TauckReviews of tauck.com

Scotland land tour. Excellent hotels, food, staff and tour director, but the large bus tour itself was somewhat pedestrian. The quality of the local tour guides and experiences varied widely with an over emphasis on the same historical period. Toward the end, we were just waiting for the tour to be over. Scotland and its history have more to offer than this tour displayed.

We recently returned from Tauck’s Naples, Capri & Amalfi Coast journey, and I wanted to share our experience for other travelers considering spending a significant amount on a luxury guided trip. We are experienced travelers and understand that not every room will have the best view and that unexpected things can happen while traveling. My disappointment was not about expecting perfection. It was about value and expectations. For a trip positioned and priced at this level, we expected a truly elevated experience. Instead, several of our hotel room assignments were disappointing, including a room in Amalfi located next to the road after hearing so much about the spectacular coastal setting. Our previous rooms had also fallen short of what we expected from a premium itinerary. While we enjoyed some wonderful experiences—Herculaneum was a highlight, Capri is spectacular, and the Amalfi Coast itself is breathtaking—we often felt that the overall experience did not match the premium price. Some of the touring, meals and organization felt much more like what we could have arranged ourselves with private drivers and excellent local guides. Perhaps most disappointing was what happened afterward. I contacted Tauck directly and explained our experience in detail. The representative listened and took notes, which I appreciated, but there was no meaningful gesture toward a future Tauck journey or acknowledgment that might encourage us to give the company another opportunity. For travelers considering this particular itinerary, especially those accustomed to upscale or luxury travel, I would strongly suggest researching the hotels, room categories, included experiences and costs carefully and comparing them with what you could arrange independently or with another company which I would highly recommend. Italy was absolutely beautiful, and we created some wonderful memories. My disappointment isn’t with the destination—it is that the Tauck experience did not deliver the level of value we expected for the price we paid. I wish I had read a review like this before booking, which is why I’m sharing ours.

Tauck C- We have cruised on two Tauck trips. One to Iceland and the other to Alaska. The cruise line to Iceland was on the Ponnant. Our first night was a joke. We had to ask to speak to the manager because we hadn’t received our dinner almost 2 hours after placing our order. The manager simply replied “THESE THINGS HAPPEN!” We had to ask her to get our orders so we could eat that evening. She was ready to dismiss this event without making sure we were properly fed. Another couple at the next table experienced the same treatment and when she replied “These Things Happen”, they became so enraged they stormed off. Our cabin butler was non-existent and would actually avoid us when seeing us in our corridor. This was noted to the Tauck Tour Director when it happened and when we departed. Yet, no response from Tauck Customer Service regarding the treatment we received on the Ponnant nor Ponnant Cruise Lines. The second cruise was on the Silver Moon with Silversea. We had numerous issues and reported them to our Tauck cruise leader. He assured me someone from Silversea would promptly follow up with us regarding our concerns. After waiting 10 days, I followed up with our cruise leader re: status. Another 4 days have lapsed and no response from neither Tauck nor Silversea. We had tentatively booked another trip with Tauck to Switzerland next year, but after our most recent experience with Tauck, we’ll probably cancel and use another service.

I need to be removed from the mailing list. The automated phone menu is insuffienct and doesn't function properly to get through to the right representative or any representative. It cuts out prematurely. Went online to complete contact form. The verification box is 50% cut off so your can't complete it to get the form sent. If it is this difficult to reach the company for such a simple request, I can''t imagine having to make travel arrangements if I actually wanted to travel.

I spent nearly $9,000 on Tauck's "Rhine, Swiss Alps & Amsterdam" cruise expecting a premium luxury experience, but faced serious operational and communication failures. Left Behind in Lucerne Switzerland: Prior to a private boat tour of Lake Lucerne, the group had a bathroom break but was never told which dock we were departing from. While everyone was using a public bathroom, I stepped away about 20 feet to take a couple of scenic photos by the sea wall. About 90 seconds later, I turned around to see no one left in line and had no idea which direction the group went? I ran to the only visible docks, only to find out the tours left from completely different docks a good 10-minute run away. The boat departed without me because staff failed to do a headcount at boarding. The boat did turn around to get me but being abandoned especially as solo female traveler was deeply distressing. Material Itinerary Downgrades: Due to low water, our E-bike tour was replaced with a long bus ride and short visit to Rudesheim. The Rhine castle tour was moved to a crowded public ferry with no ice and inaudible PA system on a scorching day. During the ship swap, luggage baked in extreme heat, melting specialty chocolates, cheeses and risking the efficacy of my prescription medications. They did reimburse for those items. Misleading Sales: Sales promised several single/solo travelers on this sailing. In reality, I was the only completely solo traveler out of 134 guests. The other six "singles" were decades older and traveling together, making the trip very isolating at times. The Response: I requested a fair and partial cash refund, but Tauck defended every matter. They refused a cash refund, offering only a $750 future travel voucher given to all guests. Because of the safety oversight and isolation, I cannot recommend Tauck to independent solo travelers.

I experienced a very, very poor attitude from one of their tour guides. I wouldn’t recommend Tauck tours to anyone.

I recently completed Tauck’s eight-day Nova Scotia tour, and unfortunately it did not meet the expectations created by the company’s advertising. My biggest criticism is that the marketing does not accurately reflect the experience. The website presents this as a premium, first-class tour, but that was not my experience. The motorcoach was an ordinary tour bus—the same type commonly used on much less expensive tours. Since we spent many hours on the bus, comfortable seating was important, and I found it lacking. That affected my enjoyment of the entire trip. The included meals were another disappointment. Healthy options were limited, and I rarely finished a meal. Looking around the dining room, I noticed many other guests also left much of their food uneaten. The sightseeing itself was underwhelming. Much of the itinerary consisted of well-known tourist stops that could easily be visited independently. I expected more unique experiences and behind-the-scenes access—things that would justify choosing an organized premium tour. The accommodations were acceptable, and they may well represent some of the better options available in Nova Scotia. However, they still did not match the first-class image that Tauck’s advertising creates. My final disappointment involved the airport transfer. My flight was at 4:50 p.m., yet the group was dropped off at the airport around 10:00 a.m. While Tauck advertises that airport transfers are included, requiring guests to spend nearly seven hours waiting at the airport is, in my opinion, an unreasonable interpretation of that promise. Overall, my concern is less about any single issue than about the gap between the marketing and the actual experience. If the tour were advertised honestly as a good-quality, standard coach tour, my expectations would have been different. Instead, I felt the company oversold the experience, and that lack of transparency left me disappointed. Ethics is missing within Tauck.

Food was bland, boring and no variety. Our tour director always seemed flustered and overwhelmed. I wonder if those who post positive reviews about Tauck have been on a Viking or similar cruise? The staff attitudes made us feel as if we were in their way. Training on Viking is superior to Tauck and so is the food and organization.