Received Luggage Tags
I received these beautiful luggage tags in the mail today along with a commemorative Tauck box to store travel memories. They are beautiful keepsakes. The luggage tags are stunning but honestly somewhat heavy because of the gold metal. I'm hesitant to use them for this reason. I'm one to try to attempt to pack light especially for accessories, such as these tags. As we know, the ounces and pounds do accumulate.
This is just me, but I prefer to travel to my Tauck tour incognito. I don't mind advertising for Tauck, but I do not like to show off what company(s) I travel with. I feel it can possibly draw attention to my belongings in an airport, etc. since Tauck is a high-end travel company. I know this might open a Pandora's box but I am interested in your thoughts on this subject.
Comments
We received the same - actually our THIRD set from Tauck, so now we have 12 of these tags that we will never use. While the gesture is super nice, most of us who travel often already have luggage tags that we love (and packing cubes- which we have also received 2 different times now). I wish they'd look and see that they have continued to gift us the same gifts over and over. It's a nice idea, but once is enough. To be honest, the leather pouch with the EUROS in it was our favorite gift from Tauck and was certainly used! I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but we don't need any more tags or cubes. We now have 12 tags and 8 cubes from them. I do like the box they sent the tags in - we've got 3 now and have gifted it to others with some fun travel accessories in it. The tags are very nice & pretty. The Packing Cubes are ok, but heavy and stiff compared to the ones we like and use.
Terrilynn, I agree with you 100%. It does sound like a waste of money to send the same thoughtful gift(s) repeatedly. I'm wondering if the right knows what the left is doing at the Tauck office with these gifts (plus the postage). It has to cost them to produce these accessories in volume. The money should be used elsewhere. A cost analysis would be helpful.
OurTravels34,
Those tags are very nice! I can understand why you might be reluctant to use them if you are concerned about airport security. My Tauck leather tags are from days gone by, but I use them on my carry-on tote instead of checked luggage. That might be an option for you.
I forgot to add that most companies can write off the cost of gifts as ‘goodwill’.
It's not their money, it's ours. All of these "freebies" are factored into the cost of the tours, so you have not only paid for the "gift" that you receive, but you have also paid for the gift(s) you didn't receive but others did. That said, I do agree that there are better alternatives for using those funds.
When I did a Christmas markets tour last November we received a tag from Tauck when we boarded the river boat . One of the comments was “ now you can remove your Viking tags from your luggage”. I guess they were miffed from seeing so much of the competition.
I’m with Sealord. There are few companies today that think about and recognize their customers. Who genuinely want to show appreciation to those who helped it survive and thrive for 100 years. To think one man had an idea - crazy at the time - but pursued it and the end result has led to thousands of people having memorable moments, and it’s that company that reaches out to YOU to Thank You. I can’t count the number of posts I’ve read about what “Tauck Surprise” occurred on a journey. Hey, those cost money too! I hear no complaints though. And look a little deeper, there weren’t just baggage tags in the shipment. A beautiful memories box was included also. One this family will certainly use and cherish its contents. So, thank you Tauck for this wonderful gift. I look forward to my next four scheduled journeys with you!
Beautifully said. One can always ask that Tauck not send them gifts of gratitude.
Yes, that was profoundly beautifully said and I apologize if, by chance, I sounded that I was ungrateful to anyone. I am not.
My husband would retrofit those tags into key chains!
It is nice to received gifts, but let’s face it, you are paying for them. I’m not being ungrateful either, Tauck made me a member of their Tauck 25 circle which gave us a $400 voucher to buy special goods from Necessary Gear, so now my husband has a puffer jacket which cost about $299 if I remember correctly but it has a Tauck logo on it. I’ve had the packing cubes which are indeed really heavy compared to the ones we use. I’ve received a wash bag that was huge so we can’t use that. We have not received the tags and box, even though we are at around 40 tours. So the ‘gifts’ appear to be randomly given out. I think I might prefer some sort of discount on a tour. Again I’m not ungrateful, but again, someone is paying and that is probably me.
British, I also agree with you too.
I received the tags and box, the tags are heavy but I'm enjoying the box, I still look at them as gifts.
We received the luggage tags last week. They are lovely and the box is very useful for our trip memorabilia. Even though essentially we are paying for these gifts, it is nice to be appreciated as their guests. We are thankful for the gifts and for the wonderful memories we’ve had with our Tauck tours.
Got my luggage tags yesterday. While it's a nice gesture, that large, ornate box (and postage) are ridiculous for what it holds.
I've decided to use the box to contain travel paraphernalia that is currently in a paper bag in my back room: adapters, chargers, the fly netting that I received at Uluru, eye masks, extra luggage tags, etc.
I just recarpeted a couple of rooms and noticed how much "junk" I had in closets. The Goodwill pile will be bigger than usual this year. Some of the stuff I didn't even know I had, like a Tesla logoed gym bag (which I wouldn't be caught dead carrying now). I must have gotten it as swag in 2015 when I bought my first EV, back when they treated customers well, and not the POS company they evolved into. Also several Tauck duffels...
We just went thru the carpeting drama as well. Lots of donations -- especially from my spouse who hadn't cleaned out his closet in 20+ years. Tossing stuff, or better yet, sending them on to a new home is a very releasing effort.
We received the luggage tags yesterday and they are well made and look really nice. However, we don't really need them as they are heavier than the ones we use now.
Yes, all the brass metal does make it considerably heavier.
We received ours at well...first time traveling with Tauck so really appreciated getting them. They are beautiful and we will be using them!
Yes, they are beautiful - just heavier than what I like for an incidental item. For me, everything adds up pounds wise. I pack light weight intentionally.
SeaLord you are a Tauck star, I’ve seen you featured in the Tauck Connections magazine!
I have seen you and your wife too in the Tauck Connection magazine. It's so delightful to associate a face to a Tauck Forum acronym name. On another note, is there such a thing as a Tauck App yet??? Again, on yet another note , we are traveling for a month starting on Friday - two weeks on our own and two weeks with Tauck. This is the first that we've been away for that length of time and it should e interesting.
The Tauck app went defunct. I think most who experienced it would say it was pretty useless.
Thanks. Those articles are fairly well hidden, so I’m a bit surprised you saw them. I think what happened was this: While visiting a school in Africa we decided to make a ‘donation’ to the school. (via the TD) I think the transaction may have been overheard, and it may have touched off a major fund drive for the school. Everyone on our tour was very generous, and the TD ended up purchasing and dispatching a truckload of supplies back to the school. It was a fun deal. I think we got ‘turned in’ by the TD.
Wow, what a great gesture! Kudos!
Good on you, Sealord! The schools in Africa always bring me to tears.
My daughter and daughter in law both sponsored students for a year at the school we visited. I took soccer balls and a pump. My husband and I prioritize donating to FAME hospital each year near Karatu, we have visited twice. Last year when we visited we could not believe the expansion in services. It’s rewarding to see.