Cosmos vs Costsaver

Compare Cosmos' and Costsaver's tours, including their travel styles, inclusions, destinations, pricing, accommodation and popularity with past travellers, to see which operator is the better fit for your next journey.

Why should we travel with Cosmos?

We asked Cosmos why you should travel with them, here's what they said...

At Cosmos, we like to think of ourselves as experts in ‘thrillology’ – the art of bringing you an experience, time and time again. With over 50 years of ‘wow’ under our belts and no sign of slowing down, we know how to curate value touring holidays that you’ll never forget; creating the experiences you’ve always dreamed of and showing you the ones, you never thought of. Our job is to take care of the planning and logistics, so that all you have to focus on is living your dreams!

What types of trips do Cosmos offer?

Coach Tours

Where can you travel to?

Africa Asia Canada & Alaska Europe Middle East South America UK & Ireland USA More...

Cosmos snapshot

Total No. ToursTotal No. Tours
128
DeparturesDepartures
1,669
Average tour lengthAverage tour length
13 days
Average price per dayAverage price per day
$437

Our thoughts...

The low down on Cosmos from our expert team of advisors at Global Journeys...

A lot of our clients aren't too fussed about their accommodation (as long as it's clean and comfortable) and are more interested in the destination. Over 1,200 past client reviews with an average 4.5 out 5 star rating, is impressive. Why? Great value and interesting itineraries. Part of the Globus Family, there are further great discounts to be had.

Accommodation is 3 to 3/12 star, but a lot of our clients are pleasantly surprised at the quality. Hotels are often located out of the city centre, so prepare your trip budget to allow for transfers or taxis if you want to explore the cities on your own. Allow extra funds for some meals and excursions read more not included in more premium inclusive itineraries. Like our past clients, we feel very comfortable recommending Cosmos.

Who travels with Cosmos?

Value-conscious travellers looking for an escorted holiday with included sightseeing and plenty of free time. Guests span a broad adult age range, with couples, solo travellers, friends and families all represented.

What's the age range on a Cosmos tour?

Generally a mature audience, with many travellers aged 45 and over.

How many people will we be travelling with?

Cosmos coach tours average around 36 guests and can carry up to 50 guests depending on the destination. African trips operate with considerably smaller groups of 24, while and Asia and Latin America max out at 40 travellers and Europe at 47 travellers.

I'm a solo-traveller, will your tours suit me?

Yes. Guided touring works well for solo travellers who want the independence of travelling alone while still having a Tour Director, organised transport and a group to travel with.

Do you offer single rooms?

Yes. A single supplement applies and single-room pricing and availability is shown for each departure.

Do you offer room-sharing with other solo travellers?

No.

How would you describe the accommodation on your trips?

Comfortable, good-value hotels are included throughout the tour, with properties selected to provide suitable guestrooms, service and facilities for the price.

Are there any extras to pay on top of the price shown?

Meals not listed as included, optional excursions, beverages, gratuities and airport transfers.

Do you have the same guide throughout the trip?

Yes. Escorted tours are accompanied by a Cosmos Tour Director who manages the journey, provides commentary and assists guests throughout the trip.

Do you use local guides?

Yes. Knowledgeable Local Guides are used for sightseeing in selected cities and attractions, providing local history and destination insight.

How much free time will we have on a Cosmos trip?

Cosmos deliberately builds free time into its tours, balancing included sightseeing with time to eat, shop and explore independently or choose optional excursions.

How fit do we need to be?

Travellers should generally be comfortable walking during sightseeing, navigating stairs and uneven surfaces and getting on and off coaches without individual assistance.

Recent Cosmos reviews

Bus tour through Alpine regions 0
, QLD, Australia, Aug 2026
The tour started in Munich with a brief stop at Marienplatz. Most people had arrived a day or two earlier like us so weren't too bothered about missing the Glockenspiel. The hotel was too far out of town and not much around it. We were very lucky with the weather and the destination were lovely. Unfortunately we arrived too late at some of them to really read more enjoy them. The set dinners were not great. There was no choice of food. The bus was much more cramped especially on the left side and there was no porterage so we had to get our bags from the bus up to our room by ourselves. Often there was only one small lift. Because there were a lot of one night stays and at times quite late arrivals people became tired and sick. I feel the walk in Turin was long and boring. We waited twenty minutes for a toilet stop with nowhere to sit and couldn't understand the guide. In fact I think most people would have preferred an extra night in Como and skip Turin. The scenery was fantastic and the weather amazing but a gentler pace would have made it more enjoyable and hotels closer to the centre or with free public transport like in St Moritz . There was no final gettogether on the last night.
Cosmos Norwegian Fjords tour 8 August 2026 0
, VIC, Australia, Aug 2026
This Cosmos tour was most enjoyable. The Tour guide and bus driver both ensured the tour went smoothly. The hotels and provided meals were of a high standard. The pace of the tour was reasonable considering the distances covered each day. Norway itself is a most interesting country and our tour guide gave us a lot of information as we toured each day. read more Tourists need to prepare for changeable weather throughout the tour. Norway has a 25% GST so things are very expensive and that is another thing you need to prepare for.

Oslo is a city for tourists and we recommend 2 or 3 days would be worthwhile prior to the tour. The towns and scenery visited was good throughout the trip but became exceptional from Bergen onwards. One challenge in touring in Norway is the short tourist season through summer results in the large ships disgorging huge tourist numbers into small Fjord towns. This is one advantage of coach touring as this problem can to some degree be avoided, but it probably should be expected. It can be a problem in Flam. Another strange problem is that despite Norway's absurd wealth, and despite the fact that they make a lot of money from tourism, they have very few public toilet facilities. This to some degree determines where the tour buses must go. To me it seems a lack of respect for tourists.
Oh beautiful Canada 1
, VIC, Australia, Aug 2026
I really enjoyed this tour and what made it great was 2 nights in each city. I also loved that it was not a jam packed itinerary each day so there was plenty of free time to explore. The tour director was very knowledgeable and the hotels very comfortable. The first hotel in Toronto was perfectly located and had all the amenities except for a laundry read more which was a little disappointing as I had already travelled prior to joining the tour. I would have liked breakfast included but thats a small thing. I would travel with Cosmos again.
Alaska and Canada 0
, QLD, Australia, Jul 2026
Great trip - thanks Kayla. Little disappointed wirh Air Canada business class, very squeezy, but everything including coach, tour guide, Rocky Mountaineer, Holland America were all great. Hotels fine, free time good, Cosmos 3 stars.
An Epic Tour ! 0
, NSW, Australia, Jul 2026
This tour " Canadian Masterpiece with Rocky Mountaineer and Alaskan Cruise" with Cosmos through Global Journeys was truly wonderful . The itinerary was perfect and well paced and the tour director was fantastic. Every destination was full of stunning scenery whether it was from the Rocky mountaineer train , from the coach, on a gondola or chairlift, read more in the resort towns, from a look out , from a boat or a cruise ship , from a raft or from a helicopter and even from an ice explorer on a glacier and from a suspension bridge! This scenery included snow capped picturesque mountains, magnificent glaciers, beautiful mirrored lakes, rivers, and bays, lush forests and waterfalls, spectacular gardens, beautiful valleys, sunsets and ocean as well as exciting wildlife such as bears, eagles, otters, seals, sea lions, elk, deer and whales. An epic trip ! Thank you.

Cosmos' most popular trips this month...

24 Day Trans-American Adventure (Cosmos)
Trans-American Adventure

24 Days New York to Los Angeles

From
8,128pp
23 Day The British Isles in Depth (Cosmos)
The British Isles in Depth

23 Days London to London

From
7,759pp
9 Day Irish Discovery (Cosmos)
Irish Discovery

9 Days Dublin to Dublin

From
2,327pp
15 Day Central Europe (Cosmos)
Central Europe

15 Days Frankfurt to Frankfurt

From
4,334pp
15 Day Eastern Us & Canada Grand Vacation (Cosmos)
Eastern Us & Canada Grand Vacation

15 Days New York to Philadelphia

From
5,509pp
Costsaver

Costsaver

293 Reviews

Why should we travel with Costsaver?

We asked Costsaver why you should travel with them, here's what they said...

We know lasting travel memories don’t have to cost the earth. Our value tours cover all the essentials, while providing you the building blocks to tailor your dream holiday. We plan and include all the essentials – your quality transport, accommodation, sightseeing, many meals and the very best Travel Directors, leaving you the time to tailor your trip your way.

As an active founder and supporter of the TreadRight Foundation, you’ll travel confidently knowing we support the protection and conservation of the places we visit. We tread far, but read more always tread lightly. Having won the 5 star gold award for highest travel satisfaction, from the independent review provider FEEFO, you can be assured you’ll get an unbeatable holiday at an unbeatable price. Value is in our blood, and thanks to our Ready To Go Rate, you’ll be confident that when you book, the price you see is the best it’ll be. Travel the world without a hassle in the world.

What types of trips do Costsaver offer?

Coach Tours

Where can you travel to?

Africa Asia Australia & NZ Canada & Alaska Europe South America UK Ireland USA More...

Costsaver snapshot

Total No. ToursTotal No. Tours
99
DeparturesDepartures
1,968
Average tour lengthAverage tour length
10 days
Average price per dayAverage price per day
$351

Our thoughts...

The low down on Costsaver from our expert team of advisors at Global Journeys...

CostSaver is Trafalgar's affordable range of coach tours. Comparable to Cosmos in price and quality, their focus has always been on Europe and the UK, but have more recently launched a range of new itineraries in the US, Canada and South America. If you are looking for an affordable touring option, then CostSaver is a great option, and if you've travelled with any of its sister brands like AAT Kings, Trafalgar or Insight Vacations further savings are available.

The price for that affordability - while all the must-see sights are included, there are lot of optional excursions which can add up quickly if you choose to do them all. If that's likely, read more perhaps a more inclusive Operator like Trafalgar or Insight is best. However if you like the freedom to explore on your own, and are after a relaxing and hassle-free holiday, then Costsaver is a great option.

Who travels with Costsaver?

Value-focused travellers from around the world, including couples, friends, families and solo travellers who want the ease of a guided tour with the flexibility to personalise their trip.

What's the age range on a Costsaver tour?

Generally 50+

How many people will we be travelling with?

Standard tours can carry up to 53 travellers. Smaller vehicles and group arrangements may be used on some regional itineraries.

I'm a solo-traveller, will your tours suit me?

Yes. Solo travellers are encouraged to join Costsaver tours.

Do you offer single rooms?

Yes. A single supplement applies and single-room pricing and availability is shown for each departure.

Do you offer room-sharing with other solo travellers?

Yes. A same-sex room-matching service is available on selected tours with no additional room supplement.

How would you describe the accommodation on your trips?

Comfortable, tried-and-trusted hotels, predominantly established chain and regional properties.

Are there any extras to pay on top of the price shown?

Optional Choice Experiences, meals and drinks not specified as included, gratuities and transfers.

Do you have the same guide throughout the trip?

Yes. Guided tours generally travel with an expert Travel Director and professional Driver.

Do you use local guides?

Yes. Local Specialists are used for selected sightseeing and destination experiences.

How much free time will we have on a Costsaver trip?

Considerable free time is built into most itineraries. Costsaver includes the travel essentials and allows travellers to choose how much additional sightseeing they want through more than 1,000 optional Choice Experiences.

How fit do we need to be?

-

Recent Costsaver reviews

Britain and Ireland Experience 0
, New Zealand, Aug 2026
Overall sights of tour were great as was our tour guide Aileen, who was also very good. Only issue we had some accommodation which was older and pretty tired - needs to be looked at. Thanks.
Costsaver Splendours of Italy Tour 0
, QLD, Australia, Aug 2026
The Costsaver tour was well priced and led by a humourous local Tour Guide who was full of knowledge. The coach was safely and expertly driven. Satisfactory hotel accommodation and food with well chosen cities and sights. No sales pressure to do the optional excursions which left plenty of free time to do your own thing. The whole tour was well organised. read more We would definitely use Global Journeys again as everything was handled with ease and payment timelines easy to meet.
Uk tripping 0
, NSW, Australia, Jul 2026
Enjoyed my time on this tour....considering the heat and some places lacking AC or fans for the rooms. Had the most amazing tour guide...Joe...and bus driver...Kamil. These 2 made the adventure a pleasant one. My trip highlight was 100% the week spent in Ireland...lovely people, lovely food, lovely environment, amazing Guiness and Baileys on ice!!!
Costsaver changes a bit disappointing 0
, NSW, Australia, May 2026
We liked the more flexible nature of the Costsaver tour with options to join additional activities or arrange our own time. A couple of the hotels were disappointing and although not an inclusion many of the guests would have liked the hotel to be close enough to facilities to provide for breakfast. In Vancouver Island the hotel provided a breakfast read more room but we were not allowed to enter even to purchase a snack. Moving the hotel to Canmore when we were told we would stay in Banff was very disappointing we wouldn't have chosen this tour had we known at the time of booking. Bus and tour guide were very good. The new app for booking additional activities was always showing full when it wasnt. Needs work to be more dynamic.
England and Scotland Heritage 0
, New Zealand, May 2026
It was fabulous. Needed more time in Glasgow and Liverpool as we didn’t get to see much at all there.

Costsaver's most popular trips this month...

14 Day European Experience (Costsaver)
European Experience

14 Days London to Amsterdam

From
3,837pp
18 Day European Cavalcade (Costsaver)
European Cavalcade

18 Days Amsterdam to Paris

From
4,891pp
16 Day Britain and Ireland Explorer (Costsaver)
Britain and Ireland Explorer

16 Days London to London

From
4,498pp
8 Day Britain and Ireland Delight (Costsaver)
Britain and Ireland Delight

8 Days London to London

From
2,401pp
10 Day Italian Scene (Costsaver)
Italian Scene

10 Days Rome to Rome

From
2,789pp