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Budapest to Prague on MS Savor- Sept trip
We are scheduled for the September 13 MS Savor Budapest-to-Prague River Cruise. What is folks' experience with how many days out Tauck decides to alter their itinerary? Like all of us, we have made plans that need to be altered and have to pivot to go somewhere else.
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James - Don’t judge Tauck by these very unusual circumstances. You will be doing yourself a disservice by traveling with a different river cruise company. My opinion.
I agree with BSP51. This is a very fluid situation requiring herculean logistical maneuvering that can’t be planned ahead of time. If Tauck releases information prematurely and then has to alter that information, people will be just as upset. I suspect that when this is over there will be “lessons learned” at Tauck. My opinion as well.
I agree with both of the above. Go on your trip. Life is incredibly too short.
Tauck has emailed me a letter intended to calm my fears. The gist of it is that they have dealt with low water before, that conditions can change day by day, that changes to the itinerary may be necessary, and that they will inform me of them closer to the day. I assume everybody booked on the Blue Danube gets the same letter.
My concern is not with Tauck. I’m sure they will do the best they can given the circumstances. Our disappointment is with those circumstances. We signed up for a river cruise specifically to avoid multiple hotels, coach or even train travel.
We are also on that trip - a family group. My father spoke to someone on Friday who said at that point they expected hotel in Budapest, bus to Bratislava, and then cruising as scheduled. However, also said that could change, and they will send something out by Tuesday next week. We will see!
Does anyone know if we are supposed to hear from Tauck today on changes to the itinerary? From other threads I think that’s been the pattern so far - one week prior to departure. We have family schedule to fly out early, etc.
MedinaMom. It does seem a one week notice is the current standard. We’re scheduled for the 9/26 Budapest to Prague “cruise”. Not at all excited about the itinerary adjustments we’ve seen thus far.
My parents are sponsoring this trip for themselves, their five children and spouses. They have been on 7 or more Tauck trips in the past, and my dad is furious he hasn’t heard anything. I think he will cancel in a heartbeat, as the itinerary adjustments will be too taxing for them.
Medina mom. If you cancel, but the tour goes ahead, you may lose all the Tauck insurance you have paid out which is a not insignificant amount for a large family group. Any non boat days may mean more bus rides but shouldn’t change the amount of walking. Packing and unpacking yes. We rarely ‘unpack’ on any tour and use packing cubes so it’s no effort to just throw things back in a suitcase.
@British my parents were planning to stay on the boat the entire trip, so any changes to the original itinerary will de facto increase the amount of walking they were planning on. They chose this type of trip specifically because they could stay on board and relax and be waited on, and we could all see them as we come and go, and have happy hour and dinner together every night. So their threshold for change is very low.
@MedinaMom, there are so many reasons why someone would choose to cancel this trip and it totally makes sense why your family would choose to do so. These are expensive luxury purchases with a very specific expectations in mind. If I wanted a land tour I would have purchased one. If I wanted a hybrid tour I would have purchased one. I am glad that on recent tours that have been modified that Tauck has given their guests the option to cancel, and I hope the Sept 15 eastbound / westbound tours get the same opportunity since it appears Vienna to Budapest is a no-cruise zone at the moment and only getting worse.
They just sent out modifications. Hotel in Budapest and bus either to Bratislava or Vienna. On another thread here someone currently sailing said nothing is sailing east of Vienna, so we presume it would be Vienna. We cancelled. If anyone winds up going, I’d love to hear your experience! Best of luck to all!
I have found the new arrangements acceptable.
Medina mom, I hope you got the full refund including insurance
@British I hope they did, too. I have no idea. The trip was my parents’ idea and extremely generous gift to us all, so their comfort was paramount. It was ultimately their decision, which we all support it unequivocally.
So sorry you will not get your trip and sincerely hope something else just as wonderful will happen!