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.
Great Way To Experience Portugal 3
Country Roads of Portugal
Graham & Caroline, SA, Australia, May 2017
This tour is a great way to see all that Portugal has to offer. Although the tour was full, it didn't feel so and there is plenty of space on the bus. Our tour guide John was excellent and provided great commentary throughout the tour. The hotel accommodation was very good, as were the included meals. This was our third Insight Vacations tour and definitely read more the best one so far. You know you have had a good tour when you can't think of anything to complain about.
Overall accommodation was very satisfactory. Some of the advertising was a little exaggerated re rooms and views. Tour director repeated her family details too often but otherwise did a very good job. Tipping should be included as an option in the cost of the tour. Bus driver was excellent. Views from some accommodation were alleys and back lanes. Nice read more balance with meal inclusions.
Disappointed that Global Journeys did not advise us that we could break our journey in Abu Dahbi at no additional flight cost. The Troll road excursion was in the tour bus and I question why this was an additional option tour to be paid for. Transfers were well organised. But beware this is a very expensive area to visit. Food and drink costs are well above sometimes 2 + the cost of what you would pay for in Australia. Overall a very enjoyable trip. Good to see that the composition of the travellers included a high number of Australians. Would recommend this tour to anyone
Disappointed that Global Journeys did not advise us that we could break our journey in Abu Dahbi at no additional flight cost. The Troll road excursion was in the tour bus and I question why this was an additional option tour to be paid for. Transfers were well organised. But beware this is a very expensive area to visit. Food and drink costs are well above sometimes 2 + the cost of what you would pay for in Australia. Overall a very enjoyable trip. Good to see that the composition of the travellers included a high number of Australians. Would recommend this tour to anyone
We have been regular visitors to the US in recent years so we look for "new" destinations to explore in addition to visiting family now residing on the East Coast. My husband and I have completed many tours with Insight Vacations in America, Canada and Europe so we have had the opportunity to weigh up the pros and cons of coach tours and in particular read more with this company. Coach tours do not suit all and you regularly need to remind yourself why you have chosen a coach tour as opposed to a self drive holiday following the same route !
Having said that, this trip probably exceeded our expectations. The coach itself was extremely comfortable, plenty of leg room, on board wi-fi and a recharge power points for each seat. Our tour director appeared to have a good knowledge of local history and culture which he shared with the group and prior experience about how to get the best out of each location in the limited time that you have available.There were 33 passengers on tour, 50% Americans ( mainly east coast retirees) and 50% Australians (again mainly retirees). There is a lot of coach travel on this tour with a couple of days of extended mileage. To get the best out of the trip you need to have a good level of fitness. Whilst there is full porterage of your bags, the accommodation did not always have lifts and there are steps to be climbed at some locations. At a couple of overnight stops you do need to walk outdoors from the accommodation to dining areas.
If you are looking for big cities and shopping this tour is not for you. We looked forward to seeing some of the other American Icons away from cities , more of the US National Parks and staying in Rustic Lodges and we were well satisfied.
We did not realise that this tour was stage 3 of an extended West Coast tour that had started in San Francisco. So a few passengers had booked on all 3 stages; several more on the final two stages and others like us joined up for the final stage 3. We in fact, had completed the second stage that included Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion National Parks back in 2010.
We flew from LA airport to Salt Lake City two days in advance of the tour date and would have been otherwise disappointed with the tour's itinerary / commentary of this town. We booked on both a City local tour and a lake local tour before departing Australia ; we were also able to easily walk to Temple Square and also attend the free Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert on the Thursday evening. We also chose to depart the tour in Denver rather than Rapid City. The Insight coach provided this connection and this gave us better options for ongoing flights to New York. We stayed in a hotel close to the airport for a flight the following morning - note Insight Vacations' warning about booking flight times that are too early.
We chose a tour in early May because we wanted to see snow capped mountains. The south gate into Yellowstone had only just opened for the season, a couple of roads in the park were still closed because of a late snow fall but that was the risk we were prepared to take with this early date. We did not want to experience summer school holiday crowds and traffic jams especially in Yellowstone! The snow covered Grand Tetons were magnificent - it had been a heavy snowfall winter. There was heavy snow still on the ground in the southern parts of Yellowstone, some lakes were still frozen, the waterfalls and mountain streams were raging. It was also still cool enough to enjoy walking geyser trails at Yellowstone and the board walk at Mt Rushmore and for fireplaces to be enjoyed in lodge foyers.
We saw plenty of bison, elk, deer, prairie dog and were lucky enough to spot a grizzly bear ambling out of the lake ! There were 2 optional excursions for the tour - we did not book the river float as we had been very satisfied with our memories of a Colorado River Float on another tour. We would recommend the Bison Safari and Cookout optional though ( do not be put off - this is not rough road touring ! )
We were very happy with all the accommodation. We had not anticipated the scale of these lodges. There are many rooms ; not luxury, but all have interesting character décor, good linen, satisfactory bathrooms and pleasant foyers. Meals were usually limited to the accommodation's large dining rooms with a seasonal staff who, in May, were fairly new to the job! While the "no bookings system at Yellowstone" is not always ideal, it is all part of the experience and will make you appreciate even more the wonderful dinner later on at the more intimate U Cross Ranch. Take on board the fact that Americans often have to book a long time in advance to stay at some of these lodges. We were fortunate that our dates enabled us to stay at all the "onsite accommodation" and I would suggest that future travellers read the fine print carefully for accommodation on their chosen dates as a couple of local events impose some limitations.
Custer State Park and the Buffalo Bill Museum were our unexpected favourite destinations on this tour. Eating dinner looking out on the Grand Tetons at twilight is a special memory we will never forget.
This is the first time we have booked with Global Journeys - the savings, in addition to Insight's early payment and past traveller discounts were attractive. All our communication and payments were made online. The process was efficient and I felt confident with the company even without a face to face meeting.
Having said that, this trip probably exceeded our expectations. The coach itself was extremely comfortable, plenty of leg room, on board wi-fi and a recharge power points for each seat. Our tour director appeared to have a good knowledge of local history and culture which he shared with the group and prior experience about how to get the best out of each location in the limited time that you have available.There were 33 passengers on tour, 50% Americans ( mainly east coast retirees) and 50% Australians (again mainly retirees). There is a lot of coach travel on this tour with a couple of days of extended mileage. To get the best out of the trip you need to have a good level of fitness. Whilst there is full porterage of your bags, the accommodation did not always have lifts and there are steps to be climbed at some locations. At a couple of overnight stops you do need to walk outdoors from the accommodation to dining areas.
If you are looking for big cities and shopping this tour is not for you. We looked forward to seeing some of the other American Icons away from cities , more of the US National Parks and staying in Rustic Lodges and we were well satisfied.
We did not realise that this tour was stage 3 of an extended West Coast tour that had started in San Francisco. So a few passengers had booked on all 3 stages; several more on the final two stages and others like us joined up for the final stage 3. We in fact, had completed the second stage that included Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion National Parks back in 2010.
We flew from LA airport to Salt Lake City two days in advance of the tour date and would have been otherwise disappointed with the tour's itinerary / commentary of this town. We booked on both a City local tour and a lake local tour before departing Australia ; we were also able to easily walk to Temple Square and also attend the free Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert on the Thursday evening. We also chose to depart the tour in Denver rather than Rapid City. The Insight coach provided this connection and this gave us better options for ongoing flights to New York. We stayed in a hotel close to the airport for a flight the following morning - note Insight Vacations' warning about booking flight times that are too early.
We chose a tour in early May because we wanted to see snow capped mountains. The south gate into Yellowstone had only just opened for the season, a couple of roads in the park were still closed because of a late snow fall but that was the risk we were prepared to take with this early date. We did not want to experience summer school holiday crowds and traffic jams especially in Yellowstone! The snow covered Grand Tetons were magnificent - it had been a heavy snowfall winter. There was heavy snow still on the ground in the southern parts of Yellowstone, some lakes were still frozen, the waterfalls and mountain streams were raging. It was also still cool enough to enjoy walking geyser trails at Yellowstone and the board walk at Mt Rushmore and for fireplaces to be enjoyed in lodge foyers.
We saw plenty of bison, elk, deer, prairie dog and were lucky enough to spot a grizzly bear ambling out of the lake ! There were 2 optional excursions for the tour - we did not book the river float as we had been very satisfied with our memories of a Colorado River Float on another tour. We would recommend the Bison Safari and Cookout optional though ( do not be put off - this is not rough road touring ! )
We were very happy with all the accommodation. We had not anticipated the scale of these lodges. There are many rooms ; not luxury, but all have interesting character décor, good linen, satisfactory bathrooms and pleasant foyers. Meals were usually limited to the accommodation's large dining rooms with a seasonal staff who, in May, were fairly new to the job! While the "no bookings system at Yellowstone" is not always ideal, it is all part of the experience and will make you appreciate even more the wonderful dinner later on at the more intimate U Cross Ranch. Take on board the fact that Americans often have to book a long time in advance to stay at some of these lodges. We were fortunate that our dates enabled us to stay at all the "onsite accommodation" and I would suggest that future travellers read the fine print carefully for accommodation on their chosen dates as a couple of local events impose some limitations.
Custer State Park and the Buffalo Bill Museum were our unexpected favourite destinations on this tour. Eating dinner looking out on the Grand Tetons at twilight is a special memory we will never forget.
This is the first time we have booked with Global Journeys - the savings, in addition to Insight's early payment and past traveller discounts were attractive. All our communication and payments were made online. The process was efficient and I felt confident with the company even without a face to face meeting.
This trip was my third with Insight and I am already looking at another holiday with them for next year. I was quite surprised to find out all was included and there was no more added expense for extras. The hotels were luxurious and all the meals were very enjoyable. I have no one highlight, they were all highlights. The tour director Patricia was read more so knowledgeable and I was quite surprised about some of the information she was telling us. The coach was very roomy but unfortunately the foot rest were best suited for tall people, but that is the only concern. The pace was very easy to deal with and we had a fair bit of free time to wonder around. I would recommend them.
Spectacular scenery, excellent organisation 4
Country Roads of Scandinavia
Robyn, QLD, Australia, May 2017
A really well organised tour with an excellent intinerary. The tour leader was fantastic, managing the group, but still being attentive to individuals. The tour hotels were of a high standard, and the coach was comfortable.
Meals were very good, but perhaps they could reflect local cuisine a bit more, even though this would not appeal to all people. read more After seeing the prices in Norway. I am convinced that the tour represented value for money.
Meals were very good, but perhaps they could reflect local cuisine a bit more, even though this would not appeal to all people. read more After seeing the prices in Norway. I am convinced that the tour represented value for money.
Northern Capitals & Russia with Insight 3
Northern Capitals
Margareta & John, VIC, Australia, May 2017
The weather was still pretty cold, but the tour was excellent. We did have the best bus driver and the best tour director. We did enjoy every minute of this tour.
This was a fabulous itinerary, we travelled through some important and incredible cities. Our guide Emma was wonderful. The driver was adequate, no personality but I guess he didn't need to have one, we just like a driver with a bit of a spark. Included tours were wonderful, extras where underwhelming and expensive and rushed. I would just go with read more the inclusions and use the free nights and afternoons (not many) to catch your breath or perhaps explore a city for yourself. Overall, the accommodation was awesome, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Costa Del Sol is a bit of a yawn, but you can use this time to relax.
What a fabulous trip! Our Tour Guide, Simon, was the best. This was the first time we had used Global Journeys and we'd certainly use them again. Both Michelle and Madeline were great with all responses to any questions or concerns received in an amazingly short timeline. Thank you so much.
We have had the pleasure of Tracey supporting our travels through Global Journeys over the last few years. Tracey is very professional, courteous, knowledgeable and always considerate. She makes it easy for organising our travel and we hope she can support our future travel plans.
This tour was well organised with an excellent range of experiences. The tour leader, Jonathan, was informative, funny and an excellent host. This tour is ideal for people who want a broad overview of Europe and a diverse range of experiences.
April is an excellent time to travel in Spain and Portugal...not too hot yet. We were fortunate in having both an excellent driver and a knowledgeable Tour Guide who went out of their way to provide personal service. While I realise it must be difficult to find hotels for a group of over 40 I believe some hotels were too far out of the part of town read more I wished to visit. e.g. a 15 euro fare into the old city in Barcelona. Also simple plumbing where you don't scald yourself , walk in shower (not over the bath) and windows that open are an overlooked necessity. Arrangements with Global Journeys went smoothly.
Outstanding visit to Ireland and Scotland 8
Best of Ireland & Scotland
Steve Strong & Carol McKay-Strong, QLD, Australia, Apr 2017
Our trip started with a looong plane trip from Brisbane to Dublin. We broke it with a stop over in Guangzhou using China Southern Airlines. We stopped a day and a half, could have been a day longer. We happened on Blacklane Professional Drivers in Guangzhou. Our driver told us to call him "G". He was fantastic, picking us up from the airport and taking read more us to our hotel. Having studied in England, his English was excellent and we negotiated with him to have a 6 hour private tour of Guangzhou the next day.
We arrived in Dublin a day early also, to get our land legs again - I would recommend this to anyone having a long flight. (12 hours Brisbane to Guangzhou, 9 hours to Paris, 2 hours to Dublin). We stayed at the Clayton Cardiff Lane Hotel, used by Insight Vacations for the start of our tour in Dublin. The tour was excellent, well timed and the places visited were excellent. We couldn't really think of any others to add. Unfortunately, a leisurely start meant an 8am start instead of 7.30. There were a number of 2-night stays which were well received. The ferry from Northern Ireland to Scotland was a large vessel making it a smooth sail. Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable of the scenery, history and politics of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland and really had the touch of Blarney. The other travelers came from the US, Canada, 2 from NZ and and 8 from Australia. We all got on well. Of course there was "that couple' who loved the sound of their own voices and anecdotes, but overall the people all got on incredibly well. Once again, we stopped at Guangzhou on the way home - the Pullman Hotel is less than a 100m walk from the terminal- and spent a restful 15 hours before the final big leg home.
We arrived in Dublin a day early also, to get our land legs again - I would recommend this to anyone having a long flight. (12 hours Brisbane to Guangzhou, 9 hours to Paris, 2 hours to Dublin). We stayed at the Clayton Cardiff Lane Hotel, used by Insight Vacations for the start of our tour in Dublin. The tour was excellent, well timed and the places visited were excellent. We couldn't really think of any others to add. Unfortunately, a leisurely start meant an 8am start instead of 7.30. There were a number of 2-night stays which were well received. The ferry from Northern Ireland to Scotland was a large vessel making it a smooth sail. Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable of the scenery, history and politics of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland and really had the touch of Blarney. The other travelers came from the US, Canada, 2 from NZ and and 8 from Australia. We all got on well. Of course there was "that couple' who loved the sound of their own voices and anecdotes, but overall the people all got on incredibly well. Once again, we stopped at Guangzhou on the way home - the Pullman Hotel is less than a 100m walk from the terminal- and spent a restful 15 hours before the final big leg home.
For a first timer in Europe, this was a great tour to pick. Traditional in the sense of road traveled, it ticked off lots of locations that I wanted to experience, and a few ones that I wouldn't have considered! The pace is still quite busy, despite the two nights in some locations - and you will not see nearly as much as you'd probably want to in some read more cities (eg. Budapest, Vienna, Rome), but as long as you have that clearly in your mind, you won't be super disappointed.
Hotels are decent - and locations are fantastic perhaps with the exception of Pullman Montparnasse in Paris (relatively far out from the central area). The Florence hotel is not one that I'm eager to go back to (they tried to be modern, but it just was weirdly tacky) and the Grand Corinthia in Budapest was truly delightful.
The included food was a bit hit and miss - some meals were lovely, others were left on the plate! (Wurzburg I'm looking at you! Yikes). A tip - if you are doing optionals that include meals - do not each much during the day. You are usually in for a 3 course meal with drinks with large portions. I found eating a decent breakfast was enough to get me through.
A word on the optionals - yes, they are expensive - but some optionals truly made the trip for me - such as the Luzern Carriage & Farmhouse visit, the Viennese dinner & Orchestra, the Tuscan dinner, the Budapest river cruise & dinner. Some people I went on the tour with did not know about the optionals and had not known to budget for them - which did create some tension and grumbling. Request the Optional price list from your agent here so you can budget the cost. Insight originally did not send the list to me in the pack and I had to request them from my travel agent here (Thanks Hannah!)
Also, the notion of tipping - we Australians aren't that great at it - but in Europe...it's all about the tips! You generally are expected to tip local tour guides and your Insight guide and driver. Another cost to factor in your budget.
Would I do Insight again? Probably. You are herded a bit like you would on any tour, but the group is smaller than some of the really big groups like Trafalgar, Globus etc. And there is something really nice about having everything organised for you, right down to luggage delivered to your room. Thanks for the smooth booking Global Journeys - I would most definitely book through you again!
Hotels are decent - and locations are fantastic perhaps with the exception of Pullman Montparnasse in Paris (relatively far out from the central area). The Florence hotel is not one that I'm eager to go back to (they tried to be modern, but it just was weirdly tacky) and the Grand Corinthia in Budapest was truly delightful.
The included food was a bit hit and miss - some meals were lovely, others were left on the plate! (Wurzburg I'm looking at you! Yikes). A tip - if you are doing optionals that include meals - do not each much during the day. You are usually in for a 3 course meal with drinks with large portions. I found eating a decent breakfast was enough to get me through.
A word on the optionals - yes, they are expensive - but some optionals truly made the trip for me - such as the Luzern Carriage & Farmhouse visit, the Viennese dinner & Orchestra, the Tuscan dinner, the Budapest river cruise & dinner. Some people I went on the tour with did not know about the optionals and had not known to budget for them - which did create some tension and grumbling. Request the Optional price list from your agent here so you can budget the cost. Insight originally did not send the list to me in the pack and I had to request them from my travel agent here (Thanks Hannah!)
Also, the notion of tipping - we Australians aren't that great at it - but in Europe...it's all about the tips! You generally are expected to tip local tour guides and your Insight guide and driver. Another cost to factor in your budget.
Would I do Insight again? Probably. You are herded a bit like you would on any tour, but the group is smaller than some of the really big groups like Trafalgar, Globus etc. And there is something really nice about having everything organised for you, right down to luggage delivered to your room. Thanks for the smooth booking Global Journeys - I would most definitely book through you again!
Spain and Portugal trip 4
Best of Spain & Portugal
First time insight travellers, VIC, Australia, Apr 2017
Rotating seating system on coach is good, however, we are (most in the tour) not tall people, all commended that the extra leg room at the left side of the coach is not comfortable. Seats at the right side are excellent and comfortable. Some hotels are not up to the standard and located too far away from city centres. Could have spent extra night in read more Porto or Granada and 1 less night in Costo del sol ! Toni our tour director was very thoughtful and looked after us well. All the local tour guides were very professional and did a great job. Thoroughly enjoyed all the guided tours.
Tour was fantastic from start to finish as everything went seamlessly and practically worry free with all details seen to by Insight Vacations. We find the winter in Spain very pleasant weather and temperature wise, but would recommend piling on the winter clothing in Salamanca! All the sights and places visited on the tour were breathtakingly beautiful, read more with an enviable rich background of their history and culture. We enjoyed the local cuisine arranged by Insight Vacations on certain signature dinners/lunch but well balanced with free time to explore on our own to appease our adventurous appetite at the same time!
Another highlight was our tour group. We were fortunate to have on board a great bunch of people that came from various parts of the world to share the experience with. We were quite sorry to part ways at the end of the tour! And last but not least was our main tour guide, Elena Lopez Carre. She was entertaining, knowledgeable, professional and very helpful with each and everyone of us. We would love to have a tour guide like her again on all our future tours! Worth mentioning were some of the local guides we had, like Ruffo in Madrid, Carlos in Toledo and Roland in Malaga, they were the best!
On a final note to Insight Vacations, as this was a winter tour, we wished we had a day less in Torremolinos ( which is more suitable as a summer spot )and have that extra day in Valencia instead of just a mere 1 day. Valencia is worth at least 2 days in our opinion. All in all, we are very happy with Insight Vacations and will definitely travel with them again in the future.
Another highlight was our tour group. We were fortunate to have on board a great bunch of people that came from various parts of the world to share the experience with. We were quite sorry to part ways at the end of the tour! And last but not least was our main tour guide, Elena Lopez Carre. She was entertaining, knowledgeable, professional and very helpful with each and everyone of us. We would love to have a tour guide like her again on all our future tours! Worth mentioning were some of the local guides we had, like Ruffo in Madrid, Carlos in Toledo and Roland in Malaga, they were the best!
On a final note to Insight Vacations, as this was a winter tour, we wished we had a day less in Torremolinos ( which is more suitable as a summer spot )and have that extra day in Valencia instead of just a mere 1 day. Valencia is worth at least 2 days in our opinion. All in all, we are very happy with Insight Vacations and will definitely travel with them again in the future.
My wife and I had the best time on the Insight Tour 9 Days Highlights of Spain. The tour itself was great, hitting many must sees and the organisation was just sensational. If you love history then this is the tour for you. Everything went to plan and the tour guide Jorge made sure everyone enjoyed their holiday. We have been on many guided tours both read more river cruises and by coach but this was our first time with Insight and we were impressed. As we were on the tour over Christmas we had a wonderful Christmas dinner and each person was given a present of Spanish toiletries that smell divine! If you want to see Spain and don't have much time then this is the tour for you.
Alpine Christmas market wonderland 6
Alpine Christmas Markets
Robyn & Maurice, QLD, Australia, Dec 2016
Booking through Georgie and Global Journeys is so easy and professional. Thanks! Insight offered a good Christmas market tour, accommodation was comfortable and warm! Starting in Munich I would recommend tours guaranteed to start from Hilton City Munich as it is a great location to access the city on foot. The Alps region is lovely for a European winter read more experience. The optional tour to Lindau Palace and Oberammergau was very good. We saw a light dusting of snow in Innsbruck and through the Austrian Alps. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. Strasbourg and Colmar in France were lovely, and not to be missed, but a lot of driving from the location of Lake Titisee. Probably could have been a couple of days longer to allow for more time to relax and enjoy the wintry experience of the towns. Included dinners were a great experience.
Fantastic 2
John, VIC, Australia, Dec 2016
Fantastic tour showcasing the highlights of Europe. Tour pace was just right , great trip for families with older children.
Overall the tour was a high standard in respect of accommodation and closeness to the main centre of the towns we visited. Global Journeys arranged our booking and it was a pleasure to use this company. I would recommend the staff highly for their efficiency. Our tour guide was excellent and had a vast knowledge of the cities. He was extremely helpful read more and kept us informed of the history of the areas we were exploring. The tour was wonderful and we enjoyed it immensely - especially in southern Spain the cities of Seville , Cordoba and Granada were enchanting.
Excellent Insight Tour of Discovery. Great value for money! 3
Wonders of Turkey
John Jenkins, SA, Australia, Oct 2016
I have done a dozen or so Trips with Insight and Trafalgar Tours. This tour ranks as one of the best for the inclusions and price. Our tour guide was excellent, with a laid back style, but didn't neglect to inform and guide us well throughout this 15 day tour. I would book with Global Journey's again, and would recommend them if your considering this read more type of tour. Thank you Hannah for managing my booking. (Ed: Review based on slightly different itinerary. Trip name and itinerary updated this season)
