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Green book and insider tips

JudyOH

Hi. My husband and I are first time Tauck Tour travelers and will be going on the June 3-15 Amalfi Coast tour. Between now and then I will be taking advantage of your generous information and tips by posting my mostly naive questions. I have done a little perusing and have seen the term "Green Book" several times. In speaking with two different Tauck customer representatives, neither could tell me what a Green Book is. That's my first question. What's a green book? Next, Is there a suggested effective way to maneuver through the site to learn from others? Last for now but not forever: any insider tips for a couple of newbies? Thank you so much. This community forum is extraordinary.

Comments

AlanS

Green Book- before switching to an online PDF document, Tauck published a spiral bound book (with green cover) that contained copies of your final documents- contract/financial summatr, tour itinerary, arrival and departure info, etc., etc. Many of us still refer to the PDF as the "e-Green Book." You will receive this document as a link in an email about 60 days prior to departure. It is also in your "My Account."
The best way to learn about Tauck and your tour is to follow the forums and search the sub-forums listed at the right side of this page. There is an echelon arrangement with tours listed by area. Drill down and read all the posts about your tour. Once you get proficient, you can actually search the forums by area, subject, author, etc. See "Search" block in the upper right.
Insider tip, see #2 above.

Tauck has never published a forum user's guide.

MCD

Pre-Covid, the "green book" was mailed to travelers before their trips. It was a spiral book. It included a day- to-day itinerary, hotel contact information, phone numbers to call in case of emergency and suggested tips for the tour director and driver, when appropriate. It was called "the green book" because of the color of its cover. Since Covid, Tauck has sent this information by e-mail, usually about 60 days prior to a tour, after the final payment has been made. If you use a travel agent, Tauck will send it to the TA, so make sure that you keep on top of your TA to get the "green book."

kfnknfzk

Tauck’s website also has a wealth of information. If you haven’t already, find your tour and open it for detailed information.

I find both the forum herein and Tauck’s website to be very intuitive. No need for a guide; just explore. Have fun.

Sealord

I have talked with Tauck many times about reinstating the green book. I was told it simply was not going to happen because they wanted the ability to update the details without issuing new ‘documents’. That being said, we have been on a number of tours where the TD has issued a ‘white book’, that was similar to the green book but had the most up to date information about that specific tour. We sometimes used them to make a journal of the tour. .

British

You can make your own green book when you download the documents Tauck sends. I have no clue how you configure the computer and printer to do it, but it looks exactly the same as the old green book when it is done. I assume the green books cost a lot of money to make and send out.

AlanS

I make a custom, reduced-size book with my own custom cover (I usually use the map and a photo from a key location), the Tauck info on the right hand pages and photos harvested from the Internet on the left hand pages that match the opposite text. I first compose it as an MS Word document with alternating photo and text pages. Then I print it using a single side color laser printer on standard 8 1/2" X 11" paper as a "booklet" using the free version of Adobe. Adobe figures out which pages to put where and in what orientation, etc. so once the printed sheets are stacked in the right order and folded in the middle, you end up with a 5 1/2" X 8 1/2" booklet with alternating text and photos pages. Unless you have a dual-sided printer you will need to feed the paper twice like I do, to print on both sides. This always confuses me how to stack the sheets. When printing is completed, each 8 1/2 X 11" sheet will have 2 booklet-sized "pages" on each side.

If you don't want to add photos, just print the document and you'll get text on left and right pages. I use a long arm stapler or sew the binding. You can always avoid the hassle and print it full size on full sheets, then just staple it in the corner. Or save it to your smart phone and don't print it at all.

loves2travel2

I have also re-created the Green Book by this method. As the tour progresses, I make notes on the pages. My husband is forever asking after the tour - "where did we have the excellent dinner or where was that crazy.... etc." Now, I jot it down this little tidbit on that day's page. I have a small notebook and pen and take notes during the guided tours. There is so much interesting information that I can't possibly remember. I do a Shutterfly album, and my notes bring the tour back to life. I tend to focus on facts and photos that aren't readily known. (Years ago, on our first visit to Paris, I devoted an album page to the various toilets we encountered and how the heck to flush them.) This is the type of quirky things that I include.

Claudia Sails

I just got done printing my booklet for our upcoming Scandinavia tour. In Adobe I picked the specific pages I wanted with a page range that was something like 2, 4-16, 21, 25. That gave me the map, itinerary, arrival details, tipping, etc. Unfortunately I also spent time on the phone with my brother trying to coach him thru the printing process unsuccessfully. I'm on a PC and he's on a Mac. I ultimately ended up printing his booklet myself.

Does anyone who's done this on a Mac have any recommendations or tips?

Wan

JudyOH, I have liked having the Green Book in the past but don't go through all this trouble mentioned above. I print up the pages from the itinerary on my Tauck log-in page, and make notes on it about additional reservations that I have made. I also carry a small notebook in my purse to remember names and places. You will get an updated itinerary from the Tour Director when you arrive. in fact if there are any places you want to see on your own during the tour, it is a good idea to check with Tauck in advance that there are no changes to the posted itinerary. They will always (ha, MOSTLY) let you know in advance if a hotel changes, but not if the order of activities changes. Of course, especially in Italy, they can't always know these things in advance, but often they do.

sudhamali

I rarely print anything from the electronic green book version .I store the entire document in “my books app”.The most important arrival information such as local transport service and the hotel address and phone # ,I add it in my contacts on the phone.Once you arrive at the destination you are provided another package with itinerary by the Tauck director.
As far as remembering travel sites etc,I learnt from a fellow Tauck traveler about an app “Find my penguin”You can make it private and send to family.Each day I put in most important photos and brief notes.This also helps in making a photo book after your return.The app is free unless you want more advanced features.

JudyOH

Y'all are absolutely amazing. Thank you ever so much. Now, I'm headed back to the category on packing (what, how, etc.) to see what tips I can get there. That is my main point of anxiety. Again, thank you so much. Since you are such seasoned travelers, you may not realize how grateful a 'newbie' is for this support. Bless you.

tomh

Since I am probably a rare one who never has had a smart phone or who relied online for PDF documents, whenever I traveled with Tauck I would always receive the spiral bound "Green Book" before my Tauck tours. Quite useful and informative. Since Tauck does not use the spiral bound "Green Books" anymore, it definitely would mean more work for me should I travel. Sigh.

Ben

This is a favorite topic. I will try to be specific for this trip. You will not need more than a 25 inch checked bag and a small carry on at most. Tauck will handle your bags once you arrive at the pick up destination pickup site(airport/train station) until you drop off at the end of the tour. They will move you luggage from hotel room to hotel room. You will not have access to that luggage during the transfer days. We travel with one checked bag and one small carry on such as a cabin bag or small 30L or less backpack. You may want a small bag during the day to carry water, sunscreen,...or to have on the ferries or on the boat cruise around Capri as well as going to the pool. Pack like you're going to Malibu. Amalfi is where the beautiful people go. You will need some nicer coastal attire for dinners out. For men, there is no need for a sport coat. Comfortable shoes for walking. There are cobble stones. Sandals are fine for the evenings(not the shower flip flop kind.) Comfortable clothes for the day. Shorts, sundresses, short sleeve tops. Hat or Hats. The mornings and evenings maybe a little cool and light fleece may come in handy and you may want a light windbreaker.. You may go into a church or two and you may need to cover your shoulders, my wife always has a light scarf in her bag. Pool attire. The pools at the Caterina and Quisisana are fabulous.

Ben

JudyOH: You will have several dinners on your own. You may want to make reservations in Capri and Amalfi ahead of time. Puialli in Capri is excellent as well as Da Gemma in Amalfi. There will be a hotel shuttle that runs from the hotel to the center of Amalfi, the walk is a little treacherous with the traffic and narrow road..

JudyOH

Wow, Ben, you have given me very practical, specific advice. I can go thru the closets now and feel a lot more focused. I especially appreciate your including the luggage details. This has really bothered me. In the past, our European trips have been self-planned and casual with one or more couples which gives us more freedom re luggage. Your post has been a huge help. Thanks!!!!

Claudia Sails

I'll just add one bit - that churches in Italy require shoulders and knees to be covered.

Ben

Leave some room to bring some items home. Capri and Sorrento have numerous linen clothing shops. Sorrento is a little cheaper. If you want sandals, try CE sandals(also know as desposita) which is along the walk to Villa San Michele on Capri. They will custom make them while you wait and they do have a rubber heel which wears a little better. in addition their shop also as an assortment of limoncello products they you may be interested in.

JudyOH

Thank you, again, Ben. I just caught up with your restaurant and shopping recommendations. These are super helpful. I need to buy the tee shirt that says "Hold on. I'm overthinking this." I do that with everything. But if someone like yourself gives me insider tips, I go with it! I do want to make sure we make good use of our free time in the afternoon and evenings.

Ben

Have a great time. You will be well taken care of and you are going to meet incredible and interesting people along the way. Remember that sometimes the best memories come from unscripted, unexpected and spur of the moment experiences. Ciao.

kfnknfzk

Sometimes the best use of free time is to simply wander with no set plans. Turn down a side street, if you see hordes of people moving in one direction, go the opposite direction, invite a local to sit with you at an outdoor cafe. Some of our most memorable experiences have been those that we have stumbled upon.

Enjoy your trip, JudyOH. I look forward to reading about your experiences.

JudyOH

hi again. Getting my tip envelopes ready. The Amalfi Coast tour indicates it's an 8-day tour. The last day is breakfast and off we go on our own in the morning. Do we tip the 8 days advertised or 7 days? Also, there are a number of different travel modes: bus, convertible car on Isle of Capri, etc. Again, do we tip on the number of days advertised on the tour or the number of days the tour driver is engaged? I certainly don't want to "short" anyone. "Y'all" are so helpful, and I am so appreciative.

British

Tip for 8 days!

Choc

Even though a TD isn’t present with you during part of a day, they are still hard at work. There are many details to be taken care of that we never know about. I have seen a TD working on her next group as she tries to eat her lunch during our trip. They deserve to be tipped for the full duration of the trip.

kfnknfzk

I agree with tipping for the entire duration of the tour—for both the director and driver. Even if the driver is not transporting us around on one day, she/he is still working for us by cleaning the interior and exterior of the coach. Those drivers know how to drive, especially on those narrow, winding roads!

British

Like I’ve been saying, some people don’t tip, some people tip less then suggested, some more than suggested and some just can’t afford another penny once they have paid for an expensive tour. It should be at your own discretion .
However, please remember the Tour directors have to do a ton of things behind the scenes including a recap of what the day was like to headquarters, any things that did not work out, did anyone get injured, was there a bad meal etc and most surprisingly, a report on every single person on the tour. The driver cleans the bus and goes to get gas, resupplies the bottles of water on the bus and maybe empty the bus toilet!

OurTravels34

British, well said. I just came off two different one week tours back to back with two days in between before the second tour started. The tours were designated as 7 days tours each. One each tour there was a bus driver. On each tour, I asked our wonderful two different tour guides "for how many days do we tip the bus driver"? It was a good question to ask and I wasn't the only one asking because each tour director said that we have the bus driver for 5 days! I admit I was a little surprised because the Tauck documents do state to tip for the entire days of the tour. However, we have a habit of tipping extra for both the tour directors and the bus drivers. As mentioned, they work around the clock.

kfnknfzk

Extending a gratuity is very personal. I do not concern myself with what others do and don’t do. I start with the recommended amount as a baseline then adjust based on my personal experience and the level of service I received.

I also like to write a personal note of gratitude and tuck the gratuity inside the ‘thank you’ card. Little acts of kindness…

Claudia Sails

The coach driver tipping is the most difficult one to figure out. On the England Scotland Wales tour (our first land tour) we had a different driver for the first 2 days who was Scottish then an English driver took over from there. The TD said he'd taken care of it. Did that mean we needed to reimburse him or did Tauck? Still don't know. I probably screwed that one up. We've had a different driver if the main one had to take a mandatory day off. On Classic Italy there were different drivers the first 2 days then we never saw the coach driver again once we arrived in Florence.

kfnknfzk

On a separate thread, I recommended having the driver’s gratuity in small denominations in case you needed to break up the tip to accommodate more than one driver.

BKMD

Claudia - I only do land tours. On tours with multiple drivers, Tauck takes care of it. It doesn't come from TD's personal funds.