Home > Compare Tour Operators > APT vs Scenic
APT vs Scenic
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of APT and Scenic.The Low Down
Initially providing coach touring around Australia and NZ to the local market, APT have grown exponentially over the last decade to now offer trips around the world, and are well known for their European river cruises. Over the last few years APT have introduced small ship expeditions that cruise the waters through Asia, Europe, Canada and off the coast of Kimberley. Catering primarily for the retired market, their trips aren't cheap, but in APT's case - you get what you pay for. Look out for their great Fly Free offers, and Earlybird Savings. The team here at Global Journeys have travelled multiple times by coach, cruise & river with APT, and we definitely recommend them as a quality, consistent, reliable Operator, and our past client reviews back that up.
Scenic's 5 star luxury river cruises are well known and popular in Australia (not so much in NZ). Scenic were the first to introduce balconies on their Scenic Space-Ships, which many clients love, but this comes at a cost to interior cabin space. Like many of the other premium river cruise Operators, look out for their great Fly Free offers, and Earlybird Savings. All inclusive, with Freechoice activities that allow you to choose what you want to do in each port, Scenic also offer a range of luxury additions (like your own Butler) depending on the cabin type select. Launching in 2018 and with another ship in 2020, the Scenic Eclipse is Scenic's first foray into luxury all inclusive ocean cruising. From the Arctic to Antarctica and everywhere in between, these Discovery Yachts, are all inclusive with shore excursions involving Zodiacs, kayaks and e-bikes as well as the option (for an additional charge) to adventure out by helicopter and submarine!
Stats
No. of Trips
524
No. of Departures
3,579
Avg. Trip Length
14 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$731
Accommodation
4.5 - 5 Stars
Budget
Premium
No. of Trips
596
No. of Departures
2,586
Avg. Trip Length
16 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$898
Accommodation
4.5 - 5 Star
Budget
Premium / Luxury
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
APT is an Australian family-owned company whose essence began in Melbourne in the 1920s. More than 90 years on, APT offers life-enriching trips to every continent, and through the company’s vast industry experience, innovative investments, meticulous planning and unquestionable passion it has earned a place among the world’s most well-regarded travel companies.
From boutique river cruising to small-group 4WD adventures; traditional coach touring with a decadent twist to private air cruising; epic rail journeys to small-ship expeditions; classic ocean cruising to safaris of discovery by both land and air – there’s little APT is unwilling to consider in pursuit of creating the finest holiday experience for its valued guests.
Timeless luxury, exclusive experiences, life enriching moments and true personalisation. APT offers all-inclusive holidays so everything is taken care of. We invite you to join us; you won’t be disappointed.
Scenic is proudly an Australian founded company setting the global standard for all inclusive luxury travel. We have delighted guests for more than 30 years with memorable journeys to fascinating locations across the world, delivering unsurpassed excellence in service, product quality and exclusive experiences. The guest is at the heart of everything we do, as we strive to provide continual innovation to enhance the guest experience in Luxury River Cruising, Land Tours and our state of the art expedition Ocean Cruising with Scenic Eclipse.
The Scenic difference is the details, the unwavering commitment to anticipate our guests every need, from butler services, quality dining, wellness, Scenic Enrich and Scenic FreeChoice experiences. That is why so many of our past guests choose to travel with Scenic many times, to destinations around the globe with family and friends, trusting Scenic to create memories that will last a lifetime. We welcome you to enjoy the portfolio of Scenic luxury products and feel the difference of Scenic’s dedicated staff, who will look after you to the nth degree.
This is why first time and past guests choose Scenic.
Recent Reviews
Maralinga & Eyre Peninsula tour in April was quite good in most respects, but various things, such as some accommodation and roadside picnics, we’re not up to our expectations, given the cost and APT’s reputation.
The Maralinga flights were cancelled due fog in William Creek. Pilots should have positioned to Ceduna the night before. We were told this ...read more had happened before, so APT and William Creek Air should be prepared with alternative Maralinga visit plans. Almost two weeks after this non-event, we have heard nothing from APT re compensation for this full day nonevent. It’s cost would have been a substantial portion of the whole tour. Very disappointed.
The Maralinga flights were cancelled due fog in William Creek. Pilots should have positioned to Ceduna the night before. We were told this ...read more had happened before, so APT and William Creek Air should be prepared with alternative Maralinga visit plans. Almost two weeks after this non-event, we have heard nothing from APT re compensation for this full day nonevent. It’s cost would have been a substantial portion of the whole tour. Very disappointed.
We would book with Global Journeys again and this is our 3rd very happy trip with APT. Caledonian Sky was fabulous. Staff, food, music, rooms all first class. However, we wouldn't do a cruise again on this particular ship because of the zodiacs. They are difficult to sit on for any length of time and quite often you get very wet which is to be expected ...read more I suppose. On another APT cruise they used Explorers and we found them so much better. Overall tho, we really had a fabulous holiday.
From Cradle Mountain to Port Arthur and Hobart APT's Tasmania Complete was a trip of highlights, fun and laughter. Our Tour Director and Driver were exceptional and really made this trip wonderful. From singing on the bus to the dad jokes, we could not have asked for more. We have made new friends and created a list of 'must go back and see again' places. ...read more The memories will last a long time.
In a difficult environment when we had no idea we would be going or not due to COVID lock downs and restrictions, right up to the time of leaving, Georgie from Global Journeys worked hard to make sure we were kept informed of what was happening and that we received all paperwork and information in time when we suddenly needed to leave a week earlier than anticipated. This being the second trip we have booked through Georgie, the exceptional service we receive means we will continue to do so.
In a difficult environment when we had no idea we would be going or not due to COVID lock downs and restrictions, right up to the time of leaving, Georgie from Global Journeys worked hard to make sure we were kept informed of what was happening and that we received all paperwork and information in time when we suddenly needed to leave a week earlier than anticipated. This being the second trip we have booked through Georgie, the exceptional service we receive means we will continue to do so.
What a tour, there are many highlights from our two weeks in the Kimberly. The scenery and site was amazing the accommodation and food were impressive, especially considering we're in the middle of nowhere. The APT staff went above and beyond to make us comfortable and enhance our pleasure on the trip. This is the best way to see the rugged Kimberly ...read more and would thoroughly recommend the APT tour.
Very enjoyable trip. The itinerary is excellent with signature visits to Bungle Bungle and Mitchell Falls. Accommodation and meals are both very good. Our tour leader is generally good, but can allow more time for activities in particular at Mitchell Falls and the gorges.
Our APT 4WD guided tour from Broome to Perth was sensational. Our tour guides were fantastic as nothing was too much trouble and they made sure we were comfortable, well fed and well informed. They treated our friendly group like a family. The resorts at Cable Beach Broome, Echo Beach, Exmouth and Monkey Mia were stunning. All our accommodation and ...read more meals exceeded our expectations. Every day greeted us with new experiences and amazing places- swimming and walking through the gorges at Karijini NP, watching sea eagles feed as we boarded our Yardie Creek boat tour, snorkelling from a glass bottom boat at Coral Bay Ningaloo Reef, walking around stromatolites at Hamelin Pool and on coquina at Shell Beach, drinking champagne on a sunset cruise at Monkey Mia, viewing the panoramic landscape from the AirWalk at Kalbarri NP, just to name a few places. Our tour ended in Perth and staying at the Ritz Carlton, we felt like millionaires with everlasting memories of an amazing tour.
We finally undertook our dream holiday to Egypt. The sheer beauty of this timeless country exceeded all of our expectations. We were initially apprehensive about travelling to Egypt in regard to our safety but it was unfounded. Egypt is as safe as anywhere in Europe. We travelled with Scenic who provided a never to forget experience. The professionalism ...read more of the Scenic staff could not be faulted and their attention to detail was excellent. Our cruise down the Nile was exceptional. My wife and her sister are gluten intolerant and the Chef's on the boat specially prepared separate and exquisite meals, for both of them. We could not praise them enough. As for Cairo, Luxor and Aswan with their museums, temples, tombs and Pyramids you cannot appreciate their beauty and intrigue unless you are there. Their photos in glossy magazines and on the internet do not do them justice. So if you have the opportunity do not miss this once in a lifetime experience.
We totally enjoyed our River Cruise. Booking through Global Journeys was sooo easy. Communication was great and nothing was to much trouble. We found communication with Global Journeys much easier than communicating directly with river cruise company. The cruise was great - we were a bit concerned that the age demographics would be older than us ...read more but that was not the case. There was a great mix of ages on the ship and we have formed some strong friendships. There was a late change of ship which we were disappointed in but Scenic went out of their way to ensure they made up for any disappointment. We would definitely do another river cruise and we certainly will be booking that through Global Journeys. Very happy customers.
The scenery was brilliant. The service in the restaurant was just below perfect. The reason for this qualification was due to all the smorgasbords. There was an additional specials menu - twice we ordered from this but the meals didn't turn up. Free beverages were excellent.
Another thing mentioned and rectified was all the 'double beds' on the ship ...read more were in reality single beds put together. Put my leg through the centre and could have broken a leg or ankle. Fell out of bed with the mattress. Hello, passenger in danger. They did bind this one up and then I was okay. The Palais Liechtenstein Mozart and Strauss concert was perfect. All transfers were very good and prompt.
Another thing mentioned and rectified was all the 'double beds' on the ship ...read more were in reality single beds put together. Put my leg through the centre and could have broken a leg or ankle. Fell out of bed with the mattress. Hello, passenger in danger. They did bind this one up and then I was okay. The Palais Liechtenstein Mozart and Strauss concert was perfect. All transfers were very good and prompt.
Rocky Mountains are an exciting experience. The beauty of the mountains and lakes are everywhere around you. A sight to behold.
The river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest was an excellent way to travel. It was fully catered and the food selection was varied to provide dishes from the country you travel through. It gave us an opportunity to taste food that we may not have ordered from a restaurant elsewhere. We enjoyed the ability to integrate cycling with our sight seeing. ...read more The Scenic river cruise was indeed scenic and the onboard app provided great insights to the various castles, churches and towns as we passed by.
The staff on this Scenic river cruise were friendly and very pleasant to deal with. Our cruise director was the best we have ever had compared to our travels. He was always around to help people with their queries and had a great dry sense of humour. We really enjoyed this cruise and would recommend it to others. Our booking through Global Journeys was simple, easy and without any problems. Anything that was promised was delivered on time and without any need for us to chase. This gave us the opportunity to start our trip in relaxed frame of mind and to enjoy the experience.
The staff on this Scenic river cruise were friendly and very pleasant to deal with. Our cruise director was the best we have ever had compared to our travels. He was always around to help people with their queries and had a great dry sense of humour. We really enjoyed this cruise and would recommend it to others. Our booking through Global Journeys was simple, easy and without any problems. Anything that was promised was delivered on time and without any need for us to chase. This gave us the opportunity to start our trip in relaxed frame of mind and to enjoy the experience.
Fascinating trip from Moscow to Berlin via St Petersburg and the Baltic States 1 Lorraine & Roger, NSW, Australia, Jul 2019
We booked this trip because it offered something a bit different from our usual European holidays, and we were not disappointed. The tour operator, Scenic, were excellent. Our trip started in Moscow, where we were met at the airport and driven to our cruise ship, the Scenic Tsar. This is a smaller ship than some others, only taking a maximum of 96 guests, ...read more which meant people mixed well and we met some lovely friends. Three tour directors looked after all our excursions, as well as offering some fun entertainment on board. They were a talented group, and we learnt Russian history, language, cooking and Matryoshka decoration. The ship's crew, all Russian, spoke good English, and catered for our every need.
After the cruise we were accompanied on a train journey to Helsinki, where we continued our tour through the Baltic States, again learning much history and culture, as well as seeing some lovely cities and countryside. Our tour director was wonderful, and we couldn't have been better looked after. On both parts of the tour we experienced some wonderful cultural events, excellent accommodation, comfortable travel and some great meals. We would definitely take another trip with Scenic, and happily use Global Journeys to book, as they were very organised and helpful. We really appreciated being able to log on to our record and check how the planning was progressing.
After the cruise we were accompanied on a train journey to Helsinki, where we continued our tour through the Baltic States, again learning much history and culture, as well as seeing some lovely cities and countryside. Our tour director was wonderful, and we couldn't have been better looked after. On both parts of the tour we experienced some wonderful cultural events, excellent accommodation, comfortable travel and some great meals. We would definitely take another trip with Scenic, and happily use Global Journeys to book, as they were very organised and helpful. We really appreciated being able to log on to our record and check how the planning was progressing.
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