Insight Vacations Reviews
The 613 Insight Vacations reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have travelled with Insight Vacations. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
The 613 Insight Vacations reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have travelled with Insight Vacations. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
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)
We thoroughly enjoyed our Britain & Ireland Explorer tour. Our tour director Cherryl Duke was so knowledgeable and kept us all entertained with her stories! Great itinerary and pace, just what we wanted. We booked this tour through Global Journeys and would definitely book with them again. Our consultant, Hannah Campbell, was wonderful and took care read more of everything for us. Thank you Hannah! We wouldn't hesitate to book with Global Journeys and Insight Vacations again.
Wonderful Way to see Spain, Portugal and Morocco 6
Treasures of Spain, Portugal & Morocco
Cel, SA, Australia, Sep 2016
Insight Vacations certainly made it easier to see these three countries. The itinerary is pretty good with stops at most places I wanted to see in Spain and Morocco, albeit lacking in Portugal. I would have liked to have seen Barcelona in Spain as part of the itinerary, and more places in Portugal. The tour guide for this trip was excellent; he was read more organised, knowledgeable, gentle in dealings with difficult people, respectful at all times to everyone, yet still friendly and approachable. In addition, I liked the optional excursions, the comfortable seating on the coach, the frequent "comfort room" stops, and the decent accommodation and meals included.
Greek Islands 1
Christine & Kevin, WA, Australia, Sep 2016
Greek islands were everything we expected and more. This was our second tour with Insight Vacations and would not hesitate to recommend them, very well organised and excellent Tour Directors.
I chose this tour because it fitted my time frame whilst in England. The tour gives you a snapshot rather than an in depth picture, but was brilliant nonetheless. From beginning to end both Global Journeys and Insight Vacations were excellent to deal with. Many thanks to Yvonne at Global and Howard Insights tour director for their wonderful help and read more guidance in making this a holiday I'll remember for years to come. The coach was comfortable and drivers, Ian and Mike extremely adept at navigating through some of the smallest roads I've seen. I selected all the optional extras offered for a little more and was so glad I did, even eating haggis ( with a sip of red wine between bites). The group I toured with were fantastic fun and easy going - guess I lucked out there, more so with the weather. An all weather coat and thin cardigan were all that was required and some days not even needed. Overall a wonderful experience.
A brilliant and inclusive tour all round. Extra tours well worth it. Our tour guide Marijo was brilliant, informative and a passionate Croatian who generously gave his time, information and experience freely. He went above and beyond to help those needing assistance. A real credit to Insight.
Great trip with a good group. The Tour Director and Driver were very good. Highlight of the tour was Rome and Paris. Would like to travel with Insight again.
Great trip to Budapest, Vienna and Prague 3
Easy Pace Budapest, Vienna & Prague
Michael & Lynley Glading, New Zealand, Sep 2016
Had a fantastic time - our host David was simply brilliant; a great sense of humour, terrific knowledge, and his organisation was exemplary. This was the first time we had ever done an organised tour, and were highly impressed. Hotel in Budapest was outstanding; Hilton in Vienna was quite good, although the one in Prague was very average. Overall read more we really enjoyed the group of people - the number (25) was a really good sized group. The tour was a great balance of organised sightseeing and enough time to 'do our own thing' - all made highly enjoyable by a really great tour host.
