Question for Notamermaid

[ljandgb]

Since we can't message on the forum, I'm sorry to have to post like this instead.  For notamermaid, or any other German poster,  I'm wondering if you have any recommendations on local German companies that could arrange a land trip in Germany?  My husband and friends want to do a heritage "find the distant relatives" trip, though I'll admit I don't remember which part of the country they were aiming for.  

[beesKate]

I'm not notamermaid, but I've been finding good land guides from Rick Steves website.  He interviews a lot on his radio show and the forums (as well as the entire website) are searchable.  Most of his guides work independently and you can contact them directly.  

[notamermaid]

Although I meddle in ancestry stuff and check forums etc. I am not familiar with a company that does just that.

1 hour ago, ljandgb said:

My husband and friends want to do a heritage "find the distant relatives" trip, though I'll admit I don't remember which part of the country they were aiming for.  

That may be an important factor as there tends to be a more regional approach to this from what I know.

 

I think people like Rick Steves and his forum is a good place to roam around. There will also be societies that do this. German heritage is a big thing in the US and I reckon there will be at least one area of Texas where there is a heritage society.  One such "German" place is Fredericksburg, Montabaur in the Westerwald is trying to keep the heritage connection alive: https://deutsch-texanische-gesellschaft.de/wordpress/en/welcome/

There is a university that deals with the Palatine emigration to the US. For the Rhine region I may be able to find out some more but for other regions of Germany I have no clue.

 

I have met several people who were on a "find my ancestor" trip but they all came independently, not with a company.

 

Any comments from others?

 

notamermaid

 

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by notamermaid

[ljandgb]

Sorry, I wasn't clear.  They do know who and where the relatives are.  What they are not confident with is arranging lodging, trips, car vs train, etc. All of that information is findable on the internet, but collating it into one trip can be a big undertaking.  None of the interested parties are experienced or confident in crafting an entire trip on their own, but neither do they want to do a "package" tour with a group.  Said German relatives are not close enough to expect them to make the arrangements, and meeting the relatives part of the trip will be more of a highlight than the center of the trip from what I can gather.  It would be my husband (no relatives involved but the more experienced traveler who has benefited from ME doing all the travel research) and two close childhood friends with German relatives (and who are not experienced travelers.) 

 

We recently did our second trip to France with a French company that will work with you to find your preferences in types of lodging, arranging tour guides, etc, to create a customized personal, self guided trip.  It takes away a good bit of the "did I make the right choices" stress in the planning.  They could not offer any advice for a similar company in Germany however.

 

We live in a very German/Czech part of the US.  I even did a report on the German immigration to this part of Texas in college, and we have the ruins of a German brewery in my hometown.

Edited August 30, 2022 by ljandgb

[notamermaid]

Oh, sorry. Misunderstood that.

 

Just now, ljandgb said:

We live in a very German/Czech part of the US.  I even did a report on the German immigration to this part of Texas in college, and we have the ruins of a German brewery in my hometown.

Very interesting. I did not really know about all the immigration until about ten years ago and how much some areas of the US and Canada are still having all those connections going strong or even speaking German at home.

 

It would have to a be small trip with a guide for the area they are interested in.

Quote: "They could not offer any advice for a similar company in Germany however." 

I struggle to think of any and the German Tourist Board online had no info on that either. Sorry.

 

notamermaid

 

[ljandgb]

Thank you.  I knew it might be a long shot.  I will tell my husband to look thru the Rick Steves forum and perhaps someone there might recommend a company.

 

Yes, sooo much German around here.  In general, Texas has a robust extracurricular academic competition system, but in several regions, ours included, there's a whole second German influenced one.  German dance, story telling, music, language, even a gingerbread house competition.  German Club is "the" fun club at the local high school.

[3Shelaghs]

Another question for nota mermaid........ last time my son lived in Germany and Switz, he required a vignette for the car (yearly), a recent poster says this is not so? Can you elaborate?

[notamermaid]

Sorry, not sure which vignette that may be. The family car has two things, one for the insurance which is when you are a resident and pay the insurance in the country, one for the level of environment-friendlyness of the car, so to speak, an "Umweltzone" sticker. Not sure how rental car companies work or if you need to buy something in addition if you cross between the two countries.

 

steamboats may now.

 

notamermaid

 

[3Shelaghs]

Ok thanks 🙂

 

[jpalbny]

9 hours ago, beesKate said:

I'm not notamermaid

 

So you ARE a mermaid? 🧜‍♀️ (Wow, CC actually has a mermaid emoji?) (just kidding, hope you know) 😉

 

7 hours ago, notamermaid said:

There is a university that deals with the Palatine emigration to the US.

 

Interesting! One of the branches of my family tree is from the Palatines who came to Upstate New York in the 1700s. Which University?

Edited August 30, 2022 by jpalbny

[notamermaid]

Just now, jpalbny said:

 

So you ARE a mermaid? 🧜‍♀️ (Wow, CC actually has a mermaid emoji?) (just kidding, hope you know) 😉

 

 

Interesting! One of the branches of my family tree is from the Palatines who came to Upstate New York in the 1700s. Which University?

Sorry, said this wrongly. It is an institute that has a research project (or had) and was supported by the University of Mainz: https://www.igl.uni-mainz.de/institut/institut/

The original project website link no longer works, but these are other links in the topic Auswanderung: https://www.auswanderung-rlp.de/das-projekt/weblinks.html

I think that gives you the information in a different format.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Just now, ljandgb said:

I'm wondering if you have any recommendations on local German companies that could arrange a land trip in Germany?  

Several years ago I came across this website: https://www.toursbylocals.com/Germany-Tours

Have only just remembered it again (after considerable time of its sleepy existence among my bookmarks). I do not think it has fully organized tours including organizing air travel, did not see any at first glance, but perhaps it is of some interest, also for others that have not seen it yet. I am sure though that some of you will know it.

 

notamermaid

 

[franski]

34 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Several years ago I came across this website: https://www.toursbylocals.com/Germany-Tours

Have only just remembered it again (after considerable time of its sleepy existence among my bookmarks). I do not think it has fully organized tours including organizing air travel, did not see any at first glance, but perhaps it is of some interest, also for others that have not seen it yet. I am sure though that some of you will know it.

 

notamermaid

 

I have used Tours by Locals a few times...    They do not organize air travel or hotels...  They will custom a tour for you if you see something on their website that is of interest - but it is not exactly what you are looking for.  They also charge per tour - not per person - as many companies tend to do. 

 

Fran

[Ryan208]

Take a look at this group: https://www.progenealogists.com/personal-heritage-journeys

[CPT Trips]

If I’m reading OP correctly, the group knows, at least in general terms, where they want to go. That is, what towns their relatives reside in. What they need is professional advice on what hotels they stay in and assistance getting reservations there. They also need someone to provide the same kind of assistance with transportation with in Germany.

Probably not the kind of thing a German tourism office would put together. But a full service travel agency that specializes in independent tours certainly should be able to do this. I recall seeing listings of the “top” TAs in travel magazines such as “Travel and Leisure”. The issue is that even if someone reading this thread knows of an appropriate TA, mentioning specific TAs is taboo here.

[Host Jazzbeau]

14 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

The issue is that even if someone reading this thread knows of an appropriate TA, mentioning specific TAs is taboo here.

I think the closest we could come is an agency like Abercrombie & Kent, which I believe puts together custom tours in addition to their groups.

[Canal archive]

Yeh they work or worked very similarly to The old Kuonie we told them were we wanted to visit the experiences we were interested in the dates and the cost limit. They did not let us down once well maybe Eid when arriving in KL but a judicious back hander from my man sorted that one out. How do you differentiate between a TA and one of these companies.

[ljandgb]

I received a recommendation on the Germany TripAdvisor forum that I've forwarded to my husband.  We'll see how it works out.

 

Our French agency was so good, I'm not sure anyone could compare. LOL. Our first trip with them was a leap of faith, since I booked with them based on their website and the communications we had with them.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

10 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Yeh they work or worked very similarly to The old Kuonie we told them were we wanted to visit the experiences we were interested in the dates and the cost limit. They did not let us down once well maybe Eid when arriving in KL but a judicious back hander from my man sorted that one out. How do you differentiate between a TA and one of these companies.

The ban on mentioning TAs is about using a TA (or named PCP from a cruise line) to book a cruise.

[Canal archive]

Thank you Jazzbeau 

[ljandgb]

Given that clarification, I'll pass on that the company's name is Distinctly Deutschland.  They advertise "luxury" custom tours, which isn't exactly what they need but it's as good a place as any to start.

[notamermaid]

Thanks, never heard of them before. Looks interesting.

 

notamermaid

 

[ljandgb]

If it pans out, I'll report back on the results.

[AnhaltER1960]

On 8/30/2022 at 1:59 PM, ljandgb said:

 I'm wondering if you have any recommendations on local German companies that could arrange a land trip in Germany?  My husband and friends want to do a heritage "find the distant relatives" trip, though I'll admit I don't remember which part of the country they were aiming for.  

You did not mention, how many people are travelling and also not, which region (although it seems to be clear where you want to go.

Professional incoming agencies do organize custom-tailored trips, but they come at a price. This price might be better bearable, when shared between many people. I came across Service-Reisen Giessen in Giessen or B&T Travel in Cologne. Kuoni has already been mentioned.

However, if its only a few people, simply ask the local tourist office in the city/region you are aiming at. They can be quite good.

[AnhaltER1960]

On 8/30/2022 at 8:34 PM, 3Shelaghs said:

Another question for nota mermaid........ last time my son lived in Germany and Switz, he required a vignette for the car (yearly), a recent poster says this is not so? Can you elaborate?

In Germany you need a environmental vignette to access several inner cities. But they are given once to a car only, as they are dependent on the technology of the car (filters, catalysators...) are are valid until the car ends on a scrapyard.

Annual vignettes are sold in Switzerland to use the motorways there (btw, some other countries, too....Austria, Czech Rep.). The Swiss vignette costs 40 sfr p/a. You do not need it, if you do not intend to use motorways in Switzerland. But be careful, driving can be very tedious then, even entering the country, as you need the vignette already the the motorway border.