Transfer from Basel to Zurich Hotel
Doing the Romantic Rhine ending in Basel then staying at the Park Hyatt Zurich 2 nights which was booked outside of Tauck. Any recommendations on how to get from the ship to the hotel? And will we know where the ship will be docked ahead of time to arrange a transfer?
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The itinerary indicates transfers are included to the Zurich airport and/or train stations. Tauck might be able to drop you off at your hotel. Call them and ask. If not, you can take a taxi from the airport to your hotel.
Based on past experience as long as your transfer is to a hotel (not a private address like an AirBnb) the cruise director will arrange your transfer to the hotel.from the ship. Its a good idea to call Tauck and tell them your plans, but if you don't the people at Tauck HQ are pretty good at realizing when there is a gap between a tour ending and the flights leaving. I've had them contact me directly to explain our plans in between.
Thank you both for the responses. They told me the transfer from hotel to airport was included, but that really doesn't make much sense since they booked the hotel on their own. I will call back and request that they rather include the one from the ship to either the hotel or to the airport which will be much closer to Zurich hotel.
I think the program is pretty clear. They will take you to the airport, the train station, or the “Tauck: hotel. Anything else you will need to negotiate with the ‘office’ or the TD.
We had Tauck take us from Basel to our hotel in Zurich (not a Tauck hotel); we then paid our own way to the airport.
nicoletice, I got a little lost in your response but this is what happened for us in Switzerland. At the end of our Crown Jewels tour our family group of 5 had booked a modestly priced hotel in Zurich for a few days (a Rick Steves recommended tour not as nice at the Hyatt). The TD arranged transport from the Tauck hotel in Lucerne to our hotel in Zurich. We were planning to take the train to the airport but our hotel reception called a transport service the day prior that took us to the airport. I'm pretty sure the Hyatt could do the same. You could either request it up arrival or contact them ahead of time. That would be my recommendation for you as it's much easier to go from a Zurich hotel to the airport than to get from Basel to your Zurich hotel. Even if HQ tells you one thing, talk to the CD upon arrival at the ship to make sure you have a plan you're happy with.
Other examples of flexibility:
It's possible post Covid that Tauck has gotten a little less flexible but they've been pretty helpful to us in the past.
Tauck seems to now very much more specifically says they will only transport their hotel to or from the airport. It never really said that before, so I think they are watching every penny. I haven’t read a post for a long time where it mentions that people were on a tour that was full. I think the affects of the Pandemic, plus the various wars are not helping.
I found the extract, seems you need Tauck approval
‘Are transfers included to and from my pre-tour and post-tour hotels?
Complimentary transfers are included from your pre-stay hotel to the start of your journey and to your post-stay hotel from your disembarkation location.
Please Note: Transfers are included for Tauck-approved pre- and post-stay hotels. Non-Tauck hotels have to be approved prior to leaving on your tour.’