smarTours Reviews

Name: smarTours
Address: 500 7TH AVE, 8TH FL, NEW YORK, New York
Rating: 4.42

4.4 Rating 1,661 Reviews

86 %

of reviewers recommend smarTours

4.4

Based on 1,661 reviews

Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Under An Hour
Customer Service	3.7 out of 5

About smarTours:

smarTours is a leading provider of direct-to-consumer, affordable travel experiences to exotic global destinations. The Company offers travelers curated, pre-packaged itineraries to over 50 destinations across the globe. By offering tours directly to consumers, the Company provides premium-quality experiences at value prices, and as a result, has cultivated a highly passionate and loyal community of repeat travelers. More than 200,000 travelers have taken a smarTours trip since the founding of the Company in 1996. smarTours is… the smarter way to see the world.

Phone:

800-337-7773

Email:

info@smartours.com

Location:

500 7TH AVE, 8TH FL,
NEW YORK
New York
10018

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smarTours 5 star review on 20th November 2024

Michael A

smarTours 5 star review on 12th October 2024

Michael A

764

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Sort by: Most Recent Most Recent Highest Rated Filter: None None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“Incredible tour of Egypt. Our guide was so kind and knowledgeable and really made the experience unforgettable. I proposed to my girlfriend on day two of the tour in front of the pyramids and our guide helped make it a really special moment complete with photographer.”

smarTours 5 star review on 1st April 2022

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Posted 2 years ago

Dylan! Thanks SO much for sharing this incredible moment with smarTours! We wish you all the best on your new adventure!

Posted 2 years ago

“MAJESTIC MOROCCO REVIEW: This was my first time booking a tour package and my first-ever vacation. I work really hard and had been looking forward to this for months. It was highly disappointing, primarily due to the lack of clear information about the extensive time spent on a warm bus, which should have been included in the itinerary. The few activities offered felt rushed. Most of the included dining experiences were subpar, with inconsistent pricing and poor food quality—Day 8's lunch was particularly problematic. I sent back my dry chicken dish, and the staff was upset when I refused to eat any replacement meal. There were also issues with hygiene and meal preparation. While our tour guide, Mr. Aziz, was excellent, the itinerary’s structure was poorly planned. He did his best. Not his fault at all.”

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Posted 1 month ago

Thank you for sharing your feedback about your first tour experience with us. We're truly sorry to hear that your trip to Morocco fell short of expectations, especially given how much you were looking forward to it. We understand your frustration regarding the bus travel times, however this is inevitable in that we cover a lot of ground during a very short time span. We are actively reviewing the itinerary for the upcoming season to explore ways to minimize travel time and provide a more balanced experience, and inform travelers what to expect on those long travel days. We appreciate your feedback on the included meals and will address your concerns with our local partners. We also apologize for any inconvenience caused by the incident at the restaurant. We're pleased to hear that Mr. Aziz provided excellent service and support throughout your trip. We will be sure to share your compliments with him. We value your feedback and are committed to improving our tours based on traveler experiences.

Posted 2 weeks ago

“MAJESTIC MOROCCO COMPLAINT: If I had to say something positive, it would be about our tour director, Mr. Aziz. He was great—knowledgeable and attentive. My issues with this tour have nothing to do with him but rather with how SmarTours structured this itinerary. This was one of the most disappointing tour experiences I’ve ever had. My main issue was the lack of transparency about how much time would be spent on a bus each day. If SmarTours had included in the itinerary the duration of each bus ride, I would not have booked this tour package. The long bus rides were made worse by constant announcements over the PA, making it hard to rest. Future tours could benefit from quieter communication via whispers to give travelers the option to listen if they wish. The itinerary included minimal activities. Most days, when not on the bus, involved endless walking. Free time for exploring, shopping, or using the restroom felt rushed to stay on schedule. For me, only the cooking class and Sahara camel ride were enjoyable. MOST of the included dining stops were disappointing, though not all. We would have been better off selecting our own meals. My vegan sister, who notified the company in advance, was served bland pastas, bread with olives, french fries, and plain vegetables each day. On Day 6, the included lunch restaurant (not the hotel dinner buffet) had no running water but still prepared and served meals. I woke up with stomach pain & diarrhea the following morning. On Day 8, the restaurant we were required to stop at for lunch served my partner dry chicken and was upset when we returned the plate. Different guests were charged different prices for the same dishes. I ordered a soup and lamb tagine and was told it cost 180 dirhams. Knowing this was likely inflated, I asked others what they had been charged for the same items—one person paid 130 dirhams, another 120 dirhams. I informed the tour director and ultimately paid 120 dirhams. I believe the staff upcharged me because my partner returned his dish and didn’t eat the replacement. Feeling so dissatisfied with the experience, I opted out of three of the twelve days, staying behind at the hotel even after paying for optional activities. I’d also like to mention that I’ve done long transports with SmarTours in both Greece and Egypt, but those involved mini cruises, a completely different and far more enjoyable experience than sitting on a warm bus with inconsistent A/C. Again, Mr.Aziz was great. If I were rating him alone, 5 STARS!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 month ago

Thank you for sharing your feedback on your recent Majestic Morocco tour. We sincerely apologize that the extensive travel times and certain aspects of the itinerary did not meet your expectations. We value your honest feedback and are taking steps to address these concerns, including a review of the itinerary for the upcoming season to minimize travel times and potentially incorporate quieter communication methods on our tours. While we understand your disappointment regarding the non-refundable nature of pre-booked activities, we do encourage travelers to carefully review the itinerary details beforehand. We appreciate your understanding that pre-planning and pre-payment are necessary to ensure smooth operations for the entire group. Your feedback is invaluable, and our tour team is reviewing the issues mentioned

Posted 2 weeks ago

“I just returned from the Splendors of Egypt tour. It was amazing. Our tour director and guide, Inas Hussein, was wonderful. A brilliant Egyptologist, she was so informative about Egyptian history and culture and an absolute pleasure to travel with. The accommodations were excellent. Before I left friends asked "Egypt now??", there was not one moment where I felt unsafe, and the Egyptian people are lovely. The local Smart Tours contacts at each location could not have been more helpful. I have traveled extensively, it was one of the best travel experiences in my life. This was my first organized tour, it will not be my last on smarTours.”

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Posted 1 month ago

Wow! Thank you Gerard! It was a pleasure to have you join us in Egypt!

Posted 3 weeks ago

“Costa Rica Nightmare I'll be surprised if they post this but here it goes. Don't book Smartours Costa Rica tour. They don't use regular buses. Large mini vans. The bus has no bathroom, packed in like sardines, no electrical outlets, no water ever offered, no wifi and luggage piled up the back on the seats so people have to use the fold out ones going up and down the middle of the mini bus. Luggage in the back actually came crashing down on the people in the back. Huge heavy bags. I've done two other tours in Costa Rica with other companies and none of this happened. Hotels with no air, hot water, or tv's. Yes we were in lodges in the jungle but other hotels in these areas had all of the above. Even had bare wires in one of the bathrooms on top of the shower head to heat the water. One hotel had no bar or restaurant. Had to take a taxi to get food. They advertise first class hotels and lodges. This must be a joke. There were 18 of us on this tour. 5 people were injured in one way or another from horrible travel conditions. Three needed immediate medical attention when they got home. Will never use Smartours again. We have in the past but I wouldn't take the chance of being tortured while on vacation ever again. We were so glad to get home.”

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Posted 8 months ago

“It would have been a fabulous trip if we had a tour guide who wanted to be there and acted like he liked us/”

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Posted 1 year ago

“Heart of france smartours review Up beat, friendly Annie, our guide, was exceptional. She even made revisions to the tour to accomodate the needs of each and every traveler. She planned games and even taught us songs (even sang to us with her remarkable operatic voice) on the long drives between cities. The problem was with the tour company. Lower end hotels rarely close to city centers made it almost impossible to go out for dinners or explore city sites. The hotels rooms were musty and not the cleanest. One of our rooms had a very dirty toilet. We asked to have it cleaned but they never did so. We tried to clean it ourselves, but the poop was so caked on it did little good. We’ve traveled with smartours many times in the past and we’re pleased with their better than average hotels. Unfortunately this was not the case this time The dinners provided were inedible by most guests. The sausage for dinner # 1 was even almost raw for some. If you dont care for duck you were out of luck. It didn’t improve as time went on. I wouldn’t advise anyone to use smartours We were so disappointed”

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Posted 1 year ago

“We have been the customer of Smartours for many years with last trip was Amazing Thailand in April 2023. We enjoyed every trip we took with SmarTours especially the last trip of Amazing Thailand. The tour guides were so friendly and help to assist us to book a hotel to stay one more day when we found out that our flight was one day later than the final tour day.”

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Posted 1 year ago

Thank you for your wonderful review!

Posted 1 year ago

“This company is not to be trusted. I do not recommend it. Since 2021 I have been waiting for the return of money owed to me for a cancellation they made, not me.”

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Posted 1 year ago

“I hate my tour to South Africa, big group with lots of handicapped people. I don’t have any problem but it really slow people who has no walking problems, they should have 2 groups one for people with problems walking and another one for people who can walk fast.”

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Posted 1 year ago

Hi Laura! Thank you for your feedback. We have a range of tours with everything from leisurely activity and pacing levels like our cruises, to more advanced where you can expect to be hiking and constantly on the move. You can see what each tour is categorized as in the "what to expect" section of each tour before booking. We do happily welcome individuals that are both able bodied and need some assistance provided they can manage on their own or with the help of their travel partner. We believe everyone should have access to amazing destinations! Thank you for traveling with us and we hope you have wonderful adventures ahead!

Posted 1 year ago

“Just returned one week ago from SmarTours Best of Italy with Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. This was our seventh tour with SmarTours and honestly one of the worst tours we have taken. In the previous six Tours with them we have had excellent tour guides with us. Our tour guide in Italy was Ida Ceruti. Ida spoke very poor English and communicated with our group very little. There was no group meeting on arrival at our first hotel. After the first couple of days Ida stopped posting a sheet listing the days activities. Our return flight from Naples was cancelled due to a nationwide strike by luggage handlers. The strike was well publicized by the union and neither SmarTours nor their Italy subcontractor Michelangelo Tours was aware of the situation and took no action. Ida asked us to call SmarTours emergency number in the U S. Turns out the emergency number in the US is only a message center and just passes information to SmarTours when the office is open. We spent 7 hours at the Naples airport waiting for resolution. We have a trip with SmarTours scheduled for September and are thinking about cancelling. We are no longer happy SmarTours customers.”

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Posted 1 year ago

“Nicholas Patti was an amazing guide. He is Argentinian and was incredibly helpful in Buenos Aires, as well as on the cruise. The tour was first-rate: ship, food, environment. A bit of a physical workout; whether walking a few kilometers up a 40% incline to see penguin rookery, snow-shoeing around an island to see seals, or even getting in and out of a kayak without help. This trip is not for people with mobility issues. Hurtigruten provides a waterproof jacket and rubber boots; they are a first-class operation. The scenery is amazing. Drake Passage is quite the force of Nature. Even as a seasoned traveler I was overwhelmed by the landscape and fauna. A MUST-DO trip.”

smarTours 5 star review on 18th January 2023

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Posted 1 year ago

Wow! What a superb review Cynthia. Thanks for sharing!

Posted 1 year ago

“Overall the trip and the sightseeing was very good but I had several issues, first was that being allergenic for onion and garlic I wasn’t taken care. Our director slacked in this as is he was very busy with 3 people in the group. At one place I didn’t have anything to eat. On the end of tour meal as well , I only had salad where as they all had fancy meals. He didn’t once come and ask me throughout the trip if I was ok. Secondly as I said he was only looking out for 3 people on the trip, whenever they had an excursion, he would shorten our time so see what is on our itinerary, like we didn’t get the to experience the diamond journey and our time at the V and A was shortened because they were getting late for their excursion. We asked if we can just stay there, he said no we all have to go back to the hotel and get a Uber to come back. So unnecessary. The second time when we visited the Kirstenborsch gardens, he gave us just 15 mins. We were interested to see all the plants, again they were rushing for an excursion and we had to suffer. So some of the things which made our experience not so great.”

smarTours 4 star review on 2nd January 2023

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Posted 1 year ago

Thank you for your feedback Rekha. We will pass your comments along regarding the issues you encountered to our tour team. Thank you for joining us.

Posted 1 year ago

“Once in a lifetime opportunity to visit and enjoy the African game reserves and the many other attractions. Very congenial group, great accommodations and guides. Very much recommended.”

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Posted 1 year ago

We are delighted to hear this. Thank you for joining us!

Posted 1 year ago

“This was a great and amazing cruise tour especially all that you see with the days of the tour. Our hotel, Hotel Electra Palace in Athens was great and had amazing view of the Acropolis from the 8th floor restaurant. It was great. We truly had a great time especially having our tour director, Gina Agelopoulou, who was so amazing, attentive and very hospitable. She made our trip so amazing and so memorable. Thank you Gina. I would highly recommend this cruise tour to anyone. You will truly enjoy it. I would di it again. Thank you Smartours. Already booked our next tour to Turkey, can’t wait.”

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Posted 1 year ago

“"This was a great and amazing cruise tour especially all that you see with the days of the tour. Our hotel, Hotel Electra Palace in Athens was great and had amazing view of the Acropolis from the 8th floor restaurant. It was great. We truly had a great time especially having our tour director, Gina Agelopoulou, who was so amazing, attentive and very hospitable. She made our trip so amazing and so memorable. Thank you Gina. I would highly recommend this cruise tour to anyone. You will truly enjoy it. I would do it again. Thank you Smartours.”

smarTours 5 star review on 28th December 2022

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Posted 1 year ago

Wow! Thank you for your wonderful review Jasmin! We look forward to having you travel with us again!

Posted 1 year ago

“I sent a lengthy, very detailed review last week. Didn’t you receive it?”

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Posted 1 year ago

Hi Claire. Thank you for your comment. We received your survey response and will be reviewing with our tour team to address the issues mentioned. We are currently reworking the itinerary for future departures as this is a brand new destination and we recognize the itinerary falls short of where it needs to be to provide the experience promised. We apologize that it did not live up to your expectations.

Posted 1 year ago

“It was a very good tour, frim the tour director Gina who was so organized, the hotel with good location and service, same with Cylestyal Crystal,service was very good and cabin is clean and neat. Shows are very good too. It was a very nice experience seeing some of the wonders of the world. I’ve been using Smartours whenever I have the opportunity to see places. One if my nieces started to use Smartours, just took the Iceland tour in November and will take the Croatia,Slovenia tour in May and Turkey tour in November 2023.”

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Posted 1 year ago

So happy to hear this! Thank you for joining us and we look forward to hosting you on your next trip!

Posted 1 year ago

“I loved the Women-Only Iceland trip with SmarTours. The tour was well-paced, the hotels were excellent, and the Tour Guide was fantastic. The included meals were delicious and there was plenty of opportunity to get out on our own if we wanted to see the sights. I saw so many beautiful places, glaciers, mountains, waterfalls, beaches, lava fields, hot springs, but no Northern Lights! Oh well - I have a good excuse to return. Thank you SmarTours for a fantastic trip.”

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Posted 2 years ago

Thank you Paula! It was a pleasure to host you in Iceland!

Posted 2 years ago

“This was our first experience using smarTours and it did not disappoint! Everything was planned perfectly and our guide was so knowledgeable of the country and the sites that we visited which made it very enjoyable.”

smarTours 4 star review on 3rd December 2022

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Posted 2 years ago

Thanks for traveling with smarTours!

Posted 2 years ago

“eGYPT WAS A WONDROUS TOUR. tHE SIGHTS WERE UNBELIEVABLE .THE TOUR GUIDE WAS INCREDIBLE WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION AND CARE FOR AL OF US SMART TOURS HIT A HOME RUN WITH THIS TOUR. IT COULD HAVE BEEN MY BEST TRIP.HOWARD GROSS”

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Posted 2 years ago

Thank you so much Howard!

Posted 2 years ago

smarTours is rated 4.4 based on 1,661 reviews