The Important Rick Steves Tour Policy Travelers Need To Understand Before Booking

Before booking a Rick Steves Tour, you should know that there is a strict "no grumps" policy. If you're someone who has a hard time controlling your emotions when you're in a bad mood, you might want to reconsider attending. Rick Steves has been traveling to Europe for decades, and he's turned his passion for travel into a successful career. He's written bestselling guidebooks, hosted a popular television show, and eventually founded his very own group tours company. He's one of the most popular travel experts in the world, and each year around 30,000 travelers attend his group tours. Throughout his travels, he's almost certainly encountered some difficult situations, and he's probably had to learn to roll with the punches without getting grumpy when unforeseen challenges arise.

The Rick Steves Europe (RSE) website says that "RSE tours are physically active, our hotels are centrally located but may provide fewer American-style amenities, and our people policy emphasizes NO GRUMPS!" It's easy to feel overwhelmed when traveling, but when you behave with a grumpy attitude, you could potentially ruin the experience for someone else. Everyone attending a Rick Steves Europe tour has paid a significant amount of money to be there, and no one wants to listen to someone else complain during their vacation. Bad moods can be contagious, and everyone attending a tour deserves the same opportunity to fully appreciate Europe's best sights. 

If you're planning on attending a Rick Steves Tour, you may be wondering how exactly to follow the "no grump" people policy. The Rick Steves Europe website outlines some helpful tips. To put it simply, tour members are expected to go with the flow, follow the rules, and maintain a positive attitude when things don't go exactly as planned. 

The Rick Steves Europe Tour Conditions page outlines several important requirements attendees should be aware of. Many of them are reminders that you're going to have to be comfortable moving around without getting grumpy about it. According to the website, tour attendees should be able to carry or roll their own luggage for at least 15 minutes at a time. Occasionally you might need to do so when walking on cobblestone streets or uneven pavement. Don't be grumpy when you have to carry your bags from the bus or train to your hotel because it's probably going to happen quite often as you travel around Europe. You should also be prepared to carry them up a couple flights of stairs as you may stay in hotels without elevators. One official rule on a Rick Steves tour is that attendees limit themselves to one carry-on suitcase and one personal item. Following the rule makes moving around much easier. 

In addition to carrying your luggage, you should be ready to be on your feet for several hours at a time. Rick Steves Europe Tours often include walking excursions through fantastic cities and small towns, or trips to museums and attractions that are more active than sitting on a tour bus. It's also common for the tips to include travel via public transportation. 

According to the Tour Conditions guidelines, attendees need to be able to perform the aforementioned physical activities without assistance from staff members. "Our tour guides cannot provide assistance for any of these activities! Tour members requiring help must be accompanied by an able companion who can be entirely responsible for providing the assistance," the website states.

If you join a tour in the middle of European summer, it may be quite warm while you're out and about. Alternatively, you may have to deal with some cold temperatures if you're trying to catch the Northern Lights. It's also possible that you may have to walk outside in the rain. In general, mentally prepare for all weather conditions. There's no controlling the weather, so don't let it ruin your mood.

Rick Steves encourages travelers to embrace authentic culture, which means that you may have to stay in accommodations that aren't what you're used to at home. The Tour Conditions page reminds tourists that they may have to sleep in "hotels with no (or inadequate) air conditioning," as many hotels in Europe aren't equipped with air conditioning. During your hotel stay you might also have to deal with some street noise. Slow Wi-Fi or accommodations with limited Wi-Fi availability should also be expected. "Travel is all about experiencing things we're not used to. Tour members are expected to be flexible and open-minded and to practice considerate social behavior toward one another," the Tour Members Expectations page states. 

Although some situations may cause tourists a bit of stress or annoyance, Rick Steves Tours believes that the "no grumps" policy is in everyone's best interest. Tina, who has been a tour guide with Rick Steves Europe since 2002, said that the "no grumps" policy is one of the things she appreciates the most about Rick Steves' philosophy. "Travel pushes you out of your normal routine, so being grumpy is normal...but Rick Steves travelers try to solve problems on the go and understand that sometimes, things just happen without us having any control over it. They embrace it!" she said in an interview posted on the Rick Steves Europe website.