Package Deals Vs DIY?....

moneysavvy35

I am currently waying up pros n cons of booking package or doing it all myself. I was always under the impression doing it yourself would come up cheaper, but its coming out more or less the same with a couple packages to certain hotels actually coming up cheaper...

Are thier any downsides to diy? (I am fine doing all this) if I do do it this way and pay with Credit card am I not covered anyway if anything goes wrong?

please advise if you can....

blindman

moneysavvy35 wrote: »

I am currently waying up pros n cons of booking package or doing it all myself. I was always under the impression doing it yourself would come up cheaper, but its coming out more or less the same with a couple packages to certain hotels actually coming up cheaper...

Are thier any downsides to diy? (I am fine doing all this) if I do do it this way and pay with Credit card am I not covered anyway if anything goes wrong?

please advise if you can....

What is the destination?

I always DIY for long haul holidays :- Not so sure you get a better bargain for the Costa's etc.

richardw

If you book a 'true' package holiday you get the benefits of the Package Travel regulations.

If you book a flight and hotel through the same provider together you may get the benefits of ATol's flight plus.

If you do separate flight and hotel through separate providers you may have to resort to your travel insurance and/or credit card s75 and/or EU reg ec261/2004 for the flights.

moneysavvy35

blindman wrote: »

What is the destination?

I always DIY for long haul holidays :- Not so sure you get a better bargain for the Costa's etc.

thanks for the responses.....I am going to turkey for 2weeks probably 3rd week in august.

Doshwaster

It really depends on on the destination. For the popular holiday destinations in Spain or Greece then a package may well be cheaper as the tour operator has bulk buying power with the hotel and may well operate their own aircraft.

If all you want to do is lounge by the pool in an AI hotel for 2 weeks then that's fine but if you want more choice or flexibility then DIY is almost always going to be better value. A brochure will only give you a handful of hotels in each resort while booking direct you could stop anywhere.

Dizzy_Ditzy

It's worth checking out what you can get extra from the hotel for booking direct- I book directly with the one I go to and they pick us up from and drop us back to the airport, free safe and free aircon :cool:

InsideInsurance

Its always worth speaking to hotels and airlines directly to see what they can do. Its not always possible to get things but some are happy to cut prices or throw in extras.

Likewise worth speaking to brouchured holiday companies about potentially only booking part of the package.

When we booked for the Maldives we bought the flights directly as we wanted to use points to upgrade and then booked the hotel from a package place because they were much cheaper for the hotel and were able to throw in a few extras like sea plane transfers

travellerboy

Which ever route you choose avoid the self-service All Inclusive option. The risks are too high for contracting Norovirus as too many people near food and many don't even wash after toilet visits.

jhe

travellerboy wrote: »

Which ever route you choose avoid the self-service All Inclusive option. The risks are too high for contracting Norovirus as too many people near food and many don't even wash after toilet visits.

that applys also when staying BB they usually have buffets also travellerboy.
those people who dont wash hands also touch door handles etc in restaurants. bars etc.
people who dont wash their hands dont stay exclusively at AI hotels

wallbash

travellerboy wrote: »

Which ever route you choose avoid the self-service All Inclusive option. The risks are too high for contracting Norovirus as too many people near food and many don't even wash after toilet visits.

Wow , what a sweeping statement.
Care to back it up with facts?

Ps a couple of years ago, I visited the kitchens of a Ai ( large buffet) ' Before I was allowed in , it was a white coat, gloves, hat and covers for our shoes.This is standard practice.

Moto2

wallbash wrote: »

Wow , what a sweeping statement.
Care to back it up with facts?

Ps a couple of years ago, I visited the kitchens of a Ai ( large buffet) ' Before I was allowed in , it was a white coat, gloves, hat and covers for our shoes.This is standard practice.

I think they were referring to their fellow holiday makers rather than the hotel staff