London/Paris - ABD or Tauck? Decisions, decisions....

[SingingMom]

As I said in my earlier post, ABD includes transfers with pre and post nights.

As ABD only books pre and post nights at the chosen hotels (and there is a maximum number of additional night you are allowed to book) this precludes arriving or departing from a different location.

As long as you remain under your ABD reservation, transfers are included.

Again....your travel agent should be able to help you with this, but if you have specific questions, I can be reached at Kevin@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com.

Thanks, Kevin. I just read it differently (read that: incorrectly! LOL). My mistake.

As this is our first trip to Europe and I am a little "nervous", it might be best that I just take the 8 days/7 nights and see how I like it! Also, the poor dog will miss us too much if we extend the trip any longer.

 

[pxlbarrel]

I think the confusion is how they use the words "arrival" and "departure". The "arrival" date isn't necessarily the same as the "arrival" day in the tour itinerary. If you arrive a day earlier than Day 1 of the tour and your hotel is booked through ABD, your arrival day is, for lack of other words, Day 0. If you arrive on the same day as Day 1, your arrival day is ... Day 1.

Well, I think I probably made that more confusing but ... whatever. LOL

Thanks Kevin ... when I get off the plane in Beijing after 15 hours (if Air Canada doesn't go on strike!!!), I'll be a zombie so I'm glad somebody will be there to meet us.

 

[pxlbarrel]

Thanks, Kevin. I just read it differently (read that: incorrectly! LOL). My mistake.

As this is our first trip to Europe and I am a little "nervous", it might be best that I just take the 8 days/7 nights and see how I like it! Also, the poor dog will miss us too much if we extend the trip any longer.

You will absolutely LOVE London. I love London. I've been to the UK 3 times in the last 3 years and am sad that I won't be there this year. When you see a building or structure and realize that it harkens back to the 13th century or beyond it renders you speechless. North America is so young compared to Europe.

 

[SingingMom]

You will absolutely LOVE London. I love London. I've been to the UK 3 times in the last 3 years and am sad that I won't be there this year. When you see a building or structure and realize that it harkens back to the 13th century or beyond it renders you speechless. North America is so young compared to Europe.

Thanks! I hope so!

This is a trip for our DD - her high school graduation gift a year late. Last year was our 25th anniversary, so that trumped high school graduation, and we went on a cruise to Bermuda.

She couldn't decide between London or Paris, and since she will be spending a semester in London junior year, we thought it might be a good idea to see both now as an introduction - and then we will go visit her when she is there again. If we love it, we will have had a "taste" and can decide what we must visit again.

I honestly would rather spend a week on a sunny beach, but DD and DH really want to go on this trip, and I can't see sending them without me.

 

[sayhello]

Ah! I'm gone for the evening, and miss all sorts of questions! Fortunately, Kevin was around to take care of you.

Singing Mom, we did have some folks arrive the day the tour started. I doubt you'll be the only ones. I'm just going to recommend you NOT go to sleep when you get to the hotel. I was told, and found it to be true, that it's best to soldier on through the arrival day, and then try & get to sleep at a fairly "normal" time at your destination. Just resist the temptation to hit the bar after the Welcome dinner!

Sayhello

 

[SingingMom]

Ok, as I look at the calendar and realize our trip is closer than I thought , I have some more questions...

Sayhello & all: Did you find that people "dressed for dinner"? Is there time between touring, etc, to actually be able to change for dinner? I tend to pack ENTIRELY too much, so I am really going to try to pack lighter for this trip. (DD18 also is a heavy packer - I MUST convince her five pairs of shoes will NOT happen for this trip.)

Did you bring a cell phone or computer? I'm not sure DH will be getting his iPad in time for the trip, so we will probably bring my small notebook to access internet. But, I haven't checked with Verizon to find out about international calling features on my Blackberry. I don't want wacky roaming fees when we get home!

Are you able to ship purchases home, or is it cost-prohibitive?

Did you carry your passport with you, or lock it in the hotel room safe?

And finally - for DD - is CHANEL nearby ?!

Thanks for your help!!

 

[sayhello]

Ok, as I look at the calendar and realize our trip is closer than I thought , I have some more questions...

Sayhello & all: Did you find that people "dressed for dinner"? Is there time between touring, etc, to actually be able to change for dinner? I tend to pack ENTIRELY too much, so I am really going to try to pack lighter for this trip. (DD18 also is a heavy packer - I MUST convince her five pairs of shoes will NOT happen for this trip.)

People generally did change for dinner. Nothing super fancy, more like business casual. We always had time to change for dinner.

Did you bring a cell phone or computer? I'm not sure DH will be getting his iPad in time for the trip, so we will probably bring my small notebook to access internet. But, I haven't checked with Verizon to find out about international calling features on my Blackberry. I don't want wacky roaming fees when we get home!

My phone doesn't work overseas, so I borrowed a global phone from Verizon, and got an international plan for the month. Really did not cost that much, and worked quite nicely. I also brought my iPad, which only uses WiFi. It was sufficient for me.

Are you able to ship purchases home, or is it cost-prohibitive?

Sorry, didn't do this.

Did you carry your passport with you, or lock it in the hotel room safe?

You know, I don't remember! There are arguments for both, but I think I probably left it in the hotel safe, as the Guides could always go retrieve it if needed, but if it got stolen, I was out of luck.

And finally - for DD - is CHANEL nearby ?!

Sorry, I don't know! But I bet some of the others on my trip would know!

Thanks for your help!!

You are so going to love this trip! ENJOY!

Sayhello

 

[SingingMom]

You are so going to love this trip! ENJOY!

Sayhello

Thanks for all your answers! I truly appreciate it!

Here's another question - are shorts appropriate attire for museums in London and Paris? I know they are not acceptable at the Vatican, but what about for this trip?

Thanks!

 

[misstammy824]

Thanks for all your answers! I truly appreciate it!

Here's another question - are shorts appropriate attire for museums in London and Paris? I know they are not acceptable at the Vatican, but what about for this trip?

Thanks!

I'm not sure if shorts are acceptable or not, but you might find it too chilly for them. When I visited the Louvre last July, I wore capri pants, but for the five days we were in the Paris/Disneyland area, we wore mostly jeans and sweatshirts because it was rainy and cold during our stay.

 

[wordsearch]

Jumping in slightly but I live in London - wear whatever you want to the museums! Aside from the obvious like turning up naked there's no such restrictions, I've worn shorts there quite frequently and never even really considered it.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

ABD vs. Tauck was the original subject. Since I have done the Tauck tour and not the ABD, I can say that if I had it to do over I would have chosen Disney. Our tour guide was rather depressed all the time and I nearly missed the first tour of London because I was sent the wrong time. Her response was oh that is weird.

ABD is probably better at communications and more happy upbeat tour guides. Our tour was fine but nothing spectacular.

 

[SingingMom]

I'm not sure if shorts are acceptable or not, but you might find it too chilly for them. When I visited the Louvre last July, I wore capri pants, but for the five days we were in the Paris/Disneyland area, we wore mostly jeans and sweatshirts because it was rainy and cold during our stay.

Jumping in slightly but I live in London - wear whatever you want to the museums! Aside from the obvious like turning up naked there's no such restrictions, I've worn shorts there quite frequently and never even really considered it.

ABD vs. Tauck was the original subject. Since I have done the Tauck tour and not the ABD, I can say that if I had it to do over I would have chosen Disney. Our tour guide was rather depressed all the time and I nearly missed the first tour of London because I was sent the wrong time. Her response was oh that is weird.

ABD is probably better at communications and more happy upbeat tour guides. Our tour was fine but nothing spectacular.

Thank you, everyone! I have never been so "unprepared" for a trip like I am for this one! It's terrible! As a Type A - VERY ORGANIZED person, I don't know what's the matter with me. It's out of my comfort zone I guess. I did buy Frommer's guides for London & Paris and put them in DD's Easter basket, but she's busy with college finals, so we haven't spent much time looking at them yet. I guess I'll have time on that LONG FLIGHT.

Just starting to think of clothing and shoes. (and suitcases) ::sigh:: I must get my self in gear here! I think we need to go shopping next week.

I guess it's a good thing DISNEY will be planning most of my moves!

 

[sayhello]

Thank you, everyone! I have never been so "unprepared" for a trip like I am for this one! It's terrible! As a Type A - VERY ORGANIZED person, I don't know what's the matter with me. It's out of my comfort zone I guess. I did buy Frommer's guides for London & Paris and put them in DD's Easter basket, but she's busy with college finals, so we haven't spent much time looking at them yet. I guess I'll have time on that LONG FLIGHT.

Just starting to think of clothing and shoes. (and suitcases) ::sigh:: I must get my self in gear here! I think we need to go shopping next week.

I guess it's a good thing DISNEY will be planning most of my moves!

I'm having the opposite problem (but with the same effect!) I'm so used to letting ABD make all the plans & decisions for me, that I'm having a really hard time getting myself in gear to plan my trip to Hawaii next month. I have no idea what clothing I'm going to take, I've only signed up for a couple of activities, etc. Must. Start. Planning!

Sayhello

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I'm having the opposite problem (but with the same effect!) I'm so used to letting ABD make all the plans & decisions for me, that I'm having a really hard time getting myself in gear to plan my trip to Hawaii next month. I have no idea what clothing I'm going to take, I've only signed up for a couple of activities, etc. Must. Start. Planning!

Sayhello

I can recommend a tour company. Robert's Hawaii. They got me back on my ship on my Hawaiian cruise when the electricity in all of Oahu went out, including Traffic lights!

 

[sayhello]

I can recommend a tour company. Robert's Hawaii. They got me back on my ship on my Hawaiian cruise when the electricity in all of Oahu went out, including Traffic lights!

TammyAlphabet, somehow I missed this! Thanks! Do you know if Robert's Hawaii is only on Oahu, or on all the islands? I'm going to be on Maui.

That sounds like one resourceful company!

Thanks again

Sayhello

 

[pamama]

Thank you for all this information!
We have teenage boys that like to see a lot in a day - can anyone tell me if these trips move along quickly or if they are more leisurely in nature?
Thanks!