Israel Religious Tours and Vacation Packages

05/20/2022

Review on 05/20/2022

Tour

Israel was number one on my bucket list! I experienced everything I wished for and more! My favorites were the cruise down the Sea of Galilee on Jesus Boat, the Stations of the Cross, Mt. of Olives, the Garden Tomb, the Light Show-story of King David, and the Wailing Wall.

05/19/2022

Review on 05/19/2022

Tour

Communal baptism and Dead Sea

02/27/2020

I highly recommend Collette and look forward to using them again.

Service

Overall a great trip. The accommodations were great until the last night. Couldn’t even fit 2 suitcases in the room. The Marriott in Petra had the best customer service I’ve ever experienced. Lunch and dinner was the same type of food the whole trip, that got old real fast but maybe that’s all they eat. I was annoyed with the earphones because I had so much around my neck but I missed having them in Jordan. The bus driver in Israel was on his cell phone most of the time while driving. The bus in Jordan could be cleaner and many of the seats were broken. The tour guides were knowledgeable, professional and very accommodating. And your customer service in the US that helped me plan my trip was also fantastic.
Tour

The day in Petra

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're happy to hear that overall you had a great tour We appreciate you taking the time to identify areas of improvement. Your feedback will be reviewed by our Product Design Team so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

12/28/2019

Room from Hell

Service

Our return flight was canceled at midnight and we weren’t able to contact our tour manager for help. We didn’t know what to do. We finally just called Collette directly and were told one thing, while another guest with the same cancellation was told another thing. We did what were told and waited at Lufthansa’s check in for 45 minutes while they tried to find us in their system. British Airways would not release us and finally Lufthansa told us to go back to British airways. The other guest had already checked into a new flight from their own instructions which had been different from ours. We had to wait another hour to get checked in. We felt like we were on our own, Collette didn’t help us at all. Why were we treated differently and told something completely different?
Tour

As Christians, we were very offended at the last hotel in Jerusalem when we were placed in room 666. We were afraid to request another room because we didn’t know where else they would put us. Besides that, Collette should consider another chain of hotels besides the Leonardo, they were very dated. We felt rushed, it would have been nice to have more time at each site. A lot of my pictures came out blurred from trying to take them while on the go. We enjoyed the Dead Sea excursion but also felt more time would have been nice there as well.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Israel: A Journey of Faith. We're sorry to hear you experienced issues on tour. A member of the Guest Relations Team will be reaching out to discuss your feedback.

Collette Support

12/27/2019

Wonderful but not enough time to enjoy the sites

Service

Our guide was just okay but rushed us around a lot. The days were very full and scheduled tightly meaning we had little time to sightsee and take photos. He did not allow us to shop and said we would have time at the end of the tour to do so. We were only given less than an hour on the last day and that was not enough time. Also, we were not given breakfast or a voucher for it on the last day, meaning the long drive to the airport was done in hunger. The bus driver Mo was amazing! He was an excellent driver.
Tour

For the amount of money being paid, we should have had better hotels. The second hotel in Tiberias was disgusting and dirty. The TV and phone didn’t work. We didn’t receive our wake up call due to the broken phone; luckily I had set my own alarm. Maybe the phone didn’t work because they didn’t want anyone to call down and complain! The Tower of David excursion was not worth the money at all. It was just lights projected on a wall for 30 minutes. At each site, it was very rushed, shuttled on and off the bus, only able to take photos while walking, not even allowed to stop. A trip like this might be better at 14 days to be able to take everything in and have enough time. The days were so packed that we had no free time to explore or shop. Overall it’s off my bucket list at least. I’m used to getting what I pay for. And for what I paid, plus with added travel insurance expense on top of that, I feel I didn’t receive that. It felt like a bargain trip, hotels felt like hostels, but I didn’t pay for that.

Thank you for traveling on our Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're very sorry to hear about the issues you experienced on tour. A member of the Guest Relations Team will be reaching out to discuss your feedback.

Collette Support

12/26/2019

I would use Collette Tours again ... Israel was great!

Service

I wanted to rate Collette's U.S. service at 4.5 ... it was great but not extraordinarily outstanding ... I would use Collette Tours again!
Tour

Because I would rather have rated it as 4.5 . I enjoyed all the tours ... very educational.

12/26/2019

Impossibleto do

Service

As I was not amazed I would not recommend, even though others found it better than I did. The big bus and driver were great. did not enjoy the Jordan car transportation at all, can not see out of a car or take pictures except of guard rails! The driver was good, but he did smoke alot, not in front of us, but very evident. Our main tour guide was very knowledgeable, but thought he could have done more, was hard to remember all of his instructions, written itinerary for the day would have been good. liked how he kept shopping under control, and that he knew where bathrooms were. I was unhappy that I had to figure out the London airport and rebooking, thought Collette could have been on top of that mess, by following the flight and such, really felt abandoned.Did not like the fact that we were the only people on the Jordan leg of the tour. Did not like the Leonardo hotels at all. Very rude desk people and the dinning room people were very rude, not the lowly waitresses but the head people. So sick of the constant same food. Did enjoy Masada and Petra. The crossing of the Sea of Galilee was the only spiritual thing I felt.
Tour

think I have already commented on that

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're sorry to hear you experienced issues on tour. A member of the Guest Relations Team will be reaching out to discuss your feedback.

Collette Support

12/26/2019

Service

Everyone at the main office was helpful and knoelegeav
Tour

Tour director was not as helpful as I found my other trips with Collette. He controlled where and what we ate. Where and what we shopped for.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're sorry to hear you felt your tour guide was not helpful. Your feedback will be reviewed by his Team Leader in the Tour Management department so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

11/28/2019

Trip of a lifetime but with a few hiccups

Service

It was a trip of a lifetime but with some hiccups 1. Warning at Tel Aviv airport about passport control. 2. Quality of the hotel upon arrival in Tel Aviv -- two stars at best. 3. Confusion on trying to get in and out of Israel/Jordan 4. Returning to Tel Aviv on a Friday with few options for a meal Local guide in Israel Micky Horesh gets five stars he was AWESOME. Local guide in Jordan "Jay" gets four stars he was very knowledgeable and was a good guide.
Tour

Each day was very packed and since it was high season also very crowded we saw a lot but you almost needed a daily guide sheet to know where we were in Israel to keep up with our incredible local guide. Favorite moment in Israel being baptized in Jordan River. Favorite moment in Jordan sunrise in Amman.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Discover Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're sorry to hear you experienced issues while on tour. Your feedback will be reviewed by our internal department managers so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

11/24/2019

Disappointed with guide in Israel

Service

Guide in Israel rushed us through many of the places we visited. Perhaps too much was planned for each day. I did not even have time to buy postcards to send to friends the entire time I was in Israel. I finally had time in Jordan and got them in the mail via the hotel. During our walk along the Via Dolarosa, our group was so spread out that some of us started going in the wrong direction because the guide was so far ahead of us and we couldn't see him. We were at one station of the cross and he was already at the next one. When we would get to a destination, we only had 5 to 15 minutes of free time to take it in. The guide was so focused on reading Scripture to us, which would be fine but he became almost fanatical about it. The guide in Jordan was very also very knowledgeable but in a much more relaxed way. We had long bus rides but also had time to wander and enjoy our locations. He was informative but also allowed us time on our own with more of an historical perspective rather than a religious one. Overall, I enjoyed the tour but would like to spend more time in Israel and would hope for a more accommodating guide.
Tour

Israel guide hurried us along.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Discover Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're very sorry to hear about the issues you experienced with your tour guide in Israel. Your feedback will be reviewed by the Director of Tour Management so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

11/21/2019

Service

There was a lot of confusion about our upgraded flights to and from the trip. We had at least three completely different itineraries leading up to the trip. I was initially wait listed for the tour extension, it was difficult to get information about my status.
Tour

Our tour manager, Aehab Mozalbat of Nazarene Tours, was outstanding, He brought both historic and biblical background to each of the spots we visited.

11/21/2019

Our tour guide was fabulous He really knows his stuff....

Service

Great tour guide. He was fun upbeat and a delight to be with for the entire trip.
Tour

Sea of Galilee Temple Mount Jericho Swimming in the dead sea Waking old city of Jerusalem

11/21/2019

Local guides were wonderful. Collette rep fell down on the job.

Service

The local guides and bus drivers were superlative. However, we were left stranded by Collette at the end of the tour and had to contact a local guide to arrange transport to the airport.
Tour

The local guides were excellent. Collette failed in accommodations and in getting us safely to the airport at the end of our trip.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Discover Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. Our records indicate you also took the Jordan extension which is hosted by a local guide. The local guide would have arranged your departure transfer. If you have any questions regarding this please contact our Guest Relations Team.

Collette Support

11/21/2019

Excellent staff willing to go the extra mile to accommodate needs.

Service

David Cook was most helpful in organizing the final details of our trip and working through both my questions and last minute requests as the pastor leading a group from our church, Green Valley Presbyterian in Henderson, NV. And our representatives, Brittany Revard was responsive to our questions, courteous and a joy to work with.
Tour

Our tour guide, Aehab Mozalbat from Nazarene Tours was phenomenal! He brought history to life through his articulate and informative presentations at each holy site. Aehab was caring, and he went the extra mile to accommodate travelers with special needs.

11/18/2019

Israel with Collette Tours

Service

All details were taken care of by Collette...we just had to show up and enjoy our trip!
Tour

Iyad (Eddy) was a fantastic tour guide/manager!

11/15/2019

Loved the Dead Sea and Masada

Service

Loved out tour manager Iyad, he was very knowledgeable and patient with the group. Knew all the special tricks to save us time and best ways to enjoy the trip.
Tour

Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan.

10/28/2019

Best Vacation Trip Ever

Service

I would highly recommend them. They are excellent at keeping you up-to-date with all information needed. All of our paperwork was sent prior to our trip with all the information and contact information you could possibly need. The vans that came to pick us up and deliver us in both Dallas and Israel were excellent, great drivers and got us exactly where we needed to be when we needed to be there. Our hotels were beyond nice and meals were beyond what any of us expected. Our guide and driver were the best ever and this was one of the best trips we have ever taken. In our books they went beyond excellent. We will definitely try to travel with them again.
Tour

Great trip, hotels, transportation, guides, drivers and overall excellent trip.

10/24/2019

Great experience!

Service

I was late getting signed up for the tour, but I was accommodated very nicely. Staff members were friendly and helpful in getting information to me so that I could plan for my trip.
Tour

Tour director and bus driver were exceptionally qualified. Tour director was very knowledgeable and the bus driver made moves in parking etc. that were amazing! Great experience!

10/24/2019

Service

An amazing experience will definitely do this again with Collette.
Tour

The trip to Masada was impressive.

10/19/2019

Very satisfied repeat customer.

Service

This is the 2nd time we have used Collette. Would we travel again or recommend? ABSOLUTELY! Quick reasons why -- Collette takes care of ALL the details. Hotels are top notch and well located. Bus transportation is comfortable, clean buses. Tours are very well planned, days are full yet there is some "downtime" allowed. Tour guides are EXCELLENT! Knowledgeable, friendly, and familiar with the area so they can provide a little more history to the site you're visiting. Definitely get your moneys worth. PS: I appreciate the informational books provided that summarizes local currency, customs and tipping. We always recommended Collette and will continue to do so. Look forward to traveling again with Collette.
Tour

See previous comments. However, I must mention that our tour gude was AMAZING

10/10/2019

Service

Our tour in Israel was exceptional - the tour guide took such great care of us, was very knowledgeable, went above and beyond to make sure we had the best tour we could possibly have. The second half, into Jordan, while it had a few highlights, was not nearly as good. Our tour guide didn't use the Whispers and was difficult to understand. Wadi Rum and Petra were amazing, but for a four day tour, those were the only real highlights. When we were taken to the border to cross back over into Israel, we were pretty much just dropped there with no instruction or guidance. Once we got through and our bus took us to the hotel, again, we were just dropped there and expected to work it all out. I think that it would be good to note that to leave a bunch of Gentiles in Israel on a Shabbat is not a great idea. We were pretty much ignored and made to feel like a bother. Not a great end to what was an exceptional start to a trip. Again, Eddy, our beginning tour guide was wonderful. We would go back just to see him! He also made sure that we knew when we needed to be ready to be picked up to head back to the USA. He obviously knew that there would be no help when we came back from Jordan. Not sure if I would go through Collette again. It was a lot of money to be just left hanging at the end.
Tour

See last field.....................

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're sorry to hear about the issues you experienced on the Jordan extension. Your feedback will be forwarded to our ground operator for further review so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

10/10/2019

Service

Usually fly American international. Was happy to try Delta, plane comfortable, food was terrible, arrival time from Chicago to JFK, just made it. Left gate on time but sat for 40 minutes in Chicago. Local guides were good. Billy in Israel did a good job, saw many sites, however he said he did not know we were a Catholic Group, wanted to see Church of Dormition, which was on the schedule, we saw David's tomb , which was NOT what we wanted to see. Everything was rushed, so we did not get to spend much time in the Holy Scared Places. Stirred our shopping to places where he would receive a kick back. They were like vultures on us in Bethlehem shop. Bus transportation in Jordan, 1st had a smaller bus that was dirty for p/u at border, had to store luggage on bus. Bus driver smoked, we had to say something to tour guide, we had a bigger bus the next day, which did not have great A/C & was VERY dirty. I had to clean my space myself. Bus drivers in both Israel & Jordan , did a very good job handling the bus. P/U from hotel in Israel to airport was very disorganized, they did not send a ride for all, we had to call a few times to get this done. My p/u ride at Ohare, was not waiting inside as I was told. When I finally connected with him he came & apologized he said that was his fault.
Tour

Hotels in Israel, avg. Food at hotels avg. Elevators use pretty slow. All the Holy sites were beautiful!, would like more time to pray. Jordan was amazing...loved Petra, & Wadi RUM didn't care for the restaurant where we had dinner in Petra, this was my least favorite restaurant on tour. Marriott's were great, & the better hotels. We asked our tour guide about visiting Spring of Moses, he said he had to ask the bus driver. We never visited it, very disappointing as we were very close, also since there were 4 sites near & dear to Christianity in Jordan, we should have visited all these sites. The Roman ruins & Byzantine church should have been substituted out The Tent restaurant in Israel was great. Overall we saw some wonderfully inspiring sites. Billy was a wealth of knowledge & info, Loved being in the Holy Land & Jordan, & loved traveling with the Church of the Resurrection Group, made some wonderful new friends

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Discover Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're sorry to hear about the issues you experienced on tour. Your feedback will be reviewed by Guest Relations.

Collette Support

10/08/2019

Visit to many holy sites (printed on the itinerary) were eliminated.

Service

Use a Christian guide for Pilgrimage to Holy Land.
Tour

This is supposed to be a Journey of Faith - I joined the tour to nourish my soul. But my heart was crushed beyond repair because there are many scheduled visits (listed in the itinerary) that were eliminated. On page 14 of the Collette Vacation document, it is mentioned that we "Celebrate Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site of His crucifixion, burial and resurrection." This never happened. Instead, we had only ONE mass, held in a gazebo in the backyard of a church. We had to set up the chairs and stack the chairs back after mass. During the homily, the mosque nearby blasting their loudspeaker - praying in arabic. We could not even hear what our Priest said, even though he spoke louder than usual. We learned later on that the other Collette group that were touring the Holy Land at the same time as ours, had a mass at the Holy Sepulchre. Why was our group not given the opportunity to attend the same mass, it is a very big question. So in our Journey of Faith we had only one mass, in the backyard of a church near a mosque. This tour is very, very bad, well below our expectation. Many of our fellow pilgrims used their whole life savings to take this ultimate journey, a once in a life time journey - and Collette failed them. Collette, as I understand it, is a Catholic organization, or an organization that is under leadership of Catholic lay people. The fact that Collette did not give Catholic pilgrims the opportunity to "follow the steps of Jesus" is very troubling. If a Catholic organization would not help other Catholics - who would? Page 14 of the Collette Vacation Documents also includes a "visit to the Church of Dormition (commemorating Our Lady's Assumption." This visit was eliminated completely. The pilgrims were denied to commemorate our Blessed Mother. I am lucky that this is my second pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I wanted to go back and touch the wooden and ivory effigy of our Blessed Mother. I wished my fellow pilgrims had the opportunity to do the same. I am very sorry for them. Wedding Renewal - Franciscan Church in Cana. When we arrived at Cana, we were told that we could not have the wedding renewal service, because Collette did not reserve the church. Our Priest had to talk to the Sister in charge, and she let Father use the chapel for the service. If we depended on Collette - we would not have this service. Baptism: We almost did not have this service. Collette did not reserve one "platform" for this service. Our priest had to perform the baptism "between two "platforms." When I went on my first Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, we had daily mass, wedding renewal was part of a mass, and we had one whole platform for our group for the baptism. In other words, it was a very well organized pilgrimage, we visited every site that is very important to our Catholic faith, from the announcement of the birth of our Lord, the Baptism of our Lord, His first Miracle at Cana, His ministries, His Transfiguration, His Death and Resurrection, His Ascension,and His meeting with St. Peter after His resurrection. That is a "true Journey of Faith." The trip to the Holy Land with Collette, on the other hand, is just a regular tour, highlighting the Roman ruins. I think it can even be categorized as "deceptive advertisement" because Collette did not deliver what is listed in the itinerary. Had we known that the tour would only have one mass in the back yard of a church with the arabic prayer blasting through a loudspeaker, many of us would not have joined the tour. Had we known that there were only a few holy sites to be visited during the tour, many of us would not join the tour. I am very disappointed with Collette Holy Land Tour. In all fairness, I have to say that I was satisfied with my previous tours with Collette: Pilgrimage to Lourdes, and trip to Macchu Piccu. But this last trip with Collete really disappointing. Some friends asked me about my trip to the Holy Land with Collette. I responded honestly: TERRIBLE!!!

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Discover Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're very sorry to hear about the issues you experienced on tour. Your feedback is being reviewed by Guest Relations.

Collette Support

10/04/2019

Did not get what I paid for.

Service

Better scheduling, newer tour bus, and top notch tour guide.
Tour

Jerusalem and western wall.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Discover Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're very sorry to hear about the issues you experienced on tour. Your feedback will be reviewed by Guest Relations.

Collette Support

10/04/2019

Service

There was a lot of bus traveling time spent driving around Jordan. There were 2, 4 hour rides. Seems to me that could be better planned. When we got to Jordan 3 of the people we thought were going to join us were told they would be driven around without a tour guide. They fought that and were allowed to join our group. The bus there to pick us up was so small it could not accommodate all of the luggage so several pieces were stacked at the back of the bus and if the driver stopped suddenly these pieces of luggage would have fallen and possibly injured someone. Also, this bus had a horrible cigarette smoke smell. Our guide called for a bigger bus which picked us up at the first stop. This bigger bus looked like it was resurrected from the bus graveyard. It was dirty, the window curtains were not all hanging evenly, the window trim was buckling and loose, the tray tables were full of debris and the ash trays were filled with garbage. The bus driver smoked inside and when I got sick the last two days I finally asked the tour guide to ask the driver not to smoke inside the bus. We found out there is a major airport in Amman, Jordan. We could have flown out from there which would have saved us traveling time back to Tel Aviv.
Tour

The most memorable was the Jordan River, re-baptism and the Sea of Galille.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Discover Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're very sorry to hear about the issues you experienced on tour. Your feedback will be reviewed by Guest Relations.

Collette Support

10/03/2019

Service

Having travel with Collette four other times, I was surprise buy some of the things that happened. Our tour guide was well informed but I did not get a welcoming feeling from him. I took it as being a cultural thing and ignore what seem rudeness at times. We were responsible for getting our luggage to the bus and to our rooms throughout the entire trip. I felt rushed on daily basis, more so than on other tours. We did have some other issues during the trip. I feel that this was not representative of what I know of Collette and its service.
Tour

This was my first trip to the Holy Land and had a wonderful experience. I just wished that at some sites I could have spent a little more time to really absorb the experience. This tour was very special and emotional for me as a Catholic.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Discover Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're very sorry for the issues you experienced on tour. Your feedback is being reviewed by Guest Relations.

Collette Support

10/03/2019

Issues were handled well.

Service

Service was good, issues were handled promptly and efficiently.
Tour

The pace was very fast and not all hotels were at the same level.

10/03/2019

Did not get what I paid for.

Service

The tour as explained to us during the presentation to purchase was not what I received during the tour. I am a Catholic and were provided a non Catholic tour of the Holy land.
Tour

I was excited to see Holy land so the entire place was a favorite and Jordan was a plus. My Jordan experience was excellent!

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Discover Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're very sorry for the issues you experienced on tour. Your feedback is being reviewed by Guest Relations.

Collette Support

10/03/2019

Service

The Tour Manager for this trip, though having enough knowledge about history, lacks the understanding of the Catholic perspective. I specifically joined the tour with the intention of enhancing my faith but this never happened. There were some items described in the brochure that never materialized. For example, we were supposed to have Mass at the Holy Sepulcher Church but instead the Mass was in an outdoor area which to my personal opinion was not even up to par. We had to set up our own chairs with bugs flying around. We didn't even have the opportunity to have Mass inside the church. Other groups from Collette were able to have Mass at the Holy Sepulcher Church but not our group. The Tour Manager changed the schedule and missed some of the highlights presented in the brochure. This was my first tour with Collette and I was so disappointed. My experience left an unfavorable impression. Others who have traveled with Collette expressed that this was the worst they have experienced. The other low point was that on the last day, we had to wait for almost 8 hours before being taken to the airport. Collette could have given us several options like leaving for the airport early, or scheduling other tour/activity. Many of us stayed at the hotel ' s lounging area. Our luggage was placed in one corner and not stored in a secure place. They were just out there for all to see. We looked like "homeless" folks parking all over the lounging area. The sight was not pleasant at all - some were sleeping while sitting.
Tour

Comments were provided in previous page.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Discover Israel: A Journey of Faith tour. We're very sorry for the issues you experienced on tour. Your feedback is being reviewed by Guest Relations.

Collette Support

05/02/2019

Service

They were very knowledgeable and helpful.
Tour

- Our tour guide Halil was amazing. His knowledge regarding the Holy Lands was a major reason for our trip's success. - The one issue I have with our Holy Land Tour as well as our northern lights tour last February in Iceland was the quality of our Hotels. With the exception of our two hotels in Jordan and our Iceland hotel near Vik, the Centre hotel in Reykjavik and the two hotels in Israel were disappointing.

04/18/2019

Service

Information about the trip was very slow getting to us.
Tour

Tour was great. Your manager made it so.

04/18/2019

Our guide for Israel was beyond excellent. He was the very best!

Service

Our trip to Israel was very informative and beautiful. We stuffed a lot sites into our tour, but they were all so meaningful. I believe most of the credit goes to the tour guide that Collette chose to lead our group. He was beyond excellent.
Tour

My most memorable site was the tomb.

04/18/2019

Very well organized - Covered all the sites I wanted to see

Service

I would recommend Collette to my friends. Customer Service in the US was excellent. They returned my calls and replied to my emails very promptly and gave me accurate information. Nothing was missed, all my requirements were fulfilled.
Tour

It was intense but doable. It needs to be intense if you want to cover all the important places but you always have the option to wait for the group in the bus if you are tired. I don’t recommend to stay in the bus, of course. The Tour Manager, Raed Makhouli, deserves five stars. Very knowledgeable and very accommodating.

04/06/2019

Service

Hotel choice very poor
Tour

Had to deal with luggage. No whispers inJordan!!! Hard to keep up with what was being said. Too many buffets... no opportunities to select meal

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Israel. Your feedback will be reviewed by the Product Design Team in order to enhance the overall touring experience for our guests.

Collette Support

04/04/2019

Difficult start but trip was a great adventure!

Service

We had a difficult time communicating with our initial representatives. We were organizing from our end and had several problems. Many of us didn't receive emails until right before the trip. One of our members didn't even get a packet until the week before the trip because they had his name and info wrong. We were confused through most of the planning because of communication. The guy who came out to talk with us initially and showed us a video would never return calls. We were put together with 3 other groups and ended up with 42 in our group. It was too many people. I appreciated getting to see MANY sites but we were continually pressured to rush through meals and the touring. It was tiring as there was a lot of walking and much of it uphill or up stairs and very crowded as there were thousands of visitors. HOWEVER, the tour guide and bus driver were WONDERFUL. Loved visiting the spots. The tour guide was great keeping us organized and was very knowledgeable. Bus driver amazed me how well he could get through small spaces. Lots of food so never hungry. Overall, trip was a wonderful adventure and very happy I made it to see places where Jesus was at.
Tour

I have several memorable experiences. The most memorable I would say is Jesus' tomb.

04/01/2019

Service

Wonderful service from start to finish!
Tour

Always prompt, and always kept us moving.

03/30/2019

Service

Tour to Israel "A Journey of Faith" and excursion to Jordan were outstanding. Great itineraries, tour guides and food.
Tour

Fast paced but a thorough itinerary that did not miss any key sites. Trip of a lifetime.

03/23/2019

Always the Best

Service

The Collette team is always on top of the need and responsive to every request.
Tour

Covered every desired sight.

03/21/2019

Well organized, informative, all the people were kind and friendly

Service

Great trip- organized and informative. Everyone served with kindness and smiles. No disappointment ! Would use your services again
Tour

The whole tour was very memorable. Great experience!

03/21/2019

Perfect experience

Service

Everything was perfect. Bus, tour guide was phenomenal, hotels were great. Was all in all a great trip. Would highly recommend Collette to everyone.
Tour

Great bus, bus driver, tour guide was so knowledgeable and fun and kept things right on pace The Dead Sea was a great experience.

03/20/2019

Service

This was our seventh trip with Collette. We travel with a retiree group and a church group and the vendor, Collette, was chosen by the group leader. Overall, pretty good service. Collette could have better hotels in some places.
Tour

Fast-paced tour. Lots of places with much history. Our tour managers were very knowledgeable and accommodating.

03/18/2019

Hotels and Food Options Were Extremely Disappointing

Service

First of all I would like to say that the tour guides and bus drivers for both Israel and the Jordan extension were phenomenal! My husband and I could not have been more pleased with that part of our experience. The hotels and dining for the Israel part of the trip, however, were where we were extremely disappointed. The Leonardo chain of hotels were not as clean or accommodating as we would normally expect on a trip of this size and cost. Just one example is that we had a cup of milk that sat in our hotel room for 3 days. Same with the used wine glasses. Regarding meals, most of our trip was made up of hotel buffets. These were unorganized and had the same food choices each morning and night. Lunches were also lackluster. I know part of this is the logistics of feeding a group of 41, but even then it was disappointing. After hearing several friends rave about the food in Israel, we were left only knowing 3 dishes of the country and they were the fast food versions. If we had only been there a few days I could understand, but we were there for 10 days and ate the same thing at each meal. Food is an important part of the culture. Especially in Israel where you have so many cultures combining. I feel like we missed out on that. The Jordan extension somewhat made up for this. The food was delicious and had some variety. The hotels were also much nicer and always clean and accommodating. No complaints for that part of the trip.
Tour

Lackluster meals and accommodations. Not worth the price. Tour guides and bus drivers were the best part of the experience. They were friendly and knowledgeable. Petra and Jordan will always hold a special place in our memories!

03/16/2019

Service

Accommodations were poor. Meals in hotels were poor & boring. Itinerary in Jordan was not as advertised.
Tour

Israel was too crowded. Enjoyed the boat ride on Sea of Galilee mostly because we were able to get away from the crowds. Would like to have seen more in the towns we went to.

03/16/2019

Service

Guide had book earning, but no passion for his topic. He was Muslim (no problem), but stated that he did not practice his faith. Guide stated that there were no real conflicts in the area, just "firecrackers" being shared.
Tour

Hotels were not up to par for Collette

03/16/2019

Service

Beth was an expert in solving airfare and transportation issues. And she helped us join this group late with no hitches. Would use Collette again.
Tour

The hotels were not as expected, and the food at 2nd and 3rd hotels was not good. Same food for multiple days and seemed like cheapest food they could serve. And service during meals was non-existent - had to find our own silverware and coffee and even clean off tables because no one cleaned the tables between groups coming in. Terrible service in restaurant. No staff ever smiled either.

03/16/2019

Service

Had to ride bus to and from Atlanta. Some in group who upgraded airfare flew to Atlanta.
Tour

Hotels and meals (except one night in Tel Aviv) were poor. Service was poor. We had to take our own luggage to rooms. Food in Hotel and for lunches directed by your manager were poor. Taste was awful and no variety.

03/16/2019

Service

Doug and Sandra very very well versed on all phases of the trip leaving little concern.
Tour

Garden of Gethsemene and tomb of Christ receiving communion

03/10/2019

Great trip of the Holy Land

Service

Excellent tour guide in Israel and very nice accommodations throughout the trip. Had a great time and saw a lot!! In Jordan as well.
Tour

Great trip you see so much more when you go with a group.

03/09/2019

Disappointed.

Service

This trip was very disappointing to myself and my family because of the tour director. I unfortunately had an accident the very first day of our guided tour and made the choice to stay because we travelled with my husbands parents and did not want to leave them on their own. The tour guide made it known that I was an inconvenience and should have gone home after my accident. He had no compassion or empathy toward the situation, never one time checked on me or my husband and offered no assistance to us whatsoever. I have taken several trips with Collette as a group leader, bringing customers from our bank. Each and every one of those trips met or exceeded our expectations in every aspect. I am extremely disappointed that such an uncaring individual was leading such an important tour. If the other travelers were honest in their surveys, you will see that he did not meet their expectations either.
Tour

The tour mananger can make such a difference on any tour and this one was terrible. The only redeeming part of being on a bus tour is the running commentary, facts and history that you learn from your tour manager during the drive. This one did not offer any information during the drive so I am going to say that the majority of the guests on this trip got home with photo albums full of unidentifiable pictures! We had no idea what we were seeing or photographing during the drive, because he did not offer that information. He only gave information at our scheduled stops regarding the sites on our schedule.

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Israel. Please accept our sincere apology for the performance of your tour guide. It is paramount that our guests trust tour guides to be knowledgeable, caring and organized. I understand that you have spoken to a member of the Guest Relations Team regarding this feedback. Your additional comments will be reviewed by your tour guide's Team Leader in order to improve the overall touring experience for our guests.

Collette Support

03/09/2019

Service

This was a trip of a lifetime. . . it had been on my "bucket list" for a long time. Our tour guide, Mickey, was excellent! Couldn't have asked for better people & places. . . very knowledgeable, personable, and thorough! Definitely felt like we received our money's worth.
Tour

Great trip . . . many memorable experiences . . . too numerous to expound upon . . . definitely felt like it was well worth the price. Thanks!

03/09/2019

Don't need a visa to go into Jordan

Service

I would have rated it a higher mark but because they told me I had to purchase a visa to go into to Jordan from IsraelI found out after spending a 180$ to get one did not need it. They said I could get one for 50$ there but it had to be new bills and could not be torn. My bank could not guarantee they could get me those kind of bills so paid an exorbabrant amount for one.
Tour

Enjoyed singing Christmas hymns in the Rotunda at Shepards Field.

02/13/2019

Very Good

Service

Took good care of us. wish we could have had more time at the Dead Sea.
Tour

Good experience. I learned a lot.

01/18/2019

Can’t imagine anything could be worse— numerous reasons

Service

Horrible flight plans caused the trip to be very difficult. Group signed up for 2.5 years due to inability to fly because of weather event. Not able to make the trip for 8 months after the original delay. In that amt of time you would think customer service would have worked to make our trip as comfortable as possible. That does not include multiple layovers some for 6 to 8 hours. I just can’t imagine an experience that could be more lacking of concern for its clients.
Tour

Arriving home after nearly 24 hour trip —one-way.

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Israel and for providing us with this feedback. Due to flight cancellations and the potential to miss multiple days of the tour, we moved your group to tour Israel from March to October 2018. Your comments on the air schedule will be reviewed by the Air department.

Collette Support

01/04/2019

Service

LOVED our tour guide and driver. If I ever return to Israel I would want to go with them. However, the group was way too large. The flights were not planned well, too long of layovers in some places and not enough in some. We missed our first connection on the way back. I was not seated by the person I requested specifically to be seated by. Most of the hotels were not very nice for the amount of money I paid for the trip.
Tour

LOVED my tour guide and driver. Khalil was super knowledgeable and friendly.

12/01/2018

Excellent

Service

Everything was arranged so we had no stress, just a very enjoyable visit
Tour

Being in the places I’ve read and studied about in the Bible.

06/17/2018

Service

Our tour guide was especially good. The trip was planned so that we saw so many things, more than we even expected. The hotels we stayed in were so very nice.
Tour

See my comments above. We can't pick a favorite experience. We were overwhelmed with all that we saw.

05/12/2018

Service

Love the app and the professionalism of the tour. Great experience.
Tour

Perfectly executed tour by a highly recommended tour guide.

05/12/2018

It was a trip I will never forget

Service

I like the fact they pick you up and bring you home. I like the gifts that came with the package. I like meals being included and gratitude. It was a great trip and loved getting the seats I wanted on the plane
Tour

It was all great and the your guide was wonderful

05/12/2018

Service

They took care of our airline reservations since one of our flights was cancelled and we were flying directly from Toronto. Hassib worked very hard with Collette and was able to get us on Air Canada. I would recommend Collette to any of my friends. We were always satisfied with them.
Tour

I know we got a lot to see but all in all it was exhausting. Up at 5:30, breakfast at 6:30 and on the bus at 7:30. Touring until at least 5 or later. Not much time to take pictures. Had to keep moving. Tremendous amount of people touring. All in all the trip itself was a lifetime of memories. Someplace I always wanted to visit and at age almost 77 was strenuous but worthwhile. I think the trip could be a few days longer but with a little more time to relax. Our tour guide was excellent and knowledge and very concerned about his travelers. I think his name was Ajab or sometime like that. We could call him Eddie. We did get to see everything we wanted and wish we did the tour a few yerars back when we were younger. Hotel food was excellent and plentiful.

11/04/2017

Service

The tour was well organized, maybe to organized. Wakeup at 05:30 and back at the Hotel 18:30. Pretty long schedule for 75 years old. There was not much time for R&R. We found our guide very good and well informed. We always wanted to see Isriel. High on our bucket list and very happy we were able to see the Holy Land. We would not repeat the trip since we have now been there. We have too many other places to see. Jim and Karen Carter
Tour

A place in the world we always wanted to visit.

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