hi
im new to this touring game and has anyone done this eastern europe cosmos tour before thanks

I went a couple years ago and it was a great trip if you are referring to the trip called "Central Europe". . You can see a lot in a short time period. I didn't do any of the optional tours and looking back it was a good decision. For instance in Krakow you can get a taxi and tour the salt mine as cheap or cheaper than the tour cost and have the freedom to go and leave when you want. I think the tour group was there for 6 hours and that is a lot of waiting around. We were the only ones that didn't sign up for optional tours. It depends on how adventurous you are. We were the only ones that got to see the Museum of Terror because we skipped the free dinner and went on our own as soon as we arrived. The next day the Museum was closed. The dinners are just something to eat that doesn't cost you anything more. They don't consist of the country's traditional foods and that is what I want to eat when I'm in a new place. I'm going on the Scenic Europe & Bernina Express tour in October and I don't plan to eat any included dinners unless it is just so I can eat with fellow tourists. One tip on your trip, when you pass through Slovakia the tour guide will ask if you want to prepay for a lunch at the place they are stopping. I don't recommend buying it. It was way overpriced and terrible. Cosmos is making some money on that deal. It's a great trip. I recommend it.

Hello, Arkcal, Thanks for your message. I'm thinking about this tour for next year. How where the hotels? (I think I saw your (?) review of this tour on another Web site, as the narrative mentioned the over-priced lunch.) I've been on several Cosmos tours (Switzerland, and also their Alpine tour), and the hotels were mostly ok, but I wonder if the East Europe hotels will at least be decent, and also how far out from town was the one in Berlin? Thanks for any further info! GaleS.

I don't remember posting anything about that trip but I may have somewhere. Anyway the hotels were OK. I went in early September so the heat wasn't an issue. I do remember that at least one of the hotels didn't have air conditioning. I thought how annoyed I would have been if I had been on the tour in the heat of summer. The hotels were not that convenient but there was always a way to get to the city. Maybe you had to walk a ways to get to the train or bus but it was always do-able. The lunch in Slovakia really stood out because it was clear that our tour guide was not being honest with us. He stopped there every two weeks and the results had to be the same. I can't remember how far out the hotel was in Berlin but I know we went out on our own from the hotel using public transportation. I think the hotel was a ways out in Prague but we still walked a couple miles to public transportation. I may go again on this one. It was a good tour. One of my co-workers grew up in Krakow and was there on vacation when we went through. It was nice meeting at a pup up with him and a few friends. I loved Poland and Germany but it was all good.

Hi, Arkcal, thanks for the info., I might take this tour next year or maybe the one you mentioned - Scenic Europe. Lol, if not you then someone else described this tour & the same shady lunch on eopinions (travel reviews) - you might find that interesting, thanks again, GS.

I read the lady's post about the lunch and she is right on the money.

One thing I'll mention here for everyone reading is to make sure you verify your credit card fees for use in foreign countries. I had read that MBNA didn't have any foreign currency fees but I called and they just added a fee of 3%. . These fees are in addition to the 1% that MC/Visa charges for converting the currency. This is just a way for the credit card banks to gouge people. Citi Bank charges 2% for a total of 3% with the MC/Visa fee. I just called Capital One and signed up for one of their cash back cards because Capital One doesn't charge a foreign currency fee. These fees add up so everyone should make sure they call their card company and verify the fees before you leave. Also don't forget to call your bank and verify the ATV fees also. Both of my Banks charge hefty fees for ATV use but one is better than the other. Take care,

Mike

I read the lady's post about the lunch and she is right on the money.

One thing I'll mention here for everyone reading is to make sure you verify your credit card fees for use in foreign countries. I had read that MBNA didn't have any foreign currency fees but I called and they just added a fee of 3%. . These fees are in addition to the 1% that MC/Visa charges for converting the currency. This is just a way for the credit card banks to gouge people. Citi Bank charges 2% for a total of 3% with the MC/Visa fee. I just called Capital One and signed up for one of their cash back cards because Capital One doesn't charge a foreign currency fee. These fees add up so everyone should make sure they call their card company and verify the fees before you leave. Also don't forget to call your bank and verify the ATV fees also. Both of my Banks charge hefty fees for ATV use but one is better than the other. Take care,

Mike

I'm thinking of the Central Europe trip for next March. On that lunch in Slovakia, if you don't pre-pay, are there other places around where you can eat or do you recommend packing some snacks? I've been on previous Cosmos tours and you kinda have to eat where they take you because nothing else is around!

I would bring some snacks to get you by at the Slovakia stop. They may have gotten so much grief that they stopped pulling this scam. If I were going again and the tour guide tried to sell this deal I would expose this rip off. It's no deal at $2.

This is a great trip. Have fun.