Just returned from the CIE Classic tour with John Costello as a guide and Paddy Moran as the bus driver..great trip, great guide and driver, and good value. Hotels and food were also good. Overall, I would highly recommend a bus tour for your first time in Ireland.

Unless you already know how to drive.

I went to Ireland with CIE and had a great time. I'd always been leary of group tours, but we were with a large group from D.C. Friends of Ireland. The hotels were all 4 or 5 stars and the food was excellent.

I just love CIE. 3 tours and counting.....Their guides are the best!

Glad to hear some positive feedback about a group tour. Would appreciate more info about CIE...any website or email address? Thanks for any tips.<BR><BR>Happy travels!

Try www.cietours.com. CIE is a notional company in Ireland and they specialize in Ireland for that reason but have branched out to other sountries as well. What I like best about CIE is 1) the location of the hotels - always right in the center of things so if you want to walk around on your own, no problem 2) Extras don't cost extra! There are many "optionals" with tour companies like Globus, Insight Trafalgar etc. These are not include din the tour price and are things like, visit to Waterford Crystal Fatory, or Irish folk festival or whatever. They are listed in the guidebook but you are not told that these exursions actually are not included in the price. With CIE all excursions are included int he price as well as the admissions to all tourist sights.

We just returned 8-24 from the CIE Ireland Classic tour and also had John Costello and Paddy Moran. We were sooo leery of a group tour, having always traveled on our own. This was beyond outstanding. Listening to John was music to our ears and we learned so much in such an enjoyable way. Paddy was awesome, too. All facilities & food were excellent values, so nice, and the itinerary, including northern Ireland, was terrific. Would use CIE again.