Costsaver Reviews
The 283 Costsaver reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have traveled with Costsaver. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
Exciting adventure, well organised, stress free 6
European Cavalcade
Jacqui & Ben, QLD, Australia, Apr 2017
Well, what a great adventure for us. From our initial booking with Yvonne to our wonderful Tour Director Bern and Driver Guiseppi, we did not have to worry about anything. The bus was comfortable, included meals were better than expected and with free time offered in so many wonderful places - it would be hard to beat. We were so lucky with beautiful read more weather and a great tour group made up of people from all over the world. We will definitely book again with Global Journeys and Trafalgar for our next adventure. If we can get Bern again as a Tour Director- that would be awesome!
A great way to see the highlights of Europe 9
Theresa, NSW, Australia, Apr 2017
The trip covered a lot of ground, but we spent at least 2 nights in each city, so never felt too rushed. Our tour director was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, and the local experts were also full of useful information. It is a cost saver tour so the hotels were only 3 star, but they were all great hotels , especially the charming hotel in read more Lucerne with its lake and mountain views. I would definitely recommend this trip for anyone wanting to see the highlights of Italy, France and Switzerland.
We had a fantastic time and saw many wonderful things during our trip from London to Rome. The hotels were great and the Tour Guide, MJ, was wonderful.
A very enjoyable holiday travelling with the experts - Trafalgar (Costsaver) 2
Britain and Ireland Explorer
Gaik, WA, Australia, Apr 2017
Would recommend this tour to anyone who loves travelling, learning about cultures, enjoying scenic view, being with friendly bunch of other holiday makers, whether family or single. Expert planning by the Travel Director and Coach Driver. Fantastic holiday. Money well spent. Enjoyed every moment of the tour.
An excellent trip for those with 4 weeks annual leave 14
European Cavalcade
Linda, NSW, Australia, Dec 2016
A truly had a wonderful trip. We were a full coach and got on well. Most of us coming from the southern hemisphere were experiencing of first white Christmas and were prepared for it to be a lot more colder than what we experienced and although we didn't get to see fresh snow falling we did get to see it. (Attached photo is the view from my room in read more Switzerland). Lucerne and Mount Riga were definitely the highlights and I did like Venence where we went to the glass factory and watched an amazing glass blowing demostration as well going to the island of Burano famous for lace making.Other interesting places we went to were a French Perfume factory in Eze and the whilst in Inesbruk we had a tour at Swarovski Crystals. Pompeii was amazing and a beautiful day the added some sculptures around the grounds created a wonderful atmosphere. The best meal I had was in the Italian hills of Tuscany at a medieval winery in Sant' Andrea in Percussins. They brought out a whole rib eye and flambe it in front of us. It was New Year's Day when we were in Florence so unfortunately the museums were closed but we did get to try on some lovely Italian leather jackets and I brought an 18 carrot gold necklace to enhance a family heirloom. This was what made the trip special because if for some reason the itinerary needed to change we still experienced seeing interesting things.
5 stars! There was no way we could have seen the best if we were on our own. No queuing to see the major attractions, the off the track scenic routes, the attractions I didn't even know were there. Hassle free transportation, and a tour guide who took care of the little things, like packed breakfasts for those who left early on the departure day! Truely read more loved it! We will be doing it again!
Interesting tour through Spain & Portugal 10
Iberian Explorer
Trish Burgoyne, WA, Australia, Oct 2016
I enjoyed this trip which had a lot more positives than negatives. Some of the positives were: my fellow tourists, the vast majority of whom were friendly and enthusiastic, including my "bus buddy". She and I were pleasantly compatible; our tour guide who was efficient and friendly; seeing some amazing sites especially Toledo's walled city with its read more awe inspiring Toledo Cathedral, an extraordinary example of man's ingenuity especially considering the age of the building, its amazing sculptures and artwork; Gibraltar with its massive cave system, gorgeous Barbary monkeys and awesome views and topography; the dauntingly extensive Prado Museum in Madrid; Seville's wide tree lined avenues and gardens, the beach at Malaga; the Jorge Castle(?) in Lisbon and Lisbon itself.
The only city which I wasn't keen on was Madrid due to its crowds, heavy traffic, and pollution, added to by the huge numbers of people smoking in the streets and outdoor cafes. Actually this was an issue for me all over Spain, exacerbated by the smokers in our group who didn't seem to consider the rest of us when lighting up. Perhaps this can be addressed on future tours, by asking them to desist from smoking in a close knit crowd. Some other negatives were: the poor quality of the vegetarian dinners provided during both the optional extra experiences and the included ones. The two other vegetarians in our group said they just don't join the the optional dinner experiences because of the poor vegetarian offerings. It was also extremely disappointing to find out that tickets had not been obtained for Sagrada Familia or Alhambra Alcazar. We thought these tickets could have been booked well in advance for the expected number of guests and if necessary when numbers are definite, any unwanted tckets could be handed back & resold. Also seeing I paid the full single supplement, I was disappointed on 2 or 3 occasions to be allocated a single room which each time was small and cramped with not enough room to organise my suitcase and other possessions. Anyway overall the trip was an fun and interesting experience. I did think that too many of the experiences were optional extra and that these were too expensive for what was included in them.
The only city which I wasn't keen on was Madrid due to its crowds, heavy traffic, and pollution, added to by the huge numbers of people smoking in the streets and outdoor cafes. Actually this was an issue for me all over Spain, exacerbated by the smokers in our group who didn't seem to consider the rest of us when lighting up. Perhaps this can be addressed on future tours, by asking them to desist from smoking in a close knit crowd. Some other negatives were: the poor quality of the vegetarian dinners provided during both the optional extra experiences and the included ones. The two other vegetarians in our group said they just don't join the the optional dinner experiences because of the poor vegetarian offerings. It was also extremely disappointing to find out that tickets had not been obtained for Sagrada Familia or Alhambra Alcazar. We thought these tickets could have been booked well in advance for the expected number of guests and if necessary when numbers are definite, any unwanted tckets could be handed back & resold. Also seeing I paid the full single supplement, I was disappointed on 2 or 3 occasions to be allocated a single room which each time was small and cramped with not enough room to organise my suitcase and other possessions. Anyway overall the trip was an fun and interesting experience. I did think that too many of the experiences were optional extra and that these were too expensive for what was included in them.
You pay for what you get, it is Costsaver, so don't expect "The Ritz", accommodation was mainly good to very good, a bit tired looking but adequate and clean. Sometimes a distance away from the centre of town though. Coach was fairly new and very comfortable with power outlets in every second seat, no more flat batteries! Highly recommend.
Enjoyable 4
Garry, NSW, Australia, Sep 2016
This is a fast paced tour where you will see and do lots. You won't be bored. You will love the Swiss Alps, as well as Venice, Paris, Prague, Amsterdam, Munich and everything in between. The tour director and driver were both excellent. The down side is the distances on the road meaning some long days on the coach.
The drivers and tour director were excellent. The tour took in highlights of Ireland - the south from Galway through Dingley Peninsula and Blarney Castle were fantastic areas. Jordy, the tour director went above and beyond to ensure our desire to explore areas by foot. The drivers also went above and beyond - in particular to ensure we attended a read more banquet despite a massive highway disaster caused by a truck! It was a really fun experience though - thanks to both Jordy and Tony the driver. Downside was accommodation was outside city centres and meals at some of establishments was mediocre, however this is a CostSaver tour. The tour dates fitted with our annual leave dates. In the future we would not select a Costsaver tour and would prefer to pay more for better standard of city accommodation and more active tour for sightseeing. Lauren from Global Journeys did an excellent job in promptly arranging our requested tour and providing updates and documentation efficiently. We will return to Lauren with Gobal Journeys for our annual trip in 2017 - Scandinavia. In future I would request Lauren from Global Journeys also book flights to correspond with our choice of tour - this worked beautifully the previous year, 2015 with our first tour of England, Scotland Wales with Global Journeys. (GJ: Thanks Leanne!)
The trip was fantastic and me and my family enjoyed everything that was included. The companion was very nice the guide was excellent he made everything easy and he was very helpful and informative. The food was excellent, the excursions were excellent too and we do thank you for this wonderful holiday it was a once in a lifetime experience.
It's a great way to look at the ancient monuments and a bit of history. My highlights were Edinburgh and Cardiff castles.
This trip was amazing and was very much due to our Tour Director - Giacomo, who was so friendly and informative. I ended up doing all the optional experiences, I never thought that I would! Each of them was so enticing and it made for a very rounded trip full of everything. We still had free time to explore and shop. The group was full of Aussies, read more Canadians, Americans and South Africans with an age group from 15 - 60, with most being 30-40's. We were spoilt with the accommodation in Rome at the Egriffe, it is definitely more that the 3.5 stars that the tour promises. So when we went to Florence and stayed at the Novotel, we were all disappointed with the standard of the hotel! The final accommodation at the Antony in Venice was better! If you get to order a pizza from the down the road, we got 3 pizzas for 13 euro and it was the best pizza we had the whole time!
For my first trip to Europe I would give this experience a massive thumbs up! There were so many highlights that I will cherish. We journeyed through seven countries in twelve days almost seamlessly... given the hours of travel on land, the coach bus was clean and comfortable, accommodation was good value, the tour guide was very insightful and took read more us to some of the most incredible places in the world. I also made wonderful lifelong friendships that made it all the more worthwhile. It may have been the first but hopefully not the last adventure with Global Journeys.
Had the most amazing experience on this tour visiting wonderful Italian cities had a great bunch of travellers on the tour that really made the trip even more exciting.. The places we went and the tour guide along with the driver were always accommodating to help with any issues if they arose. Would definitely recommend tour company. Global journeys read more handled the booking from start to finish and kept me informed all the way nothing was a problem. Thank you so much.
Had a great time . The Travel Director Jonathan Newsam was excellent. Nothing was too difficult for him. He was helpful to every Traveller, when needed. All Hotels were standard except one which was dealt with by Jonathan. The Coach driver Dirk was excellent also. He know how to handle the bus. We all felt safe. The scheduled sites were great to read more see, and the options well worth doing. Will definitely go with Trafalgar Tours again.
Greece is a beautiful country and the islands are stunning. Travelling in July in summer, the highlight is the glorious weather. The downside is the number of tourists! The Trafalgar tour provided a wonderful balance of guided tour and leisure time to relax or explore. It is quality tour company and they were not found wanting on this trip! The tour read more director and the local specialists were excellent and the accommodation was very good.
Our tour was a five year history lesson rolled into twelve days. The optional excursions are a must to get the best value of the tour. It may seem pricey, but when you do not have to join the long queues, it is worth the money. I would definitely recommend this tour, in fact, I have been singing their praises to family and friends already. After this read more tour, I will always recommend a package tour, as the tour operator ensures you see and experience the most in your trip duration. If we did this tour on our own, we would indefinably not experienced half of what this tour offered.
In Europe, on a self drive, parking is a fair way from the attractions. On a tour like this, the coach drops you of as close as possible to the attraction, giving you more time to enjoy the attraction. For all the apprehensive customers, Europe is still a very safe place. Do not let isolated incidents, which the media hype over the top, prevent you from experiencing Europe. One of the optional excursion was the can can cabaret in Paris, I would not recommend it for families with children under 18 years old. Overall, a very satisfied customer. And I also wish to convey a special thanks to Yvonne from Global Journeys for all the assistance in the booking and the build up to the tour.
In Europe, on a self drive, parking is a fair way from the attractions. On a tour like this, the coach drops you of as close as possible to the attraction, giving you more time to enjoy the attraction. For all the apprehensive customers, Europe is still a very safe place. Do not let isolated incidents, which the media hype over the top, prevent you from experiencing Europe. One of the optional excursion was the can can cabaret in Paris, I would not recommend it for families with children under 18 years old. Overall, a very satisfied customer. And I also wish to convey a special thanks to Yvonne from Global Journeys for all the assistance in the booking and the build up to the tour.
This being my second tour I had something to compare it to - in no way was it good as my first tour with CostSaver. I will start with the Tour Director always pushing to sell optional excursions (others found they could do it cheaper) made it impossible for you to say no because she would confront you in front of the rest of the coach. It took a good read more three days before we had any idea what was going on from day to day. I unfortunately got sick and when asked for chemist it took some 5 and a half hours before I received medication. Not once did the Tour Director ask if I was okay, were were lucky to have a nurse on board and some good travelling companions who looked after me. In Switzerland the coach driver got angry when those not attending an excursion were five mutes late boarding even though we had to wait a further 45 minutes to pick up the others.
When in Switzerland I asked the tour director why she did not tell us (again) how much time we would have as I would have stayed at the hotel and slept. She pointed to a train and said catch that back to the hotel. Very unprofessional a sick person in a foreign country. I am not surprised I got ill as others did coach had no sanitizer, could smell the toilet, bins not emptied daily and the loud group who left food, rubbish daily for others to pick up. The same loud group on the coach who would not stop talking when the Tour Director was, same group whose kids played video games and loud music. Although I brought it to her attention it persisted throughout the tour. She must have told them it was me who complained for I was heckled on the return trip from the Rhine. The coach driver was the rudest person ever, not even an hello, although many tried. And the texting while driving made for a scary ride up front. He was supposed to have dropped those not attending an excursion back at the hotel in Switzerland instead driving to the train station turning off the air con and telling us to get of the coach waiting another 45 minutes in stifling heat for the others. Don't be fooled there are many many long hours on this trip 6, 7 more. Its clear to see the Tour Director has lost her passion and it is nothing more than a job to her.
When in Switzerland I asked the tour director why she did not tell us (again) how much time we would have as I would have stayed at the hotel and slept. She pointed to a train and said catch that back to the hotel. Very unprofessional a sick person in a foreign country. I am not surprised I got ill as others did coach had no sanitizer, could smell the toilet, bins not emptied daily and the loud group who left food, rubbish daily for others to pick up. The same loud group on the coach who would not stop talking when the Tour Director was, same group whose kids played video games and loud music. Although I brought it to her attention it persisted throughout the tour. She must have told them it was me who complained for I was heckled on the return trip from the Rhine. The coach driver was the rudest person ever, not even an hello, although many tried. And the texting while driving made for a scary ride up front. He was supposed to have dropped those not attending an excursion back at the hotel in Switzerland instead driving to the train station turning off the air con and telling us to get of the coach waiting another 45 minutes in stifling heat for the others. Don't be fooled there are many many long hours on this trip 6, 7 more. Its clear to see the Tour Director has lost her passion and it is nothing more than a job to her.
This trip was awesome, we don't usually do tours, however after touring with Trafalgar, would highly recommend them. Our Tour Guide Roderick was brilliant.
