catinou Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Reading the January 2010 edition of Motor Caravan our attention was drawn to an advert for a readers' tour, due to take place from 25th May to 9th June. The costs include ferry crossing, 15 nights camp site fees, a few coach trips and a few meals. Also a free Atlas of France and a Camping Card International. Cost per person - £770 ! So for 2 people this holiday would be a total of £1,540 plus fuel plus spending money. 8-) My questions are, has anybody been on this type of organised tour? Was it worth it and why? - We were tempted for about 10 seconds - the time it took us to clock the price We used to love rallies in our boat - up to 10/15 boats would meet up at pre-designated stopovers where berths had been booked for all together (we took it in turns to do this). The first one there always helped others moor and latecomers were met with a welcome drink (hot or cold ;-) ) We could then swap stories of our journeys etc. and have a meal together at the local pub if we wanted or just flit from one boat to another, each carrying some drinks or nibbles etc. (and our own glasses of course....) This worked so well and is the only thing we really miss from our sailing days. This is why we were tempted for a few seconds by the advert. B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo3090 Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Why not read their itinerary, find out which sites they are using then just "tag along" and then you'll meet the same people! They will no doubt talk to another "Brit abroad", espescially when you keep popping up! To be honest though we would prefer to do our research, plan a vague itinerary, book the ferry and just set off. Most if not all of Western Europe in safe and van friendly enough if you take your common sense along in the van. The big advantage is you can divert from your route if you spot, or get told of, something interesting along the way. Just ask on one of the forums for places to go to/avoid. Motorhome Facts Forum has specific threads on most countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinou Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 Thank you for your reply Tomo - just a bit of idle speculation really as we have already been to Italy a few times, but wondered if others viewed these trips as value for money as you could have a 10 day cruise to Russia for 2 for that amount of money, or another 2 trips to France / Italy. Just seems very expensive for what it is. :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 catinou - 2009-12-30 12:50 PM Thank you for your reply Tomo - just a bit of idle speculation really as we have already been to Italy a few times, but wondered if others viewed these trips as value for money as you could have a 10 day cruise to Russia for 2 for that amount of money, or another 2 trips to France / Italy. Just seems very expensive for what it is. :-S The trips are pricey, because they are accompanied. So, apart from a bit of profit for the organiser, you are also paying for the attendance of your tour guide's van, ferry, food etc etc. I have "tripped over" a couple of these tours and although I chatted to a few the internees, they seemed much more preoccupied with their own group. The itineraries seemed tight, with little time for following one's own star, so to speak. Lots of organised tours, trips, and meals. Wouldn't suit us, but it obviously suited those who were there, who generally thought the organisation excellent. The biggest problem I had talking to them, was they they seemed to me to have little idea of where they had been, or where they were going, or why, but had a fair idea of where they were at the time. If someone else has organised it, it seemed to me that folk left their inquisitive spark at home, and just played "follow-my-leader". However, for those who like things "laid on", and these folk clearly did, they are, clearly an excellent way to change the wallpaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinou Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 Great reply Brian, We have decided that "our type" of rally probably does not exist so will carry on doing our own thing - going where the sun shines if we can B-) . The very first holiday we took we planned so carefully for cycling in the Netherlands. The day before we left we checked the weather and decided to head South through France and ended up on the Swiss border near Geneva. Forgot to tell the family so they were a little surprised when they got our postcards posted in Swtizerland! They had spent over a week pitying us for being in the foul weather further North. That seems to have set the pattern of our trips since - book the Eurotunnel & go........ ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo3090 Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Some friends of ours set off for Scotland and ended up going through Holland to Prague! They checked the weather for Scotland didn't like it so and turned right along the M62 and so began their adventure. Similarly we were supposed to spend 6 weeks in Sicily this year, didn't like it enough so caught the ferry back and did 5 extra weeks in the motorhome civilisation that is France. It's what I consider the greatest thing about vanning, the freedom to make your own choices and then change them overnight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 As Tomo says being free to change your plans at a whim is the big attraction of motorhomes. Last year we were heading for the Baltic coast got as far as Belgium the weather was grot so we turned south & ended up in Slovenia. If you are keen to try an organised tour see what your owners club has to offer. In Slovenia we bumped into a Hymer Club International tour they were doing 5 weeks in Slovenia & Croatia that was £1470 for 2 included camp site fees, many coach trips & a meal most evenings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 catinou - 2009-12-30 10:09 AM Reading the January 2010 edition of Motor Caravan our attention was drawn to an advert for a readers' tour, due to take place from 25th May to 9th June. The costs include ferry crossing, 15 nights camp site fees, a few coach trips and a few meals. Also a free Atlas of France and a Camping Card International. Cost per person - £770 ! So for 2 people this holiday would be a total of £1,540 plus fuel plus spending money. 8-) My questions are, has anybody been on this type of organised tour? Was it worth it and why? - We were tempted for about 10 seconds - the time it took us to clock the price We used to love rallies in our boat - up to 10/15 boats would meet up at pre-designated stopovers where berths had been booked for all together (we took it in turns to do this). The first one there always helped others moor and latecomers were met with a welcome drink (hot or cold ;-) ) We could then swap stories of our journeys etc. and have a meal together at the local pub if we wanted or just flit from one boat to another, each carrying some drinks or nibbles etc. (and our own glasses of course....) This worked so well and is the only thing we really miss from our sailing days. This is why we were tempted for a few seconds by the advert. B-) Hi Jenny Like you we also were Sailors. One of the things we liked about sailing was the camerarderie , the meeting on other boats with the nibbles , drinks etc. we also miss that aspect. Had hoped that MH would be similar, but does not appear so, I blame TV, as most people seem to disappear into thier van , rather than socialising. We do miss the social scene of sailing, i think maybe we sailors are a slightly different breed ??? Lots of our non sailing friends always thought we were a bit crazy to dissappear out to sea for periods of time, in our second childhood (Retirement) pauline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Forgot to say, I agree that the cost of the organised tours is expensive, maybe a few like minded people could get to-gether and meet up occasionally?, but still doing one's own thing as well. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I have never done a guided Motorhome tour, they will always be more expensive than going it alone but some people need the security of a guided tour and good luck to them, you could always get an itinary for one of the tours or troll the internet for details and go it alone, that's what we did this year for Morocco and had no problems, *-) *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Although we have 'done our own thing' for years, we went on a GB Privilege tour to the Rhine in flames a few years back. Four of us went in the same van for four full days (left Thursday midday crossing returned Tuesday midday crossing). It included the ferry crossings, five nights on campsites in Belgium and Germany, one full evening meal with as much as you could drink, the boat trip up the Rhine to the firework display with a full meal onboard and trips around the local distillery (Asbach if my memory serves me well). Not particularly cheap at £109 per person, but in my opinion very good value for money leaving us to do nothing, other than being in the right place at the right time, so nothing to organise. That was the main reason for us doing it, as it was a bit last minute and was to help our friends decide if they wanted to take up motorhoming (which they did, bought a van three weeks later!) so I did not want to be responsible for it all going pearshaped. I notice now though that they don't do the short one anymore, it appears to be made part of a much longer holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Friends of ours did one to Italy quite a few years ago as their first trip abroad, and they said it was great but ... they did tire of the 'herding' to keep everyone together. This was the only organised tour they did, after which they went on their own. For us it just wouldn't suit - we like to go where we please, changing our itinerary to suit our particular whim at the time, also as we have dogs this could cause a problem especially if day trips (on coaches) are part of the organised tour. This year we were due to go to Scotland for 2 weeks but the forecast was atrocious - bearing in mind we wanted to do some canoeing - instead we'd have ended up just sitting in the van watching the rain come down. So, the day before I booked us a couple of ferry crossings and we went mooching round Germany and a bit of Holland instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALAN G Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Our first motorcaravan trip abroad was in 1973. Since then we have visited many of the countries in Europe and ventured north of the Arctic Circle totally unescorted and hired Motorhomes in the USA. For a variety of reasons we had never been to Italy but went in 2007 with GB Privilege. The tour was well organised with prearranged campsites, meals and trips to places that you wouldn't want to drive, like the Amalfi coast. For: All the campsites were organised for us. No chance of there not being a space. There was no need to stay in a convoy. Visit the places you wanted to on the way and arrive when you wanted to. The Tour Directors made sure that you saw every thing that you could. Often, on our own, we have returned home without reading our guide books properly and missed interesting events. The tour ended in Sorrento so we continued our travelling on our own for another couple of weeks to Venice and Lake Garda. The next Trip with GB Privilege was to Iceland and the Faroes. Again it was extremely well organised and we continued our travelling, on our own, through Norway, Sweden and Denmark for anohter two months. Our two trips to Spain, France and Portugal this year were completely unaccompanied. Against: Usually the trips are set up for people who can't spare more than a couple of weeks away and it does mean driving more miles per day than I find enjoyable. If it's under 100 then I'm very happy. This April we are off with GB Privilege to Turkey. Its a 42 day trip and we certainly wouldn't go on our own without a great deal of the planning that I'm sure GB Privilege will have undertaken. The cost of the Italian and Iceland trips? Worth every penny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I am not convinced that an escorted tour of France - one of the safest and easiest of countries to tour alone - is worth the cost unless you are very unsure of yourself and would like the confidence and peace of mind that an organised tour offers. Personally we have not felt the need to be helped in this way in any of the 'main' European countries but I can understand the desire for peace of mind and like minded company. We did do a Morocco tour with Desert Detours in February 2009 and I must say that in a country as different as Morocco - and I would also include Turkey in that category - we were generally pleased with the places we saw and the experience. The organisation and support and guidance of Ray Smith and his wife Debbie who run these tours does come at a price but that price is affordable and it brings total peace of mind and makes for a relaxing holiday which may well not have been achievable alone? Several of the tour members grumbled about the cost as the tour drew to a close and it was easy then to be picky with the benefit of hindsight having been guided around the country as well as the daunting prospect of getting ourselves and van in and out of Morocco without incident being resolved easily and fairly smoothly. Do whatever makes you feel happy and secure after all what is a holiday if it is not happy and secure - isn't that the whole point of a holiday. We're off on a cruise to the Canaries etc tomorrow - first ever cruise and first time away without the van in many years - and it's only when you start to pack a suitcase that you realise just how much stuff the van carries to cover every likely incident - and quite a few not so likely incidents too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinou Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 PJay - 2009-12-30 4:27 PM Forgot to say, I agree that the cost of the organised tours is expensive, maybe a few like minded people could get to-gether and meet up occasionally?, but still doing one's own thing as well. P Sounds like a plan Pauline :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Hi Completed two trips - one with Desert Detours to Morocco + one with GB privelege to Greece this year - this years was through CC and price was acceptable- i looked at the Turkey trip next year and decided i would use the money to fly us both to S America for a few weeks. In both Morocco and Greece i felt comfortable having someone to ask basic questions but also - having done it - i would now go solo. With GB privelege some drove within a convoy and some, like us, just set off at met up in the evening after suitable detours. In my view it worth it for countries where you would be wary of travelling alone or you are short on time - the guides can advise you where to go and how to get there.. I retire early next year and will go solo as i will then have time to get lost and faff around trying to find places i am interested in. Also we had great company on both trips. Happy New Year Peter I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naittaw Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 We go it alone every year - mostly France, but have been considering an "organised tour" mainly because, with advancing years, 'she who must be obeyed' gets concerned in case I 'fall off my perch' on some remote village site. The thought of having the support of English speakers near by is appealing to her. So far I've been able to calm and reassure, but can see the appeal of an organised tour to allay fears. We would be buying reassurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klyne Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 Like with all things they have their place. If you are not an experienced European traveller I can see that sort of tour appealing just to get you started. Its how we started our European touring 20 years ago. Obviously less likely to appeal to those of you who have travelled independently unless as has been mentioned you are going to a country where safety in numbers might be the order of the day. We met a group on a GB Privilege on Lake Como. Chatting to a few of them they seemed to like the idea but would have preferred to stay more days rather than moving on so frequently. I would have also though that a group like that would be nice for any single travellers. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hymer C 9. Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 I would say a mixture of both, we tour Europe extensively on our own for months at a time and thoroughly enjoy the planning or non planning and stopping and then moving on when and where we choose. That said we also enjoy some of the escorted tours they are excellent we thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Morocco with Ray of Desert Detours, staying in the Oasis and having the freedom to look around the village be welcomed into the village school, to visit a genuine Moroccan house even their church yard and be explained how men are buried one way women another and children different again. To walk around the village be made welcome. see the well where they got the water but had satellites on the houses so strange when you are actually in the middle of there village and not looking in from the outside. To make a camp fire in the middle of a forest and have a shepherd arrive on his donkey and gather wood and keep it going all night and sit looking at the pictures on the lap top of places they could not believe, while we all sat around the camp fire. These and many more are the things I don't think we would have found on our own and of course the smooth entry in and out of Morocco and to know help was always available was bonus, we seen all the things you would find yourself and many more besides, I am sure we could and may return again on our own but to be honest I think Ray would always find that little bit extra for us. This year we went to Greece with GB Privilege via CC. which was excellent value for money. the little things like pulling up at the changing of the guard in Athens just a the right moment, always been made welcome when we pulled on to a camp site with nothing to much trouble. Camping in the Olive Trees at Gythio then the whole group having a spontaneous party all added to our fun in fact the group of people on that tour made every day a party, and why not for three weeks we had another 3 months to tour on our own. As to the extra cost to be honest the value you get in meals trips and all the little extras are worth it. Unless you have been on one of the tours I think you can only surmise what the whole experience will be like. Preconceptions can often spoil things for you. I would say any one wanting to give it try do then make up your own mind. Carol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionablueinky Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Hi We've been on 2 GB privlage tours april 2009 to holland and September to bavaria, austria and switzerland, we had been to france a few years ago but wanted to get a bit more experiance and thought this was a good way to do it, we had a great time on both trips, and after the first week on the bavaria trip we decided to travel on our own for the rest of the time and meet up at the campsites in the evenings. Most of the tour directors have done these trips a few times and are very knowlegable of places to visit and are quiet happy for you to do as much or as little as you want with the group, it was great having the company of the others in the evening and we had a great laugh, and it got better and better as the tour went on as you get to know each other better. The tour finished in Interlarken and you could either come back with the tour director to calais or you ferry ticket was valid for 60 days so we did a week on our own back through france. Its given us loads of confidence to do our own thing now which we are doing this year but I would definatly go on another tour in the future, it is cheaper on your own but we wouldn't have laughed so much and I thought the tour was good value for money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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