Tour Director's Absence

mahogany

I have been on 4 Tauck tours. The Tour Director was always at the Farwell Dinner and made an effort to see the clients off from the hotel even if the departure was in the middle of the night. Is this usual? I thought so and was surprised that on my last tour, he was absent from the dinner although he came for drinks. I ran into him at the elevator as we (group of 9) were leaving, but he didn't come to the lobby to see us off. His family was at the hotel, and I know he was about to start on another tour. Perhaps I'm being overly sensitive, but I had already filled out the questionnaire, or I would have mentioned it. What's your experience?

jdurkin

I did a tour of Colorado (not offered now) a few years ago. The TD spent almost every moment of his time finding cell phone coverage while trying to renew his passport. Yes, that's right. A professional TD! He had to lead a tour of Ireland that started a couple of days after the end of our Colorado tour and he needed a passport. Surprise! Anyway, he showed up for drinks, to collect the wish & hope forms and his tips. Then he left. Given we hadn't seen much of him as a group …. no help with photos at stops, no 'oh look at that view' … we didn't miss him much! The driver was a lovely bloke and we all enjoyed his company at the dinner. Sad reality of that trip aside, I can't say that I have had the no show experience again. But I guess it's possible. Timetables, and turnarounds, can be tight. I had a situation when the driver didn't stay for dinner because he had to return the bus to base early because his daughter was getting married the next day! I guess it depends on how much style your TD had on the day. Ours didn't have any … but that was quite a while ago.

Cheers,

Jan

rabo

I think a Tauck TD not being around would really be an exception to the norm. The only time I remember a Tauck TD not being available was on our Treasures of Southeast Asia Tour, when he personally took a couple to the airport due to illness. I would certainly say that he was doing his job then.

British

I too did that Colorado tour, very enjoyable and lots of unusual dramas, too, like a guest having a heart attack, another solo guest, a retired teacher who spent the entire tour trying to do the tour director's job for him, harassing another solo traveller, recently widowed, about how she should remarry. Then the unexpected presence of President Ford and some guests met him. Our tour director was wonderful, one of the sweetest guys I have ever met, lovely and a great Tour director.
I think I may have encountered times where the tour director had not stayed for the Farewell dinner, I think that is perfectly reasonably, especially if they have to get a flight back to meet another tour. I often wonder how on earth they have time to do laundry, never mind attend to all the arrangements for our benefit like the trouble they go to to get information ahead for all our restaurant reservations and those people that can't even make their own spa reservation. I'd love to know the average number of calls they get from guests when they are trying to relax in their room for five minutes. I know we have had to call a couple of times, both actually because our luggage did not appear, once because it went to the wrong room and once because it truly got lost and the hotel had to be searched to find it.
Oh and that tour I'd do again if I could, but for the scenery not the other things!

Tiffany01

I haven't got any experience there yet. But I like the usual that you mentioned earlier. I don't know why he wasn't there, maybe he was too upset about something. Hope it would never happen again.

kcfromkc

I believe the Tour Director should be with the tour until it is completely over. This is at the end of the farewell dinner. I usually don't give my tip envelope until I am saying goodbye at the end of the evening and I thank him/her for a job well done. I have been on several Tauck trips and have only gotten stuck with one REALLY BAD TD. All of the others were wonderful.