Home > Compare Tour Operators > AAT Kings vs Travelmarvel
AAT Kings vs Travelmarvel
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of AAT Kings and Travelmarvel.The Low Down
AAT Kings have partnered with Global Journeys since our inception, and as a result we have an in-depth understanding of all their trips, through both Australia and New Zealand. Our team have journeyed with them on 9 tours through New Zealand, Tasmania, South Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland. That close relationship also means we can deliver fantastic savings throughout the year. AAT King's core multi-day coach tours cater mainly for those over 55+, whilst their short breaks in the Northern Territory tend to attract a more diverse range of ages. All coaches are first class, and AAT Kings pride themselves on their tour guides - many of which have been with them for decades!
The lesser known, but equally popular Travelmarvel, is the sister brand of APT. Positioned as a premium Operator, but a level down from APT with regards to pricing, inclusions and the age of it's river ships. Travelmarvel & APT share the same past passenger Rewards Scheme, and many of our clients like prefer to spend a little less, knowing they are still backed by one of Australasia's premier touring companies. With it's roots in coach touring through Australia and New Zealand, Travelmarvel now offer river cruises in Europe & Asia, tours and cruises in Canada and trips around South & Central America. As Platinum Partners of APT & Travelmarvel, our consulting team have an in-depth knowledge and have personally experienced travelling with Travelmarvel and would relish the opportunity to help organise your next holiday.
Stats
No. of Trips
90
No. of Departures
7,267
Avg. Trip Length
9 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$476
Accommodation
3.5 - 4.5 Star
Budget
Premium & Affordable
Trip Styles Coach ToursShort BreaksCity Breaks
No. of Trips
191
No. of Departures
2,435
Avg. Trip Length
15 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$455
Accommodation
4 Stars
Budget
Premium & Affordable
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
Choosing AAT Kings for your Australia or New Zealand holiday guarantees you’ll benefit from the insider secrets, off-the-beaten-path destinations and authentic interactions with local characters that only 100 years of experience can provide. With over a hundred years’ experience in sharing Australia with our guests, AAT Kings holds exclusive access to some truly unique locations, secret trails and roads less travelled that add so much value to the overall travel experience.
At AAT Kings, our on-road staff are best in class. Our Travel Directors, Driver Guides and Drivers are hand-picked for their passion, experience, and enthusiasm for the spectacular countries we live in. There is truly no one better to share with you the best destinations across Australia and New Zealand. We have been perfecting our itineraries and products for over 100 years, so the benefits gained from travelling with us are unrivalled. With over 150 expertly crafted holiday itineraries to choose from, we offer something for everyone.
Holiday memories are not just shaped by the incredible places you visit, but also by the wonderful people you meet along the way. At Travelmarvel, we know that great service is about going above and beyond, and that’s why our staff are regarded as a holiday highlight in their own right.
Travelmarvel holidays offer the perfect combination of all the highlights of the destination with outstanding quality and value for money - you won’t go wrong choosing Travelmavel for your next holiday adventure.
Recent Reviews
We really enjoyed the tour covering Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks. We had an excellent tour guide, Liz, who was always cheerful and nothing was too much trouble for her. She had challenges finding places for us to have lunch due to staff shortages but always managed to sort things out. Liz was also very knowledgeable about the NT. We really ...read more enjoyed the flight over Kakadu which was an excellent overview of the area. We were happy with the accommodation provided which was always clean and comfortable. We were very happy with the help we had from Georgie Walpole at Global Journeys with this booking.
It was a wonderful trip show casing the wonderful outback from the flinders rangers to Uluṟu the Olga’s the wonderful kings canyon to Alice Springs. From the tour guide Christine and the bus drivers great driving skills and to the wonderful guest on the tour we all got on well and had many a laugh. To Georgie again for great organising of our trip everything ...read more went extremely well - she is the best.
As always Global Journeys were great to work with when deciding and booking our AAT Kings Tassies Parks and Nature tour. Thanks Georgie for your professionalism. Our tour was well run with a great guide (Dave) and excellent driver (Tom). Felt very safe throughout the tour. Tour was well placed. Boat cruise on the Gordon River and Sarah Island was excellent. ...read more Accommodation was good and most hotel staff were friendly and helpful. Included meals were good. Added bonus of 2 drink vouchers when having included dinners was also a nice inclusion. One hotel needs to update their staff on the conditions of use of these vouchers. I think AAT kings were going to address the issue as well.
Included stops were good. The only disappointment was the Wall in the Wilderness being deleted from our itinerary. As we stayed extra nights in Launceston after the tour we were able to travel there ourselves. AAT Kings need to resolve the issues that have prevented them visiting as other tour operators include it in their itineraries. Will happily use Global Journeys for future holidays and also AAT Kings.
Included stops were good. The only disappointment was the Wall in the Wilderness being deleted from our itinerary. As we stayed extra nights in Launceston after the tour we were able to travel there ourselves. AAT Kings need to resolve the issues that have prevented them visiting as other tour operators include it in their itineraries. Will happily use Global Journeys for future holidays and also AAT Kings.
Good trip that covered the highlights of Tasmania. Would have liked to spend more time on East Coast and Cradle Mountain. There were 32 people on our trip. Excellent driving by Tom and hosted by Christin. My only recommendation to AAT Kings is to advertise optional trips available prior to getting there. Would have loved to have done a Bruny Island ...read more tour but was unaware of the trip being available to purchase until Day 1.
What a great trip we had on the AAT Kings 10 day Tasmanian Wonders. All parts were great and the driver of the coach and the tour guide were very knowledgeable and showed many places that others may not see. It was excellent value for money and the accommodation was excellent and the food was very moreish and delicious. The optional tours were well ...read more worth doing. It was an excellent overview of Tasmania. I would certainly do the trip again and will be recommending others to do it.
The additional tours that were added prior to and after the 10 day tour were excellent. The tour to Bruny Island by Petticotts was excellent and again great value for money. Georgie, our travel consultant from Global Journeys did an excellent job in coordinating it all. Nothing was of too much bother for her and she was always very pleasant and courteous and prompt in all dealings. I was able to coordinate travel to and from Tasmania by "Spirit of Tasmania" in preference to flying and this worked well with all aspects. Overall a really value for money first class tour well handled, arranged and coordinated by Georgie. I have no hesitation in recommending the tour by AAT Kings and Georgie to one and all.
The additional tours that were added prior to and after the 10 day tour were excellent. The tour to Bruny Island by Petticotts was excellent and again great value for money. Georgie, our travel consultant from Global Journeys did an excellent job in coordinating it all. Nothing was of too much bother for her and she was always very pleasant and courteous and prompt in all dealings. I was able to coordinate travel to and from Tasmania by "Spirit of Tasmania" in preference to flying and this worked well with all aspects. Overall a really value for money first class tour well handled, arranged and coordinated by Georgie. I have no hesitation in recommending the tour by AAT Kings and Georgie to one and all.
Tasmania was truly awesome. Food was spectacular and scenery likewise. Wherever we went, we had gorgeous meals and there is more variety of food to choose from in the shops and being an Island, I am sure it's all grown locally and soooooo fresh. Tour driver and tour guide were excellent, accommodation was good, plenty of toilet stops and other stops ...read more for scenery views. Comfortable seats on coach.
I thoroughly enjoyed my trip. It was a very busy 10 days, and at times I would have liked to get to our hotel a bit earlier in the evening, so we could have a look around, but with time constraints and trying to fit everything in, I fully understand. All the Hotels we stayed at were comfortable, and I didn't have a problem with them. All the staff were ...read more very friendly and very helpful. The food rated very high as well.
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about Tasmania, and was very efficient and friendly. The coach broke down a couple of times, so maybe an upgrade is needed. Going as a single person, did not prove to be an issue, there were other single people on our trip, and hopefully I have made good friends for life. The mix of ages was quite extensive as well.
As far as booking with Global Journeys again, that is a definite. I did not have any issues at all. I was kept informed every step of the way. Talking to other people, they all had a few problems, but if I could make Georgie my personal travel agent I would. She was excellent. Sorry if that was not allowed, but I had to say something.
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about Tasmania, and was very efficient and friendly. The coach broke down a couple of times, so maybe an upgrade is needed. Going as a single person, did not prove to be an issue, there were other single people on our trip, and hopefully I have made good friends for life. The mix of ages was quite extensive as well.
As far as booking with Global Journeys again, that is a definite. I did not have any issues at all. I was kept informed every step of the way. Talking to other people, they all had a few problems, but if I could make Georgie my personal travel agent I would. She was excellent. Sorry if that was not allowed, but I had to say something.
West coast Tas was well worth the attention. Tour was well planned with great hotels and extras. Our booking handled by Hannah was seamless as usual.
Had a wonderful time on our holiday. May weather in Tasmaina was a little cold in the mornings but we had lovely days with only one day of rain - but that was on a day of full travelling, so was ok. All accommodation and food was very good, only one older room which required a little updating but was nice and clean. Had a great bus driver Catch (Gary), ...read more never felt unsafe with his driving and we had many challenging roads very friendly to all passengers and helpful.
Our tour director Daniel was also very good and he mixed well with fellow passengers and did have some lame jokes lol. Got to see some extra beautiful places not on tour which where on the way. Could have spent more time at Port Arthur. Bridestowe lavender estate was a little disappointing as wrong time of year for seeing the fields of lavender. Russell falls is a must see so wonderful. Extra tour at own cost to Bruny Island is well worth the cost $235 great whole day meals included. Franklin Gordon river cruise another great day very relaxing pace up the river some of the most beautiful scenery and great food onboard. Seeing the little penguins was worth the extra cost of $40 very cute. Beaconsfield mine was very interesting tour.
Only disappointment were the bus seats which where not really suited for long touring, not much room for two people so was very uncomfortable for ten days on bus. Would highly recommend TravelMarvel and they have been very helpful in trying times with Covid always keeping us informed. Driver was at airport to pick us up on time. Had a lovely group of fellow travelers would recommend Tasmania as a great destination to go.
Our tour director Daniel was also very good and he mixed well with fellow passengers and did have some lame jokes lol. Got to see some extra beautiful places not on tour which where on the way. Could have spent more time at Port Arthur. Bridestowe lavender estate was a little disappointing as wrong time of year for seeing the fields of lavender. Russell falls is a must see so wonderful. Extra tour at own cost to Bruny Island is well worth the cost $235 great whole day meals included. Franklin Gordon river cruise another great day very relaxing pace up the river some of the most beautiful scenery and great food onboard. Seeing the little penguins was worth the extra cost of $40 very cute. Beaconsfield mine was very interesting tour.
Only disappointment were the bus seats which where not really suited for long touring, not much room for two people so was very uncomfortable for ten days on bus. Would highly recommend TravelMarvel and they have been very helpful in trying times with Covid always keeping us informed. Driver was at airport to pick us up on time. Had a lovely group of fellow travelers would recommend Tasmania as a great destination to go.
We’re glad that we joined this tour. The tour director and driver were very nice and funny. The quality of hotels and included meals were excellent. We were fortunate with the weather except in Cradle Mountain. It was cold whole time but bearable. Our highlight of the tour was Port Arthur, Gordon river cruise, Russell falls and also some small towns ...read more where we stopped for a break were nice. In ten days trip we covered most of Tasmania. The fellow travelers were also lovely. We enjoyed very much. Finally thank you so much, Global Journeys, for organizing this wonderful trip.
This TravelMarvel tour was booked through Global Journeys, Noosa Heads; and was a trip that had been deferred due to COVID.
The Kimberley itself is beautiful. Not much to see by coach and quite a lot of hours gazing out the window at termite mounds, red dirt and boab trees, but guide Wally and driver John made the trip a lot of fun with their knowledge ...read more of the geological history and people of the Kimberley, and with their constant anecdotes. The boat trips on the gorges and narration by local guides was fascinating. There are optional extras such as helicopter tours. The accommodation was better than expected, having regard to the remoteness of the towns and the COVID issues. All the included meals were very good. There were plenty of bathroom stops and even though some of the facilities were rudimentary, they were all clean. It was a fun trip.
The ship part of the tour was excellent. We were aboard the Coral Adventurer which is part of the Coral Expeditions Fleet. Just under 100 passengers and about 35 crew. The passengers all got on well and the crew were fabulous. The ship is modern and 1st class. Beautiful staterooms, clean and modern facilities throughout with a very good dining area. There is plenty of food and the menu is set. So much of it is seafood and there is always 2 choices for each course. My small criticism of the food is that there was not much variety for those who don't eat seafood, and sometimes the meals were not as hot as they could have been. The servers and kitchen staff (as with the rest of the crew) were all very friendly and worked so hard to please.
Every day on the ship was another adventure as we were put in the 2 tenders and taken to islands, waterfalls and other features. Each boat had an expert guide on board and their knowledge of the indigenous peoples, fauna, and flora was amazing. These 2 guides would also give lectures at night.
We had the run of the ship and were permitted to enter the engine room and bridge (escorted). We wandered past the bridge one night and we were called in and sat in the captain's and chief mate's seats and shown how to sail the ship. Unfortunately, we had to disembark when our cruise ended.
We originally booked the tour for travel in August 2020 but due to COVID we could not travel until May 2021. Global Journeys, Noosa Heads were very good. Their communication and attention to detail from when we first booked in 2019 to when we finished our tour was first class and we would have no hesitation in recommending them. We would not book another TravelMarvel tour. I found their communication was poor (even allowing for COVID), and they had never advised our coach guide (their employee) that we would have to have a COVID test three days prior to boarding the ship. He was surprised when we told him and he had to ring TravelMarvel for instructions. Even then we nearly missed out on our cruise because they stuffed that up as well. It was only by the grace of our guide and Sullivan Nicolaides in Darwin that we finally made it.
All in all, a great tour.
The Kimberley itself is beautiful. Not much to see by coach and quite a lot of hours gazing out the window at termite mounds, red dirt and boab trees, but guide Wally and driver John made the trip a lot of fun with their knowledge ...read more of the geological history and people of the Kimberley, and with their constant anecdotes. The boat trips on the gorges and narration by local guides was fascinating. There are optional extras such as helicopter tours. The accommodation was better than expected, having regard to the remoteness of the towns and the COVID issues. All the included meals were very good. There were plenty of bathroom stops and even though some of the facilities were rudimentary, they were all clean. It was a fun trip.
The ship part of the tour was excellent. We were aboard the Coral Adventurer which is part of the Coral Expeditions Fleet. Just under 100 passengers and about 35 crew. The passengers all got on well and the crew were fabulous. The ship is modern and 1st class. Beautiful staterooms, clean and modern facilities throughout with a very good dining area. There is plenty of food and the menu is set. So much of it is seafood and there is always 2 choices for each course. My small criticism of the food is that there was not much variety for those who don't eat seafood, and sometimes the meals were not as hot as they could have been. The servers and kitchen staff (as with the rest of the crew) were all very friendly and worked so hard to please.
Every day on the ship was another adventure as we were put in the 2 tenders and taken to islands, waterfalls and other features. Each boat had an expert guide on board and their knowledge of the indigenous peoples, fauna, and flora was amazing. These 2 guides would also give lectures at night.
We had the run of the ship and were permitted to enter the engine room and bridge (escorted). We wandered past the bridge one night and we were called in and sat in the captain's and chief mate's seats and shown how to sail the ship. Unfortunately, we had to disembark when our cruise ended.
We originally booked the tour for travel in August 2020 but due to COVID we could not travel until May 2021. Global Journeys, Noosa Heads were very good. Their communication and attention to detail from when we first booked in 2019 to when we finished our tour was first class and we would have no hesitation in recommending them. We would not book another TravelMarvel tour. I found their communication was poor (even allowing for COVID), and they had never advised our coach guide (their employee) that we would have to have a COVID test three days prior to boarding the ship. He was surprised when we told him and he had to ring TravelMarvel for instructions. Even then we nearly missed out on our cruise because they stuffed that up as well. It was only by the grace of our guide and Sullivan Nicolaides in Darwin that we finally made it.
All in all, a great tour.
Most enjoyable outback, outdoor experience. As an inexperienced tour traveller I found the single supplement punitive. The base cost, on the other hand, was quite good value. Travelling shortly after COVID restrictions were lifted meant accommodation services were lacking or accident prone - as might be expected. Vehicle supplied was of poor quality ...read more - especially considering the long distances involved and the quality of other tourist transport on the same roads. Good time of year to travel. Small group of similar demographic worked very well.
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