The Pros and Cons of Group Travel – What You Need to Know
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I don’t think it had ever crossed my mind to do a tour like Contiki, but in 2024 I found myself jumping on a plane from New Zealand and heading over to London to start the European Adventurer, a 37-day trip around Europe with a friend. And 35 other people. As I discovered, there are a lot of pros and cons of group travel like Contiki (and others, I’m sure!), so in this blog post we’re going to take a look at some of them.
Of course, you might be able to think of more, and I’d love to hear from you if you do. Feel free to drop a comment at the end of this post and let me know!
Let’s get into it.
Pros of Group Travel
Convenience & organisation
I think one of the reasons I was less tired gallivanting around Europe than I am at home in Auckland, is that I barely had to make any decisions while on Contiki. Everything is planned for you—transport, accommodations, and key activities—so you can focus on enjoying the experience without the hassle of logistics or trying to figure out what train to catch.
Yes, there was lots of free time where we could go and do out own thing, but for the most part, all the ‘hard’ things or trickier things that use brain power when it comes to travel, are done for you. You just need to know what time you’re getting on the coach the next day.
Social aspect
You’ll meet a diverse group of people, often forming close friendships for years to come. There were 34 of us on our trip, plus the coach driver and our trip manager. While the first few days were a little awkward, a little hesitant, at the end of the trip, there were tears as we said goodbye.
It’s definitely a Pro to be able to travel around with people who become friends over the course of the trip. If you’re an introvert, then it might be a bit of a challenge at times, but there are also opportunities for you to get away from the group to recharge.
Wide variety of destinations
Unless you’re doing a group trip where you’re in one city (less likely), then you’re going to get to see a wide variety of destinations, even if you’re staying in one country. While it’s fast-paced (potentially a con – we’ll get to that), you get to see lots of places that you might not if you had been planning the trip yourself, or were travelling solo. It’s a great way to see lots of places, even if it’s just a snapshot of the destination.
I definitely have a list of places that I’d love to go back to, now. As well as a few that I wouldn’t bother with.
Above: Abandoned bobsled track in Slovenia
Unique experiences
A big Pro to group travel like Contiki is that the trip managers and the people who put together the itinerary know a lot of about the countries and cities you’re visiting. Which means that there are experiences you might have on the trip that you wouldn’t have if you were travelling by yourself or you had planned the trip.
There was no way I was going to able to have dinner with the locals in Bosnia & Herzegovina if I wasn’t on that trip. I wouldn’t have been able to stay at the Contiki Chateau in France, or the chalet in Hopfgarten. Group travel allows for some of these unique experiences, which is brilliant.
Safety in numbers
Okay so while you might not get disturbed if you’re walking around a city by yourself (or you might, depending on the city), having the safety of a bigger group, with lots of opportunities to have a buddy system going, is a big plus. It makes it easy, too, if someone wants to go and do something or see something – there’s bound to be another person who is keen to do that.
There’s also always someone to turn to in case of an emergency, and trip managers are there to handle unexpected situations or guide you through local customs and regulations. All good stuff.
Cons of Group Travel
Pace can be exhausting
This was one of the things I was most worried about – the exhaustion. Was I just going to get tired on day 1 and be shattered for the rest of the 5-week trip? Thankfully, I wasn’t. I did pretty well actually. But the pace of group travel with a fast itinerary and the need to get to the next place by a certain time can mean that you don’t get the time or space to do some things and you can get pretty tired. The rushed nature of group travel can be a con.
Lack of flexibility
In a similar vein, there is a lack of flexibility when it comes to Contiki and other group travel companies. You will definitely have free time in many places, but sometimes it might be just an hour or so on the way through a city or town. While the Pro of this is that you don’t need to make decisions and you get to see lots of places, if you really want to do your own thing and have that flexibility, you’ll forfeit things that the group has planned.
Potential for group tension
With large groups, there’s always a risk of personality clashes or delays caused by others, which can be frustrating. When it’s just you or you and your friends/family, then yes, there might be tensions, but at least you know them. And chances are you aren’t travelling for over a month with them. And it’s unlikely you’re travelling with 30+ people.
Thankfully in our group, while there were tensions, none were super bad (that I’m aware of, anyway 🤣🙈). But this can be a con, for sure.
Party central
Contiki, at least, is known for its lively, party, vibe, which may not appeal to everyone. I actually found it wasn’t too bad. I often opted out of late nights out on the town, preferring to head back to the accommodation and get some sleep (probably why I a) didn’t get too tired throughout the trip and b) got an award at the end for the person who got the most sleep. I’ll take it. 👏🏻).
But just be aware that this might be a con if you’re not one for heading out and staying out.
Additional Costs
While many activities are included, optional add-ons and meals can significantly increase the overall cost, which you might not be aware of when you’re booking your Contiki (or other). While I was anticipating a bunch of costs that weren’t in the up-front payment, there were definitely more than I thought, so just something to be aware of.
At the end of the day …
There are lots of pros and cons of group travel, but I do think, even though I’ve listed 5 of each here, that the pros outweigh the cons. I had a brilliant time when I did my Contiki in 2024, and if I weren’t nearing the age where I’m too old for Contiki specifically, I’d definitely do another one.
What do you think? Have you ever experienced group travel like Contiki or Top Deck? I’d love to hear from you! Drop your experiences or your own pros and cons of group travel in the comments!