Reviews of Cosmos tours?
Mar 5th, 2012, 11:00 PM
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Reviews of Cosmos tours?
Hiya 
So i am making my first trip "across the pond." I am going to be traveling between England and France with some family, but I also really want to see Ireland. I am going to stay longer than they are, and take a tour of Ireland. Since I am 18 (I'll be 19 then), haven't been to Europe before, and I have a mother who isn't so sure about all of this, I want to take an escourted tour. I realize this isn't the ultimate way to travel, but I have found a tour (Irish Explorer) for a reasonable price by Cosmos tours that goes everywhere I want to see. Being from a small town on the western coast, I am not familiar with public transportation (I know what it is obviously, but never really used it) so I thought this would be a happy medium.
Has anyone had any experience with this tour company? I checked out all the hotels we are going to be staying in, and they seem decent enough (not 5 stars, but all 3-4) but haven't found many reviews on the actual tour.
Let me know if you have any insight. Thanks
So i am making my first trip "across the pond." I am going to be traveling between England and France with some family, but I also really want to see Ireland. I am going to stay longer than they are, and take a tour of Ireland. Since I am 18 (I'll be 19 then), haven't been to Europe before, and I have a mother who isn't so sure about all of this, I want to take an escourted tour. I realize this isn't the ultimate way to travel, but I have found a tour (Irish Explorer) for a reasonable price by Cosmos tours that goes everywhere I want to see. Being from a small town on the western coast, I am not familiar with public transportation (I know what it is obviously, but never really used it) so I thought this would be a happy medium.
Has anyone had any experience with this tour company? I checked out all the hotels we are going to be staying in, and they seem decent enough (not 5 stars, but all 3-4) but haven't found many reviews on the actual tour.
Let me know if you have any insight. Thanks
Mar 6th, 2012, 03:27 AM
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I have not been on any Cosmos tours, but did look at the one you will be taking. It covers a lot of ground in 9 days! Can't tell from itinerary descriptions what you will actually stop and visit and what you will just have a brief stop to take a picture. There are very few "visit" mentions on the day to day things.
Several people here have mentioned "Paddy Wagon Tours" which look to be for younger tourists. check them out.
Have a great time!
Several people here have mentioned "Paddy Wagon Tours" which look to be for younger tourists. check them out.
Have a great time!
Mar 6th, 2012, 04:14 AM
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Cosmos is the budget arm of globus tours. Their hotels are, as you noted decent enough but usually not located in the city centres which is not necessarily a problem. I did that particular tour a few years ago and it indeed covers a lot but to get the full experience of the tour, you will need to purchase optional tours. That's not a downer necessarily but something you should be aware of when it comes to coach tours.
For something a tad better, which includes all the optionals as part of the basic price, you might wish to look at CIE tours. Slightly better hotels, slightly better food with included meals but the cosmos tour will be fine.
For something a tad better, which includes all the optionals as part of the basic price, you might wish to look at CIE tours. Slightly better hotels, slightly better food with included meals but the cosmos tour will be fine.
Mar 6th, 2012, 04:35 AM
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I agree that you should look at CIE tours. I might be misinformed but I think they specialize in tours of Ireland. I know people who have been on CIE tours and really enjoyed themselves.
If you do take the Cosmos tour I hope you'll give yourself a couple of days in Dublin on your own. The Irish people are so helpful and friendly - you won't have a problem hooking up with others your age and having some fun, even on your own.
If you do take the Cosmos tour I hope you'll give yourself a couple of days in Dublin on your own. The Irish people are so helpful and friendly - you won't have a problem hooking up with others your age and having some fun, even on your own.
Mar 6th, 2012, 04:36 AM
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Sorry if I sounded negative. You will cover a lot of ground but it does give you a quick overview. Don't know the particular hotel in Tramore, but in my opinion Tramore is a better place to stay than Waterford.
Mar 6th, 2012, 07:50 AM
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DO NOT TAKE A COSMOS TOUR AT YOUR AGE.
You need to be at least triple your current age to be close to the median age of a Cosmos tour - it's a bunch of oldies. My aunt and uncle regularly took Globus and Cosmos tours when they were in their 60s-plus and my uncle would complain that "it's a bunch of old people" on a bus. There may be occasional younger folks but this is NOT for your age group.
Check out <b>Contiki</b> - its customers are 18-35 year-olds, not the Centrum Silver crowd. Plus Contiki isn't dominated by Americans (and no, there's nothing wrong with Americans - we could be German or Russian, after all), its tours include a LOT of Australians (can't swing a dead cat without hitting an Aussie on those tours), and a good number of Canadians. With all the Aussies on board, you'll learn to speak another language. The tours also include the occasional Brit, South African, New Zealander and/or European who's English is better than your ability in whatever language you took in high school.
The tours are not necessarily partypartyparty - the Aussie women don't tend to get drunk and stupid (that's for Aussie men) and the single-country tours are more sedate than the 20 country/50 night cross-Europe extravaganzas. Do you really want to travel with people your parents' age or your own?
You need to be at least triple your current age to be close to the median age of a Cosmos tour - it's a bunch of oldies. My aunt and uncle regularly took Globus and Cosmos tours when they were in their 60s-plus and my uncle would complain that "it's a bunch of old people" on a bus. There may be occasional younger folks but this is NOT for your age group.
Check out <b>Contiki</b> - its customers are 18-35 year-olds, not the Centrum Silver crowd. Plus Contiki isn't dominated by Americans (and no, there's nothing wrong with Americans - we could be German or Russian, after all), its tours include a LOT of Australians (can't swing a dead cat without hitting an Aussie on those tours), and a good number of Canadians. With all the Aussies on board, you'll learn to speak another language. The tours also include the occasional Brit, South African, New Zealander and/or European who's English is better than your ability in whatever language you took in high school.
The tours are not necessarily partypartyparty - the Aussie women don't tend to get drunk and stupid (that's for Aussie men) and the single-country tours are more sedate than the 20 country/50 night cross-Europe extravaganzas. Do you really want to travel with people your parents' age or your own?
Mar 6th, 2012, 09:03 AM
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There are a couple of things yuo need to understand abuot tours.
Hotel location is very important. You don't want them at the end of hell and gone so you are trapped there in whatever off hours you have. Look at locations carefully.
In tour speak a "view" means yuo see a sight out of the window as you drive by, a "stop" means you get off the bus for 5 minutes for a photo op. Only a "visit" means you actually go into whatever - and then perhaps not for very long.
If it were me I would just do it yself - but Ireland without a car is difficult. So - look at tour options considernig the point above ( and how much extra they will charge for "ptions" - usuall the less expensive the tour the more things that are options.)
Hotel location is very important. You don't want them at the end of hell and gone so you are trapped there in whatever off hours you have. Look at locations carefully.
In tour speak a "view" means yuo see a sight out of the window as you drive by, a "stop" means you get off the bus for 5 minutes for a photo op. Only a "visit" means you actually go into whatever - and then perhaps not for very long.
If it were me I would just do it yself - but Ireland without a car is difficult. So - look at tour options considernig the point above ( and how much extra they will charge for "ptions" - usuall the less expensive the tour the more things that are options.)
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Mar 26th, 2015, 04:34 AM
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I am taking this tour in October with my husband, younger sister and her boyfriend. We will be leaving the mid-west for our first visit to Ireland. Our ages range from 24-32. @Emmnemms do you have anything specifically planned that is not included in the COSMOS tour? I'm having a difficult time finding review on COSMOS as well. It was interesting to read the comments on this board. I am a little bummed that the age group of the tour will be older, but hopefully they're fun and energetic old people!
