Booking separately Vs with Virgin Holidays?

[MrsTigger]

Hi,

I'm some advice form those who book separately and those who have booked with virgin holidays.
We are looking to book CSR for the end of Sept 2010 with free dining. I had planned to book it all separately as I thought this would be the cheapest way.

I've just had a look on virgin holidays and CSR with free dining is available with them.

The price isnt much higher what I had guessed the only differance is the flights- I had based my flight prices on £380(what i had seen them for last year) but the flights with virgin holidays works out as £480.

So I was just wondering what your opinions were- are we likely to get flights for under £480 if we book separately or if we booked a package what extra benefits will be get....apart from more cashback from quidco ?

Thanks

 

[wicket2005]

It depends on what your requirements are. We, unfortunately, require 2 rooms so when I have done quick check rounds Virgin has been cheaper for us than booking separately for the hotel we want. For next year we have booked with Travel City Direct and they are a lot 'cheaper' than Virgin, using the same flights and hotel.

 

[Macl1uk]

Hi,

I'm some advice form those who book separately and those who have booked with virgin holidays.
We are looking to book CSR for the end of Sept 2010 with free dining. I had planned to book it all separately as I thought this would be the cheapest way.

I've just had a look on virgin holidays and CSR with free dining is available with them.

The price isnt much higher what I had guessed the only differance is the flights- I had based my flight prices on £380(what i had seen them for last year) but the flights with virgin holidays works out as £480.

So I was just wondering what your opinions were- are we likely to get flights for under £480 if we book separately or if we booked a package what extra benefits will be get....apart from more cashback from quidco ?

Thanks

Virgin Holidays may not be the cheapest tour operator, but by the time you add all the benefits that you get with Virgin Holidays, it is often worth paying the extra. For example most tour operators have a baggage allowance of 20KG per person, Virgin’s is 46KG per person (split over 2 cases). Virgin do a check in at Downtown Disney in the morning of departure day, they take your cases off you and give you the boarding pass, that is the last you see of your cases until you arrive back in the UK. All drinks except champagne on the flight are free. Virgin do a twilight check in at Gatwick and other airports, where you can check in your cases the night before you fly out.

It depends on what your requirements are. We, unfortunately, require 2 rooms so when I have done quick check rounds Virgin has been cheaper for us than booking separately for the hotel we want. For next year we have booked with Travel City Direct and they are a lot 'cheaper' than Virgin, using the same flights and hotel.

I believe Travel City Direct is now part of Virgin holidays.

 

[scottish mum]

We are at the planning stage for oct 2010 and I think we will be going with virgin as it works out cheaper than booking it all seperately.

We are a family of 5 and the kids prices on virgin are only £169 for when we are looking at and that is what is making a package cheaper for us. That is for FW cabins or the Beach Club.

 

[wicket2005]

I believe Travel City Direct is now part of Virgin holidays.

That's right they are which is why I was trying to find a catch in the price because the holiday is exactly the same as the one I was going to book with Virgin, even goes to Virgin's site for 'manage my booking', except for a massive difference in price. Same planes and times, same terms and conditions.

 

[PaulaSB12]

Virgin Holidays may not be the cheapest tour operator, but by the time you add all the benefits that you get with Virgin Holidays, it is often worth paying the extra. For example most tour operators have a baggage allowance of 20KG per person, Virgin’s is 46KG per person (split over 2 cases). Virgin do a check in at Downtown Disney in the morning of departure day, they take your cases off you and give you the boarding pass, that is the last you see of your cases until you arrive back in the UK. All drinks except champagne on the flight are free. Virgin do a twilight check in at Gatwick and other airports, where you can check in your cases the night before you fly out.

I booked separately booking the room ticket and dining plan with disney uk, considerably cheaper than virgin and using virgin atlantic upper class flight so I can use the downtown disney check in, the twilight check in as well.

 

[TCO]

We were after doing exactly the same as you MrsTigger, same time and same hotel. In the end we couldn't book seperately as the CSR disappeared off the disney oage for the dates we wanted so ended up booking through Virgin.

 

[MrsTigger]

Thanks for the replies. I didnt think virgin would be cheaper but I havent been able to get many quotes as we're looking at going for 17nights and fly from manchester which knocks a few options out but I'll look at travel city. So paying that little bit extra it poss a good idea then by the sounds of it.

We were after doing exactly the same as you MrsTigger, same time and same hotel. In the end we couldn't book seperately as the CSR disappeared off the disney oage for the dates we wanted so ended up booking through Virgin.

Yeah when free dining came out i phoned disney to find out if CSR would be added and i was told they would be adding it after 28th April but its still not appeared but we would still need to wait for the flights to be released too in Nov, I'm just too impatient and want to book What dates are you planning on going?

 

[orangetiggs]

have you treid travel city direct, the holiday i'm looking at next sept is £300 cheaper with them than virgin holidays and its all the same apart from the name on the website

 

[MrsTigger]

I've just look on travel city and I dont think thats going to work for us as it will only let you select 14nights plus it includes a selecting a car which we dont need and the insurance it added to the total..... hummmmm back to the drawing board.

 

[Ware Bears]

Both our first and second time we booked a package with Virgin Holidays as it worked out cheaper than DIY. For our coming trip this Christmas I was sure it would be cheaper for us to go DIY as my eldest is now 17 and classed as a 3rd adult but it still worked out cheaper to book a VH package. I knew what the prices had been for flights the previous Christmas so when I priced up the package I had a very pleasant surprise, so in our case, so far it's always been cheaper for us to book a package.

 

[TCO]

We fly out on the 21st September 2010 for 10 nights. TCD was cheaper than virgin like for like but we decided we couldn't stretch to 14 nights this time.

When I first priced it up a few weeks back the CSR was available on the disney site then it got removed.

 

[MrsTigger]

Hummm thats odd... I've been looking from the 27th Sept 2010 but havent seen CSR on there for any dates past Aug.

I think its likely we'll go with a Virgin package as theres no guarantee that we'll get flights cheaper than £480 and as it's my first time planning and booking a WDW it would prob save me alot of hassle.

 

[OrlandoMagic]

We always book separately because we have always found it cheaper to do so. My tip would be to grab your self a pen and paper and start jotting prices down for flights and hotels. Use sites like travel supermarket to help compare the prices.

This year the two of us are all booked up for the 17th September and by looking around for the best prices we got the following...

Flights - Direct with BA for £375 each

1st weeks accommodation 17/09 - 24/07 Saratoga Springs (with free DDP & including 14 day park tickets) £487 each

2nd weeks accommodation 24/07 - 01/10 Potofino Bay £189 each! (bit lucky to get that price, thanks to a couple of people on the boards!)

Total per person £1051 each!

Would be pretty hard to find a package that cheap!

 

[TCO]

We were the same as you MrsTiggers, I'm impatient and wanted to know it was all booked and then I can start saving for a definite price.

 

[MrsTigger]

Yeah we decided to go a year and half ago so now we can actually book I just want to do it LOL!! We also so keen to stay at CRS so that is really swaying me as I dont want to miss getting the free dining there, it looks like a lovely resort.

 

[TCO]

For what its worth then my advice would be to get it booked and get the peace of mind.

Then like me you can try and plan out your meals lol