Insight Vacations

All the information you need to join your trip, such as your first hotel and what time to get there, will become available in your tour documents that your Global Journey's Travel Advisor will send to you.

Our modern, air-conditioned coaches have been carefully selected with your comfort, safety and scenic viewing in mind. Our luxury coaches have been specially reconfigured with fewer seats, so you'll relax in style whilst enjoying up to twice as much legroom than on a standard travelling coach.

Your Travel Director will implement a seat rotation system, whereby all guests will rotate their seats on the coach daily. This allows for everyone to experience the spectacular views from different seats, and you’ll have a better opportunity to get to know your fellow travelers.

Complimentary Wi-Fi Service is available on our coaches in the majority of countries we travel to, and to ensure you travel in comfort, travel days will include plenty of rest stops. There's also an on-board wash room on all travelling coaches (except in Morocco).

We are the only operator to have developed a fleet of hundreds of specially reconfigured 40 seat traveling coaches with business class legroom. This singles us out from others, even those who carry smaller groups, who still operate traditional 49 or 53-seat coaches.

The extra legroom created by our bespoke configuration also translates into extra window space for you to admire your remarkable destinations. For additional comfort, you can also recline safe in the knowledge that you won't be inconveniencing the person behind you.

Fewer guests also means we can embark and disembark far quicker than larger groups, giving you the maximum amount of time at each stop. Our Small Group tours utilise the same coaches as our Classic Groups. So if you opt to travel in a Small Group then you will enjoy even more space!

We seldom travel longer than a couple of hours or so without a photo stop or visit. Some journeys are much shorter. Many times you won't need the coach at all as we often build-in multiple days at leisure.

Insight Vacations also uses many other forms of transportation to give you an exciting and varied vacation. From high-speed trains, cable cars and hydrofoils to open-top taxis, river cruisers and carriages - you'll enjoy them all, and more.

At Insight Vacations, we know dining is at the heart of every great journey. Your itinerary will include a range of evening dining experiences; from farm-to-table meals, to dinner with a family, and Celebration Dinners at hand-picked restaurants.

Unless otherwise stated in your itinerary, breakfasts will be served at your hotel. A full American breakfast will be served in North America, while in the UK and Ireland a full cooked breakfast will be available. In Scandinavia and mainland Europe, a buffet style breakfast is more common. To allow for greater flexibility during the day, lunch is not usually included in the tour. However, your Travel Director will have plenty of recommendations. On travelling days, your Travel Director will arrange for stops for meals or snacks.

We encourage all guests to advise your Global Journey's Travel Advisor about any specific dietary needs that they may have (vegetarian, diabetic, gluten free, etc.) and Insight will strive to accommodate them.

Please also discuss your needs with the Travel Director at the start of your tour. Where possible, we will endeavour to make arrangements with our suppliers however requests cannot be guaranteed on every occasion.

At Insight Vacations, we handpick highly rated hotels in fantastic locations to enhance our guests' experience. Whether it's traditional or contemporary in style, your hotel is chosen for the quality of service, amenities and accommodation it offers.

When arriving at your first hotel, check in at the main reception desk where the reception staff will need to know your name and that you are travelling with Insight Vacations. When your trip begins, check in will be managed by the Travel Director, who will advise you regarding procedures and hotel features prior to arrival. They will secure keys and oversee delivery of your luggage to your room.

Some hotels are required to keep your passport at reception throughout your stay owing to government, country or local laws. You are therefore recommended to bring a photocopy of your passport and any visas with you when you travel. A useful tip is to photocopy your airline tickets, credit cards and your driver’s license etc. as this can speed up replacements on those rare occasions when the originals are lost. Even easier is to scan your documents and send them to yourself as attachments to your email so that you have access to them if needed.

Absolutely! Once you have travelled with Insight Vacations you become a member of Global Tour Rewards. This entitles you to 5% off your next tour, and a number of other benefits.​ Global Tour Rewards discounts are combinable with other Insight Vacations discounts, giving you even more opportunity to save. When you enquire with Global Journeys you will be asked if you are a past guest of Insight, or any of Insight's sister brands including Trafalgar, Luxury Gold, AAT Kings, Costsaver, Inspiring Journeys and Contiki.

When you sign up to our newsletter you'll receive a special code to claim your travel credit. Just let your Global Journey's Travel Advisor know and she or he will apply it to your booking. Note that there are many restrictions pertaining to this particular discount - significantly that it is not combinable with any other discount or offer.

Your trip deposit amount depends on your selected trip but ususally sits somewhere between $200-$350 per person.

All payment dates and amounts will appear on your quote that your Global Journey's Travel Advisor will email to you. Full payment due dates  normally sit at around 65 days before your departure. Please note, deposit and full payment terms may vary for special offers.

Once you have placed a deposit on a vacation, your deposit amount is non-refundable. However, we appreciate that plans can change, and we do offer our deposit protection. Our deposit protection allows you to use your base deposit towards a future vacation within the next 5 years. If you wish to do this, please contact us.

Most Insight Vacations guests benefit from complimentary arrival and departure transfers by shuttle coach on the arrival and departure day of their guided holiday. Times are specified on the individual itinerary pages. If your flight times do not coincide with the shuttle coach transfer timings you may choose to book and purchase a transfer.

In addition, guests who arrive before or leave after the scheduled holiday may also book a transfer through Insight Vacations providing they also purchase the additional pre- and/or post- holiday hotel night(s).

Insight Vacations provides complimentary airport transfers in the Latin America region at any time on the first and last day of the vacation or on other days in conjunction with pre-and / or post-trip accommodation booked through Insight Vacations. Flight times must be provided to Insight Vacations at least fifty days before flight departure in the case of Latin America.

You will find specific joining instructions as to where you will locate an Airport Host or Travel Director at the scheduled transfer times in your travel documents.

Note Exception: When travelling to London, transfers are chargeable from London Heathrow and London Gatwick Airport to your Insight hotel.

Airport Transfers for North America
Guests make their own arrangements for arrival transfers, and departure transfers unless the last day is a travel day ending with an airport drop (see itinerary for airport arrival times). Insight Vacations offers the option to purchase private transfers for selected cities.

Guests arriving before or leaving after the scheduled itinerary day may choose to purchase a private transfer through Insight Vacations provided that they also purchase the additional pre- and post-trip hotel night(s) from Insight Vacations & Global Journeys. When booking extra night(s) accommodations, guests will have the opportunity to book the relevant transfer service(s).

Complimentary arrival and departure transfers are available on most Insight Vacations tours, but not all of them. If you've booked your flights independently and provided us with flight details for an airport transfer, please contact your Global Journey's Travel Advisor to make us aware of the change.

Travelling with Insight Vacations entitles each guest to travel with one suitcase not exceeding 23kg (50lbs) in weight, with dimensions not exceeding 77.5cm (30.5in) x 56cm (22in) x 32cm (12.5in). Guests may also bring one item of hand luggage that is small and light enough to be carried onto the coach and fit underneath the seat, or in the small overhead compartment above. (Luggage with adjustable handles and wheels will not fit).

Guests may bring one item of hand luggage that is light enough to be carried onto the coach and small enough to fit underneath the seat, or in the small overhead compartment above. Unfortunately, luggage with adjustable handles and wheels will not fit.

We suggest that you pack layers of clothing that can be added or removed as necessary.

Pack a comfortable pair of flat shoes/trainers for walking. You will be visiting cities and sites with cobbled streets and uneven terrain. Pack a light waterproof jacket as the weather is changeable, you don’t want to be caught out by the rain and a lightweight waterproof is an excellent solution which won’t take up too much space in your suitcase.

Pack a sun hat during the summer months. Many European cities are hot during the summer and shade may not be readily available. Pack a light scarf and at least 1 skirt/trousers which stop below the knee. Some excursions will take you to Cathedrals or other religious locations where more modest attire, covering the shoulders to below the knees, is appropriate for both men and women. A scarf applied across the shoulders is perfectly acceptable.

Pack a smart outfit. You may wish to bring a dressier outfit for visits to the cabaret, theatre or an elegant restaurant. Smart casual clothes are usually acceptable attire for other evening activities. Other useful items that you may wish to pack can include:

• A travel iron if you prefer clothes to be pressed
• Wash cloth and carry bag
• Travel adaptor plug
• A copy of your hotel contact list so should your luggage be mislaid by your airline you can be reunited with it easily
• We would also suggest that a change of clothes and essential travel toiletries should be packed in your hand luggage for the same reason
• A photograph of your luggage contents in case of loss
• Scented soap, fabric softener sheets or scented sachets can be packed to keep your clothes smelling fresh and clean throughout your tour