Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Price seems reasonable to me. It’s a lot of money but travel has gotten very expensive—and I assume you need two hotel rooms.

It won’t be super luxe at this price, IME. Nice, sure, but I don’t think your hotels will be the swanky kind of “4-star”—work it out and see.

People will say it’s lot but I think people with young kids don’t realize how expensive it is to travel with teens/young adults. It’s basically doubling the cost — twice the hotel cost, twice the restaurant bill (or, really, more, and even more if the kids are old enough to drink), adult tix to museums and activities.

Yes we will be getting 2 rooms. And I'm aware that 4 star in Europe is middle of the road, which we are absolutely okay with. We are "Marriott/Hyatt" type travelers. We've never stayed at a Four Seasons or Ritz level hotel, and have never flown first or even business class. Sadly even with our middle of the road travel and accommodations, it's $$$$. We've been saving up for this trip for a few years. I know for some it seems extravagant - and yes I know we are so very fortunate to even be able to consider doing this - but for us it's our last chance to really travel with our grown children before they go off and start lives of their own. DH will be retiring in 3 years time so after that it's solo travel going forward.

I think you’ll have a great time. Be prepared for meal costs and on the ground expenses—they will add up.

Thanks PP. We're really excited about it. And yes I told DH to expect our overall spend to hit $30K after all is said and done. He nearly fell over, but we both agree that after years of not taking vacations while all of our friends went away for 2-3 weeks every summer, doing domestic vacations only when it was in the budget, and saving where we could that it's our turn to just go and do it! I have family all over Europe so it will be nice to see them also.

Wait you are also adding in side trips to see family?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Price seems reasonable to me. It’s a lot of money but travel has gotten very expensive—and I assume you need two hotel rooms.

It won’t be super luxe at this price, IME. Nice, sure, but I don’t think your hotels will be the swanky kind of “4-star”—work it out and see.

People will say it’s lot but I think people with young kids don’t realize how expensive it is to travel with teens/young adults. It’s basically doubling the cost — twice the hotel cost, twice the restaurant bill (or, really, more, and even more if the kids are old enough to drink), adult tix to museums and activities.

Yes we will be getting 2 rooms. And I'm aware that 4 star in Europe is middle of the road, which we are absolutely okay with. We are "Marriott/Hyatt" type travelers. We've never stayed at a Four Seasons or Ritz level hotel, and have never flown first or even business class. Sadly even with our middle of the road travel and accommodations, it's $$$$. We've been saving up for this trip for a few years. I know for some it seems extravagant - and yes I know we are so very fortunate to even be able to consider doing this - but for us it's our last chance to really travel with our grown children before they go off and start lives of their own. DH will be retiring in 3 years time so after that it's solo travel going forward.

I think you’ll have a great time. Be prepared for meal costs and on the ground expenses—they will add up.

Thanks PP. We're really excited about it. And yes I told DH to expect our overall spend to hit $30K after all is said and done. He nearly fell over, but we both agree that after years of not taking vacations while all of our friends went away for 2-3 weeks every summer, doing domestic vacations only when it was in the budget, and saving where we could that it's our turn to just go and do it! I have family all over Europe so it will be nice to see them also.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Price seems reasonable to me. It’s a lot of money but travel has gotten very expensive—and I assume you need two hotel rooms.

It won’t be super luxe at this price, IME. Nice, sure, but I don’t think your hotels will be the swanky kind of “4-star”—work it out and see.

People will say it’s lot but I think people with young kids don’t realize how expensive it is to travel with teens/young adults. It’s basically doubling the cost — twice the hotel cost, twice the restaurant bill (or, really, more, and even more if the kids are old enough to drink), adult tix to museums and activities.

Yes we will be getting 2 rooms. And I'm aware that 4 star in Europe is middle of the road, which we are absolutely okay with. We are "Marriott/Hyatt" type travelers. We've never stayed at a Four Seasons or Ritz level hotel, and have never flown first or even business class. Sadly even with our middle of the road travel and accommodations, it's $$$$. We've been saving up for this trip for a few years. I know for some it seems extravagant - and yes I know we are so very fortunate to even be able to consider doing this - but for us it's our last chance to really travel with our grown children before they go off and start lives of their own. DH will be retiring in 3 years time so after that it's solo travel going forward.

It sounds like a nice trip, OP, and we did the same thing with our college-aged kids only to find out that it was NOT the end of our family travels. That is, we still travel together on occasion and sometimes with grandchildren in tow. So don't put too much pressure on this one trip. I agree with the others that fewer destinations would be better for two weeks, especially if you've not been there with your children before. For example, London plus day trips warrants 2 weeks on its own; and it would be easy to spend 14 days with Venice/Florence/Rome alone. I like to do my own planning, but I'm sure it comes to about $15-20K (hotels/trains/meals/activities) without airfare for two weeks, so the price is reasonable. If it comes out a few thousand cheaper than your quote, it's because I like to choose non-chain hotels that are characteristic of the locations, but there are plusses and minuses to that. The exchange rate is very favorable right now, so I hope your travel agent is passing that on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Price seems reasonable to me. It’s a lot of money but travel has gotten very expensive—and I assume you need two hotel rooms.

It won’t be super luxe at this price, IME. Nice, sure, but I don’t think your hotels will be the swanky kind of “4-star”—work it out and see.

People will say it’s lot but I think people with young kids don’t realize how expensive it is to travel with teens/young adults. It’s basically doubling the cost — twice the hotel cost, twice the restaurant bill (or, really, more, and even more if the kids are old enough to drink), adult tix to museums and activities.

Yes we will be getting 2 rooms. And I'm aware that 4 star in Europe is middle of the road, which we are absolutely okay with. We are "Marriott/Hyatt" type travelers. We've never stayed at a Four Seasons or Ritz level hotel, and have never flown first or even business class. Sadly even with our middle of the road travel and accommodations, it's $$$$. We've been saving up for this trip for a few years. I know for some it seems extravagant - and yes I know we are so very fortunate to even be able to consider doing this - but for us it's our last chance to really travel with our grown children before they go off and start lives of their own. DH will be retiring in 3 years time so after that it's solo travel going forward.

I think you’ll have a great time. Be prepared for meal costs and on the ground expenses—they will add up.

Anonymous wrote:Price seems reasonable to me. It’s a lot of money but travel has gotten very expensive—and I assume you need two hotel rooms.

It won’t be super luxe at this price, IME. Nice, sure, but I don’t think your hotels will be the swanky kind of “4-star”—work it out and see.

People will say it’s lot but I think people with young kids don’t realize how expensive it is to travel with teens/young adults. It’s basically doubling the cost — twice the hotel cost, twice the restaurant bill (or, really, more, and even more if the kids are old enough to drink), adult tix to museums and activities.

Yes we will be getting 2 rooms. And I'm aware that 4 star in Europe is middle of the road, which we are absolutely okay with. We are "Marriott/Hyatt" type travelers. We've never stayed at a Four Seasons or Ritz level hotel, and have never flown first or even business class. Sadly even with our middle of the road travel and accommodations, it's $$$$. We've been saving up for this trip for a few years. I know for some it seems extravagant - and yes I know we are so very fortunate to even be able to consider doing this - but for us it's our last chance to really travel with our grown children before they go off and start lives of their own. DH will be retiring in 3 years time so after that it's solo travel going forward.

I did a trip for a family of four for less $10k but it was fewer days (9), involved a lot of economies and staying mostly at moderate airbnbs, AND it was before Covid. So I don’t think this price is high.

Also, I bet the rail tickets are adding up to a lot. That’s a lot of first class rail tix. Do you have a cost breakdown?

Price seems reasonable to me. It’s a lot of money but travel has gotten very expensive—and I assume you need two hotel rooms.

It won’t be super luxe at this price, IME. Nice, sure, but I don’t think your hotels will be the swanky kind of “4-star”—work it out and see.

People will say it’s lot but I think people with young kids don’t realize how expensive it is to travel with teens/young adults. It’s basically doubling the cost — twice the hotel cost, twice the restaurant bill (or, really, more, and even more if the kids are old enough to drink), adult tix to museums and activities.

I think you can do it. I do a ton with my fam and just make sure we have down time somewhere. I don't load up on the day but we did Rome, Venice, Positano in 10 days last yr. Hate to say we all loved Venice over Rome. I would keep Venice. I studied in Europe so knew but my fam did not and loved. In retrospect I wish I did longer there v Rome.

$24k sounds right. We did about $15k with private drivers really nice airbnbs last yr and a 5 star hotel and a pvt full day boat ride in Positano.

Maybe you can squeeze a couple grand out but honestly with top shelf travels, that's about right.

24k is 6k per person for two weeks. I would concede that it is a reasonable price given the caliber of travel. You are staying in nicer hotels, although they'll be generic enough, like Marriotts and their equivalents, not true luxury hotels. Four star simply means it has the basic level of services to be graded four star and most people will find little difference between many three and four star places. I'd long and hard at the actual locations of the hotels. They may be classified as four star but could be in pedestrian / remote neighborhoods.

I save a great deal on being flexible with lodgings and have come out well by being pragmatic and flexible and have always stayed in clean and comfortable places in good locations. But research was involved and it sounds like you want to hand over all the organization and research to someone else.

Wait - realized meals and misc aren't included. You'll spend a lot more than 24k when all is said and done. I also find the itinerary not attractive. You're only hitting the major cities/major tourist destinations, and at peak travel. They will be PACKED. And prices for everything at a premium. And you'll end up dining out at tourist traps all the time.

Anonymous wrote:Are you including first class air? That price sounds low. I agree with others, drop Venice. With flights it drops your on the ground time by 2 days. I’d do 5 days in both London and Paris so you can have a little down time then the other days in Rome for a quick stop. Also, compare a plan your own trip to what is being quoted.

OP here- No this is NOT first class air. I wish! This is coach the whole way.

I think it actually sounds pretty accurately priced--maybe even low. We travel frequently to = Europe--its become very expensive, even in countries that used to be considered cheap (for instance we were just in Lisbon and it wasn't particularly cheap at all). We have 3 kids; it adds up.

There are always people on here who say they did Europe for a week on $7K for 3 people but then when pressed they say they used miles for airfare and points for hotels and whatnot.

Seems like a great price, agree it's a lot of moving around!

Are you including first class air? That price sounds low. I agree with others, drop Venice. With flights it drops your on the ground time by 2 days. I’d do 5 days in both London and Paris so you can have a little down time then the other days in Rome for a quick stop. Also, compare a plan your own trip to what is being quoted.

Anonymous wrote:Sounds high. Price it out yourself.

IMO, it's pretty accurate.

We go to the UK often to visit family. We go for 3 weeks, and part of the time, we stay with family.

But, between airfare, renting a car, accommodations, food, excursions, etc.. we spend close to $20K.