When choosing a European coach tour, there are several factors you need to be aware of before making your decision. This can range from hotel location and the number of nights spent in each place, to the group size and tour inclusions. The reason a tour is lower in price is usually a result of a combination of these things. The following is a brief run-down on what to look for when comparing tours.
The number of people in a tour group can impact your holiday. Consider the time it takes for 44 passengers to board and leave a coach. You could easily spend 20-25 minutes waiting for everyone to be seated and/or leave the coach. And this will be repeated every time the coach stops. Sightseeing is impacted by larger groups as moving around takes longer and if you happen to end up at the back of the group you may miss out on hearing commentary or getting a decent view. Travelling with a smaller group ensures you connect easily with guides and fellow travellers.
Hotel location is extremely important, certainly in the larger cities like Rome and Paris and iconic cities like Venice. To lower the nightly rate (thus reducing the overall tour cost), some tour companies will book suburban hotels which are a distance from the inner city and main tourist areas. For example, Venice Mestre is located on the mainland, some 9 kilometres from Venice’s Grand Canal. Your suburban Parisian and Rome hotels may be 8 kilometres from downtown. If you are not a seasoned traveller and unfamiliar with the language and city transport system, it usually means you will remain in your hotel when not touring. Alternatively, if your hotel is downtown, it means you can simply step out to explore the city, shop or find a restaurant.
Time spent in each city is important as it can be the difference between exploring in-depth or having a brief overview. A tour with several overnight stops can be exhausting and sightseeing limited. On the days you travel between cities, you may not arrive until 4pm and them depart after breakfast the following morning. Do your research and look at tours with several two or three nights stops.
When reviewing included sightseeing and optional tours, it is important to understand the terminology used in brochures, especially the difference between view, see, and visit. A ‘view’ will mean you stop for a brief photo shoot, whilst you simply drive past to ‘see’ something. A visit means you enter the site. You can stand outside and view the Colosseum in Rome and you can see the Eiffel Tower as you drive past. Or you can enter and ‘visit’ the Colosseum and Eiffel Tower. An orientation or panoramic tour is when places of interest are pointed out from your coach and this is often done on arrival. Additionally, tour companies usually offer a range of ‘optional’ tours, to visit a site or include an evening out with dinner. They are always an additional cost and booked and paid for locally. It is worth noting that you may need to allow AU$50-$150 per person, per day to include these optional extras. The more inclusions thereby reduces day-by-day expenses which assist you with budgeting spending money.
Tipping can be an unfamiliar and confusing custom. Understanding why we need to tip will make things easier. In most countries across the world, restaurant, café, and bar staff receive a minimal wage and thus rely on tips as a supplement. The base amount for a meal or drink is less than we pay here, so after adding a 15% tip, it usually brings the price up to what you pay here in Australia. It is worth noting that if you fail to tip, the service you receive is likely to decline or become non-existent so it's best to follow the local custom.
We hope this helps when it comes to choosing your next European coach tour.
Click here for our bespoke Europe touring holidays or contact the Holidays of Australia & the World team on 1300 854 897 or holidays@holidaysofaustralia.com.au for more.
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