St. Petersburg

[rols]

Emperor Norton. Thanks for being forthright enough to tell it like it often is. We've had a few great group tours, however many of them do have some or all of the elements you noted above which can dampen the experience. We're not terrible judgemental people and really do understand that some people move slower (and some faster) than we, people find interest in different things and so a group tour will always move at a pace which suits nobody; however there do often seem to be a couple of people on every tour who are totally oblivious to the fact their behaviour impacts others. When a guide says "we'll meet back here in 45 minutes" it's regrettably pretty much a given that most people will be at the meeting point 35 minutes later and one small group will show up after 1 hour and 15 minutes, smiling to see their new 'friends' again. 

 

So we tend now to pick group tours which are go there - do that - come back. For instance steam railways wait for nobody and somehow the group does all manage to get on the train together. 

 

I will also say we've had a couple of group tours which worked very well; Rome was one, medium sized group, very good guide, working us through St Peter's etc. Everyone in the group was aware of where the group was, we moved along at a quite reasonable clip and I got the benefit of seeing things I wouldn't have noticed if another group member hadn't pointed them out. We made some friends that day and had dinner on the second part of the cruise. So group tours can work out .. but we've found you need to pick them carefully and have a little luck with your tour buddies.