ABD Prices OUCH!!!!

[Momof3greatkids]

Recieved a call from ABD today letting me know about Knights and Lights and Northern France (Forgot the Officical Name) tours. First is $5079 pp, and 2nd is $4849 pp. Sigh, I just can't do it at that price point. Oh for the days when it was around $3000 pp to go to London and Paris.

 

[abdmom]

I agree with you. Even with DU's discounts. The price for the China trip has gone up 40% in 4 years.

 

[emilymad]

I agree. We were looking at the Northern France trip but $10K for 2 people for a week is just insane. I could do 2 weeks in Europe with airfare for $10K. As much as it is our dream trip I really can't justify the cost.

 

[Diskidatheart]

Not surprising that prices went up. I was expecting prices to actually drop last year for the trips to Europe because the Euro was down so low compared to the previous year, but the price jumped up. I guess each year the prices will continue to jump up and possibly force me to look elsewhere in the future.

 

[emilymad]

If my math is right Knights and Lights went up 18% from last year. I guess you could compare the difference in exchange rate from last year but that is too much math for first thing in the morning.

 

[abdmom]

The USD vs the GBP has gone down by 5% since August/10. The USD is down 10% vs. the Euro in that time. Doesn't justify an 18% increase. I've been planning my own London/Paris trip. I can take 3 people for 2 weeks in better accommodations with private excursions for what 3 people on a 7 night ABD cost.

 

[emilymad]

The USD vs the GBP has gone down by 5% since August/10. The USD is down 10% vs. the Euro in that time. Doesn't justify an 18% increase. I've been planning my own London/Paris trip. I can take 3 people for 2 weeks in better accommodations with private excursions for what 3 people on a 7 night ABD cost.

Thanks for the math! I think we are going to look to put together our own trip as well.

 

[Bobo912]

I've been thinking about booking the Austalia trip, but I'm having second thoughts. It's close to $14,000 for the two of us plus $5000+ for airfare. Then there are all the meals and free time to fill. I think this may be one trip we'll have to do on our own and I'm sure it will still be quite expensive. And I don't think there are as many benefits to doing the ABD trip vs. on your own as there are for some of the other itineraries. For starters, no language barrier. And there don't seem to be as many activities where skipping lines or having exclusive access would be a big plus like on other trips (private tour of the Sistene Chapel on the Italy trip, for example). But I would miss being with the group. Still would consider the ABD to Peru and I'm also considering the Thomson trip to Thailand. But I'll be waiting to see if any other incentives come along and I could change my mind.

 

[Pakey]

AbD isn't the only tour group with raising rates. I'm booked on an Amazon tour with Linblad and it's $15,000 for the two of us, not including airfare, for 8 nights. My husband and I enjoy traveling on our own and while the Amazon isn't an area we'd venture into alone, there are certainly many other world destinations that we can see by ourselves that will cost a lot less than this. We have pretty much talked ourselves into cancelling this one.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

The ABD price for the 3 of us is $15,800.00 . I just can't justify spending that. I really want to do an additional 2 days in both London and Paris, so that would put us close to $18,000.00 PLUS airfare.

So it looks like we will be going with Tauck Family. It should be (their prices aren't out yet, but the dates are) about $1,000 pp less and also includes all gratuities (it is just one day less). We can also use our AmEx Platininum points with Tauck and save $1,000 pp .

I am incredibly sad that we won't be with ABD this summer, but I am looking forward to giving Tauck a try.

 

[Momof3greatkids]

I do love the new ABD Knights and Lights trip. Covers almost everything I would want to see, but just can't swing it. When we first went on our 2 other ABD's, to Costa Rica and Quest for the West. we where around $2200 pp, which was more in our price point. I wonder how many other travelers they have priced out? I am thinking of doing Tauck London/Paris trip that goes from April through October, and trying to go late May, either this year or next. It is not specifically for families, but this year it would have been $3300 pp for late May time frame, and would have included tips. Of course, Tauck could take a major jump also.

 

[WeLoveABD]

I've been thinking about booking the Austalia trip, but I'm having second thoughts. It's close to $14,000 for the two of us plus $5000+ for airfare. Then there are all the meals and free time to fill. I think this may be one trip we'll have to do on our own and I'm sure it will still be quite expensive. And I don't think there are as many benefits to doing the ABD trip vs. on your own as there are for some of the other itineraries. For starters, no language barrier. And there don't seem to be as many activities where skipping lines or having exclusive access would be a big plus like on other trips (private tour of the Sistene Chapel on the Italy trip, for example). But I would miss being with the group. Still would consider the ABD to Peru and I'm also considering the Thomson trip to Thailand. But I'll be waiting to see if any other incentives come along and I could change my mind.

Bobo912: we heartly recommend the Peru trip with a tour and not on your own--if you are interested in getting into the story of the Incas and Spain's role; it is certainly do-able on your own if your goal is just to get to Machu Picchu, but my DW and I have been discussing this and we thought ABD did an excellent job telling the story that lead up to MP, and giving a lot of background before getting to MP--I think we arrived and looked upon the place with a different perspective vs reading a book and taking a train there. And with a teen and a then 10 yr old, they got more out of it with the lead up stories/background as well (without having to listen to their parents!). Hope you get there!

 

[Bobo912]

Bobo912: we heartly recommend the Peru trip with a tour and not on your own--if you are interested in getting into the story of the Incas and Spain's role; it is certainly do-able on your own if your goal is just to get to Machu Picchu, but my DW and I have been discussing this and we thought ABD did an excellent job telling the story that lead up to MP, and giving a lot of background before getting to MP--I think we arrived and looked upon the place with a different perspective vs reading a book and taking a train there. And with a teen and a then 10 yr old, they got more out of it with the lead up stories/background as well (without having to listen to their parents!). Hope you get there!

Thanks WeLoveABD, but I wouldn't even consider doing Peru on my own. I meant I might do Australia on my own. Or do the ABD Peru trip. Or the Thomson Thailand trip, which is another place I wouldn't consider doing on my own. I am easily intimidated.

 

[WeLoveABD]

Thanks WeLoveABD, but I wouldn't even consider doing Peru on my own. I meant I might do Australia on my own. Or do the ABD Peru trip. Or the Thomson Thailand trip, which is another place I wouldn't consider doing on my own. I am easily intimidated.

Oh, I didn't think that--was just picking up on the basic idea that there are trips one could do on their own, and for many of us trips not to do on your own! (There are hearty travelers out there who would prefer doing it all on their own and more power to them--but I am too nervous to do that with kids in tow, and I don't mind being spoiled a bit and not have all of the worries of accommodations, transportation, tips and trying to figure out what we are looking at and the best order to look at it all). China is a good example--I'd never try to get through all that a good travel tour can do!

The prices seem steep--certainly you can see all of the places listed more cheaply--but I also looked at Abercrombie and also Thompson (Thompson didn't have a Greece trip that I saw, and Abercrombie had a family one but you had to call for the price), and the prices seem to all be about the same as with ABD. I think when the day comes where my wife and I are no longer traveling with our kids, we would do more things on our own--around England, much of Europe, Australia etc, although we might be too much in debt from these family trips to do anything at all!

 

[Bobo912]

I don't believe ABD's prices are out of line with their competitors. They are all expensive! I do think a lot of their competitors have better returning guests benefits. We may take an ABD trip next year or we may go with somebody else. I'm definitely going to chill for now and see if anybody has any good offers. This year, I got free airfare to the Galapagos from Lindblad and a $300 gift card from ABD for SWS by not booking as soon as the dates were announced. If I had my heart set on one particular destination and I couldn't be flexible about the date, I would probably act differently, but there are a lot of trips I would like to take and I would be equally happy with any of them.

 

[familygoboston]

I don't believe ABD's prices are out of line with their competitors. They are all expensive! I do think a lot of their competitors have better returning guests benefits. We may take an ABD trip next year or we may go with somebody else. I'm definitely going to chill for now and see if anybody has any good offers. This year, I got free airfare to the Galapagos from Lindblad and a $300 gift card from ABD for SWS by not booking as soon as the dates were announced. If I had my heart set on one particular destination and I couldn't be flexible about the date, I would probably act differently, but there are a lot of trips I would like to take and I would be equally happy with any of them.

I agree with you- we take a lot of organized nature adventure tours and ABD is in the neighborhood. I had quotes for the new 7 day cruise to Galapagos by ABD and International Expeditions and Celebrity, and ABD was in the middle. The land/cruise ABD trip was the only one I priced that came in right at $5 K compared to others.
I also booked early on Monday; with little flexibility in dates, and already the trip is $200 more on the website pp than I got on Monday. That's a savings of 1200 for my party of 6, and well worth it. A few dates are already wait listed.

 

[kristilew]

The ABD price for the 3 of us is $15,800.00 . I just can't justify spending that. I really want to do an additional 2 days in both London and Paris, so that would put us close to $18,000.00 PLUS airfare.

So it looks like we will be going with Tauck Family. It should be (their prices aren't out yet, but the dates are) about $1,000 pp less and also includes all gratuities (it is just one day less). We can also use our AmEx Platininum points with Tauck and save $1,000 pp .

I am incredibly sad that we won't be with ABD this summer, but I am looking forward to giving Tauck a try.

I'm not sure what ages your kids are, but wanted to share this with you: As we were lining up to go into Windsor Castle earlier this month, there was a Tauck tour also going in. I pretty much kidnapped the guide bringing up the rear, and interrogated her about Tauck and Tauck Bridges. She was very accommodating.

She said that for any kids over 12, she would NOT suggest booking a Bridges trip, as they would find it too "dumbed down." She was co leading a regular Tauck tour, which included teens and several young teens. She felt they did much better with the regular tour than they would have with Bridges.

The group did get in ahead of everyone else that day, and apparently got extra touring as well. Everyone in the group looked happy. There were about 30 people in all, plus a couple of guides.

Anyway, thought I'd pass that along fwiw!

 

[Bobo912]

I'm not sure what ages your kids are, but wanted to share this with you: As we were lining up to go into Windsor Castle earlier this month, there was a Tauck tour also going in. I pretty much kidnapped the guide bringing up the rear, and interrogated her about Tauck and Tauck Bridges. She was very accommodating.

She said that for any kids over 12, she would NOT suggest booking a Bridges trip, as they would find it too "dumbed down." She was co leading a regular Tauck tour, which included teens and several young teens. She felt they did much better with the regular tour than they would have with Bridges.

The group did get in ahead of everyone else that day, and apparently got extra touring as well. Everyone in the group looked happy. There were about 30 people in all, plus a couple of guides.

Anyway, thought I'd pass that along fwiw!

Wow, that's a surprising comment from a tour guide. I haven't done the TB Londen/Paris trip (and probably never will), but I certainly wouldn't describe the TB trip to Northern CA that we took last year as "dumbed down". We had around 15 kids on our trip and at least 5 or 6 of them were teenagers. I don't think they were bored or felt that the trip was childish in any way. There was one family on our trip (grandparents, parents and children) who had taken many Tauck and TB trips and the grandparents said over the years they had taken their children (when they were younger) and grandchildren on the regular trips and it was fun, even though there weren't many or any other kids. We crossed paths with the adult version of our itinerary at the hotel in Monterey and there wasn't anybody on that trip under 65 and some were much older. I'm sure they aren't all like that though.

 

[tufbuf]

Well, I hope she meant that in a good way... although I cannot think of how. I also doubt that is true. I haven't done a TB trip but I was seriously looking at their Family River Cruising and almost booked it for next year, except that I saw a note that, The minimum age for whitewater rafting is 12 years; an alternate activity will be provided for guests under age 12. Knowing my daughter, she would love to participate in the rafting and would be disappointed to miss out, so I'll wait till she is 12.

 

[Rat-a-too-ee]

It's not just the cash price, the DVC points have gone up substantially as well - EACH YEAR. The reason why we added onto our DVC membership TWICE was so that we could take an amazing ABD trip every few years, but the annual point increase has priced us out of the running.

Now we are stuck with too many points for two adults to use at Disney, but not enough to go on a single ABD. We are NOT happy about this development.