virgin holidays

Hello back with one of my silly questions =P

I prefer to book holidays through VirginHolidays as complete package deals, rather than booking seperately from different sites, anyway to get to the point....

When i search virginholidays for MAN to New York it brings up a list of hotels of course...then when i search for LHR to NY for the same dates and same length of stay...it brings up quite a lot of different hotels, i dont understand why =\

Quite possibly one of the many quirks of the new VH system.

Personally, I found it inconsistent and very annoying (especially as it won't sort them in price order!).

I've found when looking at VH it's best to speak with a one of their travel agents. I've looked at hotels in the Caribbean before and the internet has only shown half the ones they have in the brochure - the TA simply said she wasn't sure but hears customers say it alot.

For NY, I would honestly look at booking seperately, it often works out so much cheaper, but I appreciate your preferences.

[mitchja]

As Luke has already mentioned, the VH website is very inconsistent.

You can search for the same holiday/same dates/same airports and it can still bring up different hotels each time.

When I asked this question, the answer I was given was that it's down to the search parameters and search time out settings of the website. It searches the fully availability for only a specific number of seconds, if in that time it's still not finished doing a full search, it will only bring up what's it's found even though there's likely more availability.

Yet more Virgin IT website issues. Go through a travel agent it's far easier.

Also as everything apart from Florida bookings are now on the newer VH booking platform, you also wont be able to view/manage your VH booking (although you should still be able to select your seats etc via the VS website; well eventually once you get your VS PNR)

VH have been promising 'a fantastic new system' (their words, not mine) for almost 12 months now but as yet it's not materialised!!

It's about time the whole Virgin VS/VH IT system was thrown in a skip and started again.

For NY, I would honestly look at booking seperately, it often works out so much cheaper, but I appreciate your preferences.

Tend to agree with Luke, a good spot check against VH and IMHO, if not booking direct with hotel one we tend to use is Trailfinders

NH

Personally i have gone away booking through an agency as i have found it cheaper booking different elements to my holiday i.e hotel and flight for example hotel to cuba from VH was £1900 with a different company £1300(guess which one i took). But again it comes down to time and preference.

Jurgen

VH are inconsistent.

I seearched for a hotel in Chicago and got nothing - other than the 'nearby' alternatives of New York, Washington and Boston !

Yet when I searched for a package there were lots of hotels to choose from.

thanks for all the replies =D ill have a bit of a shop around or just give them a ring directly

<3

In my experience - admittedly based on Caribbean/Dubai destinations, VH is not great value for money. Even with the 'special' 10% discounts they have offered me as an AU flying club member, I've invariably got better package deals from other travel agencies, while still retaining the VS flights. No significant downsides I've found to going that route either - unless free 'check in chill out' is a major consideration for you!

In my experience - admittedly based on Caribbean/Dubai destinations, VH is not great value for money. Even with the 'special' 10% discounts they have offered me as an AU flying club member, I've invariably got better package deals from other travel agencies, while still retaining the VS flights. No significant downsides I've found to going that route either - unless free 'check in chill out' is a major consideration for you!

The 10% discount is offered to all FC members (not just us AUs), and also to MBNA VS Amex Card holders and FVC members (and you don't get a further discount if you have all three).
Check in chill out is only available at selected hotels in the Caribbean and can, I believe, be purchased additionally for a nominal fee if not booked through VH.
ISTBC but VH used to do a price match for "identical" packages bought through another supplier.
DL

Ah DL... and there I was thinking that there was something special about being an AU. How naive I am sometimes ?|

I agree you can 'buy' the CICO serrvice at some of my regular caribbean haunts - it was actually free to anyone flying VS (even through other tour operators) until a couple of years ago, that is until the bean counters saw yet another chance to make a few bob.

But I'd be interested to know if anyone has managed to get them to do a price match... I can normally get a price that's about 10-15% cheaper from other holiday companies...

RC

[mitchja]

But I'd be interested to know if anyone has managed to get them to do a price match... I can normally get a price that's about 10-15% cheaper from other holiday companies...

They will price match but everything has to be absolutely 100% the same. The slightest difference in service or company providing a service and they worm themselves out of it.

No significant downsides I've found to going that route either - unless free 'check in chill out' is a major consideration for you!

Check in chill out is only available at selected hotels in the Caribbean and can, I believe, be purchased additionally for a nominal fee if not booked through VH.
DL

Charge for Check In and Chill Out, which is a VS provided service, is 5 US$.

As well as being free for VH passengers it is also free for VS UC passengers and AU card holders. y)

I have found this thread interesting. We have nearly always booked long haul trips with VH.

Today being a bit quiet at work I looked up a possible trip to San Franciso bect May and VH actually came out cheaper to others I was looking at.

Where do people get cheap deals from?