Europe tours by CTC or SA

Hi hi,

I am planning to go my Honeymoon during either late Feb or Mar 2009. Any recommendation?

I had checked out for the packages at ASA, seems like a bit expensive after reading this thread.
They quoted me @$4263 include taxes ( 14 days Italy, Switzerland and France) Another package is 12 days Switzerland, France and London @ $4313. However, prices subject to changes as if the tour is confirm is much more expensive.

The 14 days trip departs on the 22 Feb which is confirmed. Any advise on this?
 


Hi cfay,

why don't u go f&e just one to two country. It will be more relaxing and at your own pace. You can choose where u want to go, what to eat and when to wakeup. Its definitely cheaper than S$4313 per pax.
 
Hi Peng,

Any advise on F&E?
The reason why i go on group tour is because it will be my first time and i scare that it will be more expensive if i will to explore myself in a country which I never been there before. And i don't want to waste my time explore where to go and etc.

Of course, i know that F&E will have more flexible in terms of time. Any recommendations on which agency is good for F&E? Do you mean by i just buy the hotel and air-tickets from the agency and do the visit on my own. Is the transport from one place to another is expensive?

Or do you think the package is very expensive?
Actually i thought of signing the package in the coming Natas fair but then seems to be quite risky because my preferred period is in March09 and Natas fair will likely to be in end Feb09, scare that there will no package available as the dates are so near.
 
HI cfay,

It is not difficult to go f&e in western europe. I am sure u will enjoy it more than those touch and go kind of package tour. You will not want to wake up so early everyday, dine with big group of ppl and crowd around for photo session during your honeymoon.

For a start, just choose two countries. Switzerland is a good choice, safe and easy to get around. just buy a 8 or 15 day swiss pass and u can hop on and off by train, boat or tram.

Yes I do think the package tour is expensive at S$4313 cos i am sure not all meals are provided. Also these packages do not include optional tour, tips to coach driver & tour guide etc etc.
 
I am just back from a 10D F&E to Switzerland. Only covered Switzerland cos it was a last minute decision. I got the air tickets and decided on the accommodation around 1 month in advance. Switzerland is a good choice for beginners cos the transport system is fantastic and I survived the language barrier considering I cant speak a word of French or German.

Do your R&D by posting on the forums and plan your itinerary. Well, I appreciate waking up whenever I like and taking our time for sightseeing and taking photographs. And we walked around sourcing for food and trying different things. You can also consider 2 countries. I did 1 only cos I only had 10 days. But I managed to cover Switzerland at a leisurely pace. Do try F&E. It's fun.
happy.gif
 
Hi Peng,

Thanks for your advise.

But what do you think is the best price to go for Switzerland and Italy or Switzerland and France?

I just got to check out with CTC, seems like their prices more attractive. 14D/11 nights trip to Switzerland / Italy cost us $3772 per pax.

13D/10nights trip Switzerland / France cost $4026 per pax. Do you think is reasonable?

Anyone have experiences going with CTC tour?
 
Hi, I do not know much about package tour pricing. However, I spend less than S$7k for two pax to switzerland & paris for 2 weeks. (includes air ticket, train pass, hotels, food, mountain tour and souvenior)
 
Hi Peng,

It's really sounds very interesting.
But i guess all this require a lot of homework.
Mind sharing with me what airline are you taking?

Which hotel do you stay?
How you purchase your train pass?
 
Hi cfay,

Yes it requires alot of homework but really worth it. I am taking SQ airline. The season that you go also affect the pricing of the hotels. I went in 2006 end march to april period. Hotels i stayed are usually 3 star hotels (they are clean and good).

As for train pass, you can purchase online or through travel agent.
check out some of my photos from europe.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwokwp/
 
Hi Peng,

Thanks for you suggestion and recommendations. Knowing that F&E sounds challenging and relaxing but again probably will try when we have a 2nd trip there.

Your photos looks very nice and clear, you must be having a great camera with you when you are there.

Now i am comparing whether to go with SA or CTC, their is very competitive, price differences by $120 more if i will to choose SA but they are going to France where else CTC only Swiss and Italy.

Any advise on this?
 
Hi, maybe you can go through their itineary and choose the one that is not too comprehensive, as in not rush here and there etc. Also number of meals and optional tour included.

You prefer Italy or France? It will make your choice easier if you have a preference.
 
Actually i like both but prefer France but a lot of ppl say must visit Italy as is very nice there.

So i am quite confused which to take. Any advise on the important and interesting places which need to visit when you are in Swiss, Italy or France?
 
hi Peng

Do u still have a copy of ur intineary?...so i can have a rough idea on my planning for my europe trip next year...btw u rented the car in Switzerland or Paris?...u book online or rented it there where u are there?..are we required to have an international licence to rent the car?...whats ur mode of transport for the whole trip?...trains?...also was it difficult to move ur luggages from 1 hotel to another and from city to city?...lastly, how u travel between paris and Switzerland?...by train?...coz i saw online, actually their eurostar to and fro paris and switzerland is quite ex....
 
Hi dreamer,

I am only familiar with Switzerland and some parts of france. Travel within Switzerland is easy. You can purchase 8 or 15 days train pass from travel agency or online. With this pass, u have unlimited travel on trains, tram, bus and boats.

Switzerland is not big so you can base in 2 towns and take day trips from there (usually less than 1 hour distance by train to each town). Do not need to move and change hotel everyday.

I did not rent car in Switzerland and Paris cos their trains and metro are very convenient, easy to access. If you intend to rent a car which I don't encourage driving in City where traffic is terrible. Yes u do need a int'l driving licence.

Lastly, I travelled by train from Lusanne Switzerland to Paris. Journey took 4 hour by first class and in 2006, I paid around S$180 per pax. It is expensive but worth it.
 
Hi Peng

thanx...for example...u mean staying in Lucerne or Zurich then we travel to various towns which are nearby?..do we need to purchase advance tickets for Swiss to Paris?...will it be troublesome pulling a large luggage thru Paris metro pathways as human traffic will be massive...
 
Hi, find a central location and Lucern or Interlaken is good. You should first decide which town you would like to visit and from there find a convenient place to stay.

This is a good website to check on Switzerland train system and their distance.
http://www.sbb.ch/en/

Yes it is better to purchase ticket from Switzerland to Paris. Reservation for seats is required.

Pulling luggage through Paris metro for the first time may not be easy cos you are not familiar with the metro line and there are alot of stairs. I would suggest when u arrive in Paris train station, take a cab to your hotel for checkin. After settle down, then u can take metro to explore anywhere u want.
On departure from Paris, u are already familiar with the metro system and than u can decide to take train to the airport if that is your last destination.

Hope this helps. Any queries, feel free to ask.
When are u planning to go europe? Is it your first time there?
 
Just to give u a guide on Switzerland. I stayed for 9 days to travel around Switzerland. That is why i change 3 hotels.

lucern - 3 days
Interlaken - 3days
Vevey - 3 days.
 
Hi

ya..this willbe my 1st time to europe...i am always tossing ard the idea of package or F&E..so if time permits for my travel and planning..i will try F&E as it gives u more freedom to explore the city at ur own pace...

i am still deciding when to go but 1st..need to planning my budget 1st therefore need the website to plan my route/ itineary and all the cost...
 
Hi Peng,

I am planning for F&E trip to Switzerland and Paris in Oct-Nov 2009.

Could you advise if it is a good period to travel. And if possible, could you send me your itinerary.

Thank in advance.
 
Hi Peng,

Me and my husband is also planning for F&E trip to Switzerland,France and Italy on Sept.

Do u think sept is good? If its not too much can you also send your itinerary. Thank you so much.

By the way your pics are very nice.

Have a great day.
 
Sept, weather is definately good. Not too warm, not too cold but best is have a standby jacket.i personally feel shd go for Chan Brothers. Pls dun take SA Tours as their Tour guide, accomodation and food sucks
 
Not CTC! Def SA or Chan. Ive been to Europe to CTC and they ALWAYS have the same excuse for putting guests up at lousy 3 star hotels away from the main cities or shopping areas. Reason: HOTELS IN CITIES ARE FULL. My frens/relatives have been to Europe with them at diff times of the year and the excuses are always the same! Ive been to Europe with Chan Bros and at least the hotel they put us up in is a decent 4 star hotel overlooking the Effiel Tower. Can u imagine gg to Paris with CTC and they put u up in some dingy 2 star motel that is like a 1.5hrs drive AWAY frm Paris? Hotel is like haunted, etc. SCARY! Arrived at 8.30pm at the hotel cold & tired and being served some horrible salty fish/chips dinner then packed off to bed.
 
Funny...why ur friends & relatives still travelling with CTC all season..when u have bad experience wif them ? Likely u signed up with CB for ur coming tour and trying to encourage fellow forumers to take CB.
 
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