BUS TOUR

After booking a bus tour with TOURS4FUN well in advance, my wife and I flew

to Salt Lake City and registered at the motel designated by Seagull/C&J

Express - the tour provider. When we boarded the bus the next morning

imagine our surprise to learn that we were given the last two seats on a

Chinese group tour for our four-day Yellowstone, Grand Teton Tour Package.

The tour consisted of a Chinese tour guide, a Chinese driver and a large

ethnic group that spoke only in Chinese. Throughout the trip the guide

regaled the group with stories (apparently funny) and landmark highlights

for literally hours on end over the PA system. Occasionally , between

stories, a few words would be spoken in English but the guide's heavy accent

made it difficult to understand what he was imparting to us. Most of the

time, well over 95%, we sat there completely perplexed. The rapport with

fellow travelers that usually develops on such a trip was impossible, due to

the inability to communicate. The stares of some of the group suggested that

they were questioning, as were we, why we were even on the bus.

In response to our complaint, TOURS4FUN stated that the Customer Agreement that we acquiesced to states that their tours are escorted by professional English or bi- or multi-lingual tour guides or drivers, and they have received some complimentary letters from many English-speaking customers. This response was totally inadequate. Agreeing to the possibility of a bi-lingual tour guide had nothing to do with the fact that we were unknowingly booked on an exclusive Chinese tour (even the bus windshield card designated the trip in Chinese), that was unprepared to offer any semblance of accommodation to English-speaking passengers. The experience was unpleasant and the vacation we looked forward to ruined. There are many well qualified tour providers our there and we recommend that TOURS4FUN be avoided.

Comment On This

When I booked our 10-day (West Coast) tour from Tours4fun I was expecting to have a tour like the pictures shown in their website. It appears to be very colorful, cordial, warm and pleasant.

Here are my observations. When we arrived in the airport we were picked up by an indifferent driver who just dumped our baggages and ourselves in a van and delivered us to the hotel. In the following 10 days we were picked up by indifferent and sometimes arrogant tour guides. Sometimes when we ask questions we were given wrong information. I do not expect this thing from a tour guide. One time I was asking some important informations, the tour guide turned his back from me before I finished asking. One guide speaks long litany of another language and short English translations. It is so frustrating. But 2 tour guides were nice, namely Roger and Michael.

The group we were put in the tour is generally not pleasant as they do not speak English. Some are rude and abrasive. But some busmates are nice and polite. The bus scheduling is horrible. One time in Barstow, in the middle of the tour, we were instructed to transfer buses. So we had to unload our heavy baggages and load them in another bus. When we boarded the bus our family were seated separately at the back portion of the bus. One time we were supposed to leave from the hotel at 7am so we were already inside the bus waiting. I looked at my watch and found out it was already 8am still not moving so I went to the rest room to relieve myself due to the long wait and to get ready for the long ride. The tour guide uttered angry foreign words with grrrr sound.

We were always in a hurry so we could not take good pictures. That is why I do not have pictures like those in their website. We always stop and eat in dirty Chinese buffet restaurants with dirty toilets.

The hotels are good though.

As a whole, I would not recommend this tour to my friends or they will curse me. Sorry Tours4fun, you delegated us to Sea Gull Holiday tour agent that is why. Maybe next time you should get a better partner. Or else you will not get repeat clients.

So friends dont book in Tour4fun or else you will ruin your vacation!!