Albatross Tours Reviews 974

Fantastic itinerary. Great tour guide and bus driver. A good mix of group activities/sightseeing and free time to explore according to personal interest. A good-sized tour group of mature, amiable, well-travelled and punctual people. A large, roomy bus. A good mix of group meals and freedom to sample local cuisine. Hotels were well chosen and well located. The only negative was the boat trip at the end of the tour. The sea was rough and the open boats were not fit for purpose. Passengers were drenched to the skin and the very bumpy ride caused anxious moments for those with back problems, but the scenery was great and the meal at Girolata was delicious.

Great Guide - lovely locations, very good itinerary and some very good company!

Albatross tours are professional have great itineraries and stay at the best hotels. We did the Swiss Alpine Xmas tour and was not disappointed. This is the 2nd time I’ve toured with them and highly recommend any tour they are involved in.

It was an amazing experience and our guide (Deborah) was fantastic. BUT calling the tour “Christmas Markets Tour” was a bit deceptive. We weren’t taken around the markets in Munich, and apart from Montreaux and Hall we weren’t taken to any others. Instead when we arrived at a town we were told that the markets are “down that way”.

If the tour was just a tour of Switzerland and the Alps then that would be fine, but we were expecting to learn about the markets and their history and what each was known for. This was the only disappointing thing about the trip but it was quite significant to us.

Great trip, thanks

Your guide (Debra) was on a power trip and whilst efficient in some areas she was a pain in others.

The way the tour was run, places visited, knowledge and enthusiasm of the guide, hotels and overall efficiency.

We liked the competent guide and driver, the quality and presentation of the coach, not having to handle luggage, traditional Flamenco, Fado, winery experiences.
We did not like the accommodation - good properties but poor rooms, provided meals and one glass policy of drink with meals. The number of tedious visits to churches and cathedrals.

From the start in Rome with accommodation adjacent the train station (bus ride from airport to Central Station) it made the short walk with luggage to the hotel easy. The service from all venues along the way was excellent & the comprehensive info from our tour guide Prisca really was exceptional. Our driver Enver did a great job working some long hours and the local guides at points along the way really demonstrated their depth of knowledge - stand outs were Valley of The Temples & Villa Romana del Casale in Agrigento.

Maria was exceptional as our tour leader. She ensured our holiday was stress-free, even when the massive power outage hit Spain.
She kept us well informed about our itinerary each day and has a wealth of knowledge about Spanish and Portuguese history.
We were impressed with how well she looked after all of us.
Pedro was an excellent driver, cordial and patient under tricky driving situations
and pleasant to all the passengers in our group.
The hotels were very good, destinations, tours and food were wonderful too.
We are currently on another Albatross tour and would highly recommend Maria, Pedro and Albatross as a whole.

My sister and I were treated to a grand Christmas Market tour of our Homeland. This brought us closer together as Sisters and reintroduced us to our German heritage in a very meaningful way. Our tour has been a lifetime highlight and endeared us to a greater love of our Homeland.

Spent an amazing Christmas in the Swiss Alps at Grindelwald, all the hotels on tour were great, sightseeing experiences amongst the snow was magical. Karen our guide was great, all included sightseeing, activities and meals were good. Highly recommend.

Very good itinerary. Good hotels, enough free time and plenty of group dinners to meet other guests.

Well organsed,great hotels ,fabulous tours and enough free time.

In most of the promises eg small group and longer stays with an immersive itenary Albatros certainly live up to their claims. But a few areas were of considerable disappointment. We went on an expensive Xmas tour and were promised a four course dinner with all the trimings to be told when we arrived that this was not happening for us only for an English tour group staying at the same hotel; the tour guide was surprised as was the hotel manager who initially told about the fabulous diner. Xmas dinner was the worst buffet meal of the tour certainly the worst of the 3 days at this hotel. Everyone was disappointed. Albatros do have smaller tour groups but as they use a normal size tour bus with just as limited leg room room; empty seats don't help. Several of the included diners were in third rate tourist traps. Just a couple of examples. Overall a good but not a great tour.

Great experience! Wonderful, helpful guide. Good value for money. Comfortable hotels. Most enjoyable!

The Bohemian Christmas Market tour was an excellent way to kick off the Christmas season. It was a perfect balance of the history of each city and an authentic Christmas market experience. Lead by our Tour manager- Helen, whose ability to effectively organise all the different aspects of our tour, along with a variety of allergies and liaise with the local tour guides, was outstanding. Helen always ensured every member of our group was organised and oriented in each town before leaving us to explore on our own. This attention to detail was greatly appreciated and her genuine care for our group was obvious. Our driver Josip skillfully manoeuvred the bus through the narrow streets and ensured all our luggage and bags were well taken care of.
The tour itself was fabulous. The day spent exploring Berlin and Potsdam with the stop at Sansoucci Palace could have been done over two days as we were left wanting more time to explore Potsdam. Our experience with the local tour guides was generally positive. We were lucky to have guides who were willing to share their personal experiences and insights to historical events that we have only heard about in history books. The “my time” day in Prague was a much needed day and a bonus to explore- no one on the tour did the same thing but we all saw what we wanted to.

Overall I highly recommend this tour and am grateful to Albatross, Helen and Josip for such a wonderful experience!

Overall, the tour was good. The tour leader was very knowledgeable and personable. The bus driver was very good as were the local tour guides. Believe that the tour could have been a couple of days shorter. There needs to be more upfront communication as to the amount of walking required by participants, especially given the age group and the amount of hills and cobblestones/stone streets. Some participants struggled.
The wine tasting at Aveleda Estate was less than satisfactory. We spent more time walking around a garden than wine tasting, and the wine/cheese tasting was extremely sparse. Perhaps this could be avoided in the future.
Laundry facilities were at a minimal. Hotel charges were exhorbitant and there was not always sufficient time to wash and dry clothes before proceeding to the next town/hotel. Towards the end of the tour, the tour guide arranged a bulk laundry deal which was welcomed by everyone. Maybe this could be incorporated in future tours at different locations. This service was excellent value for money.

In a word disappointed. Albatross promotes small group, my time, 4 to 5 star accommodation but our actual experience was really same as lots of other tour companies doing exactly the same hotels sites etc. Some of the accommodation issued per room by a sort of ballot means some people get the best, others in the same group experience 2 star at exactly the same place (Trulio houses an example). A designated boat cruise was cancelled when we arrived to board and we travelled an hour to get there, as a tour person all of us knowing it would not go due to weather. Why put us through this and then leave us at an Italian port too early for any facilities to be open. No plan B no option no compensation. Further 26 people is not exactly "small"group and the bus uncomfortable especially on a 7 hour trip in one day. Not value for money at all sadly and there was a definite feeling of the same amongst at least 50% of the tour. In saying all of the above we did get to experience some wonderful places Mt Etna as an example BUT you could not move in any of the places travelled without thousands of people and tours trying to see and do exactly the same. The people you do deal with in Australia regarding booking or any question are lovely.

Had a great time group was great and tour guide was excellent