ABD or Rick Steeves?

[ewoodall79]

I know we’re all Disney lovers, but for those that have done both, would you choose Rick Steeves or ABD? I’m new to both and know there is a significant price difference between both. This will be our first trip traveling internationally, and really want to go this route.

Family breakdown: my husband, myself, DS22, DS20, DD15, and DS 5. We haven’t decided if it’s everyone going, or just my husband and myself. We’re looking to travel in the summer of 2022, so no decisions need to/can be made today.

We‘re looking to travel to Europe, more than likely Italy, unless you can change our minds!

Thanks in advance for all of your knowledge!!

 

[sayhello]

Boy, it really depends on how you like to travel. Both are based on a lot of cultural experiences, a lot of active days (not bus touring). So in that way, they are very similar.

But Rick Steves' trips tend to be more economy-minded than ABD. (ABD is expensive - no way around it). From what I understand (I follow Rick Steves, and have friends who have traveled with him - albeit a few years ago) you carry your own luggage with Rick Steves vs "Tinkerbell" making your luggage magically show up where it's needed. With Rick Steves, you stay in budget hotels, you only have one tour leader and sometimes a local guide (unlike ABD, which has 2 Adventure Guides as well as a local guide), you get yourself to the start of the tour (which may not be in a major city) rather than ABD picking you up at the airport if you start at the ABD hotel. There's a lot of on-your-own time with Rick Steves (instead of the tour leader leading hikes, you're set free with an itinerary/route, stuff like that). Rick Steves participants skew older. There's not as much structure with Rick Steves (which may be a plus or minus) as in you don't know your whole schedule ahead of time like you do once you get the ABD book (I've heard planning OYO meals or activities is hard because of this). It doesn't seem like the Rick Steves tour leader takes a bunch of photos for you like the ABD Adventure Guides do.

The two BIG pluses with Rick Steves is the group size (the max is 24-ish vs ABD's 40-ish) and no tips are allowed for the tour leaders vs ABD "suggesting" a tip for the Adventure Guides. Rick Steves' tour guides are full-time employees. I'm pretty sure the Adventure Guides are seasonal, part time.

Both ABD and Rick Steves have great European itineraries. Rick Steves specializes in European travel.

I'm a big advocate for the ABD Greece trip. A lot of people adore their Italy trips.

Both have their pluses and minuses, so it really depends on what you are looking for.

Personally, I think I'm more of an ABD kind of traveler, but, again, I've never traveled with Rick Steves, so I can't say for sure.

Sayhello

 

[SonnyEclipseFan]

Boy, it really depends on how you like to travel. Both are based on a lot of cultural experiences, a lot of active days (not bus touring). So in that way, they are very similar.

But Rick Steves' trips tend to be more economy-minded than ABD. (ABD is expensive - no way around it). From what I understand (I follow Rick Steves, and have friends who have traveled with him - albeit a few years ago) you carry your own luggage with Rick Steves vs "Tinkerbell" making your luggage magically show up where it's needed. With Rick Steves, you stay in budget hotels, you only have one tour leader and sometimes a local guide (unlike ABD, which has 2 Adventure Guides as well as a local guide), you get yourself to the start of the tour (which may not be in a major city) rather than ABD picking you up at the airport if you start at the ABD hotel. There's a lot of on-your-own time with Rick Steves (instead of the tour leader leading hikes, you're set free with an itinerary/route). Rick Steves participants skew older. There's not as much structure with Rick Steves (which may be a plus or minus) as in you don't know your whole schedule ahead of time like you do once you get the ABD book (I've heard planning OYO meals or activities is hard because of this). It doesn't seem like the Rick Steves tour leader takes a bunch of photos for you like the ABD Adventure Guides do.

The two BIG plus with Rick Steves is the group size (the max is 24-ish vs ABD's 40-ish) and no tips are allowed for the tour leaders vs ABD "suggesting" a tip for the Adventure Guides. Rick Steves' tour guides are full-time employees. I'm pretty sure the Adventure Guides are seasonal, part time.

Both ABD and Rick Steves have great European itineraries. Rick Steves specializes in European travel.

I'm a big advocate for the ABD Greece trip. A lot of people adore their Italy trips.

Both have their pluses and minuses, so it really depends on what you are looking for.

Personally, I think I'm more of an ABD kind of traveler, but, again, I've never traveled with Rick Steves, so I can't say for sure.

Sayhello

Great response.Thanks

 

[Lewisc]

ABD is similar to Tauk, some of the ABD tours almost seem like they've been lifted from Tauk.
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-help/tours-faq
Rick Steves is a different experience.

 

[upbeatred]

I've been on both and they are really totally different. ABD is much, much more upscale. You stay in very nice hotels and the restaurants etc are much better. In addition, on ABD, you don't carry your bags and you are really coddled every step of the way. They really don't encourage much exploration away from the group. Rick Steves on the other hand picks very local hotels, without elevators and they tend to very small and centrally located. Rick Steves' actively encourages you to go out on your own and spends a lot of time showing you how to use public transportation etc. They are both great, it just depends on your budget and how you like to travel. On our Rick Steves' tour there were lots of teachers and public educators. A very mixed bunch economically. On the ABD trips I got the impression that all the guests were in the top tier economically. Doctors, lawyers, etc. I would do both again, without hesitation. In addition, Rick only does Europe and does not go to more remote locations. Hope this helps. Last thing, I think ABD does cater to children better. Children are welcome on Rick Steves' but they are not going to do a lot of special activities or give them special attention.

 

[sayhello]

On the ABD trips I got the impression that all the guests were in the top tier economically. Doctors, lawyers, etc.

I'm just going to clarify here that this is definitely not universally true. Yes, you do tend to get *more* "top tier" folks, because these trips *are* expensive. But I am *definitely* NOT in that category! I'm not "hurting" financially, but I'm no doctor or lawyer. I'm a single computer programmer for a bank, with a 17 year old car, who prioritizes travel as where I want to spend my money. And I've found that to be the case for a lot of the folks I've met on ABDs. Not that there aren't a lot of doctor and lawyer types (because, again, $$$$) but definitely not all.

Just sayin'.

Sayhello

 

[AquaDame]

I'm just going to clarify here that this is definitely not universally true. Yes, you do tend to get *more* "top tier" folks, because these trips *are* expensive. But I am *definitely* NOT in that category! I'm not "hurting" financially, but I'm no doctor or lawyer. I'm a single computer programmer for a bank, with a 17 year old car, who prioritizes travel as where I want to spend my money. And I've found that to be the case for a lot of the folks I've met on ABDs. Not that there aren't a lot of doctor and lawyer types (because, again, $$$$) but definitely not all.

Just sayin'.

Sayhello

Thanks for saying this... we are neither doctors nor lawyers either. I'd hate to think we disappointed our fellow travelers by our lower status. Our trip had a large number of celebrations... big wedding anniversaries, graduations, that sort of thing. We started feeling a bit left out that we did not get a special pin by the end of the trip!

 

[Mathmagicland]

I'm just going to clarify here that this is definitely not universally true. Yes, you do tend to get *more* "top tier" folks, because these trips *are* expensive. But I am *definitely* NOT in that category! I'm not "hurting" financially, but I'm no doctor or lawyer. I'm a single computer programmer for a bank, with a 17 year old car, who prioritizes travel as where I want to spend my money. And I've found that to be the case for a lot of the folks I've met on ABDs. Not that there aren't a lot of doctor and lawyer types (because, again, $$$$) but definitely not all.

Just sayin'.

Sayhello

Thanks for saying this... we are neither doctors nor lawyers either. I'd hate to think we disappointed our fellow travelers by our lower status. Our trip had a large number of celebrations... big wedding anniversaries, graduations, that sort of thing. We started feeling a bit left out that we did not get a special pin by the end of the trip!

Same here - I’m an analyst who has also decided to prioritize travel, nice travel with great hotels & where most of the “little things” are handled for me when I don’t venture on my own. These two sayings about sum it up for me - “my idea of camping is when room service is late” and “what good is money if it can’t buy plane tickets!” AbD offers that for me. I took a non-AbD trip last year for DDay 75 commemorations, and really missed the AbD extras like airport pickup, full luggage handling, best hotels, luxury motor coaches, bus snacks, etc.

I think Rick Steves has some great info to share and have used his books, website & TV programs to help research, but his travel style is not for me. A lot of people like him, his seminars are always very popular at travel shows.

ETA - another advantage for me with AbD is the special experiences or private tours included. OP mentions Italy - for example, AbD says their Rome days include a private tour of St Peter’s, an after hours (and likely less crowded) private tour of the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel; Steves Rome itinerary mentions same sites but reads as if they are in the middle of the day & no mention of “private”. Things like that may help to decide which tour option is best or preferred.

 

[Grifdog22]

We have not done a Rick Steves trip, although we have come close many times. I would add that on ABD trips, we actually HAVE deviated from the scheduled trip a bit a couple of times, and ABD was very helpful and served as a "backstop" for us I guess, if things went bad. There was, in a previous Australia trip, a day at Gold Coast that was also at a high end resort and arrival was mid morning and the rest of the day OYO. We instead stayed at the airport and went skydiving onto the Gold Coast beach. ABD had said if our transportation fell through or otherwise (I never asked what that meant) to call them. I viewed this as a backstop...several others on our trip ended up joining us. So, I don't want you to think that ABD doesn't allow you to deviate if you want to...

Additionally, they encouraged us to do things on our own, although not nearly at the level we see in the Rick Steves plans. For example, in Cusco Peru, one night we were in a very very nice hotel, and the evening after dinner was on your own. Most people stay at the hotel. The guides told us about museums that were open until 11 pm - and gave us maps and off we went....our guide said we were the first to do that in his experience, but they do offer it. (By the way - it was awesome...walking into the light activated mummy room at 10 pm in the dark...like our own night at the museum.

We did Italy with ABD and it was good. It remains my wife's favorite trip (mine was Australia) but I think she was biased as we had 5 extra days and she got to see the Pope and Scavi.

Either way, enjoy!

 

[MICKIMINI]

We've done neither, however we did a trip to London and Bath with side trips to Stonehenge, Avebury and the Cotswolds. We also did a trip to Madrid, Toledo, Avila and Segovia. I bought a Rick Steve's book for each trip. We had wonderful trips, saw everything we wanted to and did it on our own schedule and that was before we had computers! I did everything by mail and phone and it worked out fine.

I would certainly buy his books for your destinations regardless of how you travel. Good luck!

Edit: Check prices for various airports as they can vary greatly.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Has anybody traveled with Samantha Brown Tours? What’s not to love?

 

[sayhello]

Has anybody traveled with Samantha Brown Tours? What’s not to love?

Are you talking about the trips Samantha Brown does with AAA? Because that's the only tours I'm aware of that she does. I was signed up to do one she's doing this May aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, and found she was only going to be there for the first 2 days, and then the rest of the tour was just a normal Rocky Mountaineer tour that was mostly a bus tour. I decided May was too soon for me to commit to a trip, but I also just wasn't that interested in the trip once I read the detailed itinerary.

She's also doing a river cruise with AmaWaterways, but, again, it's them running everything, not her.

Are there some other tours she has that you've seen?

Sayhello

 

[aggiedog]

To the OP, have you traveled to Europe before? How much hand holding do you need? How much luxury? If you are not comfortable with a little "adventure" then a trip where someone does it all for you may be a good way to dip your toe in the water.

I've not traveled with either, though looked extensively into both. For me, it always comes to extending my travel dollars. Travel is my thing. Sometimes we do an organized thing, like a cruise, but tack on a DIY land trip at the beginning.

Over the years, it's also become easier to go it alone once you're familiar with a place. We like clean, safe hotels in good locations for walking. We don't need super luxury, though enjoy some luxury now and then. We travel very light anyways - all my kids pack and carry their own suitcases and I can do 2 weeks in Europe with a carryon, so don't need the Tinkerbell luggage service. We always get a guide for a walking tour wherever we go, to learn something, and have someone help us understand the local public transportation.

I've also done a few group tours and there's definitely an appeal to leaving all the details to someone else - just tell me when and where to show up.

My daughter's (now 21) favorite thing is to be in the middle of a foreign city and try to figure out how to eat, sleep, navigate. I have a very well educated adult friend who wouldn't even entertain a DCL Baltic cruise because "too many countries, too many languages" and all that terrifies him. I think it's good to step outside your comfort zone, but it's not good to be that uncomfortable your whole vacation.

I think Italy is a good place to start, because it seems the epitome of Europe (don't flame me here) but once you've been, and you go to other countries, it becomes more of a guide stick. I loved Spain, partly because it's like Italy but with much better infrastructure and it's cleaner, and then Portugal but even more so. France seems more organized but also less laid back. You can't beat the history that is literally laying around Italy, though. It amazed me all the Roman ruins just littered about the cities and countryside. Dd and I were just reminiscing about how amazing Pompeii was and how we'd like to go back and just poke around for a long day.

 

[LovesTimone]

DH and I - just went on our own, without a tour guide group - I'm a planner... so I just did my thing...

I used Rick Steve's book on Paris, and a couple of other books, Triple A books and maps, did a ton of research, watched alot of You tube videos, Travel Channels, learned some basic French to get by, lots of good info on the Paris board here on the Dis...

We used the Concierge in the hotel, to help us book semi private tours, get us bus and museum passes, as well they gave us maps, made reservation for a Boat dinner Cruise, and Eifel Tower tower tour, Dinner reservations... I knew in advance what we wanted to do and see, and accomplish while in Paris. As well as solid advice on where we should and should not go... the Yellow Vest movement was happening, the trains and airlines were striking... they helped us navigate around...

The Dis'er helped me with a car service suggestion, and it worked out so beautifully...and tons of other really great tips, and trip reports...

It was nice to able to stay somewhere longer, or leave when your ready to move on without having to wait on everyone else... or just stop and have a drink in a cafe, even head back to the hotel when the jet lag hits. DH and I prefer to travel without time constraint's... Vacation time is sooo precious, and we like to streamline it into what we want, so we can make the most out of it...

By me planning, were able to have the trip we wanted... at the pace we wanted...and use that extra money for other things while we were there... like 3 days at Disneyland Paris, Hotel and tickets and the half meal plan... Private cars... semi private tours, and lots and lots of really nice wine!

Since you are not looking till 2022, you have time to plan...

You know your family best, and you know how you like to travel, so I say go with how you like to travel, the amenities that you enjoy, looking at everything that is included really looking at what is offered, and most of all what's not included...
For instants what does breakfast consist of? is it a European breakfast or and American style breakfast. What is on the menu options for lunch.. So friends on a tour, they stopped at a cafe, and basically lunch was a half sandwich and about 6 bites of soup... they could upgrade for a whole sandwich and full bowl of soup, it was more than if they had just ordered it off the menu? ... What is allowed at dinner, open menu or set menu... this things are what you have to stop and look at... while the price might seem great... what are you really getting for that price... what are you going to have to pay extra for...

Run the numbers and re run them... you have to get a true cost analysis...

No matter how you decide to go... Happy Planning...

 

[MICKIMINI]

I just had a thought... Our son and DIL love to travel and did a lovely trip to Bavaria, France and Belgium last year. They are seasoned travelers and did it on their own with a combination of Rick Steves books and online information. Our son had been to Paris so that was helpful.

They pay annually for an AX Platinum card, which though costly, allows them access to clubs at most major airports. They found themselves in two airports in the US and four European airports and were able to rest and eat in comfort and safety. Since it was their honeymoon, the club hosts were super nice and supplied them with plenty of champagne and chocolates! It has more than paid for itself in the five years they have had it. If you don't have a Platinum or Black card, it might be well worth it even just for the trip!

 

[ewoodall79]

Boy, it really depends on how you like to travel. Both are based on a lot of cultural experiences, a lot of active days (not bus touring). So in that way, they are very similar.

But Rick Steves' trips tend to be more economy-minded than ABD. (ABD is expensive - no way around it). From what I understand (I follow Rick Steves, and have friends who have traveled with him - albeit a few years ago) you carry your own luggage with Rick Steves vs "Tinkerbell" making your luggage magically show up where it's needed. With Rick Steves, you stay in budget hotels, you only have one tour leader and sometimes a local guide (unlike ABD, which has 2 Adventure Guides as well as a local guide), you get yourself to the start of the tour (which may not be in a major city) rather than ABD picking you up at the airport if you start at the ABD hotel. There's a lot of on-your-own time with Rick Steves (instead of the tour leader leading hikes, you're set free with an itinerary/route, stuff like that). Rick Steves participants skew older. There's not as much structure with Rick Steves (which may be a plus or minus) as in you don't know your whole schedule ahead of time like you do once you get the ABD book (I've heard planning OYO meals or activities is hard because of this). It doesn't seem like the Rick Steves tour leader takes a bunch of photos for you like the ABD Adventure Guides do.

The two BIG pluses with Rick Steves is the group size (the max is 24-ish vs ABD's 40-ish) and no tips are allowed for the tour leaders vs ABD "suggesting" a tip for the Adventure Guides. Rick Steves' tour guides are full-time employees. I'm pretty sure the Adventure Guides are seasonal, part time.

Both ABD and Rick Steves have great European itineraries. Rick Steves specializes in European travel.

I'm a big advocate for the ABD Greece trip. A lot of people adore their Italy trips.

Both have their pluses and minuses, so it really depends on what you are looking for.

Personally, I think I'm more of an ABD kind of traveler, but, again, I've never traveled with Rick Steves, so I can't say for sure.

Sayhello

Thanks for laying this out! I want to think that after reading through the responses here and some other stuff that I've found this weekend, I'm more of an ABD kind of traveler as well. I don't need the best hotels, but the thought of carrying luggage up and down stairwells just isn't sounding like the perfect vacation, either. I know we'd be doing this on our own, but if we traveled on our own, we wouldn't be paying either price tag - if that makes sense.

Now that I've done a bit more research, Rick Steves is out if we bring our little guy. He's 3 (traveling at 4, almost 5), and RS doesn't allow children younger than 8. ABD suggests a bit older than he'll be, but with our older kids, it's hard to find the happy medium. ABD comes with a $30k+ price tag as well for a family of 6, so that plays a big part into it.

I'll check out the ABD Greece trip! My husband wants Italy, but Greece has always enticed me!

ABD is similar to Tauk, some of the ABD tours almost seem like they've been lifted from Tauk.
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-help/tours-faq
Rick Steves is a different experience.

I haven't heard of Tauk - so I'll check them out as well.

When you say that Rick Steves is a different experience - what do you mean by different? I don't mind hearing the bad stuff - in fact, I want to hear the bad stuff so I know what could be ahead.

I've been on both and they are really totally different. ABD is much, much more upscale. You stay in very nice hotels and the restaurants etc are much better. In addition, on ABD, you don't carry your bags and you are really coddled every step of the way. They really don't encourage much exploration away from the group. Rick Steves on the other hand picks very local hotels, without elevators and they tend to very small and centrally located. Rick Steves' actively encourages you to go out on your own and spends a lot of time showing you how to use public transportation etc. They are both great, it just depends on your budget and how you like to travel. On our Rick Steves' tour there were lots of teachers and public educators. A very mixed bunch economically. On the ABD trips I got the impression that all the guests were in the top tier economically. Doctors, lawyers, etc. I would do both again, without hesitation. In addition, Rick only does Europe and does not go to more remote locations. Hope this helps. Last thing, I think ABD does cater to children better. Children are welcome on Rick Steves' but they are not going to do a lot of special activities or give them special attention.

Well, we're not doctors or lawyers, just a full time college student with dreams to be a teacher/full time executive assistant and a sales guy who works for a top computer company, so I hope we fit in. I did see that RS talks a bunch about how to use public transportation, which would come in handy for future trips without a tour group. I like ABD for the kiddo aspect.

ETA - another advantage for me with AbD is the special experiences or private tours included. OP mentions Italy - for example, AbD says their Rome days include a private tour of St Peter’s, an after hours (and likely less crowded) private tour of the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel; Steves Rome itinerary mentions same sites but reads as if they are in the middle of the day & no mention of “private”. Things like that may help to decide which tour option is best or preferred.

I noticed that wording about private tours! See, that's what makes all of this so hard! Is ABD worth double RS because of experiences like this? That's what I have to decide.

We've done neither, however we did a trip to London and Bath with side trips to Stonehenge, Avebury and the Cotswolds. We also did a trip to Madrid, Toledo, Avila and Segovia. I bought a Rick Steve's book for each trip. We had wonderful trips, saw everything we wanted to and did it on our own schedule and that was before we had computers! I did everything by mail and phone and it worked out fine.

I would certainly buy his books for your destinations regardless of how you travel. Good luck!

Edit: Check prices for various airports as they can vary greatly.

I'm a Travel Agent, so I know that I can do this on my own, but I can navigate everything that I'm familiar with, with no problem. This just seems so daunting! I don't know why, though! Maybe we'll buy a few books and see what we come up with!

To the OP, have you traveled to Europe before? How much hand holding do you need? How much luxury? If you are not comfortable with a little "adventure" then a trip where someone does it all for you may be a good way to dip your toe in the water.

I've not traveled with either, though looked extensively into both. For me, it always comes to extending my travel dollars. Travel is my thing. Sometimes we do an organized thing, like a cruise, but tack on a DIY land trip at the beginning.

Over the years, it's also become easier to go it alone once you're familiar with a place. We like clean, safe hotels in good locations for walking. We don't need super luxury, though enjoy some luxury now and then. We travel very light anyways - all my kids pack and carry their own suitcases and I can do 2 weeks in Europe with a carryon, so don't need the Tinkerbell luggage service. We always get a guide for a walking tour wherever we go, to learn something, and have someone help us understand the local public transportation.

I've also done a few group tours and there's definitely an appeal to leaving all the details to someone else - just tell me when and where to show up.

My daughter's (now 21) favorite thing is to be in the middle of a foreign city and try to figure out how to eat, sleep, navigate. I have a very well educated adult friend who wouldn't even entertain a DCL Baltic cruise because "too many countries, too many languages" and all that terrifies him. I think it's good to step outside your comfort zone, but it's not good to be that uncomfortable your whole vacation.

I think Italy is a good place to start, because it seems the epitome of Europe (don't flame me here) but once you've been, and you go to other countries, it becomes more of a guide stick. I loved Spain, partly because it's like Italy but with much better infrastructure and it's cleaner, and then Portugal but even more so. France seems more organized but also less laid back. You can't beat the history that is literally laying around Italy, though. It amazed me all the Roman ruins just littered about the cities and countryside. Dd and I were just reminiscing about how amazing Pompeii was and how we'd like to go back and just poke around for a long day.

We have never traveled Internationally before, unless you count the different stops while cruising. Outside of cruising the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Mexico, we haven't been anywhere else. I really would like a ton of hand holding, especially this first time, but also am sick at the price for a family of 6.

I cannot imagine packing for 2 weeks in a carry on, but we fly Southwest, where 2 bags fly free. I know that this isn't the case for International flights, so we'll have to really watch how we pack.

You've given me a ton to think about. Thanks!

DH and I - just went on our own, without a tour guide group - I'm a planner... so I just did my thing...

I used Rick Steve's book on Paris, and a couple of other books, Triple A books and maps, did a ton of research, watched alot of You tube videos, Travel Channels, learned some basic French to get by, lots of good info on the Paris board here on the Dis...

We used the Concierge in the hotel, to help us book semi private tours, get us bus and museum passes, as well they gave us maps, made reservation for a Boat dinner Cruise, and Eifel Tower tower tour, Dinner reservations... I knew in advance what we wanted to do and see, and accomplish while in Paris. As well as solid advice on where we should and should not go... the Yellow Vest movement was happening, the trains and airlines were striking... they helped us navigate around...

The Dis'er helped me with a car service suggestion, and it worked out so beautifully...and tons of other really great tips, and trip reports...

It was nice to able to stay somewhere longer, or leave when your ready to move on without having to wait on everyone else... or just stop and have a drink in a cafe, even head back to the hotel when the jet lag hits. DH and I prefer to travel without time constraint's... Vacation time is sooo precious, and we like to streamline it into what we want, so we can make the most out of it...

By me planning, were able to have the trip we wanted... at the pace we wanted...and use that extra money for other things while we were there... like 3 days at Disneyland Paris, Hotel and tickets and the half meal plan... Private cars... semi private tours, and lots and lots of really nice wine!

Since you are not looking till 2022, you have time to plan...

You know your family best, and you know how you like to travel, so I say go with how you like to travel, the amenities that you enjoy, looking at everything that is included really looking at what is offered, and most of all what's not included...
For instants what does breakfast consist of? is it a European breakfast or and American style breakfast. What is on the menu options for lunch.. So friends on a tour, they stopped at a cafe, and basically lunch was a half sandwich and about 6 bites of soup... they could upgrade for a whole sandwich and full bowl of soup, it was more than if they had just ordered it off the menu? ... What is allowed at dinner, open menu or set menu... this things are what you have to stop and look at... while the price might seem great... what are you really getting for that price... what are you going to have to pay extra for...

Run the numbers and re run them... you have to get a true cost analysis...

No matter how you decide to go... Happy Planning...

Thank you for this! I really think we'll end up doing this on our own and making the trip what we want it to be. You've made a great point about food - I'm not the most adventurous eater, but eat more than chicken nuggets and pizza. I worry about eating peanut butter and crackers if we travel with a group!

 

[ewoodall79]

I just had a thought... Our son and DIL love to travel and did a lovely trip to Bavaria, France and Belgium last year. They are seasoned travelers and did it on their own with a combination of Rick Steves books and online information. Our son had been to Paris so that was helpful.

They pay annually for an AX Platinum card, which though costly, allows them access to clubs at most major airports. They found themselves in two airports in the US and four European airports and were able to rest and eat in comfort and safety. Since it was their honeymoon, the club hosts were super nice and supplied them with plenty of champagne and chocolates! It has more than paid for itself in the five years they have had it. If you don't have a Platinum or Black card, it might be well worth it even just for the trip!

We sat down this weekend and started looking at CCs with perks, just for this trip!

 

[MICKIMINI]

Our son was 9 when we went to Spain. He was a seasoned traveler by then. What is important is taking direction, not running off, being able to "study" paintings in endless museums (Mom is a professional artist LOL), being able to eat a meal (he was a picky eater) in a fancy restaurant and enjoying culture. He was a big history and geography lover as a little kid, so he was a natural. He was nicely "pushed" to the front of the line everywhere we went by tour guides or kindly tourists...people could see his interest and didn't want him to miss a thing.

I'd start buying age appropriate and a bit older geography books and "practice" in local museums and restaurants (you probably already do that). Only you know if your little one is ready for a big trip!

 

[sayhello]

Thanks for laying this out! I want to think that after reading through the responses here and some other stuff that I've found this weekend, I'm more of an ABD kind of traveler as well. I don't need the best hotels, but the thought of carrying luggage up and down stairwells just isn't sounding like the perfect vacation, either. I know we'd be doing this on our own, but if we traveled on our own, we wouldn't be paying either price tag - if that makes sense.

Now that I've done a bit more research, Rick Steves is out if we bring our little guy. He's 3 (traveling at 4, almost 5), and RS doesn't allow children younger than 8. ABD suggests a bit older than he'll be, but with our older kids, it's hard to find the happy medium. ABD comes with a $30k+ price tag as well for a family of 6, so that plays a big part into it.

I'll check out the ABD Greece trip! My husband wants Italy, but Greece has always enticed me!

Yes, the pricetag of ABD can be a hard thing to overcome. You really need to sit down, see what they give you vs what they don't, what those things cost, and just decide if the extra is worth it for you. For a first time trip, ABD is a really excellent way to go. You can always back off and do something more economical with less hand-holding after you've got that first trip under your belt. But I'll warn you. ABDs can be addictive!

Greece is fascinating. Wonderful history, WONDERFUL food, lovely people.

I haven't heard of Tauk - so I'll check them out as well.

Just FYI, although you'd probably figure this out once you started Googling, but it's spelled Tauck, not Tauk. And Tauck Bridges is their family-oriented branch. The regular Tauck tours skew towards older folks.

Sayhello

 

[aggiedog]

Look at river cruises. Tauck has family river cruises. AMA, I'm told, skews a bit younger and had a few cabins that hold 2 adults and a kid - very unusual on most lines. ABD does their river cruises on AMA, but you can also just go thru AMA and skip the Adventure Guides, photos, etc cost. Upside, no lugging luggage around as your hotel travels with you, meals are mostly on the ship, most excursions are paid for already. Downside is there's not nearly as much chance to go out OYO, as port times are rarely set in stone and the ship sometimes drops you off in one town and picks you up in another. It might be a way to combine an "easier," less planning on your end part of the trip with a shorter DIY land trip.