Has anyone seen a tour bus/rv

[work2much]

No, not a conversion. We came across this first in Chicken Alaska. We quickly moved along as this bus of Germans seemed to all smoke and it sort of smoked us out from our outdoor lunch table.(First pic at Chicken)

Then today at Skagway the pulled in to a std site at the RV park we are staying. I count 26 windows and that seems to be about how many people came out of the tour bus. Indeed it seems that this bus travels like a tour bus during the day and everyone crawls into what could only be described as a Tiny sleeping chamber at night. The passenger side of the bus folds out creating a platform to access the sleeping units. I didn't have a camera while it was being assembled with the cloth canopy off but what I saw reminded me of the tv show Quincy ME. Tiny little doors to each bed.

Anyone seen or know what the heck this is? Would you go out on the road to tour a foreign (or any) country and sleep in this?

[rv2go]

There was one in the CG that we stayed in while in Valdez. The bus/camper pulled in late afternoon. Everyone got busy setting up for cooking. Then enjoyed their meal for a long, long time. Seemed like everyone was having a great time.

[Rubiranch]

Tvov wrote:
It has a bathroom, but no shower! That could be an issue.

Probably not for them.

We camped at Ruby's Inn in Bryce Canyon a few years back and when we went to the restaurant with a buffet there was a tour group in there from Europe, not sure which country.

It smelled like an old HS gym in there. I have no idea how long it had been since any of them had taken a shower.

It stunk soo bad we had to go eat somewhere else.

I guess to each their own but I have no desire to ever travel with a bunch of strangers - in one of those buses or any other.

[Jay_Pat]

Ran across this/or similar tour bus a couple of years ago at Yosemite.
The passengers all kicked in and helped with set up and meals.
They were quiet bunch.
The driver was nice and friendly.
Pat

[DownTheAvenue]

I saw a bus like that maybe 25 years ago in an Atlanta suburb. It was full of Orientals touring the USA and camping at night in commercial campgrounds. It is awful. Sitting in that bus during the day, and sleeping in that little coffin compartment by night, and eating whatever they prepare beside the bus. Rain or shine. Cold or hot. Awful!

[Tvov]

GpnAZ wrote:
We ran into them in Seward, not the way we would want to roll but probably a viable option for the foreign tourists to see America.


http://newatlas.com/rotel-hotel-on-wheels/14625/

Looks interesting. Could be a lot of fun for a group of friends. Pictures make sleeping "berths" look surprisingly big... which probably means they are tiny. It has a bathroom, but no shower! That could be an issue. Website says they plan travel routes to include stops where people can shower.

I don't know about traveling like that with strangers, but could be fun and different.

[Ivylog]

Saw it several times in the Canadian Rockies a couple years ago...less expensive than trying to do it on your own.

[work2much]

Nice! I will keep an eye out for you guys. Not sure yet durations or what exact route we will be taking down through the inside passage. We really liked Homer and Dawson. Spent a week on the spit in Homer. Also really liked Seward. The public campground for us was a surprise with the waterfront spots. We were there on the 4th of July and watched the mount marathon race up the hill.

Valdez might be the excuse for us to come back in a couple years. In general Alaska, despite the rain, has been pretty amazing.

[GpnAZ]

work2much wrote:

GpnAZ wrote:
We left Seward on Sunday, we probably seen them last Friday in Seward, give or take a day. We're in Valdez, heading towards Tok tomorrow. We are really enjoying Alaska although I wish someone would turn the water spout off(rain)LOL! Are you still traveling in Alaska?

Amen on the rain. We have been rained on since entering Canada in May lol.

We were going to Valdez but forecast was rain back then and we headed north all the way up to Eagle. (which I highly recommend despite 60 miles of dirt roads)

Yes still in Alaska in Skagway. From here we will be traveling mostly by Ferry down the inside passage to Haines, Juneau, Petersburg, Price of Wales Island. Eventually back into Prince Rupert and back down into the states.

Looking forward to Haines. Not a port of call like Skagway. Amazing how 3 large cruise ships can fill a small town.

Yeah, we're headed to Haines after Tok and also taking the inside passage similar to you, probably a week or 2 behind you. We came in the Top of the World Highway coming into Alaska From Dawson City, that was the second or third week in June. We bypassed Eagle and stayed In Chicken and went on to Fairbanks, Denali, Anchorage, Portage, Homer, Seward and Valdez after that, it's been a great experience! Safe travels to you!

[work2much]

GpnAZ wrote:
We left Seward on Sunday, we probably seen them last Friday in Seward, give or take a day. We're in Valdez, heading towards Tok tomorrow. We are really enjoying Alaska although I wish someone would turn the water spout off(rain)LOL! Are you still traveling in Alaska?

Amen on the rain. We have been rained on since entering Canada in May lol.

We were going to Valdez but forecast was rain back then and we headed north all the way up to Eagle. (which I highly recommend despite 60 miles of dirt roads)

Yes still in Alaska in Skagway. From here we will be traveling mostly by Ferry down the inside passage to Haines, Juneau, Petersburg, Price of Wales Island. Eventually back into Prince Rupert and back down into the states.

Looking forward to Haines. Not a port of call like Skagway. Amazing how 3 large cruise ships can fill a small town.

[GpnAZ]

We left Seward on Sunday, we probably seen them last Friday in Seward, give or take a day. We're in Valdez, heading towards Tok tomorrow. We are really enjoying Alaska although I wish someone would turn the water spout off(rain)LOL! Are you still traveling in Alaska?

[work2much]

GpnAZ wrote:
We ran into them in Seward, not the way we would want to roll but probably a viable option for the foreign tourists to see America.


http://newatlas.com/rotel-hotel-on-wheels/14625/

Were you in Seward this year, this bus? That's awesome. We left Seward about 2 weeks ago.

Thanks for the link. Wife and I are enjoying reading the companies descriptions. Sounds like they have a sense of humor. And I think anyone that would hit the road like this would have to a have a healthy sense of humor as well.

[GpnAZ]

We ran into them in Seward, not the way we would want to roll but probably a viable option for the foreign tourists to see America.


http://newatlas.com/rotel-hotel-on-wheels/14625/

[Kayteg1]

I think US average salary is multi-fold of average German salary, yet how many Americans have been to Germany (beside Army service)
I've been living in tent for 5 weeks and eat dry/canned food to enjoy scuba in Greece, so that bus looks like luxury in comparison.