prices and itineraries for tours? I always thought that when a published tour date was within a year from the current date that Tauck would have the price and itinerary posted for that tour. I've found two tours where that isn't the case.

The Portrait of Arabia tour, a new tour, lists its first tour date as January 13, 2023, but there still is no day-by-day itinerary or price listed. It still shows up as Call For Details.

The same Call for Details happens for the Essence of South America tour that lists its first tour date as January 14, 2023.

Does anyone have any better recollection, than my 1 year in advance, as to when actual prices and itineraries show up?

Comments

AlanS

I think very little is the same as it was before the COVID era.

In the distant past they published departure dates and/or itinerary considerably more than a year before the first departure, especially for established tours. In some cases even earlier- XMAS Mkts dates were often published as much as two years before the first departure. A month or more later prices would be published. New tours can have a shorter cycle. They first announced the re-start of the Jordan & Egypt tours in early 2019, less than a year before the first departure was scheduled and even less until the final itinerary and prices were published. This is the new normal?

Claudia Sails

As near as I can recall they were usually out about 12-14 months before the tour date. But everything is so fluid right now I can imagine they are being cautious compared to prior years. They don't need more people committing money then being annoyed because their tour got canceled. Then the whole argument over money.

I've been looking at the Scandinavian land tour for 2023 and there isn't an itinerary listed and no prices. They also have only 12 start dates so far compared to 47 for 2022. I expect they'll add more - though sadly mostly small group. I'm also not seeing any new tours. The website used to feature new tours but I'm not seeing any right now.

Smiling Sam

Claudia - There is a selection on the Destinations drop down for ‘New’. That is where you can find the Portrait of Arabia tour.

Claudia Sails

Thanx Sam. I have trouble with their pull downs that are long and end up below my screen. Probably need to tweak something in my monitor settings. Seems like it would make more sense to be the New ones at the top. I mentioned the Arabia tour to my husband. Having spent 2 months TAD in Bahrain and visiting other countries there he felt he'd seen enough. Souvenirs galore though - rugs and gold. Your wife will love it.

British

We are already booked on the Arabia tour, think we booked it several months ago.
Before Covid when Tauck was in a boom phase and tours were booking up fast, they were posting dates and prices almost two years in advance.
The Essence of South America was cancelled after a major earthquake a few years ago. I think it was only reintroduced just before Covid hit. This destination is still ? Due to Covid restrictions. We also have this tour in our sights.

taxare

Hi Sam, it has fallen down to page 3, but I started a thread last month entitled "2023 Pricing" with the intention that as our 2023 tours had itineraries and pricing posted we would add it, so others could see the trips that already had this information. Be well and travel safe!

Smiling Sam

They now have posted the prices for the Essence of South America tour. Still nothing on the Portrait of Arabia tour.

Wayside

The small ship tours are usually the last to have posted prices. Based on a quick sample it appears that none of the small ship tours have posted prices for 2023.

Travelcrazy

I rescheduled my Yuletide Spirit tour (again) in October 2021 and moved it to my preferred date in December 2023. They had the dates but haven't posted prices yet and I don't actually expect to see them until towards the end of this year.

They also haven't posted the hotel prices for the Rendezvous on the Seine that I'm scheduled for in October 2022, but the tour itself was priced last year when I booked it. I'm waiting to figure out if I will be able to afford more than my Gift of Time night in the Paris hotel

Claudia Sails

Travelcrazy, I think they are just not posting the hotel prices on the website like they used to. We have a cruise sked for Oct/Nov 2022 with pre and post tour days booked at the Tauck hotels. My account shows these and the prices per night but the tour page on the website doesn't show any prices. If you requested and were granted a Gift of Time night it should be shown on your account and additional days at the same hotel I expect would be the same rate. If you are interested you need to call Tauck and ask.

I wasn't sure when I asked for the extra couple of days at the end of our tour about our plans. Ex, would that be enough time, could I book it cheaper on my own, maybe we should change hotels, etc. But as the agent said, we could always cancel those extra days and it was better to get locked in since they are on a space available basis. As above, I'd recommend calling Tauck.

British

When we have booked trips very early and ask for gift of time, the agent often says they will put it ‘ on request’ if they haven’t fixed prices or even know it is available.
On one of our tours , we booked early but there were no rooms available for the gift of time, the whole hotel was booked out for a wedding. We had to book another hotel on our own, in fact, Tauck was not very helpful at the time, but after discussion, they agreed to collect us from the airport. Since the hotel we booked was also the end of tour hotel, they at least did have a contract with the hotel.

AlanS

Also, if you were booking both a pre and post-stay, in the past Tauck would apply the Gift of Time to the first or least expensive stay. That has not been my experience in the last few years- the agents now tell you they will apply it to the most expensive stay- gotta love that!

Claudia Sails

Alan, that might be the semi-official rule but it's not hard and fast. First time we got GoT we used it at the very expensive Amsterdam hotel at the beginning of a cruise. Some time later we decided to add a couple of days at the end which was a less expensive hotel and Tauck didn't change which one was free.

I did notice something weird on our hotel costs for this upcoming tour. As above I'd asked for the GoT at the start in Lisbon. Only recently added the 2 Madrid days. Reviewing our statement this morning the hotel in Lisbon reimbursement is $423 but where it actually charges the hotel it's $10 cheaper. They should be the same. Will keep an eye and see if this changes.

taxare

On the Normandy tour we recently did, we booked one night before in Versailles and one night at the end in Paris. The Le Meurice in Paris was $1000/night and we had no problem using our GoT for that. For our September, 2023 trip the GoT is noted as "on request"

BSP51

We are booked on the Oct 11, 2023 Lisbon to Madrid Douro River cruise. Itinerary & price still not posted. Our G.O.T. in Lisbon is right now listed as “unconfirmed hotel”.

kfnknfzk

BSP51,

This was a fabulous tour. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Regarding hotels, it is quite possible that Tauck has not yet finalized their hotel contracting. Regardless, if they offer a choice between the InterContental Lisbon and the Four Seasons Ritz, I would definitely choose the Four Seasons. We thought that they had more luxurious bathrooms and better food at breakfast. They also have a stunning lobby with a large center display of orchids. Both hotels are located next to each other. Enjoy!