Rick Steves Reviews

Bought a 21 inch carry-on bag from the Rick Steves website recently. Shipping was $14, which seemed fine at the time. Problem is, the bag turned out smaller than I expected, so I decided to send it back using the return label they provided. The UPS representative measured and weighed everything and quoted me $77 for return shipping. That's nearly half what I paid for the actual bag! When I contacted their customer service, they basically said tough luck, nothing they could do. Word to the wise: think twice before ordering from RS because their return policy is brutal. I'm done shopping with them.

I've done six Rick Steves tours now across Italy twice, Spain twice, Greece, and Turkey, and every single one was outstanding. The company really prioritizes staying in city centers near major attractions, usually booking smaller boutique hotels run by locals. The guides are exceptional and genuinely make the experience special. The selection of sites and activities is always spot on. I should address another review claiming Rick Steves materials encouraged overpacking, but that's incorrect. Rick consistently emphasizes packing light and carrying everything on the plane, not hauling three large checked bags.

Rick Steves' packing advice is completely off base! We packed following his EXPERT recommendations found throughout his books on Spain, Italy, and Austria. Turns out his guidance was totally wrong. He said to bring dress clothes and business casual outfits. We listened and ended up hauling three suitcases of clothing we never wore! Take our word for it: pack what you're actually comfortable in. Also skip spending money on those books. They're filled with bad information. His advice ended up costing us significant money and unnecessary stress.

Just got back from our fourth Rick Steves tour, the Paris and Heart of France 11-day adventure, and it blew our expectations out of the water. Paris was absolutely gorgeous and Normandy was spectacular. Our tour coordinator was fantastic, knowledgeable, and fun to be around, plus she was an American who'd lived over there for more than three decades. One incredible moment was staying overnight at the amazing Mont St-Michel. Rick Steves' company really focuses on teaching people how to be independent travelers, which includes plenty of free time to explore. We're already planning our fifth RS tour for the fall.

There's something questionable about the whole situation with Rick. PBS keeps reruns of his shows on rotation, some from 20 years back, airing 5 to 7 times daily. It seems PBS has basically given Rick a platform to promote his tour guide business. No other personality gets anywhere near the amount of exposure on PBS that he receives.

Love that Rick Steves has built up a network of tour leaders who genuinely love what they do, work really hard, and get paid fairly for it. The pricing is super reasonable too. Single travelers don't get gouged with unfair supplements like you see with other tour operators. You get experiences you really can't replicate on your own. My one complaint would be how tight the schedule is. There's a ton of scheduled activities and included meals, which doesn't leave much room for exploring on your own at your own pace.

I've taken five Rick Steves tours and they've all been fantastic. Every guide I've had brought personality and real expertise. The planning and logistics are always spot on. The smaller locally operated hotels aren't always what I'm used to, but they're always unique and definitely not generic chain hotels. Our groups stayed under 30 people, so there's always plenty of room on the full-size coach. Plus Rick Steves as a company operates with integrity. When tours got canceled during the pandemic, they actually refunded customers instead of just offering future tour credits. I'm definitely going on more Rick Steves tours down the road.

Have completed two Rick Steves tours and both were well-organized and excellent. The lodging varies depending on the city, but his focus on family-owned hotels with complimentary breakfasts really pays off. I picked up tons of knowledge and connected with fantastic people on both trips.