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Eileen P

Eileen P

USA

Apr262013

Tour/Activity

Dublin Gravedigger Ghost Tour

Dublin, Ireland

My Rating
5 star rating: Highly Recommended

My Review

Absolutely fun and fabulous tour. Our "guides" we're entertaining and informative while keeping us guessing what they were going to do next or how they were going to scare us. A very enjoyable evening and a great lesson in why I'm glad I didn't live in the time of the plague.

May082012

Tour/Activity

Vienna Woods and Mayerling Half Day Trip

Vienna, Austria

My Rating
3 star rating: Worth doing

My Review

This tour was ok. Everything worked well from an organizational standpoint. The guide was good. The group sitting behind us on the bus who had to have one of their members translate everything from English to their language was distracting and annoying. We had to ask them to be quiet in order to hear what the guide on this English and German language tour was saying. After the amazing salt mine tour we had just taken in Poland the Seegrotto was a bit of a letdown, but it was nice and peaceful on the boat.

May072012

Tour/Activity

Schonbrunn Palace Evening Concert

Vienna, Austria

My Rating
5 star rating: Highly Recommended

My Review

The concert was spectacular. The directions to get there from Viator, however, were lacking. We followed what was on the printed voucher and ended up at the Palace, which was NOT where we were supposed to be. An additional comment like, " if you arrive after 6pm to pick up tickets, this location will be closed and you must go to the venue." The actual venue is not at the palace entrance!

May062012

Tour/Activity

Half Day City Sightseeing Tour of Warsaw

Warsaw, Poland

My Rating
3 star rating: Worth doing

My Review

This tour was just ok. The guide seemed a bit tired. Maybe it was because it was Sunday a.m. or maybe it was because we had recently experience some incredible tour guides on other Viator tours.

May042012

Tour/Activity

Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum Half-Day Trip from Krakow

Krakow, Poland

My Rating
4 star rating: Recommended

My Review

I have been to many concentration camps but this was perhaps the most disturbing day I've spent reliving the history of the Holocaust. The guide was exceptional. I wish that we had had more time to spend at the various exhibits instead of the hurried way we were ushered through. This museum and memorial visit should allow for more time for personal exploration and reflection.

May032012

Tour/Activity

Dunajec River Gorge and Niedzica Castle from Krakow

Krakow, Poland

My Rating
5 star rating: Highly Recommended

My Review

What an incredible day! First, we were the only ones who had booked this trip. Thank you, Viator for not cancelling it! Instead we were given the private services of Andrew, our amazing guide. The wharf area was crowded but inside of 15 minutes of our arrival, we were on a raft floating down the river. Yes, it's true the raftmen do not speak English but we were given a map with explanations in English. Our raftman helped us orient ourselves by pointing out where we were so we could follow along. At one point I commented on a particular sight and it was important enough for one of the passengers to try to explain what it was in broken but understandable English. The late Pope John Paul II had gone swimming there! Another highlight was when the raftman took off his hat and vest and turned them and the pole over to my husband who became the raftman for a few minutes. Throw in the gorgeous scenery and this was a highlight of our week in Poland!

May022012

Tour/Activity

Krakow in One Day Sightseeing Tour

Krakow, Poland

My Rating
4 star rating: Recommended

My Review

A good way to get to know Krakow but be prepared for information overload. With so much history and guides possessing an abundance of national pride you will hear a great amount of detail. It's interesting but I wish our guide, Jane was a little more open to questions. I guess she had a schedule to adhere to...

May022012

Tour/Activity

Wieliczka Salt Mine Half-Day Trip from Krakow

Krakow, Poland

My Rating
5 star rating: Highly Recommended

My Review

This was a wonderful if tiring experience! Warning to the out-of-shape: Just because you are walking DOWN the 382 steps, it is still a strenuous exercise. AND it doesn't end there. Many more steps appear throughout the tour. You will walk A LOT and your calf muscles will remind you of your experience the following day. But it is worth it as the mine is a unique place and the tour guides do an excellent job of explaining, herding, and accounting for each person they lead into the mine. The chapel is beautiful and there are opportunities for snack and toilet breaks under ground.

Apr292012

Tour/Activity

Zaanse Schans Windmills, Marken and Volendam Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Netherlands

My Rating
2 star rating: It was OK, but could have been better

My Review

What a disappointment...with the tour NOT the places visited. We had signed up for the extended tour and did not receive it. Consequently we were rushed through. The walk through Marken was excessive; only enough time in Vollendam to grab a quick lunch at a restaurant and Zaanse was a real insult. "You will have 30 minutes here, " our guide informed us. "And don't try to walk out to the windmills. They are farther than they look." REALLY?! We've come all this way and we can't go out and actually see the windmills up close?! Zaanse should have at least 2 HOURS to visit the park. Vollandam should have the same especially since you arrive at lunch time. You need to rework this tour!

Apr282012

Tour/Activity

Delft, The Hague and Madurodam Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Netherlands

My Rating
4 star rating: Recommended

My Review

As we got underway, out guide Massimo explained his 3 rules: no cell phone usage on the bus, no talking while he was talking (yes, he required silence even while he was explaining things in other languages!) and the bus was not going to wait for you if you were late. He would suddenly stop his descriptions if he heard someone elses voice. He did not, however, stick to the "no wait" rule. The city of Delft was intriguing and a bit more time would have been nice judging by the fact that several people did not make it back to the bus on time. And yes, we waited. The drive through the Hague would have been better if we could have stopped to at least see the Peace Palace. Madurodam is a place best visited in good weather, which we didn't have.

Apr272012

Tour/Activity

Keukenhof Gardens and Tulip Fields Tour from Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Netherlands

My Rating
5 star rating: Highly Recommended

My Review

How lucky for us that in rainy Amsterdam we had beautiful weather to experience this incredible place! If you are in Amsterdam during the 8 weeks this garden is open you should go and experience the beautiful flowers and creative displays. We took the tour that allowed 5 hours in the gardens, which means we had enough time to sit and enjoy a coffee and do some people (and tulip!) watching.

Apr262012

Tour/Activity

Amsterdam City Sightseeing Tour

Amsterdam, Netherlands

My Rating
4 star rating: Recommended

My Review

Great introduction to Amsterdam. Our guide was knowledgeable and took time to answer questions. The diamond workshop visit was a complete waste of time as, due to some breakdown in communication, we were part of a group where all explanations and information were in Italian. We bailed and went outiside and walked around until it was time to get back on the bus.