Cosmos Tour Reviews
The 1984 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.
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5 Star
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2 Star
1 Star
Canadian Rockies with Alaskan Cruise 0
The Canadian Rockies with Alaska Cruise
Retired Couple, NSW , Australia, Apr 2025
Rachel was a wonderful support as our contact agent from Global Journeys and answered all our questions and concerns immediately. The tour was wonderful and so much more spectacular than we thought. It was a shame the Colombia Icefield Explorer wasn't open but we did receive a refund. James our tour guide was exceptional with his incredible depth of read more knowledge and attention to detail on every aspect of the tour. Todd our driver was excellent also, his coach was always immaculately clean, very safe driving, always helping with our luggage with a smile. There were fantastic highlights just about everyday with lots of wow moments. James ensured everyone had a wonderful holiday with lots of great memories.
The Alaskan Cruise was run by Holland America. Unfortunately there were a few issues with our room, with the toilet becoming blocked twice, the room temperature way to hot to be comfortable let alone sleep. All issues reported. Toilet fixed twice, but no change in room temperature all week. We were somehow put on a German Group table every night for dinner. It was eventually sorted but were told we needed to eat at 5pm or eat with strangers.
Getting off for shore excursions was completely unorganised especially at the Juneau Port. It was unsafe with the crowd swell and number of elderly requiring assistance but unable to get it in the stairwells . We chose not to do any further excursions. Glacier Bay on the cruise was excellent. In the Fine Dining, portions were way too small and unfortunately the crowds and no seating at the Lido was not a pleasant experience. Unfortunately we wouldn't recommend the Alaska cruise week component. We would rate the land component as 4 stars, the cruise 2 stars.
The Alaskan Cruise was run by Holland America. Unfortunately there were a few issues with our room, with the toilet becoming blocked twice, the room temperature way to hot to be comfortable let alone sleep. All issues reported. Toilet fixed twice, but no change in room temperature all week. We were somehow put on a German Group table every night for dinner. It was eventually sorted but were told we needed to eat at 5pm or eat with strangers.
Getting off for shore excursions was completely unorganised especially at the Juneau Port. It was unsafe with the crowd swell and number of elderly requiring assistance but unable to get it in the stairwells . We chose not to do any further excursions. Glacier Bay on the cruise was excellent. In the Fine Dining, portions were way too small and unfortunately the crowds and no seating at the Lido was not a pleasant experience. Unfortunately we wouldn't recommend the Alaska cruise week component. We would rate the land component as 4 stars, the cruise 2 stars.
Sadly, not as good as I have come to expect 0
New York City, Niagara Falls & Washington DC with Extended Stay in New York City
Joan, VIC, Australia, Apr 2025
I have travelled with Cosmos on a number of occasions, and they have never disappointed until this tour. The Tour Director was not good. He gave scant commentary, and very little detail on the history of the places we were visiting. He seemed to be more interested in talking about himself, and telling stupid jokes, that only he laughed at. I also thought read more there was way too much 'free time' on this tour. Some free time is nice, but not hours every day. Considering the cost of the tour, there were not enough meals provided. As a result, I am unable to give the tour a good rating.
Cosmos US Tour 8002 April 18 2025 0
New York City, Niagara Falls & Washington DC with Extended Stay in New York City
Junelle, New Zealand, Apr 2025
The tour was really disappointing. The tour Director was nice enough but it felt that he had done it all too many times with tired and dated jokes, played videos rather than engaging fellow travellers. There were no group gatherings prior to the tour start, no name tags - we all just loaded onto the coachload of strangers. We were days into the tour read more and there were people on the coach that I hadn't seen before! Breakfast was included at most hotels which were quite adequate. A dinner included at the beginning in particular would be nice. The optional dinner at the end was expensive and only average quality - certainly not worth US$75. We expected group seating but it was individual tables of four mostly with little interaction.
In Philadelphia, we were all disappointed that tickets (free) needed to arrange a visit to Independence Hall were all allocated the day before. Most of us were keen to see this. We felt that Cosmos or Tour Director could have arranged tickets for us so that we didn't miss out. It was from this point on that many of the people we spoke to shared their disappointment with the tour. Some of the hotels, particularly Washington were quite a distance from food options. At times the Tour Director wasn't aware of where we could obtain food. Most of the hotels had no restaraunts attached. Overall I would not recommend this tour. I have also expressed my opinion directly with Cosmos.
In Philadelphia, we were all disappointed that tickets (free) needed to arrange a visit to Independence Hall were all allocated the day before. Most of us were keen to see this. We felt that Cosmos or Tour Director could have arranged tickets for us so that we didn't miss out. It was from this point on that many of the people we spoke to shared their disappointment with the tour. Some of the hotels, particularly Washington were quite a distance from food options. At times the Tour Director wasn't aware of where we could obtain food. Most of the hotels had no restaraunts attached. Overall I would not recommend this tour. I have also expressed my opinion directly with Cosmos.
Nice trip along southern and eastern coast of South Africa 2
South Africa: from the Cape to Kruger with Victoria Falls
Julie, Australia, Mar 2025
The scenery was amazing. The safaris were brilliant and we were lucky to experience a wide variety of animals in the wild, a lot very close. The standard of hotels was good, some locations not great. Food was great. We had a great group of people and lucky to only have 12. I wish more trips were limited to 12 people. One hotel in particular was in read more the middle of nowhere and I wished we could have stayed in the city in Eswatini so that we had the opportunity to wander around in our free time and mix with the locals.
This trip lacked the opportunity for me to understand and mix with local people other than hotel staff and guides. Whilst I understand the need for advising passengers of safety, not everyone in South Africa is a criminal. There needs to be interaction with locals incorporated into the main itinerary and options. Not just the touristy shopping stops along the way. The Zimbabwe section was not continued with same guide and the travel company that were supposed to be looking after the group did not do that!
This trip lacked the opportunity for me to understand and mix with local people other than hotel staff and guides. Whilst I understand the need for advising passengers of safety, not everyone in South Africa is a criminal. There needs to be interaction with locals incorporated into the main itinerary and options. Not just the touristy shopping stops along the way. The Zimbabwe section was not continued with same guide and the travel company that were supposed to be looking after the group did not do that!
Spain Portugal and Morocco December 24 to January 25 was a good tour. Saw plenty of the highlights although Portugal could have been a little longer and Morocco less. All in all a good trip.
November neither too hot nor too cold and lovely autumn colours and every day different: with no “maddening crowds”. Tour guide and driver excellent - November 2024. I had extra week in Rome and discovered the amazing Church of the Holy Stairs and Church of St Peter in Chains. Don’t miss visiting church where Michael Angelo, Galileo and others buried read more in square where you start and end your Florence tour.
Booking through Global Journeys has always been a hassle free and easy process. The Cosmos tour was wonderful with the highlights being Mt Fuji, visiting Bizen and Himeji Castle and the delicious food. There is so much to see and do. We had a full day of free time in Tokyo and Kyoto and it was not enough. Japan is just a fantastic place to visit. I would like to go back again.
To go and see the monastery wass always what I wanted to do so I’m so glad that I've done it now, Booking with Hannah makes booking so easy. She is so wonderful and efficient to deal with, not to mention very fast to respond your questions. It was a busy tour and we had 44 of us but we all got along very well, I have been on a few tours with really read more big in group sizes and I remember sometimes I only know the person sitting next to me but in this tour I knew more than 2/3 of group members. Everyone was so friendly. I would book another Cosmos trip again and of course I will use Hannah as my booking agent at Global Journeys. Thank you Hannah.
We were absolutely happy with the bus journey, the tour leader and bus driver, the atmosphere in the bus with all the passengers eager to help and converse and the venues and accommodation It exceeded our expectations.
Sensational tour guide (Nancy), outstanding driver (Sean) and an exceptional group of people. Well organised from both ends, Aus & US. Some hotels were a little underwhelming but in saying that most were well positioned with good access to attractions, services etc. The pick up guides were well informed & passionate about their city. Big thumbs up from us. 👍👍👍
A great trip 0
Mysteries of the Inca Empire with Peru's Amazon
Warwick and Dale, VIC, Australia, Sep 2024
Well planned trip loads to see and do . The Amazon was amazing and didn’t disappoint with clean accommodation in the middle of the jungle and Elvia was a great quide.
10 Day Grand tour of Switzerland. 0
Grand Tour of Switzerland
Sharon and Robert, NSW, Australia, Sep 2024
Wow, we thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Cosmos. We travelled mid September and the weather was great. Packed too many winter clothes and learn't we only needed half the amount. A good thick puffer jacket was used frequently outdoors but was never freezing. Sunshine most days, so lucky.. Our stop in Gruyere was nice to see the castle and surrounds but read more most on bus thought the time spent at the cheese factory was wasted time. We had a great group of fellow travellers from far and wide which made the trip even better. The best accommodation was at St Moritz called The Baren Hotel. A comfy quaint hotel in a central area with bus stop out front. This is our second tour with Cosmos and were happy. Its not 5 star but if you want your money to go further to spend on extras its good enough. Sam was very helpful with our booking through Global Journeys. We would do it again. 🙂👌
Impressive Germany - cities, villages and countryside. 0
Ian and Maria, VIC, Australia, Sep 2024
Cosmos as usual offered a comprehensive circuit of Germany featuring impressive major cities, historic villages and countryside. Lots of walking was needed which enabled a sound appreciation of the sights. Early rises and punctual departures maximised our sightseeing. Kristina the tour guide was always pleasant and well organised. G our driver was totally read more professional. Highlights were Berlin, Dresden and Bavaria -we were in awe of post war re-construction. Thanks to Georgie Walpole for the effective booking arrangements. Highly recommended.
Maisie at Global was very helpful and the trip itself was varied and very comfortable. I had a great time.
Enjoyable Tour of Apulia 0
Michelle, NSW, Australia, Sep 2024
We had a group of 40, with most being Australian, with a few English and Americans. The region is covered in olive groves and vineyards, although we did drive through some pretty farming country on our way back to Naples. There were many lovely old town centres to explore, and I particularly loved seeing the Truli houses in Alberobello. Be prepared read more for quite a bit of walking on cobbled streets (often quite steep), in the old towns on this tour. On a couple of occasions we were given time for lunch and to explore on our own after our guided walking tour, but many felt these breaks were too long. Be warned that in Italy there are very few public toilets, and even if an actual tourist attraction has onsite toilets, they often don't work. When you do manage to find a public one, there's often a huge queue and you have to pay (anything from 50c -1.20 Euro). The recommendation from the tour guide was to sit down to eat or have coffee at a cafe, as they always have a free toilet.
Optional tour - "Apulian Delights" Farm Fresh Dinner & Pizzzica Show - I had expected that going to a farm we would be shown around the farm itself, but we were just given a short tour of the farm buildings and a brief history, followed by a dinner made from farm fresh ingredients, with about 3/4 hour of music & local dances - guests were encouraged to join in the dancing. Although I enjoyed the evening, I felt it was a bit pricey for what it was.
Optional tour - Caves of Matera with Altamura - took 2 hours to drive there, but the countryside was pretty on the way there. I enjoyed the walking tour of Matera to see the ancient cave houses, (we even saw a movie being made there), but felt that the walking tour of Altamura was a bit of a let down. I very much enjoyed the day, and felt this tour was worth the money.
The accommodation on the tour was fairly good, except for the location of the Holiday Inn in Naples - it's in the central business district, which isn't in a very pleasant area, with empty and derelict buildings surrounding it, and no food shops anywhere near. If you're a solo traveller I wouldn't recommend walking to the railway station on your own. Naples is very dirty, with garbage and graffiti absolutely everywhere, so except for using Naples as a base for visiting Pompeii, I personally wouldn't recommend spending much time there.
Cosmos no longer pay for portage, so you have to take your own suitcase to and from the bus each day, so I recommend you don't have a big or heavy one. Our coach driver was very good and I felt safe in his hands, as he maneuvered the huge bus through tiny streets and tight corners in the old towns. Our tour guide hasn't being doing it for very long, and to me it showed, (other tour members agreed with me). Unfortunately she wasn't as flexible as she should have been with passengers who requested a bathroom stop, or those who were struggling doing all the walking.
All in all an interesting and enjoyable tour, but not the best Cosmos tour I've been on. Thanks to Tracey for helping me organise the trip. I look forward to booking my next tour through Global Journeys again.
Optional tour - "Apulian Delights" Farm Fresh Dinner & Pizzzica Show - I had expected that going to a farm we would be shown around the farm itself, but we were just given a short tour of the farm buildings and a brief history, followed by a dinner made from farm fresh ingredients, with about 3/4 hour of music & local dances - guests were encouraged to join in the dancing. Although I enjoyed the evening, I felt it was a bit pricey for what it was.
Optional tour - Caves of Matera with Altamura - took 2 hours to drive there, but the countryside was pretty on the way there. I enjoyed the walking tour of Matera to see the ancient cave houses, (we even saw a movie being made there), but felt that the walking tour of Altamura was a bit of a let down. I very much enjoyed the day, and felt this tour was worth the money.
The accommodation on the tour was fairly good, except for the location of the Holiday Inn in Naples - it's in the central business district, which isn't in a very pleasant area, with empty and derelict buildings surrounding it, and no food shops anywhere near. If you're a solo traveller I wouldn't recommend walking to the railway station on your own. Naples is very dirty, with garbage and graffiti absolutely everywhere, so except for using Naples as a base for visiting Pompeii, I personally wouldn't recommend spending much time there.
Cosmos no longer pay for portage, so you have to take your own suitcase to and from the bus each day, so I recommend you don't have a big or heavy one. Our coach driver was very good and I felt safe in his hands, as he maneuvered the huge bus through tiny streets and tight corners in the old towns. Our tour guide hasn't being doing it for very long, and to me it showed, (other tour members agreed with me). Unfortunately she wasn't as flexible as she should have been with passengers who requested a bathroom stop, or those who were struggling doing all the walking.
All in all an interesting and enjoyable tour, but not the best Cosmos tour I've been on. Thanks to Tracey for helping me organise the trip. I look forward to booking my next tour through Global Journeys again.
Spectacular Canada 0
Canadian Masterpiece with Rocky Mountaineer
Vicki and Craig , WA, Australia, Aug 2024
My husband and I had a great holiday/tour throughout Canada with Cosmos. We call it a tour as you are up early and on the go, not much time for sleep ins. We appreciated the stays of 2 nights, as it gave us a chance to relax and explore. Our tour guide Sharon, was always on hand to answer any questions and give advice when needed. Sharon was very helpful read more and full of knowledge. The Rocky Mountaineer Gold Leaf was exceptional - staff are wonderful and the scenery stunning.
There are some places we would of preferred to have had a 2 nights stay, eg Whistler. When you do a bus trip, you get to see a lot of wonderful things but it is only a taste of the beauty of the places you visit. The hotels I thought were quaint and clean and all that we needed to rest at the end of the day. Our only hotel which was not to our satisfaction, was the Sandman City Hotel in Vancouver, old decor with dirty carpets. We would happily book again with Global Journeys, we both had an amazing time.
There are some places we would of preferred to have had a 2 nights stay, eg Whistler. When you do a bus trip, you get to see a lot of wonderful things but it is only a taste of the beauty of the places you visit. The hotels I thought were quaint and clean and all that we needed to rest at the end of the day. Our only hotel which was not to our satisfaction, was the Sandman City Hotel in Vancouver, old decor with dirty carpets. We would happily book again with Global Journeys, we both had an amazing time.
Well organized tour of the Canadian Rockies and Alaskan Cruise. 3
The Canadian Rockies with Alaska Cruise
Bruce and Lyndall, VIC, Australia, Aug 2024
This tour was a good balance between group sightseeing and built-in free days to explore on our own. Special mention goes to our bus driver Mike who drove us safely on winding mountain roads and through tight city traffic, and also our tour Leader Ken who kept us entertained and informed throughout or trip. We learnt so much from him about Canada that read more we never would have known had we travelled on our own. Our accommodation was clean and comfortable, with some locations actually well exceeding our expectations.
The weather this time of year was mostly sunny with only a couple of rainy days, and the Autumn leaves were just starting to change colour. We were unfortunately not able to visit Jasper as planned due to the recent wildfires, but Cosmos strived to compensate us with another night in Banff and a complimentary lake cruise, which we appreciated.
We enjoyed our Alaskan cruise with Holland America, and we were impressed by how clean the ship was and how smoothly everything seemed to run. Our travel advisor Maisie from Global journeys was easy to communicate with and responded quickly to any questions we had. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Cosmos and look forward to travelling with them again some time in the future.
The weather this time of year was mostly sunny with only a couple of rainy days, and the Autumn leaves were just starting to change colour. We were unfortunately not able to visit Jasper as planned due to the recent wildfires, but Cosmos strived to compensate us with another night in Banff and a complimentary lake cruise, which we appreciated.
We enjoyed our Alaskan cruise with Holland America, and we were impressed by how clean the ship was and how smoothly everything seemed to run. Our travel advisor Maisie from Global journeys was easy to communicate with and responded quickly to any questions we had. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Cosmos and look forward to travelling with them again some time in the future.
Great trip 0
Canadian Masterpiece with Rocky Mountaineer
Linda and Michael, VIC, Australia, Aug 2024
We were very happy with the service provided while on our Canadian Masterpiece Tour. Everything was as described in the itinerary. Our tour director and bus driver went above and beyond their duties to ensure we saw everything and to ensure our satisfaction. The service on the Rocky Mountaineer was also exceptional. We would organsie our travel with Global Journeys again.
Canadian Train Odyssey 1
Canadian Train Odyssey with Alaska Cruise
Michael and Linda, WA, Australia, Aug 2024
I feel the Vancouver section of the tour should have been completed before the cruise and included Whistler or Capilano as this was a highlight - we did this ourselves, I also feel like we were dumped before the cruise and tour should have included sights of Vancouver. The accommodation in all places was excellent , the train journey to Edmonton was read more excellent and the food on the train was amazing. I felt parts of the tour overall were a little rushed. When we arrived in Vancouver we had a day before the cruise and 2 days after, I feel we should have had all the days before the cruise and there were places to see that should have been included like Capilano or Whistler. Overall it was a wonderful holiday.
It was great trip from start to finish with lots of high lights loved San Francisco' Yosemite' also Santa Barbera and The Grand canyon. We had a good tour director in Graig and great driver called Greg. The tour was very well organised ran smoothly.
