BOOKING
I booked straight through Trafalgar. My tour peers from the the States recommended for me to mass through a go agent inwards the future. They advised that go agents are oftentimes able to obtain improve deals through their wholesale prices as well as inwards turn, render farther discounts. I am unsure whether this is the example for Aussies.
The someone responsible for my tour bookings was absolutely fantastic. She was my top dog contact someone for whatever booking enquiries. She managed my final infinitesimal alter similar a dream. Mum was suppose to come upwards amongst me on this trip, unfortunately she was also sick amongst the influenza to fly. So the afternoon before, my contact someone helped me changed all the bookings as well as flying (which nosotros had to pay extra) for my partner to go amongst me instead.
We did Singapore on our ain as well as the amount of planning as well as booking was a niggling flake insane. Having someone else mass our flights as well as the whole shebang was fantastic. My contact someone was extremely professional, really empathetic as well as was really on top of things. I was SO stressed but she reassured me as well as fifty-fifty gave me her personal position out as well as hence she is to a greater extent than accessible to me!!
THE COACH, THE DRIVER AND THE TRAVEL DIRECTOR
The bus is a luxury bus amongst comfy reclining seats. There is an on-board john it was non encouraged for utilization other than for emergency. There are topographic point belts on each seat. The bus tin carry 48 passengers. Air con as well as heating organization included every bit good every bit Sun protecting blinds.
Our bus driver was amongst us for about 12 days earlier he needed his legal days off. Our driver was fantastic, he drove the bus similar an absolute pro through the tight winding roads of Slovene villages. We felt incredibly rubber as well as he was ever on time. Oh non to squall he was also the i loading all our heavy luggage.
Our go manager did a slap-up chore planning everything for 48 people. We had a hard fourth dimension planning for iii to Singapore, imagine planning for 48!!!! He provided slap-up cognition as well as insight almost the history of European Union during our trip. We again, felt rubber as well as good looked after. Our tour manager would also buy pocket-sized local sweets for us to sense of savor - this was included inwards the budget. But nosotros idea it was actually nice! At each hotel our Tour Director volition position upwards an information canvas every bit per below regarding schedules:
The i as well as solely criticism nosotros have got was when it was fourth dimension to render written feedback, nosotros all sat on the bus as well as had a pep speak almost how nosotros should intend almost all the goodness things as well as non to focus on the negative. This tactic may hold upwards effective on some but on others it tin termination inwards contrary psychology where people experience pressured inwards giving negative feedback.
MEALS
Approximately 50% of the meals for the entire trip. The cost of our tour included 100% daily buffet breakfast at the hotel. We received vi dinners as well as 1 luncheon which was a "Be My Guest" luncheon where nosotros enjoyed local dwelling cooked-style luncheon as well as hospitality. It was i of my highlight.
I constitute the nutrient provided inwards Trafalgar's chosen restaurants were either Ok or sub par. This may hold upwards because every bit a nutrient instagrammer, I am spoiled for alternative as well as the standards of nutrient inwards Sydney are quite high.
Overall huge portions, you lot won't hold upwards hungry that's for sure.
If you lot are vegetarian, vegan, lactose intolerant, diabetic etc - allow your go directors know. My partner is a non-meat eater, nosotros were lucky that the countries nosotros went to were coastal amongst an splendid gain of seafood. Gluten complimentary goers tin hold upwards tough, nosotros had a lady who was gluten complimentary as well as nutrient multifariousness was a niggling flake to a greater extent than limited.
HOTELS
We stayed at the next hotels: The Hilton, Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort, Park Hotel inwards Lake Bled, Jezero Hotel, Ariston Hotel, The Westin.
Our rooms were mostly upwards to scratch. The hotels itself were to a greater extent than oftentimes than non prissy amongst splendid views from breakfast. Our room inwards Hvar was a flake smelly, our balconies were either facing the machine commons or some concrete. I heard a duet of people received beach views. Apparently if you lot are willing to fork out to upgrade to a beach stance room, you lot tin pay extra but brand certain to suggest Trafalgar way inwards advance because hotels inwards Hvar are booked out really quickly.
THE INCLUDED TOURS
Included tours went for almost an sixty minutes inwards each major metropolis nosotros went to. These were ordinarily allow yesteryear "Local Specialists" - I volition deport upon this later.
We each received a VoxBox as well as hence nosotros tin hear to what the guides are proverb piece nosotros are on our walking tours. This device is fantastic, I've solely been on i other international tour as well as nosotros all had to get together about the guide whilst having difficulty hearing what they are saying, the device it reminds me of an onetime Walkman set.
FREE TIME
You volition acquire about 1 hour. After the Local Specialist's guided tour, you lot volition hold upwards given
DRIVING
H5N1 LOT of driving as well as fourth dimension on the bus was involved convey it this way, our driver drove closed to 3000km inwards 12 days. However they volition interruption out driving fourth dimension nicely. i.e., nosotros drove from Dubrovnik to Zagreb which took over 8hrs. We took a interruption every 1hr 45mins. I pretty much slept through most of the driving after taking Travel calm for long drives.
CURRENCY
Other than Croatia, all other countries nosotros visited accepted Euros. However nosotros constitute that inwards Republic of Croatia a lot of places also accepted Euros - they would convert the currency - sometimes it industrial plant out improve some times it didn't.
The central charge per unit of measurement was
1AUD = 0.615 EU
1EU = 7.3KUNAs
1AUD = Approx 4.5-4.8KUNAs
DO NOT central your currency at airport, nosotros were ripped off badly. For 200 KUNAs they charged $120AUD. Partly our mistake that nosotros didn't produce our query inwards advance as well as were quite desperate to have got Kunas prepared.
Trafalgar is really accommodating, they volition recommend where to acquire our coin converted as well as the local tour guide, also known every bit "Local Specialists" volition signal out the currency central provider inwards town for the best rate. We converted 30euros inwards Split for 200 Kunas.
OPTIONAL TOURS as well as LOCAL SPECIALISTS
There were 10 optional tours, I personally intend they are of goodness value compared to the cost of some of the local tours. We were asked to pick all the tours nosotros wanted to produce on the 2d or tertiary day. This was hard cos nosotros weren't certain what to await as well as hence nosotros decided to produce ALL of it. There was solely ONE optional experience inwards which nosotros felt was unnecessary - Panoramic Cavtat inwards Dubrovnik. Most people felt sick on the boat from Dubrovnik to Cavtat. When nosotros got to Cavtat nosotros were allow lose as well as directed where to eat. Depends on the piece of occupation of your travels, nosotros wanted to acquire almost the arts, history as well as civilization of places. At the halt of this optional experience nosotros were quite confused as well as ocean sick - nosotros didn't actually sympathise what the significance of Cavtat was.
We picked upwards a local specialist at pretty much every Country/City/Town nosotros went to. Local Specialists are native to the area, some of them were selected yesteryear our Travel Director, others may hold upwards recruited via a dissimilar go agency. I am unsure how they specifically source local specialists, but most of the local specialists provided existent practiced within cognition almost the history, culture, architecture etc etc. The solely Local Specialist nosotros were unhappy almost is the i inwards Dubrovnik, the fact that she was quite disengaged as well as mopey was a dissimilar story, but she missed out on quite a few facts as well as details that nosotros had to after google when nosotros got dorsum to our hotel.
We LOVED our Local Specialist Tamara inwards Slovenia she was really cheeky as well as a bundle of joy, every bit good every bit Neville inwards Zagreb, really very knowledgably as well as insightful. I learned a lot almost Marshall Tito.
DEMOGRAPHIC
Most of our tour companions were retired, I would state that the median historic current is betwixt 63-64y.o There was a solid unit of measurement amongst their teenage missy as well as a duet inwards their 20s on their honeymoon.
There were people from all about the world, Australia, NZ, S. Africa, Canada, US, Bharat as well as Singapore.
PRICE BREAKDOWN
Flight
During my booking period, in that location was a fab flying bargain - $699AUD render flights per person. via Qatar airline. The average cost of a render airfare from to Europe is about $1500
The Tour
I purchased the optional Gold Seal Protection which was $198AUD (for two people) which was for cancellation, unfortunately this didn't comprehend final infinitesimal cancellation which is understandable. I've been on cruises where someone didn't plough upwards as well as they were solely able to refund taxes. This is an optional purchase, this is NOT go insurance.
The tour bundle itself was $4525AUD per person this included some of the guided tours, transfers to as well as from the airdrome (at scheduled times only, i.e., nosotros landed at 7am as well as the transfer bus wasn't till 10am), all carry via a comfy bus throughout the tour, all hotel costs, some guided tours of the top dog destinations, about 50% meals, all porterage, all taxes as well as your Travel Director to grip on tour logistics to hold upwards amongst everyone at all times during the tour.
Prepaid Gratuities
This was an optional choice, nosotros decided to prepay at $170AUD per person OR you lot tin chose to tip your go manager as well as bus driver at the halt of your trip. We were happy that nosotros pre-paid every bit our bus go as well as go manager were fantastic as well as definitely deserved the recommended rate, if non more.
Discounts
For this trip, nosotros received a total of $100 discount. I am certain in that location tin hold upwards other discounts if you lot dig around.
If I missed anything, or if in that location is anything else you lot would similar to know, go out a comment below as well as I volition endeavour my best to answer it!
