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01-09-2025, 01:30 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Fairhope, AL
Posts: 130
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Fantasy RV Tours: Feedback
We don't use our Class C RV that frequently, one of the reasons being the unique planning process necessary to make reservations on a multi-stop adventure. So, when I saw FMCA's connection to "Fantasy RV Tours", I was intrigued by their offerings ( https://www.fantasyrvtours.com/RV-Tours/FMCA-Club-Tours). The opportunity to get an all-in-one multi-stop RV trip through a single source. Anyone on this site have experience (even second-hand) with this travel company?
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Bill & Susan
2017 Tiffin Wayfarer QW (25-feet)
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01-09-2025, 03:55 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Full time RV'er
Posts: 5,532
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Although I never took any of those RV'ing caravan trips I did a lot of research on their itineraries and prices and talked to many caravans participants I met on the road the first few years after I became an RV'er. And decided they weren't for me. Far to many told me that the trips were to structured and fast paced, not leaving time for the side trips or extended stays in pleasant places the participants generally wanted. Many times I was told they were happy they had the experience but wouldn't do one again.
Personally, I like the freedom of being on my own and for the last 21 years of full time RV'ing, any break downs I could handle on my own with a phone and CC and a good roadside service like Coachnet (which has economically bailed me out of situations several times over the years). The first 12 years I only had my RV and a bike. The last 8 years, I've pulled a toad and it's handy but the first 12 years proved it wasn't necessary. Rarely make reservations and look for smaller mom and pop RV parks near but not in cities. Have stayed at 'Resorts' but tend to stay away as they generally don't have any better services or facilities that the older, lower cost parks have and often the older parks are out of the way places in pleasant surroundings. Have spent months touring the US, Canada, Mexico alone and at this point in my travels, I doubt I'll ever take a structured RV'ing tour.
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01-09-2025, 04:10 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Mooresville, NC
Posts: 273
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I just did a 61 day trip to Alaska with Fantasy. You're right about trying to plan a trip like that yourself! It's not just booking campgrounds, though. They book excursions, events, dinners and other things. You have a wagon master advising you on each stop daily (ours was FANTASTIC by the way) and a tail gunner following the group (ditto on them!), not to mention all the other tour members looking out for you. There is NO WAY we could have planned a trip like that on our own.
And here is a side benefit = the people you'll meet. We've already met up with 5 different couples since our trip and 8 couples from our trip signed up for an event in New Orleans next December.
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Shawn, Susan (& Maya in spirit)
2016 Thor Miramar 34.1
2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk (the "Mango Tango")
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01-09-2025, 04:19 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,998
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Second hand information only for planned tours in general: I talked with multi-use customers at a Safari rally last year,. They were planning on yet another tour and several others spoke well about organized tours. During a different trip I also talked to a couple who were brand new to RV'ing and were very positive about their first organized tour. I guess these people liked the level of organization and pace, but for every organized tour aficionado, there will be those for which this doesn't suit.
Fantasy tours has been around for a while so I assume is a reputable company.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yooper2
We don't use our Class C RV that frequently, one of the reasons being the unique planning process necessary to make reservations on a multi-stop adventure. So, when I saw FMCA's connection to "Fantasy RV Tours", I was intrigued by their offerings ( https://www.fantasyrvtours.com/RV-Tours/FMCA-Club-Tours). The opportunity to get an all-in-one multi-stop RV trip through a single source. Anyone on this site have experience (even second-hand) with this travel company?
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__________________
George Schweikle Lexington, KY
2005 Safari (Monaco)Trek 28RB2, Workhorse W20, 8.1, Allison 1000 5 spd, UltraPower engine & tranny, Track bars & sway bars, KONI FSD, FMCA 190830, Safari Int'l. chapter. 1999 Safari Trek 2830, 1995 Safari Trek 2430, 1983 Winnebago Chieftain, 1976 Midas Mini
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01-09-2025, 04:28 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 2,470
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We have been on one RV Fantasy Tour - one of the Western Park tours. We met many friends and have been on several trips with some of them. One of those trips was a two month trip back put west to stay longer at some of the places from the tour.
We are also on the wait list for the Mississippi River Road tour next year.
The tours are structured fairly tightly, but it is the easiest way to see a lot in a relatively short period of time.
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01-09-2025, 04:29 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2023
Posts: 12
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We've only done one Fantasy RV tour in our 7 years of RVing, the 60 day Alaska trip. We really enjoyed it! All the arrangements were made, we had the tour leaders to guide along the way, and all we had to do was enjoy the ride. They made a point of saying all the activities are optional, so if you want to do a different side trip or linger somewhere for an hour or two longer, you are free to. For such a long trip in remote areas we enjoyed the security of being with the group. That being said, we've only been looking at one other Fantasy trip for the future. We enjoy planning our own trips in the lower 48!
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01-09-2025, 06:26 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: Whitney, TX
Posts: 2,027
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Second hand info.
A friend very much against the concept was convinced by his wife and some folks he met at a national rally to take a tour with Fantasy (or Adventure) to Alaska.
He still says he could have picked a better itinerary, but he does say it was very much a worthwhile trip, traveling the first time to Alaska with a tour.
He would not have been aware of the option of some side trips and excursions. He would not have paid the cost separately of the dance hall and show in Dawson City. Both of them loved it. He was learly of taking his 40' Monaco on the ferry over the Yukon River. Was even considering leaving the tour to travel to Tok via land until he saw how it was done.
The trip into Denali NP, he could not have booked separately. The fishing charter at Homer was much more fun with fellows from the tour that he had spent a little over a month with.
His wife said up front that she wanted the tour as much for having some folks traveling together and "I don't want two months with only XXXX to talk to."
They only made one other trip to Alaska, on their own pace and plan. But the tour gave them the experience of knowing how to do it, and much better info on the places they wanted to bypass or minimize the stay. And places they wanted to stay longer.
Some the inside the US tours help greatly with getting into very popular places.
__________________
US Navy 1972 - 1992 - SCPO Retired
Sometimes I wonder what happened to folks after I give them directions.
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01-10-2025, 10:26 AM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2024
Posts: 14
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Calgary Stampede Fantasy Tour
My husband & I wanted to see the Calgary Stampede. We figured this was the best way to see it. We will NEVER go on a fantasy tour again. One of the campgrounds was an absolute PIT!!!
Our surge protector kept popping on & off. When our Wagon Master got the Owner of the park, he told us the problem was our surge protector. One of our friends had an extra surge protector.... same thing happened. We left the campground as I was not willing to compromise my RV. When we returned to the campground for dinner, none of the big rigs had electric to run their A/C's.
We do not like their time lines. Too much time in one place and just a few minutes in another place.
We realized that this type of traveling is not for us
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01-10-2025, 10:33 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2024
Location: Nevada
Posts: 283
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The modern RV fantasy is taking a tour of the National Parks "out West" and expecting not to have enormous crowds everywhere.
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01-10-2025, 10:51 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2025
Posts: 11
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Just looked at some of the prices not to cheap
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01-10-2025, 10:58 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 654
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We have been on two trips with Fantasy. One short one (10 days) and one long one (two months). Both were well done and fun. We have another trip booked with Fantasy for next spring. We like them.
Regards.
Chuck
__________________
2014 Tiffin Phaeton 40QBH
2024 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid Toad
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01-10-2025, 12:21 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2022
Posts: 76
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"We don't use our Class C RV that frequently, one of the reasons being the unique planning process necessary to make reservations on a multi-stop adventure."
We're still fairly new at this, as compared to others in this group, but, the best thing we discovered is "Trip Wizard Pro". Our trip planning would be completely different if we didn't use it.
You've got one of the best Class C's made and should be using it to explore this great country.
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Jim, Kerry and Tilley (English Springer Spaniel)
2022 Tiffin Phaeton 36SH
2022 Ford Ranger Tremor
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01-10-2025, 12:23 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 16,181
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I've not done one but on a trip to AK I think the benefit of traveling a large group with a wagon master and tail gunner is appealing. Having everything planned is also good, no stress about finding a place to stop or eat.
A negative is a tight schedule with the inability to explore.
We did a +90 day trip to AK and had zero reservations the day we left E TN. We winged it and never had a problem finding a place to stop. We boon docked about 1/2 the time, spent a lot of time in state and provincial campgrounds, only a fraction of time in an established campground. We talked to other travelers on the way there and picked spots we wanted to stop at based on their recommendations. Worked for us.
__________________
Jim J
2002 Monaco Windsor 38 PKD Cummins ISC 350 8.3L
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/5.7 Hemi
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01-10-2025, 01:07 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 467
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We did the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta with Fantasy in 2021 and it was a hoot!! They take very good care of you.
We also know many who did Alaska with them as well as other tours and they loved it. I know one person who has done close to 20 tours with them.
It seems that most people who don't like them are those who are very frugal. Nothing wrong with that either.
JK
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2016 Open Range RF316RLS
2018 Ram 3500 Cummins
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