05 Nov 2024
Two friends and I have taken many, many tours throughout the UK and Europe. We did not enjoy this one. Our tour guide Oliver inexplicably spent a lot of time outlining the admissions processes for enrolling at Cambridge and Oxford. (I don't think many on the bus were scouting colleges.) I would have preferred more history, more local color. I asked a question about Kings Church and was rewarded with an elaborate non answer. Oliver was more knowledgeable about Oxford. My main issue with this tour is time. There was simply not enough time to enjoy either location. It's not uncommon for the buses to drop off and pick up remotely. But those walks to and from the bus cut into touring time. Travelers must chose between touring a site, grabbing lunch, or finding a public rest room. (Travelers may bring a cold lunch onto the bus. There is a rest room onboard). I know it makes sense to combine Oxford and Cambridge. But this tour does not do justice to either location. I suggest splitting the tours. Surely there is enough to see in each city to offer separate tours.