Organized Tours – Love it or Leave It?

Organized Tours 

There are times that organized tours are good. There are also times that organized tours are a big pain in the butt.

I prefer to plan, travel and explore on my own, but have also had to take organized tours on several occasions for various reasons (usually from cruise ships because no other option was available). 

A List of Organized Tours I’ve Taken

Izmir, Turkey to Ephesus

I’ve taken this tour twice, it was the easiest way to get to Ephesus. Ephesus was awesome, the tour itself was less than inspiring.

Jesuralem

We had two days in Israel and wanted to make the most of our time. With our guide and driver we saw way more than we would have on our own.  We loved both our tour and our guide. However if I had an entire week in Israel I’d pass on the tour. 

Band of Brothers Tour – WWII Sites in France

There’s a lot of sad history in the French countryside. We were the only people on our Band of Brothers tour and it was humbling to be shown American WWII historical sites by a local who catered the trip to our interests.

St. Petersurg, Russia

I’ve taken two organized tours through St. Petersburg. As an American visiting Russia you either need to have a Russian Visa or go on an organized tour. Our tour was only slightly more expensive than the Visa so we chose the tour and had a great time.

China

We took an amazing ten day tour of China. The tour was great because the country is huge and we never got lost . . . or hungry. 

River Cruise from Budapest to Munich

In addition to all transportation and admission fees, this trip included a fun tour guide who took care of everything throughout the entire trip.

Naples, Pompeii and Sorrento

We found a great tour company that offered quick and inexpensive service from the cruise port to both Sorrento and Pompeii. Normally I would prefer to explore Pompeii on my own, but the tour guide was very funny and we had a great time.

Egypt

In the fall of 2020 we scheduled a two week girls trip through Egypt. Ultimately the trip cancelled because of Covid and will need to be rescheduled.

Egypt is loud, overwhelming and everyone walking around claims to be a tour guide. This is the one place in the world that I think it’s better to be under the protection of an actual certified tour guide, unless you enjoy being hounded and chased around until you cry for mercy.

Costa Maya to Chichen Itza

We once took a really terrible tour from our cruise ship stop in Costa Maya to the ruins of Chichen Itza. The guide had questionable English skills so we split from our group and I became the tour guide for the Chichen Itza portion of our trip. (Always take a historian on vacation with you.)

Costa Rica

On a cruise ship stop we took an ecological day tour in Limon, Costa Rica which was very adventurous. I did not enjoy the sky-high ziplines as much as everyone else.

The sloths were cute.

Puerto Vallarta Whale Watching

I’ve gone on whale watching tours in Puerto Vallarta twice, once on a bigger boat, once on a smaller boat. This is my favorite kind of tour and both times I had an amazing experience. Book with a smaller boat, it can more quickly maneuver when the whales surface.

Puerto Vallarta Adventure Tour

To be honest, I didn’t enjoy our Adventure Tour very much. There were two hundred people snorkeling in the same small area of rough water. We also had to propel ourselves off the side of way too many boats. 

Hawaii

I once went to Hawaii with a group of teenage dancers. I would never do a trip like that again, not even if someone PAID me to go.

Free Tours by Food (and similar tours)

I’ve taken Free Tours by Foot or something similar in New Orleans, Charleston, Prague and Estonia. Some have been amazing, others, eh.

Rick Steves Audio Guides

Rick Steves has Audio Guides all over Europe. They’re awesome. You’d be silly to go to Europe without a Rick Steves Guidebook and downloaded audioguides

Is a Tour Necessary? Do a Little Research

I’ve taken my fair share of tours, mostly out of necessity. While I prefer NOT to take organized tours, sometimes it’s the only option.

I enjoy doing my own research, immersing myself and learning about the places we’re visiting. It’s fun to create and cater a trip to what I know my traveling companions enjoy. I prefer to travel at my own pace and if we’re on a cruise I know I’m responsible enough to get back to the ship a few minutes early. 

Why Organized Tours Aren’t My Favorite

And Why I’ll Never Be a Tour Guide

While on Organized Tours I’ve encountered fellow travelers who are rude and condescending to tour guides, others who are consistently late and think nothing of inconveniencing the entire group.

Don’t get me started on the very clueless people who talk over the tour guides the entire time. Or play loud videos on their phone speaker while in public places. Or refuse to follow simple instructions. These people have no idea how annoying they are.

But to me the worse part is the bathroom breaks. The more people you have in your group, the more time you waste going potty.

What’s funny is that I love the idea of being a tour guide. I think I’d be great at it. If only there weren’t people. Haha.

If I’m being honest, I would never consider taking a group of strangers anywhere, for any reason. This is mostly because I’m a flight attendant who’s been around the world . . . I know how travelers are.

A lot of people I’ve encountered on tours and at work are incredibly inconsiderate . . . they run late, they complain excessively and have no idea how LOUD they are.

It’s mostly the complaining.

I am So Tired of hearing people complain.

I know this section isn’t pretty, but it’s honest. If you’ve never been on an organized tour, it’s good for you to know the good and the bad.

So BOO to the rude, late, complaining, potty-break obsessed loud people keeping me from being a World Famous Tour Guide.

My hat’s off to you hard working tour guides. I have no idea how you do it.

Guess I’ll stick to my backup plan of Whale Watching Boat Captain.

Downfall of Organized Tours . . . Shopping Stops

Organized tours almost always make a “shopping stop” at a crowded and overpriced shop where you pay double for trinkets . . . and your guide gets a kickback. 

Tour guides generally won’t allow you to pop over and check something out that catches your eye from a non-commissioned vendor.

You eat where they say, you buy what they show you and you see what’s on their schedule.

That isn’t how I like to travel or explore. I doubt that’s how you want to travel either.

Organized Tours Can Be Good!

There are good reasons to go on an organized tour:

1. The place you really want to visit is inaccessible unless you’re on a tour

2. You’re hyper-sensitive to not speaking or reading the local language

3. There’s very minimal time and you want to make the most of it

4. There’s no other option to see something you really want to see

5. It’s a Rick Steves Tour (which I hear are fabulous)

6. You found an amazing deal

Side Note on Amazing Deals:

Amazing Deals are out there, you just need to look for them and attack when you see them!

China often runs specials for $299 for ten days in China, (it’s sponsored by their government, we bought our trip through Travelzoo). For our trip to Egypt we found a BOGO deal. We found an amazing price on our Danube River cruise, it was almost 60% off list. Although I don’t care for organized trips, I’m smart enough to jump on a good deal when it falls in front of me. 

Egypt is Easier with a Guide

As mentioned earlier, Egypt, especially for a first trip, is better with a guide.

The locals are incredibly aggressive at selling literally everything they have to tourists, and a good guide will keep them at bay.

A First Trip to China is Easier with a Guide

I was very glad we did an organized tour of China, even if one of our fellow travelers suffered several panic attacks and had to hide under her coat.

We saw a lot of China, the guides kept us busy and our stomachs full. When I got home I was exhausted and needed to go on a diet. 

However, Organized Tours Usually Aren’t Necessary

When we visited Olympia, Greece (home of the first Olympics) I had my handy Rick Steves Mediterranean Ports Travel Guide and as we wandered around the site I overheard several other guides giving tours.

These guides were visiting the Exact Same Places and telling the Exact Same Stories we were getting from the Rick Steves travel guide.

My guidebook cost $20 and could be used at all the cruise stops.

Who knows how much these people were paying local guides to tell them the same exact thing.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Booking a Tour

Before you spend your hard earned money on an organized tour, get a couple of guide books and do some research. Find out:

• If where you’re visiting is something you can see on your own with little trouble or drama?
• Would it be more or less expensive to experience it on your own?
• Are there sites you might not want to be rushed through if you’re with a group?
• Is there a restaurant meal you might want to linger longer over?
• Are you willing to sacrifice your exploring time to go with a bigger group that will take longer bathroom breaks?
• How much time do you really want to spend in overpriced trinket shops?

A Moment of Self Reflection

Also, you should look inward and ask yourself some difficult questions:

• Are you the person who’s always late, making everyone wait for you?
• Do you need extra bathroom breaks?
• Do you require a lot of attention?
• Are you rude or disrespectful to people who you’ve hired to help you?
• Do you complain non-stop?
• Do you watch videos on your phone without earphones?
• Are you someone who never stops talking loudly?

If your answer to any of these questions is yes, organized group tours aren’t for you.

Dont Forget To Tip!

As you research the tours you want to take, remember that a tip for both the tour guide and bus driver is customary and appreciated. (Rick Steves Tour prices include the tip.)

In my experience generally accepted CASH tips PER DAY are $10-15 for the guide and $5 to $10 for the driver, OR 10-15% of the cost of the tour for the guide and 5-10% for the driver.

Do a quick internet search to determine how much tip is customary for the specific country you’re visiting. 

NEVER TAKE A CRUISE SHIP TOUR!!!

Don’t ever, for any reason (unless it’s included in the price) take an organized tour through your cruise ship.

Cruise companies typically use local tour companies and then markup the price fifty percent.

You and your pocketbook are better off researching and booking your tour in advance, or wandering off the ship and joining a tour on your own.

Thanks for Popping By

Please feel free to share your questions or comments below. If you see any typos, let me know!

I encourage you to share my tribal knowledge with someone who loves or would love to travel.

The Art of Travel (TAOT) ~ Written by Kylie, a huge thanks to Alex for the great photos.