Cosmos Tour Reviews
The 1,989 Cosmos Tour reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have traveled with Cosmos. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
The 1,989 Cosmos Tour reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have traveled with Cosmos. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
Trip was fantastic, the tour director had 38 people in the group but handled each of our concerns very well. We all got along very well and made some good friendships.
We were looking forward to travelling with a group of friends whom we have known for years. Highlights included Iguassu Falls, one of the greatest natural wonders of the world. It was amazing from the Brazilian side of the Falls however on crossing the border the Argentine side of the Falls was just spectacular, the cascading landscape and the serene read more beauty was breathtaking. Lake Titicaca with a group of approximately 40 artificially made floating islands was simply awesome and amazing in how the island was build, the homes, etc using natural materials.
I would travel with Cosmos again. The tour was well planned and organised, though the pace was a little hectic as the city tours ended around 1ish. I was quite exhausted with the early morning starts and was rather hungry for lunch. Accommodations were comfortable and centrally situated with eating places, sundry shops, shopping areas within easy reach. (In Rio de Janeiro the Copacabana Beach was just down the road from the hotel). Local guides were knowledgeable about the local history and the people, they gave us good pointers should we roam around by ourselves. Drivers were excellent in manoeuvring tight corners, busy chaotic traffic and kept us safe on the roads.
I would like to commend our Tour Director, Fernando Bordallo. I have nothing but praise and admiration for him. He gave clear and precise instructions and showed such patience when asked the same question umpteenth times. He showed engagement with his ‘Cosmos family’ as within a couple of days he knew all his travellers by name and faces. He was very responsible making sure that no one was left behind and if any member was not accounted for he would go looking for the person. He showed empathy for his ‘flock of sheep’ as when any member was unwell he kept an eye on that person.
He was as meticulous as one could possibly be with his paperwork/prep work: Boarding passes were on hand for all the flights: Iguassu Falls, Buenos Aires, Lima, Cusco, Juliaca, and finally Lima where our tour ended. Fernando and the local guides would lead us to the airport check-in counter and ensure that all his travellers were safely checked through then he would be the last to go through. Porters were organised to collect our luggage from the coach to the airport check-in counter and from the carousel of the airports when we landed. Train tickets were ready to Aguas Calientes, the quaint town closest to the "Lost City of the Incas", and he had entry tickets ready for our admission to Machu Picchu.
It could not have been an easy job to handle 35 people of different nationalities and personalities. I could not begin to imagine the after-hours he puts in when we retire for the night. His time keeping and management flair indicated his dedication to his job. He did his job to the best of his abilities and he carried himself well professionally.
I would go with Global/Cosmos/Avalon for my future trips however I would need to save up as it is quite expensive however you get what you pay for. A tip for future travellers: Set your goals and priorities. If seeing the world is one of your interests, save up and embark on the journey while you’re fit and healthy. The world is huge, there’s so much to see and so little time.
In terms of the quality of accommodation: Recanto Park, Iguassu Falls – we were upgraded to a suite which was luxurious. Kenton Palace, Buenos Aires – again we were upgraded, and the room was so comfortable. San Agustin Exclusive, Lima – the air ducting in this hotel was only for heating thus the room was rather stuffy. La Casona Yucay, Sacred Valley – this hotel was just lovely, particularly the beautiful surrounding of the majestic mountain. Jose Antonio Cusco, Cusco – this hotel was very uncomfortable and stifling. Our room had a view of the road and there was no air conditioning so we had the window opened but in doing so it was noisy and very dusty.
We travelled in September which was a good time being spring in the southern hemisphere, temperature was mild and cool. It was a big group of 35 with ages ranging from the 30s to 70s. Travellers were from Australia, New Zealand, UK, Canada, US and Malaysia. We all got along, we all looked out for one another, we all were concerned for each other when anyone was ill, we all stopped when one member had a fall and when one person collapsed from the high altitude. I couldn’t ask for a better group of travellers.
I would travel with Cosmos again. The tour was well planned and organised, though the pace was a little hectic as the city tours ended around 1ish. I was quite exhausted with the early morning starts and was rather hungry for lunch. Accommodations were comfortable and centrally situated with eating places, sundry shops, shopping areas within easy reach. (In Rio de Janeiro the Copacabana Beach was just down the road from the hotel). Local guides were knowledgeable about the local history and the people, they gave us good pointers should we roam around by ourselves. Drivers were excellent in manoeuvring tight corners, busy chaotic traffic and kept us safe on the roads.
I would like to commend our Tour Director, Fernando Bordallo. I have nothing but praise and admiration for him. He gave clear and precise instructions and showed such patience when asked the same question umpteenth times. He showed engagement with his ‘Cosmos family’ as within a couple of days he knew all his travellers by name and faces. He was very responsible making sure that no one was left behind and if any member was not accounted for he would go looking for the person. He showed empathy for his ‘flock of sheep’ as when any member was unwell he kept an eye on that person.
He was as meticulous as one could possibly be with his paperwork/prep work: Boarding passes were on hand for all the flights: Iguassu Falls, Buenos Aires, Lima, Cusco, Juliaca, and finally Lima where our tour ended. Fernando and the local guides would lead us to the airport check-in counter and ensure that all his travellers were safely checked through then he would be the last to go through. Porters were organised to collect our luggage from the coach to the airport check-in counter and from the carousel of the airports when we landed. Train tickets were ready to Aguas Calientes, the quaint town closest to the "Lost City of the Incas", and he had entry tickets ready for our admission to Machu Picchu.
It could not have been an easy job to handle 35 people of different nationalities and personalities. I could not begin to imagine the after-hours he puts in when we retire for the night. His time keeping and management flair indicated his dedication to his job. He did his job to the best of his abilities and he carried himself well professionally.
I would go with Global/Cosmos/Avalon for my future trips however I would need to save up as it is quite expensive however you get what you pay for. A tip for future travellers: Set your goals and priorities. If seeing the world is one of your interests, save up and embark on the journey while you’re fit and healthy. The world is huge, there’s so much to see and so little time.
In terms of the quality of accommodation: Recanto Park, Iguassu Falls – we were upgraded to a suite which was luxurious. Kenton Palace, Buenos Aires – again we were upgraded, and the room was so comfortable. San Agustin Exclusive, Lima – the air ducting in this hotel was only for heating thus the room was rather stuffy. La Casona Yucay, Sacred Valley – this hotel was just lovely, particularly the beautiful surrounding of the majestic mountain. Jose Antonio Cusco, Cusco – this hotel was very uncomfortable and stifling. Our room had a view of the road and there was no air conditioning so we had the window opened but in doing so it was noisy and very dusty.
We travelled in September which was a good time being spring in the southern hemisphere, temperature was mild and cool. It was a big group of 35 with ages ranging from the 30s to 70s. Travellers were from Australia, New Zealand, UK, Canada, US and Malaysia. We all got along, we all looked out for one another, we all were concerned for each other when anyone was ill, we all stopped when one member had a fall and when one person collapsed from the high altitude. I couldn’t ask for a better group of travellers.
In reality 2 tours with 2 different tour coaches and directors. First observation is that September is now pretty much part of high season, so perhaps these days the slowdown really starts towards the end of September. Tour 1 was Rome and Amalfi Coast area. Hotel in Rome not great but close to Villa Borghese museum (100% must see) and bus lines to read more take you to the heart of Rome. Optional excursion to Tivoli Gardens a must do. Sorrento and Amalfi Coast are tourist ghettos but still worth seeing once. Hotel in Sorrento OK. Anacapri and Isle of Capri lovely and hotel was great. First tour director not really that helpful.
Tour 2 was the Sicily extension - a really good tour. Sicily is unspoilt and shows a more traditional part of Italy with lovely scenery. Second Tour Director and the hotels were good. The optional Sicilian restaurant nights were good fun. We jumped off the tour after the Naples guided walk and spent 4 days in Naples. An incredible city, great fun, so much grand history and energy . Don't believe any bad press about Naples, no worse than any other big city, we could have spent a week in Naples.
Tour 2 was the Sicily extension - a really good tour. Sicily is unspoilt and shows a more traditional part of Italy with lovely scenery. Second Tour Director and the hotels were good. The optional Sicilian restaurant nights were good fun. We jumped off the tour after the Naples guided walk and spent 4 days in Naples. An incredible city, great fun, so much grand history and energy . Don't believe any bad press about Naples, no worse than any other big city, we could have spent a week in Naples.
The trip was fabulous. Our tour guide, Peter, was great. Very informative, made things come alive and made the trip so enjoyable. All the passengers got along and we all had fun. The optional tours were fantastic and a must to do. Would definitely book with Cosmos again.
Enjoyable tour through Japan 2
Dawn, VIC, Australia, Sep 2019
We arrived in Tokyo 2 days before the start of the tour. We managed to navigate the metro system to visit some additional attractions not on the tour. Aki was our guide who was very knowledgable and was very helpful with advice. Our group comprised of 16 and we all enjoyed each other’s company. It was very hot and humid for our tour which slowed read more us down a bit. There was quite a lot of walking and steps to climb when visiting temples and shrines so we were quite tired at the end of each day.
The highlights of the tour were Tokyo, Takayama where we visited the thatched houses and stayed in a beautiful hotel in the Alps which had a thermal spa and beautiful scenery. Kyoto was enjoyable, Temple of the Gold Pavilion and the Adachi Museum of Art and Gardens. Hiroshima was special and very emotional and of course the bullet trains were amazing. Our tour ended in Osaka but unfortunately we did not have time for sightseeing. I would suggest adding on an extra day to spend some time in Osaka. On reflection I think November would have been a better month to travel, a bit cooler and you would see the autumn colours.
The accommodation on the most part was good, perhaps the location could have been better in some cases.
The optional tours were good, we did Mt Fuji which was covered in fog but an enjoyable day and Nara. I would suggest booking your optional tours from home in advance as we did not thinking we could book at the start of the tour as we have done on other tours, Cosmos included. In this case we were told that the tours could be booked out but luckily we were able to be included. On booking the tour it would be advisable for Cosmos to inform people of the importance of pre-booking the optional tours.
It would have been good to have some included meals so that the group could socialise. We had difficulty ordering meals due to the menus being in Japanese and staff not speaking English. We had to resort to 7 Eleven and Starbucks at times due to the communication problem. A few group dinners with our guide would have helped and taken the stress out of selecting food. We did manage to find a pub and had a hamburger and chips one night. All in all despite the challenges we had a wonderful time with lots of laughs and memories to cherish.
The highlights of the tour were Tokyo, Takayama where we visited the thatched houses and stayed in a beautiful hotel in the Alps which had a thermal spa and beautiful scenery. Kyoto was enjoyable, Temple of the Gold Pavilion and the Adachi Museum of Art and Gardens. Hiroshima was special and very emotional and of course the bullet trains were amazing. Our tour ended in Osaka but unfortunately we did not have time for sightseeing. I would suggest adding on an extra day to spend some time in Osaka. On reflection I think November would have been a better month to travel, a bit cooler and you would see the autumn colours.
The accommodation on the most part was good, perhaps the location could have been better in some cases.
The optional tours were good, we did Mt Fuji which was covered in fog but an enjoyable day and Nara. I would suggest booking your optional tours from home in advance as we did not thinking we could book at the start of the tour as we have done on other tours, Cosmos included. In this case we were told that the tours could be booked out but luckily we were able to be included. On booking the tour it would be advisable for Cosmos to inform people of the importance of pre-booking the optional tours.
It would have been good to have some included meals so that the group could socialise. We had difficulty ordering meals due to the menus being in Japanese and staff not speaking English. We had to resort to 7 Eleven and Starbucks at times due to the communication problem. A few group dinners with our guide would have helped and taken the stress out of selecting food. We did manage to find a pub and had a hamburger and chips one night. All in all despite the challenges we had a wonderful time with lots of laughs and memories to cherish.
This was my first tour with Cosmos (previously I've travelled with Trafalgar and Insight). I was very impressed with this tour - great itinerary and young, active, informative Tour Director. Included meals were very good. Every day was wonderful seeing the beautiful Norwegian scenery, highlight after highlight. We were lucky with the weather with only read more one rainy day in Bergen - the hotel actually supplies each room with an umbrella they have so many rainy days. Thoroughly recommend this tour as an introduction to Norway.
Norway has beautiful scenery everywhere we visited. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Our favourite spot was a small village named Loen.
Enjoyable trip 2
New York City, Niagara Falls & Washington DC with Extended Stay in New York City
Thirimadura, VIC, Australia, Aug 2019
Jemma at Global Journeys did a wonderful job arranging the trip and the flights. I didn't have to worry about anything, all the support and advise provided was very good.
Trans American Adventure 11
Trans-American Adventure
Glenys & Peter Fortune, VIC, Australia, Aug 2019
We thoroughly enjoyed this holiday. It was a perfect mixture of cities and countryside and such a variety of landscapes. We thought that it was excellent value for money, accommodation was good, all the beds being comfortable and the rooms clean. We had a wonderful group to travel with, which added to the enjoyment. Also our tour guide, John, was excellent, read more very knowledgable, conscientious and caring. We felt safe at all times with our bus driver, Dave. Thanks to Jodie Wallis for organising this trip for us.
Enjoyed the trip. Very well organised. Both Tour director & coach driver were very experienced and responsible. Very happy with most of the hotels except for a strong smoke smell in the room at Las Vegas. Hotel changed me to another room the next day. Coach was very comfortable.
Highlights for me were the optional Tuscan farm dinner and our stay at Lake Maggiore (the scenery was breathtaking). A nice surprise was Milan and Genoa, both pretty cities with lots of trees and parks. My tour was late Aug/early Sept and it was very hot and humid.
The majority of people on the tour were very friendly and came from Australia, USA, read more Canada and Scotland.
One of the main disappointments for me was the location of some of the hotels (not always in the city or town) so if you weren't doing all the excursions and wanted to explore on your own it was very difficult. My booking experience with Global Journeys was very good and I had no issues to speak of.
The majority of people on the tour were very friendly and came from Australia, USA, read more Canada and Scotland.
One of the main disappointments for me was the location of some of the hotels (not always in the city or town) so if you weren't doing all the excursions and wanted to explore on your own it was very difficult. My booking experience with Global Journeys was very good and I had no issues to speak of.
This Cosmos tour far exceeded my expectations. Being a cheaper tour I wasn't expecting too much, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It was very professionally organised and the tour director, Jorge, went out of his way to ensure everyone's needs were met. The driver, Teles, was also amazing and we all were in awe of his driving skills and he returned read more us safely without incident.
Being a solo traveller I chose to pay the single supplement. With the exception of one hotel, I was very happy that I wasn't given a tiny room every night. The hotels were of a good standard and the included breakfasts were varied and plentiful. It was nice porterage was included at the hotels. The hotels were all quite well situated, except for two, but they were very close to public transport. The included dinners were reasonably good but the one in Porto was excellent.
I chose two optional tours , Cascais and Sintra, which was good as you got to see something more than the city. The other was the Douro River cruise. This was a nice way to end the day and the meal was quite good also. Other travellers really enjoyed the Flamenco Show and the Fado night. If you take the Madrid optional tour it doesn't leave you any free time to explore the city unless you stay on after the tour ends. Some travellers complained of this. On the whole the the included excursions were very good however the Generalife Gardens at the Alhambra were quite rushed. I would have liked more time here as, to me, it was the highlight of the tour. I didn't really like the city tour of Lisbon or Madrid as you mainly just drove around looking out the window of the bus. You could go back but there wasn't really enough time.
Our tour group were a great mix of Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, Americans and a few Indians. Everyone got on fantastically and it made it a wonderful and memorable holiday. Many thanks to Hannah at Global Journeys for all her help and organisation. I will definitely use Global Journeys and Cosmos again when I travel.
Being a solo traveller I chose to pay the single supplement. With the exception of one hotel, I was very happy that I wasn't given a tiny room every night. The hotels were of a good standard and the included breakfasts were varied and plentiful. It was nice porterage was included at the hotels. The hotels were all quite well situated, except for two, but they were very close to public transport. The included dinners were reasonably good but the one in Porto was excellent.
I chose two optional tours , Cascais and Sintra, which was good as you got to see something more than the city. The other was the Douro River cruise. This was a nice way to end the day and the meal was quite good also. Other travellers really enjoyed the Flamenco Show and the Fado night. If you take the Madrid optional tour it doesn't leave you any free time to explore the city unless you stay on after the tour ends. Some travellers complained of this. On the whole the the included excursions were very good however the Generalife Gardens at the Alhambra were quite rushed. I would have liked more time here as, to me, it was the highlight of the tour. I didn't really like the city tour of Lisbon or Madrid as you mainly just drove around looking out the window of the bus. You could go back but there wasn't really enough time.
Our tour group were a great mix of Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, Americans and a few Indians. Everyone got on fantastically and it made it a wonderful and memorable holiday. Many thanks to Hannah at Global Journeys for all her help and organisation. I will definitely use Global Journeys and Cosmos again when I travel.
Beautiful scenery, weather permitting 4
Alpine Adventure, Bernina & Glacier Express
Gwen, TAS, Australia, Aug 2019
A great trip on the whole, but the weather was extremely changeable and the optional excursions to Gornergrat and Stanserhorn, for which we'd paid a substantial amount, were a complete waste of time because the low cloud meant that we had no views at all. The tour leader, on the other hand, treated us as if we were children, repeating instructions several read more times and on a few occasions failing to be punctual when meeting back at the tour coach.
Our trip was absolutely fabulous, we had a fantastic holiday. We were lucky to have 37 amazing people on the trip. Most were Australians and Americans. The Tour Director was 11 out of 10 and so was the Driver. The trip was reasonably paced and we saw all the sights we wanted to and more. Included meals were good and all optional excursions were good read more value and enjoyable. Most of the accommodation was good except for the Ibis these rooms were very small, thankfully it's only for one night.
I think this Cosmos trip was definitely value for money, I don't think we could have had a better time, even if we paid more. Our booking through Global Journeys was very smooth, with no problems at all. This is my second Cosmos trip and my second booking through Global Journeys, and I would use both again for future travel.
I think this Cosmos trip was definitely value for money, I don't think we could have had a better time, even if we paid more. Our booking through Global Journeys was very smooth, with no problems at all. This is my second Cosmos trip and my second booking through Global Journeys, and I would use both again for future travel.
This was a great tour, more than I expected. The other 5 who went with me were really thankful to me for choosing this tour. Everyone said Niagara Falls was exciting. Though I learnt a lot about American history, it was great to learn about Canada as well. Having breakfast and visiting 'Maple Syrup' farm in Quebec was great, as we only knew about it read more from story books. I loved all the cities in Canada. Some of us had emotional experiences visiting Washington DC and New York monuments. I learnt what makes America great and how much America has helped other nations.
Our tour guide, Daryl had a good knowledge of the history and economy of both the countries. He was very thorough in his job. Once my suitcase ended up in someone else’s room, he came personally to assure me that I need not panic and found my bag within 20 minutes in such a big hotel. The only thing I would have preferred was that all breakfast and some dinners were included in the tour. It was difficult at times to hunt for food especially in the morning.
Overall I am very pleased with the tour and Global Journeys for arranging my tour with Cosmos. Once again, I thank Hannah for organising it step by step, and answering all my questions promptly.
Our tour guide, Daryl had a good knowledge of the history and economy of both the countries. He was very thorough in his job. Once my suitcase ended up in someone else’s room, he came personally to assure me that I need not panic and found my bag within 20 minutes in such a big hotel. The only thing I would have preferred was that all breakfast and some dinners were included in the tour. It was difficult at times to hunt for food especially in the morning.
Overall I am very pleased with the tour and Global Journeys for arranging my tour with Cosmos. Once again, I thank Hannah for organising it step by step, and answering all my questions promptly.
Very disappointing tour. Tour Director and driver both very rude and they had very little knowledge of points of interest or historical significance. All information was read from a photocopied sheet as she sat in the front of bus before we arrived at a destination. Unable to answer questions put to her.
We were all treated like naughty children read more and admonished for being 1 minute late. Most stops were at truck stops and it was very slow to use bathrooms and get food. We spent most of our days having free time and then arriving at our evening hotels usually after 7. No time for shower before dinner. It took a ridiculous amount of time for keys to be distributed even once we arrived. At some locations room keys opened more than one door and some rooms had 2 lots of people allocated to them.
The accommodation was of a very poor standard most evenings and on 3 nights we had to collect our luggage from the bus and take to our own rooms. The following morning we had to get our luggage out to the bus ourselves. We were usually in trouble for not doing that right either.
Some Optional tours were very poor. The sightseeing tour in London €32 per person and lasted 2 hours with a guide who was very rude and pompous. We had to run to keep up with him and we are fit. Very unpleasant start to our trip. The Gondola ride in Venice was something we were really looking forward to but our tour guide (Tim) allocated us to gondolas. Our Gondola had 6 of us in it. 1 person weighed 185kg his father was 135kg and his mother 100kg. Paul is 100kg, Kevin 92kg and Loretta 65kg. This was ridiculous and we spent our entire ride terrified and trying to balance the boat. The tour guide would take no responsibility and we believe we should have our money refunded for this extremely unpleasant experience.
I could go on with a lot more examples of the very poor standard of this tour. My tour in Ireland was not perfect but at least the guide and our accommodation was of a good standard. Kevin has been on Costsaver, Trafalgar and On the Go tours and each time the drivers and tour guides were friendly, approachable, knowledgeable, helpful and informative. Neither of us would ever recommend Cosmos to anyone.
We were all treated like naughty children read more and admonished for being 1 minute late. Most stops were at truck stops and it was very slow to use bathrooms and get food. We spent most of our days having free time and then arriving at our evening hotels usually after 7. No time for shower before dinner. It took a ridiculous amount of time for keys to be distributed even once we arrived. At some locations room keys opened more than one door and some rooms had 2 lots of people allocated to them.
The accommodation was of a very poor standard most evenings and on 3 nights we had to collect our luggage from the bus and take to our own rooms. The following morning we had to get our luggage out to the bus ourselves. We were usually in trouble for not doing that right either.
Some Optional tours were very poor. The sightseeing tour in London €32 per person and lasted 2 hours with a guide who was very rude and pompous. We had to run to keep up with him and we are fit. Very unpleasant start to our trip. The Gondola ride in Venice was something we were really looking forward to but our tour guide (Tim) allocated us to gondolas. Our Gondola had 6 of us in it. 1 person weighed 185kg his father was 135kg and his mother 100kg. Paul is 100kg, Kevin 92kg and Loretta 65kg. This was ridiculous and we spent our entire ride terrified and trying to balance the boat. The tour guide would take no responsibility and we believe we should have our money refunded for this extremely unpleasant experience.
I could go on with a lot more examples of the very poor standard of this tour. My tour in Ireland was not perfect but at least the guide and our accommodation was of a good standard. Kevin has been on Costsaver, Trafalgar and On the Go tours and each time the drivers and tour guides were friendly, approachable, knowledgeable, helpful and informative. Neither of us would ever recommend Cosmos to anyone.
Tour location was great. We visited the main highlights of Spain and Portugal. Our Guide Roxana was helpful and the Local Guides were very informative.
First time traveller with Cosmos. Bit concerned when it had no meals included but found it easy to source meals. Our tour guide was brilliant and our bus driver did a fantastic job getting us around. Highlight of our trip was the great bunch of people on our tour. Would definitely travel with Cosmos again.
Everything went perfectly 6
The Canadian Rockies with Alaska Cruise
Yvonne & Edmondo, NSW, Australia, Aug 2019
We travelled to Canada for a 13 night coach trip from Vancouver to Banff, Sun Peaks, Jasper, Whistler and Victoria on Vancouver Island. The coach was very comfy and the accommodation was nice. Our tour director was very knowledgeable and very approachable. We then went on a 7 day cruise up to Alaska which was magical. I cannot fault any part of this read more trip. Everything went perfectly with no hiccups and was handled extremely professionally.
Canyons and National Parks of America. 4
Exploring America's National Parks
Lynne , NSW, Australia, Aug 2019
Highly recommend this sightseeing tour of the most amazing topography anywhere could offer. The Cosmos tour was well run and accommodation was clean & very comfortable. A fast paced tour that covered over 5,000km with a careful and courteous driver. The scenery was amazing, our brains are full!!!
