Other Options...

[Cousin Orville]

We are doing Portugal in June with "Adventures by Mom"! lol After doing a number of Tauck Bridges Tours and our recent Disneyland Short Escape ABD, my heart's just not into planning the way I used to be. With 3 daughters (ages 23, 18 and 16), I have to make sure there is at least one activity or tour planned each day or we'll be standing around looking at each other or they'll be whining about being bored.

We went to Portugal Christmas of 2017 and really didn't know where to start or have the energy to research what we wanted to do. After procrastinating a few months, we contacted "Tours for You" based in Portugal. I got their name from Conde Nast's Recommended Travel Specialists list at the time ~2017. They created an awesome trip for us with great local guides. Several special experiences. It's still one of my kids favorite trips.

 

[kaseyC]

We went to Portugal Christmas of 2017 and really didn't know where to start or have the energy to research what we wanted to do. After procrastinating a few months, we contacted "Tours for You" based in Portugal. I got their name from Conde Nast's Recommended Travel Specialists list at the time ~2017. They created an awesome trip for us with great local guides. Several special experiences. It's still one of my kids favorite trips.

We didn't use the same group you used but we did something similar. Booked local groups in Lisbon and Porto that arranged the majority of our activities and tours in each area. We have quite a few cool ones. One of my daughter's (18) best friends this year is an exchange student from Lisbon so he's been giving us a lot of tips.

Did you go to the Time Out Market is Lisbon. They are opening one in Chicago in the fall so we are looking forward to visiting the original one in Lisbon and planning a visit to Chicago's once it opens. https://www.timeoutmarket.com/lisboa/en/

 

[Cousin Orville]

We didn't use the same group you used but we did something similar. Booked local groups in Lisbon and Porto that arranged the majority of our activities and tours in each area. We have quite a few cool ones. One of my daughter's (18) best friends this year is an exchange student from Lisbon so he's been giving us a lot of tips.

Did you go to the Time Out Market is Lisbon. They are opening one in Chicago in the fall so we are looking forward to visiting the original one in Lisbon and planning a visit to Chicago's once it opens. https://www.timeoutmarket.com/lisboa/en/

Yes, we did visit the Time Out Market. Great selection of food and wine! Lisbon is such a great city. You'll fall in love with Portugal I'm sure. Total hidden gem of Europe!

 

[Rapunzellover]

Doing Portugal with Tauck in 2 weeks. So excited. Will report back how it goes. I have much prefered dealing with Tauck as a company compared to ABD, and they have a great app. They may become my go to.... but ABD still has the edge in some itineraries I want to do (return to Scotland, Egypt, Australia, Iceland, Norway, Amalfi Coast)

 

[CaliKris]

We are going to South Africa, Botswana and Zambia with Tauck in June. So excited! Their app is amazing and you can see your itinerary, update info and pay via the website.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Doing Portugal with Tauck in 2 weeks. So excited. Will report back how it goes. I have much prefered dealing with Tauck as a company compared to ABD, and they have a great app. They may become my go to.... but ABD still has the edge in some itineraries I want to do (return to Scotland, Egypt, Australia, Iceland, Norway, Amalfi Coast)

The hotel Tauck uses on the Amalfi Coast makes their tour edge out. (I did their Amalfi, Capri, Rome tour).

 

[tink1970]

Doing Portugal with Tauck in 2 weeks. So excited. Will report back how it goes. I have much prefered dealing with Tauck as a company compared to ABD, and they have a great app. They may become my go to.... but ABD still has the edge in some itineraries I want to do (return to Scotland, Egypt, Australia, Iceland, Norway, Amalfi Coast)

We are going to South Africa, Botswana and Zambia with Tauck in June. So excited! Their app is amazing and you can see your itinerary, update info and pay via the website.

Between the last ABD new release locations (ie places I have no interest in visiting or returning to) PLUS the opening day craziness, Tauck is now my go to provider! @Rapunzellover -have you seen the Tauck small ship itineraries for Iceland and Scotland on Tauck-both of those are on my Life List!

 

[emilymad]

The hotel Tauck uses on the Amalfi Coast makes their tour edge out. (I did their Amalfi, Capri, Rome tour).

Did you like this tour? We are considering it.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Did you like this tour? We are considering it.

I absolutely loved the tour. If you’re on Instagram - I’m swflmeli and I posted photos every day in our tour in October 2017 (you may have to go back a bit) So much so we are using them again for a 13 night tour in September in France. We are starting 2021 talks and which Tauck we are going to do.

 

[nemofans]

We are taking the Tauck Bridges Rome/Sorrento tour this summer.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Hello everyone! I don't think the search feature on the new site layout is quite working yet so I apologize if this is a duplicate or frequently discussed topic.

My DH and I are looking to do the China ABD in 2020 (one of the adults-only dates) but we want to have some other options for comparison. So can anyone out there recommend a reputable tour company similar to ABD in terms of service/experiences? We are looking for an itinerary similar to the ABD that is somewhere around 10-12 days and either starts or ends in Shanghai or Hong Kong so that we can do the Disney parks to bookend the trip. Thanks for your help!

 

[blabadie]

I would be interested to hear opinions on other China tour options as well. We are needing a family-friendly tour, but would prefer to avoid the summer departure dates that ABD tends to use for family trips.

 

[Sakura1017]

Hello everyone! I don't think the search feature on the new site layout is quite working yet so I apologize if this is a duplicate or frequently discussed topic.

My DH and I are looking to do the China ABD in 2020 (one of the adults-only dates) but we want to have some other options for comparison. So can anyone out there recommend a reputable tour company similar to ABD in terms of service/experiences? We are looking for an itinerary similar to the ABD that is somewhere around 10-12 days and either starts or ends in Shanghai or Hong Kong so that we can do the Disney parks to bookend the trip. Thanks for your help!

I just met with a travel agent last week regarding this. She recommended me Alexander + Roberts. They only do a max of 16 per each travel date. I'm still debating with my family, but she found a 16 day travel, that also goes to Tibet and sails on the yangzi river. Their price for all of that would have been $7,199 per person.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

I just met with a travel agent last week regarding this. She recommended me Alexander + Roberts. They only do a max of 16 per each travel date. I'm still debating with my family, but she found a 16 day travel, that also goes to Tibet and sails on the yangzi river. Their price for all of that would have been $7,199 per person.

Thank you I will look into them!

 

[Calfan]

Hello everyone! I don't think the search feature on the new site layout is quite working yet so I apologize if this is a duplicate or frequently discussed topic.

My DH and I are looking to do the China ABD in 2020 (one of the adults-only dates) but we want to have some other options for comparison. So can anyone out there recommend a reputable tour company similar to ABD in terms of service/experiences? We are looking for an itinerary similar to the ABD that is somewhere around 10-12 days and either starts or ends in Shanghai or Hong Kong so that we can do the Disney parks to bookend the trip. Thanks for your help!

I would be interested to hear opinions on other China tour options as well. We are needing a family-friendly tour, but would prefer to avoid the summer departure dates that ABD tends to use for family trips.

Check out Thomson Family Adventures. That trip doesn’t do Hong Kong but ends in Shanghai. It hits the same highlights as the ABD but is longer (an overnight in Xi’an instead of flying in and out the same day, and 3 nights in Yangshuo). We had 10 on our trip and the max is around 20.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Check out Thomson Family Adventures. That trip doesn’t do Hong Kong but ends in Shanghai. It hits the same highlights as the ABD but is longer (an overnight in Xi’an instead of flying in and out the same day, and 3 nights in Yangshuo). We had 10 on our trip and the max is around 20.

Thanks!!

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Check out Thomson Family Adventures. That trip doesn’t do Hong Kong but ends in Shanghai. It hits the same highlights as the ABD but is longer (an overnight in Xi’an instead of flying in and out the same day, and 3 nights in Yangshuo). We had 10 on our trip and the max is around 20.

Holy cow, I had no idea ABD visits Xi'an for only hours! There is so much more to see and do in Xi'an than just the Terra Cotta Museum We had 3 nights there on our trip to China--but we went with a friend who takes a tour group every summer from the university here, so we had more of a personalized tour.

Plus, all that time in transit--yuck.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Holy cow, I had no idea ABD visits Xi'an for only hours! There is so much more to see and do in Xi'an than just the Terra Cotta Museum We had 3 nights there on our trip to China--but we went with a friend who takes a tour group every summer from the university here, so we had more of a personalized tour.

Plus, all that time in transit--yuck.

I agree with you, but that's the price you pay squeezing China into 12 days. It's still an excellent trip. Would you rather have the extra days in Xi'an or Hong Kong? I could argue either side, but I'd probably land on Hong Kong. Touring China is like touring the United States. You have to compromise somewhere unless you're backpacking for 3 months or know you'll return. Most of these itineraries that I've seen cut Beijing too short IMO. The one advantage of ABD now is that it begins and ends in HK and Shanghai (my 2 favorites in China) which allows extra days to be easily added on both ends.

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

I agree with you, but that's the price you pay squeezing China into 12 days. It's still an excellent trip. Would you rather have the extra days in Xi'an or Hong Kong? I could argue either side, but I'd probably land on Hong Kong. Touring China is like touring the United States. You have to compromise somewhere unless you're backpacking for 3 months or know you'll return. Most of these itineraries that I've seen cut Beijing too short IMO. The one advantage of ABD now is that it begins and ends in HK and Shanghai (my 2 favorites in China) which allows extra days to be easily added on both ends.

Yeah, we didn't go to Hong Kong on our trip nor to Guilin. We'll visit those places on our next trip to China! We stayed 5 days in Beijing, 3 in Xi'an, and 5 in Shanghai.

 

[blabadie]

Check out Thomson Family Adventures. That trip doesn’t do Hong Kong but ends in Shanghai. It hits the same highlights as the ABD but is longer (an overnight in Xi’an instead of flying in and out the same day, and 3 nights in Yangshuo). We had 10 on our trip and the max is around 20.

The Thomson Family Adventures looks promising. We will most likely be on expat assignment in India for the next 3 years, so returning to China for a shorter separate Hong Kong trip would be doable.

I also ran across the National Geographic Private expedition to China. It looked pretty nice (their premium level) and started at only $4k, so seemed like a relatively good deal. Does anyone have experience with that trip or have opinions on Natl Geo vs. Thomson?