First choice website price change

cluelessmandi

Hi All,
Please can someone put my mind at rest..........I'm a single mom and save very hard to take my kids on holiday. I spent hours yesterday pouring over the internet looking for the perfect holiday. It was a little over £1800 on the first choice website. I have gone back on the site today to book only to find out that it's £800 more expensive today. WHY? More inmportantly will the price come back down or have I really messed up.

Please help!

interstellaflyer

They can vary from day to day but £800 on £1800 sounds an awfull lot, are you sure you put the details in correct either first or second time, unless there were limited free child places available first time which have all now been taken. I'm checking all the usuall suspects on a regular basis for next years summer holiday, not found any major variations from day to day.

cluelessmandi

Yes it was the right price, I spent hours on it and thought I was doing the right thing waiting. Even the price of the same holiday that we have just taken for next year has gone up by loads, at today's prices I couldn't afford to go away.

interstellaflyer

Wher were you looking at, what resort, hotel and what airport, also how many ie Adults and children and ages I just want to try a little experiement, see if I get the same prices.

cluelessmandi

Majorca, Alcudia, saturno, for 10 day 4th aug 2011.

Todays price approx £2400 yesterdays price approx £1800.

stephb34

It could be more expensive today because its bank holiday monday and they realise a lot of people will be off work today trawling the net for next years holiday and some will book so they've made big profits and its highly likely the price will go down over the next week or so, unless of course there was a free child and they've gone. There are other operators who do this hotel so you need to check them too. When we went to this hotel a few years ago believe it or not Cosmos were the cheapest. This hotel is 1 of 3 on a complex Saturno, jupiter and marte. Thomas cook do the marte through the airtours brochure and as you know 1st choice do the others who are part of thomsons have you tried ringing a travel agents they will check all operators if you ask and give you the best price. Are you flexible on dates and airports as all that can make a difference.

redmalc

This is a trick of First Choice,try going on their site early in the morning mid week they tend to be cheaper then.I have an issue with FC at the moment we went to Mexico last feb and am looking to book the same 2 weeks again for 2011 but they have increased the price by £900 for the same holiday i think they are trying it on at the moment and i will just wait and see what what happens and i find that they are saying their is only one room available somewhat scandalous and if at a later date i book that room i will be making representation to trading standards.

interstellaflyer

I got £1864 for one adult and 2 children aged 6 and 8 flying from Gatwick on the 3rd August (Free Child place) but traveling from Gatwick on the 4th there is no free child place and price goes up to £2253.

stephb34

redmalc wrote: »

This is a trick of First Choice,try going on their site early in the morning mid week they tend to be cheaper then.I have an issue with FC at the moment we went to Mexico last feb and am looking to book the same 2 weeks again for 2011 but they have increased the price by £900 for the same holiday i think they are trying it on at the moment and i will just wait and see what what happens and i find that they are saying their is only one room available somewhat scandalous and if at a later date i book that room i will be making representation to trading standards.

How do you know there isn't only 1 room left, have you tried booking 4 people in 2 rooms is it available then or has it disappeared. Also with the price comparison are you booking at the same time as last year, did you book early last year or a late deal as its all relevant is it for the same weeks does half term affect it this year etc etc.

redmalc

Steph B Thanks for your reply YES I Have put 2 rooms in to the search engine and i can book them for the 5/02/2011.I booked the holiday that we have just had in August 09 and i have just tried to book for Feb 2011 so the times are also the same just the RIP Off operator who has 100 % rights to the 5 star accomodation

david39

There is a trick(?) employed by holiday companies (and others, like insurance quotes, etc.) of which you need to be aware.

When you ask for a price, they record the price quoted in case you return to book it. The price quoted is stored on your own computer as a cookie. When you return to the web site, it automatically looks in your cookie file to recover the last price they quoted you.

If you return within a short space of time, the computer will register that it looks as though you may well book the holiday so, if business is good, it is programmed to up the price from the last quote.

Now, I'm not saying that is what happened in the OP's case, as the price increase seems very large compared with the original quote and, as someone said before, business was probably good over the weekend, so prices were probably hiked anyway.

However, with any site that gives you quotes and to which you return within 24-48 hours, it is well worth clearing your cookie files before the return visit. This will then make it look as though this is your first visit and they will give you a competitive price.

In IE click on Tools (top right of page), Internet Options, General and then click on Delete in the Browsing History sector.