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Hits and misses

British

ThomasThomas
May 10 in The Black Sea to Budapest Forum
So on another thread, someone posted about terrible service on a cruise and a large number of Covid-19 cases. This thread is for people to comment on current or recent tours and whether the tours were up to usual Tauck standards or well below the mark.

Comments

British

Above, I’ve tried to put the above in the General forum from the Black Sea discussion

Thomas

Oh British, thanks a million! I noticed I got it in the Black Sea forum but I didn’t know how to switch it. I love your comments and insight and it’s good to have you and several of the others who are experienced to help the rest of us, I love this forum.😊

janet_dzubow

So my husband and I just returned from the Belgium and Holland in Spring. We took the Inspire, leaving from Brussels April 27th and ending in Amsterdam May 4. It was our first river cruise, but not our first Tauck trip. I do love Tauck and all they do for you. So, first the good parts. The itinerary was really nice and we had excellent, but cool weather. The cruise director was very nice, but a little overwhelmed. The 3 Tauck directors were overall excellent. One I didn't care for as much as the other two and tried to avoid her bus (she just didn't seem enthusiastic or happy). Highlights for me were Ghent, Brugges Dordrecht , the windmills and Keukenhof gardens were amazing. I even liked Floriade, although some were disappointed. I thought it was like a World's Fair on sustainability and was interesting. Tauck was nice enough to arrange to have transportation to Amsterdam from Floriade and the ship, so some could spend some time in Amsterdam. Otherwise, Amsterdam was on you own. We spent an extra day in Amsterdam and were able to see the Anne Frank house and the Van Gogh museum (worth the time!), Glad we did that.

The Inspire is a beautiful ship. This was the first outing for the ship, so we were lucky to get on board right from arrival and get into our rooms. We were under the impression that river cruises docked in or near cities. None of our docking was near any city, so we had to take buses to all the tours. Not a big deal, but FYI. We were docked, for the most part, in industrial areas. Scenery while cruising was ok, but too cold on deck to enjoy. I think I've watched too many PBS shows with Viking sailing into the heart of Europe. Not on this cruise. Staff on board was great, but ship was understaffed to start. There were complaints about rooms not getting made up etc and long waits for being served in the main dining room. Staff was being picked up as we went to different ports. Not Tauck's fault. It's the way things are now with COVID. Things improved along the way. Personally, we had really good service, so no complaints from our end.

My husband and I are each double vaccinated and double boosted for COVID-19. He's an MD and I have a PhD in virology. We haven't had COVID-19 yet and have been super careful. We took this cruise because so many trips had been canceled and we assumed that safety would be a major concern for Tauck. Maybe it is, but I'm not convinced. There is a pledge that travelers are supposed to sign.Probably a little naive about that.

Our first disappointment was that Arthur's was not open (except for drinks, coffee, cookies) for eating meals. We booked a suite, at great expense, assuming we could get room service. We had not eaten indoors in restaurants since COVID-19 started- our choice, but bars/restaurants are biggest spreaders. So, we were taken aback when we found out on our first day was that our only option for eating was in the main dining room. We were able to get a table for 2, but one is sitting within a few feet of everyone else. Little masking except for the staff. We were not the only ones disturbed by this.

Second disappointment was that one was supposed to wear masks in all public areas and on the buses. Little masking in public spaces because this was mostly in the bars/main areas where there was drinking and socializing. Buses were much better, but no enforcement. for those that decided that masking was not for them. There was sanitizer in the public areas on the ship, but not on the buses. There were no extra masks to be had, if someone forgot to wear one. Tauck could have done a better job letting travelers know ahead of time that this was the practice. Had I know this, I would not have gone on this trip. I don't mind getting COVID-19 at all, but with the testing requirement to come back to the US, many are at risk.

Third disappointment was that there was no COVID19 testing on board the ship, until the last day. We took some antigen tests along with us, but I would assumed there would be some kind of testing. There were some positive cases on the last day, so some travelers had to deal with quarantine.
Fourth disappointment was lack of communication about what would happen on the trip is someone got sick. The only information about what would happen if someone tested positive for COVID-19 was the day before we arrived in Amsterdam. Nothing else. So, my impression was if you don't test, you don;t know and so what. Hope for the best until the end of the trip.

There were some hiccups on the trip. Several repeat Tauck guests said this was their worst river boat cruise and worse Tauck experience. Since this was my first river cruise, I thought it was good. It's too be expected that traveling now is not the same as it used to be. But, some thought that things did not go as smoothly as they could have gone and this was an expensive trip for many.

We are privileged to be able to travel and to be able to travel with Tauck. Was this trip as excellent as others? No. Is travel now different? absolutely. Would I travel again to Europe now? No, not with the current testing restrictions to come back. Did I enjoy the trip- yes and no. Yes- it was beautiful and wonderful to get away, but no because we worried too much about getting sick and not being able to return to US when we planned. Would I travel with Tauck again? Most likely. But, I really think they need to do a Much better job at communicating their product.

Thomas

Very helpful comments! Thanks so much for taking the timetable tell of your experience. I’m leaving for a cruise next week and apprehensive because of the testing requirement to return to US. Thanks again.

British

I’m with you Janet that Tauck could enforce better Covid control, they appear to have made sensible promises that now they do not adhere too. I’m sure they are loosing more repeat customers than they have customers who don’t want to wear masks. We sign the Pledge, but that’s Ok because Tauck basically withdraw themselves from any blame if a customer gets Covid. I’m wondering what would happen if I arrive on my next tour and refuse to sign it?

AlanS

How about you sign with someone else's name, e.g. Greta Garbo? All this talk about COVID, quarantine, etc., etc. is so depressing. I just want to put my fingers in my ears (in my eyes?) and go, "Na na, na, na . . . . ." Ya pays your price and takes your chances.

OurTravels34

Amen to both Alan S and the Sealord.

kfnknfzk

I agree with most of Sealord's comments, especially how this thread seems to promote negativity. We all have different expectations of what constitutes a memorable journey and I appreciate being informed of some misgivings, but not when it becomes nothing more than constant complaining, most of which, in my opinion, is unwarranted. Wouldn't it be more productive to offer solutions? Instead of..."Tauck didn't do this"..."he/she didn't do this"...how about "this is what I did to help protect myself from contracting COVID"...or "this is what I did to ensure that those with a hidden agenda did not spoil my trip."

My G-d, we are alive. We survived. Let's celebrate that. Many of us have friends and family who did not survive and can never again celebrate.

Best regards to all.

Claudia Sails

I don't expect Tauck to be perfect all the time and this year definitely seems to be a challenge. However, I do appreciate honest reviews. Certainly better than the vague " they did me wrong" posts without enough detail to make a fair assessment If it's valid or they are a difficult crank.

If Tauck isn't willing to enforce the travel well pledge requirements then drop it.

I don't think travel - especially to somewhere like Europe - is more dangerous than at home, but the repercussions of a positive test are higher. Expense and hassle of staying longer, trying to meet the requirements to get on a plane, etc.

If I'm about to spend a large chunk of money on a tour and deal with any risks/inconveniences, I want to know what to expect from the tour as far as the TD, accommodations, food, sights, etc. Therefore I appreciate detailed reviews. Then I can pay my money and take my chances.

Ps- if a post bores you, don't read it. Plenty I skip.

mil

for those that like to criticize Tauck, you should travel with GLOBUS!!! see how much better you'll be.
I respect everyone's opinion; they are entitled to their own... but enough....
Same old questions, same old whining, same old same old...... it's tiring.

My opinion.

Claudia Sails

Cathy, I sent you a private message.

Thomas

I thought people would be interested in what’s happening now in travel. Sorry I didn’t mean to offend all y’all Tauck cheerleaders. I have only done one Tauck tour and I loved it. And after my husband died I wanted a tour company I felt would be smaller and caring. And I’m mainly concerned with the testing to return home. That said, I think it’s no reasonable to be open to the experience of others, even if negative. In future, I may refrain from commenting. But I continue to enjoy reading all the very helpful and interesting comments, especially from those of y’all who have traveled extensively with Tauck. Thanks to all. 😊

BSP51

Thomas - Your comments were not out of line and imho you should keep sharing your posts. If all we read on this forum was the Pom Pom shaking Tauck is Great comments then we would be missing some very important information from those with other experiences.

British

Thomas, in all my tours with Tauck, my comments have been positive, until Covid. I’ve supported and defended Tauck on the forum many times. I’ve only taken one tour with them since then because all my others were canceled except one we canceled ourselves because we could not get there because of suitable flight availability. I too think good and bad comments should be posted. So yet again, some people think only their views are valid or worth expressing and no one else is able to have a different opinion, this is sad and it’s not American. Please continue to post with Tauck when you travel with them again.
Oh, but actually, Tauck is not a small company, they do not advertise much compared with other companies and have always said they rely on word of mouth. How did you hear about Tauck? If you travel with Tauck again and want a question answered, or an opinion without judgement from others, please feel free to send a private message, I’ll give you info or an opinion which of course may be different than someone else’s thoughts. Click on my name, it comes up and there is a message option, click on that. When you get a message or reply, it will show in the right hand corner of your screen, the email triangle, click on that to open and reply. I’ll send you a sample

AlanS

Final thoughts- in these highly unusual times- never before seen in our or Tauck's lifetime (and hopefully never again)- things will not always be as they should or as we would prefer. First, as Tauck says in their information (and videos?) - see the first few paragraphs of the brochure at this link - we all need to manage our expectations.

Yes, we all need to be aware of what happened, but should realize everyone's perception and account of the circumstances, severity, and importance of what occurred may be significantly different. To some, missed turn-down service is significant, to others it falls into the category of "seriously?" We should also hope other travelers on the same tour who may have experienced the same problems, will have noted them in their critique and that Tauck will take corrective action if needed. There is always the the possibility a situation could happen again, or, unfortunately become a regular occurrence, so we need information, but should still be careful when we consider whether it really matters enough to affect our decision about future travel.

It seems to me that a lot of the problems, many of which are due to situations, if not beyond our or Tauck's control, are also one-time aberrations, and we should all realize that. Don't cause it to become more than it is in the echo chamber of social media. Look where that has got the country to date! We should also realize that things often change from departure to departure and tour to tour, and that Tauck may make minor course corrections and changes, so beating a dead horse for something that may not affect us or anyone else, again is wasted effort.

mil

Thomas Hi
You don't have to refrain from commenting, we have all been in the same spot once and even twice...
I guess your post happens to be 1 more of all the postings that focus on the things that went wrong or are not at the clients liking.. which at the end it gets to be too much.-
Hope you don't get discourage.. it's the situation & the time we are going through, it will get better, Hopefully.
Have a good day.

OurTravels34

Hi all, All of you articulate so well and have great information to offer that we all process and figure out what works for us and what doesn't. I may not have the gift of rhetoric that many of you have expressed in writing with your communications in this forum. I definitely appreciate all of you and certainly your wisdom regarding travel and seeing the world. I am an avid nonstop reader, and one would think I could express myself better.

travel maven

Thomas: Please do not stop posting. I enjoy your posts and humor. There is always something to learn, positive and negative from all of these posts. Take what you like and leave the rest, I always say. We are all different people (which is great) with different expectations. You did nothing wrong. Covid has and continues to be extremely challenging with regards to travel. I hope you have a fantastic trip, I know you will. Please do post a review afterwards, it will be appreciated by many on this board. Safe travels.

kfnknfzk

Thomas,

In no way were my comments directed at you; if you thought that, I do sincerely apologize.

I firmly believe there is a difference between offering constructive criticism when reviewing a tour and making blanket statements such as..."the food was terrible"..."worst tour director ever"...et al. The former can offer useful information when additional detail is provided; the latter only promotes more negativity and projects the author of the review as a hopelessly "the glass is half empty" type of individual.

I have enjoyed your enthusiasm and it is evident you are looking forward to your tour. I do hope you will provide us with your post-tour experiences. I want to hear about all your wine tastings!

wildcat03

Check out the ca.usembassy website in regards to being tested in order to return the U.S. Only if u r flying into country. You cross over via land with no testing. This is so sad.

Claudia Sails

Yes, Wildcat, that is one of the points the US Travel Association made in their 5 May letter to Dr Jha

Here's a link to it a pdf https://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/5.2.22-dr-jha-final.pdf

I'd seen the letter but not the full list of signatories. Tauck is on the list.

bucketlist

Janet_dzubow

Thank you for your comments and report on what traveling on the river boat today is actually like. Some of your experiences were likely unavoidable, others should not have happened.

We took the Belgium and Holland in Spring tour in 2016 and did not enjoy it. Part of it was the itinerary, which I see that Tauck has changed for the better, and part was due to the the snotty cruises director, unprofessional tour directors and some very poor local guides. We discovered we were not river boat people.

That said, we are very pleased with Tauck and have travelled with it since 2006 and have 4 trips booked for the future! I hope you put your comments in a letter to Tauck. "Tauck" reads them and takes them very seriously. I give honest constructive feedback and often hear back by letter or phone if more info is wanted.

I don't agree with you Sealord. Posting post tour comments, positive or negative, gives guidance to future travelers.

MalloryG

I just got back this week from A Week in Portugal and at the last count 9 out of 24 on the contacted Covid. My husband and I were the first to get it and drop out of the tour. We got no guidance at all from Tauck. It's all very confusing, even for the most seasoned traveler. We were told "boots on the ground" (the hotel) was the best strategy to figure things out. It was extremely stressful and took many hours/days of research to navigate what to do. It was quick wits and a lot of luck that we could come home. Everyone was very disappointed with having no guidance from Tauck. If you know that going in (no guidance) and have a plan figured out just in case you get Covid. If you have any questions, you can always pm me. As an example, we had no idea we had to get an official document stating we had covid, that starts the 10-day clock ticking. And when you test is Day 0. And what to do if you keep testing positive? There are certificates of recovery, but you need that official letter to document you have Covid. We would have appreciated having that guidance. We had a fantastic group and helped each other the best way we could, but everyone was disappointed in Tauck's lack of guidance. Luckily we had insurance, so I'm just about to file my claim.

MalloryG

Here's an interesting piece on Covid with traveling and insurance. https://petergreenberg.com/2022/05/11/peter-greenberg-on-cbs-mornings-may-11-2022/?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=peter-greenberg-worldwide&utm_content=Copy+of+Copy+of+May+7+2022#play

gafly26482

Forewarned is forearmed. I scoured these forums ahead of our trip for what travelers are experiencing now so I could make the appropriate risk assessment for me. Currently on the trip, and the “elephant in the room” was discussed at the welcome dinner and then again as we gathered (tightly packed indoors) aboard the riverboat). Masking is based on the rules of the country you are in and a personal decision otherwise. We were told how many from the last cruise incurred the unplanned trip extension and what limited help our TDs can offer. International travel is not for the risk-averse right now.

sevenseas

The NY Times had a great piece a week ago on testing positive while overseas: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/04/travel/covid-test-positive-traveling-overseas.html

MalloryG

sevenseas-That's the article that helped me navigate when I tested positive for Covid while on the tour in Portugal.

AlanS

While it may be stressful, I think the best thing to do is try to stay calm and ask questions. You won't be put in quarantine on the Black Pearl and set sail for the ends of the earth, nor will you be required to quarantine in Mariupol.

OurTravels34

Alan S: you make me laugh. When traveling, I also jot down in my pages of notes where the U.S. embassies are as well as consulates. It's always good to have and know. Also, the STEP program aka Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (https://step.state.gov/step) is good to enroll when leaving the country.

AlanS

Our daughter and son-in-law both work for the US State Department which allows us to be treated just like all the other crazy Americans traveling right now!