Trafalgar Reviews
The 999 Trafalgar reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have traveled with Trafalgar. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
4.6
5 Star
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1 Star
Arrived back from the UK yesterday, after a great trip. We would like to thank Yvonne for organising the Real Britain Tour part of it and for getting our tickets to us early. We will have no hesitation in booking with you in the future. Thanks again.
Splendours of Japan with great accommodation and inclusions 4
Splendours of Japan with Hiroshima
Vicky & Kevin, NSW, Australia, Oct 2018
We were on a 13 day tour with 16 other Aussies, an English couple and a single lady from the US. It took us a few days to adjust to the cultural differences of our tour guide Yama. She worked extremely hard and was well organised but often she would not immediately answer our questions saying she would talk about that later to the group. The tour itself read more was fantastic. Beautiful autumn colours, great hotels and marvellous inclusions. We had some of the best high end meals ever! Highly recommended.
Splendours of Japan with Hiroshima 3
Splendours of Japan with Hiroshima
Helen & Wayne, QLD, Australia, Oct 2018
The tour was very well organised and very good value for money. We were very pleased with the hotels, the tour guide was excellent and we saw everything we wanted to see. We would be happy to recommend this tour to anybody wanting to tour Japan in a short time (2 weeks) but see as much as possible.
We could not fault the organisation of the tour read more or the hotel rooms, with the exception of the hotel in Kanazawa which had no air conditioning in the guest rooms. It was hot so we slept with the window open (and the noise from the street filtering in!). This was the only negative we encountered. We brought this to the tour guide's attention and she suggested we provide this feed back as well. The mix of people on our tour was excellent and we made some valued friendships.
We could not fault the organisation of the tour read more or the hotel rooms, with the exception of the hotel in Kanazawa which had no air conditioning in the guest rooms. It was hot so we slept with the window open (and the noise from the street filtering in!). This was the only negative we encountered. We brought this to the tour guide's attention and she suggested we provide this feed back as well. The mix of people on our tour was excellent and we made some valued friendships.
This tour with Trafalgar was a gem. The pace was comfortable for those of us not quite as young as we were. There were the hidden gems, and the local guides were also very good. Our leader, Tiego, was informative and well organised especially with our large group. There was a good mix of cities to visit, along with villages and attractions. The booking read more process with Hannah at Global Journeys was easy, with all queries being answered quickly. Bring on the next trip.
Splendid Splendors of Japan with Hiroshima 4
Splendours of Japan with Hiroshima
Liz, SA, Australia, Oct 2018
What a delightful tour in a delightful country. Our tour director May was patient and charming. The tour was effortless and drama free with everything Trafalgar promised and more. Hotels, included meals and sightseeing all good standard. The Hiroshima extension was definitely worth it for the visit to Miyajima.
I've been on several tours with various read more operators in the last few years and am not easy to impress. I can recommend without hesitation Trafalgar's Splendors of Japan with Hiroshima. I can further recommend without hesitation booking through Global Journeys with efficient service and consultant Yvonne Brooks making the effort to follow up on some tricky questions of mine. Thank you for a great holiday.
I've been on several tours with various read more operators in the last few years and am not easy to impress. I can recommend without hesitation Trafalgar's Splendors of Japan with Hiroshima. I can further recommend without hesitation booking through Global Journeys with efficient service and consultant Yvonne Brooks making the effort to follow up on some tricky questions of mine. Thank you for a great holiday.
European Traveller 9 days with Trafalgar 2
European Traveller
Sandra & Andrew, NSW, Australia, Oct 2018
This was our first holiday. It gave us a good introduction to Europe and places where we may go to again. It was especially good to miss the queue. It was great to chat to others on the tour. Howard the tour director was excellent.
Having done the Insight Vacations Best of Spain and Portugal tour before this trip, we can't help but compare the two. This was one of the best trips we have joined for the following reasons:
1. The pace was perfect
2. A lot of included local tours
3. Distance from town to town was relatively short
4. Cheaper food and better prices than big Spanish read more cities like Madrid and Barcelona
If someone asked us to choose between the South and Northern Spain for a one-off Spain tour, we would recommend the latter. The good thing here is that it included the 2 major cities of Madrid and Barcelona.
1. The pace was perfect
2. A lot of included local tours
3. Distance from town to town was relatively short
4. Cheaper food and better prices than big Spanish read more cities like Madrid and Barcelona
If someone asked us to choose between the South and Northern Spain for a one-off Spain tour, we would recommend the latter. The good thing here is that it included the 2 major cities of Madrid and Barcelona.
My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour with Trafalgar Tours, very good knowledgeable guide who kept the whole coach of very diverse people engaged to the very end. Would highly recommend this tour for anyone looking to take in the varied sights of UK and Ireland without the fuss of lineups and tickets etc, as well as the variety of places you read more visit that you may not have necessarily stopped at if you were travelling on your own. The hotels and meals included were of a high standard as well as the extra excursions you could take which were also very worthwhile considering.
A very comprehensive look at the Scenic Parks 9
Scenic Parks Explorer
Roslyn & Alan, QLD, Australia, Oct 2018
The travel guide Kristen was extremely organised and the driver Ronald managed his duties with great dedication and accuracy (regardless of what was thrown at him). The weather was not what was expected and temperatures dropped so we had the added experience of snow falling on Mt Rushmore and the Grand Canyon; even Yellowstone was icy and the walk around read more the geysers was a challenge. Accommodation was excellent and always ready. Overall, a great experience.
First timer to the UK - this seemed to be the perfect length & covered a good part of what I wanted to see. Accommodation was pretty good & centrally located but given that a lot was packed into the day - all you wanted to do was rest when you got back by 8/9 pm (unless you opted out of dinners). Buffet breakfast all included & not much variation in read more offering. Other included & optional meals were good generally.
Not enough time spent in must see places like Stonehenge, Bath, Polperro (Cornwall), The Lakes District & York but excessive time in pretty boring places like Gretna Green, Fort William & Culloden (looks like a grazing meadow with coloured flags). This disappointment was echoed by many in our tour group & this could have been varied as it was at the discretion of the Tour Director. There was an optional boat cruise on Loch Lomond but not Loch Ness (the coach halted & we were told to get out & take pics - hello!! It could have been any old Loch).
Overall be prepared to spend some time dozing out of tiredness & in the coach whizzing at good speed to make it to next place on itinerary. The highlights that were delightful was the Be My Guest lunch with Dyer family on their centuries old farm, optional dinner at an ancient pub on 1st night with visit to nearby more ancient St Andrews Church, Kenn and the 2 night stay at the rustic & basic but very picturesque Hotel Laggan in Cairngorm National Park, Scotland with stunning views & highland style interior and reasonably priced drinks bar.
The tour group really chilled out here and mingled. Mostly Americans, Canadians with a sprinkling of Aussies - we got on well. Jemma Rosen from Global Journeys was awesome with her prompt responses & I would be happy to book other tours - definitely ones that are not so rushed.
Not enough time spent in must see places like Stonehenge, Bath, Polperro (Cornwall), The Lakes District & York but excessive time in pretty boring places like Gretna Green, Fort William & Culloden (looks like a grazing meadow with coloured flags). This disappointment was echoed by many in our tour group & this could have been varied as it was at the discretion of the Tour Director. There was an optional boat cruise on Loch Lomond but not Loch Ness (the coach halted & we were told to get out & take pics - hello!! It could have been any old Loch).
Overall be prepared to spend some time dozing out of tiredness & in the coach whizzing at good speed to make it to next place on itinerary. The highlights that were delightful was the Be My Guest lunch with Dyer family on their centuries old farm, optional dinner at an ancient pub on 1st night with visit to nearby more ancient St Andrews Church, Kenn and the 2 night stay at the rustic & basic but very picturesque Hotel Laggan in Cairngorm National Park, Scotland with stunning views & highland style interior and reasonably priced drinks bar.
The tour group really chilled out here and mingled. Mostly Americans, Canadians with a sprinkling of Aussies - we got on well. Jemma Rosen from Global Journeys was awesome with her prompt responses & I would be happy to book other tours - definitely ones that are not so rushed.
Highlights of less-travelled Benelux countries 7
Best of Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg
Janet, QLD, Australia, Sep 2018
A good value Trafalgar trip showcasing the cities of Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Bruges (who could not love this charming medieval city?) and Brussels. There were shorter stops in other interesting, lesser-known and less-busy places: Rotterdam, Maastricht, Orval Abbey (delightful, many left with beer samples), Trier (optional tour and dinner excellent value), read more Dinant (splendid views along the Meuse River from the cable-car ride to the citadel above), Ghent (busy) and Antwerp (optional, much less so). Waterloo was also a worthwhile optional extension.
I found the optional excursions overall good value except for the Muiderslot castle which was expensive given the very limited time we had there. The hotels were very comfortable and the included meals very good. A criticism I had was that the Kinderdijk trip was an optional excursion, it really should have been part of the tour as if you decide not to do it, there is literally nothing to do nearby for 2 hours. Perhaps the Euromast in Rotterdam (with amazing views of this extensive port city) could be the optional excursion instead - I noticed many did not want to take the ride right to the top, but admission was paid anyway.
The tour in Amsterdam included the Rijksmuseum (wonderful) and a canal cruise with dinner. One optional excursion did not go ahead due to lack of numbers. Not a problem as there is so much to enjoy, but some travellers on the tour were not aware that two main attractions in Amsterdam require pre-booking and so they were disappointed they did not get to see them in their free time: The Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank's House. Travellers need to know that it is necessary to book online at least a few days out to ensure a visit to these very popular museums which are not included on the tour.
I found the optional excursions overall good value except for the Muiderslot castle which was expensive given the very limited time we had there. The hotels were very comfortable and the included meals very good. A criticism I had was that the Kinderdijk trip was an optional excursion, it really should have been part of the tour as if you decide not to do it, there is literally nothing to do nearby for 2 hours. Perhaps the Euromast in Rotterdam (with amazing views of this extensive port city) could be the optional excursion instead - I noticed many did not want to take the ride right to the top, but admission was paid anyway.
The tour in Amsterdam included the Rijksmuseum (wonderful) and a canal cruise with dinner. One optional excursion did not go ahead due to lack of numbers. Not a problem as there is so much to enjoy, but some travellers on the tour were not aware that two main attractions in Amsterdam require pre-booking and so they were disappointed they did not get to see them in their free time: The Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank's House. Travellers need to know that it is necessary to book online at least a few days out to ensure a visit to these very popular museums which are not included on the tour.
A great itinerary, although we didn’t get to experience the incredible Alhambra 5
Highlights of Spain and Portugal
Jill, VIC, Australia, Sep 2018
First of all – excellent organisation of the booking by Global Journeys – 5 stars. I have booked with Global Journeys on a number of occasions and have had positive experiences every time. Great service. Will definitely continue to use them in the future.
Unfortunately, although the Highlights of Spain and Portugal itinerary was excellent, I feel read more that I can only give the tour a score of 3 (maybe 3.5) stars, due to the fact that our group did not get to experience a visit to the Alhambra, which meant that we missed one of the major highlights of the published tour. On the first day of the tour, we were advised that Trafalgar had not been able to secure tickets to the Alhambra. Perhaps this was due to the fact that Trafalgar had chosen to run two parallel groups starting on the same date and following the same itinerary? Our group had 48 people and the other coach probably had about the same number. This was extremely disappointing, as I had booked this tour 11 months prior to the departure date and was looking forward to seeing the palaces, gardens, fountains, courtyards etc of the Alhambra.
Apart from that, the tour was interesting and enjoyable. The Travel Director, Tiago, was friendly and efficient and our coach driver, Amaro, was excellent. There were lots of varied ‘cultural’ experiences, informative visits to historical sites, plenty of ‘foodie’ experiences (loved the authentic pasteis de nata - creamy Portuguese custard tarts), and great scenery, particularly in the Algarve region of Portugal. The Regional Meal in Granada was highly enjoyable, and the Be My Guest lunch at the traditional Lusitano Stud Ranch was delicious. The information about the Lusitano horses was very interesting. The majority of hotels were of a very good standard. The Local Specialists who took the included tours were extremely knowledgeable. Due to the large size of the group (48), it would have been better to halve the group and have two guides for each of these tours.
A good variety of ‘optional experiences’ was available and they were an enjoyable way to extend the variety of experiences available on the tour. I participated in all of the ‘options’ and particularly enjoyed visiting the Alcazar of Seville, the coastal region of the Algarve, Sintra and the world heritage site of Segovia. The ‘options’ that included meals were expensive, while the others were reasonably priced. This is a very comprehensive tour and the pace was quite busy, which was to be expected, given the nature of the itinerary. I would recommend this tour and hope that in the future, other travellers do not have to experience the disappointment of not being able to visit the Alhambra.
Unfortunately, although the Highlights of Spain and Portugal itinerary was excellent, I feel read more that I can only give the tour a score of 3 (maybe 3.5) stars, due to the fact that our group did not get to experience a visit to the Alhambra, which meant that we missed one of the major highlights of the published tour. On the first day of the tour, we were advised that Trafalgar had not been able to secure tickets to the Alhambra. Perhaps this was due to the fact that Trafalgar had chosen to run two parallel groups starting on the same date and following the same itinerary? Our group had 48 people and the other coach probably had about the same number. This was extremely disappointing, as I had booked this tour 11 months prior to the departure date and was looking forward to seeing the palaces, gardens, fountains, courtyards etc of the Alhambra.
Apart from that, the tour was interesting and enjoyable. The Travel Director, Tiago, was friendly and efficient and our coach driver, Amaro, was excellent. There were lots of varied ‘cultural’ experiences, informative visits to historical sites, plenty of ‘foodie’ experiences (loved the authentic pasteis de nata - creamy Portuguese custard tarts), and great scenery, particularly in the Algarve region of Portugal. The Regional Meal in Granada was highly enjoyable, and the Be My Guest lunch at the traditional Lusitano Stud Ranch was delicious. The information about the Lusitano horses was very interesting. The majority of hotels were of a very good standard. The Local Specialists who took the included tours were extremely knowledgeable. Due to the large size of the group (48), it would have been better to halve the group and have two guides for each of these tours.
A good variety of ‘optional experiences’ was available and they were an enjoyable way to extend the variety of experiences available on the tour. I participated in all of the ‘options’ and particularly enjoyed visiting the Alcazar of Seville, the coastal region of the Algarve, Sintra and the world heritage site of Segovia. The ‘options’ that included meals were expensive, while the others were reasonably priced. This is a very comprehensive tour and the pace was quite busy, which was to be expected, given the nature of the itinerary. I would recommend this tour and hope that in the future, other travellers do not have to experience the disappointment of not being able to visit the Alhambra.
Fabulous overview of Greece 2
Best of Greece with 3-Day Aegean Cruise
Victoria , QLD, Australia, Sep 2018
September/October is possibly the best time to travel to Greece, as the weather is comparable to that in Australia for the time of year. The combination of coach tour followed by a 3-night cruise to some of the Greek islands makes this an excellent way to get a real taste of the history, arts, politics, colour and culture that Greece offers. Great, read more friendly, knowledgeable and often humorous tour guides throughout, and good quality accommodation in general.
I found that my room onboard the ship was a little depressing... a tiny windowless, noisy space way down on level 2, so I’d definitely change that if ever cruising again. Having said that, I decided that future ship travel is not for me, as the dining and clocking-on/off experiences were a little too regimented while on holiday, and onboard entertainment was more aimed at much older folk... and I’m only in my sixties!! Hotels were all top class, and the optional experiences were definitely well worth it. We had 46 people booked on the first stage of the tour so the coach was always filled, and I prefer a little more space to be able to stretch out when travelling alone.
The people I met on this tour were a delightful friendly mix of Canadian, US, NZ and Australians, and this mix made for very interesting conversation and many laughs. We encountered a little rough weather (a hurricane) during the cruise and on land while in Mykonos and Santorini, however it didn’t hold us back from exploring the picture-postcard islands. Trafalgar Tours certainly are very well organised and they ensure that bookings and transfers are sorted out swiftly and efficiently. Oh, and I discovered ouzo... that was a rather happy discovery!
I found that my room onboard the ship was a little depressing... a tiny windowless, noisy space way down on level 2, so I’d definitely change that if ever cruising again. Having said that, I decided that future ship travel is not for me, as the dining and clocking-on/off experiences were a little too regimented while on holiday, and onboard entertainment was more aimed at much older folk... and I’m only in my sixties!! Hotels were all top class, and the optional experiences were definitely well worth it. We had 46 people booked on the first stage of the tour so the coach was always filled, and I prefer a little more space to be able to stretch out when travelling alone.
The people I met on this tour were a delightful friendly mix of Canadian, US, NZ and Australians, and this mix made for very interesting conversation and many laughs. We encountered a little rough weather (a hurricane) during the cruise and on land while in Mykonos and Santorini, however it didn’t hold us back from exploring the picture-postcard islands. Trafalgar Tours certainly are very well organised and they ensure that bookings and transfers are sorted out swiftly and efficiently. Oh, and I discovered ouzo... that was a rather happy discovery!
Very good trip, excellent tour director and coach driver and the route of the trip. We only feel the coach seat a little bit narrow for leg movement; the schedule of the trip was a little tight for aged people over 70.
The Italian Lakes region is stunning. My Trafalgar tour was everything I expected. The Hotel Deno at Lake Maggiorie was one of the best hotels I have stayed in. Our tour director Roberto was brilliant with his great sense of humour and knowledge of all the places we visited. He worked very hard to make sure all our needs were met. The coach driver Andrea read more was brilliant. Couldn't have asked for anything more.
We wanted to see the different culture of this country as compared to that of the UK and Ireland. We were fascinated by the influence of the Moors on this country and the very breakout designs of the Spanish artists such as Antoni Gaudi. The Mosques transformed to Christian churches and the building designs of Gaudi were exceptional. The food was a read more whole new world to us which we enjoyed very much. Trafalgar Tour Director, Giuseppe Cillepi, was fun, and hard-working. He tried everything to please the group. We would recommend our friends to travel with Trafalgar in the future.
We booked the Highlights of Eastern Europe trip having toured with Trafalgar several times before. The 2 night stays in each main city provided a good amount of time to do our own thing on the second afternoon at most stops. The cities were spectacular, hard to choose a best place, with Budapest, Prague, Berlin and Lake Bled all vying for top spot. read more The Tour Director, Justine, and driver Sandor were both top quality. There were quite a few Optional Experiences on the tour, including several extra city experiences, so be aware that you need to allow for extra payments to maximise this tour. We really did enjoy the tour, very spectacular stops and a well planned itinerary!
Relaxed tour of Prague, Vienna and Budapest 4
Prague, Vienna and Budapest
Rasiah & Denise, WA, Australia, Aug 2018
We enjoyed our recent tour of Prague, Vienna and Budapest. Unlike other tours, this tour was conducted at a relaxed pace. We stayed three days in each city, so we had time to explore on our own. No waking up early every morning or spending long hours on a coach. The tour director was friendly and professional and the coach driver displayed excellent read more driving skills. Our accommodation was great and we had an opportunity to visit a few hidden gems while travelling from one country to another.
The optional excursions were well chosen but they were a little on the expensive side. However, we enjoyed the ones that we took as the local tour guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. Both the free transfers to the airport were in the morning and was not good for those like us who took the evening flights. Booking our tour through Global Journeys was, as always, a breeze and we want to thank in particular Georgie of Global Journeys for her excellent service.
The optional excursions were well chosen but they were a little on the expensive side. However, we enjoyed the ones that we took as the local tour guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. Both the free transfers to the airport were in the morning and was not good for those like us who took the evening flights. Booking our tour through Global Journeys was, as always, a breeze and we want to thank in particular Georgie of Global Journeys for her excellent service.
This was the trip of a lifetime! I loved this trip, although the trip was busy it was jam packed with all the best of Europe. The people I met on the tour were amazing and I appreciated the knowledge and expertise of our tour director. Accommodation was good, the optional experiences were unique and some of the best experiences on the trip. Trafalgar read more were great to deal with and are clearly experts in what they do. Thank you for the most amazing trip, I'll plan my next one soon.
Picture Perfect Trail 11
Highland Trail Inspired by Outlander
Faithe, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, Aug 2018
The Outlander Trail Tour was outlandishly beautiful. Sights of sheer beauty that steal one’s breath while at the same time leaving one in awe. From the highlands to the lowlands, castle ruins perched on the sides of old hilltops and deep dark lochs this tour has it all. The fact that it is themed around a popular television drama is merely a plus!
