Package holiday prices

neilied

NoodleDoodleMan said:

The OP might consider trying the same deal as a DIY exercise for comparison.

The results would be interesting.

Absolutely. Would like to see if the same hotels outside of package come up cheaper. Flights, taxi, hotel. 

TELLIT01

It's certainly not possible to say that DIY is always cheaper or package is always cheaper.  It has to be looked at on a case by case basis and even that isn't straight forward.  We book direct with the accommodation at one place we stay regularly and aircon and safe are included in the price.  If booked through a tour operator the aircon and safe are extra.  Transfers often included with package but can mean hours say on a coach.  Private transfer takes about 50 minutes but the tour operator for the apartments we stay at had return pickup 5 hours before flight time.  The variables are endless.

NoodleDoodleMan

neilied said:

NoodleDoodleMan said:

The OP might consider trying the same deal as a DIY exercise for comparison.

The results would be interesting.

Absolutely. Would like to see if the same hotels outside of package come up cheaper. Flights, taxi, hotel. 

Please come back to us with the results after you've crunched the numbers.

Not sure if it would help for a price comparison as opposed to direct enquiry to the hotel - but last time I looked at TUI site in any depth they offered hotel only bookings as well as packages.........maybe only selected establishments of course.

jbrassy

To the OP - if you want to go to Corfu, you should consider going to Sarande or Ksamil in Albania instead. Albania is only 30 mins by ferry away from Corfu by ferry. You can literally see the beaches of Albania from Corfu Town and it is significantly cheaper.

In any case, it's always been the case that going on holiday during school holidays is significantly more expensive than going outside school holidays. It's called price discrimination in economics (Google it). If you don't like the price, don't pay it.

I've never been on a package holiday (always do DIY), but having been to Corfu and Albania earlier this year, it seems sad to think people spend a week couped up in an all-inclusive hotel, no matter what the price, when there are so many nice sights and restaurants in Corfu Town to explore. 

zagfles

jbrassy said:

To the OP - if you want to go to Corfu, you should consider going to Sarande or Ksamil in Albania instead. Albania is only 30 mins by ferry away from Corfu by ferry. You can literally see the beaches of Albania from Corfu Town and it is significantly cheaper.

In any case, it's always been the case that going on holiday during school holidays is significantly more expensive than going outside school holidays. It's called price discrimination in economics (Google it). If you don't like the price, don't pay it.

I've never been on a package holiday (always do DIY), but having been to Corfu and Albania earlier this year, it seems sad to think people spend a week couped up in an all-inclusive hotel, no matter what the price, when there are so many nice sights and restaurants in Corfu Town to explore. 

Agree about Albania. Disagree about school holidays being significantly more expensive. During the 15 years our kids were in school and my wife worked in one, we usually went on at least 2 foreign holidays a year, plus some UK ones, and it found it pretty easy to get good value in the school hols. They never missed a single day of school because of holidays. 

The sort of holidays we did in the summer were generally driving holidays to France, NL etc, usually staying in chalets/static caravans on campsites, we found these far better than hotels with kids as there's more space, they can have a room each, they can play right outside, they have BBQs etc so didn't have to eat in restaurants every night which kids can find very boring. There's so much to do in France, stuff like accrobranches which they loved (like GoApe but far better and cheaper). Duinrell in NL is superb if they like theme parks and water parks, if you stay there you get free entry to their theme park and water park which are both excellent, and can hire bikes to make use of the good cycling trails, and a beach nearby. And really not expensive in the second half of August as most European schools are back. 

We did a few flying holidays in the summer hols but generally to non typical Brit holidays destinations, eg Italian lakes with a flight to Milan where the "family on holiday" hardly makes a dent in passenger numbers, particularly in the long school hol where families will go and come at different times. Flight at half terms can be expensive as families will all be coming and going at the same time, ie the weekend before and after the half term, but in the summer it's more spread. 

We'd never go somewhere like Greece in the height of summer, far too hot. But we had good value packages there in the Oct half term, especially with a flight from Glasgow. Also some good packages to the Canaries in the Easter hols, as the Easter hols vary even locally, a week difference in different parts of Manchester. Our first AI was to the Canaries in the Easter school hols a couple of years ago, for about £400 each, not our usual style of holiday but it was good value so thought we'd give it a try. 

neilied

zagfles said:

jbrassy said:

To the OP - if you want to go to Corfu, you should consider going to Sarande or Ksamil in Albania instead. Albania is only 30 mins by ferry away from Corfu by ferry. You can literally see the beaches of Albania from Corfu Town and it is significantly cheaper.

In any case, it's always been the case that going on holiday during school holidays is significantly more expensive than going outside school holidays. It's called price discrimination in economics (Google it). If you don't like the price, don't pay it.

I've never been on a package holiday (always do DIY), but having been to Corfu and Albania earlier this year, it seems sad to think people spend a week couped up in an all-inclusive hotel, no matter what the price, when there are so many nice sights and restaurants in Corfu Town to explore. 

Agree about Albania. Disagree about school holidays being significantly more expensive. During the 15 years our kids were in school and my wife worked in one, we usually went on at least 2 foreign holidays a year, plus some UK ones, and it found it pretty easy to get good value in the school hols. They never missed a single day of school because of holidays. 

The sort of holidays we did in the summer were generally driving holidays to France, NL etc, usually staying in chalets/static caravans on campsites, we found these far better than hotels with kids as there's more space, they can have a room each, they can play right outside, they have BBQs etc so didn't have to eat in restaurants every night which kids can find very boring. There's so much to do in France, stuff like accrobranches which they loved (like GoApe but far better and cheaper). Duinrell in NL is superb if they like theme parks and water parks, if you stay there you get free entry to their theme park and water park which are both excellent, and can hire bikes to make use of the good cycling trails, and a beach nearby. And really not expensive in the second half of August as most European schools are back. 

We did a few flying holidays in the summer hols but generally to non typical Brit holidays destinations, eg Italian lakes with a flight to Milan where the "family on holiday" hardly makes a dent in passenger numbers, particularly in the long school hol where families will go and come at different times. Flight at half terms can be expensive as families will all be coming and going at the same time, ie the weekend before and after the half term, but in the summer it's more spread. 

We'd never go somewhere like Greece in the height of summer, far too hot. But we had good value packages there in the Oct half term, especially with a flight from Glasgow. Also some good packages to the Canaries in the Easter hols, as the Easter hols vary even locally, a week difference in different parts of Manchester. Our first AI was to the Canaries in the Easter school hols a couple of years ago, for about £400 each, not our usual style of holiday but it was good value so thought we'd give it a try. 

My childhood was a uk caravan holiday in the spring and a Spanish package hols in late June taking two weeks out of school. As mum couldn’t fly it was to the Costas by bus. 28 hours each way. Have to say that now has put me off driving anywhere.  Was 18 for my first flight and now door to door within 4-5 hours is perfect. Add that my youngest has ASD we are stretched to a max of 90 mins in a car with the same song on repeat for the journey. It’s stressful and challenging enough for a flight.

neilied

jbrassy said:

To the OP - if you want to go to Corfu, you should consider going to Sarande or Ksamil in Albania instead. Albania is only 30 mins by ferry away from Corfu by ferry. You can literally see the beaches of Albania from Corfu Town and it is significantly cheaper.

In any case, it's always been the case that going on holiday during school holidays is significantly more expensive than going outside school holidays. It's called price discrimination in economics (Google it). If you don't like the price, don't pay it.

I've never been on a package holiday (always do DIY), but having been to Corfu and Albania earlier this year, it seems sad to think people spend a week couped up in an all-inclusive hotel, no matter what the price, when there are so many nice sights and restaurants in Corfu Town to explore. 

I do appreciate the Albania consideration. It’s changed considerably from our first Corfu Trip. In 2022 there were trips from Corfu town by boat with visa and currency exchange. Back in 2016 I rented a boat and was told to keep clear of Albanian waters or risk farmers taking pot shots at the boat.

neilied

NoodleDoodleMan said:

neilied said:

NoodleDoodleMan said:

The OP might consider trying the same deal as a DIY exercise for comparison.

The results would be interesting.

Absolutely. Would like to see if the same hotels outside of package come up cheaper. Flights, taxi, hotel. 

Please come back to us with the results after you've crunched the numbers.

Not sure if it would help for a price comparison as opposed to direct enquiry to the hotel - but last time I looked at TUI site in any depth they offered hotel only bookings as well as packages.........maybe only selected establishments of course.

Preliminary results show very little saving using same dates. Same room and hotel comes in at £4050 for 7 nights best flights are from Gatwick at £1600. School holidays date do seem to affect these dates as a few days either side reduces the flights by 30% and the hotel by almost £1000.