Grand Circle Travel

I traveled on the Aria on the Tulips and Windmills cruise. It was a wonderful 12 days from beginning to end. We were provided lots of helpful information from the time we booked with Mikki until we returned home. I would give the trip 5 stars except for the age of the boat and the very uncomfortable beds . The boat looks very dated but is very clean and well kept so that is a plus . The only drawback is the bed . As you can see in the photos they are similar to a Murphy bed and it was like sleeping on a board which is hard for old bones. The rest of the trip was so very enjoyable and very well organized! Our small group guide was friendly and knowledgable. He shared lots of history and personal stories about everything he saw . He seemed to know people everywhere we went and you could tell he enjoys his job. The rest of the staff on the Aria were just as gracious . From the cleaners to the captain, everyone was top notch . We especially enjoyed the dining room. There was always a variety of options, the meals were delicious and served by a friendly, professional staff . I loved having a detailed itinerary everyday. It made planning for the day very easy. It was nice to have plenty of free time as well so I could choose museum visits, shopping or things of a personal interest. I also really enjoyed the educational talks we had each afternoon before dinner and the entertainment from local people. I hope to travel with Grand Circle in the future.

My 80+ mom and I just got back from The Great Rivers of Europe with the 3-day Vienna extension. This was her 21st trip with GCT and my second. From beginning to end, it was fantastic. First and foremost, every single member of the Adagio was kind, helpful, friendly and great at their job. Every. Single. Member. Period. After that everything else just fell into place. The daily itinerary placed on the turned-down beds when we got back from dinner was handy. The choice to just have a quiet day or two aboard the ship if we wanted to was freeing. The meals were outstanding. I see others have complained a bit about the beds, but both my mom and I found them quite comfortable. Maybe we're the odd ones out, but still - I slept like a log. I highly recommend river cruises with GCT.

My husband and I joined my dad (we were a collection of 9: 5 seniors 80+ and 2 couples in our late 40s/early 50s). GCT did an EXCEPTIONAL job providing a WONDERFUL “Belgium and Holland in the Springtime” river boat cruise—brought to life because we had the MOST amazing Program Director. Janne (Flemish) was so patient, knowledgable, engaging, funny, and entertaining; she MADE this experience delightfully and exceptionally memorable and meaningful. GCT’s program directors make ALL THE DIFFERENCE on a group excursion. (Note to someone who might be planning a river boat trip for the first time: activity/strenuousness was 1 out of 5; the passengers were all late 70s-late 80s, so know the target audience when you pick your trip to fit your adventure level.)

From WWII to Monet this river cruise has something for everyone. The crew of the M/S Bizet were amazing- friendly & professional while keeping the ship in tip top shape. The stops in quaint French towns & village offer opportunities for learning history, shopping, and a stop in a café.

We are back from our trip Holland and Belgium in Springtime. It was an outstanding trip. Our program director was Janne Vanhemmens. Janne was born for this job! She was so informative, answered all our questions and was a joy to be around. She helped us with everything we needed. I hope we will have the pleasure of being with her again. Some of our favorite activities were our family visit in Enkhuizen, going through the locks on the river, the history and architecture of Belgium and the Netherlands, Royal Delft tour and visiting the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam. The food was excellent. Everyone on the ship was so helpful and positive. This was our first trip but certainly not our last. I brag on Grand Circle all the time now. Patty and Dave Barthold, Cibolo, Texas

Recently did the Eastern Europe cruise and it was fantastic! This was my first Grand Circle cruise. I have done numerous Overseas Adventure Travel trips. The cost of the trip was a good value considering almost all the excursions were included. Our program director Monica was excellent and very knowledgeable. We loved that they had free electric bikes on the boat that we could ride along the Danube. They also have a water station to refill water bottles. The food was also very good, along with the entire crew. The stops on the cruise was also interesting. Golubac Fortress was especially nice. Loved Bucharest and Budapest.

Grand travel did an amazing job of turning a Danube river cruise that couldn’t happen due to low water into a wonderful experience. I never would have chosen to do a land tour but now that I have I’d so it again. The hotels, their locations, the food, the side tours - were all excellent. We especially enjoyed the tour and tasting at Lillis a family run apricot farm that makes all kinds of delicious drinks jams and treats. Our program director, Lucas, was the best - getting to know each of us and making sure we had a great time in every city. Definitely recommend!

In the fall of 2016, a woman friend and I went on to back to back Grand Circle bus trips in Spain and Portugal, and in fall 2019, 4 of us went on their Danube river cruise Budapest to Bucharest. I thought the company did an absolute outstanding job in all cases, with top notch, professional local tour guides, enriching cultural and historical experiences, and great food, encompassing all the different regions and experiences you would find from cuisine and culture in each region and country visited. I’ve been a world traveler, since my parents took me to foreign countries on guided tours as a child. I rate Grand Circle as absolutely top notch from the first moment of booking to the follow up post trip. We felt very well taken care of, and that every dollar was well spent- Far more worth it than attempting to do these trips on our own in a rental car, for example.

my wife and I both enjoyed the grand experience on our trip to romancing the in Rhine and the Mosel. They make it very easy once you get off the plane , they take you to their river boat for the beginning of your trip. Grand Circle tries hard to make everything as easy as possible for the traveler. We have been on 3 trips and with a completely different crew and program director on each trip, they never cease to amaze me with trying to make everything as easy and comfortable as possible. My wife and I are both vegetarians although we do eat fish, we find the lunch and dinner menu is more geared towards the meat eaters, on our last trip vegetarian menu was very limited with some parts of the dinner that look like frozen vegetarian selections .

Adjusting back to life and time in the USA after 26 wonderful days in Australia and New Zealand. All was fabulous. Starting with our incredible guide Heather Roscoe! None better! As she advised at the beginning of our time together, we used ALL senses and enjoyed each and every day with each and every rich and exciting discovery. I highly recommend GCT!!

The Rhone river cruise by Grand Circle Tour has many facets depending on the number of optional tours you take. Those tours supplement and enhance the experience of visiting the country in contrast to just staying on the ship. Of course, the ship offers elegant dining and delicious courses of meal. The cabin is tight but housekeeping ensures beds are made up every day. Those optional tours would immerse you in the life of locals. There is also a home hosted visit you can take to further deepen your experience. Overall, this cruise is enlightening but could be challenging to someone who has mobility issues like me. But the tour director is always there for you to manage your concerns to make sure you get most of the cruise.

River MS Adiago and River MS Aria Best River Cruise Ever, even though this was our first river cruise, the Grand Circle crew were very welcoming from top "Captain" to the "Cabin Crew", they were all nice, we had a hick up since the water level was low, but over all, it was quaint, included all the excursions, meals, drinks, wine and beer, what more can you ask for. we had a balcony but didn't use it as much since the weather was very hot, but still we loved the views on the sun desk. our program directors were great, thanks Julia and Alex, you guys did a great job.

Worst mattress I every slept on, truly uncomfortable. Dangerous boarding and disembarkation conditions. Crew especially the restaurant staff was fabulous!

To start the Program Director was 5 star. The busses for transportation (particularly on the Transvlvania portion) were very tight squeeze for medium and taller persons. The room attendants on the boat did not respond to requests for face cloths and shower caps. The food on the boat was just OK unlike past trips when it was really good. The optional tours were very expensive for what they were---$125 for the tour of the legislature building which lasted about two hours and covered about less than 1/3 of the building. The busses need to have both doors attended to until the bus is empty. One of our group was seriously hurt when the rear bus door was shut on her leg requiring emergency room attention and several stitches. I am not inclined to go on any future Grand Circle trips.

It was exxplained to me that this question is used to evaluate the program director. For that reason, and that reason only, I have rated this experience as excellent. Simone was wonderful. If I were rating the overall trip, I would rate it as either 3 or 4 stars. This has nothing to do with the program director (s) all of whom were excellent, but more about the trip. For me, there was too much "time on your own" to go shopping.

Recent trip to Australia and New Zealand was very nice. We learned so much about the culture, customs, the past and the present. Trip was about three weeks in length. We moved around a lot which was tiring but when you go that far, you want to see as much as possible. Out guide was very good and kept us on track. Hotels and food provided via the tour was anywhere from good to excellent. Flights, bus trips etc were well organized and very pleasant. I would recommend this tour company and these locations.

In November 2025, we embarked on an enchanting cruise along the scenic Danube River, journeying from the vibrant city of Budapest to the charming capital of Bucharest in Eastern Europe. From the moment we stepped aboard, we were greeted with a warm welcome from the crew, whose friendly smiles set the tone for our memorable adventure. As we floated down the river, the stunning landscapes unfolded before our eyes, with quaint villages and sprawling vineyards dotting the horizon. Each offshore excursion was meticulously organized, and we appreciated how the knowledgeable guides shared fascinating insights into the history and culture of each destination we visited. Exploring bustling markets, ancient castles, and local eateries allowed us to connect with the diverse cultures that thrive along the Danube. Every experience deepened our appreciation for the region's rich heritage and left us with unforgettable memories. It was a wonderful journey of discovery that we will cherish for years to come.

It was my first trip with GCT I did not know what could happen but the trip from Paris to Honfleur with a tour of Omaha Beach turned out a wonderful experience and I am sure with long lasting memories. The service was excellent, the food was delicious, the program director was knowledgeable and professional and willing to help us. We probably consider taking tours with GCT in the future.

Everything was wonderful on this beautiful river cruise. The ship was lovely and the staff outstanding and with only 76 passengers it was easy to make friends. Our tour guide Anastasia went out of her way to help and the home visits and lectures gave us an in depth knowledge of the area.

Can't say enough wonderful things about our cruise on the River Harmony. We were kept informed from the time we signed up until we boarded. We even got an email from Tim, who was our tour guide welcoming us prior to our trip. Love the small tour groups of 30+ people and Tim was so knowledgeable about all the destinations we visited. The food was delicious at every meal. We elected to sit at the same table every night because we loved our servers, Sano and Amanda. We even had several wonderful massages while cruising. Highly recommend cruising with Grand Circle Travel. Hope to do another river cruise with them in 2026.

Excellent trip. You see both Australia and New Zealand in short amount of time. Pace is fast bit to see everything you have to it. I loved Milford Sound, Cairns, Sydney and Auckland. I recommend this trip.

Traveled the Rhine River, visited 6 different countries. Great trip, highly recommend. Our tour guide, Julia, was exceptional. We look forward to our next trip on Grand Circle.

From the beginning to the end, it was a wonderful experience. The River Cruise Aria took us from Vienna to Amsterdam. The sites in Bavaria and other parts of Germany were wonderful. We were very impressed with the crew! Our waiter, Dejan Cvetkovic, was exceptional and made our trip such a pleasurable experience. We went through 66 LOCKS which was an interesting part of our journey. The guides in each port were excellent.

Exceeded all expectations, Prague was like walking onto a Disney set. My tour guide Monica was playful informative and all around fun to be with

Fabulous job with entertainment, education, and the friendliest staff ever! Plenty of opportunities to explore on your own in addition to the planned tours and expeditions. I highly recommend Grand Circle and their sister company, OAT: Overseas Adventure Travel!

We had a great time on our Grand Circle Line Cruise. We took the Romance of the Rhine and Mosel cruise, a 14-night river cruise from Belgium to Switzerland. Everything from our amazing Program Director and the daily scheduled activities to the fabulous food was exceptional. It was our first European river cruise and it certainly won't be our last on the Grand Circle Cruise Line!

This Grand Circle Cruise Lines Eastern Europe to the Black Sea trip was amazing! The Tour Directors were excellent, the ship/food/crew exceeded expectations and I learned so much about that region of Europe. I highly recommend cruising Eastern Europe on the lower Danube. If you can, I also recommend doing the trip extensions to Prague and Transylvania Region of Romania.

This was my first experience with a river cruise. The entire experience was wonderful! From signing up for the cruise, and following through to leaving for the trip, Grand Circle Travel handled everything, including all travel connections, and setting up our itineraries so our travel reservations blended nicely for pre-trips, post trips, etc. Our guide, Joana was exceptional, as was all staff on the cruise. The food served was varied and delicious! The weather was beautiful as an extra benefit. For anyone interested in seeing new places, learning some history, meeting new people, experiencing different cultures, I would certainly recommend this company.

Our first GCT trip (Romantic Danube Cruise) exceeded our expectations. The guides were smart, attentive and well versed. Local guides provided deeper understanding. Hotels and shp accommodations were also fabulous. Food was as wonderful as you can get. GCT is not your typical cruise line. Shop here if you want a true cultural immersion trip. Outstanding!!!

Juanjo was an amazing tour guide not only in his knowledge but of his help and guidance to each traveler. He was patient, informative and very helpful each step of the way. Each location was a delightful and informative adventure withonly one exception: The horse-breeding farm. It was on a windy paved and/or dirt road considerably out of the way to Lisbon. It was uninteresting and I suggest that there are other more informative adventures that you could include in its place. As a member of a captive audience forced to go on this side trip, I was displeased by the time it took and the lack of an informative, cultural experience.

The cruise was a wonderful experience -- beautifully organized, comfortable, and filled with breathtaking scenery and memorable destinations. The service onboard was excellent! Among all the excursions, the visit to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp left the deepest impression. Our guide, Irene Kapl, was outstanding -- passionate, deeply knowledgeable, and profoundly respectful in presenting such a difficult chapter of history.

We had a lovely trip. Program director, Clara, was wonderful! The local guides were knowledgeable. The Hotel for the pre-trip at Lake Como was not friendly, and no internet available. Huifong Chen

This was our 28th GCT/OAT trip since 2001 so obviously, we are fans. It was our 4th European River cruise including St. Petersburg to Moscow in 2009. The riverboats provide excellent service and food comparable to the Holland America ships we also enjoy. GCT splits the 120 passengers into 3 groups of 40 and assigns a tour director to each so the service is very personalized. We had a few cancellations so there were only 112 people. It is amazing how the tour directors and many of the crew learned our names so quickly. Do not expect sumptuous cabins. The width of the ships are dictated by the size of the locks. There is a hallway down the middle of each deck and one room on each side so the room size is limited. All rooms are the same size but you pay more for higher decks. We recommend the 3d floor, near the front desk for easy access to shore and the lounge. The dining room is at the stern. Beds are fold down like in a railway sleeper car although we asked them to be left down in the daytime. The room had a small table between the beds and a tiny desk, just large enough for a laptop. The M/S Bizet has a small balcony with 2 chairs just wide enough for our butts. This made the room about 2 feet shorter. The River Harmony we have taken on cruises on the Rhine did not have a balcony so the room was slightly bigger and the window did not open but we enjoyed the balcony. A/C worked great. While the wi-fi was not as fast as home, it was much better than we have found on any large cruise ship. It was good enough to past Facebook pictures and do internet lookups anywhere on the ship and it did not cost extra. House wine, beer and soft drinks were included and mixed drinks and hard liquor were about 2/3ds what they would be at a bar in Seattle. The qualify of the house wine was less than we expected, especially in a country famous for its wine production. Cheap wine from Costco would have been an improvement. Lots of tour companies do cruises on the Seine north from Paris to Normandy so I will not describe the itinerary. Each port was interesting and gave us a different view of France beyond the glitter of Paris. We took the extension to Normandy and Brittany and it was well worth it, completely different from the river towns. The Normandy beaches and St. Michelle were highlights. We also did all the optional tours and enjoyed each. Every port has a walking tour and St. Michelle has a butt busting hill climb so be prepared to walk a lot over cobblestone streets and lots of steps. At age 81, it was a struggle but I made it.

We had a very good guide Edward was very knowledgeable and nice to all of us, The food was good. The personnel in the ship were super nice and helpful The only complaint is not enough space for our clothes , the only closet needs to be divided in two one side with shelves and the other for hanging the clothes. But overall was wonderful!!!

Lyon to Toulouse cruise +land, food and service was excellent. ship hotel manager was not very flexible and insisted the we can not re-arrange our beds. we did not agree with her and she gave up later on. itinerary was nice. ship is a bit outdated.

The staff was Extremely attentive and warm and friendly. Top Notch staff! The Tour Directors were very informative and knowledgeable They all let us know that they were here to help and always available for any questions we may have.

The program director are amazing! Knowledgeable about the history of the cities we visited and they are all very caring and made sure all passengers are safe.

Our Poland, Prague and Danube Cruise with Grand Circle Travel was a delight. The city tours along the way were informative and gave us suggestions for further exploring on our own time. Our Grand Circle guide, Ivor was professional, personal, helpful and lots of fun! The crew on the ship couldn't have done more to make our time with them comfortable, easy and very enjoyable. And the food! OMG! It was well prepared and gorgeously presented!

it's was a wonderful trip with our Chief Paul. There are so many wonderful things to say about Paul and his senDr of humor and never ending patience with all of the travelers.

Amazing trip! We had the opportunity of visiting multiple cities, all beautiful places. The onboard service was exceptional with attentive staff. It was really a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Will go again with GCT very soon!

This entire experience was a disaster! River ship experienced mechanical failure before we even arrived in Vienna. GCT informed us that the cruise was cancelled, and dumped us on a miserable flight home, as soon as they could, without consulting us. Imagine flying from the west coast to Austria only to basically turn around and return to the west coast. The only redeeming feature of this trip was the entire crew, who knew that the trip was cancelled, performed above and beyond...Thank you crew members.

Grand Circle employees and the ship's crew were all fabulous in how they took care of us. Our program director, Rebekah, was particularly accomodating to our requests. The visits to the Normandy beaches and related historical stops were particularly moving. And of course, our visit to Giverny was beautiful.

My land/river trip to Portugal/Spain was very well organized and included interesting tours. Special recognition to our leaders, Tomas and Carolina took very good care of us, as did our amazing driver, Orlindo. Carolina was extremely focus on little details during our cruise paying attention to every minor detail. Thanks to all who made this trip a great experience.

Fantastic experience on the MS Bizet Paris to Normandy Seine River cruise. GCL pulls out all of the stops to inform, educate and entertain their guests. Food was outstanding, service was friendly and 'over the top.' The GCL guides were outstanding and the local guides just added to the enrichment of the experience. The local entertainers were an added bonus and the home visit was a first for us. We would definitely consider another GCL cruise.

Wonderful. I liked everything about it, just so much meals on our own on the pre trip. The pre trip was so good though.

This was our 4th trip to NZ & Australia, the prior 3 were on our own -- not tours 1. We are unlikely to take a Grand Circle Travel (GCT) trip again. Even with a superbly skilled and patient trip leader, as ours, our GCT group (34) was too large. Our 10 prior Overseas Adventure Travel) (OAT) trips to other destinations have been smaller: 13 - 20 travelers per Trip Leader. 2. The itinerary was badly flawed. The Australian portion -- the first 8 days -- was good: 4 nights in each of two hotels (Cairns and Sydney). But the NZ portion, also 8 days, was divided into four hotels for just two nights each, with lots of hours on coaches and one domestic flight (Queenstown to Rotorua) requiring a change of planes. That's a major overload, as any glitch unavoidably had a domino effect. Our QANTAS flight from Sydney to Queenstown was delayed by three extra hours waiting onboard the aircraft at Sydney -- not GCT's fault! When added to the 3-hour scheduled flight, those 6 hours in an aircraft cabin were ruinous. 3. The hotels were mostly inferior, and far below what we have experienced on our prior 10 OAT trips. Of the six hotels total, the Doubletree by Hilton in Cairns and the Distinction Luxmore at Te Anau were good. The other four were an assortment of inadequately maintained rooms, poor service, and/or poor location (e.g., Sydney View). In particular, the Sudima hotel in Rotorua was below any standard we have yet found with OAT/GCT. 4. The included meals -- even at non-hotel restaurants -- were mostly lower grade in both food quality and service, perhaps due to the larger group size. The hotel included breakfasts were mostly below par for prior OAT trips we have taken. There were high points during the travels! We treasure those both new to us and revisits: the Great Barrier Reef, the rain forest canopy, the tour of Sydney Opera House, Milford Sound, Lake Wakatipu & Emerson Peak Farm, the interaction with a local Maori chief in Rotorua, & the sail on Auckland Harbour. The rate this trip a 7 out of 10, emphasizing that our exceptional Trip Leader (rating 10 out of 10) raised our overall trip score by a full point.

Visiting Yellowstone and the Badlands has been on my bucket list. This trip combined these two experiences with Cody, Jackson Hole, Mount Rushmore, Black Hills and Custer State Park. We saw an amazing number of wild animals in their natural habitats. We also toured the Crazyhorse Memorial which when finished will be the largest monument in the US. We learned so much history and our guide was superb. I could not imagine a better trip

The crew was ever so attentive to our needs and wants. Sophie was well prepared to answer all questions and made everything fun. I looked forward to every day and we were always made to laugh as they greeted us by name. the food was delightful and the brass was always polished and every inch sooo clean. Thank you for all the wonderful memories

the Romance of the Rhine and Mosul rivers was a first class- PLUS experience. I have traveled quite a bit. this was the most fun experience I have ever had- because of the 3 tour directors- because of the hotel and restaurant manager- because of the chef making lunch and dinner 4 course meals- because of the fun attitude of the crew and waiters. I highly recommend this river cruise- you will not be disappointed! only 128 passengers on the ship- we felt like family. if I could give this cruise 10 stars- that would be more appropriate.

Grand Circle is an excellent tour company and very good to deal with. Tours are extensive, well organized and leaders and local guides knowledgeable and friendly. You see it all, not just the tourist spots but are exposed to local people and culture...a true adventure. I recommend this Company.

In a little over 13 days we traveled from Calgary to Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Lake Maligne, Kamloops, Kelowna and Vancouver Canada via a very comfortable motor coach with an excellent Tour Director. Along the way we were exposed to life on a cattle ranch, the beautiful Canadian Rockies, the life styles and mistreatment of western Canada's indigenous peoples, savored Canadian cuisine, and got to meet other likeminded travelers partners who shared our same desire to see new sights, learn new things, experience new tastes, and meet new people. All at a very affordable price. A good time was had by all

There was not one person on our river boat cruise that believed GCCT was not pre informed about the persistent dry weather conditions and river water levels that caused our river boat to be stranded and unable to continue down river. A defense was attempted by the company representatives to suggest that they hoped that rain would make further travel past the notable shallow depth of the river possible; guest mentioned that a company of this size and maturity of experience would know that a simple rain would not solve the problem. So we were not warned or given the option to adjust our travel plans. We missed out on completing the cruise down the Danube and visiting Vienna. We had to be transported to the Vienna airport one day earlier then the day of disembarkation by van AND WE HAD TO PAY for a hotel room for the night because our flight was the next day; that would not have happened if the cruise was completed. Nuff said What do you think Brys Cabiles: Five OAT trips three GCCT trips.

Very officiant, professional and carrying company! This is not my first time and every time I am travelling with them, I am really satisfied. Looking forward to more nice trips.

Aside from some minor hiccups, this was an elegant experience. The guests and staff were simply fun to be with and attentive to all needs. The Tour Director was the best we've ever been with. Armelle was simply fabulous. I can't compliment her enough. It was like being with a family member! The company was quite good except for one bad experience upon returning home. That however was the exception not the rule. Ask around wonderful!!!

I booked a trip and requested a refund in a timely manner. I sent a letter I called No response No satisfaction Then I filed a complaint with BBB Do business with these people at your peril.

My upcoming trip this October to East Africa was canceled by OAT. As a result of your cancellation, while you have refunded me my payment, I am still out $1200!!! Why should I should be out any money at all since you are the ones who canceled. As you know, three visas were required for Africa totaling $395. (Two of which expire January 2026.) Because I did not rebook another tour you will not refund me the money. Now mind you, I am a good client and have already paid in full for two more tours with this company, Asia in December and the Galapagos islands in April. Please explain why this credit cannot be applied to my upcoming trips. Again because I did not rebook I was also informed by OAT, that I OWE THEM $768, the amount that I was given as a credit for booking Africa, to be applied to my next tour, which is Asia. Unfortunately I was not able to rebook Africa, due to your cancellation and my conflicting travel schedules. Because I am no longer going to Africa (after they canceled ) I am no longer eligible for the $768 credit. It makes absolutely no sense! I am penalized for their decision to cancel. I was informed that those are the rules; you didn't rebook so you're out the money. That's their rationalization. They will be subtracting the $768 from the refund I will be receiving for Africa. How convenient. Needless to say, I regret that I booked two more tours with them. I will never do business with this company again. And I highly recommend that no one else does either!

We saw so many interesting sites that never would have been on our travel schedule! Lots of history, art, music and people!