Patty
New Member
Posts: 17
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Post by Patty on Sept 4, 2014 21:46:53 GMT
Hi all,
So I am preparing a book for my trip. England and Scotland Heritage Tour. I checked into the optionals and found websites for those that gave them. Since I will be traveling through the second and third weeks of October I am noticing for example; The Scottish Show is not selling tickets after the first week of October. And the steam train and Windermere cruise is not running on the day we will be in the areas. Has anyone experienced this with their tours? I guess I am off season now. Would the TD fill in those days that should have optionals with other plans?
On a positive note, I come home a little richer I suppose.
Just curious, Patty
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Post by chech on Sept 4, 2014 22:03:43 GMT
I've had optionals replaced because of closures etc. They usually have something else planned or will give you more time in a city centre or other location.
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Post by Oz-T on Sept 4, 2014 22:21:45 GMT
I agree. Just because the optionals are listed on Trafalgar's website, it doesn't mean that they're necessarily offered. For example, the steam train optional was listed when we went in 2013 but when we received the list of optionals from our TD in the coach, it had disappeared. The Windermere lake cruise did continue, and that's what we went on. On some occasions optional tours clash and sometimes that means that one is cancelled - I suspect that this is what's often happened with the Windermere/steam train optional. It's not that you're suddenly left with nothing to do and the TD has to find something; it's actually well organised and worked out beforehand. And if your optional includes the Scottish Show (a staple optional tour if there ever was one), I'd expect you to be going there, regardless of what that business's website says. Maybe they're already booked out with tour groups in October, including the show you'll be going to see, Patty.
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Post by purvis on Sept 12, 2014 19:05:21 GMT
The Edinburgh Scottish Dinner show was a great experience. I had the opportunity of doing it twice and enjoyed it both times. Of all the dinners I have attended over 14tours the Burns Night and Dinner in Braveheart Country was the best of the bunch. The Lake Windermere Cruise was lovely but I imagine is not carried into the late fall because of the climate in Scotland at this time of year. Sometimes when options are canceled they are not always replaced as was the dinner cruise in Maui Hawaii on my last tour but as Chech pointed out that gives you more time to wander around and do something else that might interest you . Whatever comes up I'm sure you will have a wonderful tour. Purvis
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Post by shannon on Sept 14, 2014 15:34:40 GMT
Before I go on a trip I always google "day trips from......" And "Things to do in ......." Because often you find amazing little tours and fun things to do if you're getting there a day or so early, or staying late, or, in your case, if things are cancelled. And almost every hotel will have info about day trips too. Shannon.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2014 3:58:42 GMT
Hi all, So I am preparing a book for my trip. England and Scotland Heritage Tour. I checked into the optionals and found websites for those that gave them. Since I will be traveling through the second and third weeks of October I am noticing for example; The Scottish Show is not selling tickets after the first week of October. And the steam train and Windermere cruise is not running on the day we will be in the areas. Has anyone experienced this with their tours? I guess I am off season now. Would the TD fill in those days that should have optionals with other plans? On a positive note, I come home a little richer I suppose. Just curious, Patty Patty, I just found this online about what just may be the correct Windermere cruise/steam train ride company: Yellow Cruise & Steam Train. I don't know if it is the one we'd have the chance to take, but it does have prices valid through November 2, 2014, which makes me very hopeful. Enjoy a half lake cruise with a nostalgic train journey. A round trip from Bowness can be taken as a 90 minute cruise stopping at Lakeside. Alternatively you may start from Lakeside and return from Bowness on any later boat. Includes a return trip on Lakeside and Haverthwaite Steam Railway at Lakeside. Standard Ticket Prices (valid until Sunday 2nd November 2014) Lynette
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Post by Oz-T on Sept 15, 2014 4:28:04 GMT
Hi Lynette, and welcome to the forum.
I went on the Windermere lake cruise last year. It was a pleasant trip from Lakeside to Bowness and from the boat you get a great view of the waterside properties, mainly to the right. Anybody not taking this optional simply stay on the coach and get transported to Bowness via road.
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LKD
New Member
Posts: 10
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Post by LKD on Sept 16, 2014 2:59:44 GMT
I did some of the optionals listed for your tour when I did the Britain and Ireland Explorer tour with Insight in 2007.
I agree about the Scottish night out - dinner and show - it was a lot of fun.
I visited Blair Castle, the grounds are beautiful and they had a deer park at the time. The castle itself, wasn't much different than the castles I have seen since. This was my first time overseas and I enjoyed this tour.
I did the Loch Lomond cruise which was very relaxing and it was nice to be off the coach for a while.
I also did the Lake Windermere cruise and steam train ride. I enjoyed this as well The steam train went through the countryside and areas where there were only a few houses. Again, it was relaxing and another break from the bus.
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