Are You Still Traveling To Europe?

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

Over the last several years the cost of traveling to Europe has increased.

Airfare to Europe, June to September, was in the $700 to $800 price range from Chicago several years ago. It now seems to be in the $1200 to $1400 price range. Car rental expenses are up and well as gas prices.

And then there is the safety factor.

So, are you still making plans to go to Europe?

Are you still using timeshares or are you now going with Tour groups?

Are you still renting cars?

Walt

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I went to Italy last year and this year we are going to Germany, Austria and Greece for over 4 weeks using timeshares. I was able to use FF miles to book my flights. Now I just have to worry about 2-3 nights in a Hotel in Athens and car rentals as well as a way to get to Rhodes and Corfu. I should start working on it.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I'm going to Europe this June. I will be staying in a timeshare in Marbella, and then hotels in Italy, and Belgium. We will be going for 3 weeks. We will be renting a car, and also taking a few day tours.

I'm really looking forward to our trip.

[JoAnn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoAnn]

In mid-July we have a 2-week Riverboat cruise booked from Amsterdam to Vienna. Our DD used her FF miles to get our air. The only reason we would not go is DH's health. So I am hoping he has no more problems.

[mav Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

We are going to England for 2 weeks, Scotland for 3 weeks and to Austria for 1 week. We leave the U.S. on June 8th and return either the 21st or 22nd of July. We will be renting a car and using timeshares. We are B & B lovers, so we are also going to stay a few nights in B&B's. It is more expensive this year but oh well.

[vinolover Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vinolover]

Went to Italy in Feb-Mar of this year. Stayed in a timeshare in Tuscany and rented an inexpensive apartment in Rome. Going to Ireland (timeshare exchange) and Scotland (staying with friends) later in the year.

Europe is more expensive right now because of the dollar to euro exchange rate but we've found ways to cut costs (staying in places with a kitchen for example). We were able to use FF miles for the Italy trip and will probably use miles for the next trip as well. Off season airfares aren't too expensive (less costly to fly to Europe for us than it is to fly to Hawaii).

We did rent a car for one week of the Italy trip. Prefer to use public transportation in Europe whenever possible (trains or buses) since that is usually more economical for our style of travel.

As far as the "safety factor" I'm not sure what you mean. Europe is no less safe than the U.S. for travelers.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Yes! Our next trip is to Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine in June, possibly with a couple of days in Bulgaria as well.

That trip will not be timeshare, but I had two t/s exchanges in Europe last year.

Whether I rent a car or use trains depends on the transportation situation with the particular trip.

[chs225 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chs225]

Leaving for Southern Tuscany on May 1. Will fly to Pisa, visit Cinque Terre and then go to T/S in the South. Will be renting a car

In Aug. will be going to Scotland. Used FF miles for the trip. Will be renting a car and staying in a B&B. (if Kilconquher wasn't a 1 in 4 would have tried to stay there)

Both trips will be more expensive and have recently been looking South for travel as looking East becomes too expensive. However having said that: have booked T/S for Venice next April.

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

We are leaving May 9 for Paris, staying a few nights at a Marriott (family rates) and then to a apartment in Normandy secured through a Dial an Exchange trade. Then on to Greece staying in the Athens Marriott for a few nights (again family rates) and then on to our village in the south rented an apartment for 60 Euro per night.

We got our airline tickets with FF miles and we will be renting a car. It is more expensive this year, but we aren't getting any younger.

Joy

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

And then there is the safety factor.

Walt

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
What 'safety factor' are you referring to? I haven't heard much about Americans being stoned in the streets of Europe. As long as you're not going around singing 'God Bless America' everywhere you go or waving 12' Stars & Stripes there is nothing to worry about.
Plenty of people don't like what the US and UK governments have done, but we have been to Turkey and Spain, amongst other places, since the invasion of Iraq and the local population don't blame us for the stupidity of our governments.

[falmouth3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close falmouth3]

Yes, we're going to Scotland.

We were in Amsterdam shortly after Bush was elected. One woman stopped us on the street and asked how he got into office because she said she was confused. We said we were too and we didn't vote for him.

Sue

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I have a direct exchange into Allen House this June followed by a week at our home resort of Fitzpatrick Castle near Dublin and a third week at Connemara Country Cottages. My Dh is very concerned about the costs as the exchange rate is so poor.
We have a rental van for the 2 weeks in Ireland that my parents are paying for as their contribution to the trip. It is just DD and I going to London with an overnight in Paris on a points stay at Paris Marriott Hotel Champs-Elysees.
DD is EXTREMELY excited by this!!!

I feel by staying at the TSs we will certainly be saving $$$ on food costs and many of the sites we will see as we tour Ireland are free or low cost.

I think I will plan my next European trip for 2009 to include Scotland and Spain.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I haven't heard much about Americans being stoned in the streets of Europe.

Glad to hear it

So looking forward to the trip!

[vinolover Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vinolover]

J I haven't heard much about Americans being stoned in the streets of Europe.

Well, we were. Oopps, that was from all the Italian vino.

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

We leave April 17th for 32 days. We have the Allen House in London for a week and 4 nights in Nice in timeshare. We've used Hilton points for 7 more nights and Priceline for several more; the rest.....well, we've done the best we could. Hilton and Priceline were a compromise; we wanted to stay in less "Americanized" lodging, but even small places were very expensive, so we settled for Hilton and Marriott, and even two Holiday Inns. Maybe the next trip the dollar will have rebounded a bit and we can get more charm.