DARK_MAGIC

Is there anyone that is doing a group tour with TRAFALGAR TRAVEL this year?? I plan to go in 2022 but was wondering if these tours are even going in 2021. Also is there a more specific place i can post stuff about tours that do group travel in Europe here on fodors?

thursdaysd

Why Trafalgar?? If you want more info on tours to Europe you might read the Rick Steves threads here.

DARK_MAGIC

Well, because i am going on a TRAFALGAR tour so i thought it just make sense that i read things on trafalgar, not RT.

thursdaysd

My question, expanded, was: "why pick Trafalgar".

Plus, this implies interest beyond Trafalgar: "Also is there a more specific place i can post stuff about tours that do group travel in Europe here on fodors?"

Fodors posters tend to be independent travelers.

Sassafrass

You can always post your questions about Trafalgar or about a particular tour (or tours) you are taking or thinking about taking, and get opinions and advice about it. Even though most people posting on Fodors travel independently, they may still offer good advice on specific itineraries, hotels, time of year, etc. If you are already booked with Trafalgar, then many options are no longer open to you. If you are not already booked, then the question of “Why Trafalgar?” opens the option to discussion of other companies for comparison. If you do want information, perhaps share which tour you have chosen and also what it is about Trafalgar that made you choose them. That will tell people a little more about your travel style and what you are looking for, so their advice will be more relevant to your needs.
I took several tours (not with Trafalgar) many years ago. I liked having everything booked so no details, like tickets, for me to think about. I choose good itineraries, so was happy with that. The guides and drivers were all great! However, I absolutely hate being on a bus. Even though they were nice and comfortable, I felt trapped. I do not like being part of a group. I do not like groups being lead for tours of museums, etc. I did not enjoy any of the group restaurants. I hated stops for shopping. I hated being on a schedule. OTOH, I would be happy to comment on places you will be seeing and the itineraries you are considering.

TDudette

DARK_MAGIC, what is the itinerary, please? It will be easier to assess what others think may be missing.

DARK_MAGIC

"Highlights of Eastern Europe" 17 day start/end Vienna. I have used Trafalgar in the past and have been VERY happy with them. Just looking for a place to chat with other people that might be going on a tour that is similar.

bilboburgler

Where does the tour go and can you give a link to it?

janisj

Bilbiburgler: I assume this is the tour. https://www.trafalgar.com/en-us/tour...eastern-europe

bilboburgler

thanks janisj $4k plus a whole bunch of meals to be added. Dinner when is that in American?

It looks fine but very fast and some of the views are just a bit odd Lake Balaton is, well just a lake. Lake Bled, on the other hand, is one of the most beautiful spots on the tour. (plus lots of good hotels which is why they seem to stay over).

Hard to know but it looks all a bit rushed to me and missing out loads of lovely places along the way. Does the OP have any especial interests?

DARK_MAGIC

This was the only trip that i saw that goes to Poland, CR, Slovenia nad Slovakia. I have been to the other counites on the tour. I have used trafalgar in the past and have been very pleased. Actually the Meals are the only real negative. 17 days, zero lunches and only half dinners. but gives me a chance to explore more eats. The thing i like about TT is that they give you a good balance of "guided" and independence" . the "speed" of the tour doesnt bother me, im fine with that. I didnt really have "questions" just thought it would be fun to chat with others that might be going on this tour or simialr.

thursdaysd

This trip goes to Poland, CR, Slovakia and Slovenia:

https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/eas...rn-europe-tour

Slovakia is just a drive through, but that's true of the Trafalgar tour as well, plus unless you're hiking that may be good enough.

Good points: no tipping, no upselling of "optional excursions", central hotels, good food, very good guides. Not including Berlin, Warsaw and Vienna saves a lot of driving.
Possible bad points: you need to be in good shape, pack light and carry your bag upstairs.

There's also: https://www.imaginative-traveller.co...a-to-dubrovnik and probably several others.

I see that Trafalgar is running its tours this year, but you'd better have excellent insurance. You can only cancel up to 30 days out, plus if you get sick or test positive on the tour you're on your own. There's no requirement I can see for tour members to be vaccinated or tested, but the countries on the tour will probably require testing (at your own expense according to Trafalgar).

Edited to add that I don't see anywhere on the Trafalgar site to discuss their tours. There are forums on the RS site, and "scrapbooks" put together by tour members: https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/scr...lum-scrapbooks

DARK_MAGIC

thursdaysd,
that rick steves tour on the date i would need to go is on a "wait list" I would want to book my trip and not travel on stand by. Plus this trip skips germany/austia and doesn't go to Warsaw or Zagreb, two cities i am looking forward to seeing. But the wait list would be the bigger deal though. Plus i cant imainge that the insurnace or cancel policy is any greater on any other land based tour, i am sure they are all pretty comparable.

dugi_otok

I went on this tour Trafalgar- Highlights of Eastern Europe Tour almost 30 years ago.

At that time the tour started in Vienna and ended in Berlin.
We went to Vienna 2-3 days before the tour start. I recommend this since there is so much to do in Vienna and surroundings.
We stayed in the same Hotel as you will be staying at. It is outside of town and required a bus ride to the city center.
This happens quite frequently in the Tour industry hotels.
You will also find that frequently there are several tour groups staying at your hotel.

We did not stay in Bled. But we did stop for lunch there on our tour. But I have been there on other vacations. This is a good addition to the itinerary.
You will like Lake Bled.

Ljubljana was not in our itinerary. Ljubljana is one of my favorite small capital cities that I have enjoyed on other of my vacations.

In Zagreb we stayed at the historical Esplanade Hotel of Orient Express fame. A real treat with music in the bistro.

We also stayed in Belgrade which is not on your itinerary. When our bus was set to leave our Belgrade hotel in the morning a hotel staff member came
running to the bus. One of our tour group took some bath towels from the hotel. Their luggage was searched and there were the towels.
What an embarrassment for them.

Warsaw was my least favorite city on this tour. A city rebuilt with no personality. Nothing left of the ghetto.

In a crowded Czestochowa one of our tour group had her purse slit open and was pickpocketed. Robbed in a church. Ugh!
Auschwitz is educational, but depressing. We stopped at 1-2 additional concentration camps on our tour.

Krakow was a good stop. We visited a very interesting salt mine. Slovakia was a drive by, as in your tour.

Budapest was a highlight except that our travel companions room safe was broken into.
Stolen were passports, airline tickets, cash. The hotel manager helped my friends to get replacement passports by driving them to the embassy,
driving them to the airline office to get replacement tickets, gave them their missing cash, gave them a private city tour.

Prague was another highlight. Although our hotel was away from the city center.
And when I looked out my 2nd story hotel window I saw a dead body laying in the street.

Berlin (and Potsdam) are worth several days. We stayed there for a few days after our tour.
We also day tripped Dresden enroute to Berlin, another worth while city to see.

Over all we enjoyed the tour. Itinerary was excellent. I have only been on two such tours in my lifetime.
I am an independent traveler. But independent travel to eastern Europe was complicated at that time. So we gave it a try.
Local guides were excellent. It was an "If its Tuesday it must be Belgium" type tour but did show us a lot for 17 days.
Hotels were satisfactory with a few excellent. Food was okay. Our best meals were when going out to dinner on our own.
We enjoyed the optional nights activities $$$ we chose to buy.
Fellow passengers were mostly very social.
Fellow passengers made for some good conversation.
Met several interesting Aussies. Some fellow passengers were obnoxious.
Trying to rush the guide into assigning them what they thought were the best hotel rooms.
The getting the best bus seats every day was solved by rotating assigned bus seats every day.
If I were to go on such a tour in the future I would try a Rick Steves tour.