Go Ahead Tours

Pros: good-sounding itineraries
Cons: pseudo-insurance, expensive optional tours that would be included by other companies

Go-Ahead Tours grew out of EF Education, supposedly the world’s largest private educational travel company (larger than Elderhostel?). EF provides knowledgeable guides for bare-essential student travelers, Go-Ahead more upscale accommodations for adults. ...

Pros: Great guide, Great itinerary, Low Cost.
Cons: Hotels are WAY out of the way, mixed age groups.

First off, I will say that for students and those who care absolutely nothing about accomodations due to a budget, Go Ahead might be a good company to go with. You will have a knowledgable guide and a set itinerary. If a meal is just something to keep up ...

Pros: Great Fun. New Friends. Handsome Bus Driver. Amazing Tour Guide Mary.
Cons: Terrible flight arrangements, 5 hour layover both ways. Leaving at 4a.m. to catch flight home.

I traveled with Go Ahead Tours, stayed in Montecatini and took day trips to Lucca, Florence w/dinner in Fiesole and Pisa. 9/22/07--Saturday I arrive in the Aeroporti di Roma, a very large airport. As I navigate my way through the people heading to my ...

Pros: Flexible touring, Excellent Tour Guides, selection of activities, good hotels.
Cons: GoAhead is known for changing hotels at the last minute. Ours was an upgrade.

GoAhead is the best tour company we have used. We went to both London and Paris with GoAhead so had actually two experiences with them. GoAhead's most outstanding feature is their local guides in the country or city you are visiting. The guides in...

Pros: saw most of the highlights. Good driver and guide
Cons: too much time in lake district and Assisi. not enough in Rome

First there is the itinerary itself. Of course we all knew more or less what it would be in advance. Start in the Lake District. Scenic, but not all that significant. They "upgraded" our hotel at the last minute. I'd hate to see what they consider a ...

Pros: Great customer service, very good tour guide.
Cons: Expensive compare to other companies

We all know that there is thousands of tour companies out there. I looked at Go Ahead Vacations because they sent me a brochure and their destinations and prices appeared very good.
Rapidly I called them and decided to book Turkey Adventure, a 19...

Pros: Great value for your money Excellent guides and for me Stuart Harvey
Cons: Air conditioning is not set high in most hotels.

Go Ahead tours is not for students. Go Ahead tours is part of the EF tours company. EF tours is for high school and college students. Go Ahead was established to fill a need for adult travel. (I took students on tours with EF for 12 years, and now I am ...

Pros: friendly and helpful till we needed to cancel
Cons: will not stand behind their promises

I am writing this for a friend of mine who does not have a computer but wanted to share her experiences with this company. Back in March 2003, my sisters and I decided to surprise our mom with a family trip to Greece for her birthday. Our mom is from ...

Pros: VALUE! The single supplements are lower than any I have seen
Cons: Customer service via email is bad after you pay deposit

I took the Walking the Amalfi Coast Tour in June of 2007 and had a wonderful time! As a woman traveling alone, I would not be comfortable in a country where I don't speak the language and this was perfect for me. Our group was only 26 people, which I ...

Pros: Wonderful Tour Director, great hotels and cruise ship, very well organized.  Excellent value.  Good group.
Cons: Fast-paced, not the tour for anyone who wants to sleep till noon each day.

I didn't think that anything would be able to top the Vienna, Prague, Budapest, and Salzburg tour we took in May, but the Egypt tour was indeed better.  Our Tour Director, Hisham Elsayad, who is completing his PhD in Egyptology, was extremely ...

Pros: - Tourguides - Hotel locations - Extra excursions
Cons: - Some of the included meals

A friend took the college version and she loved it so much that we decide to book with Goahead tours (after looking at another companies). We heard mix reviews but mostly positive so we were excited. The weather in US mess up our flights so we arrived ...

Pros: Excellent tour guides, free time to explore independently, interesting optional activities, good hotel accommodations.
Cons: Some flight itineraries have been unnecessarily long.

My wife and I have traveled with GoAhead on four separate occasions: Journey through Spain, Walking through Tuscany, Eastern Europe (Budapest, Vienna, Prague, & Salzburg, and Scenes from Sicily. Prior to the first tour, we had always made our own ...

Pros: great guides, nice hotels, interesting sights, nice bus, nice fellow travelers on each trip
Cons: one dinner was not fabulous, but purchase of food is cheap--order something else!

As a teacher who went on three of the student tours before my retirement, I then decided to travel with my husband on the Go Ahead adult tours. As has been my experience since the 1980's with this company, each travel experience has been just wonderful. ...

Pros: Included meals very good. Hotels comfortable enough, reasonable price. Itinerary excellent.
Cons: Expense of optional excursions, GAT insurance not a good idea.

Two friends and I traveled with GoAhead Tours in May of 2008. We visited Budapest Vienna, Prague, and Salzburg. We flew Lufthansa and United (now partners) which I usually am not pleased with, but our flights were on time, and reasonably ...

Pros: VENICE, the itinerary, VENICE, Fabrizio, VENICE, the friendly Italians, VENICE, Italian food and wine!
Cons: The four of us were assigned seats far apart on the plane.

My husband and I took our adult son and daughter-in-law on a tour of Italy with Go Ahead last November. I cannot praise them enough! First of all, I was concerned that my 40ish son and daughter-in-law might be the only younger people on the tour. Not to ...

Pros: Great customer service, great hotels, fantastic tour guides.
Cons: none!

I was a bit skeptical about going on a tour at first, as I've always planned my own vacations, but a friend of mine kept telling me about how much she enjoyed her trip to Kenya with Go Ahead Tours. My family and I ended up going on their Journey through ...

Pros: Tour Guides Knowledge. Great Hotel in London and Rome.
Cons: The hotel In Paris was small.

My wife and I returned from a superb trip to London, Paris, and Rome. We booked this trip through a travel company Go Ahead Vacations. Never having used them before we were a bit skeptical about what we were getting in to, by taking a guided tour. I ...

Pros: Safe, friendly, comfortable, informative, relaxed, fun.
Cons: jet lag, ugggg...nothing to do with company!

I just returned from London and Paris and had the time of my life. My husband is not a traveler so I decided to get up the courage to go by myself. I quickly found that I didn't need any courage because my trip was as smooth as butter. I was met at ...

Pros: Transportation between towns and luggage transfers included.
Cons: Large groups mean a lot of time organizing before anything is accomplished.

Go Ahead travel in Italy hopes to satisfy the American tourist with offerings that are of low quality and scream "tourist". We had traveled to Italy twice before -once on our own and once with an English walking group. There was no comparison - the incl ...

Pros: Good website
Cons: Poor service, no value for your money, irresponsible staff.

Tour Name: London & Paris City Stay Departing on: 8/8/2004 Departure City: Miami, Florida Cost: Air fare, hotel, local guide: $2059.00* Cost: Dep/Arr Taxes & Fees: $120.00 *excluding meals & gratuity I just returned on 08/15/2004 from a ...

Pros: You see a lot at a reasonable price.The tour director was good.
Cons: Bad hotels,Too much bad food,Group too large.

This is a good trip but it may be somewhat more tiring than you'd expect.Your on the go constantly.If your interested in art and history you'll find this trip quite worthwhile.I don't know of any other company offering a trip that covers so many of the ...

Pros: Great itinerary,tour director,bus driver, and better-than-expected accommodations
Cons: I would have liked a little more time at some of our stops.

On this, my first trip with Go Ahead, I expected great scenery and a few problems, but I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Yes, the scenery was wonderful, but I also enjoyed the local color in the towns and parks that we visited.The snow-capped ...

Pros: Their tours are thorough and their guides are well trained and usually from the area.
Cons: When things go right you're OK but holding meetings is more important than customer satisfaction.

I used Go Ahead Tours for a third time this summer and I doubt if I will use them again. While the bulk of the tour was fine the trip home was a nightmare. We found ourselves in the airport in a foreign country with E-tickets that had been cancelled, ...

Pros: We did get to see the David! Also, the bus driver was great!
Cons: Most hotels, meals, except breakfasts, and tutorials, except for some local guides, were somewhat disappointing.

We had planned to book an additional trip with Go Ahead Tours. However, after being abandoned in Milan we are not convinced that we can trust Go Ahead Tours. When our LAX to Chicago to Milan flight was cancelled, and we were re-booked on a later ...

Pros: Dinner, pictures I have, comfort of Hotels, Laughing, seeing things from another time and era.
Cons: Flying Home and missing Ireland already

I took my only daughter to travel back in time to the Country of my Father's ancestors.  She was so thrilled to come along and share with me the stories of the family which I had been researching for many years of my life.  We took the 16 ...

Pros: most everything on this trip would be a pro for me.
Cons: Take a fly net for Alice Springs and Ayers Rock. 

My husband, brother, sister-in-law and I just finished the Australia/New Zealand trip.  It was so much fun!  We had the best tour guide (Victor).  He really went out of his way for our group and for some of us with some personal ...

Pros: Great service and interesting facts from Linda, the best guides in each market.
Cons: Not nearly as much fun shopping with the devauluation of the US to Euro conversion

This was our 2nd trip with GoAhead. The first 2 years ago to the Amalfi coast was so much fun we booked the Sicily trip. Linda was our tour guide and she took great care of us. Part of the fun was hearing her share her extensive knowledge on historical ...

Pros: Tour to Russia with Go Ahead was fine except Go Ahead made terrible air connections.
Cons: Shortly before the tour was to begin, Go ahead called that they cancelled tours.

I first took a tour to Russia with Go Ahead.  The tour was fine except Go Ahead made terrible air connections.  I feel that if they could save $5 but cost me 5 hours in transit, they took the $5.After the Russia tour, I decided I would book ...

Pros: Everything, including the knowledgeable tour guides who bent over backward for us.
Cons: Some hotel changes, but always very good hotels close to major sites, restaurants, shopping, etc.

I basically agree with everything the previous writer had to say: Go Ahead Tours is fantastic and I am booked for another tour with them in November. I did the London and Paris tour and the St. Petersburg and the Baltics tour, and never once encountered a problem. I also met some wonderful people who remain my friends to this day. Also, while in the Baltics, I wanted to spend an extra week with relatives after the tour ended, and for a very minimal charge, I was able to take the exact same flight back to the States only one week later.

Pros: tour guide, daily itinerary, optional excursions
Cons: too many transfers on the international flight

We just returned from the Go Ahead Tour - Walking Through Tuscany. The trip was very well planned out, and our tour guide, David, was phenomenal! David provided us with historical anecdotes as well as present day information about the towns and regions that we visited. Not only was he very knowledgeable and helpful, he also sang opera to our group on several occasions making the experience even more special.

We went on the off season (early March), so our tour group was smaller (about 20) which was perfect for the trip we were taking. The daily itinerary was plotted perfectly and provided a truly genuine encounter with the Tuscan countryside and small town living. The optional excursions served to enhance the culturally filled agenda.

I would recommend using Go Ahead Tours to travelers who would like a well organized vacation with some free time to explore on your own.

Pros: EVERYTHING
Cons: NOTHING

I have traveled with many tour operators and with the price and service you receive from Go Ahead they are by far the best in the business. I travel internationally all the time, and with the hassle this can cause I am amazed at how Go Ahead handles all the obstacles that can arise, they have someone available 24 hours a day if anything does come up, which rarely happens, and their sales and customer service department in Cambridge is a delight to deal with. Great job Go Ahead and keep it up and I'll be back again soon!

Tours I have taken with Go Ahead;

Highlights of Japan
Australia and New Zealand
Alaska’s Glacier Cruise
Kenya Wild life Safari
Ancient Peru and Machu Picchu
Egypt and the Nile
Magic of Italy

And soon many many more!

Pros: On tour, your guide is yours and Go Ahead will take care of everything.
Cons: With all travel, there is a level of uncertainty:no worries with GoAhead.

I'm getting ready to take my fifth tour with Go Ahead and can't wait. I refer all my friends to this company. I've taken the European and other tours (Wine,Waltzes & the Rhine, Scandinavian Adventures, Australia, and Peru). Each was different and fabulous. There are no worries with Go Ahead. They take care of you before, during and after your tour. I'm a veteran traveler having stayed in 5 star as well as 2 star hotels. The quality of service, the accommodations, the guides and transportation can't be beat! My next trip is Venice, Florence & Rome with several friends. The options that Go Ahead offers for it's travelers are wonderful.This tour company allows you to decide how you want to spend your time but gives you the grounding that makes travel comfortable.

Pros: Pompeii, excellent tour directors, affordable
Cons: None

I just came back from the Naples, Sorrento, Pompeii and Rome trip with Go Ahead Vacations and I had to let everyone know how great it was. It was my third trip with Go Ahead Vacations and it was the best yet! Our group of 29 people got along so very well that we are planning a reunion in the New England area! Our tour director, David Fenn from Rome was the best! He joked around with us and was very casual and friendly, like people from New England. Kudos for Go Ahead for having David working there!

I have done the Magic of Italy and Walking through Tuscany...my next trip will be the Italian Riveria, Lake Como and Venice. Either next year or the year after. I would highly recommend Go Ahead Vacations to anyone - especially their trips to Italy!

Pros: Wonderful, marvelous, too much for words.
Cons: Can't think of a bad thing to say about this marvelous tour.

This was our first time touring with GO AHEAD and I can categorically state that we were not disappointed in any way with our 24 days in Australia and New Zealand and the 3-night add-on in Fiji. The total trip organization was first-class with great hotels, meals, side trips and, most of all a fantastic Tour Director in MATT BRACHER who left no stone unturned to ensure that we saw everything we were supposed to see, did everything we were supposed to do and tended to our every need and request. We would thoroughly recommend this GO AHEAD trip to anyone looking for a "Down Under" adventure.

Pros: Offer lots of options (which you pay extra for)
Cons: Poor travel arrangements in spite of travel between major international airports

Booked an 11 day trip to London, Paris and Rome. Two (of three)hotels were inconveniently out of the way requiring cabs or public transportation. The tour director was good but group transportation was consistently late. The trip ended badly when they routed us to Newark where we had to take a shuttle to Kennedy (2 hours) and THEN take a flight to Boston. Total travel time coming back from Rome was 19 hours!! They are(and you feel) focused less on the customer and more on THEIR profit line. I would not use them again.

Pros: Great trip leaders.
Cons: terrible flight arrangements and no customer service.

Left stranded in Boston on way to Ireland. Go Ahead routing using two different airlines. After hours customer service said "let us know what you do"..Arrived a day late with additional out of pocket costs of $371.22 and no help from company. Paid extra for a specific routing and did not receive. Staff seems more concerned with saving a dollar than customer. Suggest the actually fly some of the routes they book.

Pros: We were lucky to have Stuart Harvey, our excellent & knowledgeable Guide.
Cons: A cancelled flight from Newark to London was replaced by a flight from JFK.

This was my first trip abroad and it was wonderful! Everything seemed very organized and smoothly run. Our tour guide, Stuart Harvey, was extraordinary--VERY knowledgeable about all 3 cities, personable, funny, flexible and accommodating. Our group had 42 so we were a lot to keep happy! There was a good balance of Tour time and free time to explore, and great side trip excursions...Windsor Castle & Versailles were high points. Looking forward to my next trip!

Pros: reasonable prices, knowledgable guides, most hotels nice and well situated
Cons: sometimes office staff does not offer extra information which leads to some hidden costs.

I have been on 4 GoAhead tours and I find each one has pluses and minuses. Trips are made up of 3 components- the place, the guide and the other travelers (especially since I travel by myself). The best all around was Journey around Spain with Roberto who has to be the best guide in the world. The Magic of Italy is a fantastic trip as well. My last trip was Greece and the Istanbul extension. The trip had many different means of transportation (forget that Louis Cruise line) and our guide, Rachel, was unbelievably organized. However,personally I found her to be rather cold- I was not the only one who felt that. When we got to Istanbul the group seemed different and more alive as we all loved our guide Cybell. Some of the typical tourist dinners were very good and others were just all right. They always made accommodations if you didn't like what they were serving.

Pros: The single supplement was very reasonable.
Cons: I didn't find any.

I thought the tour was fantastic. This being my first tour, I wasn't sure what to expect. The experience far exceeded my expectations. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, personable, and patient. I liked that the group was a nice mixture of people of different ages and backgrounds. The size of the group I felt was just perfect, not to large and not to small. I felt I came home from my vacation with a good understanding of Italian culture.

Pros: Tour director was top-notch. Great value for the money. All major sites were covered.
Cons: Large group - ours had about 45 people.

I booked with go ahead a little skeptical because I've heard negative things about all the main tour groups. I have to say this was the most amazing tour I've ever had. We did London, Paris, and Rome. The tour director, Suzy, was fantastic, organized, informative, and helpful.
Breakfast was included every day of the trip in the hotels and wasn't too bad. Each city had an included dinner that was good. The excursions were a good value. Suzy even did "off the itinerary" mini excursions (where you pay your own way) to teach us how to use the metros or buses, get us to the Moulin Rouge for example, etc. That was tremendously helpful.
The group was mixed-age so everyone can find suitable friends amongst the group.
The hotels were conveniently located in all three cities next to public transportation so it made getting around to all the sites very easy. The hotel in Rome was in a residential area, but it didn't matter since the metro and the bus were about 2 minutes walk from the hotel.

Pros: Caring tour guide; good local guides
Cons: sometimes poor hotel choice

We took the Venice;Florence;Rome tour in summer 2004.
Day trips included Siena, San Gimignano and Orvieto.

Overall, the tour was certainly OK. These cities are world-class tourist attractions and they do not disappoint.

One upside is that the included meals were at nice local restaurants. The entree choices were good. With some tour companies, the included meals are at the hotel (boring).

The downside was the terrible hotel (Hotel le Due Fontane) in Florence. That was a real hole.

That's the basic problem with this tour company. They are a little cheaper then their competitors due to using only 3-star hotels. Most of the time, the hotels are fine but you run the chance of hitting a bad one like we did.

Pros: The places we went were excellent. The hotels and food were good.
Cons: The bus, the care and attention, tour guides.

I went on Go Ahead Vacation Paris & Normandy 10 day tour. My 91 year old mother was not met at the airport by the tour as promised. I informed the tour director who did nothing more than try the airport's phone number and then left to teach the rest of the tour how to use the Metro. She arrived at the hotel 6 hours later thanks only to Air France and a cleaning lady. I later found out 4 others in the group were not met either. The bus was tiny with no leg room. It made economy class on a plane seem like first class. Neither the tour director or the driver were available to help the mostly senior group up and down the steep bus steps. The people who met you at the airport spoke minimal English, had no identifying signs. I found out later they as well as the bus were all contract people.

Pros: Experiencing Tuscany by walking with a small group.
Cons: Trying to see too much in the last two days.

This was our third trip with Go Ahead and it was outstanding. We enjoyed the marvelous countryside of Tuscany, the fine food and wine, the people and the history. Our tour guide, Barbara Valloni was excellent and the hotel accommodations the best ever. Our excursion to Colle Verde was a highlight for us as well as the walks through the "hill towns". We look forward to our next trip with Go Ahead Vacations.

Pros: beautiful sights, great director, nice meals, friendly people
Cons: bad flight (Paris to Rome), non-air-conditioned hotel (Paris)

I went on a tour of London, Paris, and Rome in June 2005. It was absolutely amazing! I learned so many new things from the local guides and the company's tour director for the trip, Gino Di Iulio. He was funny, kind, caring, smart, and didn't treat me as a kid, he treated me like another adult. I loved the Vatican in Rome, and tasting new wines in Paris. The days were so filled that they seemed to fly by. Thanks to Gino, I will never forget the summer of my thirteenth birthday. He got the Tenors in Rome to sing me Happy Birthday in Italian in front of a crowd!

Pros: Javier, our tour director was as good as any with whom we have ever traveled.
Cons: Rain,but it was the rainy season in the rainforest. What else can you expect!

This was our 7th tour with Go Ahead and as with all of the tours, it was an awesome experience.This is a very active tour, but you see so much- volcanoes,rainforests, animals, birds butterflies,flowers.Javier Flores,our tour director was extremely knowledgeable and so helpful and caring.He went above and beyond the call of duty to see that everyone had a wonderful time.The accommodations were very nice and in a couple of cases, unique.Most of the included meals were buffets with delicious foods. The hikes in Rincon de la Vieja National Park and over the Arenal Hanging Bridges were strenuous, but well worth the effort. I highly recommend the extension to Tortuguero National Park where we saw so much wildlife.Being awakened almost every morning by the howler monkeys is an experience you will never forget.

Pros: Extremely knowledgeable guides and friendly customer service!
Cons: I can't think of any. All my experiences have been great.

I have been on a few Go Ahead Tours and have always been extremely impressed with the quality and service. The one thing that stands above all else with Go Ahead Tours is the first rate guides. The Tour Directors are extremely knowledgeable about the areas. For instance in Costa Rica this past Spring, my guide was an ecologist and new how to identify all the different wildlife throughout the tour.
It was amazing! He could virtually see through Camouflage and was very patient in pointing out the animals. This is the best tour company- and I would definitely recommend Go Ahead Tours to any traveler who is interested in learning while vacationing.

Pros: Comprehensive coverage of Japan. Great hotels.
Cons: A very busy trip.

The tour covered all of central Japan - Osaka, Kyoto to Tokyo. Outstanding guide - very knowledgeable and considerate. Hotels were better than the average Go Ahead tour. One very unique visit to a group of Japanese women who fished by diving. Several excellent museums were included in addition to a number of Shinto shrines. A nice variety of dinners were included. The tour is busy and it is rated as a "4" in the brochure. It is worth paying attention to the activity ratings in their brochure.

Pros: Go Ahead Tours have been great in the past. Few problems in the field.
Cons: Office staff in Cambridge are impossible to deal with on this tour.

Go Ahead staff have been unresponsive to our needs for a family group tour of Landscapes of Britain and Ireland. We requested that arrangements be made for an 83 year old woman to be accompanied by a family member from Edinburgh, Scotland to London, England. Go Ahead has adamantly refused to do this and has separated her from the rest of the family for this leg. Additionally, Go Ahead has refused to arrange for a direct flight from London, England to Orlando, Florida for her. Instead they have arranged this leg so she passes through Washington, D.C., Dulles by herself, with a lay over, arriving in Orlando at midnight when transportation to her home will be very difficult. A direct flight on British Airways is available and would get her to Orlando by 3:20 PM. Go Ahead has a contract with British Airways, but refuses to even try to make suitable arrangements. We have used Go Ahead for six foreign tours in the past, but the Cambridge, Mass. staff have not really been helpful this time.

Pros: Gained a broad knowledge of Egyptian history and antiquities
Cons: A lot of walking and climbing and very early wake up calls.

Instructional,Adventurous, Rewarding are just few words to describe our tour to Egypt with Go Ahead. Arrangements, tour schedules, hotel reservation, worked like a clock. We were pleased to visit interesting places in Egypt without loss of time. Highly recommend this tour.

Pros: Efficiently run, enthusiastic guides, fantastic accomodations. Good value for money.
Cons: Van capacity slightly too high for comfort, but still, not really an issue.

Was my first package tour and am remarkably impressed with Go Ahead. Everything flowed smoothly with barely a glitch registered. From being met at the airport to having a day room provided at a hotel during long layover, this company thought of every detail. Kenya was a supremely comfortable place to visit due to knowledgable, helpful guides. They are always concerned that every aspect is perfect. I am a difficult person to please, but Go Ahead won me over. Highly recommended, both the tour and the itinarary.

Pros: It's very educational and enchanting so go out there and experience Ireland.
Cons: It was cold but not much people around. Before Fall should be perfect but crowded.

Greetings of Peace to all of you wishing to travel to Ireland!

Ireland was lusciously green and fresh. It really is enchanting especially how the island was formed since times past: from the ice age to stone age and today.

When we finally got re-tuned to our time zone here in Texas and told people about the experience, all we heard was: "...wish we went with y'all!"

The tour director - Terry - is a hilarious guide but also well organized; while Tom - our coach driver - was very polite and knew where to go all the time without incurring to accidents.

The rest of the group - 33 in all from 13 States - became instant friends and neighbors, and exchange of addresses in the end was inevitable and that's fine among us.

Thanks again to Go Ahead Vacations and we'll let you know when and where the next would be.

God speed!

Pros: Prices are very fair for all inclusions.
Cons: The only negative thing is possibly the size of the tours.

I am a single independent traveler. I have been travelling with Go Ahead Tours since 2003. "Wine, Waltzes and the Rhine" was the first one. I met so many wonderful people and enjoyed the tour director so much, I booked "Magic of Italy" for the following year. Again, excellent tour guide, great hotels..some took a bit of walking, uphill, I might add, but worth it as the hotel looked out onto the piazza in front of the Basilica of St. Francis. Marvelous! Next was "London, Edinburgh & Dublin". Everything is planned from airfare from hometown airport to destination, PU at airport, and most meals. The best of all was "Egypt and the Nile". Our guide was the very best, very informative and personable. The tours have an ample amount of shopping time available. At the end of your tour, they see that you are at the airport in plenty of time. Just everything was to perfection. As a single person travelling alone, I never felt alone.

Pros: David Macchi, Sabino, Great food, Beautiful hotels in Tuscany
Cons: Long bus ride from airport to Tuscany

My husband and I just returned from a Go Ahead Vacation Walk through Tuscany with David Macchi as our guide. David Macchi is far better than any guide we have ever experienced. He is very well informed, did a great job re: history and was warm, funny, kind, clear, organized and patient. And he could sing!

We have traveled abroad a lot and had many guided tours, but this one topped them all.

The combination of David and our bus driver Sabino was wonderful. They were so willing to help us and were so much fun. These people are keepers. We are recommending this tour to everyone we know.

Mary Murray

Pros: Flexible schedule, varied options, plenty of free time. Great tour guides. Fair pricing. Helpful staff.
Cons: Nothing worth a mention.

We have just returned from our fourth Go-Ahead tour. We have found each to be a bargain, with super guides, a wonderful selection of options if we choose and plenty of time for individual choices. Accommodations more than adequate. Headquarters staff always most helpful and informed. The itinerary is well timed and comprehensive.
We have used both tours and city-stays. Highly recommended.

Pros: the schedule, the location of hotels near the center of town, our Guide!
Cons: we would have liked a nonstop flight to New York (from Calif)

I would like to highly recommend our guide, Allie Lister, on the Enchanted Ireland tour. She was a great guide. She was cheerful, outgoing, helpful, prompt and easy to work with. She helped us with personal requests and helped build a sense of unity within our group. Most importantly, she was an excellent teacher. She had visual aides she passed around, games to get everyone involved, and informative and easy to follow lectures to keep us entertained during long drives. Sign her up for more tours! She is a gem. Sincerely, Nancy Kelley

Pros: Reuben White, Paris, Go Ahead took care of us and our luggage
Cons: The bathroom in London wasn't the best, but it wasn't horrible.

I'm a 25 year old female that took the Go Ahead Tour of London, Paris, and Rome with a friend in May 2007. This was both of ours very first European trip and it was amazing. Go Ahead was fantastic and did everything they said they would. Our tour guide was Reuben White, which was one of the reasons our tour went so smoothly I'm sure. Go Ahead really did pick us up and our luggage and take us to our hotels in each city. Reuben was even with us to the very end; right up to the security check point to fly back to the U.S. I have a favorite memory of each city, but Paris was by far my favorite. It was a dream come true to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I think that my friend and I explored more of London, and that is probably my biggest regret. I wish I would have spent more time in Paris and even Rome for that matter as a local. I would definitely recommend Go Ahead Tours to anyone. I'm sure they are the only company I will be traveling with in the future.

Pros: The tour guide and local guides are smart, responsive, patient and make the tour.
Cons: You are traveling in a group, and at times must accept the group needs.

Our Go Ahead Eastern Europe fall trip was simply wonderful. We had previously gone with Go Ahead to Portugal, and found that a wonderful, educational and pleasant tour. This trip exceeded our high expectations. Our tour guide and local guides were bright, responsive, attentive and focused on our interests. Our bus was clean, new and comfortable. The hotels were adequate for the most part, and very good in several instances. The balance of guided time and free time was just right. But most of all, the consistent, helpful and reliable people with Go Ahead are such a delight. We expect a lot from a tour provider, for a modest price, and Go Ahead has been wonderful. The ads are very accurate in describing what you see, the status of the hotels and the side trips available.

Pros: The accommodations were very good to excellent,the itinerary excellent,the pace,perfect.
Cons: Some optionals not appealing,the best one not available.Too many people smoke in Europe.

On our 4th tour with Go Ahead Vacations we were very pleased with this trip.Always good value,the itinerary was excellent.Our tour guide did a great job.He was very attentive and made us all feel that he was our personal guide.
He made himself available in the most friendly and courteous way.
The four cities we visited were so beautiful.The rides to them were scenic with just enough narrative to make them that much more interesting.Four cities and three currencies was fun.

If you haven't yet taken a guided tour,you'll do well to choose Go Ahead.If you have,you'll recognize and appreciate quality service and value.
We'll be booking our 5th trip with Go Ahead very soon.

Pros: Good planning, good tours, good facilities, good personnel. A great way to learn and enjoy.
Cons: The coffee in one hotel wasn't too good.

Our trip to Venice, Florence and Rome with GoAhead proved to be a great way to celebrate our anniversary. Accommodations, tours, travel and free time were all just right to suit our desires. The tour director was quite personable and did a great job of seeing to our needs and wishes. We certainly will use GoAhead for our next trip.

Pros: The nice balance of guided tours and free time.
Cons: None

When planning our London, Paris, and Rome trip, I was not certain if I should use a tour company or set up the trip on my own. I decided to use Go Ahead Vacations because of the combination of guided tours and excursions with plenty of time on our own to do as we pleased. Ailbe, our tour director did an excellent job. Even though the bus company in London fell through one day, Ailbe and Keith (the city tour guide), quickly made alternative arrangements for the group and we finished the day satisfied customers! The tour guides at each city were very knowledgeable and friendly. I would recommend Go Ahead Vacations to anyone who is planning a trip abroad.

Pros: Excellent driver guide in Kenya & wildlife viewing was amazing.
Cons: In Tanzania: Hard to understand guide; Trip change caused 11 hr drive on 1 day.

Our tour was excellent, particularly due to the driver/guides. The tour was a great value for the cost. We would have liked the tour to enforce their one checked bag & one carry-on bag limit. Vehicles were not large enough to comfortably accommodate excessive luggage. Accommodations were well above average & food was great. We were prepared for somewhat rough roads, but not for the really ROUGH & BUMPY roads that exist in Kenya. If you have ailments, bad backs or are in your 80's, beware. It will be hard on you. Itinerary was well planned in Kenya. Mt. Kenya Safari Club & Ol Tukai Lodge provided outstanding accommodations, food & views. Weather in June was excellent (high 50's at night; low 70's during day; low humidity). We would do the trip again, in a heart beat. The best vacation we have taken....ever!

Pros: It was a very educational in addition to being a well planned trip.
Cons: Some of the optional tours were not available due to lack of enough people.

Fellow Traveling friends,

This was our second tour with Go Ahead and it was even better than the first. Our director was so knowledgeable and there was something for everyone.

We loved the archeology which is why we chose Go Ahead. They gave more time on some of the best islands and we also visited 7 islands which is more than any other tour company.

The extension to Istanbul was the high-light of the trip! Everything was so delightful and our tour director knew everything.

Pros: Best Parts: Trip to Alexandria, Brilliant local guide, Quality of hotels and service
Cons: NONE. I honestly have nothing bad to say about this experience!

I just returned from traveling with Go Ahead Tours to Egypt in July. It was an amazing experience! The hotels were top rate with all the amenities. The Nile cruise was relaxing and the Nile Romance crew were incredible! The overall touring experience was educational and fun do to the work of the tour director Hesham ElSayad. While I was on tour, there were some bombs in another part of Egypt, Go Ahead called all of our families to assure them of our safety. My family was impressed and grateful for this service. I can honestly say that I never felt unsafe at any time during my stay in Egypt! I would suggest this trip to all of my friends and family! I will be traveling with Go Ahead again in the future!

Pros: The guides, without exception, were a highlight of the tour.
Cons: I really can't think of anything.

We were a bit hesitant about taking a Go Ahead tour because of a fairly low price. What a surprise when we found that the guides were about the best we've ever had, the hotels were well located and more than comfortable, the food was as good or better than typical tour food, well... need I go on? Everyone in the group was more than pleased and we didn't hear one complaint. We're now trying to find another tour of theirs, having complete confidence in their ability to provide an informational and enjoyable guide through foreign countries.

Pros: Great value for the dollar; nice range of ages of participants.
Cons: One hotel was a bit out of the way, but that was the exception!

This 12-day tour of Eastern Europe - Budapest, Prague, Vienna and Salzburg - was wonderful. We had a great guide, very nice hotels, plenty of free time, and a tour of each city. Highly recommended!

Pros: guide was great, time, organization, hotels
Cons: optional excursions weren't the greatest

Did the London, Paris, Rome trip in May 2005. 3 days in each city and it was great. The guide, Simon, went above and beyond the call of duty. He was patient with everyone and provided lots of information and small walking tours that weren't actually part of the package. It was a good mix of tours and free time in the cities. We would definitely recommend Go Ahead. We thought they should have had an optional excursion to Stonehenge though. The hotels were all clean and in decent locations either near public transportation or in the middle of things.

Pros: Staff is well organized and most everything is included in the price.
Cons: none

I have taken many tours with many companies and go ahead has been my favorite by far. The oranization of the tours are really great. This tour company allows you just enough time for shopping, leisure and sight seeing without you ever feeling that you have missed something.
The hotel accomidations are very clean and comfortable and the tour directors keep a close eye on you, You never have to worry about being left behind or dropped off away from your hotel-they meet you at the airport and put you back on the plane to go home.
They will do whatever it takes to make sure you are comfortable.
There are no hidden costs like most tour companies where either you take the optional or stay in your hotel, and will even arrange side trips if there is interest among the group.
The best value for your money and the best selectionn of tours I have found

Pros: Their tour guide in Paris was knowledgeable, but spent his time dealing with unhappy customers.
Cons: I will never use this company, nor its affiliates again.

Go Ahead Tours specializes in Student excursions. I did not know that when I recently booked a trip for 5 nights in Paris. 26 of us were promised 3-4 star accommodations with some meals. What we got were 4 different itineraries, horrible American food (pizza place, basement bar) and a horrible hotel. All on our trip were charged for the Moulin Rouge, while only a small percentage received a refund. They didn't even book our airfare, and charged us $1,500 per person. When trying to work with them, they offered a travel voucher.

Pros: None
Cons: all cons

Go Ahead cuts every corner they can at your expense, to make traveling with them a 3rd rate experience. Under no circumstances go on the ship "Galapagos Legend" unless you are not on the lowest deck. Make sure you have a say in the flight booking before the departure date, or you will be grossly unhappy.

Pros: The have a nice array of optional excursions.
Cons: They don't commit to a hotel until after you've already paid, so no refunds.

I haven't taken my trip to Paris yet, but the hotel accommodations changed from between the 2nd and 3rd arrondissements to the 14th, which means that the hotel WAS in the center of Paris and now is on the outskirts. I was told that the only time they change the hotel is if the hotel is undergoing renovations, etc., but am now told that thet's not the case. The people at Go Ahead told me that this is quite common with tour companies. I don't know if that's true or not, but as far as I'm concerned, it's the old bait and switch!