Home > Compare Tour & Adventure Operators > CIE Tours vs Insight Vacations
CIE Tours vs Insight Vacations
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of CIE Tours and Insight Vacations.The Low Down
CIE Tours are specialists in guided coach tours through Britain and Ireland. With over 80 years of history the team at CIE certainly have the local ties and experience to deliver you a top notch touring experience through Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. They have recently dipped their toes into new regions within Europe, including Iceland, Italy and Spain.CIE are relatively unknown in the Australasian market but are very popular in the rest of the world, so you're fellow travellers are likely to be from all around the world, but perhaps with more American's onboard than Antipodeans. With itineraries designed to be fully inclusive, putting your hand in your pocket for optional day trips and activities is not something you need to worry about.
Accommodation on each trips sits at the 3 to 3 1/2 star level, with breakfasts (along with many lunches and dinners) also included. There's a maximum group size of 44, but look out for selected departures on selected trips that are designed for small groups. Also keep a lookout for CIE's Last Minute Deals which run year round and offers savings of up to 15% off the normal retail price.
Upmarket coach touring, with 4.5+ star accommodation, maximum group sizes of 40 on a full size coach and more leisurely paced touring itineraries. The pricing of Insight's trips tends to attract travellers in their 60's and 70's. If you're tall, then you should seriously consider Insight, as their coaches been reconfigured to allow up to twice as much legroom as on a standard coach. Insight have recently launched trips through South America, and expanded their range of Gold Luxury Vacations, where you can expect the ultimate in luxury and refinement.We find that the feedback we get back from past clients is sometimes a little critical, and we feel this is because of the very high standard some of our clients are expecting due to Insight's positioning in the market. On every multi-day journey, there will always be little annoyances, but as a whole package the team here definitely recommend Insight worthy of your consideration. If you've travelled with any of its sister brands like AAT Kings, Trafalgar or Uniworld further savings are available.
Stats
No. of Trips
72
No. of Departures
4,150
Avg. Trip Length
9 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$321
Accommodation
3.5 - 4 Star
Budget
Premium
Trip Styles Coach Tours
No. of Trips
419
No. of Departures
4,981
Avg. Trip Length
12 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$452
Accommodation
4 - 4.5 Star
Budget
Premium
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
When you travel with CIE Tours, you will get the warmest of welcomes and all the benefits of our 87 years of experience. The itineraries are locally crafted - we set our own high standards for delivering excellent holidays with state-of-the-art luxury coaches; the best hotels; carefully chosen authentic experiences and entertainment.
Our outstanding local tour directors are ready to share their knowledge, stories, passion for their home places - they are our greatest assets. Many of our tours spend 2 nights in each location, and our flexible itineraries include a great balance of escorted and free time. We include full breakfasts, most dinners and some evening entertainment. No one has to worry about paying for optional extras on the trip. It’s all included, no hidden extras.
We know how much these trips mean to you and we want to ensure that this is a trip you will treasure forever.
At Insight Vacations we have been creating magical travel experiences for over 40 years, showcasing the most outstanding destinations and curated experiences in Europe and North America.
Why are we different to any other operator? It’s our unique Insight experiences. It’s our authentic and varied dining options, it’s travelling in smaller groups on customised coaches with twice the legroom, it’s staying in the right hotels in the right location, all brought together seamlessly by our exceptional travel directors. In essence: All the sights, and the insights….up close and personal…in comfort and style.
Travel is such a joy and a personal passion for myself and every member of our team. We’re so proud of the quality, service and value we provide and invite you to try it for yourself. Talk to Global Journeys to find out more about travelling in style and booking your next holiday with Insight Vacations.
Recent Reviews
4.6
If you’re looking for a great experience look no further than Global Journeys. Could not fault our experience. From the time of booking till we landed on Australian shores again,fabulous! Rachael McSorley our Travel Advisor looked after us so well. We were kept up to date evert step of the way. And CIE Classic Irish tour was all we hoped and more! ...read more
CIE are a great tourist organisation. All costs were in the price quoted , no added extras like some tourist organisations. The tour covered big and small venues, cities and towns whilst the places used for accommodation were of great value. I would recommend CIE.
Loved every minute of the trip. Sam our driver was amazing. Jaquie our guide was fabulous. Couldn't recommend them any more. Would do it again in a heartbeat. A must do trip to add to your bucket list.
Stunning scenery in the wilds of Scotland, with some logistical challenges. 3 Norm, VIC, Australia, Aug 2023
This was an excellent itinerary to see the stunning landscapes that Scotland offers. Isle of Skye, Glencoe and Orkney were standout locations, The trip also had a liberal dose of castles and stately homes, both functioning and derelict. The tour guide provided an immense amount of history and perspective, to bring locations alive with their significance. ...read more Overall a very worthwhile experience.
On the downside, the tour company, CIE, chose to deliver our 'welcome pack' to the first hotel, rather than to our home. This appears to be their practice for Australians. This was in the least inconvenient as it meant we would not have the benefit of the provided backpacks for our outward journey. All other participants, who were from the USA, had their packs delivered to their homes. The impact was exacerbated by the packs not being there when we arrived, so we were without backpacks, name-tags, maps etc for the whole trip. It was only after pestering our guide that we finally received our packs on the very last day of the trip.
Our other concern was that the the quality of some of the hotels was below our expectations, with cramped rooms and bathrooms lacking power outlets etc, This is understandable in small remote towns, but the worst examples were actually in Glasgow and Inverness. We shared those hotels with other tour companies, such as Trafalgar, so we were not alone in the experience. The multiple tour groups also made meals, especially breakfast, a bit of a bunfight and far exceeded lift capabilities. We chose to walk up 5 flights at one stage, Would we do it again? Probably not with CIE. Their offices are in Ireland and USA and they appear to be not well geared for Australian participation.
On the downside, the tour company, CIE, chose to deliver our 'welcome pack' to the first hotel, rather than to our home. This appears to be their practice for Australians. This was in the least inconvenient as it meant we would not have the benefit of the provided backpacks for our outward journey. All other participants, who were from the USA, had their packs delivered to their homes. The impact was exacerbated by the packs not being there when we arrived, so we were without backpacks, name-tags, maps etc for the whole trip. It was only after pestering our guide that we finally received our packs on the very last day of the trip.
Our other concern was that the the quality of some of the hotels was below our expectations, with cramped rooms and bathrooms lacking power outlets etc, This is understandable in small remote towns, but the worst examples were actually in Glasgow and Inverness. We shared those hotels with other tour companies, such as Trafalgar, so we were not alone in the experience. The multiple tour groups also made meals, especially breakfast, a bit of a bunfight and far exceeded lift capabilities. We chose to walk up 5 flights at one stage, Would we do it again? Probably not with CIE. Their offices are in Ireland and USA and they appear to be not well geared for Australian participation.
Very organised. tour. Excellent hotels. Would book with Global Journeys again. My travel advisor Jemma Rosen was excellent answering concerns I had.
Amazing journey through Scottish Highlands and Isles, getting to see parts of Scotland that I would normally not have considered going to. Went in May and weather was fantastic. The accommodations (with the exception for the Balmacara Hotel) were very ordinary and well below expectations. Whilst I would recommend this trip, I would hope that the tour ...read more operators review the accommodation options and provide better options in the future.
4.5
Winter Wonderland tour through Germany, Austria and Switzerland 0 Elizabeth and Daniel, NSW, Australia, Dec 2024
Booked through Global journeys for our Insight Vacation Tour and did not disappoint. GJ were so helpful with answering questions and helping get us organised. The tour with Insight was a winter wonderland snapshot. It snowed and the scenery and experiences were magical. The accommodation was excellent. We made friends with other people on the tour. ...read more Lots of experiences to cherish.
This tour is a great way to see the wonders of ancient Egypt. The Valley of the Kings excursion was a highlight for us, plus the (optional but worth the $$$) trip to Abu SImbel. Cairo and its traffic are chaotic but the Marriott was an excellent respite. Internal flights were OK, but the security setup at airports can be challenging so make sure you ...read more allow lots of time before departure. Georgie and GJ were very helpful prior to our journey.
As per our last trips with Insight Vacations the East Coast USA was another winner. From the beautiful vistas of Bar Harbour and Arcadia National Park, the charm of Boston, the eye-opening hustle bustle of New York, to the historical places encompassing the majestic Washington DC the trip filled all our expectations. The tour director and coach driver ...read more met all our expectations built from previous Insight trips, the chosen sites for touring and the included dinner meals locations were both 1st class and iconic. We only had 16 travellers on our trip which made it a delightful personal experience.
This tour of Germany was absolutely delightful. The tour included a great variety of interesting historical sites and quaint, picturesque fairy tale towns. Thought Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Heidelberg were particularly special. The schedule was full as there were so many wonderful places to visit but did not feel rushed. Carl our Travel Director ...read more was outstanding! Highly professional, responsive, organised, knowledgeable and attentive to our every need. He ensured everything ran smoothly and was clearly explained ahead of time. Johann our driver also did a great job.
On most mornings, we departed the hotel at 8am which was perfect - not too early to wake up and also meant we arrived at the sites before the crowds. Regular and well-timed rest stops were also beneficial. Most hotels were located right in the centre of town so we were able to explore and have dinner in the town without having to worry about catching public transport or a taxi into town. All hotels included a full buffet breakfast. Coach was spacious and had free wifi and sockets to charge our mobile phones. Recommend doing this tour if you want to explore a variety of Germany towns and regions.
On most mornings, we departed the hotel at 8am which was perfect - not too early to wake up and also meant we arrived at the sites before the crowds. Regular and well-timed rest stops were also beneficial. Most hotels were located right in the centre of town so we were able to explore and have dinner in the town without having to worry about catching public transport or a taxi into town. All hotels included a full buffet breakfast. Coach was spacious and had free wifi and sockets to charge our mobile phones. Recommend doing this tour if you want to explore a variety of Germany towns and regions.
Touring the National Parks was brilliant. The tour guide was great as was the driver of our coach. Insight did not disappoint, To see the abundance of wild life so often was an added bonus that we did not anticipate. And of course booking our tour with Global Journeys was brilliant, just like all our previous dealing with them.
Everything about this tour was excellent. Coach was very comfortable, only 1 hotel in Rome was very tiny the rest were good. Tour guide very knowledgeable and caring. The itinerary was just right and not rushed. Global Journeys "Georgie" did an excellent job of our selection process, we'll be going with her next time we book. Insight vacations of course. ...read more They're the best.
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