Inquire about ‘optionals’ in advance

We took Trafalgar’s tour No. 159 to Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, Sept. 9-24, ’03. The tour cost us $2,560 each, including air from Philadelphia. This was our fourth Trafalgar tour and possibly the last, due mainly to the prices of and number of optional tours this tour had.

Trafalgar’s tour brochure outlined what we were to see on an each-day basis. Each description seemed to be worded so that it was impossible to determine if places mentioned were included in the tour or were optional tours we had to pay extra for.

Several days prior to departure we received our tickets and along with them information on possible optional excursions and their costs. This was, of course, after it was too late to cancel the trip (there was a stiff penalty for cancellation).

In the lobbies of two of the hotels we stayed in on this tour, listed on the message boards were the prices of optional tours identical to ours but offered by other tour operators. There were marked differences in the prices.

In Vilnius, Trafalgar charged $48 per person for the optional 3-hour Trakai Castle tour. Through our hotel, we booked the same 3½-hour tour for eight passengers in a new van with a very knowledgeable and experienced guide for $26 each. This saved the two of us $44 for the identical trip.

I could go on outlining the 14 optionals and what I felt was the inflated cost of each for a captive audience.

In St. Petersburg, my wife and I sat in the hotel during the day rather than take the optional “Great Palaces” tour at $100 apiece because two of the three palaces to be visited were not open; visitors could only look at the grounds! Some 50% of our fellow travelers took this tour, and the rest of us found it difficult to go anywhere as we didn’t know the language and the cab fare was $40 round trip to any shopping, etc. Trafalgar just left us to shift for ourselves.

Had we taken all of the optionals, we would have paid an additional $786 per person on top of the tour cost of $2,560, making the total cost of the tour $3,346 per person. We did participate in seven of them, at $366 each extra.

Since we had previously gone on tours with Trafalgar and were pleased with them, it never occurred to us that this tour would be any different. Should we ever use Trafalgar again, I will be sure to double-check all facets of the tour. I have learned a lesson!

GEORGE M. ADAMS
Rochester, NY

ITN sent a copy of the above letter to Trafalgar Tours and received the following reply.

Please be assured that as a global tour operator of over 50 years, Trafalgar Tours has always had passenger satisfaction as its primary concern, and so it always concerns us whenever a passenger reports problems from their time abroad.

We regret very much to read that Mr. Adams felt that the optional tours were inflated in cost and that they had no choice but to participate in them. As the name suggests, optional tours are left to both the interests and travel budgets of the passengers. It is our practice to include a description of these tours, and their costs in the local currency, with the travel documents that are shipped to each travel agent’s office. However, passengers and agents are certainly free to request this information ahead of time, and we would have been glad to accommodate such a request, had we been asked.

Our optional tours are negotiated with independent concessionaires for the calendar year and also include the services of our tour director and transportation, which is something that other concessionaires offering similar tours do not provide. In addition, our Trakai excursion includes dinner.

We believe that our rates for optional tours offer the passengers good value for their money, as well as the assurance that the operators who run them are reliable. Also, it is our opinion that 14 optional tours for 14 touring days is a reasonable number.

Should passengers, for whatever reason, choose not to participate in optional tours, the tour director may always be approached for information on local sightseeing, restaurants at which to dine or things to do. Not all passengers participate in optional tours, since some wish to shop, rest or do their own sightseeing away from the group.

Optional tours are not uncommon with tour operators just as shore excursions are not uncommon with cruise lines, and it is always the passenger’s decision whether he wishes to participate in them or not. However, what was included in the land cost of the tour was clearly advised in our “Europe and Britain 2003” brochure, on pages 174-175. As we offer optional excursions on nearly all our tours, and Mr. Adams writes that he had already traveled with us three times previously, we are at a loss to understand his surprise that these tours are made available for sale to the passengers.

Please know that we do appreciate Mr. and Mrs. Adams’ patronage, and it is our hope that, with this explanation, we may yet have the pleasure of welcoming them on board again.

RAYMOND J. BRUNONI, Manager, Customer Relations, Trafalgar Tours USA, Inc., 29-76 Northern Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11101