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08-12-2024, 06:21 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: May 2019
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 786
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Tours - Adventure Caravans versus Fantasy RV
My wife and I are considering an organized tour of the Canadian maritimes. We have identified Adventure Caravans and Fantasy RV as vendors to consider. This thread is not to debate the merits of organized tours, but rather to discuss the relative value between these two vendors. The following questions apply to any tour offered by these vendors.
If you have toured with both organizations, which did you prefer and why?
If you have used one of these vendors, what was your experience?
Undoubtedly, both vendors will keep you busy. Did you ever feel that your schedule was over packed? Did you feel you had too much free time?
I’m just looking for overall experiences. I appreciate any input y’all have.
__________________
2018 Tiffin Bus 45 OPP
2019 Ford Expedition Max as the TOAD
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 36 QSH
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08-12-2024, 11:49 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 32,253
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Fantasy Tours is who FMCA uses for their tours. I haven't been on one of Fantasys tours.
I've one been on the former military club tours, and they are about $1,000 less than any other tours.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;GS Life member,FMCA " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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08-13-2024, 09:11 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 2,478
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I have been on one Fantasy tour. It was a 30+ day western tour. It was well done and professional. You are free to attend or not attend any of the planned activities. However, if you don't participate a lot, then the wagon master will want to talk with you and find out why - that is their job.
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08-13-2024, 09:58 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Augusta Georgia
Posts: 982
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I am currently on a 60 day Alaska tour with Fantasy. There are other threads on IRV2 where a larger number of people say Fantasy is better than Adventure. This is my one an only Fantasy tour, not because we do not like Fantasy, but because the group touring in an RV is just not our style. Our Wagonmaster is very good, he knows all of the places to go that you may miss on your own. He is also knowledgeable of the road conditions, gas stops large enough for RV's, interesting side stops during your drive, etc. Overall we are very happy we did this tour for Alaska since there is so much to see and so much you could miss. We are 28 days into the 60 day tour and have enjoyed Alaska and its beautiful scenery.
__________________
Bob (retired Army CW4) & Brenda (Veteran Army Nurse CPT)
2020 Tiffin Allegro RED 37BA
2020 Ford F150 XLT 4x4 Air Force 1 braking system
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08-13-2024, 10:09 AM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2023
Posts: 12
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We took the 60 day Alaska tour with Fantasy RV two years ago and we absolutely enjoyed it. The wagon master and tail gunner were both great guides, and it since they took care of all arrangements all we had to do was go along and enjoy ourselves! While you cover a lot of ground in 60 days, we really didn't feel rushed. On travel days you go at your own pace, stop where you want and do what you want. We haven't use Adventure so can't comment on their service.
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08-13-2024, 08:39 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: May 2019
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 786
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boomersooner
I am currently on a 60 day Alaska tour with Fantasy. There are other threads on IRV2 where a larger number of people say Fantasy is better than Adventure. This is my one an only Fantasy tour, not because we do not like Fantasy, but because the group touring in an RV is just not our style. Our Wagonmaster is very good, he knows all of the places to go that you may miss on your own. He is also knowledgeable of the road conditions, gas stops large enough for RV's, interesting side stops during your drive, etc. Overall we are very happy we did this tour for Alaska since there is so much to see and so much you could miss. We are 28 days into the 60 day tour and have enjoyed Alaska and its beautiful scenery.
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Please report back after your trip is over. We are also in a Tiffin class A pulling an Expedition Max. I am curious about how you rig does over the tour. We are thinking of this trip in 2027.
__________________
2018 Tiffin Bus 45 OPP
2019 Ford Expedition Max as the TOAD
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 36 QSH
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08-13-2024, 08:40 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: May 2019
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 786
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmarnell
We took the 60 day Alaska tour with Fantasy RV two years ago and we absolutely enjoyed it. The wagon master and tail gunner were both great guides, and it since they took care of all arrangements all we had to do was go along and enjoy ourselves! While you cover a lot of ground in 60 days, we really didn't feel rushed. On travel days you go at your own pace, stop where you want and do what you want. We haven't use Adventure so can't comment on their service.
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Thanks for the report. Sounds great.
__________________
2018 Tiffin Bus 45 OPP
2019 Ford Expedition Max as the TOAD
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 36 QSH
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08-13-2024, 08:41 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: May 2019
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 786
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bentjm
I have been on one Fantasy tour. It was a 30+ day western tour. It was well done and professional. You are free to attend or not attend any of the planned activities. However, if you don't participate a lot, then the wagon master will want to talk with you and find out why - that is their job.
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Thanks for the info.
__________________
2018 Tiffin Bus 45 OPP
2019 Ford Expedition Max as the TOAD
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 36 QSH
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08-14-2024, 01:36 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Augusta Georgia
Posts: 982
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shutterbug57
Please report back after your trip is over. We are also in a Tiffin class A pulling an Expedition Max. I am curious about how you rig does over the tour. We are thinking of this trip in 2027.
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So far so good. Although it was very rough and somewhat grueling, we did the Top of the World Highway and I would not do it again. It was very rough and slow going, the RV was filthy and dirt and dust inside the bays and inside the coach. However, it was a once in a lifetime experience that I can say I have done and do not have to do it again. Dawson City was a nice visit, and taking the ferry across the Yukon was pretty cool as well. Again, once is a lifetime and great experience but I would not do it again.
__________________
Bob (retired Army CW4) & Brenda (Veteran Army Nurse CPT)
2020 Tiffin Allegro RED 37BA
2020 Ford F150 XLT 4x4 Air Force 1 braking system
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08-14-2024, 09:49 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 32,253
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The wagonmaster and tailgunner are paid positions, you're right "it's their job".
That is one of the reasons the former military club is so much less money, those positions are volunteer.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;GS Life member,FMCA " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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08-14-2024, 03:57 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 20,707
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boomersooner
So far so good. Although it was very rough and somewhat grueling, we did the Top of the World Highway and I would not do it again. It was very rough and slow going, the RV was filthy and dirt and dust inside the bays and inside the coach. However, it was a once in a lifetime experience that I can say I have done and do not have to do it again. Dawson City was a nice visit, and taking the ferry across the Yukon was pretty cool as well. Again, once is a lifetime and great experience but I would not do it again.
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Hmmm.... our motorhome never got dirt in the bays or inside. We drove the Cassier and also many unpaved roads to get to boondocking spots.
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Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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08-14-2024, 05:45 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Augusta Georgia
Posts: 982
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twogypsies
Hmmm.... our motorhome never got dirt in the bays or inside. We drove the Cassier and also many unpaved roads to get to boondocking spots.
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Did you do TOW Highway? Every coach in our tour group had dust. It was very dry so the dust was literally in clouds. It is 108 miles of nothing but gravel, dirt, and dust from Dawson City to Chicken AK.
__________________
Bob (retired Army CW4) & Brenda (Veteran Army Nurse CPT)
2020 Tiffin Allegro RED 37BA
2020 Ford F150 XLT 4x4 Air Force 1 braking system
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08-14-2024, 06:51 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 20,707
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boomersooner
Did you do TOW Highway? Every coach in our tour group had dust. It was very dry so the dust was literally in clouds. It is 108 miles of nothing but gravel, dirt, and dust from Dawson City to Chicken AK.
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Yes, we did the Top of the World Highway both directions. Perhaps since you were with a group you were all following each other too closely.
__________________
Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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08-15-2024, 07:51 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 654
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We have not taken a tour with Adventure, but have been on 2 with Fantasy. In summer of 2022, we went on the 7-week tour of the Canadian Maritimes with Fantasy. I can't remember how many stops there were, but it was a bunch. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island. We saw some amazingly beautiful scenery, some interesting historical places, and met some really nice people. Some specifics regarding your questions:
- We went to so many places in such a very short time, I sort of felt rushed. I wish the tour had added a couple of weeks so that we could spend more time in some of the stops. I think that is just the nature of organized tours.
- Fantasy took care of almost everything. No worries about campground availability, no wondering about tickets to get into this museum or that program. Most meals were part of the tour.
- Getting to/from Newfoundland involves taking a lengthy ferry ride. Fantasy set up all the tickets and reservations for us. No worries about that at all.
- We had great Tailgunners, but our Wagonmaster was past his expiration date. He was very experienced and knew a lot of stuff, having been on this same trip several times. But had a difficult time organizing stuff. The good news is the Tailgunners were very good at organizing and took up the slack when necessary.
- There was a mix of free time and organized activities. I think the mix was balanced well. All of the organized activities required bus rides to the activity. And many of the bus rides were over an hour, some even longer. I guess riding the bus was preferable to having each person driving a toad, but it became very tedious as the tour progressed.
Bottom line: I highly recommend the Maritimes trip with Fantasy. They have put together a great set of stops with a wonderful mix of historical and scenic places. One of the best stops was in Halifax for the Military Tattoo Show. If you haven't been to a Tattoo, I suggest that you seek one out - I know they do one here in the US at Norfolk.
We went on 2 whale watching boat trips and were not disappointed.
Some of the food was just so-so. But we had GREAT seafood in some of the places. Specifically, the huge scallops in Digby Nova Scotia are a real treat. Seafood in Halifax was really good, too. Lobster almost everywhere we went.
The cost of the trip is pretty high, but with all the campground fees and especially the ferry trip to/from Newfoundland, I think it was reasonable.
Hope this helps.
Regards.
Chuck
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2014 Tiffin Phaeton 40QBH
2024 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid Toad
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