Explorica US Omdömen 

We saw so many major cities in Spain, plus so many important monuments. Main tour guide was 120% amazing, being funny and very knowledgeable about the country and keeping us all on track. We used many forms of transportation and the students learned to use the metro and experienced the high speed train of Spain. Local guides were also very good. My students came with a good attitude and kept it throughout ...there were no major shortfalls. Obviously, each hotel / restaurant had it's plusses and minusses, but in general very good for student experience and pricing. Pace of the tour was good. Only drawback: sometimes the hotels had pools and OF COURSE the students would like to swim after a long day but the pools were often closed upon our arrival.

The only thing that took away from getting 5 stars was that there were no true “experiences” included. Yes, we got to see the outsides of a lot of important buildings and structures, but we didn’t get to go into them or learn more about them unless we paid extra for an excursion or bought tickets and went inside on our own during free time.

Everything went well, Worldassist was very helpful on the trip.

I think I said it all on the last comment submitted. The trip was so stressful for me and I had to continually advocate for my group from beginning to end. Explorica/Worldstrides should have a carefree pickup upon arrival and departure. For the departure I had to contact Worldstrides and their solution was to give me an Uber voucher and when I could not schedule it in myself they said they would schedule it for me and just kept sending a text that they sent the voucher. I actually asked if I was interfacing with AI. Finally they contact Tour Director and he explained to them that he personally had tried to assist and schedule it on my Uber App but was unsuccessful and on his phone could schedule the pickup. They finally agreed to send him the voucher and he booked the ride. The entire departure could have initially scheduled by the Explorica/WS in country, but their only plan they offered was including us with the large group and to let us sit at Munich airport for 5-6 hours when at our connecting flight we also had a layover of 7 hours which turned into 8. I had to take everyone to dinner. We were given a $15.00 voucher per person for a snack, but that was inadequate for the layover.
I recommend starting the airline reservations earlier so that seats are available and travel is a little more seamless. Group leaders should not spend our time being totally stressed out over these details and constantly having to advocate for travel arrangements, food allergies and dietary needs, proper rooming and advocating for sticking to the daily published schedule.

It was my first time traveling with Explorica and students so I can’t compare. But I will say the tour was absolutely amazing! The tour guide was knowledgeable, the driver always made us feel safe and we had complete trust in his skills. The activities kept the students engaged. Definitely an experience and memories that will last a lifetime!

We had always traveled with EF. With Explorica I loved that students had meal choices, not just one thing served to them. I also loved the fact that every minute of the day was not full, and exploration timecwas given. Lastly, our guide rocked (Edwin) and Nicole was great for planning!

I just got back last night from our private tour of London and Paris. The memories were absolutely unforgettable! We had an excellent time and got to experience everything we wanted a more. Our trip was balanced between keeping busy l, but not being rushed. We saw so many sights and ate great food. I will forever be grateful that myself and my students will have these memories.

Our agent Kayla D. and our tour guide Samara T. made this the trip of a lifetime. Thank you, Explorica!

My contact was difficult to agrre with. I felt like I was chasing her all the time. I had to jump multiple hoops to get what my students needed. Choose World Strides, it is a much better option.

The knowlegeable guide, the variety of the places we visited and the great atmosphere overall.

We enjoyed our experiences. However, there were just a few issues. But most of all, immediate communication was not available throughout our trip when issues arose. I did not have a text number or a phone number to call my representative, so I really don't understand that. I used the emergency number when I wanted to try to find my student's wallet, but nobody could help me. So I really wanted to speak to someone that would help us with that situation. That was stressful.
We missed all of our Day 1 activities simply because of the flights for the groups. The last group didn't get there until late, late at night and so we didn't get to do any of the itinerary's first day activities at all. So then our tour guide had to try to move things around and accommodate us whilst she was dealing with the third group to arrive and trying to acclimate them when they did.
The tour guide was trying to please all three (including myself) tour directors when one of them (the last group's) was picky on some things and she tried to please her and they had an issue arise. I made sure I was compliant and flexible and willing to coordinate the easiest way possible, but I finally asked the tour guide to make the plan the way she wants it and to tell the directors what to do and when and she agreed she should go about it that way when she has three groups to keep together.
The hotels were better than my trip to Europe by far! The showers were larger and better. My tour guide was one of the best ones I've had even though she was trying to accommodate all three directors. She seemed very knowledgeable and willing to work with any requests. I liked her voice on the microphone on the bus and felt she was a very sweet lady. She was very personable. I appreciated that,
I felt that this tour allowed us a lot more free time and ability to enjoy ourselves more than the trip to Europe that felt so hurried and rushed.
The food was also a situation. When the students were expecting a nightly dinner each night, a few of the nights the students were given a $20 bill and told to fend for themselves whereas on the other tours we all ate together and a meal was provided. I thought that was a little strange even though I didn't mind it too much because we could pick and choose where we would eat at night.
But when our breakfast was often hurried, the students were hoping for a decent lunch from time to time, but on the boat they were given a tiny turkey wrap and some dried fruit and it didn't seem satisfying to the students then we didn't eat anything for dinner until late at night.
Lastly, our trip home was extremely tiring and stressful. The flights were okay, but I didn't like how we were all separated, but I knew that was usual. I wish the flights weren't set up last minute so that we could be grouped together better.
The biggest complaint was the connecting flights. It took us over 12 hours to get home. It took us less time to get home from Spain. One of my moms found a flight that went directly from San Juan to St. Louis and would allow us to get home much, much sooner; but we were scheduled to be on a flight to Charlotte, NC and then to St. Louis and the St. Louis flight was very delayed and had many gate changes throughout the night and the students were very tired. The parents were complaining, too. So, the direct flight option with us all sitting closer together is something I think needs to be fixed.
The students didn't care too much for the cave. It was a difficult climb for those less athletic students and parents and the worry and fear for the bats and the spiders, snakes, roaches, etc. was more than they wanted to deal with.

Everything else went well besides we never got to do the snorkeling second round out further in the caribbean. Nor did we get to go on the tour to the main fort in San Juan because the students hadn't eaten much before they went through El Morro and then got super tired and gave up. I suggested they should have lunch and THEN go to the last fort.
We also never went to Casablanca at all; but found it ourselves and then just walked to a fountain and returned, but I would've appreciated a tour.

The hotel was supposed to provide two bottles of water and there weren't any bottles provided.

Finally, the night of kayaking and the day of zip lining. I asked my rep about the weight requirements and that became a big deal. I had a mother who was overweight for the zip-lining and she was refused to participate and then that led to me finding out if she could get a refund for her excursion she wasn't allowed to do, but then when I asked my rep about it he said it was stated on the website, but I realized I couldn't even find it until I looked for it. I thought that was wrong. It was not CLEAR. So she deserves a refund, yes.

We never got to see the bioluminescent. That was majorly disappointing.

So overall, not the best tour. But we made some good memories.

-V

Two members of our group were put on a completely separate flight. Then, when their flight was delayed and they missed 1.5 days of their trip, all Explorica did for them was provided 1 uber voucher - which was not sufficient. Our tour was a little disappointing. There were not many activities planned, they didn’t take us into sights. For example, we went to Barcelona, and we were just told, go explore and shop. We had one scheduled tour of Park Güel and that was all. There was too much time to shop and not enough guided site seeing. As well, our trip was advertised as the Colosseum but they didn’t take us inside. My group broke off and purchased tickets on our own. In anddition, our trip was advertised as guided walking tours. The only guided walking tour of a city was Florence. We went to four major cities that were advertised as guided walking tours. In the end, more entrances to activities should have been provided. All but one hotel was pretty good, although we were pretty far away from city centers and this affected our tour as the bus drivers have driving limitations and had to have us back to the hotel by specific times. While we had some amazing activities included, I did feel that there was some false advertising and lack of communication on what this trip provided. Participants were not entertained enough at 4 different sites and needed a lot more money than what we expected. Our tour guide did well. However, participants and leaders from my group and the other two groups, were very frustrated with Explorica. The trip got better as we went but started too slowly. I will be changing tour companies for my next trip.

Barcelona - no guided walking tour, no entrance to Sagrada Familia, (these were advertised)

Nice - no guided tour.(this was advertised) No activities planned, great beach but no one knew this was beach day and were not prepared.

Florence - no entrance to any museums

Rome - no entrance to colosseum, no guided walking tour of the city (these were advertised)

I paid $208 for a down payment on a school trip. I realized within the hour that she couldn't go and canceled it. I called customer service and was told I would get a refund since it was the same day. They sent me a copy of the cancelation and kept my money. I didn't receive a refund.

Lack of communication, wasn’t able to do excursions promised such as Windsor castle due to the company not planning ahead and it being closed on Wednesdays. The tour director was rude and unprofessional. My group opted to include tips and yet as we were preparing (less than a month away) were told this hadn’t been added. So the entire group had to come up with $90 last minute… which for a family of 3 going is a lot of money last minute. The food was mediocre and food allergies were not accommodated unless reminded before each and every meal.

I have traveled with both Explorica and EF and the differences are astounding. I read through a lot of the 1-star reviews before writing mine here and what I read is what I experienced with EF.

The most recent travel was to Costa Rica and to my mind, there are certain standards that come with the territory and the price. I do not expect much other than the room to be clean and safe; be realistic about what you have signed-up for!

That being said, yes, we arrived late and had to leave late. We were given the opportunity to fly from a regional airport close to us, something that EF never offered. This saved two days of travel before and after the trip. What's more, the food options were at times catered to the American palette but overall, it was more typical than when I have traveled with EF.

Any adjustments needed (as to be expected, this is how life goes!) were immediately addressed by my Tour Consultant, the Tour Director, and the Operations Team. All went above and beyond to ensure we had options and the best experience possible when things did not work out.

To my mind, a bit of grace and give-and-take is needed with any company and I was surprised to see how low of an overall rating Explorica has. Do your research into the accomodations and food offerings of the country you are going to and remember, it is not the U.S. and so your expectations have to be flexible.

Have an open mind and give Explorica a chance! No company is perfect but see for yourself the difference they will make!

The tour of Europe was culturally enriching and engaging, but the food left much to be desired for the students. The meals mainly consisted of rice, potatoes, and fried fish, which didn’t cater to the preferences of many teenagers. There was a noticeable lack of fresh vegetables; not a single salad or even a simple cucumber or lettuce was offered. While the students aren’t allergic to fish, it isn't their preferred choice. Other dishes also lacked any salad options, making the meals repetitive.

It would have been better to have choices, such as either beef or fish, and a buffet setup would have allowed for more variety. After long days of walking and exposure to the sun, the teens were quite hungry. The only beverage provided was water, with no options for orange juice or fruit-infused water, which would have been refreshing.

Additionally, managing a large group of nearly 50 people with only 15-minute restroom breaks proved challenging due to long lines and limited facilities. Overall, the food experience was disappointing, and many students were still hungry after meals.

I went to Costa Rica with Explorica with my son, his teacher, and a few students. It was incredible!!! Our guide, Aura, was THE BEST! She was so knowledgeable about the country, answering all of our many questions! The activities were amazing! The perfect amount and once in a lifetime. I HIGHLY recommend traveling with Explorica!! And if you go to Costa Rica, request Aura!!

Always a great experience.

First, the bus they provided had completely broken air conditioning. We're talking about a full day of travel in sweltering heat with no relief whatsoever. Passengers were visibly uncomfortable and sweating profusely.When the second driver fixed the issue, we were freezing. The driver told us it was either have the AC on full blast or no AC at all.

We made multiple unplanned stops and missed over half of the first day's planned events. When we finally arrived, we were rushed from place to place with no time to see or enjoy the locations.

We were given 40 minutes at the Statue of Liberty, only an hour at the Museum of Modern Art and 30 minutes in Central Park.

For the premium price we paid, this was completely unacceptable. A travel company's basic responsibilities include providing functional transportation, sticking to schedules, and delivering the experiences promised.

This company failed on every single count.
Save your money and book with literally anyone else. This was hands down the worst travel experience I've ever had, and I've been traveling for over 20 years. The lack of professionalism and basic service standards is shocking.

The Tour Director was knowledgeable, organized, friendly, and made us feel safe all the time.The excursions were outstanding. The hotels were as expected, clean with comfortable beds, except for some meals. At El Icaco hotel the restaurant in Tortugueros the breakfast was good, but the other meals were lacking some protein and the students remained hungry.