Cosmos Tour Reviews
The 2,012 Cosmos Tour reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have travelled with Cosmos. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
The 2,012 Cosmos Tour reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have travelled with Cosmos. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
Every aspect of my holiday went very smoothly 1
The Best of Europe
Candice Martin, Australia, Oct 2013
I loved it...every aspect of my holiday went very smoothly. I am going to South America next year and will book through Global Journeys again without any hesitation. As I travelled alone for the first time there was a little bit of apprehension but it was great. Will travel solo again - in fact I preferred it. Met some really nice interesting people read more (fellow travellers) and our driver and tour leader, Mariella, were excellent even though some of the people were a trifle difficult at times. Having said that it didn't detract from the enjoyment of my holiday. Thank you for everything.
I had a great time touring Europe and will book a tour with Global Journeys again. Many thanks for organizing a wonderful holiday.
Exceeded my expectations, I had a wonderful time 1
The Best of Europe with London
Alistair Waddell, Australia, Oct 2013
This whirlwind tour of Europe exceeded my expectations. I had a wonderful time. I would be happy to recommend this tour to anyone who wants to maximise their time in Europe. Only one Hotel was below par. The Poppi near Venice. However Venice itself made up for that. My only thought, not directly related to my experience, relates to a small group of read more loud, foul mouthed, drunken Aussies on an overlapping tour. These louts would have left me with a very different experience had they been on the tour I took.
Found this trip too rushed 1
Kathleen Jones, Australia, Oct 2013
Found this trip too rushed. Felt it would have been better to have been given more of an idea of how long you spent just riding the bus on the highways, seeing nothing and then only spending a very short time when we did stop. But enjoyed seeing what I did get to see. (Ed: Review based on slightly different itinerary. Trip name and itinerary updated this season)
Aside from the hiccup with my booking (but soon resolved), everything to do with the tour went wonderfully well. The tour guide, Huw Davies, was definitely the biggest plus with his extensive knowledge and communication skills, wit and humour, organisation abilities and professionalism. The ratings below indicate my satisfaction with this excellent read more tour. I would certainly like to travel with Cosmos again.
Even though the group was large, it didn't feel like it 2
Southern Charms & Florida
Lesley Borg, Australia, Oct 2013
The tour is all about history: history of jazz, blues and rock and roll, the history of slavery and the civil rights movement, and the history of certain events which impacted the local areas. Even though the group was large, it didn't feel like it. We were all able to pursue our own interests when not together as a group. It was nice to be wandering read more the streets and come across someone you knew from the group and stop for a chat. Our tour guide, Kris, was excellent! I loved how she had chosen DVDs for the bus rides of local characters and events which enhanced our understanding of what we would be seeing. I'm already planning my trip for 2014!
Fantastic value for money 1
Garry Polley, Australia, Sep 2013
Very well paced tour. Great highlights. Fantastic value for money. Would recommend to anyone visiting Europe for the first time. Can't wait to go back. Thank you Georgie. Great tour guide in Truus!
Happy with the tour for the price I paid 4
Grand Tour of Britain & Ireland
Cassandra McLean-Smith, Australia, Sep 2013
Accommodation in some areas was too far from the 'city' without the option of being dropped off to look around, the additional extras - evening excursions took precedence over any options given to those who chose to not participate every excursion. That being said the excursions offered were adequate and quite varied, we loved the Murphys bar outing read more and the guinness factory. A meet and greet would have been a good idea or name badges, as after close to 2 weeks we still could not address some people by name! Again the end of the tour was such a rush job that we could not say goodbye to new friends as they were swept off to yet another excursion. A mention at our last dinner would have been nice to exchange names and numbers etc. Tour guide (Dominic) knew his stuff however digressed too often about unimportant things, he was often too engrossed with trivial things that the introduction to specific areas was rushed and not adequate direction given. Food provided and lack of internet in some hotels was not acceptable in this day and age. I feel the tour encompassed so much which is great, however certain aspects were not to my satisfaction as the main focus was for the purchasing of trinkets and things not seeing the actual town and attractions. Too many stops in the designated tourist areas, the lakes district was totally disappointing, I saw nothing except a brief look out the window and the tourist shops. I wanted to see the area not buy trinkets. As for the 3 hour stop in St Andrews it was far too long at the sacrifice of a chance to see more of the other stops that day. I am happy with the tour for the price I paid just think a couple of things should have been different.
The tour guide made the trip very enjoyable 1
Grand Tour of France
Roger Attenbrow, Australia, Sep 2013
The tour guide was excellent she went above and beyond what was expected and made the trip very enjoyable. The accommodation was quite good especially after a couple of hotels on the Switzerland tour.
Tour was fast paced and that was a good thing 3
The Best of Europe
Gerald Camilleri, Australia, Sep 2013
The tour was fast paced and that was a good thing however sometimes 'Less is More'. If we cut out a couple of minor towns we could have had a look at one or two castles from the inside instead of from about a kilometer away. Hotels varied and so did tour guides. Occasionally we were treated like sheep and spoken about in the third person in front of read more us. One such guide took us through St Peters in Rome. What an express ride that was, no time to stop and look at the works of art leading into the Sistine Chapel. My biggest disappointment was in Florence where we were taken to a 'leather demonstration' that consisted of a person swiping some gilding tape across a piece of leather 3 times then the group taken into the sales area where we were kept for quite some time. When I got out I made my way straight back to the Basilica where Galileo and Micheal Angelo's tombs were but the church closed at 5.00pm so I didn't even get to poke my head in. We saw the Eiffel Tower from afar but did not even get to stand under this magnificent structure. It was good to have company and the tour operator was knowledgeable but all the way along there were obvious contrasts. Instead of Moulin Rouge we went to a poorer sister, dinners that promised lots but really only stopped shy of false advertising. An example being the desert at the restaurant excursion in Lucerne and many other things that made me feel like a burger pattie on a fast food processing line.
The tour was great. My wife gave it a 12 out of 10. Not bad! We would have liked to spend more time at some of the places but there is not a lot one can do in 16 days. It was very informative, excellent company and the tour director was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. she was ideal. The driver got us through it safely and that is a real plus.
Quite impressed with the standard and location of hotels 1
Grand Tour of Switzerland
Michael England, Australia, Sep 2013
We had heard mixed reviews of Cosmos tours as being 2nd rate, with hotel accommodation remotely (inconveniently) located. However, we were generally quite impressed with both the standard of accommodation and its location, which with one exception were located in the central or tourist districts of the towns we visited. The optional activities were read more excellent as well. Special mention of our tour guide, Flo, who was first class and very professional. She knew how to maintain our interest and was an absolute reservoir of knowledge.
Trip was amazing 1
Christopher & Marjorie Booth, Australia, Sep 2013
Trip was amazing, hotels and included food not quite as good as the trip. If you choose all optional extras you will have a fairly hectic pace but will cover much more.
Overall, a fantastic experience. Thank you! 4
From St. Paul's to St. Peter's
Marcello de Roberto, Australia, Sep 2013
I found the tour extremely satisfying and was better than expected. The organisation was good and the Cosmos tour information booklet was very helpful. The Tour Director was very enthusiastic, well informed and most helpful. She wasn't too strict during free time and departures and so maintained a relaxed atmosphere throughout. The bus driver was law read more abiding and remained calm no matter the situation. He drove safely by not speeding and tailgating and manoeuvred the vehicle very competently. I'm a truck driver myself and so evaluate these things carefully. I found the hotels in Italy were the best for breakfast and bedding. I note the Cosmos information book stated that hotel breakfasts in Italy might not be good. They were certainly better than the Mercure in Paris, which had limited seating for breakfast and lack of food. The tour was fast paced, which is exactly what I liked. We didn't spend too much time in one place and the dinners didn't drag on. The tour group was conservative, well mannered and behaved and I got along well with everyone. That made the trip more enjoyable. I was very surprised by this and a lot of us exchanged warm goodbyes at the end.
I imagined that the introductory dinner would have taken place on the first night instead of the cabaret show. The optional excursions were good and I participated in most of them. Some excursions were a bit pricey, such as the visit to the palace of Louis XIV and the Vatican Museum and the cable car ride up Mount Titlus. Also, for the price I thought the Gondola trip should have lasted a bit longer. Some tour members spoke about name tags and maps. They would probably not be used by all. Some maps needed a scale so I could figure out distances. Perhaps a map of Europe overall and the places that we were to visit highlighted to give us some perspective with what was around us. There are so many places to discover and that may encourage us to do more. I have already spoken about the tour to family and friends and have recommended undertaking a similar experience. I could not have done it cheaper on my own with comparable accommodation and hiring my own car. On the subject of costs I could have saved myself a few hundred dollars if I went with the singles sharing scheme rather than requesting my own room during the booking process. I was the only solo traveller in the group of 31. Also, the requirement to stay a night at the Kensington the night before departure was a bit of a surprise cost. There are others minor things that I could have mentioned but have forgotten much since trying to get back into my normal routine. Overall, a fantastic experience. Thank you!
I imagined that the introductory dinner would have taken place on the first night instead of the cabaret show. The optional excursions were good and I participated in most of them. Some excursions were a bit pricey, such as the visit to the palace of Louis XIV and the Vatican Museum and the cable car ride up Mount Titlus. Also, for the price I thought the Gondola trip should have lasted a bit longer. Some tour members spoke about name tags and maps. They would probably not be used by all. Some maps needed a scale so I could figure out distances. Perhaps a map of Europe overall and the places that we were to visit highlighted to give us some perspective with what was around us. There are so many places to discover and that may encourage us to do more. I have already spoken about the tour to family and friends and have recommended undertaking a similar experience. I could not have done it cheaper on my own with comparable accommodation and hiring my own car. On the subject of costs I could have saved myself a few hundred dollars if I went with the singles sharing scheme rather than requesting my own room during the booking process. I was the only solo traveller in the group of 31. Also, the requirement to stay a night at the Kensington the night before departure was a bit of a surprise cost. There are others minor things that I could have mentioned but have forgotten much since trying to get back into my normal routine. Overall, a fantastic experience. Thank you!
This tour is great as a taster for Canada and Pennsylvania 1
Eastern Us & Canada Grand Vacation
Maureen King, Australia, Sep 2013
This is a well established tour for Cosmos and is clearly popular - the bus was virtually full with 50 people. I was a little disappointed with the pace at the beginning of the trip - after a full day in Boston we drove to Quebec in Canada in one hit (with three breaks) - a very long day indeed. We saw very little of the East Coast New Hampshire or read more Vermont apart from the highway. It was also somewhat disappointing that the Fall was late this year and the trees were not yet coloured. However, Canada was lovely and the way south through Niagara Falls and Pennsylvania lived up to expectation. The half day in Lancaster County meeting the Amish people was fascinating and made up for the fact that, when we got to Washington, it was closed! (Due to a Government shut down.) The Tour Director, Brett, was knowledgeable and good tempered, took everything in his stride and did his best to minimise the problems in Washington (he managed to get us within sight of most monuments, if not inside). Accommodation was generally good and once or twice brilliant! This tour is great as a taster for Canada and Pennsylvania, but if you are hoping to catch the Fall colours on the east coast, I would recommend you take a New England only trip.
Georgie was efficient and courteous as always. The tour was enjoyable despite a few days of pouring rain. Some of the hotels were not centrally located and were a little old and tired but this did not detract from the overall tour experience.
Thanks for the service and great memories 1
Seven Countries, Venice & Paris
Eddie Tong, Australia, Sep 2013
It was last minute decision to go on a Taste of Europe Tour, Global Journeys and Michelle were more than happy to help with last minute bookings and rush through our schedules. Tour itself was fantastic enjoyed beautiful weather while we were there, very lucky. Tour guide was great explained everything and was a delight to spend 8 days with, accommodation read more good although some parts could be better but overall ok. Would not hesitate to book with Global Journeys again. Thanks for the service and great memories from our trip. (Ed: Review based on slightly different itinerary. Trip name and itinerary updated this season)
Tour goes to all the right places 1
Trans-American Adventure
Trevor & Patricia McEntyre, Australia, Sep 2013
This tour goes to all the right places with two or three unknowns for good measure. Unfortunately for us, the US Govt had a shutdown while we were there so we couldnt get into the National parks included in our tour. This was very disappointing. However, our tour guide Russ and driver John worked out some new routes so that we could at least drive by read more and see some of the attractions. I thank them for this. There are a couple of places I would not bother with. eg ghost town outside Las Vegas. The owner of the place threatened our driver with a gun when he was asked to move so that our coach could get on it's way. The place was not worth seeing anyway so I would definitely scrap it!! All in all it was a great trip and I would recommend it!
Would definitely book with Global Journeys and Cosmos again 1
Trans-American Adventure
Anne Gibson, Australia, Sep 2013
The tour was awesome. Although when we were there the Government shut down, so we missed stopping at Mt Rushmore and the Grand Canyon, which was very disappointing. The tour director Russ, was very good at organising alternative routes and places to see. The bus driver John was great also, going very slow past Mt Rushmore for us to get some great pics. read more The accommodation was good, mostly clean and comfortable. I would definitely book with Global Journeys and travel with Cosmos again in the future.
The trip was excellent, the crew were great. Accommodation was well selected, but the hotel food was not always up to standard. Especially at Grand Canyon. I noted that I have had a better dining experience at a Pilbara mining camp - often. Harragh's at Las Vegas was a bit disappointing, but I guess the price was right.
