Please don't flame me.....I am only trying to learn....

[disdreams77]

Folks mention "the next nearest competitor in the industry" compared to ABD.....who would that be? And what would be the sacrifices to going with this company instead of ABD? I am looking to book my first trip to Europe for my husband and I. I am really struggling with the cost of ABD. Ultimately, my decision will be between breaking the bank for an ABD, doing a Med cruise with money for excursions, or going with "another" land based tour operator. I would love your opinions! btw....I only have 7 days in which to take this trip .

 

[AquamarineSteph]

There are lots of tour companies out there. Tauck and Abercrombie cost about as much (sometimes more) than ABD, but I think they are the closest when it comes to service and amenities.

Where do you want to visit in Europe? That might help find trip resources, plus there are some companies that specialize in certain regions. If you're looking for big agencies, though, Trafalgar also does a lot of European tours. I think G Adventures has some European trips? And then if you don't mind hauling your own luggage around at between coach and lodgings, Rick Steves offers a lot of European options. In Italy there's also Perillo tours, and in Ireland/UK there's CIE. I've also seen advertisements locally for something called Holiday Vacations which offers a lot of options. I can't address the service factors of all these companies. I've read a ton of travel brochures, though, and other traveler reviews.

For me the first question is where do I want to go? Then I look at my budget and see if anything matches those two - where and how much. If you travel with Disney (or Tauck or Abercrombie), you can pretty much rest assured that everything is taken care of, once you arrive at the airport. The other companies will deliver what they promise, but sometimes it's a matter of what you expect. Almost any reputable tour company will take you from point A to point B. Your hotels will be arranged. They'll pay for the meals they promised to provide. You will see things and visit important sites. But sometimes the other tour companies have been reputed to deliver less than a wow experience. And for me, if I'm spending the money to take a tour - I want that wow factor, especially if I think it might be the only time I visit a particular country or region.

There are some very well traveled people on the board. They may have far better advice, but I remember my first time trying to decide who/where/how to visit Europe. After studying my options, I went with ABD. But there are other options, and depending on what you want in a trip, one of the competitors may be better for your individual needs.

 

[pixiepirate]

A number of years ago I did a tour of Ireland with Trafalgar. It was my first experience with a tour and long before I found these boards so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. You won't get constant hands on touring with this type of group, most places you will be let off the bus and told when to be back and the exploring is on you own. You might not have all the time you would like in a particular place. The hotels will not be the 4 star variety you find on an ABD, more like a moderate US hotel and it may be a short walk into town. To tell the truth we didn't spend much time at the hotel except to sleep. The extra added excursions were unexpected but we did do a couple and I would recommend them if they fit in your budget. Some tour operators allow you to review and book them in advance once you have chosen your tour. You will also have to learn to decipher the tour company's terminology - see usually means see it from the bus, and visit might mean a 15 minute photo op during a break.

I enjoyed it immensely. As the person always looked to as the organizer, I liked not having to worry about time, tickets or transportation and was able to relax and have fun. Our trip was 7 days and we covered a lot of ground. Our tour guide was very personable and spent a lot of the ride time filling us in on Irish fact and history. At the time of our tour Ireland was experiencing an outbreak of foot and mouth disease which did affect some of our stops. We were unable to visit the Irish National Stud farm. Instead our guide was able to arrange a tour of the Waterford Crystal factory instead.

Ultimately, it will all depend on what you want to see and how you want to see it. I hope this gives you a little idea of what an non-ABD tour would be like. If you have any specific questions about my experience with Trafalgar I would be happy to try to answer them.

 

[tgeorge]

Tauck is another company I've looked at. Since it is just my husband and I (or me solo) we would either go with an adult exclusive ABD or Tauck (not Tauck Bridges since that is family oriented). For me, the ABD adult exclusives seem like a better option because there are fewer people. They can get up to 40 (which is what Tauck does too), but from the many reports I've read they typically have fewer people on the adult exclusive trips.

But, they are pretty pricey and it depends on what you're looking for, as the previous posters have said. I have looked at many other tours and I know that the ABD or Tauck product (possibly Abercrombie...I need to look into them a bit more because I know they have small groups) is what I want to go with.

I know others who have done Trafalgar and Globus and enjoyed themselves. It just boils down to what you guys are looking for. Although, you did say you only have 7 days. I think most ABDs run a bit longer (7 or 8 nights/8 or 9 days). But, that is itinerary specific so you may find one that could work with your timeframe. Maybe taking advantage of weekends??

Whatever you decide.... Have fun researching and planning your trip. You guys will have a fabulous time

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

You should also look at Thompson, although they aren't much cheaper than Disney. They limit tours to 20 people, guarantee most trips as soon as you book, and have some great itineraries. Good luck and have fun!

 

[kristilew]

If you only have 7 days, you are in a tough situation. Do you mean 7 total days to be away from home? Remember you must take an overnight flight to get to Europe, and then an entire-day flight to get home.

So if you leave home for example on a Friday afternoon, you arrive in Europe on Saturday morning. If you need to be back home the next Friday, (which is the literal 7 day mark), you will travel that entire day. So you are looking for a tour that starts, at the earliest, on the first Saturday afternoon (but many of us prefer to allow a preday or two to get over jet lag, and to accommodate for any travel issues) and ends by the next Thursday night. That's kind of tricky.

You might be better off, if that is your time limit, to travel on your own, but then hire private guides in your city of choice.

 

[SingingMom]

DD took on the research for our first European tour, since it was her high school graduation gift (a year later, but that's another story! lol) She knew she wanted to see London and Paris, and knew our time frame (she had just finished her first year of college and was able to travel in late May/early June). We were Disney people, but had never heard of ABD. Their itinerary matched everything she wanted to see, so we booked it. We've since been on two more Adventures and are planning next year's Adventure!

The price is steep, especially for us as a family of three adults, but we've found it worth it. I am usually the one who is responsible for planning EVERYTHING, and I love how I don't have to on ABD. I just look into what we think we want to see on our own time, but unless it is a MUST, we also leave things open in case the guides have a better suggestion. I love that the hotels are first class, the luggage is carried for us, our transfers are handled, etc.

The "difference" is the bit of Disney magic that seems to be present the entire trip. Most of the other travelers have some sort of emotional connection to "Disney", whatever that might be. It sort of connects all of us before we "know" each other, and tends to cement some lovely relationships. We've kept in touch with a number of fellow travelers - friends from two different tours even came from out of state for DD's college graduation! Others we keep in touch with through Facebook and email.

On the flip side, DH and I had gone to a presentation by Trafalgar, sponsored by AAA, and we were by far the youngest ones in the room. I couldn't imagine traveling for a week or more with people all much older than us. So far we've been on multi-age trips - from 6 years to 70's. We are looking at an Adult-Exclusive for our next trip. I personally would prefer a range of ages - it's fun to experience a far away spot while seeing it through the eyes of different ages.

The other thing we love about ABD is the special surprises that pop up during each trip. Whether it's going to the head of the line at a crowded attraction, an after hour tour, a private visit to a spot not opened to the general public... these things really add to the experience.

Only you can decide what is important to you, and what you are willing to pay for, etc. For us, we are very happy we've found Adventures by Disney! Happy traveling!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You might want to do such a short trip on your own. If you're going to typical tourist destinations, it's pretty easy to plan yourself. You can add tours if you want; a good resource with reviews is Tripadvisor.

 

[Rapunzellover]

Viator.com is terrific for finding and booking on your own excursions.

 

[tgeorge]

I use viator all the time for cruises. They are great!