Binky
New Member
Posts: 770
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Post by Binky on Jun 21, 2023 10:11:14 GMT
Has anyone had experience booking without a travel agent before?
I noticed yesterday that booking hotel + flight direct with Iberostar's website was a hell of a lot cheaper than using TUI for example. I did the same booking through British Airways (which also allows you to do flight + hotel) and it added a bit more to the price, but not too much. At least that way it was ATOL protected.
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Post by DJCopa on Jun 21, 2023 11:24:36 GMT
Did this yesterday - booked Marrakech direct with the hotel + then booked a flight separately - saved about £1k, so we upgraded the all-inclusive and still came out £500+ better for it.
Creating an account with the hotel provider before booking sometimes offers a further discount too.
Done this a few times when prices have shot up in the past.
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Post by jimnastics on Jun 21, 2023 11:38:29 GMT
Has anyone dealt with school fines in terms of taking the kids out of school for a holiday? I'm still hovering over Dom Rep in October - November. It's a grand cheaper in November. 1 kid in primary, 1 in secondary. Do they always fine, even if up until now your attendance is 100%? We took our two out of school for 4 days last week, year 2 and 5, the schools didn't bat an eyelid. We did it properly and filled in an absence form from the school for both and everything was fine. Apparently our local council (West Sussex) won't dish out fines as long it's only 1 week per term max, so it does curtail holidays to 1 week unless you're happy to start paying fines but I don't want to get into that, mainly because I think more than a week is starting to take the piss in terms of their education and annoyance for the teacher.
We've done this the last 3 years and had a fantastic holiday each time, so much cheaper and everywhere so quiet! Loved it. We'll keep doing it until the kids are too old to come on holiday with their crusty old parents
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Binky
New Member
Posts: 770
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Post by Binky on Jun 21, 2023 12:41:32 GMT
Since starting school our kids have pretty impeccable attendance records (1 bout of covid aside!) so I'd definitely be more than comfortable taking them out for a big holiday if the money was right (and it wasn't overlapping exams etc).
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Post by Dougs on Jun 21, 2023 14:08:16 GMT
My daughter's primary sent a letter out today saying they have lost 300 days to holidays this year across the 6 forms. They are proposing to lump all 5 inset day into one week in May next year. Which works if you have kids in that school only but bugger all help otherwise - lesser fine to pay I guess!
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dam
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Posts: 587
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Post by dam on Jun 21, 2023 14:30:52 GMT
We got caught out last year, as they were going to miss a couple of days at the end. 2 nights before we were leaving, my youngest managed to give himself serious burns to his groin with a cup of tea..on a school trip. After a night in hospital, thought we (well him and me!) would have to cancel, but the docs OKed it. Then got a text from a guidance teacher asking how he was and if he was still in hospital - replied with a thumbs up picture of him in front of the Disney Magic Kingdom Edits - no fines because we are civilised! And can get it a bit cheaper by avoiding English school holidays
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Post by drhickman1983 on Jun 21, 2023 15:03:12 GMT
I frequently had time of school for holidays dint do me no arm.
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Post by TheSaint on Jun 21, 2023 21:58:45 GMT
Has anyone had experience booking without a travel agent before? I noticed yesterday that booking hotel + flight direct with Iberostar's website was a hell of a lot cheaper than using TUI for example. I did the same booking through British Airways (which also allows you to do flight + hotel) and it added a bit more to the price, but not too much. At least that way it was ATOL protected. I thought travel agents were solely the preserve of oldies who don’t trust the internet. We travel a fair amount and always book flights, hotels and car directly. It saves a fortune, you can customise everything exactly how you want it and as long as you have decent travel insurance and use credit cards you are well protected.
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Post by Dougs on Jun 22, 2023 5:36:13 GMT
One of my friends has just started doing that "Making Travel Pay" online travel agency stuff. She's very bright, has a very well paid Senior Civil Service job but loves travelling. I can't help but think it's just one massive Ponzi scheme though. It's weird.
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Post by elstoof on Jun 22, 2023 6:40:28 GMT
We were planning on whipping our two out on the afternoon of the 7th for a wild weekend in Brum (sea otters in the sea life centre ftw), but the strike has saved us the hassle of faking a dentist appointment. We’re a bit scared to do much more than that, but others on the WhatsApp are moaning about threatening letters from the school about excessive absences. Maybe pretending 3 flights in a row were cancelled and you had to stay an extra week “visiting grandparents” over every break this year was a bit much Kate?
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Post by freddiemercurystwin on Jun 22, 2023 8:16:31 GMT
We were planning on whipping our two out on the afternoon of the 7th for a wild weekend in Brum (sea otters in the sea life centre ftw) Yay I did the drawings for that exhibit, enjoy the penguins too!
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Post by elstoof on Jun 22, 2023 10:17:20 GMT
No way, I’ll have to keep an eye out. My eldest is obsessed with sea otters, we’d no idea there were any in the U.K. until seeing it on Instagram a couple of weeks ago
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Post by freddiemercurystwin on Jun 22, 2023 10:34:56 GMT
Take him/her for the meet/feed the otters thing if you have deep pockets!
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Post by elstoof on Jun 22, 2023 10:38:46 GMT
She’s too young, have to be 16 apparently
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Post by dfunked on Jun 22, 2023 10:44:51 GMT
That would've been a hell of a new page post.
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Binky
New Member
Posts: 770
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Post by Binky on Jun 22, 2023 10:50:05 GMT
Ban plz
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Post by One_Vurfed_Gwrx on Jun 22, 2023 13:29:02 GMT
Has anyone had experience booking without a travel agent before? I noticed yesterday that booking hotel + flight direct with Iberostar's website was a hell of a lot cheaper than using TUI for example. I did the same booking through British Airways (which also allows you to do flight + hotel) and it added a bit more to the price, but not too much. At least that way it was ATOL protected. I thought travel agents were solely the preserve of oldies who don’t trust the internet. We travel a fair amount and always book flights, hotels and car directly. It saves a fortune, you can customise everything exactly how you want it and as long as you have decent travel insurance and use credit cards you are well protected. I was going to say the same thing. The only time I have considered actual organised holidays is 'closed countries' like NK and Turkmenistan that require it. Otherwise I do it all piecemeal, always. We did a family package tour to Florida when I was 15 which is probably only one ever.
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dam
New Member
Posts: 587
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Post by dam on Jun 22, 2023 16:11:34 GMT
We do a combination of big huge trips eg across the USA, round Japan, Canada, but also a cheely wee week's all inclusive, which is generally done via someone.
My wife would spend a lot of time organising the big trips, it's a lot of work. Difficult now she's working full time again. Also harder to go short breaks to fit in with the kids' exams.
I'm looking forward to going away interesting trips without them, but at the same time sad they won't be there.
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Post by baihu1983 on Oct 16, 2023 12:02:50 GMT
Finally in Vegas.
Flight was... long and it felt it due to not being able to stand up and stretch that much. At least 2hrs worth of turbulence. Over an hour to get checked at the airport though I was passed within about 20 seconds while my mates all got a bunch of questions.
First night was some gambling and I came away with an extra $45 so I'll take that as someone who doesn't really gamble. Can see the Sphere from my room. It's near by I would hate to be staying right next to it.
And despite being awake for about 26hrs I still woke up at 4am and haven't been able to go back to sleep. My room is about 4 times the size of my actual bedroom.
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