Guided tours, also known as Escorted tours are much different today than the past. They are still led by a Tour Director (TD) who leads a group of 20+ travelers to all the destination attractions, but many of the pre-set itineraries now include free time for personal exploration! Guided tours continue to be a great choice offering VIP entrances, and immersive experiences with freedom and flexibility at a great price! I will match you up to the right tour at the right pace.
Independent tours do not have a TD or designated person to assist you in your exploration of a destination, but do have a dedicated local host to assist with your needs. Hotels and transfers between locations is still all taken care of for you; but you have the freedom to explore on your own and still enjoy VIP entrance to attractions! This type of touring is also great for off the beaten path experiences, or shoulder season travel as entry lines for local attractions will be shorter.
Luxury aficionados will enjoy the 5 star experience of having a private driver to match their 5 star accommodations for a completely luxurious travel experience. Touring with up to 9 of your family or closest friends? A private driver is the perfect solution for multi-generational vacations! For 10 or more guests a personal small group coach is available through CIE. A private driver makes travel easy and fun!
Touring a new destination by cruise ship is a fabulous way to get a taste of a new destination and experience local attractions and cuisine. River cruises in Europe visit many popular cities and afford the traveler many new experiences with shore excursions that are customizable. Cruising perks include: unpacking once, no traffic hassle, all inclusive amenities, and explore at your own pace!
Independent Explorer
Germany was actually my 2nd overseas independent travel experience. I hardly count my first to the Netherland since I was a tag along for my hubs work. Everything planned out by his employer; but I did explore Amsterdam on my own. But Germany! I planned the whole two weeks myself including transportation by rail between my chosen cities. I researched every detail and meticulously planned our itinerary to include experiences I knew we would both enjoy. The hubs said it was the best trip he ever took! I think we both fell in love with travel that year. When I returned, I knew two things. I wanted to travel for the rest of my life, and I wanted to help others have life changing experiences in new destinations!
Independent Explorer
Scotland & Ireland were next on my bucket list. In search of ancestorial history and a deep desire to connect with my roots I planned an itinerary to explore both destinations with more castles and Irish craic! I invited friends to join us. We had so much fun! Memories from this trip we still talk about when we get together. When traveling abroad, anything can happen, having a good attitude to adjust and proceed is imperative to enjoying your travel experiences. We had so many unknowns that turned into laughable moments; and these small things made our whole Irish experience even more endearing.
Guided Tour
By the time I took this tour I was already a travel agent, but I wanted to experience a guided tour from the consumer side and next on my list was Israel & Jordan. I joined my friends once again on this saga and we had amazing experiences! Every detail was taken care of and precisely executed. Our tour director and local guide were so informative, teaching us so much about the history, the peoples, the religions, the cultures. It truly was a phenomenal experience. I had such peace of mind knowing everything was taken care of and that our tour director would take care of any issues for anyone on the tour. And there were things that people needed assistance with that were wonderfully handled. An escorted tour has many great elements that make it extremely valuable.
Guided Tour
I recently had the pleasure of returning to Ireland on a guided tour with CIE, one of my travel partners. It was thrilling and relaxing at all the right times. Our coach driver was our local guide, and Patrick was an expert in all things Irish. He was attentive in every aspect, knowing when our group needed rest or a break and when we were ready for more Irish craic. He made the coach a personalized experience as he got to know each one of us. I learned so much on this tour and realized, when traveling independently you miss out on the amazing history and stories of the land. His personal stories just added to the amusement of everyone. It was a great time, and my only regret is of having chosen a 5 day tour. I would do it again for longer!
River cruise tour
Emerald cruise, Holland & Belgium in Bloom was my first river cruise tour experience where I was totally immersed in the destinations with ease and comfort! River cruising is so different from ocean cruises, for one there is no long walk down a long pier! Within steps you are immediately in a culturally rich environment where you can explore, taste and feel the destination. My favorite part was taking and electric bike ride through Rotterdam, exploring freely Willemstad, the guided tour in Antwerp and of course visiting Keukenhof Gardens in bloom! I guess my favorite part was every port day and every experience at them!
River cruise tour
Avalon's Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine, my 2nd river cruise tour, but not my last, will be such Christmas treat this year! I'll tell you more when I return!
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