smarTours

GOOD STUFF: We covered a lot of ground that we would not have been able to cover on our own. The coordination of transportation and accommodations is good. The value is good.
CHALLEGES: The pre-travel communication was terrible. Customer service provided textbook answers that were already located on the web-site. The final itinerary was provided VERY late leaving little to no opportunity for seat upgrades for such a long flight.
The tour guides that I have had lacked diversity and sensitivity to nonwhite audiences. The cultural experiences highlighted on the agenda for South Africa were canceled and sufficient alternatives were not provided.
There seemed to be a disconnect between our guide and SmarTours because he did not have most recent agenda and opportunities were missed. And we had a lot of unnecessary downtime, especially given our stop to highlight destinations were often rushed and cut short.
These are once in a lifetime opportunities and I cannot trust SmarTours with my experiences again. I missed too many opportunities on this last trip that I can never get back because of lack of organization and proper communication.

While Ireland is still a beautiful country, the long days of travel by bus were extremely tiring. Not enough time was given at most stops to enjoy them.

the magical ireland tour was indeed magical. the place is gorgeous. however the drawbacks were two: lack of a true tour director with updated postings and the truly poor administration of the returning covid tests have caused me to rate this tour 3 out of 5

Some hotels were too far out of town. Our guide Edith was great. Provided dinners and lunch were lackluster. At two dinners we were served the same entree.

We were disappointed that 2 of the 3 optional tours were canceled due to lack of participation and our tour guide was not allowed to help us find substitutes. It would have been better if we had been notified of these cancellations before we departed from the USA - we were told the first day of the trip, so I know SmarTours knew in advance. Disappointing to say the least! The food in the hotel was not very good either. However, it was a great trip and our guide Diana was extremely knowledgeable and considerate.

Exceptional tour! Knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful tour guides.

Great trip, and tour guide, but only fair food.

I enjoy my trip to Dubai. Please send me a broucher to my address for other trips. Thanks.

Treasures of Portugal exceeded all my expectations. Diana Graca was our tour director. Every city was rich in heritage, history and its own quaint appeal. The people of Portugal were warm and helpful. The food was delicious. Taking the extension to Azores Islands was the highlight of the trip. If you are thinking about taking this trip, please consider the Azores extension. It was like a completely different vacation from the mainland. The variety of activities was a good representation of the country, and we tracked alot of steps each day. Our group was nice and cordial and always looked out for each other. I would return to Portugal again in a heart beat. Thank you for the wonderful memories.

Great selection of hotels and excursions. Excellent commentary from our guide Johnathan! Small group allowed us flexibility.
Great mix of wildlife, culture, and history.

From the time we hit the ground in Portugal, everything was wonderful. Mina was a great tour guide, the itinerary was just right for us and we enjoyed the beautiful country and its people. BUT we did not get the proper preparation from Smart tours. The information we were sent said after checking in and before arrival in Portugal, we needed to fill out a Portugal locator form. NOT TRUE! this form is needed AT checkin and is very difficult to fill out on your phone at the airport! This was very stressful and added over an hour to our checkin because of the problems doing this form on your phone. We are thankful for the help of the airline personnel who helped us. Without them, we may not have made our flight! All this stress could have been avoided if Smart Tours had given us the correct information before we left out house!

We were disappointed with the organization of the walking and motorcoach tours. One guide made us walk nearly 8 miles, with no comfort breaks or rests. Most of the participants were retired, older folks and their needs were not noticed. Several guests needed taxi rides back, at my request. Several participants got lost trying to find their way back to the bus, and boat. Walking times were much longer than the guides explained. One group of four adults demanded to turn back, because they were exhausted. I walked the whole time, but my body is paying for it now and I needed a cane by the end of the trip. We got lost at Kuchen Hof gardens, and barely made it to the bus on time. No one told us that there were two parking areas. We should have had the starting point marked on our map. The sights were great, but the walking tours should have included going inside historic places, not just walking past them. One tour guide was supposed to show us the exterior of the Anne Frank House, but never did that...which was the main attraction for me to go on the tour. Overall, directions back to the boat should have been more specific. Public transit did not end up close to the boat location. We took wrong turns and had to backtrack to get across the canal. I had high expectations, and this trip was no where near meeting them.

When I called Stephanie 2 weeks before departure to ask about the Travel locator form for the Azores, she said she would get back to me.(The link did not work!) She did. While we were driving, in traffic, on our way to the airport. Too late!!
The transportation was wonderful. Drives were adept and punctual!
Tour guides provided lots of useful information.

I've never joined an organized tour. But my wonderful experience has opened my eyes. The tour was packed with activities every day. Their accommodations were top-notch. The choice of restaurants and eating venues was impeccable. Tour guides were very educated and knowledgeable about practically all subjects on the tour. Most of all, connections, transfers and road trips from one town to another were seamlessly organized. All I had to do was show up. What a breeze!! Thank you smarTours and most especially to our very calm and organized tour director Claudia!

After 2+ years waiting and 5 different bookings we finally went on the Spectacular Greece trip. We really enjoyed the history and amazing sites that Greece and the islands have to offer. If you are an archeologist at heart this is the trip for you. Emirates airline was certainly a step above other airlines as far as service and amenities, especially in the economy cabin. At the airport we were greeted by Mama Gina our tour director for the first half of the tour. She was amazing. She made sure we knew where to be and at what time. She also made a point to know all our names. The only part that was disappointing to us was the cruise. The food was not what I would have expected. Secondly, going to 6 islands in 4 days was too much. We would have rather arrived in the morning at an island, spend quality time there...do a tour, shop, eat..or how about relax!!! The rest of the tour was fantastic and we are planning a trip back to Greece for our 30th anniversary in a few years. And I do want to say that Gina is the G.O.A.T... Greatest Of All Tour directors. Thank you Gina for a great time.