The other day, I received documentation for my upcoming cruise and land trip on Tauck’s Swiss Jewel, journeying from Budapest to Prague. And while many cruise lines are beginning to move away from printed documentation into “do-it-yourself” printouts for everything from itineraries to ticketing to luggage tags, my Tauck documentation is some of the most thorough I’ve seen in a long time.
A yellow, ring-bound journal spanning 68 pages contains all the information I could ever need or want about my upcoming trip, along with a sturdy green luggage tag made out of heavy cardstock.
Inside is an overview of my entire trip, along with detailed information about my flights and transfers from the airport to and from the pre-and-post hotels in Budapest and Prague. The first few pages also list important documentation requirements. Did you know you have to provide proof of medical insurance in order to enter the Czech Republic? I didn’t. I always carry my travel medical insurance cards with me, but having this advance information has better prepared me for my trip.
But more importantly, my Tauck booklet has taken a lot of the usual prep work out of my travel. Normally, I’d prepare a list for myself of all necessary flight information, airline confirmation numbers, seat assignments, hotel contact numbers, ship contact numbers, and what have you. But all of that information and more has been provided by Tauck in one easy to carry book. It’s a convenience I really appreciate.
There’s also a day-by-day description of my 12-day journey, along with expected activities and, for the overland portion, a complete run-down of what meals are and aren’t provided on that day. Obviously, all meals are provided during the weeklong river cruise aboard the Swiss Jewel.
I sat down and read the entire book cover to cover, and I was surprised at just how much I learned about my very own trip. It’s great to see companies that still place value on delivering printed documentation; as a general rule, I’ve found that documentation for river cruises tends to be, on average, more comprehensive and elaborate than those found on deep-ocean cruises.
We’ll have coverage of our trip aboard Tauck’s Swiss Jewel here on River Cruise Advisor.
More information on Tauck and its elegant Swiss Jewel can be found by viewing our complete line and fleet overviews right here on River Cruise Advisor.
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