Travelmarvel Tour & Cruise Reviews
The 411 Travelmarvel Tour & Cruise reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have traveled with Travelmarvel. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
This was by far the best organised tour I have ever been on. The Tour Director was amazing. He made everything work like clockwork. He was always relaxed in spite of the occasional hiccup. All on the tour felt he could have done with an assistant to ease the load.
I do feel that porterage should always be included as there is sometimes just a small read more window of time for the suitcases of 40 people to be unloaded. Without the help of a chain gang of able-bodied men on the tour, there would have been pandemonium.
The scenery was just spectacular. Accommodation was excellent apart from tiny rooms in Bloomsbury and Colmar. Meals were very good. The evening meal in Colmar was exceptional.
I do feel that porterage should always be included as there is sometimes just a small read more window of time for the suitcases of 40 people to be unloaded. Without the help of a chain gang of able-bodied men on the tour, there would have been pandemonium.
The scenery was just spectacular. Accommodation was excellent apart from tiny rooms in Bloomsbury and Colmar. Meals were very good. The evening meal in Colmar was exceptional.
This cruise takes you through some wonderful parts of Europe. The scenery is fantastic. Our Cruise Director Kay (KY) was magnificent and thought of everything - even little snacks and gifts along the way. We had to swap ships half way through the cruise because the water levels are very, very low. Only missed 1 or 2 stops and other activities were substituted. read more Travelmarvel thinks of everything and has excursions for all levels of 'seniors'. Although, not suitable for those in wheelchairs.
The 2 ships we cruised on were 'sister' ships but their crews were vastly different. The Captain of the Travelmarvel Diamond is hands on. Always there to greet you back on the ship or help in any way he can. He calls his crew his 'children'. They are all one big happy family. Totally opposite on Travelmarvel Jewel. The Captain drives the boat. Wouldn't recognise him if he sat next to me at dinner. His staff were efficient but not as friendly or happy in their job. Leading from the top makes a great difference. All in all, I will definitely travel with Travelmarvel again and use Global Journeys to do my bookings. Thank you.
The 2 ships we cruised on were 'sister' ships but their crews were vastly different. The Captain of the Travelmarvel Diamond is hands on. Always there to greet you back on the ship or help in any way he can. He calls his crew his 'children'. They are all one big happy family. Totally opposite on Travelmarvel Jewel. The Captain drives the boat. Wouldn't recognise him if he sat next to me at dinner. His staff were efficient but not as friendly or happy in their job. Leading from the top makes a great difference. All in all, I will definitely travel with Travelmarvel again and use Global Journeys to do my bookings. Thank you.
Enchanting Rockies & Alaska Cruise 5
Enchanting Rockies and Alaska Cruise
Masako, NSW, Australia, Sep 2018
It was a great holiday overall. For the land tour visiting Whistler was not necessary, because we arrived late and had to leave early in the morning. Both tour and cruise directors were excellent. However, the airport pick up at Vancouver airport was not well organised. We had to look for the person and had an additional 50 minutes waiting for transport. read more The highlight of the trip was Glacier Bay in Alaska and Victoria in Canada.
Lovely Eastern Canada and New England Holiday 6
East Highlights and New England Cruise
Marion & David, NSW, Australia, Aug 2018
We've just returned from a delightful Travelmarvel journey through Eastern Canada including a Holland America Cruise of New England, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island finishing in beautiful Boston. The scenery was exceptional, hotels were lovely and our tour guide was knowledgeable and ensured our trip went smoothly. Hannah assisted us beautifully with our booking.
Cape Town to Nairobi 2
Jeff & Renae, SA, Australia, Aug 2018
Yvonne at Global Journeys was fantastic to deal with for our booking of this trip. Promptly responded to all enquiries and gave us the correct information regarding required visas which others in our group hadn't received from their agents. For a trip this long I would definitely recommend arriving a day early and taking a few days either mid trip or read more at the end to recover from the pace of travel before returning home. All guides and drivers were excellent, particularly those from Albatros in Kenya. Would use Global Journeys again to book. Some of the optional excursions would have been cheaper booked on the ground.
A fantastic holiday where we saw the modern China along with their earlier heritage of different dynasties. In Beijing we visited The Forbidden City, walked along part of the Great Wall and had a rickshaw ride through the alleyways of the old part of the city. The boat cruise on the Yangtze River in the section controlled by the Three Gorges Dam gave read more us a view of some spectacular mountain scenery along with how they relocated more than a million people to higher ground. The panda's at Chongqing zoo are a fascinating animal to observe. The Terracotta Warriors near Xian were an amazing sight to witness and learn of their history and recent by chance discovery by a farmer digging a well. The canals and old buildings of Wuzhen where Marco Polo roamed were quite fascinating. Overall a great experience.
River was at its lowest in 15 years and although we had to change ships half way, the Cruise Director made sure we were looked after. Definitely good value. We were accommodated in a 5 star hotel on the first night with a river dinner to watch fireworks, just to make up for not being able to be on our river cruise ship.
River Cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam 4
European Gems - Budapest to Amsterdam
Ron & Kathy, NT, Australia, Aug 2018
We had a great travel experience with Global Journeys which was a stress free and exciting trip. Thank you and we would travel again with this company.
Baltic Charm and Treasures of Russia 9
Dianne & Lorne, QLD, Australia, Aug 2018
Enjoyed the Baltics and Russia, the river cruise from Saint Petersburg to Russia was relaxing (not rushed). Particularly thought the local guides were very knowledgeable and quite entertaining. The accommodation on the MS Kronshtadt was compact but comfortable. The lunches and evening meals on the cruise were okay however the breakfasts were lacking read more (gave a rate of 2 out of 10). We were spoiled by the excellent breakfasts in the Baltics and Helsinki, they served freshly baked breads with selections of jams plus eggs however you wanted them etc. I think we had the same bread from day one to the end of the cruise, same for pastries, no juices only juice drinks, coffee not hot, forgot to turn the hot water urn on......I could go on.
The staff in the dining areas spoke little English, however they were very obliging. I think we would try another operator instead of Travelmarvel, some of our fellow travellers who have used Travelmarvel in the past said that it was not their usual standard.
The staff in the dining areas spoke little English, however they were very obliging. I think we would try another operator instead of Travelmarvel, some of our fellow travellers who have used Travelmarvel in the past said that it was not their usual standard.
European River Gems Tour 10
European Gems - Prague to Paris
Lorraine & Alan, QLD, Australia, Aug 2018
We were disappointed in our river cruise because of Mother Nature. The rivers did not have enough water for the ships to get through so we had to change ships. We were unable to board our ship (Jewel, which we loved) at Budapest so had to travel by coach to Vienna. We were put into the Ritz Carlton in Budapest and were able to have a dinner cruise where read more we saw the best fireworks display ever.
We travelled to Passau where we had to coach it to Nuremberg where we boarded our next ship (Diamond, even though identical to the Jewel didn't enjoy it as much). Alan was sick when we arrived in Prague, he was able to see a doctor when we finally boarded our ship in Vienna. He was then confined to his cabin for 2 days. Consequentially he did not enjoy the trip as he wasn't feeling well the whole time and the pace was pretty fast.
We heard on the grape vine that the ships had stopped running 3 weeks before our trip if this was correct I think we should have had the opportunity to either cancel or defer our trip. We arrived home completely exhausted not what we had expected on a river cruise.
We travelled to Passau where we had to coach it to Nuremberg where we boarded our next ship (Diamond, even though identical to the Jewel didn't enjoy it as much). Alan was sick when we arrived in Prague, he was able to see a doctor when we finally boarded our ship in Vienna. He was then confined to his cabin for 2 days. Consequentially he did not enjoy the trip as he wasn't feeling well the whole time and the pace was pretty fast.
We heard on the grape vine that the ships had stopped running 3 weeks before our trip if this was correct I think we should have had the opportunity to either cancel or defer our trip. We arrived home completely exhausted not what we had expected on a river cruise.
Jemma from Global Journeys was outstanding as usual, responding quickly and positively with information and actions around our myriad of questions and requests. We couldn't ask for better!!! Unfortunately, the same could not be said about our Travelmarvel trip. Admittedly, things didn't get off to the greatest start with the whole of western Canada read more shrouded in thick brown bushfire smoke so that visibility was limited at best to a few hundred metres. At worst we could only see the trees at the edge of the road. This was particularly disappointing as we saw nothing of the Rockies at all and discovered as we travelled along that these conditions are now standard for the summer (May to September) in Canada. Whilst we knew of the fires we would never have dreamt that they would have affected the experience so severely.
Some exceptionally long days (8 - 11 hours of driving) in a rather uncomfortable coach (our guide informed us it was due for replacement!) didn't help the situation - nor did the overall poor standard of accommodation. Advertised as premium 4 star we were shocked that only 3 of the hotels were graded as 4 star with the other 7 graded by Trivago as 3 star. In reality 2 of the latter would have struggled to meet a 2 star rating being 70's style motels with tiny rooms, grubby, worn, mouldy bathrooms, badly maintained and with broken and tired furniture and furnishings.
We were disappointed that so many of the optional excursions were cancelled due to either poor visibility or arriving too late to be able to take advantage of the extra opportunities. Similarly surprising was that our tour with Travelmarvel really was only managed by Travelmarvel until we boarded the ship in Vancouver headed for Alaska. We were to discover that Travelmarvel handed us over completely to Holland America for a Land / Sea package - which meant that our guide played no role in any aspect of the trip to Alaska, including the land component, although she did accompany us all the way. Coaches, hotels, commentary, meals and touring were no longer provided by Travelmarvel but by Holland America. So when we struck problems with hotel rooms, meal requirements or tour components we had to manage these ourselves through either the Holland America representatives in the hotels or directly with the hotels/restaurants concerned.
On the brighter side we enjoyed the Rocky Mountaineer train trip, although we couldn't see much. We were glad we had not upgraded to Gold Leaf as the difference in service, views etc was marginal and not worth the high added cost. Banff was also a highlight with smoke lifting a little to be able to see some of the surrounding hills. We were very grateful for the full free day to explore at our own pace especially after 3 consecutive nights of different (very ordinary) hotels in 3 different locations. The included BBQ dinner with a wagon ride was lovely and a relaxing and enjoyable evening. The ship to Alaska was also great with very comfortable cabins and excellent service. We were SO pleased to have booked a veranda cabin which was worth every extra cent - especially on the starboard side of the ship heading north as public viewing areas became overcrowded during the most scenic parts of the trip.
Alaska was glorious. There was patchy weather but still good enough to be able to take advantage of much of the glorious scenery. Glacier Bay was a standout highlight and we loved spending the day seeing the magnificent glaciers, bird and sea life and mountain scenery. Commentary and information provided by Rangers on the ship was excellent and we learnt about and enjoyed so much of this magnificent place. We enjoyed the McKinley Explorer train and were fortunate to see some great mountain vistas. Denali was a real highlight and not to be missed. The Tundra Explorer trip was very long (8 hours in a crowded old school bus) but still fantastic, taking us deep into the Denali National Park where we saw all kinds of wildlife in their natural environment and learned so much about the amazing country, animals and lifestyles of those who live in Alaska all year round. The Canadian section of our trip may have been disappointing but the Alaskan section was wonderful. It wasn't the trip we had hoped for - but we did have some good times with happy memories.
Some exceptionally long days (8 - 11 hours of driving) in a rather uncomfortable coach (our guide informed us it was due for replacement!) didn't help the situation - nor did the overall poor standard of accommodation. Advertised as premium 4 star we were shocked that only 3 of the hotels were graded as 4 star with the other 7 graded by Trivago as 3 star. In reality 2 of the latter would have struggled to meet a 2 star rating being 70's style motels with tiny rooms, grubby, worn, mouldy bathrooms, badly maintained and with broken and tired furniture and furnishings.
We were disappointed that so many of the optional excursions were cancelled due to either poor visibility or arriving too late to be able to take advantage of the extra opportunities. Similarly surprising was that our tour with Travelmarvel really was only managed by Travelmarvel until we boarded the ship in Vancouver headed for Alaska. We were to discover that Travelmarvel handed us over completely to Holland America for a Land / Sea package - which meant that our guide played no role in any aspect of the trip to Alaska, including the land component, although she did accompany us all the way. Coaches, hotels, commentary, meals and touring were no longer provided by Travelmarvel but by Holland America. So when we struck problems with hotel rooms, meal requirements or tour components we had to manage these ourselves through either the Holland America representatives in the hotels or directly with the hotels/restaurants concerned.
On the brighter side we enjoyed the Rocky Mountaineer train trip, although we couldn't see much. We were glad we had not upgraded to Gold Leaf as the difference in service, views etc was marginal and not worth the high added cost. Banff was also a highlight with smoke lifting a little to be able to see some of the surrounding hills. We were very grateful for the full free day to explore at our own pace especially after 3 consecutive nights of different (very ordinary) hotels in 3 different locations. The included BBQ dinner with a wagon ride was lovely and a relaxing and enjoyable evening. The ship to Alaska was also great with very comfortable cabins and excellent service. We were SO pleased to have booked a veranda cabin which was worth every extra cent - especially on the starboard side of the ship heading north as public viewing areas became overcrowded during the most scenic parts of the trip.
Alaska was glorious. There was patchy weather but still good enough to be able to take advantage of much of the glorious scenery. Glacier Bay was a standout highlight and we loved spending the day seeing the magnificent glaciers, bird and sea life and mountain scenery. Commentary and information provided by Rangers on the ship was excellent and we learnt about and enjoyed so much of this magnificent place. We enjoyed the McKinley Explorer train and were fortunate to see some great mountain vistas. Denali was a real highlight and not to be missed. The Tundra Explorer trip was very long (8 hours in a crowded old school bus) but still fantastic, taking us deep into the Denali National Park where we saw all kinds of wildlife in their natural environment and learned so much about the amazing country, animals and lifestyles of those who live in Alaska all year round. The Canadian section of our trip may have been disappointing but the Alaskan section was wonderful. It wasn't the trip we had hoped for - but we did have some good times with happy memories.
From the moment we stepped off the plane we were totally looked after. Met by our Travelmarvel guide and quickly settled into our first accommodation. The tours were led by a lovely guide and we were transported around in a very clean and comfortable coach. Our driver made us feel relaxed and safe,
I don’t know which part of the trip was the highlight read more as everything was amazing, Niagara Falls, Whistler, Lake Louise, Rocky Mountaineer and the Alaska cruise. It was a very well organised and informative trip with a group of great people. Our accommodation was fantastic in each location with great food to match. Do not have anything negative to say. Amazing adventure!
I don’t know which part of the trip was the highlight read more as everything was amazing, Niagara Falls, Whistler, Lake Louise, Rocky Mountaineer and the Alaska cruise. It was a very well organised and informative trip with a group of great people. Our accommodation was fantastic in each location with great food to match. Do not have anything negative to say. Amazing adventure!
Great organisation and enjoyable holiday for both of us 3
Janice & Alan, NSW, Australia, Jul 2018
Our holiday was hassle free thanks to Georgie's organisation. All flights, transfers and tours were as expected. The river cruise was an adventure having to change ships due to river levels - the cruise director had everything under control and the cruise was great. If we were not with Travelmarvel then this would not have been possible as other companies read more did not have boats available to enable a switch mid river cruise. Would definitely recommend this company to others. Highlights, Zermatt and the Matterhorn, Vienna especially our free time exploring museums and Time Travel Vienna experience. Thank you again for coordinating a great experience - never to be forgotten.
Cruise Amsterdam to Budapest Travel Marvel 12
European Gems
Barbara & Geoffrey , NSW, Australia, Jul 2018
Very happy with Global Journeys and with Travelmarvel! Very enjoyable experience. Highly recommended. Our highlight was the Rhine Gorge. Not ideal having to do a boat swap from Travelmarvel Diamond to Travelmarvel Jewel halfway along because of low water levels in the Danube. However the ~ 2 hour bus trip from Nuremberg to just south of Passau to join read more the new boat was pleasant and the only place we missed seeing was Regensburg.
During our cruise the Danube also became closed for river ships between Bratislava and Budapest so the cruise itself ended in Bratislava. We coached from Bratislava to Budapest for the day (three hours each way) to do the tour of Budapest then had the trip from Bratislava back to Budapest the following day to end the tour. All cruise companies faced the same problems and our cruise director handled the disruptions (clearly beyond his control) and rearrangements well. Weather very hot and dry ( 30-40 everyday) but after all it was July and mid summer!
Only negative comment relates to failure of the air conditioning on Travelmarvel Diamond for the first 48 hours of the cruise. Temperature in high 30s and no fans were available. Faulty unit extremely noisy in our cabin located next to the unit at the back of the boat. Difficult to sleep. Air Conditioner repaired and noise problem disappeared but unit never functioned really efficiently. If this conditioner is not designed for consistent 30-40 degree heat then should be replaced given global warming appears a reality. Air conditioning fine on Travelmarvel Jewel.
During our cruise the Danube also became closed for river ships between Bratislava and Budapest so the cruise itself ended in Bratislava. We coached from Bratislava to Budapest for the day (three hours each way) to do the tour of Budapest then had the trip from Bratislava back to Budapest the following day to end the tour. All cruise companies faced the same problems and our cruise director handled the disruptions (clearly beyond his control) and rearrangements well. Weather very hot and dry ( 30-40 everyday) but after all it was July and mid summer!
Only negative comment relates to failure of the air conditioning on Travelmarvel Diamond for the first 48 hours of the cruise. Temperature in high 30s and no fans were available. Faulty unit extremely noisy in our cabin located next to the unit at the back of the boat. Difficult to sleep. Air Conditioner repaired and noise problem disappeared but unit never functioned really efficiently. If this conditioner is not designed for consistent 30-40 degree heat then should be replaced given global warming appears a reality. Air conditioning fine on Travelmarvel Jewel.
We have tripped with Travelmarvel before in WA so we knew what to expect. We are also not so critical to complain about little things that I know others grizzle about. After all, we are on holiday. So long days in the bus looking at scenery is something I am happy with. My ratings reflect that it was a pleasant experience. I have to add that Leanne read more from Global Journeys was very efficient throughout the process.
The cruise was conducted on the MS Douro Serenity which was built 2017. Our cabin was 224 which was very noisy - the ship has a vacuum toilet system which echos through the cabin at all hours all day. We asked to be shifted to another cabin and the only other cabin was 101 which meant that our "upgrade" was null and void. The actual cruise, staff, and read more the meals etc were excellent. The Travelmarvel Tours, staff etc were all excellent. I would advise anyone who is offered the last cabin in the decks to look at other cabins. It was a shame that this episode with the cabin spoilt a wonderful cruise with wonderful scenery and tours.
The highlight of the trip was the Great Wall, it was wonderful, what a feat of engineering. The down side was an hour free time on the wall. The whole trip was the same, some magnificent things to see but not enough time to see them. The accommodation was very nice, top hotels. But usually not near to shops. The only other thing to comment on is the read more guides, our main tour guide (Fred) Mr Fong was marvellous, so helpful, couldn’t ask for better. Some local guides not so good. They need to shorten talks, sometimes I switched off, going on & on about things in Chinese then repeating it in English while we are standing in hot sun.
A very enjoyable river cruise with excellent local guides. Global Journeys had a first rate internet site (easy to navigate with comprehensive information which was presented in a very user friendly manner) all of which was backed up by prompt and excellent service from Yvonne Brooks.
Vietnam and Cambodia are realising the value of the tourist dollar and are becoming the next 'must visit' world tourist destinations. This Travelmarvel tour and cruise package enabled us to experience significantly more of the sights and culture than we could have arranged privately. The day trips from the cruise boats were well organised and the tour read more guides were a wealth of knowledge. We would do it again, if the world was smaller.
Wonderful trip through Spain, Portugal & the beautiful Douro River 11
Colours of Spain with Douro Discovery
Jeannette & Bob, NSW, Australia, Jun 2018
We had the most wonderful holiday with Travelmarvel. All of their guides were very knowledgeable and approachable, nothing was a trouble. This trip was not like any other coach trip we have been on where you arrive at a place only to find 2 or 3 other coaches already there. Travelmarvel took us to places where we were the only ones there, it was wonderful. read more All our accommodation was either 4 or 5 stars, a little out of the city centre which was less hectic. We could not have asked for better weather, not a drop of rain, temp between 25 and 30 most days.
Highlights for us, oh sooo many. Let's start with the helicopter flight over Barcelona, a must do. Then there's the home-cooked meal we had in the kitchen of a local Spanish family on the way to Marbella, just fabulous. Next was the visit to Sintra and Cascais where we had lunch at the seaside. Onwards and upwards to the beautiful Douro Serenity, what an elegant ship with happy and friendly staff.
The Douro river is so beautiful dusted with vineyards along the way and quaint villages which we visited. If you like doing a lot of walking then this is the trip for you as the tours through the different villages take up at least 2 to 2 1/2 hours walking. We have come away from this tour making some wonderful new friends who will we keep in contact with via Facebook.
Highlights for us, oh sooo many. Let's start with the helicopter flight over Barcelona, a must do. Then there's the home-cooked meal we had in the kitchen of a local Spanish family on the way to Marbella, just fabulous. Next was the visit to Sintra and Cascais where we had lunch at the seaside. Onwards and upwards to the beautiful Douro Serenity, what an elegant ship with happy and friendly staff.
The Douro river is so beautiful dusted with vineyards along the way and quaint villages which we visited. If you like doing a lot of walking then this is the trip for you as the tours through the different villages take up at least 2 to 2 1/2 hours walking. We have come away from this tour making some wonderful new friends who will we keep in contact with via Facebook.
