Family Fun Along the Seine: Paris to Normandy (7/3)! Day 3 tour change
Hi,
First time taking a Tauck trip and received an email today stating the Day 3 tour to Musée Marmottan Monet has been changed to the Louvre Museum. Is anyone else disappointed about this change? I called the customer service number on the email and was told by the rep that a manager would be calling me today to discuss (did not receive a call, maybe tomorrow?). I'm a pretty flexible person and realize it's a first world problem . . . but I did pay a first world price for this trip and chose it based on the excursions. We 've been to the Louvre and not the Monet Museum so that was a big draw. I was hoping to be able to go even if just solo with my family in lieu of the Louvre and see there are plenty of tickets available on that date. If anyone else is interested, let me know. Hopefully this is the only change to the itinerary. This being our first time with Tauck, I am really anxious now about this company and hoping this is not a sign of the experience to come. Any thoughts, please share.
Comments
You can call Tauck and ask if it is just that particular tour and possibly change your date, although it’s probably too late now to do that. Also, check with the museum schedule to see if it is closed that day for some reason. Tauck doesn’t change a schedule very often unless there is a problem like that. Could it be because it is near their Bastille day and closed or has special hours?
That's a great point and I wondered the same but when I went to their website and looked at tickets, they were available for that date. I'm hoping someone will call me back and provide an explanation and possible solution. It will be fine if we can just go on our own on that day. Thanks for your feedback! I'll update once I hear back from a manger.
Just looking at your itinerary. Maybe the early access is not possible that day. I don’t see any reason why you could not go on your own as long as you are back at the ship by the time it sails. Clearly, you’ve been to Paris before so may know the ropes of getting around. It’s possible that many on your tour may not have been to Paris before so will need a bit more chaperoning than you. Because Tauck has a Monmatre visit as well, it might just be about timing to get two activities in that day. Not being able to get into the Monet museum early could mess that up. I have been there, and it’s great to visit. Good luck in solving this. We have taken two Bridges tours with Tauck and have a third booked for next year. The kids have great fun and make friends.
Tauck does not make changes without good reason. They are very transparent about this.
I would never pass up the opportunity to visit the Louvre... no matter how many times I had been there before. One suggestion is to check their website to see if there will be a special exhibit that might interest you.
The Montmartre excursion is very rewarding, especially if it involves taking the train/trolly up and down the hill. The views are magnificent.
Yes you can absolutely go on your own to the Musée Marmottan Monet. The Cruise Director can help with working out transportation options. A cab or there is a bus (#70) that picks up fairly close to where the ship docks and takes you to that area. Whether you'll have time to participate in the other activities that day is another matter. Just be back on board the ship in time before they sail.
I was under the impression that this was a forum for discussion with other travelers. You all sound like you are employed by Tauck to mitigate guest concerns. Appreciate the feedback but I'm pretty sure I know how great the Louvre is. Also, the tour that has been canceled is advertised (currently) as "a Tauck exclusive" on this tour. Perhaps they should consider changing the Website to reflect the reality. I have checked the Musée Marmottan Monet Website and the museum is open and there are loads of tickets available for the day Tauck has canceled it. So yes, it is likely that the museum cannot accommodate the Tauck group (at least as a group or at the time necessary) or I am sure it would not be canceled but it seems to me that would be something that the Tauck organizers would have figured out before advertising the tour. Now I am being told to go on the tour on my own when I have paid for a trip which is supposed to be "all inclusive" including tours. Perhaps you can understand my frustration. And I have not received a call from the "manager" the Tauck customer service representative told me would call me back yesterday. So, is this a professional company or should I prepare myself for the worst? Would just like to set my expectations.
With respect, you asked for feedback and I gave mine in good faith and in an attempt to offer alternatives.
Tauck is an extremely reputable company with unparalleled customer service in my opinion. I would not have traveled with them for as long as I have if I thought otherwise. In their own words, “expect the unexpected.”
I agree with Kfnknfzk 100%. We are all Tauck guests on these forum. I can attest we are not employees. We don’t know one another. There are guest(s) on this forum that are seasoned travelers and have journeyed with Tauck over 40 times! I have had the privilege traveling with this upscale company over 15 times. Yes, like some others, I also travel with other companies too. You will have a grand time.
You stated in your original post " I was hoping to be able to go even if just solo with my family in lieu of the Louvre and see there are plenty of tickets available on that date" as if you had some doubt so I responded to that comment.
All guests here. No employees. Often newcomers to the forum think this is a customer service site where they can get their issues resolved. Instead it's a guest forum where people share their experiences and try to help when asked. No one here can make what you want happen.
In my personal experience, Tauck is a reputable company that does try to offer unique experiences. Unfortunately they don't have total control over museums or similar sights especially if it's a tour outside the normal opening hours.
To 2 Bryants,
Do you believe that these people are not paid by Tauck to monitor and answer questions on this forum?
Did any one notice that they are always on and have nothing bad EVER to say about Tauck?
They say they are not employees but they may be on line influencers, paid by a third party by giving them free trips. If you ever say anything not complimentary, they will always tell you to keep your opinion to yourself by telling you how many trips they have gone with Tauck!
Do Not listen to Henry. He agitates on purpose.
Henrypoon is a troll. Ignore him. But, you are upset about the change in your itinerary and the lack of communication from Tauck. They do state changes may happen, but it would have been nice to have received an explanation when you received the notice. That having been said you should have received the call you were promised. I would call back. Anecdotally my neighbor and I booked the same Tauck tour a few years ago unbeknownst to either of us. He booked directly, I used a travel agent whose company books many Tauck tours. He had many instances where he needed to contact Tauck and experienced long wait times, conflicting information. Our TA was always able to get through promptly and get the right information, even when our final docs had several mistakes.
It may not be any consolation right now, 2Bryants, but I do think you will be delighted to see Monet’s art come to life when you visit his gardens in Giverny.
I have found that the best way of communicating with Tauck is by their "contact us" feature, by email or by a letter. Phone calls are to be avoided in general (not just Tauck) because of annoying phone trees, the person you want to speak to is not available, the person who handles your call does not know the answer, etc.
Tauck will route your question to an appropriate individual, and give an answer. It may take a day or two, but they will follow up.
We have travelled with Tauck 10 times and am not an employee.
I've done 18 trips with Tauck and have 3 more booked for this year. I have traveled with other companies, too, and have another trip booked with a Tauck competitor. We are not employees and Tauck doesn't monitor this site. Tauck has a Facebook group that seems to have more participants than this forum. You might want to post on that group.
The ‘Tauck exclusive’ refers to going to the Monet museum before opening to the public. Tauck often has special early opening privileges like this, such as early access to the Vatican….but sometimes these places stop them for whatever reason and it is beyond their control. maybe a celebrity is taking a visit, who knows.
I’m certainly unhappy that no one got back to you. The only thing you can do as suggested is call again, speak to costumer relations and tell them as a first time customer how unhappy and concerned you are.
I’ve taken lots of tours with Tauck. Henry Poon always posts negative things about Tauck, he’s the weirdo of this forum these days, just hope he’s never on the same tour as you.
Thanks and appreciate all the feedback. Originally posted thinking maybe another family for this particular trip would also want to discuss options, like a smaller group attending separately. I'm not in the business of just bashing a tour company unwarranted as I have not ever been on a trip with Tauck and am only concerned this is a sign of things to come and want to be prepared/set my expectations. However, since it seems clear Tauck monitors this forum, if I were to give some constructive feedback it would be to rethink the verbiage of your group email regarding the change; offer some kind of apology; and provide reassurances that Tauck cares and perhaps provide some reasoning for the change. As you state, Tauck is transparent and would not make the change if it were not necessary -- so explain -- "the museum cancelled our reservation", "there is a celebrity who rented it out", "we dropped the ball and didn't make the reservation in time" . . . . whatever it may be -- just take some accountability. I've worked and traveled all over the world my entire life. One must always be flexible and have a sense of humor about all of this. I am legitimately concerned that a company that has been in business for 100 years and has promised a "Tauck exclusive" can't figure out how to make it happen and if it is totally out of their control, then explain the reason. In conclusion, I'm sure all will be fine, and we will have a lovely time. A manager did call me back today and she spoke a lot but said very little. Bottom line, she didn't know why the tour was cancelled. I suggested that as a manager she may want to find out -- seems like relevant information. She also said there was nothing she could do and that I could follow up after my tour and seek reimbursement if I choose to go solo to the Monet Museum. I responded this all seemed like a fairly unacceptable expectation of a guest for what will likely amount to $30. But I don't know that, maybe the transportation will be more -- as mentioned, I've never been. It seemed like a special component of this trip. Visiting the Louvre is a very easy thing to do for anyone visiting Paris. But this is not worth the energy at this point. Happy to hear everyone has had positive experiences and look forward to reporting the same upon our return.
The forum is not regularly monitored. Occasionally, when things like this happen, Tauck has given generous compensation. All here who have responded and tried to help I know will agree with me. As soon as you meet one of the tour directors on the tour, tell them what happened and I would not be surprised if they don’t sort taxis for you to get you to the museum instead of the alternative that you have been told about. In that case, I would not tell anyone else on the tour as sorting this for one family would be easy, but less so if everyone hears about it.
I’m always writing on the forum, I love traveling. It’s unlikely you might meet anyone here who is on the same tour as most people don’t even know of the existence of the forum. I did connect with someone here before our last Bridges tour, it was an African safari, and both families got on well. My other suggestions that you might find helpful before the tour is to call Tauck about a month before when numbers for the tour are likely to be fixed, they should be able to tell you the breakdown of sexes and ages of other children on the tour ….though I'm not sure it will be as easy on a river cruise one as there will be many, I’ve only taken two of the land Bridges tours with of course, much fewer people.
Please consider reporting back here when you return!
"As soon as you meet one of the tour directors on the tour, tell them what happened and I would not be surprised if they don’t sort taxis for you to get you to the museum instead of the alternative that you have been told about. In that case, I would not tell anyone else on the tour as sorting this for one family would be easy, but less so if everyone hears about it."
That is not very nice! Not every inclusive, right? Are we here to make friends?
I respectfully disagree, British. The tour director’s job is to facilitate the tour as planned, not to give preferential treatment. Imagine if everyone on the tour demanded an itinerary to suit their needs and expected the director to cater to them.
The directors have always been accommodating, but their job is to facilitate the tour. They can certainly assist in providing transportation to those who wish to deviate from planned activities. Whether they choose to pay for the expense is their prerogative, however.
I also disagree with the thinking that...”everyone here knows”...”and has been generously compensated.” I don’t know and I certainly wouldn’t expect to be compensated for inconsequential changes. Not every disappointment needs to be compensable.
2Bryants - Please give Tauck a chance. I do hope you and your son enjoy your journey. Best wishes.
Many thanks. Happy Easter to those who celebrate.
Yes, TDs do in fact make arrangements for things not on the itinerary. Our very first river cruise in France a group of 4 men were tired of seeing castles/cathedrals and wanted to play golf. The TD who was French arranged Tee times for them, rental clubs and called a cab to take them there and back. I've seen TDs numerous times help people see additional sights even if it's just helping with directions.
Based on different threads on this forum and the FB group, while Tauck continues to advertise exclusive events, they are clearly having issues with the sights following thru. The Normandy/Brittany tour after hours Louvre visit, the Switzerland Glacier Express, the Scandinavia after hours visit to the Vasa Museum are all areas of concern. I'm concerned about the Vasa as we're taking that tour this summer. I'll be checking with Tauck closer to departure date to get a better idea if the visit happens and how long it is. We're going to Stockholm early so we may visit on our own if need be. They have already made one change to our itinerary but I'm actually happy with the alternative they offered.
This forum used to have an issue with spam and others cluttering up the site. My understanding now is you can't get a log in unless you've got a current Tauck reservation or past tour. There is another category of people with plenty of time to participate in the forum: retirees. We have lots of time to travel and most of us are computer literate enough to participate in social media. I've posted a lot in the last 10 years and written multiple lengthy review of my tours. I try to be honest about what I liked or was disappointed in. Not being paid and no free tours as my credit card acct can attest.
Changing an event on such a short tour obviously was important to 2Bryants. Maybe not to others on the tour. Several people have reported here of tour directors doing extra things for individuals. Anyway, a couple of hours at the Louvre is not enough. And indeed, people report being compensated for changes of itinerary.
According to you, the fault is with 2Bryants. Okay, you told every one to ask for compensation for changes of itinerary. Must be an on line influencer thing!
Stop twisting words Henry. Tauck has been known to send people refunds when they haven’t even asked for one or indeed even complained.
We are not on line influencers, Henry why do you even bother to post in this forum.
Because he wants a reaction, even if it is a negative one. By responding to him reinforces his behavior.