unbundling shock

:0 Just roughed out a trip in January in PE LGW to MCO for a couple of weeks and for the two of us VH quoted £3391 - and that is for crash pad standard accommodation along with the hire car, PE upgrade etc.

Unimpressed that I can unbundle this on travel supermarket for off the shelf PE flights (that cost little more than the VH upgrade price each way from economy) + Dollar hire car + same accom - for the same dates - for £800+ LESS v(

OK so we haven't checked out what the possibly lower price is via the FVC but it seems to me the package simply isn't good value at all. This now costs a grand more than it did a couple of years ago - from Virgin - but not if you do the simplest of work yourself.

[Neil]

I must say I have personally found VH very expensive when I have priced things up with them. I think the premium they add on for the PE upgrade isn't very competitive and plus all the supplements they add on really do bump the price up.

I much prefer to, and always find it cheaper to book my trips independently.

[Nottingham Nick]

I don't think it is much of a shock to find that DIY trips are a lot cheaper than packages.

Like Neil, I nearly always book the separate strands of my travel independently after shopping around. Whilst this does (generally) save a lot of money, there is a risk involved. The various threads around the time of the ash cloud showed the value of package trips. Delays and other unforeseen problems are also usually much easier (and cheaper) to overcome if you are on a package. You also have the ABTA security blanket.

Each to their own - the fact that so many High Street Travel Agents, have not only survived; but appear to be quite healthy in this day and age of the internet, show that there will be a big percentage of the public who want someone else to do the ringing around, booking and worrying for them. And, they are prepared to pay a handsome premium for the privilege. 8D


Nick

I've always found VH dear - especially on upgrades.

Having ABTA behind you with a package is good, but paying by credit cards and having schedules airline failure insurance covers things reasonably as well.

I worked out the itinery for our hols to Thailand next January and contacted Kuoni, Hayes and Jarvis, Destinology and VH for a direct price comparison. I also priced it all up myself (apart from the private transfers that we wanted).

The price varied by around £1500, with VH and Kuoni at the top end. H&J eventually coming in cheapest after I pulled out the loyalty card on them!

As we were stung a little by the ash cloud B) , we wanted ABTA / package behind us.

In the end, with sufficient bartering, we paid very little more for the package. Other benefits are that we did not have to pay for all the flights up front etc.

Certainly pays to shop around.

It is interesting to read all the posts regarding VH, I use them a lot and have found them to be either the cheapest or not far off and if you go into one of their agents in Debenhams, you can normally haggle a little too.

The Frequent card does get you 10% off and I guess that helps to even out the price.

The PE and UC upgrade costs are high, but I have found if you play around with the dates a little (a few days either side etc) you can sometimes find the price changes quite a bit.

I am off to Vegas on Monday with VH simply because the of the cost. The flight cost from VA was £909.20 pp return in economy, the holiday cost including clubhouse and accommodation from VH was £846.00 pp

It is interesting to read all the posts regarding VH, I use them a lot and have found them to be either the cheapest or not far off and if you go into one of their agents in Debenhams, you can normally haggle a little too.

The Frequent card does get you 10% off and I guess that helps to even out the price.

The PE and UC upgrade costs are high, but I have found if you play around with the dates a little (a few days either side etc) you can sometimes find the price changes quite a bit.

I am off to Vegas on Monday with VH simply because the of the cost. The flight cost from VA was £909.20 pp return in economy, the holiday cost including clubhouse and accommodation from VH was £846.00 pp

I have found that booking as early as you can with VH usually gives a lower price in line with the other tour operators and travel agents, also as you say flying on quieter days helps as well.

Each to their own - the fact that so many High Street Travel Agents, have not only survived; but appear to be quite healthy in this day and age of the internet, show that there will be a big percentage of the public who want someone else to do the ringing around, booking and worrying for them. And, they are prepared to pay a handsome premium for the privilege. 8D


Nick

Not always... travel agents have access to some fantastic wholesale rates on hotels - I know some of the mark ups on the likes of Expedia and Lastminute.com - eyewatering. So the travel websites onlinehave become a bit like the insurance price comparison sites - chasing commissions just like, er, the travel agents they once claimed to be able to beat. Thomson revealed recently that their website did not save them any money because they are forced to discount online (forced is debatable) and so any cost savings are wiped out. They are now closing their massive call centres and referring calls from their website to a local Thomson branch.

I think that the reasons travel agents are thriving is because they have finally woken up to the internet - but add a personal dimension to the arrangements.

Also, things like http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bi ... m-10959810 this will help tarnish the internet - this company had ATOL splashed all over their website, but only a small selection of holidays were covered. As people are now finding out to their cost.

Hello everyone, I'm back! :w

[Nottingham Nick]

Hello everyone, I'm back! :w

Welcome back. ^) y)

Nick

Thank you!

Oh yes, new avatar too. I think 1129 posts is never celebrated enough.

Frankly why anyone books packages is beyond me ...

I can't actually remember the last time I booked a package holiday! I book everything separately and independently each time.

One advantage of this is that you never have to go near a holiday rep!

Hello everyone, I'm back! :w

Welcome back. ^) y)

Nick

I met that there Billy last week you know !

[honey lamb]

Hello everyone, I'm back! :w

I didn't know you were away :w

I am always shocked at how overpriced VH is every time i go there for a quote.

Frankly why anyone books packages is beyond me ...

Some don't have an option. Ever tried getting car hire in the US for under 25's at a reasonable price? VH is the only company that will do it at a reasonable price without paying through the nose. However those days are now behind me....never thought I would be grateful to be closer to 30!

I always book separate itineraries, Most credit cards and Bank accounts offer travel insurance as standard,
It has been over 5 years since I have used an agent or VH.
Most loyalty schemes don't accept TA/VH bookings as part of there points awards so again another downside.
Also there is some satisfaction when sorting it all out yourself
FB

I've never found VH that competitive when shopping for my mother. I assumed people went to them for security, the extra services (rock star ) and mainly the fly-drive ideas lacking from many other holiday companies.

They always suggest rather odd flights for DXB, normally Etihad rather than Virgin which seems a little odd to me. They very rarely offer cabin upgrade options to me either on this route.

I havent used a travelagent for years cant remember when last did. The flexibility to get uc flights at the best price and going when you want, and for how long and when you want and not saturday to saturday. Honeylamb said earlier avoiding all the crap from holiday reps too.

I cant see the attraction of booking through them.

cheers

alex

[honey lamb]

Honeylamb said earlier avoiding all the crap from holiday reps too.

cheers

alex

No, I didn't. It was Tinkerbelle.

I'm one of the DIY brigade. I abandoned the travel agent when they charged me so much per leg per person when I went to San Francisco and Hawaii. It loaded a massive €200 on to my bill v(

I can tell you exactly why we are going to Grenada with VH next month. Booked separately, the hotel alone came to just over £7,000 when we booked, before adding on the UC flights.

After the FVC discount, our total cost was £7,800 - I'd like to see us get 2 UC return flights for £800 ii)

Sometimes they really are cheaper.

I always book separate itineraries, Most credit cards and Bank accounts offer travel insurance as standard,
FB

NB: "offer travel insurance"...It pays to be extremely careful of the coverage if you go down the route of independent travel arrangements, especially on cover "thrown-in" on the back of banks "privilege/premier/etc" account type marketing gimmicks... :0 read the small print in detail....

nh

[mitchja]

I still find booking at New Year works out cheaper using a package company.

Good point though about reps. Sorry, but VH US holiday reps can be a bit 'in-your-face' as they now even email you a week before you travel. If you don't go to the welcome meeting (which I never ever do), you then usually get a phone call from them in your hotel.

Mind you, they usually sulk at me anyway once they find out I've not booked the VH transfers to/from the airport once you get there.

On the flip side of this, having reps and the back-up of a holiday company can be very welcoming if or when something goes wrong.

I was in Florida at the time of the 9/11 attacks and the VH rep and VH service there was fantastic. They where even looking after and sorting out non-VH pax. y)

Honeylamb said earlier avoiding all the crap from holiday reps too.

cheers

alex

No, I didn't. It was Tinkerbelle.

v(

whoops sorry honeylamb read through the thread too quick thats me problem.
Anyway your point is exactly why most of us here by the looks of the thread dont use agents, as its a quick way to spend over the odds on holidays.

cheers

alex

I still find booking at New Year works out cheaper using a package company.

Good point though about reps. Sorry, but VH US holiday reps can be a bit 'in-your-face' as they now even email you a week before you travel. If you don't go to the welcome meeting (which I never ever do), you then usually get a phone call from them in your hotel.

Mind you, they usually sulk at me anyway once they find out I've not booked the VH transfers to/from the airport once you get there.

On the flip side of this, having reps and the back-up of a holiday company can be very welcoming if or when something goes wrong.

I was in Florida at the time of the 9/11 attacks and the VH rep and VH service there was fantastic. They where even looking after and sorting out non-VH pax. y)

back in April i even had a phone call in the hotel room on our first morning in Orlando inviting us to a welcome meeting.