Home > Compare Tour & Adventure Operators > CIE Tours vs Globus
CIE Tours vs Globus
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of CIE Tours and Globus.The Low Down
CIE Tours are specialists in guided coach tours through Britain and Ireland. With over 80 years of history the team at CIE certainly have the local ties and experience to deliver you a top notch touring experience through Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. They have recently dipped their toes into new regions within Europe, including Iceland, Italy and Spain.CIE are relatively unknown in the Australasian market but are very popular in the rest of the world, so you're fellow travellers are likely to be from all around the world, but perhaps with more American's onboard than Antipodeans. With itineraries designed to be fully inclusive, putting your hand in your pocket for optional day trips and activities is not something you need to worry about.
Accommodation on each trips sits at the 3 to 3 1/2 star level, with breakfasts (along with many lunches and dinners) also included. There's a maximum group size of 44, but look out for selected departures on selected trips that are designed for small groups. Also keep a lookout for CIE's Last Minute Deals which run year round and offers savings of up to 15% off the normal retail price.
The Globus Family of Brands, which includes Globus, Cosmos, Monograms & Avalon Waterways are always popular with our clients. Globus offer a premium guided touring experience all over the world, catering mainly for the 55+ market - but like most Operators are open to all ages. Along with their standard itineraries, Globus also have a range of popular European Winter Escapes and numerous faith-based religious tours.The majority if their trips are centred on Europe, Canada and the USA where they provide 4+ star accommodation, luxury coaches, plenty of meals & inclusions. Our team have enjoyed numerous journeys with Globus including trips to South America, Dalmatia, Mexico and Spain, so we have plenty of first hand knowledge to help you plan your next trip!
Stats
No. of Trips
77
No. of Departures
2,677
Avg. Trip Length
9 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$485
Accommodation
3.5 - 4 Star
Budget
Premium
Trip Styles Coach Tours
No. of Trips
389
No. of Departures
14,078
Avg. Trip Length
11 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$555
Accommodation
4 - 4.5 Star
Budget
Premium
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
When you travel with CIE Tours, you will get the warmest of welcomes and all the benefits of our 87 years of experience. The itineraries are locally crafted - we set our own high standards for delivering excellent holidays with state-of-the-art luxury coaches; the best hotels; carefully chosen authentic experiences and entertainment.
Our outstanding local tour directors are ready to share their knowledge, stories, passion for their home places - they are our greatest assets. Many of our tours spend 2 nights in each location, and our flexible itineraries include a great balance of escorted and free time. We include full breakfasts, most dinners and some evening entertainment. No one has to worry about paying for optional extras on the trip. It’s all included, no hidden extras.
We know how much these trips mean to you and we want to ensure that this is a trip you will treasure forever.
At Globus, we’re not just hooked on travel as a destination, but on the way it makes you feel. Our promise is to craft adventures that you’ll want to re-live forever.
We’ve been creating wonder-filled first class touring for more than 90 years; we have the experience and local knowledge globally to craft immersive adventures that make Globus travellers feel alive. Not only can you expect to see the big sites, we’ll also take you deeper in each location, right to the beating heart of each new discovery.
At Globus, we understand that your holiday is your treat – a gift from you to you. Let us connect you with a new world of people, places and experiences that will ignite your imagination.
Recent Reviews
4.6
CIE are a great tourist organisation. All costs were in the price quoted , no added extras like some tourist organisations. The tour covered big and small venues, cities and towns whilst the places used for accommodation were of great value. I would recommend CIE.
Loved every minute of the trip. Sam our driver was amazing. Jaquie our guide was fabulous. Couldn't recommend them any more. Would do it again in a heartbeat. A must do trip to add to your bucket list.
Stunning scenery in the wilds of Scotland, with some logistical challenges. 3 Norm, VIC, Australia, Aug 2023
This was an excellent itinerary to see the stunning landscapes that Scotland offers. Isle of Skye, Glencoe and Orkney were standout locations, The trip also had a liberal dose of castles and stately homes, both functioning and derelict. The tour guide provided an immense amount of history and perspective, to bring locations alive with their significance. ...read more Overall a very worthwhile experience.
On the downside, the tour company, CIE, chose to deliver our 'welcome pack' to the first hotel, rather than to our home. This appears to be their practice for Australians. This was in the least inconvenient as it meant we would not have the benefit of the provided backpacks for our outward journey. All other participants, who were from the USA, had their packs delivered to their homes. The impact was exacerbated by the packs not being there when we arrived, so we were without backpacks, name-tags, maps etc for the whole trip. It was only after pestering our guide that we finally received our packs on the very last day of the trip.
Our other concern was that the the quality of some of the hotels was below our expectations, with cramped rooms and bathrooms lacking power outlets etc, This is understandable in small remote towns, but the worst examples were actually in Glasgow and Inverness. We shared those hotels with other tour companies, such as Trafalgar, so we were not alone in the experience. The multiple tour groups also made meals, especially breakfast, a bit of a bunfight and far exceeded lift capabilities. We chose to walk up 5 flights at one stage, Would we do it again? Probably not with CIE. Their offices are in Ireland and USA and they appear to be not well geared for Australian participation.
On the downside, the tour company, CIE, chose to deliver our 'welcome pack' to the first hotel, rather than to our home. This appears to be their practice for Australians. This was in the least inconvenient as it meant we would not have the benefit of the provided backpacks for our outward journey. All other participants, who were from the USA, had their packs delivered to their homes. The impact was exacerbated by the packs not being there when we arrived, so we were without backpacks, name-tags, maps etc for the whole trip. It was only after pestering our guide that we finally received our packs on the very last day of the trip.
Our other concern was that the the quality of some of the hotels was below our expectations, with cramped rooms and bathrooms lacking power outlets etc, This is understandable in small remote towns, but the worst examples were actually in Glasgow and Inverness. We shared those hotels with other tour companies, such as Trafalgar, so we were not alone in the experience. The multiple tour groups also made meals, especially breakfast, a bit of a bunfight and far exceeded lift capabilities. We chose to walk up 5 flights at one stage, Would we do it again? Probably not with CIE. Their offices are in Ireland and USA and they appear to be not well geared for Australian participation.
Very organised. tour. Excellent hotels. Would book with Global Journeys again. My travel advisor Jemma Rosen was excellent answering concerns I had.
Amazing journey through Scottish Highlands and Isles, getting to see parts of Scotland that I would normally not have considered going to. Went in May and weather was fantastic. The accommodations (with the exception for the Balmacara Hotel) were very ordinary and well below expectations. Whilst I would recommend this trip, I would hope that the tour ...read more operators review the accommodation options and provide better options in the future.
My experience with Global Journeys was excellent along with my travel consultant Jemma Rosen. Very helpful in answering all my questions and I would definitely book with Global Journeys again in the future. Enjoyed my trip with CIE which I thought was good value.
4.5
Our Long Awaited Alaska Trip Did Not Disappoint 0 Marian and Warren, Christchurch, New Zealand, Jul 2024
Globus truly gave us The Spectacular Alaska Experience. Our tour director, Todd and driver, were friendly and accommodating. Both were knowledgeable providing information and history on the areas as we traveled in the motor coach. The accommodations were comfortable, and it was good having on site dining options, as on some evenings we got to our rooms ...read more quite late. Not that you realised as it was still light through to 11pm at least! The arranged excursions were all great and gave us the experiences we were after.
Our viewing of wildlife was not as frequent as we had hoped. It is just luck being in the right place at the right time. We did see Moose, Caribou, sealions and sea otters. (Take your binoculars). Our highlight was on the last day on a cruise into the Kenai Fjord where we witnessed a group of humpback whales bubble feeding on a shoal of fish. Truly amazing. If considering this tour, or any trip to Alaska, their sunny days are rare with most days cloudy and/or wet. This can mean the mountains are not visible at times and you need more warmer clothes than true summer ones.
Our viewing of wildlife was not as frequent as we had hoped. It is just luck being in the right place at the right time. We did see Moose, Caribou, sealions and sea otters. (Take your binoculars). Our highlight was on the last day on a cruise into the Kenai Fjord where we witnessed a group of humpback whales bubble feeding on a shoal of fish. Truly amazing. If considering this tour, or any trip to Alaska, their sunny days are rare with most days cloudy and/or wet. This can mean the mountains are not visible at times and you need more warmer clothes than true summer ones.
It was an enjoyable, interesting and a hectic tour. We enjoyed very minute of it and look forward to joining Globus again soon. Julian our tour director was an wonderful guy from Madrid, he was very helpful along with all the other local guides. Mohammad, local guide in Morocco gave us a lot of inside information on the culture, history, how the ...read more country operates etc. but he was a kickback king, wherever he took us, he made sure he was rewarded.
We enjoyed all the places we visited, specially Rick's cafe in Casablanca. Fez and Tangier was my favorite cities. The venue and the evening show was enjoyable, although I was looking forward to Moroccan cuisines but in general they were very bland. The seafood meals that we had in Lisbon and Costa de Sol were excellent. The optional dinners and shows we saw just average compared to the cost, except in Fez. You need a lot of patience to put up with Moroccan Music. We made up for it by some lovely music in Portugal and Spain, especially when our Tour Director sang and danced along with us. The Farewell dinner in Madrid was memorable, but the dinner was average.
We enjoyed all the places we visited, specially Rick's cafe in Casablanca. Fez and Tangier was my favorite cities. The venue and the evening show was enjoyable, although I was looking forward to Moroccan cuisines but in general they were very bland. The seafood meals that we had in Lisbon and Costa de Sol were excellent. The optional dinners and shows we saw just average compared to the cost, except in Fez. You need a lot of patience to put up with Moroccan Music. We made up for it by some lovely music in Portugal and Spain, especially when our Tour Director sang and danced along with us. The Farewell dinner in Madrid was memorable, but the dinner was average.
The highlights of the tour included Mont St Michel, the magnificent Loire valley castles of Chenonceau and Chambord, Monet's garden, although very crowded, the farewell Seine river cruise dinner, the Normandy landing beaches and Versailles. Globus provided high level accommodation, and I would like to travel with them again in 2025. The tour missed ...read more out on extreme weather, and even though we were there in late June, did not wear shorts on any day. However, most venues were crowded. Hannah and Global Journeys were efficient, as before, in organising all land travel.
Thank you Rachel for getting this booking in motion. Even though we had 41 passengers, everyone was prompt on the coach. As national park accommodation is often booked out years in advance, this was the best way to stay at some of the classic lodges with so much history and character, at prices we could never afford if we were travelling independently. ...read more The locations were near hiking trails or walking distance to town. Rustic Inn at Jackson was remarkable.
The buffalo safari allowed us to get especially close to wildlife and the vastness of Badlands National Park was hauntingly beautiful. And we saw so much wildlife including bear, coyote, bison, elk, sheep, deer, etc. Being located at Yellowstone for 2 days, at various parts of the park, allowed us to explore most of the points of interest. I felt the lunch stop in Montana and driving via Idaho to Salt Lake City were surprise add-ons as well. I felt the Beartooth Highway from Cody into the Yellowstone area was one of the most scenic drives I have every done. All in all, it was a wonderful trip that surpassed our expectations, creating new friendships and new memories, and wondering why I had not discovered this region years earlier.
The buffalo safari allowed us to get especially close to wildlife and the vastness of Badlands National Park was hauntingly beautiful. And we saw so much wildlife including bear, coyote, bison, elk, sheep, deer, etc. Being located at Yellowstone for 2 days, at various parts of the park, allowed us to explore most of the points of interest. I felt the lunch stop in Montana and driving via Idaho to Salt Lake City were surprise add-ons as well. I felt the Beartooth Highway from Cody into the Yellowstone area was one of the most scenic drives I have every done. All in all, it was a wonderful trip that surpassed our expectations, creating new friendships and new memories, and wondering why I had not discovered this region years earlier.
Enjoyed thoroughly our small group Globus trip from Vancouver to Calgary. The accommodation was of a higher standard than expected. The scenery was spectacular. There was a good balance between activities and free time. Tour guide “Gem” was extremely informative and helpful in arranging extra activities. We chose to pay a little extra to have the small ...read more group which meant less time getting on and off bus. Tracey was very helpful in co-ordinating our two trips ( Alaska & Canada) and all our flight-bookings.
The Grand Western Canada Vacation my wife and I experienced was a small group departure of 21 travelers. This was an ideal group size as it allowed everyone to move around to the spare coach seats and capture that scenic photo of the spectacular scenery whilst the coach was moving along.
Shelley our tour guide was very experienced and gave excellent ...read more commentary on the sights were visited. She provided a great selection of music by Canadian singers on the coach during the long driving sections. Our coach driver Neil was a very safe driver and at no stage did we feel unsafe.
The accommodation was a mix of 5 and 4 star hotels providing great room facilities and excellent breakfast choices.
The 4 dinner restaurants chosen by Globus were excellent. Especially the backup restaurant at Jasper when the hotel restaurant we were booked in for had lost power due to powerlines being damaged in the strong winds. The first dinner restaurant was in Kelowna at King Taps. Wow what a meal. The food provided was a mixed selection from the menu supplied in a family meal format for the 3 tables. Quality and quantity was excellent.
The tour started on the 10 June 2024 and finished on 22 Jun. This was an ideal time to travel as Lake Louise and other lakes such as Maligne Lake had all melted.
The Globus itinerary and the optional excursions provided a great scenic tour of the Canadian Rockies, Whistler and Victoria and Vancouver. This tour is very highly recommended for mature aged travelers who wish to go on a fully escorted small group tour.
Shelley our tour guide was very experienced and gave excellent ...read more commentary on the sights were visited. She provided a great selection of music by Canadian singers on the coach during the long driving sections. Our coach driver Neil was a very safe driver and at no stage did we feel unsafe.
The accommodation was a mix of 5 and 4 star hotels providing great room facilities and excellent breakfast choices.
The 4 dinner restaurants chosen by Globus were excellent. Especially the backup restaurant at Jasper when the hotel restaurant we were booked in for had lost power due to powerlines being damaged in the strong winds. The first dinner restaurant was in Kelowna at King Taps. Wow what a meal. The food provided was a mixed selection from the menu supplied in a family meal format for the 3 tables. Quality and quantity was excellent.
The tour started on the 10 June 2024 and finished on 22 Jun. This was an ideal time to travel as Lake Louise and other lakes such as Maligne Lake had all melted.
The Globus itinerary and the optional excursions provided a great scenic tour of the Canadian Rockies, Whistler and Victoria and Vancouver. This tour is very highly recommended for mature aged travelers who wish to go on a fully escorted small group tour.
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