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Classic or Classic Small group Italy
We'll be going next year - a definite - not a definite is which trip - we were told by a Tauck agent that the only difference is the group size - we still find it hard to believe that a $2000 difference for the two of us is worth the small group - I'm pushing the small group but my frugal wife needs 'compelling' evidence otherwise - if there is any ??
Phil
Phil
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Whichever one you choose you both will enjoy the trip!
Virtually every hotel we stayed in was 2 blocks from major sites and shopping areas. These hotels are also unique, most of which were converted castles, forts, mansions, etc. The rooms will be decidedly non-Holiday Inn (marble or tile floors, unusual room layouts, towel warmers, sumptuous dining) and have 5 star ratings. Two of them had rooftop pools overlooking a coast, one was built on an old Roman ruin (tower and basement intact and formed a museum), and one an old church. My room in Venice had a terrace that was directly next to St. Mark's church, and the dining was on the Grand Canal. My room in Rome had a view of St. Peter's Basilica and was a block from the Spanish Steps. The room in Sorrento overlooked a large garden and the Bay of Naples.
A smaller group size means greater flexibility, as special events (dinners, private night tour of Doge's Palace, night tour of Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel) will be unique and crowd free. The larger tour just involves more people, so even when they see the same sites, the number of people may still get in the way. It's so much easier to get 20 people in a unique local restaurant. Larger groups will be diverted to more touristy places. Another plus, we all use the same motor coaches, but there is a lot more room to spread out when only 20 people travel in a coach that holds 40. On the private boat tour to the Cinque Terre villages, the small group didn't have to fight with one another (or the public) for photo positions. We had a boat that seated 60 all to ourselves.
The Ferragamo event was mildly amusing to some, but not a must-see according to feedback from the group I traveled with. After meeting the Ferragamo family (quite charming) and touring their shoe museum, you then walk to their hotel where a rooftop reception (wine and snacks) was held. Great views from the rooftop terrace.
Was the price differential for the small group tour worth it? Yes.
Last year we took a small group "England, Scotland, Wales," this spring it was a small group "Ultimate Alps & Dolomites", and this fall, a normal size Hidden Gems of New England. While our fellow travelers were just as nice and there were no major problems with a normal size group, we experienced many items similar to what LarryC mentioned.
The time it takes to complete the simplest tasks and administrative details can be so much longer- restroom breaks, midday meals, explaining details, handing out room keys, getting into smaller groups for local tours, the list goes on. Sometimes it was like herding cats : ). Just getting on and off the bus can eat a lot of time- I timed it once (yup, I did). Once during our N.E. tour it took well over 5 minutes for everyone to get off the bus! Granted, we had a couple of travelers with mobility issues, but since there wasn't a back door to the bus (none on US buses, unlike Euro buses?) it took almost 10 minutes for everyone to exit the bus and get organized before we could head off for a scheduled activity. In order to keep to a reasonable schedule, our guide had to plan for these delays and we all had to be back earlier than if we had been on a small group, to allow enough time for everyone to board and get settled on the bus.
No single event necessarily takes an excessive amount of time, but, by the end of the day the accumulated time can be significant, and just as tiring as if you had been touring during that lost time. I subscribe to the opinion that we are on a tour, not a vacation.
Unless there is a good reason otherwise, if at all possible, we plan to take small group tours from here on out.
I am concerned about the big numbers on the river cruises but have not been on any yet.
I have done a river cruise and the big numbers are only while you are on the boat. For shore excursions, there are smaller groups of about 30 - 35. At each location the groups went in different directions so one was seeing a particular site while another was somewhere else. By the end of the touring day, everyone had seen everything.