Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
hotels than others. Some offer the
same hotels for lower prices. Some
offer flights on scheduled airlines,
while others book charters. Some limit
your choice of accommodations and
travel days. You are often required to
make a large payment up front. On
the plus side, packages can save you
money, offering group prices but
allowing for independent travel. Some
even let you to add on a few guided
excursions or escorted day trips (also
at prices lower than if you booked
them yourself ) without booking an
entirely escorted tour.
Before you invest in a package tour,
get some answers. Ask about the
accommodations choices
and prices
for each. Then look up the hotels'
reviews in your Frommer's guide and
check their rates for your specific dates
of travel online. You'll also want to
find out what
type of room
you get.
If you need a certain type of room, ask
for it; don't take whatever is thrown
your way. Request a nonsmoking
room, a quiet room, a room with a
view, or whatever you fancy.
Finally, look for
hidden expenses.
Ask whether airport departure fees
and taxes, for example, are included in
the total cost.
13 Escorted General-Interest Tours
Escorted tours are structured group
tours, with a group leader. The price
usually includes everything from air-
fare to hotels, meals, tours, admission
costs, and local transportation.
Connections for 18 to 35's
(call
Australian Pacific Touring
&
800/
290-8687
in the U.S.; Goway
&
800/387-8850
in Canada; or the
main office
&
1800/077 251
or
07/3839 7877 in Australia; www.
connections1835.com.au), and
Con-
tiki
(
&
888/CONTIKI
in the U.S.;
800/268-1835 in Canada; 020/8290
6777 in the U.K.; 09/309 8824 in
New Zealand; or 02/9511 2200 in
Australia; www.contiki.com) specialize
in escorted tours for 18- to 35-year-
olds. These trips attract a lot of Aus-
tralians, too, so they are a good way to
meet locals. Australian company
Con-
nections for 18 to 35's
also does a
Connections Plus range of active holi-
days for people of any age.
Premier
Vacations
(
&
800/321-6720
in the
U.S. and Canada; www.premierdown
under.com) is another reliable escorted
tour operator.
Many people derive a certain ease
and security from escorted trips.
Escorted tours—whether by bus,
motor coach, train, or boat—let travel-
ers sit back and enjoy their trip with-
out having to spend lots of time
behind the wheel. All the little details
are taken care of; you know your costs
up front; and there are few surprises.
Escorted tours can take you to the
maximum number of sights in the
minimum amount of time with the
least amount of hassle—you don't have
to sweat over the plotting and plan-
ning of a vacation schedule. Escorted
tours are particularly convenient for
people with limited mobility.
On the downside, an escorted tour
often requires a big deposit up front,
and lodging and dining choices are
predetermined. As part of a cloud of
tourists, you'll get little opportunity for
serendipitous interactions with locals.
The tours can be jam-packed with
activities, leaving little room for indi-
vidual sightseeing, whim, or adven-
ture—plus they also often focus only
on the heavily touristed sites, so you
miss out on the lesser-known gems.
Before you invest in an escorted
tour, ask about the
cancellation pol-
icy:
Is a deposit required? Can they
cancel the trip if they don't get enough
people? Do you get a refund if they
