Contiki.com

I went on the Italian Escape Tour for 5 days. Missed the initial meet-up because of a doctor's visit but caught up with the group later. Had a brief chat with the trip manager who asked if I wanted to do all the optional activities, saying, “pretty much everyone is doing them.” I agreed, not realizing my yes was final. No mention of any 48-hour cancellation policies or exclusions. That night, I looked over the optional activities and realized they were over my budget. Next morning, I told the trip manager I wanted to opt out of some activities, but he said it was too late, and I had to pay since an email had been sent. Felt pressured but managed to cancel the Colosseum tour because it was outside the 48-hour window. Throughout the tour, the trip manager kept pushing me to join activities, saying I'd be stranded otherwise. On the Amalfi coast, he insisted on the Lemon Tour, but I skipped it, spent the day swimming, and had an amazing lunch instead. Best “side of the road” experience ever! On the day of the Colosseum tour, he tried to charge me 180 euros, including for the Colosseum, which I had canceled. Refused to pay that, but agreed to 122 euros for the activities I did. Reached out to Contiki, spoke to Tasha Hayes, but she was no help and insisted on the full payment, calling my handling of the situation ‘unfortunate’. On the last night, the trip manager accepted my 122 euros but claimed he’d have to cover the rest out of his pocket. Felt bad for him, but it’s his job to inform us of policies, which he didn’t. Contiki's customer service, especially Tasha Hayes, was a nightmare. She even threatened to exclude me from future activities unless I paid for the Colosseum tour. Felt pressured the whole time and disgusted with their handling. Wouldn’t recommend Contiki unless you like being scammed and treated poorly.

I gotta tell you about this trip I just went on, it was something else. I was pretty freaked out about going alone, being so young and all. But man, Blake, our trip manager, was a total lifesaver. His jokes, his kindness, his support—he just made everything so much easier. You know how sometimes you just need someone to make you feel at home? That was Blake. Always there with a smile in the morning, always ready to help out or just hang out and have fun. Everywhere we went, he had these cool facts about the places. He made learning about them actually fun, which is saying something. Honestly, he was more than I could've asked for in a trip manager. Of course, not everything was perfect. Some folks on the tour were a bit of a drag, but hey, there's always some drama, right? It didn’t ruin the trip or anything. I did every activity I could, and even though it cost a bit (23 days ain't cheap), there were only a couple I could’ve skipped. But those were just minor things, like 20 euros or so. Overall, I loved this trip. I’m already missing it, and it’s only been a day since I got back. What really got me were the people. We started as strangers, but by the end, it felt like family. I really hope we stay in touch because those connections were just as special as the places we visited.

Great travel service for young folks who want to get away without having to handle all the arrangements themselves! The trip guides and drivers make it all worthwhile, and meeting others who think like you is just awesome.