Hi There All

Just wondering whether anyone is going on this tour? My husband and I are going and are very excited.. .. . Or, has anyone been on it before?? If so, what did you think?

Thanks!

My husband and I are booked on the tour for mid April 05 and are very excited too. Haven't heard from anyone who's been on it as yet, though someone must have!! Do you know if the tour around Paris includes an ascent of the Eiffel Tower? I haven't read that it does or does not and am presuming that it doesn't. I'm busy trying to organize our spare time in each city so I know what we will be doing as soon as we hit town, don't want to waste any time.
Happy holidays!!

Hi, we just returned from a best of europe tour and it was fantastic. I am happy to answer any questions as a lot of the trips are similar. Email me on tinrub@aol.com

It's good to hear from someone that has been on this tour Tanis, thank you. We're booked for April and can hardly wait. I liked the idea of going to Greece, and this was the only tour in our price range that went that far as well as the rest of Europe. A few questions if you don't mind.When you were in Paris was there ample time to ascend the Eiffel Tower, this is the main thing I would like to do that wasn't included.How did you find the optional tours? Were they worth the money? There's some that sound interesting, the trip up Mt Titlis, of course the gondala ride and the trip to Capri. Did you do any of these or talk to someone that did? Would love to know your thoughts.How did you find the meals. I'm not a fussy eater and reading these Bulletin Boards many people seem to complain about the food, personally any meal I don't have to prepare is wonderful!!
Looking forward to hearing about your trip.

Well guys we have just come back from a tour finishing October 30th, was the 27 day tour. Had an absolute ball, everything was brilliant. Met some wonderful people and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves

Mandy went to all the places you mentioned. Unfortunately I was not impressed with Greece too crowded and dusty. Did go to Mount Titless be prepared for three cable cars to the top but well worth the ride. We did the Gondola ride very nice, cosmos provide a musician and singer so added to the ride. We did not go on the Eiffel tower only able to take photo's from afar. Same as Pisa only had time to take photos. We opted against the Capri trip but others thought it was absolutely fantastic. It was all a new experience for us we had to find time to get the washing done, and walk off some of that food. I must say the meals were okay. Mostly continental breakfast and sometimes hot. We took alot of the optional tours and meals. Our bill was enormous but we thought they were all very good. I think the ones we really like were the cruise to the greek isles, Roman Hills by night, Monte Carlo by night, Mount Titmas and the welcome dinner was great. I thought the hotels were okay only really small hotel room was the Ibis in Paris. On the whole well worth the trip enjoy take plenty of photo's and you will meet some very nice people. Our group age range was probably early 30's to mid 70's, our tour guide was fantastic and bus driver just as great. I believe they only do the one 27day tour a year each so I hope you get those two . .
Any more questions feel free to ask.
Jan

Thanks Jan for the info on the tour. only 4 1/2 months until we leave. We are booked on a tour of Eng. and Scotland before the European tour, then one to Scandinavia. When in Paris did others have time to ascend the tower?
It was good to hear someone who enjoyed all the aspects of the trip, so many people seem to find something to complain about, but they are the only ones to add to these forums. I wish more of the contented travellers would contribute at times.
In London did you stay at one of the Cosmos recommended Hotels? We are planning on staying somewhere else, just hope it won't be difficult getting to the departure point, but this hotel comes recommended and very very reasonably priced and we will be having a few nights there.

No more questions at this stage, but I'm sure i will think of some.

[quote="Best of Europe"]Hi, we just returned from a best of europe tour and it was fantastic. I am happy to answer any questions as a lot of the trips ar e similar. Email me on tinrub@aol. com[/quote]

are the hotels located close to city centres and reasonable priced restaurants ? was there transportation into city centres where hotels were not in city centre ?

is there enough time to do your own sightseeing ?

did it feel like more time spent on bus than viewing sites ?

did you have enough time to visit the vatican and sistene chapel ?

We did the Eurpoean Masterpiece in July-Aug. The trip was excellent and it was beyond our expectation. We loved it and made lot of of friends. As we went during the summer months there was sunlight till 9 - 10pm. The city tour of Paris does not include going to the top of the Eifel tower. Myself,my wife with 2 other couples went to climb the Eifel tower after the city tour. From hotel IBIS you can take a train to Champs Elysées and walk couple of blocks. Its was a nice experience to climb the Eifel tower.

Most of the hotels are outside the city so ask the hotel about the local bus timings. We went out most evenings with one other couple when we didn't do any optional night dinners. Shops are open till late in Italy and nice shopping in Sorrento. Venice is expensive. The tour guide says San Marino has good shopping and there is more than 1/2 day in San Mario. We found Sorrento, Florence has the best shopping.

I bet you will enjoy the tour. If you need more information drop me an email at cg_oa@yahoo.com

Glad to hear you enjoyed the trip cg.
Did you have to queue a long time to climb the Eiffel tower, I'm thinking of an evening ascent when the queues will hopefully be shorter.
Were there any optional tours that you did that in hindsight you wouldn't have done, and any that others did that they said were worth doing?
Were the orientation tours of each city worth while or could you use that time on your own and see the same and more. I want to get the most out of everyday and night. I'm expecting to be quite exhausted, but looking forward to it.
Have a Merry Christmas, will have more questions later I'm sure.

We went on this tour last year (June) and had a great time, very tired by the end as you are on the go the whole time, late evening excursions, etc.

Couple of comments - no, they didn't stay long enough at Eiffel Tower to go up, but you could walk back in the afternoon from the bus drop off point, or go back in the evening I guess. We couldn't go into the Louvre either as it was closed that day (we seemed to strike that in a couple of places due to the timetabling of the tour). .

The hotels we had were really good, quite high standard except Ibis Paris which was the worst of the lot. Breakfasts were much better than we had expected, in most cases a full buffet breakfast but a few were the usual standard continental breakfast.

Our coach had a toilet on board, but it was not available for use which we felt was not made clear in Cosmos brochure. The coach was comfortable, but on one side the seats were closer together (less leg space) than on the other and we saw other Cosmos coaches which had the larger leg space on both sides. Seems like a small point, but when you are on board for 27 days straight it mattered, more so for the taller/larger people. We rotated seats each day which made it very fair to everyone.

Excursions were generally good value, especially the evening ones with meal included as you would have to find a meal somewhere anyway - Monte Carlo by night and Venice by night were absolutely magical.

Mt Titlis excursion was fabulous (we were blessed with a perfect sunny, blue sky day). . Aegian island cruise was lovely.

The only one which we felt was not value for money was the one to Capri -large group of people (2 coach loads) with one guide; the visit to Axel Mundt's house (which is well worth seeing) was not included, although we had been told it was but when we all complained it was included after all (at our tour director's expense we found out later); Capri tour guide was not with us the whole time, just meeting us and giving brief talk and arranging to meet us again later. General feeling was that although Capri itself is breathtaking, this optional excursion was not value for money.

St Peters Square at 8 am with almost no-one else in sight and being first up to the dome for the day was a great experience (not an extra optional excusion, but luckily that was the time we were dropped off there). .

We met some lovely people - 35 on board our 52 seater coach which made life on the road a bit more comfortable - all Aussies, Kiwis and 1 South African. Our tour director and driver were excellent - helpful, informative, well organised and had a sense of humour and related well to the passengers. My partner's luggage suffered some damage, both by hotel porters and on the last leg of the journey back to Dover by Cosmos staff, but that was sorted out under insurance (eventually, as is usual with insurance claims). .

Make sure to take cold relief/flu tablets with you - someone came on board with a cold and it did the rounds of the coach, which was unavoidable given the length of the tour, and I suspect this often happens. My turn with it came in Greece, so I have less than perfect memories of Athens.

We have booked to tour again with Cosmos this year, so I guess that is a recommendation in itself.

Hope you have a great time.

Heather, many thanks for your report on the tour. We leave in 8 weeks for 3 consecutive tours, European Masterpiece being the second. In total we will be away 8 weeks, but being for Australia too you can appreciate the distance and the need to get value for the airfare. You have made me feel even more excited. The hotel in Paris has changed, wonder if the poor reports on the Ibis had any influence on that. We are still thinking which optional tours to do , and of course do not have the final list just last years off the internet but at least its a guide. Thanks again.