Family wedding in Canada

claire16c

Look at the flights again in August, and then again in the September sales and/or Jan ones if you havent booked by then. Youre looking too early for most airlines.

mamamoi

I lived in Toronto for many years and my DH is from Ne Brunswick (next door to Nova Scotia). Flights to the East Coast are always far more expensive than to Toronto/Vancouver etc. We used to go back very year, but now with 2 kids can only manage it every other year.

Last trip was last August flying with Icelandair via Rekyavik. I exhausted every option of flight options (we fly from Manchester) from going via London/paris/amsterdam/US etc I priced up flying to Toronto/montreal and then hiring car or getting internal flights and they all came up far more expensive and far lengthier than Icelandair. I used to be a travel agent both here and in canada so I know all the airlines that are avail, so it was a very extensive search that I did.

I think we paid around £1800 taxes in for 2 adults 2 children. We also ended up doing 2 nights stopover in Rekyavik which was awesome but cost a fortune.... so don't do that!!!!
The airline was great, much better than charter flights (thomas cook/air transat) and imo better than air canada, and the flight changes in REK were quick and smooth as it is a fairly small airport.

As for accomodation, east coasters/maritimers are soooooo friendly and I'm sure if you ask, someone from the wedding party will be able to put you up for part or all of your stay. Most houses have 'finished' basements so they have a lot more extra space than houses here. Even if it's just for the few days around the wedding itself, no harm in asking. Then I suggest you look into univeristy accomodation for the rest of the trip as there is a big uni there in Halifax and they probably let out the rooms cheap in the summer.... my inlaws did that here when they came over from canada for my wedding. You might get a small cluster of single rooms all together with a common room, bathroom and kitchen which might be worth looking into?

Otherwise the suggestion someone posted previously of a house swap is a great idea. Also, Bear in mind pretty much all hotels and motels over there have 2 double beds in one room so you can all fit comfortably together and just pay for one room. Or look into a holiday/cottage rental, lots of people have holiday cottages and rent them out for the weeks that they won't be using them... There's loads of beautiful lakes within close distance to the city.

Not sure what area of Halifax it is where the wedding will be but if you stay for part of the time in Halifax you wont even need a car as it is a very compact city. I love Halifax, theres a lot to do and see close by (and far away) so you certainly wont get bored with a 2 week stay.

I'm not sure if 'rent a wreck' operate in Halifax but they do discounted rates on older, but still reliable vechicles... all above board!

Hope that helps.... ask if you have any specific questions as I have been many many times

mamamoi

claire16c wrote: »

Look at the flights again in August, and then again in the September sales and/or Jan ones if you havent booked by then. Youre looking too early for most airlines.

forgot to mention this.... most scheduled airlines only release their dates and prices 11 months in advance, so as Claire16c said look again in Sept. Although charter airlines often have their prices out earlier as they use a different booking system (or they used to anyway!)

Veronica.B

Fluffbrush wrote: »

Hi,
We are in a similar situation - having to visit Canada with two children! However we have just booked yest for July 2012. A deal through travel zoo with Canadian travel services (sun wing) £600 cheaper than Canadian affair or transat have quoted!! Well worth keeping an eye on! It's direct flights from glasgow to Toronto. This is first year they have done this route.
Car hire from Toronto airport for two wks is about £450-£500, just need to check policy for fuel etc - or can you get cheap connecting flights closer to where you will be staying through a Canadian airline?
Im really looking forward to visiting our family and discovering Canada - just hopin to do do on a budget!!
Although its an expense, it will give you great memories - the kids will remember more than you think - a great adventure for you all!! Good luck and above all enjoy the wedding x

Sounds good, the trouble is we're flying to Novia Scotia so the choice of airlines is limited. I did check internal flights but they are pricey so I think all in all we'd be better travelling to Gatwick and flying direct to Halifax from there. We have thought about an RV for a week so we can take in a bit of scenery. It works out about the same as car hire and renting a cottage. You are right it will be a big adventure and if it all comes to fruition it will be great.:)

SaveTheEuro

Veronica.B wrote: »

At the moment we would have to save around £500.00 a month. We are totally gutted at the thought of not being able to make it.

If this trip is important to you try to make it happen. How about trying to raise extra cash now. Have you anything to sell that would raise a few quid? Thing big -- could you do without a car for the next few months? Would you be prepared to take on an extra part time job to help save up? Is there anything you had planned to spend money on (new clothes, home improvements etc) that you could put off?

Maybe for this project you should be prepared to go into debt. If you gave yourself a deadline of paying off the debt within a year of the wedding you would have a more manageable two year period to finance the trip.

wondercollie

travellerboy wrote: »

No way can you do Canada on a small Budget as nothing in Canada is cheap, I believe they don't want or deserve any Tourists as they rip them-off every eachway. I wanted to do an Alaskan cruise and tour the Rockies, now after a lot of research intend to realise my dreams but will be based in Seattle not Vancouver.
We will visit Canada for just 4 days and spent most of the time in the States of Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Washington where you get equally good scenery at half the cost.
Everything is significantly more expensive, take Car hire £450 in Vancouver against £280 in Seattle (same Car/14days), National Park pass $136 in Canada and $80 in the US. I could go on and on...........

You get so much more for your money in the US than Canada it is understandable why Canada's Tourist numbers are declining.

FYI there is a reason Canada is expensive, it's called taxes to fund our social network. We have universal healthcare that has to be funded unlike the US where it is everyman for himself. We have a welfare programme while not as generous as the UKs is far more humane than the US.

If you want to talk expensive, consider what it costs a Canadian to visit the UK.

SaveTheEuro

wondercollie wrote: »

FYI there is a reason Canada is expensive

You also have to take into account the weak pound. It doesn't buy you many Canadian dollars these days. The exchange rate is about 1.60 dollars to the pound, way below what it was a few years ago.

jackieblack

SaveTheEuro wrote: »

You also have to take into account the weak pound. It doesn't buy you many Canadian dollars these days. The exchange rate is about 1.60 dollars to the pound, way below what it was a few years ago.

But this is equally true of the US$ and the exchange rate for US$ and CA$ are broadly similar.
We found most things in Canada to be approx 20% more expensive than their equivalent in the USA last year.

wondercollie

The Canadian economy is in better shape than the US. Our population has a better standard of living. Our population is roughly 10% of that of the US, so our market is smaller and far more spread out.

You do realize that in the US in many states there is no minimum wage? People work for tips. Travel in the rural south and you'll be amazed at the poverty.

SaveTheEuro

jackieblack wrote: »

But this is equally true of the US$ and the exchange rate for US$ and CA$ are broadly similar.
We found most things in Canada to be approx 20% more expensive than their equivalent in the USA last year.

In 2001 when the pound was worth 1.40 US Dollars it would buy 2.20 Canadian dollars - a premium of about 50%. Now the pound will only buy a few more Canadian cents than American money.

Similarly, the pound is now so weak against the Australian dollar it will buy only about half of what it would have in 2001. For Brits all prices in Australia have doubled in that time even before allowing for 11 years of inflation.