Wahey, just booked

[london75]

Can't believe it, just booked Paris this Christmas planning on leaving next year's Orlando until the last minute and Wife suggested booking for May next year tonight as Monarch have some good premium flight prices so...

Christmas, Air France + Marriott Ile De France for a week
May 2010, Floridays and Premium Monarch flights for 21 nights

All for less than a single VH or VA holiday!

Hope Monarch is ok, deposit paid but wasn't loads so can sacrifice if work dries up next year.

As with some other Dads (and Mums) I live for my holidays with the girls as work gets in the way the rest of the year!

 

[Ware Bears]

Woo hoo ~ happy planning!

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Can't beat that just booked feeling...

 

[Lauren101]

congratulations!!

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Yey! Happy planning!!

 

[oreodisney]

Have fun planning.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Nice one.

Just actually priced that up myself for a possible booking next August, have always gone with Virgin in the past but their miles & money Premium Economy price for the 3 of us is just over £3200 and you have to pay it all in one go.
Monarch Premium is around £2652, I actually prefer the flight times too as departures are earlier inbound & outbound which is a big plus for us with Joshua, though ideally would prefer MCO not Sanford.
hmmmm interesting......have you done any research into what aircraft they use or what Premium is like?

 

[natalielongstaff]

great news

 

[orangetiggs]

we fly monach prem around 7 years back to dom rep and thought it was very good

 

[london75]

Nice one.

Just actually priced that up myself for a possible booking next August, have always gone with Virgin in the past but their miles & money Premium Economy price for the 3 of us is just over £3200 and you have to pay it all in one go.
Monarch Premium is around £2652, I actually prefer the flight times too as departures are earlier inbound & outbound which is a big plus for us with Joshua, though ideally would prefer MCO not Sanford.
hmmmm interesting......have you done any research into what aircraft they use or what Premium is like?

We're in the same boat, have been flying Virgin PE for years, prices going up and standards falling have narrowed the gap with charters. I've tried to find out what plane it is or even pictures of PE to no avail so it's definitely a gamble.

I also like the deposit rather than pay up front, I have no idea what contracts I'll get in the new year so losing £400 is much better than losing the full £4000. This £4200 holiday would have been £6200 with Virgin booking separately and £8500 with Virgin Holidays!! I just won't accept that Virgin is that much better than Monarch.

August was brilliant last minute this year, I found premium flight holidays for just over a thousand pounds for a fortnight if you can leave it until a day or two before. That's one blessing of being self employed with no real calendar to work from (except school terms from end of 2010!) we should be able to just fly out short notice in August as well.

We're staying at Floridays on I-Drive so the increase in distance to Sanford is offset by not having to go down the I4 or over the 192 to Davenport were we usually stay.

I love PE but I want to go more frequently as it's my time with the kids so if this works out it could be a real bonus for us.

PS Prices for October were good but have all gone for PE now so it's not worth leaving it until last minute for October half term next year I'd say. That's why we've booked May early, if the price falls as a last minute holiday comes up (and there were loads for May this year from about March onwards) then I'll ditch my £400 deposit and rebook at the cheaper price. We're talking £2000 all in for Premium, a superior villa, 3 adults + 1 child + 1 infant.

 

[Snowy-girls]

Great news-happy planning .x.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We're in the same boat, have been flying Virgin PE for years, prices going up and standards falling have narrowed the gap with charters. I've tried to find out what plane it is or even pictures of PE to no avail so it's definitely a gamble.

I also like the deposit rather than pay up front, I have no idea what contracts I'll get in the new year so losing £400 is much better than losing the full £4000. This £4200 holiday would have been £6200 with Virgin booking separately and £8500 with Virgin Holidays!! I just won't accept that Virgin is that much better than Monarch.

August was brilliant last minute this year, I found premium flight holidays for just over a thousand pounds for a fortnight if you can leave it until a day or two before. That's one blessing of being self employed with no real calendar to work from (except school terms from end of 2010!) we should be able to just fly out short notice in August as well.

We're staying at Floridays on I-Drive so the increase in distance to Sanford is offset by not having to go down the I4 or over the 192 to Davenport were we usually stay.

I love PE but I want to go more frequently as it's my time with the kids so if this works out it could be a real bonus for us.

PS Prices for October were good but have all gone for PE now so it's not worth leaving it until last minute for October half term next year I'd say. That's why we've booked May early, if the price falls as a last minute holiday comes up (and there were loads for May this year from about March onwards) then I'll ditch my £400 deposit and rebook at the cheaper price. We're talking £2000 all in for Premium, a superior villa, 3 adults + 1 child + 1 infant.

Sounds like a good plan, the flight times are definitely better, outbound/inbound flights are such a long day but the times of these flights are a bonus too, I hate waiting till 18:15 for the return flight home especially. I definitely agree about the payment option too, I prefer the Virgin Holidays deposit and then direct debit method, but like you say with them it's a £1000 more than Virgin Atlantic.