Going on Contiki was thee worst idea of my life. If you want the REAL travel experience go on your own. On account of a late night where everyone including the tour managers got smashed we only had 45 minutes in Versailles. the entire trip your free time was every second day from about 11 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon which is not enough time to see what a city has to offer, but hey if your up to wasting your money getting smashed every night hooking up with a different person than this is the perfect tour for you, but if your an actual traveler you have to know that all the experiences that you have from meeting random people and losing yourself in the culture of each place you go than stay away from Contiki. I left my tour half way through to go on my own and it was the best decision.
It all depends on what you are looking for. While I think you could've titled this differently, you illustrate how everyone needs to do research and be informed before spending thousands of dollars. Your not-so-fun experience is another persons time-of-their-life. So, while it sucks that you did not have the experience that you were expecting/hoping/wanting, it doesn't mean that others are not "actual travelers". Everyone is different; if you wanted to meet random people and lose yourself in the culture then a tour group is most likely not for you. You are most likely better of booking an independent travel package (air and hotel) or just booking air and staying in a hostel. Hostels are cool places to meet random people also. I've done contiki's and had a GREAT time and I've done independent travel and had a GREAT time. It's just a matter of what you want and being informed for each holiday.
Citizen of the World!
Posts: 57 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 23 Oct 2008
I am sorry you did not have the experience you wished for on this trip. I have to ask, what did you expect? When you look at the itinerary you have to understand there will not be much time at each of the sites. I don't think contiki is misleading on this fact. You need to realize the amount of places you were able to see in a short time period for an affordable price. If you expected to be longer in each place you would need to be on a longer tour and taken expensive flights to each country. On all the contiki tours I have been on, no one was forced to get smashed and hook up every night. It was made clear that you can spend your free time how you please. What did you expect contiki to do differently?
If you want to get more respect on the board you might want to write actual complaints about the tour that were not what you expected (based on your research of the trip) or were promised to you.
Getting smashed and hooking up for many is called a good time. I never hooked up and didn't drink all that much (never got smashed) but had a good time and was never bitter for those who did.
The only actual complaints I heard about the tour from you was the you were only at Versailles for 45 minutes. You hint that it was because everyone is hung over, but was it an actual late departure or is it scheduled that way? I honestly have no idea... Don't forget you're on a tour with 50 other people so your priorities may not be everyone elses. And you don't think that 5 hours in a city is enough time, but if you've done your research you would have known you're only in cities a couple hours. Which makes me wonder why you did a contiki tour, if it was so easy for you to leave a tour and go on your own (planning is trip is NOT for everyone) why didn't you do that in the first place? Or at least do a bit of research about the tours first so that you knew what you were getting into.
im doing contiki because of all that! im too scared to go around europe by myself so id rather go with a group! i want a fast paced trip coz ill get bored if i stay in the one place too long and i want to meet new friends not only other travellers from cananda or NZ but also fellow aussies who i can meet up with after the trip! you dont HAVE to get smashed every night. you have every right to go off and explore the town by yourself without drinking and get lost in the culture of each place by yourself while you are still on the tour! im suprised you did not expect any of this! i thought it was quite obvious!
** European Escapade.. June 2009 **
Posts: 81 | Location: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: 27 Jan 2009
Your trip is whatever you make it into. I have been on several contiki tours, and I am not interested in drinking or hooking up, but I have enjoyed every tour, and never felt like I missed out on experiencing the culture, and see the highlights of the various cities. You have to know what you're signing up for...obviously there's a schedule, there are 49 other people to accomodate, and your priorites aren't going to come before anyone else..that's just the way it works. From my experience, you can have as much free time as you want in the cities, if you're willing to find your own way from the hotel and back (if you dont want to go along with the bus), nobody forces you to be somewhere at a certain time. I'm sorry you had a disappointing trip, but it doesn't sound like it's the fault of contiki..perhaps you should have done a little more research about what was the be expected.
CONTIKI DOESNT NOT SUCK i HAVE JUST GOT BACK FROM MY 8TH CONTIKI TOUR AND I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT. I AM GONNA KEEP TRAVELING WITH THEM UNTIL THE AGE LIMIT STOPS ME.
Originally posted by Explorer1122537: Going on Contiki was thee worst idea of my life. If you want the REAL travel experience go on your own. On account of a late night where everyone including the tour managers got smashed we only had 45 minutes in Versailles. the entire trip your free time was every second day from about 11 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon which is not enough time to see what a city has to offer, but hey if your up to wasting your money getting smashed every night hooking up with a different person than this is the perfect tour for you, but if your an actual traveler you have to know that all the experiences that you have from meeting random people and losing yourself in the culture of each place you go than stay away from Contiki. I left my tour half way through to go on my own and it was the best decision.
too bad you had this bad experience. this world is made up of all sorts of people. I suggest you travel with a group of your friends "if" you go on this again. My son had problems with the fellow contiki idiots he was travelling with. He actually did enjoy the cultural side of it though.
Just like to say, That what contiki is for, thats the rep they have. You wana see culture and stuff go through G.A.P or Intrepid way better for that stuff.
