Where to Use "Gift of Time"

Ilene in Fla

Hello! We are booking this trip today and need to make a quick decision about where to use our "Gift of Time". If anyone reading this has already traveled this itinerary, where do you recommend we use the gift? Pre-cruise in Lima or post-cruise in Guayaquil? Thank you very much!

rabo

Not specific to this tour, but we have always used the Gift of Time at the beginning of our tours. This gives us an extra extra day to recuperate from the flights so we're "fresher" for the tour.

Dallas

I took this trip in October 2013 and it was fantastic. I would recommend using your Gift of Time in Lima rather than Guayaquil. Lima is safer than Guayaquil (they will warn you about this in Guayaquil) for walking around and sightseeing. I hope you have a wonderful time on your trip.

British

Would also recommend the stay in Lima as Dallas says. Not much of interest to see in Guayaquil anyway. On our Galapagos tour, a tour of Guayaquil was included when we arrived back there. Did have a fun Couples massage at the hotel that seemed to go on for ever and just as we thought it was all over they smothered us in some chocolate concoction. The girls chattered all the way through, so it wasn't really relaxing but the massage was good, and believe me they massage everywhere. I think my husband felt he was almost molested. We had such a laugh afterwards.
Sounds as if the description of the Hotel in Lima has it located near lots more attractions.

AlanS

British wrote:

Would also recommend the stay in Lima as Dallas says. Not much of interest to see in Guayaquil anyway. On our Galapagos tour, a tour of Guayaquil was included when we arrived back there. Did have a fun Couples massage at the hotel that seemed to go on for ever and just as we thought it was all over they smothered us in some chocolate concoction. The girls chattered all the way through, so it wasn't really relaxing but the massage was good, and believe me they massage everywhere. I think my husband felt he was almost molested. We had such a laugh afterwards.
Sounds as if the description of the Hotel in Lima has it located near lots more attractions.

Gee, thanks for that mental picture!

Ilene in Fla

Thanks for all your input. We booked Lima. Another deciding factor was the average daily high temperature in November: 72 in Lima and 88 in Guayaquil. It turned out to be a no-brainer!

HML

We're doing this trip in April. What is the "gift of time?"

Ilene in Fla

Gift of Time is a special bonus that Tauck gives to returning customers. It is a free extra night at either your first hotel or your last hotel on the tour. As some have mentioned, it is particularly nice to use at the beginning of the tour to rest up after a travel day and/or adjust to a new time zone before the tour starts.

HML

Ilene in Fla: Thank you for the info. Our trip in April will be our first vacation with Tauck so that would explain why I was unaware of what the "gift of time" was all about. I have just booked two extra nights in Lima, at the beginning of our trip, so I will keep this info in mind for next time... ))

jdurkin

Re the Gift of Time.

Sometimes the extra night is tied to when you booked your trip … bookings before certain date qualify. In other circumstances, I know the extra night is offered to people booking in certain parts of the world, not others. (Presumably to encourage business and to compensate (perhaps) for the added cost of paying in US$ if that's not your natural $.) It is possible that if you booked through a travel agent they did not pass on this offer to you. You may not have qualified. Who knows. Can I suggest you contact Tauck directly and ask them the question. You never know your luck in a big city!

Cheers,

Jan

HML

Jdurkin: Thank you for the additional info. I do have two other questions I will be contacting Tauck about . Soooooo, I will definitely inquire as to whether, or not, we qualify for the "gift of time." It certainly can't hurt to ask... Thanks again!

jdurkin

HML wrote:

Jdurkin: Thank you for the additional info. I do have two other questions I will be contacting Tauck about . Soooooo, I will definitely inquire as to whether, or not, we qualify for the "gift of time." It certainly can't hurt to ask... Thanks again!

No worries!

Cheers,

Jan

British

Jan just about covered all the extra ifs and buts about the Gift of Time. We did have one occasion we were told it was no longer available for the trip we were booking, even though we booked in the time frame of the offer. My hubby was not happy at the time but we have had quite a few free nights now and that's very nice. I still recommend booking with Tauck directly not a travel agent.
Just in case ALAN S is reading this, remember the discussion about booking any flights with Tauck, we just booked a new trip and Tauck booked the specific flights we wanted and we will not pay for them until sixty days before. In fact they even found us a better time and route on one flight than we had on Air New Zealand who have the most confusing website for flights we have so far encountered.