I am sure I did a posting on the thread that’s active, but it has not been answered perhaps your looking into things?

In a nut shell it was, if the tour has been changed due to customer feed back, as in many less meals and one trip would not be running when will the prices be reduced online to show this for the future tours, or are the prices showing fact....

Also I did find it strange that this was based on customer feed back as this has just started running and I can’t even see a review on it....I do know from past problems things don’t normally happen that quick from JY...so it all seems rather strange to me.

Is there anyone that can shed some factual Information on this tour...it is one I am toying with in the future.

Cindy

We’ve had feedback from customers who told us they’d like more time to have their own experiences and try local food in addition to the included meals and excursions we offer on our trips.

We’ve listened to the feedback and we’ve reduced a small number of included meals for some of our trips, including the Bucharest and Enchanting Castles of Transylvania tour, so now there’s more time to explore and discover local places to eat. Our tour managers will still be on hand to help organise meals if you’d like to eat as part of a group, and can give you advice on the best places to try locally.

The prices for 2018-2019 are in our latest brochure and online.

Thanks,

Vickie

As another veteran of many JY tours, I feel it is good to have dinners included when the destination is an unusual one, as it may be hard for customers to find somewhere convenient to eat where the food is good.  This tour is one I'm hoping to do in 2020 and I hope that the tour manager would be proactive in suggesting places to eat that are tourist friendly/have menus in English/serve good food etc.  I've been on tours where the manager has told us rather dismissively "all the restaurants along this street are good" and the truth has been rather different.  At the same time, I've had a good number of included meals on JY tours where the food has been very poor.  So what I'm really saying is that either we need to have decent  and convenient options available regarding dining, or else the included meals need to be of a very good standard.  It has been quite obvious in some restaurants that JY has struck a deal for an included meal on a very meagre budget, and the offered food has been poor, compared to the lovely meals being served to other diners around us.

On another but equally important matter, after several years of price hikes I would expect the price of a tour to be reduced, if less meals are to be included.  Otherwise it is just another cost cutting measure/price hike in disguise!

All the best,

Bob

Sorry your answer doesn’t actually answer my question on pricing..

If you go Sept 14th 2018 from LHR it is £1359

If you go Sept 13th 2019 from LHR it is £1359 exactley the same price, but on that tour we are down 1 lunch and 3 dinners and a trip out, so there for we have to fund another 4 meals at our cost, so there really must be a reduction as we would be getting so much less for our money. So please address that question...

Also it’s ok on tours say to USA which I have done many go off and locate somewhere to eat as the world is normally on the doorstep from burgers to fine dinning etc...but I think this kind of tour we would need specific guidance and suggestions from the TM, and let’s be honest they are not always that helpful. So for me on the tour spec on line I would like a few suggestions of places to eat and how close they are, and there websites details so we can see what’s on offer do the cater for us Brits, are the menus in English , and as I am a vegetarian can I actually find something edible.

I really wish someone who has been in this tour would give their honest thoughts on these issues. As I am still not convinced why the change has been activated so quickly.

Sorry to be a pain, but I would like answers.

Cindy

I had sent a reply on Friday to your answer, but it isn’t showing yet on this thread?

Perhaps your waiting for answers to my specific questions..

Cindy

Apologies, yes I'm just waiting on clarification to your question, and I'll get back to you ASAP 🙂

Many thanks,

Vickie

I have also noticed this. I am hoping to do the Grand Baltic Explorer tour next year with TS and the meals on that tour have also been reduced, and tours of Riga and Tallin are now optional whereas they were included previously, also, apparently, due to ‘customer feedback’. As I will be travelling alone on a mostly couples holiday, this will mean me eating out on my own, which I do not mind if I feel safe wherever I am, but quite a few who book JY tours do so as they do not want to eat alone at night.

I personally believe stating the ‘customer feedback’ excuse is a load of rubbish and would rather JY/TS were just honest with us about the prices going up, instead of putting the price up by stealth.

I am hoping to do this tour in 2020 and sincerely hope it is not on a b&b basis with all city tours as optional add-ons by then.

Regards

Caroline

Next year most dinners will no longer be included but no price reduction.

Same excuse...due to customer feedback !

I'm still waiting for a post of mine to appear on this thread as well!  

Caroline, I agree entirely with what you have said.  Tours are now working out much more expensive than they were a few years ago, due to price increases and now a reduction in the number of meals included, as well as some excursions becoming optional.  It is very frustrating and one of the main reasons why I am now travelling with other companies as well as JY/Trav.  By the way, I did the Baltic Explorer two years ago and very much enjoyed it.  The included dinners were excellent and all the excursions were included.  It would be a huge shame if the holiday were being scaled back in this way.  I do not believe for one minute that the majority of customers want LESS meals or excursions included.  There is an Irish company, Travel Department, that offer escorted tours and I went with them once.  I've looked at many of their tours over the years, but they have too much free time so I have discounted them.  I would hate for JY/Trav to go the same way.

Have you also looked at the Balkan Peninsula tour with Trav?  I did it three years ago and much preferred it to the Baltic trip - scenery was absolutely stunning and a much more varied tour.  My advice is if you are in any way interested, to go soon as things are becoming more unstable in the region especially in Bosnia.

All the best,

Bob

I too have noticed the trend for fewer meals and included excursions on some holidays.  There are many posts on here asking about how much money to take and this trend just adds to the uncertainty of budgeting.  JY's strapline 'no single supplement' is, as we all know, a fudge as the supplement is in the price but it does mean you don't have to strain your eyes reading the small print to see how much to add on.  The headline cost generally (apart from regional departures premiums and some departure dates being more expensive) used to be what you paid and that was always the attraction for me.  I have discounted cheaper holiday companies over the years because few meals are included but it may be that I will now consider them again if JY carry on with this policy.

The odd meal in your own time is welcome as it is a chance to explore and as this is usually well into the holiday, groups have formed so no-one needs to be alone but now we seem to heading to needing a calculator again to try to figure out the likely total cost of the holiday.

I, too, don't buy that this is a result of customer feedback unless these are the customers we hear about who book in packs and are not truly single travellers!

I personally would love to know which holidays people actually gave feedback asking for JY to reduce the number of included meals, days and optional activities.

We’ve removed some meals from a small number of tours, to help enhance the overall experience for customers by giving you more freedom and flexibility to choose what you would like to do on your holiday.

We aim to offer tours at the best value for money possible, but where costs have increased, for example for flights, hotels or due to inflation, there will be some increases in the price of the tour.

For our Bucharest tour we are unable to reduce the price because the reduction in meals has been offset by increases in other costs, however we have been able to hold it at its current price for 2019, when you book early.

We’ve reduced meals on tours where the hotels are surrounded by lots of different restaurants/bars/cafes so you can try something different, if you would like.

In Bucharest, for example, the picturesque towns of Sibiu and Sighisoara are a joy to be discovered, and the hotel is very central so they’re easy to get to. Our Just You Tour Manager and local guide can also give you recommendations of where to go, or if you would like to you can dine with them.

Thank you for your feedback about offering suggestions of places to eat on future tours, this is something we will consider further.

Many thanks,

Vickie

From your comment about holding the 2018 price for 2019, "when you book early" do I take it that the company have a policy now of launching dates at a certain price and then increasing them as the tour draws nearer?  If you are offering "early booking discounts" it would be helpful if this was made clear.  I have noticed a good number of tours have increased in price in the months following the brochure/online launch but I didn't realise this was an actual policy - is this the case?

I really feel that these are important points and if JY/Trav want us to have a truly memorable holiday every time, then these need to be addressed.

Best wishes,

Bob

Cheers,

Hils

Thank you for the answer, but I am still not sure that I have got the answer I was hoping for.

I read this still as I will be getting less for my money, I also did not realise that price change I have always just paid the price on initial advertising, but I do like to book early. If the prices are not going to be honoured then that needs addressing, we do not have bottomless bank accounts unfortunately.

I just get the feeling and I do not think I am alone that we seem to be getting so much less for our money from when I started Useing JY Sept 2006. We really did used to get so much more for our money. Where as know it’s a huge amount of money per tour with so much less included.

As for the comment we can join the TM or rep for tea, it really did make me laugh last 2 tours the TM has scurried off as soon as we have got back to hotel never to be seen till departure next day. Luckily this was USA and hotel was near places to eat. Whereas years ago the TM always was available each evening in reception for questions queries or advice re eating ..So please make sure the TM KNOW we might join them. As I am not at  all sure many would like that.

I eagerly await a review to see if it endorses the change.

Cindy

I agree with all comments and do not like the way things are currently heading. At the end of the day most, including myself, have a limited budget. A holiday to me is a luxury so it would just mean me cutting down on the number of tours I take, or sourcing cheaper alternatives.

I prefer not to feel like I am imposing on other members of the group, especially with TS, so would be eating out on my own, or taking my own food with me. The Baltics tour I am considering has chopped 5 dinners off, and the 2 optional city tours (previously included) cost £64, so I think the tour price has increased by a considerable amount for next year and this does not bode well for subsequent years. I think shopping around will be my only option soon.

Thanks for the suggestion Bob. I did also look at that tour but have my heart set on the Grand Baltic Explorer for now as I have visited Bosnia, Montenegro, and Croatia on previous tours.

Regards

Caroline

Good to see that we are all in agreement on this - JY and Trav, please take note!  

Hi Caroline,

I've done three Trav tours, with one more booked for next year (no JY trips for me in 2019).  On each one I haven't had difficulty with finding people to buddy up with - on the Balkan tour I actually spent much time with one couple who were very friendly and actively encouraged me to eat with them etc.  And on the other two, I palled up with some of the other single travellers.  However, on these tours dinners were included!!  I find it is over dinner that people bond - some buddy up with the person they sit next to on the bus - but if dinners are not included then it will be harder for people to mix and pal up with others and we are more likely to be left on our own.

All the best,

Bob

If someone wants to eat out then it should be at their own additional cost, and not at the expense of everyone else. Most people do not have an endless bank balance. Surely its the majority you should be catering for, not the minority who are probably professional complainers anyway.

With the initial costs of the holidays rapidly increasing the customer needs to have savings somewhere.

Chris

PS. I am looking at this holiday for September 2019. I would like to put the deposit down sooner rather than later, but part of me wants to wait till I get the voucher from the China tour in October and the price will probably increase by then..