Where are you going this year?

[glassslipper2004]

Bobo - where did you go on your cruise? We are thinking about a Med cruise for next summer. After looking at several different lines and port schedules we may end up on the Disney Magic and do some traveling in Spain the week before.

Anyone with experience in Spain and recommendations for Madrid or Barcelona, including hotels, I'd love to hear them!

[carpenta]

Originally Posted by Bobo912

We are back from our Tauck Bridges river cruise. It was a fantastic trip. I'm not going to post a review since it wasn't ABD. And I can't really do a comparison either, since ABD doesn't offer anything similar. I think a few of you were considering this trip, so if you have any questions you can PM me and I'll do my best to answer.

We did the Tauck Bridges river boat cruise leaving June 26th. we had a completely different time than what you imply. Compared to ABD it couldn't hold a candle. The Scylla crew were terrific, the Tauck crew.....not so much....

[SingingMom]

Originally Posted by carpenta

We did the Tauck Bridges river boat cruise leaving June 26th. we had a completely different time than what you imply. Compared to ABD it couldn't hold a candle. The Scylla crew were terrific, the Tauck crew.....not so much....

I have to just add my 2 cents.... Lol. We considered Tauck, but DD preferred the ABD itinerary and this was "her" trip.... We happened upon a Tauck tour in our Paris hotel and we got very disapproving looks as we, the ABD, came in one afternoon laughing and joking together. DD said, "whoa, thhat looked like a cranky group! Glad we are with ABD!!!".

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[carpenta]

Originally Posted by SingingMom

I have to just add my 2 cents.... Lol. We considered Tauck, but DD preferred the ABD itinerary and this was "her" trip.... We happened upon a Tauck tour in our Paris hotel and we got very disapproving looks as we, the ABD, came in one afternoon laughing and joking together. DD said, "whoa, thhat looked like a cranky group! Glad we are with ABD!!!".

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"Out of the mouth of Babes".....All we could do is compare this trip to our ABD trips........Our daughter kept saying how un-friendly the guides were and a couple really cranky. We saw first hand.... Never again and we are back with ABD next June.


p.s. Your daughter is an awful smart young lady.

[Bobo912]

We've had a lot of fantastic ABD guides, but our Tauck tour directors on the river boat cruise were great too. We had a wonderful time. We also met some folks at the hotel in Munich who were having their farewell dinner for Tauck's Alpine trip and they were a happy group. My son, who has been on 3 ABDs, asked to go on the new Tauck river boat cruise in France next year. He was overruled by me, because I think we should do something different, but we may take that trip in the future. We are going to Peru with ABD in 2013. I noticed after I had already booked with ABD that TB has added a Peru and Ireland itinerary. I probably would have gone with ABD for 2013 anyway, but if I had know TB was going to offer a Peru itinerary, I proabably would have waited to book so I could compare. This was our second trip with TB and our previous guide wasn't cranky either.

Sorry you had a bad experience. I've met several people who have been on more than 10 Tauck trips and the company has been in business for 87 years, so they must be doing something right.

[Bobo912]

Originally Posted by glassslipper2004

Bobo - where did you go on your cruise? We are thinking about a Med cruise for next summer. After looking at several different lines and port schedules we may end up on the Disney Magic and do some traveling in Spain the week before.

Anyone with experience in Spain and recommendations for Madrid or Barcelona, including hotels, I'd love to hear them!

We were on the Tauck Bridges Blue Danube cruise which starts in Bupadest and travels through Slovakia, Austria and Germany.

[carpenta]

Originally Posted by Bobo912

We've had a lot of fantastic ABD guides, but our Tauck tour directors on the river boat cruise were great too. We had a wonderful time. We also met some folks at the hotel in Munich who were having their farewell dinner for Tauck's Alpine trip and they were a happy group. My son, who has been on 3 ABDs, asked to go on the new Tauck river boat cruise in France next year. He was overruled by me, because I think we should do something different, but we may take that trip in the future. We are going to Peru with ABD in 2013. I noticed after I had already booked with ABD that TB has added a Peru and Ireland itinerary. I probably would have gone with ABD for 2013 anyway, but if I had know TB was going to offer a Peru itinerary, I proabably would have waited to book so I could compare. This was our second trip with TB and our previous guide wasn't cranky either.

Sorry you had a bad experience. I've met several people who have been on more than 10 Tauck trips and the company has been in business for 87 years, so they must be doing something right.

I guess it's like going to a 4 star resturaunt, paying alot of money and having crabby waiters and an obnoxious maitrede. Sure the food was great but because of the atmosphere you will not return. Later you stew when you contact the head office with a detailed letter about problems we had on the trip and did not even receive a form letter in return. 16 grand and nothin'. And I know they received the letter because THEY SIGNED FOR IT. 87 years they may do things right but in our opinion they can't compare to ABD. I hope you only have the best in your future trips.

[Bobo912]

Originally Posted by carpenta

I guess it's like going to a 4 star resturaunt, paying alot of money and having crabby waiters and an obnoxious maitrede. Sure the food was great but because of the atmosphere you will not return. Later you stew when you contact the head office with a detailed letter about problems we had on the trip and did not even receive a form letter in return. 16 grand and nothin'. And I know they received the letter because THEY SIGNED FOR IT. 87 years they may do things right but in our opinion they can't compare to ABD. I hope you only have the best in your future trips.

That's odd, because I gave a mostly glowing review on my comment card at the end of the trip, but mentioned one small thing that was slightly disappointing and I got a personal letter from the CEO with an apology. The issue was so small, I didn't want or expect any response.

[carpenta]

Originally Posted by Bobo912

That's odd, because I gave a mostly glowing review on my comment card at the end of the trip, but mentioned one small thing that was slightly disappointing and I got a personal letter from the CEO with an apology. The issue was so small, I didn't want or expect any response.

You must rate. Because of something that happened on the ship (which did not affect our cruise at all) Tauck refunded us $3000.00. Since we felt the situation was in no way the fault of Taulk we sent the check back with the enclosed letter. Even $3000.00 could not even earn a response. Next trip can I use your address? (only kidding). I feel like Rodney Dangerfield.

[Bobo912]

Originally Posted by carpenta

You must rate. Because of something that happened on the ship (which did not affect our cruise at all) Tauck refunded us $3000.00. Since we felt the situation was in no way the fault of Taulk we sent the check back with the enclosed letter. Even $3000.00 could not even earn a response. Next trip can I use your address? (only kidding). I feel like Rodney Dangerfield.

That is unfortunate and I'm surprised you didn't receive a response. They have so many repeat travelers I know that we, with our two trips, are small potatoes to them. My feedback was so overwhelmingly positive, I never would have expected any response at all to the one minor thing I mentioned. Maybe they give more attention to their comment cards than they do to mail, but one would think a letter returning a $3000 check would get somebody's attention!

[SingingMom]

Originally Posted by carpenta

"Out of the mouth of Babes".....All we could do is compare this trip to our ABD trips........Our daughter kept saying how un-friendly the guides were and a couple really cranky. We saw first hand.... Never again and we are back with ABD next June.

p.s. Your daughter is an awful smart young lady.

She is a seasoned traveler. Lol. First time to Europe, however, and she loved every minute of it! Now she is looking forward to her semester next year in London at the Dramatic Arts Academy. We are planning another ABD next summer. DD and DH want Scotland or Ireland , I want Italy. We shall see! As long as it is ABD!!! :-)

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[familygoboston]

I have a neighbor who asked me about tour companies, and I recommended Tauck as one option for her Western Trip. They loved it, and last year she asked about ABD because we had done them and she didn't love the Tauck Italy itinerary for her mixed age group (18 yo HS grad and 14 yo and 9 yo). I recommended ABD, they went this summer and loved it even more. Her 18 yo was treated to special treatment for her graduation and her younger ones loved the activities- especially pasta making.

I do a mix of tours and independent travel and i think there is an art to matching people with the " right" company. I have mentioned before here and in reviews, that ABD does not attract a lot of jerks. People who like Disney in general often approach life with a certain optimism and openness to " magic". This usually translates well in group travel and travel in general...because being open to new experiences and positive in the face of travel challenges always makes a better trip. We haven't met too many cynics on an ABD!

But sometimes the ABD itineraries are not for me. Sometimes i want a more in depth experience or to travel independently, so I like to mix it up! Honestly, if i did an ABD every time i traveled, it wouldnt work for me.

After comparing notes with my neighbor, I really think ABD in Italy ( Rome, Venice and Tuscany)will be our next ABD. But it's unlikely to be next year; with a graduating senior and new college freshman, I have no idea what our calendar will look like at the end of 2013...so other than some already planned cruises and a trip to WDW early in 2013, nothing till 2014 for us!

[disneytraveler]

I went to Niagra Falls Ontario Canada for a week.

[carpenta]

Originally Posted by disneytraveler

I went to Niagra Falls Ontario Canada for a week.

Canada or U.S. side?

[disneytraveler]

Originally Posted by carpenta

Canada or U.S. side?

Canada side