Trafalgar Reviews
The 1,795 Trafalgar reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have travelled with Trafalgar. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
The 1,795 Trafalgar reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have travelled with Trafalgar. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
Hotels were excellent, except the Shearton 3
Country Roads of Croatia
Thomas & Lois Stalley, NSW, Australia, May 2015
The Shearton in Zagred was way below standard for such a tour. It was old, smelly and well worn. eg holes in the carpet. Insight needs better booking of their rooms, they are a volume buyer, as such they should ensure everybody has a good room. The Hotels were excellent, except the Shearton. Every night there were concerns over rooms, mainly position.
The whole trip was excellent 5
Highlights of Eastern Europe
Davies Australia, NSW, Australia, May 2015
The whole trip was excellent. We are 'cruisers' rather than 'coachers' but we would certainly recommend this tour very highly. The fact that we stayed in each town for 2 nights was a big bonus, rather than some tours where you are travelling on the bus every day. The countries we visited were beautiful and the local people very friendly and welcoming. read more We had very little problems with the language as most spoke English, or knew enough for us to understand. This is not a shopping tour, it is to see the beautiful sights of Eastern Europe. Our tour director and driver were first class professionals, we had a great group of fellow travellers from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA and Asia. The hotels were all first class and close to the town, the food was first rate. We arrived a day early in Vienna to get over our jet lag which I would suggest to do. The only negative would be the cost of the extra optional tours, which prevented us from joining in all of them.
Disappointingly Hilton Danube was cancelled and stayed in another hotel in Vienna. Novotel Centrum hotel in Budapest in very bad, derelict filthy smelly part of town with old men sleeping and urinating everywhere in street, disgusting part of town. Misleading information on brochure "Dine tonight at your hotel in the beautiful 'city of Salzburg'. read more This hotel was miles from the 'city of Salzburg' in the middle of nowhere with nothing to see and nowhere to walk. It had no air conditioning and it was a very hot day and night and many people requested fans and there was an outcry from all on the tour about this so-called 'hotel'. I, amongst many others, requested to be relocated to another hotel in the city but could only get a different room away from the road noise but had to suffer the extreme heat with no relief. The tour guide knowingly ordered that we complete the assessment forms the day before we arrived at this hotel and told us which boxes to fill in - nothing under very good - and many people asked for their forms back so they could be amended.
He was very authoritarian, rude, bossy and under no circumstances was to be interrupted while he kept continually telling us how wealthy he is, is a lawyer (but only practiced for five weeks and been a tour guide for 25 years!!!, calling himself Doctor Q). We heard a terrific bang underneath us on the coach and talking amongst ourselves who was going to tell him no-one had the courage to do so and put up with his wrath for him being interrupted , as one man said 'don't say anything as you know what he's like when he gets interrupted', he'll find out soon enough when the bus breaks down - which it did eventually and a mechanic had to be called - so Dr Q our tour guide had quite an interestingly tyrannical personality and I certainly wouldn't like to have him as a tour guide on any of my future tours. Overall it was a tour of very interesting places.
He was very authoritarian, rude, bossy and under no circumstances was to be interrupted while he kept continually telling us how wealthy he is, is a lawyer (but only practiced for five weeks and been a tour guide for 25 years!!!, calling himself Doctor Q). We heard a terrific bang underneath us on the coach and talking amongst ourselves who was going to tell him no-one had the courage to do so and put up with his wrath for him being interrupted , as one man said 'don't say anything as you know what he's like when he gets interrupted', he'll find out soon enough when the bus breaks down - which it did eventually and a mechanic had to be called - so Dr Q our tour guide had quite an interestingly tyrannical personality and I certainly wouldn't like to have him as a tour guide on any of my future tours. Overall it was a tour of very interesting places.
Not as leisurely as we expected 6
Northern Italian Lakes & Countryside
Graham & Caroline, SA, Australia, May 2015
The Italian Lakes tour was not as leisurely as we expected. Although we spent 5 nights at Lake Garda (which is a beautiful location), we did spend quite a lot of time on the bus travelling to each days attractions which quite often meant starting earlier and returning late in the day. It might have been better for the tour to have stayed 3 nights in read more Lake Garda and 2 nights in Verona which would have cut down the bus travel time and allowed more time at each days attractions. One of the main attractions for many on the tour was the Ferrari Museum but because of the distance from Lake Garda, we only had one hour there which was disappointing. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and did his best to accommodate everybody's wishes and concerns. There was an issue at Lake Garda where for some reason the tour accommodation had to be split across 2 hotels although both were within 50 metres of each other. The planned tour hotel was of a good standard but the other hotel was in my opinion below the standard which was expected on a Trafalgar tour and left some of the other passengers disgruntled.
Truly wonderful trip, great value for money 6
Highlights of France
Sandra Wallace, NSW, Australia, May 2015
A truly wonderful trip - great value for money. Our guide Giovanna gave us a great commentary along the way and was very organised. The coach was new & very comfortable and had included wifi and power outlets for charging our electronic devices which was a bonus. All accommodation was clean & comfortable with free wifi at every hotel although a little read more slow in some hotels. If Trafalgar Costsaver is the 'budget' option I'm not sure what else you'd need by paying more. This was my first Coach Tour experience and I'll be going again - I'm sure I did more and saw more than if I'd travelled independently. Yvonne from Global Journeys who organised my travel was very helpful and answered all my queries promptly either by phone or e-mail.
My wife and I enjoyed the tour very much. The tour guide was exceptional displaying great knowledge and time management skills. The itinerary was as described, accommodation great, overall a trip I would highly recommend.
This was a fast-paced tour that packed a lot into a short time over a considerable distance. Consequently, crucial timing was often hampered by traffic restraints resulting in less time at our destinations. On our visit to Buckfast Abbey, motorway gridlock prompted our driver/director to take a previously untried route along B roads through beautiful read more countryside and villages - a serendipitous detour, but then just half an hour or so at the Abbey. St Ives and Polperro were a joy to visit in glorious sun that brought crowds of half term holidaymakers to their beaches. Beware the aggressive seagulls, though, that were ever ready to swoop on unguarded food. We were warned! Plenty of time in Bath was a bonus for my Jane Austen loving daughter who indulged her Sense and Sensibilities in the dedicated museum. There is never enough time to absorb all this beautiful small city has on offer, but a very formal wedding in the cathedral and some strangely dressed male dancers performing something between a Morris dance and a cheer leaders' routine were welcome extras.
The stunning and contrasting scenery of the South West makes this a must-do tour for anyone wanting an informative and in-depth overview of the area. I can highly recommend it. Not wanting to be 'picky' about this and understanding that tour directors have the ongoing issue of getting everyone back on the coach on time, I didn't feel it necessary for our director to have us all chant the return time, parrot fashion, after her before disembarking. We were, after all, pretty much sensible adults and not a bunch of primary schoolchildren. Thanks to Yvonne at Global Journeys for her efficient handling of our travel and tour bookings - done on fairly short notice. Much appreciated.
The stunning and contrasting scenery of the South West makes this a must-do tour for anyone wanting an informative and in-depth overview of the area. I can highly recommend it. Not wanting to be 'picky' about this and understanding that tour directors have the ongoing issue of getting everyone back on the coach on time, I didn't feel it necessary for our director to have us all chant the return time, parrot fashion, after her before disembarking. We were, after all, pretty much sensible adults and not a bunch of primary schoolchildren. Thanks to Yvonne at Global Journeys for her efficient handling of our travel and tour bookings - done on fairly short notice. Much appreciated.
This tour is an efficient (for time and cost) way to get an overview of Germany, to see some of its main cities, learn about the war crimes, get a sense of the former East, and drive through 2,200km of farmland and forests and wind turbines. Budget for the approx $500 of optional experiences however, as most of the good stuff is on them. The hotels read more were comfortable 4 star with a new one almost every day. However, some did not have decent WiFi (bad signal strength or costing up to 25 per night).
Great way to travel Croatia the first time 2
Country Roads of Croatia
Gave, NSW, Australia, May 2015
Loved that we saw so much of Croatia at an easy pace and that we spent mostly 2 nights at most places. Would have liked to see Lake Bled as well as caves in Slovenia. Tour guide was excellent and informative, much better than some local guides. Was quite a large group around 40 but quite organised. Really enjoyed the islands...be aware lots of cruise read more ships in Dubrovnik. Some lovely surprises with Insight when touring around. Of course it is a tour and you can't have everything. Great way to travel Croatia the first time.
Excellent tour. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the attractions and sensitive to everyone's needs in the tour group. She really made the tour enjoyable and worthwhile.
Saw so much of England, Scotland and Wales in a short time 3
Best of Britain
Geoff & Maree, SA, Australia, May 2015
We were lucky enough to get the very best tour guide and driver, Michelle and Jamie, who made our holiday one we'll never forget. Our tour numbers were about 45 and every one of them were terrific. They all joined in and really enjoyed themselves. I've been on a number of tours before (not Trafalgar) and this was the best one by far. Our itinerary was read more good as we got to see so much of England, Scotland and Wales in the short time we had for our holiday. Would not hesitate to recommend Trafalgar for a UK holiday.
Thoroughly enjoyed the trip, poor tour director 1
East Coast USA and Canada
Geoff Schuberg, NSW, Australia, May 2015
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the trip. This was our fifth tour with Trafalgar and we had by far, the worst tour director we have experienced. I realise this is beyond your control and we have written to Trafalgar in relation to her attitude, sarcasm and overall unhelpfulness. The standard of optional excursions were well below our previous experiences read more with Trafalgar. Unlike other trips, where we have attended all available, we chose only two. Feedback from those who attended others was average. We did not get the impression that we missed anything worthwhile. The included dinners were below an acceptable standard with the exception of two, the Be My Guest Dinner at Niagara and the included dinner at Quebec. With 48 in the group, it was too much for the tour director to handle, and the space in the coach was uncomfortable for many within our group.
This tour is comprehensive and fantastic. It gives you the full treatment of Italy in 17 days, is very busy and requires a reasonable level of personal fitness. Lots of walking over cobblestones and slippery walkways. Insight staff i.e. the Tour Director and Coach driver were just fantastic. Both friendly and professional. Extra leg room on the coach read more was just great. I also enjoyed the local city/town guides that we had as well as they were able to give a deeper understanding of each location and the history associated there with. Hotel accommodation was fine however four stars in Italy is not as good as four stars in Australia. Generally the rooms were small by our standards, although many of the hotels were stylish with great locations and very accessible to city centres. If the tour had a weakness it would be the food - at most of the hotels; where included in the program or optional food inclusions. When we got the time to visit local Italian restaurants, (where the locals eat), we were able to better experience the Italian food experience than we had in our hotels. Overall this is a great tour and professionally managed by Insight and their great tour staff.
Fantastic way to see a lot in a very short period of time 2
European Whirl
Mick, Tracey, Charlie & Brandon Taylor, Lyn Hutchinson, NSW, Australia, May 2015
This tour is a fantastic way to see a lot in a very short period of time. The pace is tough going, we were up at 6:30 every day and in bed around 9:00pm - 10:00pm. We had the best tour director in the business - Brendan Bush, which made the trip completely seamless, with absolutely no issues and also had a great bus load of fellow travellers who all read more had very good attitudes, adding to the fantastic atmosphere. The tour cost is fairly high per person over AUD $3000 and yes you will be asked to do "additional experiences" on board the bus that do cost a lot of money. My tip here is allow enough extra cash to do them all, most people did and this adds about 25-30% to your initial tour cost. You wont be sorry if you allow for the extra cash, you will be sorry if you don't! All in all, this tour is hard work but an absolute winner - did I mention our tour director? - outstanding!
Incredibly knowledgeable Tour director had 1
Wonders of Turkey (Small Group)
Lai Witt, Australia, May 2015
It's a cultural tour, more historically than contemporary. The tour director's incredible academic knowledge of the history of places we visited is very much part of it. Very organized and didn't leave much slack to stop for random impromptu interactions. (Ed: Review based on slightly different itinerary. Trip name and itinerary updated this season)
The tour itself was wonderful. Greece is such a beautiful country! Our Tour Guide (Yannis) was excellent- very knowledgeable about Greek history and culture, responsive to the needs of the group and with a good sense of humour! However the accommodation in some locations was not as good as we have come to expect on Trafalgar Tours. In particular read more the accommodation at Delphi was below standard. Although it was clean and tidy and the management were pleasant, our hotel room was very dated and so many things didn't work properly, the fridge, most power points, the phone to mention just a few things. The other bugbear is that as we were such a large group it seemed to take ages to board and disembark whenever we arrived anywhere. Trafalgar should probably reduce their numbers per tour group to 30-35 people rather than 40 plus.
Really great tour and I would recommend to others 2
Pioneer Adventures of the Old West
Josephine Barbaro, VIC, Australia, May 2015
It was a really great tour and I would recommend to others. It was a good pace although you always want to see more on tours but they are time limited. The accommodation was good. The only part was that the included meals were pretty poor in terms of the food, but the entertainment was great.
Very enjoyable trip. Tour Director (Marisa)and Driver (Maurizio) were both wonderful and extremely professional. Standard of the hotel rooms varied from city to city - but generally very good.
Overall, this was a delightful tour with flowers and gardens all the way. The Chelsea Flower Show was certainly an unforgettable experience in itself and not to be missed. The gardens that were showcased were at their Springtime best and a credit to those who tend them. The Optional Tours were somewhat disappointing in that we didn't get to Alfriston, read more Leeds Castle or Chartwell. There was also some initial confusion about the inclusion of Sissinghurst Gardens, but we eventually fluked a visit there as Chartwell was closed for a Public Holiday. The problems of navigating London traffic meant we were two hours late for a dinner in Picadilly, and that those who had elected a theatre dinner and show had to attend straight after the day's touring with no chance to freshen up or change. Obviously, there is little that can be done about this and the driver/director did the best they could under the circumstances. Yvonne from Global Journeys was her usual efficient self in organising the travel and tour arrangements for myself and my daughter who were in different parts of Australia. (Ed: Review based on slightly different itinerary. Trip name and itinerary updated this season)
Very happy with Global Journeys in that Michelle White has handled our booking magnificently - she is very approachable and always happy to help and assist! Insight Tours has always been excellent (I did a tour with them last May 2014 with my mum) and our Tour Director this year is the best! His name is Tim Pendlebury and he just gives you his 100% read more attention all the time and always look after all his 39 Insight Tours coach guests. We really enjoyed our time with Tim and hope to be in his future tours again! Insight Tours should extend the Wifi on the coach to at least 200mb as 100mb is not sufficient at all. Thank you very much.
