I have only traveled once as a single traveler last year and hope to book another for September this year..........quite interested in the Andalucia holiday.

Have noticed from looking through some of the threads that some holidays have had very large groups, some over 30 people.

The holiday I went on last year there were 14 of us. My initial thought is that 30+ in a group is too many (from a personal point of view)..........but thought I would get some opinions from folk who have traveled in such a large group.

Is it a good thing or not?? Advantages/disadvantages??

Carol

Hi Carol

I have been on many JustYou trips over the years - probably about 14 or 15. Over recent years I have been on a few trips where there are large numbers and I am not keen on this. I went to Iceland and there were well over 40 people on the trip and I did not get a chance to talk to everyone and found it far too large. Angela

Not enough food in the US of A! The same thing happened to us in Boston last year. I've never been on a tour, even in a large group where seats apart from the front one were rotated. Can I ask if you had to sit next to the same person each day and if not were any people travelling together split up.

No was with a different person each day but will say i believe each tour manager does it diferent. Stephen was very organised and he rotated the front 10 rows and anyone that wanted to opt out had the option of sitting further back.

Thought that was a great idea and worked very well.

I'm a supporter of the seat rotation and find it interesting sat with different people every day.

I knew a couple of others (Steve & June) from my holiday the year before and met two others Jan & Stuart at heathrow the night before. Suspect without the seat rotation may have ended up sitting with some of them each day, nothing wrong with that but its good to meet as many people as possible.

Mick

Hello All,

35 of us on the Heart and Soul of America last November. Few problems soon sorted quickly. Tour Manager Stephen gave us a sheet of paper every night with our seat numbers for the next day. One day I did find myself sitting in the same seat as one of the men :blush:

One main problem was Hancock Tower in Chicago where we were supposed to have breakfast. Not enough food for us all.

Jan

Sharing a seat with a very nice man I'll add :angel:

Agree about the Hancock Breakfast, i was near back of the queue and very little left when i got there.

Mick

I've been on a few tours where seats were rotated. I hated the thought at first but it proved to be a brilliant way of getting to know the group. I think it also helped reduce the issue of cliques which I have mentioned and encouraged people to be more sociable. If you've booked with someone they should automatically be placed with you.

Hello All,

35 of us on the Heart and Soul of America last November. Few problems soon sorted quickly. Tour Manager Stephen gave us a sheet of paper every night with our seat numbers for the next day. One day I did find myself sitting in the same seat as one of the men :blush:

One main problem was Hancock Tower in Chicago where we were supposed to have breakfast. Not enough food for us all.

Jan

Sharing a seat with a very nice man I'll add :angel:

Agree about the Hancock Breakfast, i was near back of the queue and very little left when i got there.

Mick

35 of us on the Heart and Soul of America last November. Few problems soon sorted quickly. Tour Manager Stephen gave us a sheet of paper every night with our seat numbers for the next day. One day I did find myself sitting in the same seat as one of the men :blush:

One main problem was Hancock Tower in Chicago where we were supposed to have breakfast. Not enough food for us all.

Jan

Thanks for the link Julia, it was interesting to read people's view. I've done 12 trips nearly all with groups of about 30 which I think is plenty big enough. I did one that had 40 people and it was a particularly friendly group and I socialised with lots of different people which I enjoyed. However, on a practical level it was too big a group and I didn't think it was fair on the tour manager even though she handled it brilliantly.

On the subject of cliques, I think some tour managers are better than others at dealing with this. I have had a couple of experiences of looks of horror when I' ve inadvertently sat where somebody wants their friend. I would also be interested in what others think about 2 or more people booking together. I don't have a problem with this in principle but if said people don't want to mix with the rest of the group it can be uncomfortable particularly if they form a large part of the group. My second JY holiday was with 2 people I met on my first trip so I have done this myself but we made sure we mixed with everyone and made them aware they were very welcome to join us..

Hi Eljay

Would be interested to know...........did you move seats or stay where you were :huh:

Not sure what I would do in that situation, lol.

Carol

I'm afraid to say I moved asI'm a bit of a wimp. Would love to have the courage to brazen it out and cause rude people discomfort but what's the point if you can't relax knowing you're not wanted! Fortunately most people are only too happy to mix.

Not necessarily wimpish.........probably the most sensible thing to do. Not sure if I'm as sensible as you mind, hopefully I won't have to find out, lol. :angel:

Carol

Thanks for the link Julia, it was interesting to read people's view. I've done 12 trips nearly all with groups of about 30 which I think is plenty big enough. I did one that had 40 people and it was a particularly friendly group and I socialised with lots of different people which I enjoyed. However, on a practical level it was too big a group and I didn't think it was fair on the tour manager even though she handled it brilliantly.

On the subject of cliques, I think some tour managers are better than others at dealing with this. I have had a couple of experiences of looks of horror when I' ve inadvertently sat where somebody wants their friend. I would also be interested in what others think about 2 or more people booking together. I don't have a problem with this in principle but if said people don't want to mix with the rest of the group it can be uncomfortable particularly if they form a large part of the group. My second JY holiday was with 2 people I met on my first trip so I have done this myself but we made sure we mixed with everyone and made them aware they were very welcome to join us..

Hi Eljay

Would be interested to know...........did you move seats or stay where you were :huh:

Not sure what I would do in that situation, lol.

Carol

I'm afraid to say I moved asI'm a bit of a wimp. Would love to have the courage to brazen it out and cause rude people discomfort but what's the point if you can't relax knowing you're not wanted! Fortunately most people are only too happy to mix.

Thanks for the link Julia, it was interesting to read people's view. I've done 12 trips nearly all with groups of about 30 which I think is plenty big enough. I did one that had 40 people and it was a particularly friendly group and I socialised with lots of different people which I enjoyed. However, on a practical level it was too big a group and I didn't think it was fair on the tour manager even though she handled it brilliantly.

On the subject of cliques, I think some tour managers are better than others at dealing with this. I have had a couple of experiences of looks of horror when I' ve inadvertently sat where somebody wants their friend. I would also be interested in what others think about 2 or more people booking together. I don't have a problem with this in principle but if said people don't want to mix with the rest of the group it can be uncomfortable particularly if they form a large part of the group. My second JY holiday was with 2 people I met on my first trip so I have done this myself but we made sure we mixed with everyone and made them aware they were very welcome to join us..

Hi Eljay

Would be interested to know...........did you move seats or stay where you were :huh:

Not sure what I would do in that situation, lol.

Carol