No there is not always a toilet but Tauck always makes very regular stops for rest rooms. Partly of course because they really only want the bus toilet to be used when really really necessary. You have to also be really really careful because you can be thrown around unexpectedly in them and of course men are asked to ‘sit’
My experience is the same as Godness - there is a toilet on the bus. But often the door is locked. I think the reason they don't want to open the toilet on the bus is that the driver then has to do the clean out. I've encountered drivers who are very reluctant to open the on-bus toilet. If you need to use it, insist that it be opened.
Tauck does try to have rest stops at reasonable intervals.
Based only on European and one Canadian tour - they all had toilets on board. Except for the Canadian bus, they all required walking partially down the steps to the side coach door, opening the toilet door without hitting your foot or head, inserting your body at a weird sideways angle. Once there it's basically the same as a tiny airline toilet. Bottom line - hard to use when the bus is stopped and potentially hazardous when it's moving. The Canadian bus toilet was at the rear of the coach at the same level as the seats.
I remember one coach driver that preferred we not use it unless an absolute emergency. I imagine emptying it is similar to dumping tanks from an RV. Not pleasant and sometimes hard to find facilities that allow it.
To answer the original question, ‘classic’ land tours can have ~ 36 to 44 guests.
As Goddess mentions, all the European land tour coaches I have been on have had a toilet. I have never heard of them being locked. The drivers are courteous and professional.
I've had the exact opposite experience, 4 Tauck tours, 3 in Europe and one in Morocco and no bus toilet yet. However, the bathroom breaks are very regular, and the TD always gives the estimated time to the next stop.
For what its worth, I've always had a toilet on Tauck buses but everyone seems reluctant to use them. Plenty of rest stops so I have never needed to use one. As per the original question about how many people on the bus - I've been on small group and "classic" tours and only ever had one bus for all - there always seemed to be plenty of room - couples sat together and singles had their own row. Usually some seats at the back for carry ons or people to spread out a little on long travel days. The only place we split up into smaller groups was Peru where we used more like a van type vehicle because the roads were not big enough for a large bus in certain areas (Cusco, mainly).
Sometimes when you sit together with your significant other, you still feel like a squished sardine. At least I do. I line up have space. I always like to navigate to the rear of the bus and have two seats to myself. I see my wonderful husband 24/7. I enjoy a bit of extra room despite being 110 lbs. I’m still seeing the same things as everyone else. Sometimes the very first row of the bus (depending on the bus) is not that comfortable.
In recent tours when there has been a lot of empty seats at the back of the bus, people don’t seem to realize that it’s perfectly ok to either take a bag and leave it there or move to a seat so you can have a seat each. Some buses have very cramped seating even for a short person like me. Some people recline their seats so it’s less space for you. I am one of those people who is fine with someone reclining their seat because that is what you pay for and should be able to do so, I am not complaining about that so if another seat is available I’ll take it. And that’s another topic open for debate 🙂
I’m surprised that so few people have not experienced buses without toilets, maybe they have only taken European tours with Tauck?
Comments
There has been a toilet on the bus for every Tauck trip I have taken.
No there is not always a toilet but Tauck always makes very regular stops for rest rooms. Partly of course because they really only want the bus toilet to be used when really really necessary. You have to also be really really careful because you can be thrown around unexpectedly in them and of course men are asked to ‘sit’
My experience is the same as Godness - there is a toilet on the bus. But often the door is locked. I think the reason they don't want to open the toilet on the bus is that the driver then has to do the clean out. I've encountered drivers who are very reluctant to open the on-bus toilet. If you need to use it, insist that it be opened.
Tauck does try to have rest stops at reasonable intervals.
Based only on European and one Canadian tour - they all had toilets on board. Except for the Canadian bus, they all required walking partially down the steps to the side coach door, opening the toilet door without hitting your foot or head, inserting your body at a weird sideways angle. Once there it's basically the same as a tiny airline toilet. Bottom line - hard to use when the bus is stopped and potentially hazardous when it's moving. The Canadian bus toilet was at the rear of the coach at the same level as the seats.
I remember one coach driver that preferred we not use it unless an absolute emergency. I imagine emptying it is similar to dumping tanks from an RV. Not pleasant and sometimes hard to find facilities that allow it.
To answer the original question, ‘classic’ land tours can have ~ 36 to 44 guests.
As Goddess mentions, all the European land tour coaches I have been on have had a toilet. I have never heard of them being locked. The drivers are courteous and professional.
Formal rest stops occur ~ every 1.5 to 2.0 hours.
I've had the exact opposite experience, 4 Tauck tours, 3 in Europe and one in Morocco and no bus toilet yet. However, the bathroom breaks are very regular, and the TD always gives the estimated time to the next stop.
For what its worth, I've always had a toilet on Tauck buses but everyone seems reluctant to use them. Plenty of rest stops so I have never needed to use one. As per the original question about how many people on the bus - I've been on small group and "classic" tours and only ever had one bus for all - there always seemed to be plenty of room - couples sat together and singles had their own row. Usually some seats at the back for carry ons or people to spread out a little on long travel days. The only place we split up into smaller groups was Peru where we used more like a van type vehicle because the roads were not big enough for a large bus in certain areas (Cusco, mainly).
Sometimes when you sit together with your significant other, you still feel like a squished sardine. At least I do. I line up have space. I always like to navigate to the rear of the bus and have two seats to myself. I see my wonderful husband 24/7. I enjoy a bit of extra room despite being 110 lbs. I’m still seeing the same things as everyone else. Sometimes the very first row of the bus (depending on the bus) is not that comfortable.
In recent tours when there has been a lot of empty seats at the back of the bus, people don’t seem to realize that it’s perfectly ok to either take a bag and leave it there or move to a seat so you can have a seat each. Some buses have very cramped seating even for a short person like me. Some people recline their seats so it’s less space for you. I am one of those people who is fine with someone reclining their seat because that is what you pay for and should be able to do so, I am not complaining about that so if another seat is available I’ll take it. And that’s another topic open for debate 🙂
I’m surprised that so few people have not experienced buses without toilets, maybe they have only taken European tours with Tauck?
I have never used the toilet on the bus, but have always had one in my tours.