Frequently
Asked Questions
About our business
Do you offer bus tours?
No. We cater to individuals, couples, families and small groups looking
for independence from the needs of larger groups. We conduct our private
tours using a selection of vehicles ranging from sedans to 14 passenger
vans. If you're looking for a bus company that does package tours of California,
we recommend California Parlor Car
Tours.
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Will we be traveling with other
people we've never met?
No. Our clients are independent travelers who want to be able to pursue
their own activities on their own schedule. You will, of course, have
the option to join groups for local tours and activities at various destinations,
but the overall experience is one to be shared with just you, and your
friends and family.
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Where can we go using your service?
Our service is primarily focused on California and the Western United
States. Specifically, we offer our tours in the following 11 states:
- California
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- Utah
- Oregon
- Washington
- Idaho
- Wyoming
- Montana
- Colorado
Occassionally, a client is interested in venturing further afield. We'll
consider any special request, and have had clients use our service for
trips all over the United States. In fact, as of 2009, we've taken clients
to 28 different states, and the District of Columbia.
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Will you get us great deals on rooms?
By and large, when we're booking rooms for our clients, we get the same
rates that are available to the public at large. This is because we do
not push our clients into staying at one location in order to avail of
special rates at that location. Rather, each of our clients gets a set
of recommended properties that suit their specific needs.
Having said that, we do have the advantage of seven years of experience
in booking properties. This experience often enables us to find public
rates that inexperienced consumers might overlook.
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About your trip
Planning
At what airports are you available to
pick us up?
We will pick you up and drop you off at any airport in California (also
Las Vegas, Nevada) at no extra fee. If you need us to meet you, or drop
you off out of state, we may bill you for commuting expenses, depending
on the specific location.
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How many people can we have in our
traveling party?
Our service is for individuals, couples, families and family-sized groups.
We limit the size to maintain the intimacy of the experience, as well
as to insure that the group does not suffer from too many conflicting
interests and agendas. The maximum sized group we will currently take
is 14 passengers.
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Do we have to prebook our accommodations?
Or, can we "just wing it"?
Obviously, "winging it" is more risky at some times and
destinations than others, but if you prefer to have a bit of flexibility
with your trip, let us know. We'll advise you where and when it may be
possible to take a more unscripted approach to your itinerary.
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Can you book our inbound and outbound
airfare?
Quintessential Tours does not book airfare. We do work with a local agency
here in California, and will be happy to put you in touch with them, should
you need help booking your flights.
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Who will we pay for our lodging and
other local arrangements?
In most cases, you will pay the individual providers directly for these
arrangements. We will have you complete a credit card authorization before
we book your local arrangements, and use your card to confirm all of your
reservations. Where a deposit is required, the deposit will be billed
to the same card.
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During your trip
In what kind of accommodations will we
be staying?
You will stay in whichever types of accommodations you like. We drive
and guide your trip; we don't dictate your sleeping or eating arrangements.
We will present options during the planning stage, based on the preferences
you've indicated, and you will make the ultimate decision, based on price,
style and amenities.
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In what kind of vehicle will we be traveling?
There is no limit on what type of vehicle we'll be driving in. We've
provided pricing for some standard vehicles on our pricing page. If you
have a specialty vehicle you'd like us to drive you in, we'll be happy
to price that out for you.
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Will you join us for meals?
We play this by ear, but it's up to you to invite, or not to invite. Our
tours tend to be fairly casual and intimate experiences. We'll be spending
a lot of time together, and share quite a few memorable experiences. Often,
our clients like to carry this over into meals and other off-hours pursuits.
On the other hand, we fully respect that you're here to enjoy yourselves
with your friends and family, and that you'll want to have time apart
from your friendly guide. We often need a little private time as well.
So, the way we handle it is that it's up to you to invite, and for us
to accept of decline. If you'd like us to join you for a meal or a drink,
give us the invite. If we've got the energy, we'll accept; if not, maybe
next meal. In any case, we've built the cost for own meals into our pricing,
so we'll make sure to take care of our own tabs.
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Will you be available to us at all
times during our tour?
We're always available breakfast through supper, and are also happy to
drive you out for the evening, should you decide to go out for some entertainment.
We do require that we are able to get a full night's sleep each night,
as a safety consideration, so may not be available for real late nights.
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Will you be guiding every aspect
of our trip?
We are happy to guide any driving aspect of your trip, and may also
lead you on some non-driving experiences as well. There are quite aq few
experiences, however, where we may set you up with other local guides.
Examples include water-based experiences like kayaking tours, whale watching
or fishing, or other specialty tours like horseback riding, hot air ballooning
or scuba diving. You'll pay the guides for any of these tours that are
incorporated into your itinerary separately.
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