Hi everyone
My husband and I are looking to take a coach tour of Europe next year. We have brochures from Globus, Trafalgar and Insight, is one company any better than the other? Any pitfalls to look out for when making our decision?
Thanks

I have taken two Globus tours and highly recommend Globus. Globus is very organized and punctual. The tour guide is very qualify. From what I heard, Globus tour guides stay with Globus a lot longer than tour guides with other company. The two tour guides I had were both with Globus for more than 10 years, spoke 5 languges, the bus drivers were with Globus more than 5 years, very professional and smooth driver. It's very import to have a good driver for a long haul trip.

Definitely go with Globus. My husband and I took an Insight tour and were very disappointed: the tour director was awful, the hotels were just ok. We were undecided for our next tour whether to go with Trafalgar or Globus. Upon a closer comparison it became clear that with Globus you actually go inside all the main attractions and sights. With Trafalgar-you only get to view many of them from the bus or from the outside.. ..unless you pay additional fees. WE took Globus' Best of Italy tour this past summer and Globus was excellent. We will look no further for our future tours.

I've been on only one of each Trafalgar and Globus, and prefer Trafalgar based on my limited experience. My Globus tour felt a bit downscale, I'd hate to see what Cosmos (Globus' budget arm) is like. Globus did not stop everywhere their literature had led me to believe we would. Trafalgar had some very nice hotels included in comparison and the hotel locations were as good or better than Globus. The guide on Trafalgar was superior as well, but I'm sure this is the luck of the draw. They're really quite similar.

Having been on both Globus and Insight I would definitely say that Globus is more customer-oriented and Insight has better hotel locations overall. Our tour guide with Globus was phenomenal and our guide with Insight was nice but suffered by comparison since Brigitte just had it all going on with our multi-country 3 week tour with Globus.

Both are good companies but if it comes down to an itinerary that is so similar there is little difference, I would go with Globus for the customer service.

I have traveled with both Globus and Insight and have found the tour guides with Insight to be more professional and less concerned with dragging me to places they would make a commission off my purchase. Also found the hotels to be more centrally located and of a nicer quality overall (especially in Venice, where with Globus we stayed in Mestre in a bad area and with Insight we stayed in Venice right on the canal). . Also, more things were included with Insight (cable car ride in Lucerne, gondola ride in Vencie) that with Globus we paid extra for. I much prefer Insight after 4 tours.

GO Globus! I've done the others and there's no comparison.

There is, if you get a lousy tour director like we did on Globus.

Cheers

General Max

I think it's sort of a gamble. I had the most wonderful experience with Globus, and even wrote them a letter afterward praising our tour director. I would imagine you could even go with the top of line tour company and have a bad experience. You have to go with an open mind and not "kvetch" about every little thing. Nothing is going to be perfect and we're adults who can do for ourselves as well.

Sue

You have other tour operator choices than those three. We have been touring with Maupintour ten times and would not consider touring with anyone but Maupintour.

I am researching trips right now, and I will say that I'm a little frustrated that I can't talk to or book directly through Insight, as I can with Globus.

It is so wierd that you (General Max) have such disdain towards globus, because of ONE Single TD! You have only been on ONE Globus tour (by your own account) and got unlucky with the TD, so therefore the WHOLE company - (according to you G.M). . I am willing to bet that Insight/Trafalger/Collette/Whomever ALL have had a bad employee at one time or another, so by your standards NO One (tour company or ANY Business) is going to be good enough! You (General Max) talk about other tour companies with complimetary terms, yet others have had problems with them (somebody ALWAYS will, can't please EVERYONE). .. ..So are you going to stop using them? Let it go, we all know by now that You had ONE bad experiance, I just keep wondering "How valueable is G. M. opinion, when he cannot see past his own nose". . Hey I had a REALLY BAD waiter at my favorite resturant once, I still GO because reasonable people don't judge on 1 fact, nope instead they COMPRISE ALL FACTS and then make an Intelligent decision/choice! Try it sometime!

I guess if I had a bad experience on our first Globus tour, I shouldn't provide any rants here. Anyway, for the above bonehead's information, Globus corporate actually sent us an apology letter also with a substantial certificate to use on our next tour, if we reconsider them. We did, and have booked our 2nd tour with Globus thinking we should give them another chance. We booked their Grand Hawaii Tour departing October 5, 2006. Maybe the above bonehead and his significant other would like to join us. Its not a guaranteed departure though; the October 6, 2006 tour is guaranteed.

Cheers

General Max

NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! book direct with a tour company. Internet Travel agents will discount land tours at 10%, 12% or 13% off of brochure or company rates. At 12% discount, that would be $240 off per person which is quite significant. Do your research on the internet and then book through an internet agent. We use one in Albuquerque New Mexico and we live in Orlando . .

Cheers

General Max

General Max now that globus apoligized and sent you a gift, it is now a good tour company? Maybe you can use the money saved from the "Gift" and leave a real tip this time! Thanks for the offer to join you, but I have the feeling that a tour with you would be less then enjoyable!

Typical bonehead comments from a bonehead. I didn't say Globus was a good tour company. I said we will give them another try. With regards to giving a "real" tip, we will most certainly do that if we get a 'real" Tour Director. The offer to jopin us in Hawaii is still open. If we aren't a "hoot" to travel with, we continue to receive e-mails, phone calls, and cards from people we have traveled with.

Of course we did have some boneheads on the tours with us. We are meeting a couple we met on our Globus "Best of Italy" tour in New York City in February. Want to bet we will discuss the arrogant tour director.

Cheers

General Max