Sorry, but I find it silly that a bunch of frequent flyers are appalled by the idea that not everyone is as travel savvy as we are. The more I travel, the less I need Rick Steves, but very much appreciated his website when I was first travelling, and will still occasionally use his message boards to get recommendations from other travellers.

Is he Dorky? Yes. Would I get up at 7 a.m. to learn how to use a subway? No.

His philosophy is not about being cheap. Its about spending money on the important things. Like don't spend $400 a night on a hotel if it means you are going to have to now skimp on admissions to sightsee. He encourages people to seek out local flavor rather than big names. His books give options in different price ranges, so if you ARE ready to travel independently, you can plan accordingly.

People who travel in tours are paying for the convenience of not having to worry about every step of the journey on their own. I don't think $332 a day is overly expensive when you consider that you're getting accomodations in London (although the $ is much more favorable than when I was there a few years ago) all tours and admissions, a significant number of meals, no worries about tipping, and a knowledgeable tour guide to hold your hand when you need it.


If you're not the kind of person who's ready to pick up and travel independently to a foreign country, then I'd much rather see you on a Rick Steves tour than never leaving your comfort zone, or getting yourself in a wierd pickle because you have no idea how to travel. If just a few of those people get "the bug" and realize that the world is a big place and they want to see more of it on their own, then YAY for them. If they decide that they still prefer the convenience of having someone else do most of the leg work, then YAY for the travel tour industry.