CIE Tours

An Irish-rooted operator of guided vacations

CIE Tours runs guided vacations in Europe, priced on its US site in US dollars. Its destination menu covers Ireland, Scotland, England & Wales, Italy, Iceland, and Spain & Portugal, plus multi-destination trips. The homepage offers a choice of "30+ Guided Tours or a Custom Private Driver Vacation", and the tours are led by what the site calls "expert local tour directors". The about page says the company was founded in 1932 and "first opened its doors in Ireland", and its timeline adds a New York office, a later move to Morristown, New Jersey, and the addition of Iceland and Italy. The careers page says it has offices in New Jersey, Dublin and London, and describes the company as having "for more than 90 years" delivered vacations to Ireland, Great Britain, Italy and Iceland. Spain arrived later: a June 2024 press release announced four new itineraries for 2025, "including first-ever tours in Spain".

The about page roots the brand in "our signature Irish hospitality, the genuine warmth of our guides, and a talent for fostering lasting friendships on the road". On reviews, the homepage shows 4.6/5 stars from 9875 customer reviews, a company figure.

Tours and travel styles

The homepage groups its travel styles as guided tours "with our friendly tour guides and luxury coaches", walking and hiking tours, group travel for friends and family, and private driver vacations "complete with an expert guide and your own private car". The FAQ index adds self-drive holidays and Independent Adventures, and the press releases mention Daytripper itineraries built around staying in one base, such as a six-day Scotland trip that lets travelers "unpack once".

The new guided tours on the homepage, with prices "per person based on double occupancy":

• Classic Journey - Italian Lakes to Rome, 10 days, rated 5.0, from $4,095, running from Milan to Lake Como and Lake Garda, then Verona, Valpolicella and Venice.
• Grand Tour - Italian Lakes to Amalfi Coast, 13 days, rated 5.0, from $5,245, starting in Milan and the northern lakes and traveling through Venice.
• Northern Spain & Portugal, 11 or 12 days, from $3,995, from Madrid to Lisbon with stops in Rioja and San Sebastián.
• Ireland Walking & Hiking: Cork to Kerry, 9 days, rated 5.0, from $5,495.
• Ireland Walking & Hiking: The Northern Coast, 9 days, from $5,295.

The walking tours run "in a small group of no more than 16 guests", according to the homepage. Destination panels name other trips and highlights, including Scottish Isles & Glens for Scotland's islands, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo among the Scotland highlights, and an English Odyssey that circles England past Oxford, Cambridge, the Lake District and Liverpool.

How the tours run and what is included

The pitch rests on what the company calls the CIE Tours Inclusive Advantage: "everything on your itinerary is included in one up-front price, including sightseeing and many meals", and the homepage adds that it "includes every experience and most meals so you won't be hit with hidden expenses". The about page says the vacations balance set experiences "with plenty of down time" to explore alone. The company also runs annual Awards of Excellence for hotels and attractions that score highest with its guests, and says the winners feature in many itineraries; a 2024 press release describes the British awards as based on feedback from more than 12,000 visitors.

The FAQ is organized into topics rather than answers on its index page. Its sections cover group sizes, daily schedules, activity levels, coach amenities and the Tour Director; the types of hotels and meals, with tipping etiquette; booking air travel with CIE, airport transfers and check-in; packing, travel requirements and a CIE Tours Deluxe Travel Pack; and the different ways to travel. Individual questions listed there include whether the company offers room sharing for solo passengers, what a Private Driver Vacation is, and whether an Independent Adventure suits children. The FAQ index shows those questions but not the answers, so the group size of a standard coach tour, the meal count and the solo arrangements need to be read on the individual answers or tour pages.

Booking, offers and support

Tours can be booked online, and an account dashboard holds saved and in-progress bookings; the site notes that saved progress lasts 10 days and does not reserve space. The FAQ page also carries a notice about technical difficulties with online booking, directing customers to call 1-800-243-8687 or use online chat. Phone hours are listed as Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 8:00 pm ET. The booking FAQ topics mention adding airfare, travel protection and extra hotel nights before or after a tour, and travel agents have their own registration and booking portal.

The homepage lists a 2 for 1 Airfare Sale, Last Minute Deals, Repeat Guest Savings, a Private Driver Sale, group discounts and gift certificates. A press release adds savings of up to USD $1,000 per couple on all 2026 tours. The news page also covers the company's sustainability work, including signing the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism in 2024 and helping fund a GPS-collared cattle initiative in the Burren, and a Sustainability Action Fund for climate and community programs. Other releases announce Stephen Cotter's promotion to managing director in February 2024 and an eight-day Tuscany and Cinque Terre itinerary. The careers page adds that the US team was named one of New Jersey's Best Places to Work by NJBiz in 2025, and that the Dublin office has been recognized with Fáilte Ireland's Great Place to Work Employer Excellence Award.

What the site leaves open, and who it suits

The homepage and about page do not give a deposit amount, payment schedule or cancellation window; those sit in the terms and the booking FAQ. The FAQ names group size as a coach-tour topic, but neither it nor the tour listings on the homepage put a number on a coach group, while the walking tours carry the 16-guest cap. The review score is the company's own figure.

CIE Tours suits travelers who want a fully planned guided vacation in Ireland or Britain, where its history runs deepest, or in Italy, Iceland, Spain or Portugal, with most meals and sightseeing in one price. Walkers get a small-group option in Ireland, and couples or families who prefer their own pace can look at the private driver vacations.