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#936619 by CommanderB
13 Jul 2017, 10:54
So, I am on the cusp of actually booking a holiday rather than business travel (first time in about 8 years!).

I think i've settled on Antigua. Blue Waters, if anyone has an experience with that resort... I know we have some ANU heads here!

Now, i'd prefer to book VS direct and the Hotel through whatever route is cheapest (VH have a good deal on the hotel I want). Thats my normal approach.

But, I found out that you can only get the 10% discount on a VH booking if its a package, NOT hotel only.

So heres the dilemma...

Should I book with VH (UC & hotel) and gain the 10% off due to being VS Gold?
Or do I book separately?
Does anyone have any experience of getting VH to book into I class rather than Z?
If you succeed in booking I class via VH, do you still get the CDC? (I read somewhere a while back that you didn't?)
Are VH 'Private Transfers' the same as having a CDC assuming you booked Z and added the transfer as an extra?
I am assuming I can assign seats just as we can when flights get booked through travel agents normally?

Any other thoughts/experiences related to VH or Antigua in general would be appreciated :D
#936620 by SlimpyJones
13 Jul 2017, 11:59
Hey,

I've done a couple of bookings through VH, so I'll try to answer some :)

Are VH 'Private Transfers' the same as having a CDC assuming you booked Z and added the transfer as an extra?


Half way there. They are private transfers between the airport and your holiday hotel, as opposed to a shared ride. There's no private transfer between your home and the airports.

I am assuming I can assign seats just as we can when flights get booked through travel agents normally?


Yep :) You can access the booking and assign seats pretty much straight away.

Should I book with VH (UC & hotel) and gain the 10% off due to being VS Gold?
Or do I book separately?


Hard to say without info on the costs, but would the saving of booking the package, plus 10% off (bearing in mind it's not a flat 10%, there are some things excluded like taxes etc) cover the costs of the home<->airport? If so, I'd say go for it and book the package deal.

I'm afraid I have no idea about booking into I class, though given they are very close-knit companies I imagine you could call them up and ask about it.
#936622 by CommanderB
13 Jul 2017, 12:20
SlimpyJones wrote:Half way there. They are private transfers between the airport and your holiday hotel, as opposed to a shared ride. There's no private transfer between your home and the airports.


Yeah, I figured that. Explains why they are so cheap (£20!)

Yep :) You can access the booking and assign seats pretty much straight away.


Excellent! Thought as much.

Hard to say without info on the costs, but would the saving of booking the package, plus 10% off (bearing in mind it's not a flat 10%, there are some things excluded like taxes etc) cover the costs of the home<->airport? If so, I'd say go for it and book the package deal.


I think it would...

I'm afraid I have no idea about booking into I class, though given they are very close-knit companies I imagine you could call them up and ask about it.


Yeah, I had a quick call with one lovely VH lady already. (Will be calling back). She understood what I class was but didn't seem to have the ability to book instantly. I think it may require a phone call between the two companies, so when I get round to it i'll find that out and report back. Ultimately, I want I or D bucket, none of this Z malarkey! ;-)

Thanks for the input SlimpyJones :cool:
#936623 by SlimpyJones
13 Jul 2017, 12:22
You're very welcome! In the past whenever I've asked about upgrade prices for the flights they've usually had to ask someone from Virgin Atlantic for a price before coming back to me about it!

And yep - go for the I or D if you can, 200 TPs each way :D
#936626 by Traveller2
13 Jul 2017, 14:12
I haven't been to Blue Waters myself but have friends who have stayed there and loved it. They are VERY fussy! They stayed in one of the Gauguin cottages (I believe that is the" lowes"t form of accommodation there) and it had it's own plunge pool. If you upgrade to seafront accommodation, there is no plunge pool. I know what I'd rather have.

I did a catamaran trip recently in Antigua and we sailed past Blue Waters, mooring at a nearby beach. It was called Deep Bay (I think) and it was beautiful and almost deserted.
#936627 by HWVlover
13 Jul 2017, 14:47
Traveller2 wrote:I haven't been to Blue Waters myself but have friends who have stayed there and loved it. They are VERY fussy! They stayed in one of the Gauguin cottages (I believe that is the" lowes"t form of accommodation there) and it had it's own plunge pool. If you upgrade to seafront accommodation, there is no plunge pool. I know what I'd rather have.

I did a catamaran trip recently in Antigua and we sailed past Blue Waters, mooring at a nearby beach. It was called Deep Bay (I think) and it was beautiful and almost deserted.


Correct me if I am wrong but aren't those cottages at Galley Bay rather than Blue Waters?
#936628 by shaneg17
13 Jul 2017, 14:54
You could try Net Flights - they hammered VH on my upcoming trip to NYC on a like for like basis (flight & hotel)

I'm a peasant and have Z UC but I never asked if they have ability to do anything else. Worth a shot perhaps...
#936630 by Shirley Heights
13 Jul 2017, 16:45
HWVlover wrote:
Traveller2 wrote:I haven't been to Blue Waters myself but have friends who have stayed there and loved it. They are VERY fussy! They stayed in one of the Gauguin cottages (I believe that is the" lowes"t form of accommodation there) and it had it's own plunge pool. If you upgrade to seafront accommodation, there is no plunge pool. I know what I'd rather have.

I did a catamaran trip recently in Antigua and we sailed past Blue Waters, mooring at a nearby beach. It was called Deep Bay (I think) and it was beautiful and almost deserted.


Correct me if I am wrong but aren't those cottages at Galley Bay rather than Blue Waters?


You are correct, the Gauguin Cottages are at Galley Bay.
#936632 by Shirley Heights
13 Jul 2017, 17:07
Traveller2 wrote:I haven't been to Blue Waters myself but have friends who have stayed there and loved it. They are VERY fussy! They stayed in one of the Gauguin cottages (I believe that is the" lowes"t form of accommodation there) and it had it's own plunge pool. If you upgrade to seafront accommodation, there is no plunge pool. I know what I'd rather have.

I did a catamaran trip recently in Antigua and we sailed past Blue Waters, mooring at a nearby beach. It was called Deep Bay (I think) and it was beautiful and almost deserted.


No disrespect to your friends, but if they are that fussy, I'm surprised they stayed at Galley Bay. IMO, Blue Waters is a far superior property and resort.
#936634 by Shirley Heights
13 Jul 2017, 18:16
Traveller2 wrote:Whoops...I have got my hotels muddled up! However, my friends have stayed at both Blue Waters and Galley Bay...loved GB but had a very disappointing holiday at Blue Waters.


Traveller2, good of you to come back and clarify.

Unfortunately hotel recommendations can be very subjective. At least your friends have tried both and now know which one they prefer.
#936645 by MoJoJo
14 Jul 2017, 09:58
CommanderB wrote:
SlimpyJones wrote:Half way there. They are private transfers between the airport and your holiday hotel, as opposed to a shared ride. There's no private transfer between your home and the airports.


Yeah, I figured that. Explains why they are so cheap (£20!)

Yep :) You can access the booking and assign seats pretty much straight away.


Excellent! Thought as much.

Hard to say without info on the costs, but would the saving of booking the package, plus 10% off (bearing in mind it's not a flat 10%, there are some things excluded like taxes etc) cover the costs of the home<->airport? If so, I'd say go for it and book the package deal.


I think it would...

I'm afraid I have no idea about booking into I class, though given they are very close-knit companies I imagine you could call them up and ask about it.


Yeah, I had a quick call with one lovely VH lady already. (Will be calling back). She understood what I class was but didn't seem to have the ability to book instantly. I think it may require a phone call between the two companies, so when I get round to it i'll find that out and report back. Ultimately, I want I or D bucket, none of this Z malarkey! ;-)

Thanks for the input SlimpyJones :cool:


I've successfully got I fare codes with VH before. Once without asking and another time by asking although it took a while for the VH aviation team to provide it at a decent cost as their first quote was way over booking I with VS
#936648 by CommanderB
14 Jul 2017, 10:14
MoJoJo wrote:
I've successfully got I fare codes with VH before. Once without asking and another time by asking although it took a while for the VH aviation team to provide it at a decent cost as their first quote was way over booking I with VS


Good to hear MoJoJo I will make sure to persist and get the same fare VS are offering!

There is conflicting info online on whether VH get the CDC or not. So need to find that out too.

sealink wrote:I'm amazed that you got any kind of deal with VH. I find their prices insane.


Yeah, I always thought this too. But looking at booking direct with the hotel, as well as on a dozen different travel sites, VH are the cheapest for this property. I don't know why (and I don't really care either!)

Thanks for the input so far folks.
#936649 by MoJoJo
14 Jul 2017, 10:49
CommanderB wrote:
MoJoJo wrote:
I've successfully got I fare codes with VH before. Once without asking and another time by asking although it took a while for the VH aviation team to provide it at a decent cost as their first quote was way over booking I with VS


Good to hear MoJoJo I will make sure to persist and get the same fare VS are offering!

There is conflicting info online on whether VH get the CDC or not. So need to find that out too.

sealink wrote:I'm amazed that you got any kind of deal with VH. I find their prices insane.


Yeah, I always thought this too. But looking at booking direct with the hotel, as well as on a dozen different travel sites, VH are the cheapest for this property. I don't know why (and I don't really care either!)

Thanks for the input so far folks.


Car is included on an I booked with VH. I've used it!
#936893 by CommanderB
27 Jul 2017, 10:04
Just thought i'd come back to close this out.

Booked with VH, all very easy. Lovely lady dealt with all of my stupid little requests that come from being a frequent flier! Got the 10% off for being VS gold too which was a nice sweetener.

Booked in I class on both outbound and inbound. This required her booking in Z originally, then calling the flight team and changing them to I. Easy enough process, I just needed to be on the line for it to happen. It was ticketed overnight and I was able to select seats this morning. Someone snagged 1A (Damn!) but I managed 4A instead.

Booked CDC with no problems either.

Currently showing as a refurbished 1-1-1 A330 too as a bonus. Inbound looks very busy with J4 C4 D4 I4 W1 Y1.

Quite excited for the trip now :D
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