Albatross Tour Reviews

We had a fabulous trip, staying at Lauterbrunnen with the hospitable Mark and Ursula and never ending spectacular views. Accommodation is basic but very clean and comfortable, excellent breakfast and good night meals, a great bunch of fellow travellers and so much fun on New Years Eve - a place to revisit. The train system is brilliant, the area a perfect ...read more springboard to the best Alpine locations. Add to that an excellent value for money trip, the kindness of the Swiss people and perfect weather and it was a memorable week.

We stayed at the White Horse Inn, Lake Wolfgangese. The hotel was right on the lake, the view from our balcony and breakfast room was picture prefect. We had an incredible 8 days stay. Our room was extra large with a TV / dressing room as well. The staff were all very friendly and polite. The meals were wonderful, something to please everyone.

The ...read more village is a beautiful little safe haven with plenty to do, at Christmas the streets are lined with Christmas stalls as well as their everyday shops. Surrounding villages are pretty and safe. The scenery everywhere is absolutely stunning, add a little snow and it's breathtaking.

This trip was absolutely fantastic and we are already keen to travel in the summer time. The Alpine Christmas Adventure was absolutely worth the wait, Albatross Tours were fantastic, our tour guide and bus driver (Gilberto and Roberto respectively) were so incredible, full of knowledge, and always willing to help out and teach us something and spend ...read more time with us. The rest of the tour group were also great - we were the youngest on the trip, but that didn't stop us from getting to know everyone and making some incredible friends. We plan to book another tour with Global Journeys/Albatross in the future.

The tour I thought was good value for the money. Accommodation was very good and the meals at dinner were very good except in one location. I did not like the bath/shower in 2 locations as there were no hand rails and dangerous for mature people like myself. The walking was more than expected but as I am a fit person was able to manage it. Would have ...read more liked longer in some places but nice not to be moving on each day and the 5 /4 nights in locations was good. The Tour Manager and Driver were exceptional and the Tour Guides in the locations were very good and knowledgeable and passionate about what they were telling us.

Had a great time & saw some fantastic places. Small group tour of 24 people was a good size. Tour guide & bus driver were excellent. Some of the hotels were not as good as we have had in the past, but overall a great trip.

Having briefly been to Italy before still did not prepare me for this amazing, beautiful and diverse country, not to mention so ancient and modern - classic and exciting! From the north to the south, Italia did not disappoint - from the gobsmacking historic places and buildings to the amazing mountains, lakes and the sea, there was never ...read more a dull moment. Aaaah, the canneloni in Roma!!!! DIVINE!! Best everrrr...pasta, pasta, pasta everywhere, of course!

The Italian Grande was everything it offered. The hotels, especially in Mira, were great with the exception of one that was very disappointing. The Tour Guide, Gianfranco, was just Top Shot as was the driver of the coach, especially on the hair-pin bends - so many heart-stopping moments - so exciting yet very safe. Loved going through a lot of towns en route to the next stop and they were often the icing on the cake. Ravello, so beautiful and that winding road up to Anacapri - Wow !! And what a view from the top of the rock that is Capri.

The group was all Australian which was a pleasure and a very cohesive group at that too - what a relief !! One word says it all of this trip ABSOLUTELY AWESOME ( oops, two words !).

This was our first trip with Albatross after several tours with Insight so we were interested in a comparison between the two. We loved the 3, 4 and 5 night stays and the smaller group size. Our tour companions were all Australians and we got on well. Overall, the itinerary was excellent and we saw everything that we wanted to see.

The highlights ...read more of the tour were the days we spent at Lake Maggiore and the cruises we did at Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast. This was the best way to appreciate the spectacular scenery and coastal villages. We thought the character hotels would enhance the local experience and expected quality to suffer. The hotel locations were great but there were some problems. Generally, elevators were too small and there wasn’t enough of them which meant a lot of stair climbing for those fit enough. The hotel at Montecatini only had 2 very small elevators (maximum 4 people) and one of them broke down the day we arrived and was not fixed until 4 days later. Bathroom sizes seemed to vary and some of our companions thought they were too small though we were reasonably happy with ours.

The dinners at the hotels were of average quality except for Maiori where the food was poor. Breakfasts at all locations was very good. We found ants in our bedding each morning at Maiori and when we mentioned this to the staff we were told that it was a result of the climate and nothing could be done about it. This hotel also had a policy of no wifi in the rooms and you had to go to reception to use it. Several of our travel companions complained about the wifi on the coach. It seemed that only a certain number of passengers could log on at one time. I was keen to track our progress using the Vamoos app but I gave up early in the tour because I couldn’t get wifi access when I needed it.

On some of our stops we had too much time and at other places not enough. We found the activities that were included in the tour price were as much or less than what you would expect with Insight. Their claim that there are no optional extra costs is only because they don’t offer any. This is why, I expect, that we found we had too much time to ourselves at some places. You could wander around the streets, have lunch, shop or visit museums at your pleasure and own expense. To my mind theses are optional activities even though they are not organised or advertised. Our Tour Director was a local with more than 30 years experience but he lacked the professional experience of the Insight Tour Directors. In summary, we feel that you get better value for your money with Insight even if you have to pay for the optional experiences and tips to the Tour Director and driver.

This is a really good trip with lots of included meals. The trip covered a lot of varied places and activities, some stunning scenery (coastal, lakes, mountains) as well as museums, cathedrals and pretty towns. My main criticism is that too many meals were in the hotel and not in local restaurants (only 3). With the small group size, it was implied ...read more that more meals would be in restaurants rather than the hotel. The best eating experiences were at the restaurants. The hotels were generally well located and had good facilities. The castle was a unique experience. There was a good mix of local walking tours and free time, however, a couple more entry fees could've been included.

We have toured Italy several times in the past but never the southern region. When we discovered Albatross Tours' "Italy, the Deep South & Sicily" we thought, why not give it a go. I am so glad we did. I could not believe the difference between the two. The south is much more rugged and less touristy than the north. The accommodation we stayed in was ...read more like nothing else we have experienced anywhere else in the world. Like the north, the food and wine is very good, and the locals are very friendly and welcoming. Our guide, Gilberto was second to none. He had a thorough knowledge of the area and always had the welfare and comfort of his guests foremost in his mind.

I must also commend Jemma from Global Journeys. Like other staff I have dealt with in the past, Jemma always kept me advised on what was happening with our booking from the moment we sought a quote, and we got the best price available. Can't complain about that. Thank you Jemma and Global Journeys.

This was our third tour with Albatross and it ran like clockwork, mainly due to the expertise and professionalism of our guide, Sibila. We were with a mixed group of married couples and 8 single ladies who were all out to enjoy themselves. Accommodation was of a good standard with Mostar being the exception, but given the war-torn history this was not ...read more surprising.

The pace of the tour was at times on the hectic side and the necessary border crossings added hours to a day's journey. The day trip to Montenegro was very long and arduous with two and a half hours spent at one border crossing. I believe this day of the trip should be deleted from the itinerary as it requires a very early start and late return, approximately 8.00pm at the very end of the tour. Split, Hvar and Dubrovnik were the stand out locations for me.

The Albatross Italian Grande was absolutely wonderful and another holiday organised perfectly by Georgie from Global Journeys! We loved the longer stays of 4 and 5 nights, and the accommodation was excellent. The highlights were Stresa on Lake Maggiore, the CastelBrando near Venice, Montecatini Terme in Tuscany, the Cinque Terre and Maiori on the Amalfi ...read more Coast which was absolutely stunning. Beginning the tour in the Lakes and finishing it on the Amalfi Coast was just perfect.

The itinerary was exactly where we wanted to go in Italy and it did not disappoint! Also everything was included which was an added bonus. We had a fabulous time visiting so many cities, towns, villages and tourist spots throughout Italy but still had plenty of free time to ourselves. Our tour guide Elena was wonderful, extremely knowledgeable and helpful in every way to make sure our trip was a wonderful experience. Marco our coach driver was amazing and mastered the tricky roads of Italy perfectly! We travelled in September and we had perfect weather for the whole trip. Thanks again to Albatross and Georgie for such an amazing experience we will remember forever!

The tour was as advertised. The locations, towns and cities were memorable. The Tour Manager was knowledgeable, personable and organised. The bus was comfortable with a window seat for all those who might want it. The accommodation varied between OK to excellent. Included meals were mostly very good.

Two areas for improvement related to the free ...read more time in the various cities and towns. That free time almost always corresponded to the Spanish siesta time, so while restaurants and bars were open, other shops and attractions were closed. Which leads to the second improvement: it would be good to know the day before the potential activities at a location e.g. swimming in Biarritz. Also there was no chance of seeing the Sagrada Familia (Barcelona) because it had to be booked 4 days in advance. This requirement was never mentioned. Overall the pace was very relaxed and suited the older demographic on the tour.

I had great experience booking through Global Journeys, Madeline was very helpful and responded to my emails quickly. Albatross tours are efficient and the tour guide was fantastic. She made sure everything ran smoothly even when events like marathons closed the roads. Plan B was executed without a fuss or any inconvenience! Max group size is 28 which ...read more is good. Nice traveling with Aussies who were well traveled and easy going. The itinerary was comprehensive but some free time. The accommodation was fabulous.

This was a comfortable and well organised tour going to a great variety of wonderful locations with excellent local guides plus an efficient, likeable and very helpful tour guide. We stayed in excellent and well located hotels with Granada and Salamanca being particularly noteworthy. We travelled in a large coach and while this was comfortable the obvious ...read more negative impact these enormous tourist carriers are having in Spain and Portugal did worry me. I also felt Albatross could be more proactive in environmental awareness by discouraging plastic bottle use, etc. Arranging my tour through Global Journeys was a painless and efficient process with excellent ongoing communication. I would recommend them.

This is our third Albatross tour and we were not disappointed. Our tour guide, Sibila, was outstanding and very informative about the history of Croatia. She was entertaining, humorous and was always organised. The hotel, food, coach and driver were excellent. We are now home and already planning our next Albatross tour.

Global Journeys again did their work very efficiently and without flaw....thanks Hannah.

We had a very enjoyable trip with Derek, the quintessential Englishman, as our guide and Joe the best fun driver one could ask for. Went to Wales day one which was a bit 'nothingy' but after that we hit the major tourist hot spots of England and Scotland (including ...read more the brilliant Military Tattoo in Scotland). A full Australian team of 28 on the bus but it was a 50 seater so stacks of room.

Albatross has got it right with generally 3 night hotel stays and some clear leisure time interspersed through the trip. Having a number of nights free for dinner is also a winner. Highlights were aplenty culminating in the final night state room stay at the Leeds Castle. As a first trip to the UK this was ideal and recommended for say the 50 years plus set.

Great itinerary and loved the extended stays in most locations. The smaller group size made it easy to get to know everyone quickly. The tour guide was knowledgeable and looked after us well. Overall a fantastic trip. Dealing with Global Journeys made the booking process simple.

I loved this tour from go to whoa. An outstanding tour leader contributed significantly to this, along with the lovely group of people I was lucky to travel with. The pluses I appreciated on this tour with Albatross were the group size - 18; the mix of couples and solo travellers; the 2-3 night stays; the fact that everything was included; there was ...read more a good mix of guided time and free time; excellent accommodation and locations. I would undoubtedly travel with Albatross again.

Tips for other travellers - choose this tour in Spring or Autumn if you want to avoid hot summer days. Consider your fitness level - there is a good deal of walking on this tour. It is the best way to experience a place - but it does include cobbled paths, hills and stairs. The age range of the group on my tour, was approx 60 to 75 - all fit active older adults, who weren’t bothered by the heat of the sun or the amount of walking.
I have been very impressed with Global Journeys travel agency and my consultant Yvonne Brooks, and will definitely book through them in the future. Many thanks Yvonne!

This was my third trip with Albatross. Like the two previous tours this tour of Spain and Portugal was well thought out and devised with a mix of group touring an "My Time". With wonderful accommodation, included excursions and longer stays 2-3 nights all made for a relaxed and enjoyable time.

A wonderful group of fellow travellers with a mix of ...read more couples and singles all being very welcoming and inclusive. And too, our tour guide Darren was superb. Professional and caring ensured we all travelled well. This was my first time booking with Global Journeys. Hannah, my consultant made the process seamless. Answered all my emails promptly and also booked my flights. I would happily book again with Global Journeys.

There's no way you could do so many things on your own time. You get priority entry everywhere you go and local knowledge from our driver/tour guide for times when roads are closed, weather is sunny (haha, not expected) all with a sense of humour and sensitivity when people felt unwell or upset. Highly recommended.