I think they're OK and good value (Voyages Jules Verne)

Member Name: HelenTB

Product:	Voyages Jules Verne
Date:	19/04/06 (1156 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good price, interesting destinations

Disadvantages: Large groups sometimes - I'd prefer fewer people

I'm always surprised when I hear people doing VJV down. Before we first travelled with them I'd heard some dodgy stories - though never at first hand - and we were a bit dubious. However the 5 day trip to Jordan fitted so well with our requirements that we took the risk. How glad we were! We had an excellent time, with a very good local guide, and saw a huge amount in the time we were there. I do agree about the pressure to buy excursions - but hey,there's no compulsion!

Encouraged by this, a couple of years later we went on the Grand Tour of Morocco, which again was excellent value. THis was a full board trip, and some of the evening meals in hotels were a bit disappointing, but without exception lunches, which were taken in a range of places, were good quality and excellent. Again we had a very good local guide, and I don't remember any excursions being offered this time. We left the trip for 36 hours to do something that wasn't included - although it proved impossible to get any response from VJV in advance about whether it would be OK with them to do this, the local guide was more than happy to make arrangements to pick us up at a convenient point after our side trip.

Our third VJV trip was to the Maldives last November. Unlike the previous 2 this was not a tour, and we had no contact with any guides. However all the arrangements went smoothly, and the trip was, again, fantastic value for money.

Summary: Excellent value, interesting destinations, knowledgable local guides.