Insight Vacations Reviews
The 608 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 608 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.
22 Day Insight Vacations Britain and Ireland Discovery Tour 5
Britain & Ireland Discovery
David & Maree, Queensland, Australia, Aug 2019
This was an amazing tour full of interesting history, beautiful scenery, great group of travel companions and an excellent Tour Director. Highly recommended!!!
Excellent tour director, excellent tour 4
Britain & Ireland Discovery
Bronwyn & John, QLD, Australia, Aug 2019
This was an excellent tour which was very well organised by our tour director Dave Neal. In early August, it included the Edinburgh Tattoo. If going at that time, also be aware that the Fringe Festival is on too. So Edinburgh was very crowded, but also lots to do & see. Most of the accommodation on the tour was very good, but a few were average. We read more had seen a lot of UK on our own, prior to this tour, but found new experiences in the places we revisited with the tour.
Great trip, Tour Director Katie was excellent. Global Journeys and Tracey bent over backwards to assist us in organising our trip. Thanks to all.
Fantastic tour through the Canadian Rockies and Alaska 1
Christine & Stephen, NSW, Australia, Aug 2019
Just back from our holiday to Canada and Alaska. We were very pleased with our experience booking this holiday with Hannah at Global Journeys - she was prompt in answering our questions and kept us informed of any developments. The trip itself was well organised and allowed us to explore some beautiful countryside. Although we booked with Insight Vacations read more the ground operator for the coach trip was Destination America and the cruise was through Holland America. All transfers to and from the airport/hotel/port went smoothly, although the first taxi driver insisted on taking two vouchers instead of one (and as we were jet lagged we didn't argue).
The accommodation was generally of a very high standard (a little more rustic in Glacier National Park, but the ambience and scenery more than made up for this). We had a mixed group on the coach - American, Aussie, UK and Kiwi and they were a friendly bunch and considerate travelling companions. There were way too many fantastic experiences to mention them all - some standouts include the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Banff, Lake Peyto and Lake Louise, river rafting at Jasper and the Chuhily glass gardens near the space Needle in Seattle. The cruise was also excellent, allowing us some time to slow down and enjoy the magnificent scenery in Glacier National Park. Skagway was our favourite for the shore excursions - a real step back in time with boardwalks on the Main Street and lots of history.
The only thing we would do differently would be to organise a stopover on the way home. The boat docked at 7.00am in the morning and our flight to Sydney was not until 11.50pm which made for a very long day. A stopover in Hawaii might have enabled us to fly out of Vancouver at a more traveller friendly hour. Overall a great experience which we would highly recommend.
The accommodation was generally of a very high standard (a little more rustic in Glacier National Park, but the ambience and scenery more than made up for this). We had a mixed group on the coach - American, Aussie, UK and Kiwi and they were a friendly bunch and considerate travelling companions. There were way too many fantastic experiences to mention them all - some standouts include the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Banff, Lake Peyto and Lake Louise, river rafting at Jasper and the Chuhily glass gardens near the space Needle in Seattle. The cruise was also excellent, allowing us some time to slow down and enjoy the magnificent scenery in Glacier National Park. Skagway was our favourite for the shore excursions - a real step back in time with boardwalks on the Main Street and lots of history.
The only thing we would do differently would be to organise a stopover on the way home. The boat docked at 7.00am in the morning and our flight to Sydney was not until 11.50pm which made for a very long day. A stopover in Hawaii might have enabled us to fly out of Vancouver at a more traveller friendly hour. Overall a great experience which we would highly recommend.
Our tour director was excellent and gave us a lot of information about Germany throughout the tour. The welcome dinner was disappointing in quality but the remaining included meals were much better. We had no complaints regarding the comfort or facilities provided by the hotels. The tour had three relaxed starts and just one very early start so wasn't read more too tiring. Our driver was very good and the coach comfortable with good leg room. Overall we enjoyed the tour and would use Insight and Global Journeys again.
I enjoyed this trip. A combination of busy touristy places and smaller locations. Wonderful guide, who spoke perfect Italian with an English accent. Lovely driver as well. The highlight for me was the Cathedral at Monreale - as the local guide said, you could spend a day talking about this Cathedral with its 24 carat gold edging & mosaic tiles, telling read more the stories of the times. Also I was there in Palermo at the annual Festival of St Rosalie, and the street lighting was beautiful. The accommodation was great.
Unfortunately there was a heat wave in Europe when I travelled in July, but I did find Sicily cooler than where I had come from (Greece). The included dinners in Sicily were wonderful. I have used Insight quite often in the past, and will use them again next year for one of my trips. Global Journeys always does a great job with booking, and Yvonne is lovely in that she sent me a paper copy of my documents, as I like to hold paper in my hand (I know I am old school).
Unfortunately there was a heat wave in Europe when I travelled in July, but I did find Sicily cooler than where I had come from (Greece). The included dinners in Sicily were wonderful. I have used Insight quite often in the past, and will use them again next year for one of my trips. Global Journeys always does a great job with booking, and Yvonne is lovely in that she sent me a paper copy of my documents, as I like to hold paper in my hand (I know I am old school).
A little too long but very interesting 1
Northern Capitals
Garry & Annette, NSW, Australia, Jul 2019
We have booked Insight Vacations tours on several previous occasions, so we had a good idea of the standards to expect. This tour was a real mixed bag. The hotels and food in Russia and the Baltic countries were up to the high standard expected of Insight Vacations, however the hotels in the Scandinavian countries did not meet the standard expected read more of Insight Vacations. The Scandinavian countries are very expensive and this was reflected in the quality of the hotels. It would appear that the Insight Vacations budget would not stretch to the international chain standard of hotels.
The other disappointing aspect of the tour was the balance between included sightseeing and optional tours. There were a lot of the latter. On the positive side, the countries were amazing, especially Russia. The tour was probably a little too long. It would have been enough to have just the Scandinavian countries and Russia. The Baltic countries (especially Belarus and Lithuania) did not add a great deal extra. Booking with Global Journeys was fabulous. The service was of a high standard, personal and efficient. Questions were answered promptly and all relevant information provided. A highly recommended travel company.
The other disappointing aspect of the tour was the balance between included sightseeing and optional tours. There were a lot of the latter. On the positive side, the countries were amazing, especially Russia. The tour was probably a little too long. It would have been enough to have just the Scandinavian countries and Russia. The Baltic countries (especially Belarus and Lithuania) did not add a great deal extra. Booking with Global Journeys was fabulous. The service was of a high standard, personal and efficient. Questions were answered promptly and all relevant information provided. A highly recommended travel company.
Northern Capitals and Russia tour was a great tour. The tour starts in Berlin and I would suggest if you haven’t been to Berlin before that you arrive at least a day before to get a good look at Berlin. You get a welcome dinner and a city tour the next day with the afternoon free. Insight offer an optional tour to Potsdam which is a little expensive. read more You can catch the train out to Potsdam. We did this when we were in Berlin in 2014. It was easy on the train and we had a very enjoyable day without time constraints.
The journey to Rostock was scenic and the crossing to Denmark was smooth sailing. In Copenhagen we went to the Tivoli Gardens which was pleasant but not a highlight. It was busy and is basically a theme park with a 1950 feel. On our second night we dined by ourselves along the picturesque canal. The restaurants are a little pricey but the food was of a good standard. Stockholm was interesting and we did the optional dinner which was expensive however we dined at a small restaurant on the edge of a lake. It was very beautiful and the quality of the food was good. We did the optional tour to see the Vasa, which was very interesting. The Baltic Cruise overnight was good, cabins were small but of a reasonable standard. Helsinki was nice. Enjoyed the city tour and the markets near the harbour.
The drive to St Petersburg was scenic and an interesting insight into their road rules. We were fortunate or not to have the front row seats on the coach that day. It is a long day in the coach however Alex our tour guide made sure we had a couple of stops and plenty of treats! The Russian border checks took some time and they were not welcoming. We had some rain in St Petersburg however it didn’t stop us from seeing all the sights and we really enjoyed St Petersburg... perhaps they should allow another day in this beautiful city... so much to see. We did the Neva river cruise, Peter and Paul Fortress and the Russian Folklore optionals which we really enjoyed.
Onto Moscow which was a beautiful surprise. The optionals tours were great however expensive but we probably will not go back to Russia so we were happy to see as much as we could. Russia was not what we expected and was the most enjoyable part of our trip. We then travelled to Minsk in Belarus which we viewed as a stopover on the way to Vilnius. The distance to travel to Vilnius is about 400km however it does take most of the day due to the very long queue to cross the border. This border crossing was the longest and most unfriendly of them all.
We enjoyed our time in Lithuania and did both optionals, the dinner which was nice and the KGB tour which was very interesting and sad. Onto Warsaw which was very heavily bombed in the war so lot of the buildings are not the original however they have done a good job at restoring the Old Town. Did the optional tour to Wilanow Palace however we did not do the Chopin concert but fellow travellers said it was really good. Expect some days to be long days travelling in the coach. We would recommend this tour to people who have seen Europe and want to get a taste of the north. This was our 9th tour with Insight Vacations and whilst some of the hotels were average and rooms small they were centrally located.
The journey to Rostock was scenic and the crossing to Denmark was smooth sailing. In Copenhagen we went to the Tivoli Gardens which was pleasant but not a highlight. It was busy and is basically a theme park with a 1950 feel. On our second night we dined by ourselves along the picturesque canal. The restaurants are a little pricey but the food was of a good standard. Stockholm was interesting and we did the optional dinner which was expensive however we dined at a small restaurant on the edge of a lake. It was very beautiful and the quality of the food was good. We did the optional tour to see the Vasa, which was very interesting. The Baltic Cruise overnight was good, cabins were small but of a reasonable standard. Helsinki was nice. Enjoyed the city tour and the markets near the harbour.
The drive to St Petersburg was scenic and an interesting insight into their road rules. We were fortunate or not to have the front row seats on the coach that day. It is a long day in the coach however Alex our tour guide made sure we had a couple of stops and plenty of treats! The Russian border checks took some time and they were not welcoming. We had some rain in St Petersburg however it didn’t stop us from seeing all the sights and we really enjoyed St Petersburg... perhaps they should allow another day in this beautiful city... so much to see. We did the Neva river cruise, Peter and Paul Fortress and the Russian Folklore optionals which we really enjoyed.
Onto Moscow which was a beautiful surprise. The optionals tours were great however expensive but we probably will not go back to Russia so we were happy to see as much as we could. Russia was not what we expected and was the most enjoyable part of our trip. We then travelled to Minsk in Belarus which we viewed as a stopover on the way to Vilnius. The distance to travel to Vilnius is about 400km however it does take most of the day due to the very long queue to cross the border. This border crossing was the longest and most unfriendly of them all.
We enjoyed our time in Lithuania and did both optionals, the dinner which was nice and the KGB tour which was very interesting and sad. Onto Warsaw which was very heavily bombed in the war so lot of the buildings are not the original however they have done a good job at restoring the Old Town. Did the optional tour to Wilanow Palace however we did not do the Chopin concert but fellow travellers said it was really good. Expect some days to be long days travelling in the coach. We would recommend this tour to people who have seen Europe and want to get a taste of the north. This was our 9th tour with Insight Vacations and whilst some of the hotels were average and rooms small they were centrally located.
Worthwhile in depth trip through Scandinavia 2
Scandinavian Heritage
Carol & Anthony, New Zealand, Jul 2019
This was our first Insight tour and also the first time we have used Global Journeys. Our booking was completed online which was easy, hassle free and efficient as we could view each stage we were at. The 3 Travel Consultants that handled our booking were very professional, knowledgeable, courteous, helpful and their attention to detail was well noted. read more Top marks to all 3 of them! We will definitely use their expertise again and would recommend them to others.
Some days in Norway we travelled long distances between overnights stays however approximately every 2 hours we had a stop. Our Coach Driver was a true professional: driving plus keeping the coach immaculately clean every day. We were also well entertained by our very experienced Travel Director. We enjoyed the “flourishes” (special treats) that we received along the way. Norway had spectacular scenery whichever way you turned: giant mountains, fjords, waterfalls and their amazing architecture. We couldn’t get over travelling through underground tunnels or tunnels with traffic islands in them. The optional excursions offered were well worthwhile which resulted in many more memorable occasions however we did think that a few could have been included in the basic itinerary.
The tour struck the right balance for us – moderate to fast paced however please note good walking shoes are a must as you walk over a lot of uneven cobblestone streets and footpaths. The hotels were all very good to an excellent standard however we were rather disappointed with the welcome dinner at Copenhagen. We enjoyed the daily seat rotation and the extra leg room on the coach.
Only one disappointing aspect of the tour – we booked on a guaranteed 28-day tour and were advised on the 26th day we had 3 tours rolled into 1. (Scandinavian Heritage, a 20-day Copenhagen to Oslo then a tour commencing in Oslo and ending in Copenhagen). The latter tour continued sightseeing for another 2 days in Copenhagen after our tour ended. Therefore, over a period of 28 days we had 2 Coaches, 2 Coach Drivers and 2 Tour Directors. Our fellow travellers on the 28-day tour were also unaware of this as well until we were all told. All in all it was a very worthwhile in-depth trip through Scandinavia.
Some days in Norway we travelled long distances between overnights stays however approximately every 2 hours we had a stop. Our Coach Driver was a true professional: driving plus keeping the coach immaculately clean every day. We were also well entertained by our very experienced Travel Director. We enjoyed the “flourishes” (special treats) that we received along the way. Norway had spectacular scenery whichever way you turned: giant mountains, fjords, waterfalls and their amazing architecture. We couldn’t get over travelling through underground tunnels or tunnels with traffic islands in them. The optional excursions offered were well worthwhile which resulted in many more memorable occasions however we did think that a few could have been included in the basic itinerary.
The tour struck the right balance for us – moderate to fast paced however please note good walking shoes are a must as you walk over a lot of uneven cobblestone streets and footpaths. The hotels were all very good to an excellent standard however we were rather disappointed with the welcome dinner at Copenhagen. We enjoyed the daily seat rotation and the extra leg room on the coach.
Only one disappointing aspect of the tour – we booked on a guaranteed 28-day tour and were advised on the 26th day we had 3 tours rolled into 1. (Scandinavian Heritage, a 20-day Copenhagen to Oslo then a tour commencing in Oslo and ending in Copenhagen). The latter tour continued sightseeing for another 2 days in Copenhagen after our tour ended. Therefore, over a period of 28 days we had 2 Coaches, 2 Coach Drivers and 2 Tour Directors. Our fellow travellers on the 28-day tour were also unaware of this as well until we were all told. All in all it was a very worthwhile in-depth trip through Scandinavia.
A snapshot of the Canadian maritimes. 2
Landscapes of the Canadian Maritimes
Janne & Melinda, NSW, Australia, Jul 2019
A wonderful trip, a good pace and lots of interesting places to visit. Our fellow travellers were a very friendly group and we all got on well. Everything ran smoothly thanks to our very knowledgeable and well organised tour director. We had perfect weather and on the whole everything went according to plan. Thank you Georgie for making the trip so read more stress free by taking care of the planning and booking side of things, it meant we could start the trip in a more relaxed frame of mind.
Bohemian tour with an outstanding tour director 4
Country Roads of Central Europe
Douglas & Charmaine, QLD, Australia, Jun 2019
The Insight tour went especially well. Everything was on schedule, the accommodation was excellent and the tour director was outstanding. The only problem was that Europe was experiencing a heatwave and in Prague the temperature was 36 C and the large crowds in the square made it very uncomfortable. Throughout the tour the temperatures were in the 30s read more so my recommendation would be not to do this tour in July.
A well -designed Tour spoiled by a poor tour guide 4
Northern Spain
Stephen & Christina, NSW, Australia, Jun 2019
This tour should have been a most enjoyable tour, but spoiled by a tour guide who didn’t really care about the people under his care and guidance. The journey from Madrid to Santiago de Compostela took about 6 to 7 hours. It was absolutely boring! Apart from a short perfunctory remark for about 10 minutes, our so-called “Tour Guide” did absolutely read more nothing to alleviate the boredom. We were hoping for some dissertation on the history, culture and politics on Spain, or at the very least a video or even some music to kill the boredom. But nothing came! The same thing occurred on the long trip from Pamplona to Barcelona in the return leg! It was boredom personified. The next startling news was that several optional tours offered in the tour were to be cancelled or withdrawn due the small numbers of 12 people in the tour! This was most disappointing because some of us had planned to go on to these optional tours offered in the itinerary.
The worst was to come. Due to the cancelled optional tour at Barcelona, the tour guide unilaterally and without consultation, announced that he wanted to reschedule the farewell dinner from the last day to the 2nd last day and from a dinner to a farewell LUNCH. This was most unconventional as a farewell dinner are normally conducted on the last day! However, before we had a chance to comprehend the purpose and significance of this change, the tour guide made another unilateral announcement : he decided that the farewell dinner was to be rescheduled to the 2nd last night. This means that instead of finishing the tour late on the last light, it will now finish early midday after our morning tour of Barcelona! No doubt, this allows the driver and the tour guide to have the night free on the last day of the tour.
We find this unilateral rescheduling of Insight Vacation ‘s advertised itinerary is tantamount to a breach of contract. Also, all the guiding were given by local guides with the exception the one at Pamplona where Rory took charge. Because of the huge crowd at this Bull run, our tour bus had to be parked a long way from the city centre. We had to fight our way through the huge crowds. For some inexplicable reason, Rory did not used the radios issued. As we returned to our tour bus, Rory failed to check the numbers and he would have left two members of our group if weren’t for the fact that some of us had to inform Rory that he had left these two members behind. This incident had instilled fear and doubt in some of us on his ability as a tour guide.
The worst was to come. Due to the cancelled optional tour at Barcelona, the tour guide unilaterally and without consultation, announced that he wanted to reschedule the farewell dinner from the last day to the 2nd last day and from a dinner to a farewell LUNCH. This was most unconventional as a farewell dinner are normally conducted on the last day! However, before we had a chance to comprehend the purpose and significance of this change, the tour guide made another unilateral announcement : he decided that the farewell dinner was to be rescheduled to the 2nd last night. This means that instead of finishing the tour late on the last light, it will now finish early midday after our morning tour of Barcelona! No doubt, this allows the driver and the tour guide to have the night free on the last day of the tour.
We find this unilateral rescheduling of Insight Vacation ‘s advertised itinerary is tantamount to a breach of contract. Also, all the guiding were given by local guides with the exception the one at Pamplona where Rory took charge. Because of the huge crowd at this Bull run, our tour bus had to be parked a long way from the city centre. We had to fight our way through the huge crowds. For some inexplicable reason, Rory did not used the radios issued. As we returned to our tour bus, Rory failed to check the numbers and he would have left two members of our group if weren’t for the fact that some of us had to inform Rory that he had left these two members behind. This incident had instilled fear and doubt in some of us on his ability as a tour guide.
Memorable tour of Scandinavia 1
Spectacular Scandinavia & its Fjords
Jozef Potomski, QLD, Australia, Jun 2019
The tour was well organised and our tour director and driver were superb. The highlights of the tour were the Norwegian fjords. Accommodation was satisfactory however some hotels were not up to the standard we have previously experienced with Insight Vacations. Scandinavian countries are cashless - we used only credit cards. The weather varied a lot: read more Copenhagen and Oslo were hot, the rest unseasonably cold. Our fellow travellers were mostly from USA and Australia/New Zealand and we got along very well. The optional tours were well attended. The optional tours: The Troll's Road and Fjord at Dalsnibba should have been included at no extra cost. Many thanks to Hannah from Global Journeys.
If you want to capture the spirit and history of Turkey in just under a fortnight, take this trip. From the magnificence of Aya Sophia and Ephesus, to an afternoon tea in a cave house in Cappadocia, this tour covered the history and cultures of Anatolia from the Hittites to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. There were many highlights. Some were expected (Ephesus read more being one example), others were not: the House of the Virgin Mary was one, the Calcium Terraces at Pamukkale was another, and the farm-to-table lunch where a local family, who farm organically, served up a delicious meal was yet another.
The accommodation was more than comfortable and even a touch exotic, like the cave hotel in Cappadocia. Most meals were provided, some were set meals, others were buffet meals, but in all cases the food was good and fresh. Although Insight does not include Cappadocia’s famous hot-air balloon rides as part of its itinerary, those interested can book a ride from the hotel. The organisation of the tour, from its beginning in Istanbul to its end in Istanbul, was meticulous, thanks to the tour director, Daghan Erdogdu. He brought his love of his country and its history to the tour.
Like any tour, there will be some who will wish that they had stayed longer at one place and less time at another. This tour struck the right balance. To use a now probably long forgotten Australian expression, ‘I wouldn’t have missed this tour for quids’. As for travelling with Insight again, that I will. And as for using Global Journeys and Jemma again for future tours, that’s a certainty.
The accommodation was more than comfortable and even a touch exotic, like the cave hotel in Cappadocia. Most meals were provided, some were set meals, others were buffet meals, but in all cases the food was good and fresh. Although Insight does not include Cappadocia’s famous hot-air balloon rides as part of its itinerary, those interested can book a ride from the hotel. The organisation of the tour, from its beginning in Istanbul to its end in Istanbul, was meticulous, thanks to the tour director, Daghan Erdogdu. He brought his love of his country and its history to the tour.
Like any tour, there will be some who will wish that they had stayed longer at one place and less time at another. This tour struck the right balance. To use a now probably long forgotten Australian expression, ‘I wouldn’t have missed this tour for quids’. As for travelling with Insight again, that I will. And as for using Global Journeys and Jemma again for future tours, that’s a certainty.
Mediterranean legends 2
Vicki, NSW, Australia, Jun 2019
I was disappointed that there were 1500 people on the ship. Travelling alone I didn't get to be with the tour group. We had to pay extra to go to Santorini and then due to bad weather, didn't visit.
Grand Scandinavia holiday was epic both in scenery and distance. 7
Grand Scandinavia
Howard & Teresa, ACT, Australia, Jun 2019
The Tour Director Zsofia Ferencz and Driver Bert were both excellent and professional in every way possible. Even through times of difficulty, when our coach windscreen was broken from a rock from another vehicle and the tour director sustained a head injury, Zsofia was more concerned about her passengers than herself even though she was the only one read more injured. Bert's excellent driving skill saved us from further injury. We got through it and completed the holiday with great success.
There were long distances between overnight stays with many short breaks in between. Could have spent more time in Copenhagen and Stockholm and less in Finland which was very flat and less interesting, but Norway was spectacular in scenery and breathtaking in beauty.
The highlight for my wife and myself was Geiranger, with giant mountains and fjords and waterfalls which never seem to end. Oslo is an interesting city with lots to see and a great atmosphere with varying architecture. All in all, the holiday was fast paced and scenic but too many one night stops.
There were long distances between overnight stays with many short breaks in between. Could have spent more time in Copenhagen and Stockholm and less in Finland which was very flat and less interesting, but Norway was spectacular in scenery and breathtaking in beauty.
The highlight for my wife and myself was Geiranger, with giant mountains and fjords and waterfalls which never seem to end. Oslo is an interesting city with lots to see and a great atmosphere with varying architecture. All in all, the holiday was fast paced and scenic but too many one night stops.
A week in southern Italy in summer - what could be better! Spending more than the usual amount of time in 2 locations; Puglia and Sorrento (3 days in each) allowed a more relaxed vacation and the opportunity to explore these areas in more depth.
Great included activities and even better optionals resulted in some very memorable occasions, especially read more those that involved the divine Italian cuisine! And won't forget the shots of Limoncello!
This is now the 4th Insight trip we had booked through Global Journeys and all handled by the wonderful Hannah. Now planning the next trip...
Great included activities and even better optionals resulted in some very memorable occasions, especially read more those that involved the divine Italian cuisine! And won't forget the shots of Limoncello!
This is now the 4th Insight trip we had booked through Global Journeys and all handled by the wonderful Hannah. Now planning the next trip...
I was really looking forward to Country Roads of Croatia after doing Country Roads of Portugal last year, which was great. This year there was a noticeable difference in the standard of the Insight tour. We stayed in good hotels but in the cheapest rooms. Some hotels ie Split, were way out of town
Every included meal on the program was a hotel buffet read more except in Korcula where we are in a little restaurant in the old town. It doesn't give you an authentic feel for the destination eating dinner in your hotel. Plus, you get are limited to 2 x 100ml glasses of wine with these meals. (on our Country Roads of Portugal tour, the wine was free flowing). Wine in Croatia is cheap!!
Unless you wanted to pay for the optional excursions, this tour is basically transport, accommodation in the cheapest rooms, and a local guide for a couple of hours at most towns (that you have to tip). The only included activities on the programme were the caves visit, The waterfalls and oyster tasting. (We did another oyster tasting in the same town a couple of weeks later and it was far superior with a lot of food and wine)
We did the first optional excursion in Zagreb thinking we were going to eat in a family home in the country, only to find out it was us and several other bus loads all having dinner in a mass produced commercial environment in the country outside of Zagreb. This turned us off paid optional dinners for the rest of the trip.
I personally hate the add-ons and would prefer to pay more up front and have it included in the programme rather than having a feeling of resentment being that if you don't pay, you miss out on the best bits. You basically HAVE to buy the extras to bring it up to standard expectations. These add-ons cost an extra $1200AU per couple!! Plus the expected top about for tipping is an additional $600AU per couple, making these tours very expensive.
This, along with no name tags or travel documents indicates that Insight are tightening their budget. Others in our group expressed the awkwardness of not knowing each other's names. Insight said it was their no plastic policy, but clearly, name tags can be paper stickers or simply plastic ones recycled.
This will be our last Insight tour.
Every included meal on the program was a hotel buffet read more except in Korcula where we are in a little restaurant in the old town. It doesn't give you an authentic feel for the destination eating dinner in your hotel. Plus, you get are limited to 2 x 100ml glasses of wine with these meals. (on our Country Roads of Portugal tour, the wine was free flowing). Wine in Croatia is cheap!!
Unless you wanted to pay for the optional excursions, this tour is basically transport, accommodation in the cheapest rooms, and a local guide for a couple of hours at most towns (that you have to tip). The only included activities on the programme were the caves visit, The waterfalls and oyster tasting. (We did another oyster tasting in the same town a couple of weeks later and it was far superior with a lot of food and wine)
We did the first optional excursion in Zagreb thinking we were going to eat in a family home in the country, only to find out it was us and several other bus loads all having dinner in a mass produced commercial environment in the country outside of Zagreb. This turned us off paid optional dinners for the rest of the trip.
I personally hate the add-ons and would prefer to pay more up front and have it included in the programme rather than having a feeling of resentment being that if you don't pay, you miss out on the best bits. You basically HAVE to buy the extras to bring it up to standard expectations. These add-ons cost an extra $1200AU per couple!! Plus the expected top about for tipping is an additional $600AU per couple, making these tours very expensive.
This, along with no name tags or travel documents indicates that Insight are tightening their budget. Others in our group expressed the awkwardness of not knowing each other's names. Insight said it was their no plastic policy, but clearly, name tags can be paper stickers or simply plastic ones recycled.
This will be our last Insight tour.
The grand tour of Great Britain 6
Britain & Ireland Discovery
Cathy & Frank, QLD, Australia, Jun 2019
Out interesting journey began with booking out trip through Global Journeys last year. It was all very easy and efficient arranging this trip online. Emails were answered promptly and requests for different flight times easily accommodated. It was lovely having a trip booked early just for the anticipation.
We were very fortunate in our trip's tour read more director and driver and weather. Ben Scott is only about 32 but appears to love his job and he was very good at it. He attended to all our needs and kept us every well organised. He went down the coach and spoke to every passenger individually to see if we had any concerns or complaints everyday. Marcel the driver was an excellent driver and had a happy and humorous personality.
The trip itself was as anticipated. We had the opportunity to see a great many towns and cities in Great Britain. I especially enjoyed Ireland. Ben entertained us with the history of the places we visited. The included tours of distilleries, crystal factories, castles, famous houses and interesting towns and cities were all wonderful as was the scenery.
The hotels were all of good to excellent quality. We always had a full hot breakfast and the starting times for each day were all reasonable. The included evening meals were also good. There were a few negatives. We found the optional dinners were far too expensive for what you got. We cancelled all dinners after the first one and arranged our own dinner for a quarter of the price. Those who went on these dinners also said they were not good value for money.
I would have liked a few optional extras that included dancing at local venues in Ireland. We were left too long in some towns. Everyone just wanted to get to our hotel room at a good hour before we were picked up. This really happened only on the first and last day when we were all tired.
Other than those few complaints, the trip was a wonderful experience and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend both Global Journeys and Insight Vacations to my family and friends.
We were very fortunate in our trip's tour read more director and driver and weather. Ben Scott is only about 32 but appears to love his job and he was very good at it. He attended to all our needs and kept us every well organised. He went down the coach and spoke to every passenger individually to see if we had any concerns or complaints everyday. Marcel the driver was an excellent driver and had a happy and humorous personality.
The trip itself was as anticipated. We had the opportunity to see a great many towns and cities in Great Britain. I especially enjoyed Ireland. Ben entertained us with the history of the places we visited. The included tours of distilleries, crystal factories, castles, famous houses and interesting towns and cities were all wonderful as was the scenery.
The hotels were all of good to excellent quality. We always had a full hot breakfast and the starting times for each day were all reasonable. The included evening meals were also good. There were a few negatives. We found the optional dinners were far too expensive for what you got. We cancelled all dinners after the first one and arranged our own dinner for a quarter of the price. Those who went on these dinners also said they were not good value for money.
I would have liked a few optional extras that included dancing at local venues in Ireland. We were left too long in some towns. Everyone just wanted to get to our hotel room at a good hour before we were picked up. This really happened only on the first and last day when we were all tired.
Other than those few complaints, the trip was a wonderful experience and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend both Global Journeys and Insight Vacations to my family and friends.
We enjoyed very much the Glorious Switzerland 8 day tour recently. It was great. Well organised. Martin was a very experienced and knowledgeable tour guide and was very organised. Our group of 35 was great and joyful, came from Canada, US, Australia, NZ and Singapore. Seat rotation was a great idea. Georgie from Global Journeys was very helpful. Will read more recommend this tour and Global Journeys to friends.
