Package or DIY?

Regular participants in this group might be aware that Herself and I
take a number of short-break holidays each year.

Sometimes we buy a package, and sometimes we put things together for
ourselves.

When I am tempted by a package, I look at the deal and check how much
it would cost to book the components myself (usually just flight and
accommodation). In only one case that I checked out could I get a
better deal that way. I might do better by being flexible on
accommodation, but I find that the travel company I most often use is
good on hotels, and confidence that the accommodation will be good is
worth something. Other advantages of buying a package are convenience
(a minor point, to my mind) and the legal responsibility of the tour
operator if things go wrong (in the EU, consumer protection law on
package holidays is strong -- but I am not particularly litigious, so
it is a consideration to which I do not give a great deal of thought.

Yesterday I read a piece in "Consumer Choice", a publication of the
Consumer Association of Ireland (something like "Which?" in the UK)
which concluded that it is almost always cheaper to go the DIY route,
and sometimes more than 30% cheaper. I am a little suspicious of the
piece because of the way in which some tour operators in Ireland
calculate their headline prices: oddly, you can buy some packages more
cheaply than the published price if you choose dates with good
availability of bargain flights.

So I ask: what do other members of our group do? Do you take packages,
or put together your own programmes, or do some of each?

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

Padraig Breathnach wrote:

[]
So I ask: what do other members of our group do? Do you take packages,
or put together your own programmes, or do some of each?

I've never done a package from the UK. The only time in the past that I
took a package was on a trip to Egypt (so not in the realm of r.t.e) and
that was because we got a heavily subsidised travel agent discount.

I will be interested in the responses of others too. Where I have
_considered_ a package was to various mediterranean islands, as the
flights alone can often be much cheaper than when booking yourself. (We
figure we'd just stay somewhere else if the hotel was rubbish.)

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

Padraig Breathnach wrote:

[]
So I ask: what do other members of our group do? Do you take packages,
or put together your own programmes, or do some of each?

I've never done a package from the UK. The only time in the past that I
took a package was on a trip to Egypt (so not in the realm of r.t.e) and
that was because we got a heavily subsidised travel agent discount.

I will be interested in the responses of others too. Where I have
_considered_ a package was to various mediterranean islands, as the
flights alone can often be much cheaper than when booking yourself. (We
figure we'd just stay somewhere else if the hotel was rubbish.)

--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

"Padraig Breathnach" wrote in message
...
Regular participants in this group might be aware that Herself and I
take a number of short-break holidays each year.



So I ask: what do other members of our group do? Do you take packages,
or put together your own programmes, or do some of each?


I have taken packages in the past in Europe when it was
much cheaper mainly because it was the only way
of getting cheap air fares, I havent done this
for several years although I do sometimes buy
fly-drive deals which include just the airfare and
car rental, in fact I'm off on one of these in June
although its to Canada and not Europe.

Keith



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So I ask: what do other members of our group do? Do you take packages,
or put together your own programmes, or do some of each?


I do a mixture of both, last week I was in Goa on a package, its the
convienience that makes it worthwhile, nothing to think about and usually a
fair price.

For European short breaks I almost always put it together myself based
around a cheap flight.

So I ask: what do other members of our group do? Do you take packages,
or put together your own programmes, or do some of each?


I do a mixture of both, last week I was in Goa on a package, its the
convienience that makes it worthwhile, nothing to think about and usually a
fair price.

For European short breaks I almost always put it together myself based
around a cheap flight.

"Padraig Breathnach" wrote in message
...
Regular participants in this group might be aware that Herself and I

So I ask: what do other members of our group do? Do you take packages,
or put together your own programmes, or do some of each?

I never took a package (though I'm thinking of taking one to St. Petersburg
this year, I do not feel confident with the paperwork), mostly because what
I want from traveling (lots of roaming around) does not come in packages.
From what I've seen of packages, they seem a good deal if you want what they
offer (three-star hotels, flights at peak times, lots of food, rental car,
whatever). But when I travel, I need few of those things, and can do with
cheaper alternatives.

inge

"Padraig Breathnach" wrote in message
...
Regular participants in this group might be aware that Herself and I

So I ask: what do other members of our group do? Do you take packages,
or put together your own programmes, or do some of each?

I never took a package (though I'm thinking of taking one to St. Petersburg
this year, I do not feel confident with the paperwork), mostly because what
I want from traveling (lots of roaming around) does not come in packages.
From what I've seen of packages, they seem a good deal if you want what they
offer (three-star hotels, flights at peak times, lots of food, rental car,
whatever). But when I travel, I need few of those things, and can do with
cheaper alternatives.

inge

I tend to make the decision based on the amount of travel. If I am
going to a single city or sites around a single city I will usally go
DIY. However if it is a multi-location trip with alot of travel
between locations then bundled is the way to go.

The reason for that is that if I am going to alot of locations I am
going to be spending alot of time getting hotels, waiting for
transportation, find ways to store my stuff,etc. With a bundled trip
that is all worked out.

I tend to make the decision based on the amount of travel. If I am
going to a single city or sites around a single city I will usally go
DIY. However if it is a multi-location trip with alot of travel
between locations then bundled is the way to go.

The reason for that is that if I am going to alot of locations I am
going to be spending alot of time getting hotels, waiting for
transportation, find ways to store my stuff,etc. With a bundled trip
that is all worked out.