The Best of Ireland! 2014 July 3rd
Hello!
This will be my first trip to Europe and my first trip away from North America. I am super excited, but will be traveling solo for the first time. Despite my reluctance to be a tourist on a tour bus, my agent assures me that Tauck is the way to go: DELUXE the whole way, which is how I want to travel. If anyone else is also going on this tour, I would enjoy talking with you here or via email or social media. One of my questions for seasoned Tauck travelers is how formal do the guests dress for dinner. There is a fancy Titanic dinner one night and the meet-and-greet on the first night, and I am wondering if it is unacceptable for women to wear pants.
Oh, and I am arriving a day early in Shannon at the advice of my agent so I can relax and get acclimated. Is anyone else planning on doing this? I am confident that I will have a good time no matter the group I find myself in. It is going to be a great time.
I would appreciate any advice travelers can give me about spending money and cards to bring, how to get Euros, and what to pack.
This will be my first trip to Europe and my first trip away from North America. I am super excited, but will be traveling solo for the first time. Despite my reluctance to be a tourist on a tour bus, my agent assures me that Tauck is the way to go: DELUXE the whole way, which is how I want to travel. If anyone else is also going on this tour, I would enjoy talking with you here or via email or social media. One of my questions for seasoned Tauck travelers is how formal do the guests dress for dinner. There is a fancy Titanic dinner one night and the meet-and-greet on the first night, and I am wondering if it is unacceptable for women to wear pants.
Oh, and I am arriving a day early in Shannon at the advice of my agent so I can relax and get acclimated. Is anyone else planning on doing this? I am confident that I will have a good time no matter the group I find myself in. It is going to be a great time.
I would appreciate any advice travelers can give me about spending money and cards to bring, how to get Euros, and what to pack.
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Comments
I'm qualified to answer some of your questions but not others!
I'm a seasoned solo Tauck traveller (18 down with another trip this August). I have travelled with Tauck in North America, South America and Europe … via bus, small ship and riverboat. I have been to Ireland, but not for some years. I haven't taken a European bus trip with Tauck, though. Oh, and I'm Australian, so I look at things with a slightly different eye. I'm guessing you're from the States?
I don't know why this is such a fraught subject here on the forum, but here's my take. For the fancy dinner and the opening and closing functions, I'd suggest you dress as you would if you were dining out at a classy restaurant at home. Slacks are fine … paired with a nice top, some travel bling/accessories, dress shoes/sandals rather than the daytime walking shoes and you're good to go. I don't know if the fancy Titanic dinner is a themed event, but perhaps some lateral thinking at home might suggest something thin, flat, light … (all those travel imperatives!) to augment the little black number (aka the going out, travel outfit). You might even be able to get an appropriate affect with makeup. (Not quite the era, but check out the ladies in Downton Abbey for inspiration.) I prefer to change for dinner generally. When you have been in you practical travel clothes, working hard at the business of travelling from dawn to dusk, (Oh woe is me!) I am really glad to be able to get cleaned up and change into clothes that can be a little more "attractive" than my regular working travel gear! It's such a relief to get my feet out of practical walking shoes! That doesn't mean I travel with my best cocktail wear and jewellery! Good grief!
Irish weather is notoriously changeable, so pack clothes you can layer. If you go to the page for your trip here on the Tauck site, hit on the tab Before you Go, then work down the list to the packing and weather categories. Lots of very useful information.
You have made a good choice with Tauck. They are very professional and have made group travel a positive art form, both in terms of the quality of their product and in value for money. You will have a fabulous trip.
Cheers,
Jan
Shannon isn't the most exciting place to be, but we got there early also. However, we didn't get in until late at night the extra day. We flew in from Manchester. There are a couple of good bakeries for some breakfast goodies and it is a nice town to walk around and check things out.
Unless my "Old-Timer's Disease" is kicking in, there wasn't a fancy Titanic dinner. They might have changed the itinerary this year. As far as dinners go, there are a couple of times where I would consider "country-club casual" to be appropriate and only once or twice where a coat and tie/dress/nice slacks are appropriate. Usually, there are two options, one a bit more formal than the other. The nice restaurants are usually worth dressing up a bit. A scarf, and some bling make it all look good. No one is judging you on your apparel. If they are, shame on them. Find another table to eat with.
I agree with jdurkin that it really is kind of nice to spruce up a bit for a couple of hours at dinner. The nice thing about the solo bus travel is that you'll probably have two seats, since you paid the single supplement. (Meaning you paid for two of a lot of things.)
As far as money is concerned, I always go to my bank and pick up some euros, or pounds, or whatever currency is appropriate. I use my credit card for nearly everything. The bank gives me the best conversion rate and my card has no additional fee for foreign transactions. If you don't have that kind of card, check with your bank. They can usually get one for you. Ireland uses Euros and Northern Ireland uses British Pounds. You might only need them for tour director and driver tips (they'll take greenbacks, too). There are ATMs available where you can use your debit card--remember, a credit card used in an ATM machine starts accumulating interest IMMEDIATELY.
My rule for packing is, "If you aren't going to wear it at least three times, it stays home!" Simple, but it works to keep the volume of clothes down. I also use vacuum bags to put clothes in and that helps save space, but it doesn't help keep the weight of the luggage down. Just use some common sense (wait, if it was common we wouldn't need reminded of it). Use your "uncommon sense" to figure all of that out.
Have fun. You'll enjoy the trip. I am traveling solo now (wife died) and I am confident, based on my experiences, that Tauck, and the other guests, will make it a positive experience.
I second the advice provided by Jan and ndvb above! It's generally customary to dress somewhat formally at finer restaurants, such as the opening and closing nights. Slacks or a dress for women are generally recommended. Since you're booking a one-day pre-stay, you might want to be aware that many pubs near the Old Ground Hotel serve food and provide traditional (and often impromptu) entertainment; might be a fun diversion before the trip starts.
As far as money goes, I've always found that using your usual banking/credit cards is fine as long as you let your bank know in advance. There are many conveniently located ATMs in Ireland, and your bank will generally give you the best exchange rate. Just make sure you let them know the dates you're leaving, and the date you're coming back.
I hope this helps!
-Tim
Tim is right by telling you to call your bank to let them know you will be using your card out of the country.
Enjoy the trip. It is a great one. Mary was our tour director and she did a great job. Google some good Irish jokes to share with her.
I have traveled with Tauck as a solo and with someone and it is great either way. People on these tours are friendly and helpful and you will have a great time. We are also going a day ahead as it helps you wind down from the long trip coming over and it just helps you relax before the "real" journey starts! Nice pants and a top are fine for dinners and I usually pack a dress (not a fancy one) also. We are on the August 23 Tour and would love to hear from anyone taking this tour.