When I was younger and my dad was stationed in England, my family was fortunate enough to see the highlights of Europe. There are lots of photos of three-year-old Jess clad in a track suit and fanny pack standing in front of Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower, and the Olympic site in Innsbruck. Many of those trips were taken with a group. Hotel rooms and tours are prepaid and you are shuttled from place to place in the comfort of a coach. It can be really nice. All of the details are paid up front and handled by a guide who knows what they are doing.
Fast forward almost twenty years, and some of my favorite moments from free travel were on guided day tours of Loch Ness and the Wicklow mountains in Ireland (Side note: without the Ireland tour I would have had no idea that I was so close to area filmed in P.S. I Love You.)
If you have ever considered going on an all-inclusive group tour anywhere in the world, you have probably come across Contiki. Marketed to twenty and thirty somethings looking for adventure and to see the world, they offer packaged itineraries to all the great cities of the world, as well as a few slightly off the beaten path.
The pros? If you are a female who wants to travel on your own, this is the perfect option with very little chance for a Taken incident (unless you have Liam Neeson on speed dial to save you.) You also don't have to worry about lots of unexpected costs. Your travel, hotel and tours are all included in the price you pay up front, as well as some meals, so all you have left to pay for are the fun extras if you so desire. Plus you have a guide who is knowledgeable about all of the stops along the way and can provide great historical and cultural context to all of the sites you are visiting. When traveling solo, you are probably not going to opt in for the upgraded tour of each location.
The cons? You miss out on the fun of putting together your own itinerary. While they offer hundreds of options and there is probably one that will suit your needs, being able to research where you are going is half of the fun. And if you decide you want to spend a couple of extra days in one location, well, that isn't exactly an option.
What about you? Would you consider signing up for an all-inclusive group travel?
P.S. I was in no way compensated for this post. But if anyone from Contiki stumbles upon this, I am more than willing to write in exchange for a complimentary trip :)
20 comments:
I am not sure if I would want to do a group tour. I really love the freedom of creating my own schedule and wandering off but I think if it was at an area where I had no idea of what I should see and do traveling with a group would be a great option.
I did group tours when I traveled alone and really loved it too!
My first trip abroad was a group tour (it was a school trip) and it was kind of nice to have everything already set up, to just enjoy where you were without worrying. But after that, I moved to planning my own stuff, with a few group excursions to hard-to-get places.
I'm so split here! I love doing my own travel--there is so much more freedom in picking cities, sites, hotels, and restaurants. It really feels like exploring a new place when you DIY travel. However, I've been on an all-inclusive trip and it was super easy. The tour guide was informative and knew all of the best local spots. I think the best way is to combine the two--travel on your own, but pick and choose a few day trips with a local touring company :) xx
The What's In Between
Almost all of the vacations that I've been on have been all inclusive. Only two of my trips haven't been, and I think the all inclusive tour group ones are the best. Especially if you go to extremely tourist heavy places like Paris. My mom and I were able to go to Versailles and up the Eiffel tower without waiting in the painfully long lines. Same for the Louvre which is notorious for being very busy. I think for people on a tighter budget the tour group options aren't as appealing, but apart from that I think they make travel much easier.
I love all inclusive travel because I can often find some great deals!
I took a trip to Turkey in highschool that was all inclusive and it was fantastic.
I've never done a group travel company before, but when I studied abroad, my program did a few group trips I went on. I always seemed to stick with Heather, and we would venture off on our own path, rather than the schedule. It does sound great for a solo traveler who's nervous, but I would love the freedom to explore and experience within my own guidelines!
My study abroad was similar too. I went with a group from my university and the director organized most of the tours and travel plan for us. But we also had a lot of free time to explore on our own so it was a great balance.
Turkey is on my bucket list! Yes, I think that the location makes all the difference when deciding to travel solo or in a group. Like I think I could tackle any city in Europe on my own, but Asia? Not so much.
Good point! Getting to beat the lines is the best. Plus the guides usually know a few good lesser-known restaurants or shops to visit if you want to avoid the crowds.
That sounds like the perfect combination Zoe!
Yes, having someone who knows the language well is always a bonus.
I love the group excursion option. Especially if I am visiting a place that would requiring driving...and I am not about to try and rent a car in a foreign country.
They say it's a great way to meet new friends along the way, especially the tours that are made specifically for 20 and 30 somethingings.
Yeah, it definitely depends on the destination and the options available there. The problem with group itineraries is that you may end up going to a couple of places along the way that you may not really care to see or have already been to.
I work in group travel (Passports Educational Travel, to be exact). I am astonished at how many people don't even know that it exists! I've been doing this for 30 years, and the company has been in existence since 1965! Great blog post, thanks!
That's such an exciting job!!
Never a dull moment, that is for sure LOL!
All inclusive vacations have been some amazing trips! I am sure that there are both pros and cons depending on where you are traveling! But I know that I recommend checking all inclusive vacas out! Now I'm off to explore Contiki!
I love this!! We have been wanting to plan a trip. Thanks for sharing.
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