Scandinavia Travel Agents & Reviews

We have been traveling using Zicasso on more than half a dozen trips, and Iceland exceeded all our expectations. It is an extraordinary place with an incredible culture. The country boasts amazing natural beauty and the food scene is diverse. The entire experience was unique.

The travel company hired a private guide who was beyond amazing. We experienced the country from a local and tourist perspective, enjoying some of the traditional sites, along with several local spots.

We enjoyed our trip, but there wasn't much luxury. When I think about luxury vacation planning, I expect quiet, clean hotel rooms, smaller, more personal tour groups, and everything to be taken care of.

We stayed in four hotels and were disappointed with a few of them. The first room was quite small and the hotel did not have any amenities. Another had broken WiFi. They suggested we use the spa, but both saunas were broken, so it was just a hot tub in the basement. There were no towels and the spa changing/locker area was under construction, so it was not usable. Another of our hotels had mold in the bathroom and again, the hotel offered no amenities, so it was not exactly a luxury experience.

We did enjoy the tours our travel agent booked for us, but they were all just standard tour company group tours that we could have booked ourselves. A quick Google search brings up the tours we took and our itinerary was very generic in the suggestions that were made to us, so not a lot of local knowledge or effort was put into arrangements. In fact, some of our favorite stops along the way were things we found through our own research.

We were disappointed to find our travel agent did not help to make restaurant reservations. We missed out on a highly recommended lunch reservation because it was fully booked by the time we were provided our itinerary and told we would have to make reservations ourselves. It was very disappointing as we started the planning process over nine months before the trip, so they should have had plenty of time to make reservations for anything we wanted to do.

Overall, we enjoyed the trip, but it was not luxurious.

Comments:

1) I really appreciate how fast you guys responded to issues that came up, and they were corrected quite quickly.

2) All of the guides that we had were excellent and really knowledgeable, especially the climbing guides.

3) The areas that we visited were quite good and I enjoyed the food in almost every place we went to.

Some Negatives:

1) I asked some very specific questions regarding gear prior to leaving the States. Had I listened to your colleagues and not brought equipment, I'm not sure we would have been able to do some of the things that were scheduled. I know that the mountaineering boots were the main one and, in your defense, yes, you can use crampons with hiking boots, but it's quite uncomfortable and one of the guests that did use them did struggle a bit with the hike. 

Also, when we were doing the glacier hike in Valldal, our guide did not have mountaineering boots, so had we not brought our own, that hike would not have happened either. He indicated to us that their service does not provide those and that our travel company was informed of that. I realize a lot of people don't understand the difference between hiking boots, mountaineering boots, and how crampons adapt to those, but that is an important factor when it comes to mountaineering. 

So all in all, I would recommend understanding the gear list prior to providing that to your guests. I also did ask to see if our travel agency asked about the gear list prior to these hikes and it is my understanding that this did not happen, which is quite disappointing for the total cost I spent on this trip. They informed me when I showed them that this was a standard list you guys use, which was quite evident when I compared the gear list they provide on the Svalbard cabin hike.

2) In regards to Svalbard, I had requested stopping at Pyramiden on the way to or back from the cabin. When we spoke via email, that was a big part of going to the cabin and the glacier, as well as part of the cost, which was my understanding as to why you selected it. Also, with that said, when you look at your itinerary, it says at the bottom that we would visit Pyramiden. This did not happen and when I asked the guides about it, they indicated it was not part of the tour. Could you please explain why this did not happen and what recourse I have?

Our experience with Tamara was outstanding. I'm not exaggerating when I say we couldn't have done the trip without her. The day before we arrived, Norway experienced a huge storm that derailed a train that was necessary for our itinerary (The train from Oslo to Myrdal, on our way to Flam). Tamara worked incredibly hard to get us a private driver for a portion of that train ride. She stayed in contact with us via WhatsApp throughout our stay and managed several last-minute meal and itinerary changes.

We are from the US (California), and if we had worked with a US travel agency, it would have been a disaster. No US agent would have been available throughout the daytime (the nine-hour time difference) or known the local resources so well.

In addition, Tamara arranged several private walking guides who were delightfully friendly and had extensive knowledge of Oslo and Bergen. We had an adventurous and educational family trip (two adults, two teens) exploring Oslo, Flam, and Bergen. Tamara's extraordinary service made it all possible.

Overall, we enjoyed our trip to Iceland. It was a well-put-together itinerary by our travel agency and we were able to explore most of the highlights. Most of our experiences were group tours and the companies used for each tour did a great job.

My critique of the travel agency regards communication during the trip. Once we arrived, there was no email, phone call, or text message to ask how the trip was going or if we needed anything. It would have been nice for them to check in with us. 

Also, during the trip I did reach out once to them to inquire about changing a tour due to the weather. The person I spoke with directed me to call the tour company myself as it didn't make sense to have them call and have to relay information between the travel company and the tour company. I did find that a bit interesting as the travel company was the one which planned everything. From my experience and having used Zicasso five times now, that is usually the travel company's job.

I still went ahead and ranked them four stars as we enjoyed our trip and just about everything worked out.

From beginning to end, our trip was seamless, perfectly planned with zero hiccups. We absolutely loved being connected to two travel agents and comparing plans. This was our first time traveling to Europe, so we were a little nervous about navigating and planning.

Our travel company did an absolutely phenomenal job with each small detail. We felt like VIPs the entire time. Our drivers would magically appear 10 minutes prior to their scheduled arrival and all our train and tour tickets were purchased in advance. We loved skipping lines with our private tour guides and really getting an insider's view of the places we stayed. Speaking of, each hotel our travel agent selected for us was exceptional, especially the one in Praiano. It was the best hotel we have ever stayed at.

We also loved the way she mapped out our trip to end close to the airport and saved one of the highlights for last, our boat ride to Capri. She even helped us get reservations at a restaurant we wanted to visit, but couldn’t book online.

All in all, I would 10 000% recommend our travel agency. She took all the stress and headaches out of planning a trip abroad. We are forever grateful for the unique experience we had for our babymoon. Thank you!

We just finished our trip to Iceland. From the very beginning, Adi from the travel agency was attentive to my ideas for our itinerary, while adding valuable insight into additional activities that would help to make a memorable experience.

We experienced it all. Snorkeling the fissure (with the best company. We didn't wear dry suits and were in the water the longest – I was hesitant, but I didn't need to be), walking the glacier, ATV riding (in some of the most beautiful areas), horseback riding, descending into a dormant volcano, and so much more. Small hikes, warm baths, and film sets rounded off the trip. 

I would be remiss if I didn't add that we had a great guide. He made sure everything ran smoothly. When the weather caused whale watching to be canceled, he immediately went into plan B mode. He was easygoing and made sure we were where we needed to be when we needed to be there. He was friendly and answered all our questions. When our son was stuck in Iceland after our trip ended, he reached out to see if he could help. As a side note, we were promptly refunded for the whale watching which was canceled.

This is a top-notch company. I will use them again when we come back for the Northern Lights. I highly recommend them.

This was an excellent company to work with. We would recommend it to all. However, I want to preface this review by stating that this trip was planned back in January 2020, prior to the challenges posed by the global health situation, and that this trip was postponed three consecutive times, extending over three years. Our original travel planner left the company and a new one was assigned to carry this trip to completion. She did a great job. 

The goal of our trip was based on cultural aspects and engaging with the people of the countries we visited. Despite the setbacks, this was a good trip. Of course, there were several instances beyond everyone’s control that caused it to be less than stellar. Weather conditions and pollution were significant issues. We didn't see the sun for 30+ days. Additionally, changes due to the global health situation impacted the trip significantly. 

However, the explanation of events and the proposed itinerary were far more glorious. It wasn't bad, but it was different. However, all in all, it was a great trip nonetheless. Yes, we would recommend it to all.