Contiki FAQ the optionals

Questions about the various optionals.

Q: What optionals should I do?
A: Every tour offers different optionals.

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There are dinner optionals, adventure optionals, tour optionals, event optionals and various purchase optionals. Go through the list and work out what you want to do, then read about them, hear what the tour manager has to say. Do the dinner optionals, yes they may be expensive but you get lots for the price and brings the group closer together.

Q: Do you pick and pay for your optionals at the start?

A: Depending on the tour and tour manager sometimes the optionals could be picked and paid for at the start of the tour, othertimes the tour manager passes around a sign up sheet and you pick the optionals that way. As for paying for them – again depends on the tour manager, but could be at the start, the middle or towards the end.

Q: What happens if i don't want to do an optional?

A: In most cases, you will not have to meet up and do the optional, so you would get a lot of free time. However sometimes the optionals are done on the way to somewhere else, so you would wait at the bus or at the site until the optional is over.

Q: What is the deal with the optional group picture?

A: This is an optional extra. There is a big group picture that is professionally done at some point in the tour. Everyone is in the picture weather they want to or not, then they can purchase the picture. It is a good souviner.

Q: What are the optionals like on the New Zealand trips?

A: They are similar to Europe, but have some unique things. There are dinner optionals, ghost walks, bungee jumping, skydiving, swings, rafting types, zorbing, lord of the rings tours and many more. Read through all the optionals and see what you want to do, they are all worth it.

Q: What are some of the glacier optionals in New zealand that are available?

A: There are three types of optionals that you can do when visiting a glacier in New zealand. Number 1 is to have a helicopter ride around the glacier and come back, number 2 is to ride the helicopter, fly around and land on the glacier, walk around for a bit, then come back. Number 3 is to be driven to the base of the glacier and to walk up it for a bit before returning.

Q: What is the climb the glacier in New zealand like?

A: First of all, you meet up, get equipment sorted out, get a safety briefing and then hop in a van to be transported to the start of the walk. From the start, you walk about 20 – 30 minutes to the base of the glacier and then you begin walking up the glacier. There is plenty of time to take pictures and play around. The guides tell you where you can go and give you histoy of the area. After time on the glacier, you head back down and walk back to the van, to be taken back to the shop.

Q: What is the Dunedin brewery tour optional like in New zealand?

A: You visit the speights brewery. It is basically a walk around the brewery itself with a guide. The guide tells you about the brewing process and the history of the company. Later there is time for some free samples. It is a fun optional.

Q: When doing optionals in Canada, how do you pay for them?

A: If you are doing some contiki optionals in Canada, they will be listed in Canadian dollars. As for paying for them, your tour manager may request the payment in USD at the end of the tour and include the canadian optionals in that payment. If you are leaving the tour in Canada, no problem, just pay in canadian dollars.

Q: How are optionals paid for in Eastern europe?

A: Just like with the rest of Europe, you pay with euros. Even if the optionals for that country are in a different currency. It just makes things easier.

Q: What is the ballooning optional in Albuquerque like?

A: This is an interesting and fun optional. You have to be up early to this one however. The company running the ballooning picks you up from the hotel at about 6-6.30am, drives you to the ballooning launching site. From here they inflate the balloons and they go up. You then get about 1hr – 90 minutes in the air seeing the great scenery and watching the traffic build up on the roads. You then land. The company car picks you and the balloon up and drives you back to the hotel. Here you get champagne and a muffin as breakfast and a certificate to say that you did it. After this you have to get your bags from the room and head back on the coach.

Q: Is doing the city walking tours in Ireland worth it?

A: In Ireland you have 2 optional city walking tours – the londonderry and the kilkenny one. Both are very good and you learn lots. You also get to see lots as well. In Londonderry this is really your only chance to see the city. In Kilkenny, you get some history of the place as well.

Q: Is the Guinness brewery worth the tour?

A: This is a self guided tour. You learn about the brewing process, the history and what makes it special. There is a chance to learn how to pour your own perfect pint. At the very top is a good viewing point to view the city. It may be expensive, but it is fun to do and worth it as a great experience. Do it by your self or as a contiki optional.

Q: Is the boston trolly optional worth it?

A: It is an interesting optional. It is also just a hop on hop off bus. However you need more time to enjoy it. In reality when you are with contiki, you do Harvard in the morning and then get to the city at lunch. It is a long loop and you may be only able to go around once, if you make one get off stop. Save your money and use general public transport.

Q: Where in Europe does Contiki or topdeck offer a helicopter ride as an optional?

A: Topdeck offers helicopter rides in the swiss alps – some good views here. Contiki does not really offer Helicopters as an optional but will let you know where you can go up in one. Is is worth going up – yes.

Q: Does contiki offer helicopter ride optionals in the USA and Canada?

A: There are a number of chances to go up in a helicopter. The grand canyon, new york and Niagra falls. You can also do a tour from Vegas to the Grand canyon. They are expensive, but are worth it for the great views.

Q: Contiki may or may not offer an optional to the Volcano of Santorini, but how do you do it youself?

A: It is easy to do even if you are with a contiki tour and they are not doing it yet you want to go and do it. Head to the cable car and ride it down the cliffs. You can do a donkey. At the bottom there are all these tour operators, find one you like and book a tour. You will find the ship, get on and head out to the volcano. The walk to the top is easy, just follow the people. Later they may go to the hot springs around the island. It is an easy thing to do.

Q: In new york are the contiki optionals worth it?

A: Contiki offeres a number of optionals for tose finishing the tour in the city. Bus tour and walking tours usually. There are only a few to choose from. If you are staying in the city a short time, go and purchase one. If you are spending more time in the city, get the new york pass and use that, you will see more.

Q: What happens on a visit to an amish farm outside Cleveland?

A: For contiki, this is also done as an optional. It is basically a tour around a farm, you see some animals and a bit on the way of life. You can then ask questions to the guides about their lifestyle. They are happy to answer any questions and allow you to take pictures of the farm, just not any people. There is also a gift shop.

Q: What happens on the booze cruise optional in Miami?

A: This is done as an optional in which everyone does. You are bussed to where the boat leaves from. There is a professional photographer on board as well. The cruise may last up to 2 hours and in that time you have free drinks, plus a tip each drink. However the drinks are all spirits and it is free pour. If you survive the cruise you will then head onto a club afterwards. It is also a fun messy night.

Q: What is the eye spy optional in Berlin like?

A: This is an interesting optional. You usually do it on the night before leaving Berlin. You meet up after dinner with a local guide. You then do a bit of a driving/ walking tour and see some more sights of the city. You make a stop at the Berlin wall memorial – this is different to the east side gallery. The local guide gives you some information and then you split up into two groups to complete a challenge. You then get dropped off and head to a bar close by. Here you complete a few challenges and then move onto finding the next bar. The next bar is close by and could be the silberfish bar. You stay here for a bit and then move onto the club. Usually it is the Matrix. Therefore you need to take a tram to the area and walk to the Matrix. As you are with the local guide, you should be able to get in for free. It is a fun way to spend the night and get to know people, so do the optional.

Q: What are the Optionals in Toronto Like?

A: There are a few optionals available. Going up the CN tower – just getting a ticket at a group price and skipping the lines. The brewery tour – fun and a chance to try some of the local beer. The yellow school bus pub crawl – a chance to see some of the cities bars and clubs and be driven around in a yellow school bus, fun and a must do. The other one is the dinner and comedy club – both fun and entertaining. Just a must do.

Q: Is going to do the Dallas cowboy stadium optional worth it?

A: Depends on what you like doing will determine if it is for you. In most cases it is just a bit of fun and you get to see something interesting. In this case the stadium is huge, it was very expensive to build and you can see where all the money went. You get to tour around the stadium, take pictures and even kick a ball on the grounds. You see the locker rooms and the cheerleader rooms. There is also time to purchase stuff from the shop.

Q: What is the James bond island optional like in Phuket?

A: This involves getting onto a bus and travelling for about 45 mins to reach a boat. Here you hop on the water and begin exploring. Your boat goes into a cave and you have time to explore it, you stop and do a canoe ride in a certain area, seeing the formations, you make a stop at James bond island, seeing the markets and the scenes that were in the movie. For lunch you stop at a floating village and have an included lunch and get time to wander around and shop. After lunch there is another beach stop before heading back to the busses and back to the hotel. If it is raining the trip is the same as if it were sunny.

Q: In Phuket, what is the cultural optional?

A: The cultural optional is going to a lady boy caberate. This is a very good show and a must to see. It is worth the money to see it.

Q: On Phi phi island, what is the beach optional?

A: The beach optional is a boat trip that eventualy goes to the island that the movie the beach was filmed. You first meet up at the hotel, head to the boat and the boat first take you to monkey island. Here you take pictures of the monkeys, then head to another island – big sandy island. There are also two stops where you can go swimming and snorkling. There is also the stop by the beach island, time here to wander around and take a few pictures. You get back to the main wharf about 12 – 1pm. It is good as there are plenty of opportunities for pictures and just relaxing.

Q: What is the Las vegas secret contiki optional.

A: The las Vegas secret optional is for two 'random' tour mates to me chosen to get married at an elvis chapel. Everyone pays a small amount of money, the ceremony happens and then you go onto the old town Vegas or start your clubbing.

Q: In Rome, there is a pasta making optional, what is this like?

A: The pasta making optional is fun. You learn to make 3 types of pasta, you actually make it, rolling the pasta, putting in the filling and then you get to eat it. The restaurant it is at also provides a first course, desert, wine and the pasta. It is a fun and interesting optional.

Q: In Mykonos, what is the paradise beach optional like?

A: For the price of the optional, you get driven down to paradise beach at about 2pm, you get tables for the group and bar service. Once here you can drink, dance, swim and have fun. At around 9pm you get a lift back to the hotel. It is a fun afternoon and can get messy.

Q: In Budapest what is the Parliament tour optional like?

A: This is done on the morning of the full day in budapest. You take a tram from the hotel to the parliament and then you begin your tour. You see various rooms, halls and the rooms where the various houses sit. There is lots of gold to see. There is also history told on the tour and eventually you end up in a museum. The whole thing takes about 1hr and is worth it.

Q: What is the maroi village optional like in rotorura New zealand?

A: This is a tour of the village, so you see houses, grave yard, hot pools and gardens. You also learn about the culture of these people and how they still practice it. It is an interesting experience and worth a visit.

Q: In New Zealand, what are the bay of island optionals like?

A: There are a number of optionals, they go from 3 hrs to the full day. There is fishing, nature hikes, sand surfing, general sightseeing, horseback riding and a few others. It is up to you to decide what you want to do.

Q: In Krabi, Thailand, what are some optionals on offer with contiki?

A: There are no real optionals in contiki, there is a complete free day, with a tour desk at the hotel that you can book elephant tours or tiger temple trips. However contiki does not offer anything and you have to book it yourself.

Q: In Vienna what is the Vienna woods optional dinner like?

A: The location is in the middle of nowhere. The food is good, there is good beer and then there is the entertainment. Music, dancing and joking. It is a fun night.

Q: In Amsterdam, when doing the paddle boat optionals, where do they end?

A: They end near the Anne frank museum, so you can finish there and head over to join the line at the museum.

Q: In Athens, is the food at the dinner optional any good?

A: As this is a contiki optional, the food is good. Fresh greek food, with some live music and dancing. It is a good way to end or begin a tour. There is also plenty of food so you won't go hungry.

Q: In Rotorua, what is the Maori optional like?

A: This optional is a walking tour of a nearby Maori village. It covers the location, culture and history of the people. You get to see houses, hot pools, cemetery and shops. It is informative and worth while visiting.

Q: In Waitomo, what is the black water rafting optional like?

A: It is just like regular rafting, except that you are on an inner tube and you are going through a cave in a river. It is fun, it is exciting, it is exhausting.

Q: In the bay of islands in New Zealand, what are some of the optionals available?

A: There is exploring the cape, fishing, various sailing optionals including dolphins and the hole in the rock. Horse riding, parasailing and kayaks. There is something for everyone.

Q: In Vienna what is the concert and dinner optional like?

A: The dinner is very good, a number of courses, great food and wine. The concert is in a big concert hall in the winter palace, the music is great and there is an intermission as well. It is well worth doing and fun.

Q: In Budapest what is the danube cruise optional?

A: You board a river boat, you get seated at tables and a buffet is offered with wine bottles at each table. You then cruise up the river and back down, passing all the monuments that are lit up. There is time to take pictures

Q: In Budapest, what is the parliament tour optional like?

A: You have a guide – usually the same guide as the last night. They will take you to all the public areas of the building, explain things allow pictures and tell the history. You walk through the building and end up in the gift shop where the tour ends.

Q: At mt rushmore, where is the group picture done?

A: The picture is done in front of the monument itself, as soon as you get there.

Q: At Jackson hole, there is a horse riding optional, does this still happen in colder weather?

A: The horse ride optional is changed in colder weather. The optional becomes a horse and buggy ride with cook out.

Q: At Jackson hole, there is white water rafting optional, how far from the hotel is this?

A: The shop is a 10 minute drive from the hotel, where you get all your stuff etc. However the actual site is 30 minutes from the shop, in nature.