isujim: Just ask a question and many of us are all too happy to either give you the answer or point you in the direction to find it. I have an idea: download the itinerary and options and bring them with you on New Years eve so the other couple can help make the decisions; in this way you'll spread the blame around if someone doesn't like the choices made. As stated there may be an evening when you're just too tired to go out for dinner after a long day on the bus and visiting sites and an early evening with just pastries picked up earlier in the day along with tea and coffee supplied in your room is enough with an early bedtime as 6-6:15 wakeup calls day after day can get to you. Anyways I would make the choices a group decision. Oh by the way I don't want anything for my advice just a report from you when you return from your tour. . Purvis

This message has been edited. Last edited by: PURVIS 70,

For me, since I travel solo, I find that the best solution is to take all the optionals especially with dinner included so that I don't have to look for a place to eat. There are still a couple of nights when you don't have an included dinner and I usually will pair with another person or two and have a meal around the hotel area. I make it simple and quick and always found something decent to eat. The incuded dinners are not always wonderful (especially for people who like fancy meals) but enough for avrage eaters. You will not go hungry.

IMHO most Optionals are good value for money and I therefore take most of them, however some 'dinner' optionals are not so, and it pays to be aware of this.

I have been on some fabulous dinner optionals, and I have also been on others that have been an utter rip-off (poor quality 'set' meal in a not-so-nice location with some woeful singer or entertainer at a top dollar price).
It pays to have a bit of a chat to your TD before deciding on dinner optionals, and find out just what to expect. Dinner optionals are usually the most expensive ones of the trip, and it irks me to spend all that money and miss what would probably be a wonderful 'local' meal because of making the wrong decision.

quote:

Originally posted by PURVIS 70:
isujim: Just ask a question and many of us are all too happy to either give you the answer or point you in the direction to find it. I have an idea: download the itinerary and options and bring them with you on New Years eve so the other couple can help make the decisions; in this way you'll spread the blame around if someone doesn't like the choices made. As stated there may be an evening when you're just too tired to go out for dinner after a long day on the bus and visiting sites and an early evening with just pastries picked up earlier in the day along with tea and coffee supplied in your room is enough with an early bedtime as 6-6:15 wakeup calls day after day can get to you. Anyways I would make the choices a group decision. Oh by the way I don't want anything for my advice just a report from you when you return from your tour. At 75 I am pleased that folks think I have something worthwile saying. Purvis

Purvis that is exactly what we do every NY Eve with this couple. Last year we planned out our Hawaii trip to Maui in April and our Alaska trip in August.....this year it will be the TT information all spread out and probably looking beyond a little bit for 2011 as we think we are headed to the South Pacific.

quote:

Originally posted by Colleen Anne2:
IMHO most Optionals are good value for money and I therefore take most of them, however some 'dinner' optionals are not so, and it pays to be aware of this.

I have been on some fabulous dinner optionals, and I have also been on others that have been an utter rip-off (poor quality 'set' meal in a not-so-nice location with some woeful singer or entertainer at a top dollar price).
It pays to have a bit of a chat to your TD before deciding on dinner optionals, and find out just what to expect. Dinner optionals are usually the most expensive ones of the trip, and it irks me to spend all that money and miss what would probably be a wonderful 'local' meal because of making the wrong decision.

Great Advice Colleen.....I'm not big on people trying to entertain me while I eat....that's just me....but bad entertainment while I eat would drive me up a wall.....I hope our TD will really know which ones are worth going to.

quote:

I'm not big on people trying to entertain me while I eat

And here I was rehearsing my party piece.

I agree that some optional meals are great, some not so, but it's also a matter of taste isn't it? The question really is whether the optional meal is worth the money because some are really a great deal of money. In our very limited coach tour experience, I'm the first to admit that we prefer independent travelling with its attendant problems of schlepping the luggage etc., we've found that although the optional meals we did take were costly, insofar as dinner costs go, they were worth it in terms of the quality of food we were offered, the wine often included, and the wonderful fun we've had with tour companions who drink the wine and ask for more .

p.s. I've read over that last sentence and am pleased to note that I'm still the queen of the complex, compound sentence that could form a paragraph in its own right.

Hi Colleen Anne2:

Were any of your disappointing dinner optionals in Italy? Since we got back from our TT a month ago, we have been more travel obsessed than usual. Already planning to take BOI as our next trip. Thanks.

Segolene, I'm not Colleen Ann, so I hope you don't mind me responding. We were on BOI a couple of years ago. We took several of the dinner optionals offered and found them all wonderful, especially the Burano lunch/dinner and the Renaissance evening in a magical palace. Hope that helps.

Here is a dinner related question.......Are tips included when you get your bill in Europe?

Seems like I was reading Rick Steve's book on Europe or maybe it was another guide that I think said more times than not your tip is included when you get your bill???

I just want to make sure we do things proper.

isujim: In France, a 15% service charge is already included in your bill, along with the tax. If you're not sure, look for the words "service compris" on your bill. It is customary to add an additional small tip (5% - 10%) for the waiter.

You should also know that there's a triple pricing system in France. The lowest price is for take-out. You order your water/soda/snack at the counter and leave with it. The highest price is for table service outside, the theory being that you will want to linger and people-watch, and therefore potentially occupy the table for a long time. The middle price is for table service indoors, which is very slightly faster.

On the contrary, Brenda, I appreciate your input. I had just directed it to Colleen Anne because of something she said. Thank you for your Italian tour tale, as well. It was a good read.

I got tickled at the part where you were high in the air over Capri and your husband kept yelling at you to turn around for a picture. I can see DH and me doing that! If I go up on that thing, I will have a death grip on it!

quote:

Originally posted by isujim:
Ok I just checked our "optionals" there are 4

additional dinners listed .

Now that you know that there will be4 optional dinners offered, you should be able to match them with your itinerary and determine where you will be when those options are offered.

One thing that is at a premium on a tour is "free" time and how you will want to spend the little free time you will have is a judgement only you can make, and now is the time to discuss it with those you will be traveling with - not at the last minute when the TD wants a commitment and you are under pressure to decide. Again, the choice is yours, but you should realize that if you take those 4 options, you will have NO free time. Those diner options are costly, not only in price but, more importantly, in time. From the time you prepare to go to a dinner, going to a dinner, and having a dinner, any free time is shot. It's really a conundrum, but it's best for you and those you are touring with to discuss it now, not later, when you are under pressure. As you read the posts on this board, you will see that one of the main disappointments is the lack of free time. Unfortunately, "one size does not fit all: Some prefer that every minute of the day be planed for them while others want a bit of flexibility. Neither is right - neither is wrong.

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by Segolene:
On the contrary, Brenda, I appreciate your input. I had just directed it to Colleen Anne because of something she said. Thank you for your Italian tour tale, as well. It was a good read.

I got tickled at the part where you were high in the air over Capri and your husband kept yelling at you to turn around for a picture. I can see DH and me doing that! If I go up on that thing, I will have a death grip on it!

Segolene, I was ready to kill him. My feet were dangling n mid air, my hands clutching the pole and he needs a photo. So, he got one, of my backside .

quote:

Originally posted by Caitie:
isujim: In France, a 15% service charge is already included in your bill, along with the tax. If you're not sure, look for the words "service compris" on your bill. It is customary to add an additional small tip (5% - 10%) for the waiter.

You should also know that there's a triple pricing system in France. The lowest price is for take-out. You order your water/soda/snack at the counter and leave with it. The highest price is for table service outside, the theory being that you will want to linger and people-watch, and therefore potentially occupy the table for a long time. The middle price is for table service indoors, which is very slightly faster.

I spoke to a guy who was having dinner in Paris and upon looking at the menu, whispered to his wife that the prices seemed expensive. The waiter overheard and asked them where they were from. When they told him they were from Canada, the waiter apologized and said he had given them the menu for Americans. He promptly replaced their menu with one that had lower prices.

quote:

Originally posted by Chech:

quote:

Originally posted by Caitie:
isujim: In France, a 15% service charge is already included in your bill, along with the tax. If you're not sure, look for the words "service compris" on your bill. It is customary to add an additional small tip (5% - 10%) for the waiter.

You should also know that there's a triple pricing system in France. The lowest price is for take-out. You order your water/soda/snack at the counter and leave with it. The highest price is for table service outside, the theory being that you will want to linger and people-watch, and therefore potentially occupy the table for a long time. The middle price is for table service indoors, which is very slightly faster.

I spoke to a guy who was having dinner in Paris and upon looking at the menu, whispered to his wife that the prices seemed expensive. The waiter overheard and asked them where they were from. When they told him they were from Canada, the waiter apologized and said he had given them the menu for Americans. He promptly replaced their menu with one that had lower prices.

Now that is very interesting

Bob thanks for your advice........you make a good point about downtime or free time.....something not to be overlooked....decisions, decisions

Catie thanks for the tip info......