Insight Vacations Reviews
The 600 Insight Vacations reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have traveled with Insight Vacations. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
As a solo traveller I am Just back from 16 day Eastern Canada and USA tour with tour director Todd and driver Joe. I highly recommend this tour and we even had one lady who was doing it for the second time! Nothing was too much trouble for Todd and Joe who were both extremely professional. We had the added bonus of driver Joe's hometown knowledge read more of Boston.
Todd was a walking encyclopedia throughout the entire trip. I'm sure we were very lucky to have a really friendly group of people and I must commend Todd for very efficiently dealing with a medical emergency with one of our ladies whilst in Washington.
A useful point to note was the use of a free laundry at our hotel in Bar Harbour. The main purpose of the trip for me was to see the autumn colours but I think a later trip may have had a better show. There was plenty of colour but I did expect more (can't predict the weather) and a couple of our travel days were wet which didn't impact too much.
Although this was a quite long tour I would have liked more time in Quebec and with hindsight should have spent an extra couple of days in New York. I chose to return to Washington and spent 4 days trying to cover the Smithsonian Museums but barely scratched the surface. The tour did cover visits to most of the monuments.
Todd was a walking encyclopedia throughout the entire trip. I'm sure we were very lucky to have a really friendly group of people and I must commend Todd for very efficiently dealing with a medical emergency with one of our ladies whilst in Washington.
A useful point to note was the use of a free laundry at our hotel in Bar Harbour. The main purpose of the trip for me was to see the autumn colours but I think a later trip may have had a better show. There was plenty of colour but I did expect more (can't predict the weather) and a couple of our travel days were wet which didn't impact too much.
Although this was a quite long tour I would have liked more time in Quebec and with hindsight should have spent an extra couple of days in New York. I chose to return to Washington and spent 4 days trying to cover the Smithsonian Museums but barely scratched the surface. The tour did cover visits to most of the monuments.
We really enjoyed our Insight Country roads of France tour. Plenty of time to relax and plenty of free time to explore. Would recommend this tour in late September. The temperatures were ideal and very little rain. We do feel some of the Optional Excursions should have been included in the tour. We would highly recommend the optional dinner at a winery read more about 30 minutes from Dijon. Phillips and his family were very welcoming and the food was excellent. Making our booking with Georgie from Global Journeys was easy and efficient.
September was far too hot in Italy this year. Most beautiful sights imaginable, the best places were Bellagio, Sirmione, Isle of Capri, Positano, Stresa, Milan Duomo, Venice staying at The Hilton. Best hotels were Splendido, Baveno, Hilton Molino Stucky Venice & Regina Elena Santa Margarita.
Interesting World War One Tour 3
Hazel & Graeme, QLD, Australia, Sep 2018
The tour was very interesting and also confronting, well worth taking this tour. Guides were very informative and certainly had in depth knowledge and were very helpful. The first day of the tour was too long. The issues were that the coach was a little crammed and not as spacious as other coaches we have travelled on. Wifi was a bit intermittent. It read more would have been nice to have one organised dinner.
The experience starting with Global Journeys right through to the departure from the group back in London was outstanding. Our guide Philip Orna was one of our best experiences. His knowledge was first rate and he knew how to avoid the crowds particularly in Venice. The Insight coach and driver made for a comfortable trip, the extra room being appreciated read more by all. We rated the hotels out of 10 all above 7.5 with the hotel in Baveno to die for. 10 plus. The pace was a little faster than we thought it would be but once we got into a routine not a problem. When we handed over the bags at the start of the tour we virtually did not have to touch them again until it was over. Most cities have wonderful features, Venice itself was the feature and Insight knew how to give us the best time in what is a very crowded place.
This was our first coach trip and to be honest we were a little sceptical as to how good it would be. We are now converts and would not consider touring any other way. There are so many things that are taken care of that when you book you don't appreciate, everything from road tolls to parking fees and for that matter finding a place to park, to important information that allows you to maximise the value of your trip.
We would have no hesitation in recommending the whole experience we went through to everyone.
This was our first coach trip and to be honest we were a little sceptical as to how good it would be. We are now converts and would not consider touring any other way. There are so many things that are taken care of that when you book you don't appreciate, everything from road tolls to parking fees and for that matter finding a place to park, to important information that allows you to maximise the value of your trip.
We would have no hesitation in recommending the whole experience we went through to everyone.
I would recommend & book with Global Journeys again, Yvonne was quick to reply to any queries & to forward anything relevant to our booking as soon as feasible. I would recommend & travel with Insight Vacations again as they also provided excellent customer service. The tour was very busy but in saying that I did take all the optional activities, experiences read more & tours. I now have no regrets, knowing I made the most of my time, and possibly money, in doing all I could whilst being at each destination.
Our tour director was very experienced & informative. He ensured that all on this tour were included & catered for as best as was feasible. He made the most of our itinerary, timing each day for maximum use of time, trying to time our daily tours/activities to avoid peak crowd times, when possible. As we travelled each day he spoke of the history & gave interesting information about areas we were travelling through, as he did on any included tour. Our coach driver was very competent, kept the coach fresh & clean each day, adding to my enjoyment & relaxation whilst travelling.
There were many aspects to this tour that made it an "all around experience", the general sightseeing, cultural experiences, included & optional meals, entertainment, and enjoyable surprise inclusions. It is a busy tour, made more busy by the number of optional tours/activities l chose to take - but no regrets! Relaxed starts are not really feasible but our tour director did his best to include these where possible & to give us some "down time" when possible. I would recommend an ability to walk a few kilometres & climb steps with reasonable ease for anyone wishing to take/enjoy and make the most of this tour.
Our tour director was very experienced & informative. He ensured that all on this tour were included & catered for as best as was feasible. He made the most of our itinerary, timing each day for maximum use of time, trying to time our daily tours/activities to avoid peak crowd times, when possible. As we travelled each day he spoke of the history & gave interesting information about areas we were travelling through, as he did on any included tour. Our coach driver was very competent, kept the coach fresh & clean each day, adding to my enjoyment & relaxation whilst travelling.
There were many aspects to this tour that made it an "all around experience", the general sightseeing, cultural experiences, included & optional meals, entertainment, and enjoyable surprise inclusions. It is a busy tour, made more busy by the number of optional tours/activities l chose to take - but no regrets! Relaxed starts are not really feasible but our tour director did his best to include these where possible & to give us some "down time" when possible. I would recommend an ability to walk a few kilometres & climb steps with reasonable ease for anyone wishing to take/enjoy and make the most of this tour.
Fantastic tour and you see so much in the 16 days 2
Mediterranean Journey
Marina, QLD, Australia, Sep 2018
The tour was fantastic you see so much in the 16 days, the group we had on the coach were great we all got on very well, the tour director was very good and he pushed us very hard. But as he said we paid a lot for the tour so we should see as much as we can, which we did. The coach driver was excellent he got us out of some very tight corners. The weather read more was perfect.
The only other thing I would say about the tour is, people in their late seventy's early eighties (depending on their fitness) should be aware of how much walking is involved how many hills to climb, and how many steps to climb, I must admit I found it very hard (being in my early eighties) I was exhausted, and had to have a day off to recuperate. There was only one hotel that was not suitable for people or the coach was in Tuscany, the rest were great.
I think some of the Optional Extras could have been included in the price.Those useless badges with the clip they had on them, nobody wore them, they should have had a pin or a magnet, then they could be worn.
The only other thing I would say about the tour is, people in their late seventy's early eighties (depending on their fitness) should be aware of how much walking is involved how many hills to climb, and how many steps to climb, I must admit I found it very hard (being in my early eighties) I was exhausted, and had to have a day off to recuperate. There was only one hotel that was not suitable for people or the coach was in Tuscany, the rest were great.
I think some of the Optional Extras could have been included in the price.Those useless badges with the clip they had on them, nobody wore them, they should have had a pin or a magnet, then they could be worn.
Lots of time on the coach. San Sebastian tapas bar hopping was the best. Briefly saw the outside of Gaudi's houses as the coach flashed by. Florence was extra crowded. Hotels were not as great as Insight has arranged in the past. Guide at the Vatican made fun of the Australian accent. It's hard to imitate even if you are an expert. In general local read more guides were "just doing their job" and showed no real enthusiasm or ability to impart interesting material.
It was really good having a guide who could be our local expert. Nina was excellent. Anna, our cruise director was also very good at getting us to the front of the line!
We traveled with Insight on a 9 day tour of Europe. We chose them as I had traveled with them before, albeit a long time ago. I had thought the hotels would be central, as claimed, but found they weren't as close to the city centres as expected. Quality of hotel dipped in a couple places, but that may have been the best option at that location.
Insight read more don't seem to make any use of technology, and continue to post paper notices of activity on hotel notice boards instead of using an app - or at least a daily email - to set out the plans. This results in the tour director having to shout out directions at times, and leads to some confusion. This is the 21st century and the technology is there to make group travelling a lot smoother. For those who may not be very fit or mobile, I would not recommend this tour, as the pace was very fast and can be exhausting if you try to do all of the options. I was surprised how many things I would consider should be included were optional, eg visit to Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna. Next time we will travel independently!
Insight read more don't seem to make any use of technology, and continue to post paper notices of activity on hotel notice boards instead of using an app - or at least a daily email - to set out the plans. This results in the tour director having to shout out directions at times, and leads to some confusion. This is the 21st century and the technology is there to make group travelling a lot smoother. For those who may not be very fit or mobile, I would not recommend this tour, as the pace was very fast and can be exhausting if you try to do all of the options. I was surprised how many things I would consider should be included were optional, eg visit to Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna. Next time we will travel independently!
Wonderful Pacific Coast and the Rockies tour 1
Canadian Rockies & Pacific Coast
Shirley & Peter, VIC, Australia, Sep 2018
This Insight Vacations' tour was better than expected. The tour director was most efficient. The other 38 passengers were friendly. Though there were 40 in the coach, it was not crammed at all. It was a 56 seater. We stayed at some historic hotels, the standout was the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, it was elegant and full of character. The included meals read more were excellent. There was early snow when we arrived in Jasper, and we were too early to check into the hotel. The tour director arranged a museum visit as well as a talk from a naturalist on the native animals. The highlight for me was the ride on the Red Jammer to go up to Logan Pass in the Glacier National Park. The scenery was stunning. The only thing I wasn't keen on on this trip was the very crammed sleeping arrangement on the train from Vancouver to Jasper.
I absolutely loved this tour and made some great friends. I can highly recommend this tour, it was truly a country roads tour. We were lucky enough to have a fantastic Tour Director Frederic and coach driver Tex. Frederic is so knowledgeable about all parts of France. I enjoyed the trip so much my brother and sisters-in-law are going to do it next year. read more Thanks Jemma for organising it for me.
Really beautiful trip, especially the Dolomites, the Grand Dino Hotel, Milan, the Dine-Around evening, and Burano. People were all nice on tour. Plenty of time in most places and mostly relaxing.
This tour certainly lived up to its name. We travelled through a great deal of Croatia and experienced much of the culture from the great local foods, excellent wines and demonstrations of local traditions. The beautiful Adriatic Sea was ever present and inviting and the weather was perfect. Our accommodation was of very good quality and the knowledge read more and efficiency of our guide, Greg was invaluable. Only complaint was the hotel in Zagreb (the Sheraton) where everyone on tour felt the welcome dinner and service was a bit sub standard. Optional excursions were great and the included experiences were of a high standard. Would highly recommend this tour as a great way to get to know Croatia.
Wonderful tour of Russia and the Baltic States 1
George & Chithralekha, NSW, Australia, Aug 2018
The Insight tour was excellent, led by a very knowledgeable Russian tour guide Gennady. The booking process with Madeline at Global Journeys was very smooth and easy.
Really enjoyed our Switzerland tour - Insight has never disappointed. Hotels were central, scenery fantastic, coaches have extra leg room and had a professional and knowledgeable tour director in Sara (she went that extra mile to keep everyone happy). Great group of people who mixed well. Well thought out itinerary, as did not spend all day on the bus, read more which is a plus. Will definitely book through Global Journeys again, as online booking so easy.
Far too little time in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki. 2 and 1/2 days of wasted time driving with little stops coming south along western Norway coast. Best experiences above Arctic Circle. Too many optional excursions when some of these should have been included in the tour price.
Dalmatian Elegance cruise via Insight 5
Dalmatian Elegance
Craig & Dorothy, Victoria, Australia, Aug 2018
This small ship cruise is a must for all. The very best way to cruise, if you don't like those big ships with thousands of people.
Great way to see Moscow and St Petersburg for the 1st time! 3
Northern Capitals
Rachel & Danuta, NSW, Australia, Aug 2018
We had a great time. A great way to see Moscow and St Petersburg for the 1st time. We spent 3 days in Berlin before the tour started, which I recommend to have some free time before the tour starts and have a good look around by yourself. I wish we had more time in Denmark, Sweden and Finland. I enjoyed the Baltic cruise. We did most of the the optional read more tours. We were prepared to do so, as we wanted to see all we could.
The ones we liked the best were Russian ballet, Russian folklore show, Chopin concert & Wilanow Palace. We both agreed that Russian Mosiac could have been missed. But it depends on what you want to see. Our tour director Piotr worked hard to make sure we enjoyed our holiday. Our coach driver Romulus worked hard to make sure we got to our destinations. Remember it is a tour, so it means early starts, at times rushing about and long coach rides. But still, we enjoyed our time. Special thanks to Hannah at Global Journeys for helping with our holiday. Couldn't have done it without your help. Thanks again!
The ones we liked the best were Russian ballet, Russian folklore show, Chopin concert & Wilanow Palace. We both agreed that Russian Mosiac could have been missed. But it depends on what you want to see. Our tour director Piotr worked hard to make sure we enjoyed our holiday. Our coach driver Romulus worked hard to make sure we got to our destinations. Remember it is a tour, so it means early starts, at times rushing about and long coach rides. But still, we enjoyed our time. Special thanks to Hannah at Global Journeys for helping with our holiday. Couldn't have done it without your help. Thanks again!
We had a great time on the Grand Scandinavia trip with Insight Vacations. The highlight was Geiranger, Norway. Possibly the most beautiful place on earth with its spectacular fjords and waterfalls. We had first class hotels all the way and were touring with a fun group of like- minded travellers from Australia, USA, Canada, and the Philippines. This read more was our third trip with Insight vacations and we will definitely be looking at Insight for our next trip. Thanks Yvonne at Global Journeys for organising our booking once again and for your patience in responding to our never ending questions! We'll be in touch again when planning our next adventure.
