Is VH expensive?

Am researching something I haven't done in years and years, a package holiday :0 .

Looking at Jalousie in St Lucia for 7 nights later in the year and if I book flights and hotel separately the price is a whopping two thousand pounds less that VH online ...

Am I missing something, IIRC don't FC members get a discount?

Did the same for my upcoming Vegas trip.

PE return flights booked direct with VA. 10nts at The Cosmopolitan booked direct with VH. Worked out over £1000 cheaper than booking the whole lot with VH.

So in answer to your question, I would say emphatically yes.

I've been looking into them too recently for a wedding in Vegas. Generally, I've found the cost of the package is simialr to the cost of things booked separately so not much saving and in fact they force you to buy e.g. car hire or a transfer.

For me, however, the big win is that for a short trip that doesn't involve a Saturday night, it is *much* cheaper to book via VH as they don't load up the flight price.

FC members get 10% discount (as do FVCs and VS MBNA cc holders). Sometimes (but not often) VH can be cheaper than doing the booking yourself due to their buying power with hotel suppliers (and particularly with late deals). I've just booked a package with VH (not having booked a package for years too) to utilise the plethora of vouchers earned via my Tesco cc before they expired (so essentially a free trip ).
DL

Yes and yes!!!!

VH keep changing the discounts around, but I'm pretty sure FC members get a discount, but you need to call them in order to get that.

I think, and I mean think, it's 10% - but call them state you are an FC member and ask what the discount is...

I must say that I've mostly stopped using VH now, as I am finding that if I put the whole thing together myself, I save quite a lot.

That said, if you book as a package, and any problems arise, the liability will be handled by VH, and thus does simplify things enormously. Plus, you get reps in resort...

For me, VH a lot simpler than booking all comonents separately..but VH likely more expensive...time or money....

10% discount for FC members.

IMHO VH is overpriced! As you have discovered yourself!

If you compare like for like Y products, you would get far better value for money using Thomson or first choice! Flight is better than VS, on demand, 33inch seat pitch as standard etc. Hotels are the same!

However when it comes to PE or UC, clearly VS takes the lead in a huge way!

You clearly get the security of ABTA protection by booking as a package encase there are any volcanic eruptions etc.

I will always book separately, VH need to seriously review their pricing!

Lastly, VH do occasionally do some good deals in their sale, which changes things!

Hotel in St Lucia is a great choice!

Luke

[Darren Wheeler]

This was discussed back last year after 'The Unpronounceable Volcano' kicked off.

Not specific to VH, but to package holidays in general.

forum/index.php?f=4&t=264668&hilit=package&rb_v=viewtopic#p752575

and in fact they force you to buy e.g. car hire or a transfer.

This isn't true. You can decline their "free included" car if you wish (I have ) , and there is no compulsion to purchase a transfer either.
DL

If you compare like for like Y products, you would get far better value for money using Thomson or first choice! Flight is better than VS, on demand, 33inch seat pitch as standard etc. Hotels are the same!

Beware though, there are lots of hidden extras with people like First Choice, like paying for meals and stuff like that. Also, stay away from Thomas Cook! We booked a package with them for a cheap summer getaway and the plane was the WORST thing I have ever been on, and was diverted so we could drop ONE engineer off somewhere that another one of it's planes were! Terrible.

If you compare like for like Y products, you would get far better value for money using Thomson or first choice! Flight is better than VS, on demand, 33inch seat pitch as standard etc. Hotels are the same!

Beware though, there are lots of hidden extras with people like First Choice, like paying for meals and stuff like that. Also, stay away from Thomas Cook! We booked a package with them for a cheap summer getaway and the plane was the WORST thing I have ever been on, and was diverted so we could drop ONE engineer off somewhere that another one of it's planes were! Terrible.

I'm not talking FC or Thomson for short haul-I'd avoid them for short haul like the plague!

Long haul is different, meals are included for free!

You get basic drinks but would have to pay for extra drinks in the flight but this still works out cheaper than Y with VH.

Agree Thomas Cook should be avoided.

I'm not talking FC or Thomson for short haul-I'd avoid them for short haul like the plague!

My friends went to Cuba with Thomas Cook and said the planes were as bad as the one we described to them.

I have just done a comparison of the price I have paid VH for my upcoming Grenada holiday with the same provided by Monarch.

I wish I hadn't.

:0 :#

PS At least I get a jumbo and the bubble ii)

I have just done a comparison of the price I have paid VH for my upcoming Grenada hoiiday with the same provided by Monarch.

I wish I hadn't.

:0 :#

PS At least I get a jumbo and the bubble ii)

If it makes you feel any better, monarch is a long haul version of Ryanair!! Lol

Luke

When I was looking to book a trip to NYC in May, I called VH up and asked them to quote, They gave me a quote of approx £11,200 for my party of 4 Upper Class and with hotel. This included a 10% Flying club discount! When I looked at the flights and hotel seperately, I saved over £2,500 by not using VH. So yeah I'd say they are expensive and It was defo cheaper booking them myself, flights with VA and direct with the hotel.

If it makes you feel any better, monarch is a long haul version of Ryanair!! Lol

Luke

It does, thanks for that Luke. y)

It isn't always cheaper to DIY. Last year we did a VH trip to Grenada, A/I UC flights and it worked out about £2,000 cheaper to book with VH. It was probably to do with a special promotion they were running with 15% discount - but whatever, we still saved a packet!

It isn't always cheaper to DIY. Last year we did a VH trip to Grenada, A/I UC flights and it worked out about £2,000 cheaper to book with VH. It was probably to do with a special promotion they were running with 15% discount - but whatever, we still saved a packet!

I agree with you Gilly in certain promotions VH do work out cheaper than doing it DIY, however, how do they compare to other tour operators who fly to the same destinations?

I think the "definitive" answer is to shop around with dynamic packaging, DIY and tour operators.

I have always managed to find an ATOL/ABTA bonded agent to give me a similar or better price when planning mother's trips out here which really helped out when the volcano went pop.

We use VH all the time due to the all round service that you receive, but recently they have been cutting back on freebies. For example you used to get a free meal at the Hard Rock cafe at universal Orlando n(
It's also annoying that you only get 50% of the miles flown when flying economy !
Generally though we would say that VH work out similar in price to other package holiday companys to Orlando, especially after the FVC / FC 10% discount. Also just to say that their reps are extremely good at sorting out problems in resort y) Furthermore, in the Carribean there are always reps that you can contact before you even leave. This comes in handy when you are going to a new destination and you want to check on what's provided or available in resort.
VH may not always be the cheapest holiday providers however, you do get what you pay for and in my experience VH always offer a superb service and go out of their way to make your holiday the best it can be.

Remember that this forum is quite specialised.
Most are experience travellers.
Many are quite happy and comfortable with researching flight, hire cars, hotels etc and making the bookings to put the whole package together. This takes time - and much more time for the inexperienced.

So - to the typical V-Flyer, that can do all that themselves without taking weeks to do it, VH is very expensive.

To the typical holidaymaker on their two week vacation travelling to a place for the first time - VH can be a bargain.

It depends when you book the holiday (and what dates). If you book over a year in advance with deals you get a good price, anything under a year up until the last month or 2 its expensive (on research I have done)

I have a holiday with VH in sept. I was watching the site for well over 2 months for the right deals to come up. I was also watching on other sites too. I kept word docs of prices, what it included dates the lot. Was a lot of research. (done the same thing in 2009). Finally found it! Good price and amazing deals came up on VH and have a real good holiday at Florida at an amazing price!

[Darren Wheeler]

When VH does become expensive I've found is if you are a solo traveller. They slap a single supplement on hotels of 100%

If you want any help from the VH guys, speak to them via the Facebook group. For starters, you are not directed to a call centre! Just leave a message, they will message you and you can chat via there. I have had great help from 2 of the Facebook staff with my Holiday. 5/5 for support there, not so much via email or phone call.

I guess it all depends on your comfort zone.I do sometimes look at VH, but generally to look at itineraries (sometimes helpful when planning a road trip, I find). I do put trips together myself, but a huge part of that for me is that I actually enjoy it! Maybe I should change jobs.... I'm not precious about it though, if VH offered a better deal, I'd take it

Though, on the other hand, when they screw things up.... there'd be India to talk to...

All my long haul trips have been with VH (inc my wedding), usually we book about a year in advance and have always had what we thought was a good deal.

I always shop about but have always gone back to VH to book.

This year though I don't know whats happened (IYKWIM) but the prices have shot up!

We had looked to go to go pretty much anywhere in the Caribbean but the cheapest was over 4K and we struggle to justify that on one holiday this year.

So our alternative is a city break to Chicago with VH and VS of course, and then 11 nights in Portugal (my first European holiday *shocked face*)