Grand Circle Travel Reviews

We hopped on this the tour last minute as the price was fantastic. England has been on my bucket list for a while! I was a bit hesitant to book for April but have no regrets. While the weather was cool, the spring flowers were blooming, and we had mostly sunny weather! I cannot say enough nice things about Grand Circle Tours. This was my second trip with them, and I compare them to Gate 1, which I have been on several tours with as well.

We cruised down the Danube from Budapest, Hungary to Constance/Bucharest, Romania on the Great Circle Cruise river vessel, MV Rio Adagio from June 19 until July 2, 2026. It was a wonderful experience. This was our third Overseas Adventures (OATS) travel and each of the guided trips have been striking successful. This was our first river cruise and we had been a bit cautious about trying one, but it was a great vacation. It gave us the chance to visit a part of the world we knew very little about and a very learning experience in all senses of the word. Thanks, Lukas and the Red Group!

This is my third trip to Finland. I had high hopes for what we would see and experience, like on my previous two trips. However, we spent a lot of time listening to the local guide about the places. It was a waste of time. Because we had no time to visit due to very limited free time. And on one trip, we spent quite some time in a fashionable library, where most travelers prefer to see other sights. We were told the best food in Helsinki was the Salmon soup. Fortunately, we made an effort to find a restaurant that makes this soup, and we thoroughly enjoyed the food. I was just wondering why GCT's local guide never introduced us to any nearby good restaurants or places.

My wife and I just returned home May 21st from GCT's "Spain & Portugal In Depth." We also did the pre-trip to Barcelona as well as the post-trip to Madeira. The trip was outstanding from beginning to end. We had not visited either country before, and weren't certain what to expect, but we were overwhelmed with the rich history and culture, and the beautiful eclectic architecture, from the modernism of Gaudi in Barcelona, to the Royal Palace of Madrid, to the Moorish architecture of Granada, etc. We also enjoyed our visit to Gibraltar to tour the tunnels and learn of their history, especially during WWII. If you take the trip we highly recommend both the pre and post trips.

I just returned from the GCT land tour Romantic Villages of Alpine Europe, my first trip with GCT, and it exceeded my expectations. I was initially concerned about traveling with a group of 40 people, but I quickly realized there was nothing to worry about. Everyone on the tour was warm, friendly, and fun to be around. We shared many laughs, spent a lot of time together, and truly enjoyed getting to know one another.

In July I booked a river cruise for me and my wife with Grand Circle Cruise line. The following day after authorizing a deposit for apx $2300 I rethought the value of the cruise details and called to cancel the trip. I was sent an email stating that my cruise was cancelled and that a full refund would be issued. It is now more than 2 1/2 weeks since my deposit was taken and the refund still hasn't been issued. I have spoken to Grand Circle twice and the best they could offer is a refund to my credit card sometime next week. They state the normal refund takes 30 days. Is this any way to keep customers satisfied? My first experience with Grand Circle is my last experience, there are other more responsive trip providers out there and they will get my business. I suggest anyone looking for a river cruise to look past Grand Circle as there are other providers which are more considerate of their passengers.

I've never been on River Cruise before so I was unsure as to what to expect. Let me tell you...it was a trip of a life time! Grand Circle Cruise Lines had so much to offer, very educational, great tours with a great tour guide (Yanne), lots of free time to explore on your own, great entertainment on board. Crew and staff were exceptional.

Our family of 18 took a trip with Grand Circle Cruise Lines. This was our it first time using them and honestly probably the first time they had a family of this size travel with them😁. We stayed a few days in Paris at the beginning of the trip and were able to do a lot on our own and at our own pace. There was tons to see and do there! We then spent about 10 days cruising down the Seine River with various stops throughout. The staff on the boat was amazing and they were always upbeat and their service was as top notch! You NEVER went hungry on this trip! We also had a guide named Chloe for the cruise portion of the trip, as well as for our post trip to Brittany. She was PHENOMENAL!!!! We couldn’t have asked for a better guide! She was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, fun, and ALWAYS helpful and always extremely helpful! Our family had a wonderful time!

Just returned from a river cruise on the Rhone River in France. The trip was excellent. The tour manager and the crew of the ship at all levels were highly accretive to a great journey. Interesting sites, excellent discussion of issues related to the area, good food and drink. However, the ship, River chanson, is clearly dated in my opinion. It needs a thorough update. With respect to Grand Circle itself, our experience revealed mediocre customer service. This was especially evident with respect to the air arrangements. If you choose to travel with them, which I would recommend, consider strongly making your own flight booking.

Very good trip. Well organized. At all stops on the river free city tour. Dining on the ship is amazing including local vine and beer 3 times a day. Good service and amazing staff. If you catch the lowest price of the season it will be steal. Highly recommended. That’s my second trip with Grand Circle travel and I will do next year again. Thanks.

This was our first tour with Grand Circle, and I can’t say enough good things about how we were treated, the staff, the knowledge of the guides and the wonderful food! Everything was great no complaints at all! It was very nice to have someone make all the plans for you. Everything operated so smoothly and timely. We will definitely be scheduling another cruise.

We took our first river cruise ever, based on our friends’ recommendation. They joined us on this trip as well. We went from Paris to Honfleur and did the extended trip to St. Malo and Chartres. Despite the heat wave, it was a wonderful trip. Our program directors were well versed in knowledge of France and the areas we visited. They made sure travelers kept hydrated in the heat and listened to their bodies in terms of what they felt capable of doing. The staff were absolutely amazing in their service.

My wife and I just went on a Grand Circle cruise in Eastern Europe from Budapest to Bucharest. The staff was excellent. The accommodations were poor. The cabins were very small. The single beds were uncomfortable and were at a slope. The beds folded out from the wall and when open, there was no place to sit and read or play games. Gate1 from a previous trip was far better.

Just returned June 11 from Spain and Portugal in depth. Juanjo was our trip leader and he was amazing. So knowledgeable and yet so personable. He had a great sense of humor. He established an easy pace with variations if needed. All went smoothly and thanks to Juanjo it was a great trip.

We were very pleased with our recent trip to the Canadian Maritimes. Our tour director was outstanding in every way. She made sure that everything fell in line so there was nothing to be concerned about. Everything from hotels, restaurants, excursions, bus and bus driver, and extra activities were absolutely without complaint. We will be looking into future tours with Grand Circle and will be recommending to friends and family.

This was an amazing trip. All of the staff were friendly and a delight to be around. The guides were also very knowledgeable and gave very informative tours. It was a very relaxing time, and I enjoyed that the staff also got involved with the entertainment.

Excellent Program Director Flavio accompanied us through 5 countries on the Romantic Alpines tour May 2026. Great trip, value and experience rate #1.

Great experience. Wonder trip leaders and local guides. Itinerary was interesting and well planned.

As with every adventure I have taken with Grand Circle Travel and OAT the experience was beyond expectations. I have just returned from the Spain & Portugal in Depth trip and I am still thinking about some of the adventures, the spectacular scenery and historical sites of places like Ronda, Sevilla, Granada, Lisbon and Sintra…just to mention a few places. I love history and this trip was, as always with GCT and OAT, a wonderful educational adventure. Our guide Bibiana was wonderful, handling every situation with professionalism and consideration for our mix of travelers. Our bus driver was amazing…taking us places that I could not imagine being able to travel. Once again GCT exceeded exoectations!

This was my first river cruise and one of my best travel experiences. I just returned from a cruise down the Seine (Normandy to Paris) on the MS Bizet through Grand Circle Cruise Line. The travel booklet I received before my cruise was full of information and so helpful. I wish I had one for every trip I have taken in the past. The crew were not only extremely good at their jobs, but were so friendly and entertaining. The food was exceptional and plentiful.

I have traveled with this company many times. I have never been disappointed. They meet and exceed my expectations. I love the places we go, the people we meet and the adventures we have. I already have another trip scheduled.

This (Romance of the Rhine & Moselle) was our 6th river cruise (5 with Grand Circle). Just when you think it couldn't get any better....it does! Can't say enough good things about Grand Circle river cruises and honestly can't imagine anyone doing as good as Grand Circle does. We took a river cruise immediately after covid with another line. Brand new boat...lots of formality, glitz & glitter. Still didn't measure up. Not even close! My wife & I both agreed..."only Grand Circle from now on". A Grand Circle river cruise.....as good as it gets! Outstanding in every regard!

I am home after a 21 day land tour through Italy, 5 days in Rome, 7 days in Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast, and 7 days in Montecatini in Tuscany. This was an ideal land tour. Not a lot of packing up and moving after 1 or 2 days. The cities we stayed in were charming and had a lot to offer for my tourist desires. We took bus tours out of those cities to the desired sites for history, culture, and entertainment. I visited so many of the places I read about for years.

Grand Circle is a wonderful cruise line. We love that we have a program director assigned to us who is very knowledgeable & caring. We learned so much & love that they share their personal stories. The staff was extremely helpful. The food was delicious. We met some very interesting people.

Just got off the Adagio cruising on the Danube. I have been on a lot of cruises and about 5 river cruises. I can honestly say that Grand Circle is the best. The staff was always present, including the Captain (not so much on other river cruises). The food was wonderful, I love the cabins, plenty of space for your things, nice bathrooms, and the lounge. This was my husband's 1st GC as he loved Viking. As soon as he got on and saw the cabin and the ship and the crew, he was sold, he loved it. I would not travel any other cruise line doing river cruises than Grand Circle. Forgot to mention amazing tour directors, ours on the Adagio was Lukas **, who was absolutely wonderful! Can't wait until November to do our Christmas cruise on the Aria.

We were a group of four and we were fortunate enough to get to take what I call the Tulip Cruise! The main purpose of our trip was to see the tulips in bloom, and we were not disappointed. Even though the weather was a little cooler than expected, the tulips were almost in full bloom. The crew on the ship went out of their way to make the trip memorable for us. The food was great! The four program directors were with us constantly answering questions and making suggestions to improve our trip. Did I mention the price was also great!

The overall experience was outstanding. The educational aspect was great along with the program director and the local guides. The accommodations were nice and all staff went above and beyond. I would recommend GC.

I was on the Christmas Market tour from Nuremberg to Vienna from December 8-December 15, 2025. In general everything was great.. The staff was really kind, the food was wonderful and our guide Sjaak ** was exceptional. I enjoyed the crazy shirts that Sjaak wore everyday. He was attentive and accessible in every possible way. All the guides were really good on this trip and seemed to work really well together. The staff in general was wonderful and no matter who I talked to were really helpful. Our room steward Dagaberto was stealthy, but very observant. I was sick one morning, and when I finally decided to leave for a late lunch, he left me a box of Kleenex on my table which saved me trips to the bathroom to get some.

Just returned from Christmas Markets on the Rhine and it was my fourth time for this trip. It is my favorite as I have also been on the Danube, Elbe and Rhone for Christmas. I LOVE these cruises. They stop at the most beautiful Christmas Markets, they have the most comfortable accommodations and they always have a MARVELOUS staff and crew on every ship I have been on. I always meet wonderful travelers every trip. I LOVE Grand Circle Christmas Market cruises.

Where do I begin? We were a group of six family members on the Christmas Markets along the Danube cruise. Two of our group were on their third GCCL river cruise, and the four newbies had been captivated by their descriptions of their outstanding experiences on their first two trips. We were not disappointed by our own experiences!

This was my first trip with Grand Circle Cruise Line and hope it won't be my last. The staff an program directors were all friendly and fun. They seemed to truly enjoy their jobs. Food was wonderful and beautifully presented. Tours were filled with historical and cultural information. The only negative item is the mattress was hard but other travelers said to ask for the crew for a duvet under the sheet to help.

We experienced Christmas Markets Along the Danube returning just a week ago. It was a delightful adventure! Some of the highlights included a choral concert by a boys choir, a visit from St. Nicholas and Krampus, being entertained by a local children’s choir, and a visit to the abbey in Melk. The cruise began slowly with too much time spent in Regensburg. We would have gladly traded time in Regensburg with more time in Melk. Melk was delightful, but our time there was far too short!

Our relationship with GCT began in 2005 with a 14 day cruise on the Rhine. We just completed our tenth trip several days ago. While we have taken trips on other cruise ships, they were not the river cruise variety. Our loyalty to GCT is steadfast. Assuming our health allows, there will be future river trips with Grand Circle. What they consistently get right: (1)The food is consistently excellent. (2)The friendliness of the staff is consistently excellent in all departments. (3) The value for the money spent is beyond compare. We have compared other cruise lines and listened to their passengers. Grand Circle delivers the most for the dollar spent.

I have only used OAT and GCCL. The small ship experience is more casual and less hurried. I have found that the staff and crew are top notch. The accommodations on the small ships as opposed to river cruising is more desirable because of the stationary versus fold up bed. Otherwise the rooms are comfortable. As I mentioned the cabin crew, front desk and bar are very good. The food service crew on my last trip seemed to lose steam the closer we got to the end of the voyage. Having a knowledgeable and personable shore director and local guide is the key. They have the ability to provide a more immersive experience and provide the answers you are looking for.

The Romance of Rhine & Mosel River Cruise was fantastic! Johannes, our Program Director, was very knowledgeable, funny, enthusiastic, and patient. He gave onboard discussions about Germany’s elections, social system, the European perspective on a variety of subjects and shared cultural experiences with us. Johannes offered extra optional tours like a train trip to Bern and a fun visit to the Tingley museum – we appreciated Johannes’s timely insights, educational & historical information, and surprise experiences such as warm chestnuts, local cookies and cheeses . He also provided in-depth information on what we were going to see, things to look for and things to do on our own time.

We were on the Seine Cruise - Normandy to Paris last April. Fantastic experience and trip. The program Director was excellent and we were very pleased with staff, food and city tour guides. We just signed up for another trip in 2025.

This is my 3rd GCT cruise and I’ve been consistently impressed. The itinerary and services were excellent. The home hosting sets you apart from other cruises. We all appreciate your highly qualified tour directors, tour guides, and resource speakers. The cruises just keep getting better. We just arrived and we’re already planning our next one.

We had a wonderful time on our Blue Danube from Prague to Budapest. The guides were professional, caring, and knowledgeable. The city walks and tours informative and fun. The optional tours well organized and educational. The ship talks and entertainment educational and enjoyable. The ship was clean, well maintained and the staff and crew were attentive and friendly.

My husband and I recently returned from a Grand Circle trip--cruising the Rhone. Soon after we arrived in Paris, we met our superb guide, Louise **. Louise was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and funny; moreover, she diligently made sure that every detail on the trip was perfect for everyone. I cannot imagine a better guide. Simply put, she embodies the French expressions "joie de vivre" and "esprit de corps." Furthermore, our ship, the MS River Chanson, was extraordinary. The entire crew -- from Captain Ludovic ** to all the waiters (especially Dan & Kruno) to the bartender (Niko) to the cabin attendants (especially Akos, Dora, Krisztina, and Alex) -- was hard-working and extremely personable! The food was exceptional, and the cabin was comfortable and spacious. In short, I recommend Grand Circle Cruise Line without reservation. Merci beaucoup to you all!

I just finished the river cruise with Grand Circle from Budapest to Romania, it was a wonderful trip! The staff are super nice, the food was excellent, the itinerary for the whole trip was well prepared. I really don't expect any better than that! Grand Circle is great!