Grand Circle Travel Reviews

The program directors were exceptional. The depth and breadth of their knowledge from the lectures given onboard (ship and bus) to the walks they led in various villages and communities--they were all quite extraordinary! The food was like dining in a 5-star restaurant due to the quality, variety, and freshness. The chef was amazing. There were always several choices at each meal including a vegetarian one and the chef would fix a modified plate if needed. The desserts were works of art! The wines were from different regions as were the nightly cheeses after dinner.

The cruise ship was immaculately cleaned, the rooms extremely comfortable (as were the beds) and the ship's crew were all friendly, professional, accommodating and did all of their work with a "joie de vivre" attitude. I cannot say enough wonderful things about my experience. In fact, there were several travelers in my group on this cruise and we are already planning to take another OATS/GCCL cruise to the south of France. Grand Circle has made me want to be a lifelong customer!

Service: The wait staff in the dining room were unbelievable. We would walk in and our iced tea and wine were waiting for us. My wife eats gluten free, and after they knew that, they had gluten free toast waiting for her at breakfast, and gluten free bread at other meals. They took such good care of my wife. The cruise itself was very good, however you must remember that when you travel to Eastern Europe, you are going to learn a lot about communism, tragedy, heartache and cruelty. You will also learn how the people in these countries overcame the evil and returned to the proud countries they used to be.

The Program Directors were just incredible. They literally became our family. I can’t believe the depth and breadth of their knowledge for countries they have only visited, although each of the four directors were citizens of one of the five countries that we visited. This cruise is different than “The Great Rivers of Europe” cruise that I went on eight years ago. This cruise centered around learning rather than just sightseeing. The people they brought on board to teach us about their country were amazing. It always generated great conversation.

After ten days on board, we reached the Black Sea. After a champagne toast and a dip in the sea, we were put on a bus to Bucharest, Romania. We stayed in a beautiful Sheraton hotel and had wonderful meals served to us that included local wines. From start to finish, this was a class act. It was also VERY reasonable. I know for a fact that a friend who is in Europe today on a competitor cruise spent more than three times what I spent for this cruise. I cannot see how the accommodations, food or service could have been better on another cruise line. Grand Circle Tours definitely goes the extra mile to ensure your satisfaction. You won’t be sorry you booked with them!

I was impressed with the fact that the Program Director, Amin **, sent me a long email a few days before my departure, with some current advice about weather and plans with reminders of appropriate articles for me to pack. During the trip, Amin's knowledge, compassion, enthusiasm, management skills, and keen sense humor was the spark that lit up the entire trip. A true gentleman and professional. GCCL is noted for the quality of their employees, and Amin is right at the top. The lounge at the bow was large and comfortable with a well-stocked bar with enough bartenders to keep us all happy. Evening entertainment was always fun and the discussions were timely and informative. There was never a reason to spend time in my cabin (except to sleep).

The Dining Room at the stern was served by a small galley run by 3 Chefs, 2 Cooks, a Pastry man and 2 Kitchen Stewards. The meals they produced were simply amazing, artfully plated and always prepared to perfection. They were delivered by waiters whose skills and competence made every sitting a successful one. GCCL has the right to claim to be the best. I am looking forward to my next adventure with them. YES, I would and have recommended them to friends.

The accommodations on the River Harmony were gracious. We had plenty of room to unpack all our things and put our suitcases out of site. That’s one of the best features of a riverboat cruise… you only have to unpack once! My roommate and I met some delightful ladies on the trip that we ended up eating with and spending time together. The meals on the boat offered a wide variety of choices at each seating. The waiters and waitresses couldn’t have been more friendly. We loved chatting with them and learning about their home countries. I was particularly taken with Bob’s knowledge of the history of all the cities we visited. One special thing Bob did was to arrange reservations for my daughter and her family who just happened to be in Delft the same day we were. I do so appreciated his kindness. And speaking of kindness, we witnessed a person from another tour group take a fall from her bike.

Bob rushed over to assist her!!! My roommate and I appreciated the free time we were given each day to explore on our on. We always had maps and suggestions from the programs directors of special sites or shops we might want to visit. One thing I also appreciated was we were never “forced” to do anything, but encouraged to do what we thought would be of the most interest to us. Bob was always very clear about times and places we had to meet the group to head back to the boat.

Another feature of Grand Circle that I really enjoy are the home visits. We had a delightful visit with a lovely Dutch lady who treated us to coffee and cookies and shared interesting tidbits about her life in Holland. This was my third Grand Circle Cruise. I would definitely choose GCT to travel again. There were three highlights of the trip among numerous memorable explorations. Seeing Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child in Bruges, the Ghent Altarpiece, and of course the Keukenhof Gardens were truly inspiring. The only disappointment we had was not being able to visit Amsterdam due to the King’s birthday. Had we know that, I’m pretty sure we would have signed up for the post-trip to Amsterdam. It was an amazing experience and I’m so glad we made the choice to travel with GC again!!

The cruise ship - the M/S Chanson - was lovely. I have never been on a small ship but enjoyed the ambiance. Our cabin was well appointed. Upon our arrival there was even a bottle of distilled water in the cabin as I had mentioned in the pre-trip paperwork that I use a CPAP. The crew was professional, polite, yet friendly, and always working away at some task. Everyone was always smiling. The food....oh the food....tasty with lots of variety and options. I enjoyed the variety of the free wines that were available at the bar.

The daily programmes with the menus of the day and the upcoming activities were appreciated. We enjoyed the evening entertainment that was arranged. My husband and I used the games that were provided in the lounge. I felt that we received excellent value for the cost. I am definitely going to plan another trip with Grand Circle. Highly recommended.