Group Travel Discounts (Atlantis)

[CalDisneyMomof2]

Anyone have any experience with non-Disney group travel discounts for flights and hotels?

Next December (2017) anywhere from 20-40 of us are planning to go to Atlantis (Bahamas) the week before Christmas (16th-22nd). We all live in the L.A. area so we'd be taking the same flight. I'm just wondering what kind of discount (if any) we could expect for flights and how far in advance we'd have to book for that big of a group?

We (as in my husband and kids) will be paying for our hotel with points. So ours is covered. However, I'd imagine that we'll be needing about 6-12 more rooms. Is that even enough to get a group rate? I told them about the Comfort Suites next door that we've stayed at and more than enjoyed but they mostly seem to want to stay AT Atlantis even though it might cost a little bit more.

Any thoughts, ideas, experiences with this? Should I go to a travel agent who specializes in Atlantis vacations?

TIA!

 

[tinka-belle]

In general, resorts require a minimum of 10 rooms be consumed as a group before any discounts are achieved, some have less, others more, and it can vary by dates and if the resort has more of a need to fill their rooms. Once you get to a week before the holiday rates might be higher and terms might be stricter, if the resort even allows a group room rate that close to a holiday. Often the group discount up front might be small, but if you fill your contracted rooms could be one or two free persons, not always free rooms unless you meet twice the minimum required. Groups often just pro-rate that savings to all members. A group contract would need to be signed and deposits paid. Rooms booked on points or through another source outside of the group would NOT count toward your room count. There is a lot of detail to handling even a small group, it's best handled by a TA or someone who has the time to administer it who is good with very detailed requirements. There are stricter and earlier payment dates than a normal vacation booking, and also deadlines to add or subtract rooms from your group allotment without triggering monetary costs or a re-price scenario.

As far as airlines, 10 or more seats, sometimes 20 seats depending on the airline, on the same flights are often the minimum to be blocked as a group, but there are significant deposits to be paid up front, and again a signed contract. Their group rules leave little wiggle room for adding or deleting seats from the group before those are re-priced too, often just a change of a few seats allowed from your initial count. If you drop below certain seat counts or miss deadlines some of the deposit might be forfeited. Some may give one free seat (excluding taxes and fees) for 20 passengers for example, group policies vary, and close to a holiday might have stricter terms. Final payments and final name lists again are due to the airline earlier than a normal vacation.

You can also book a group as a "land vacation package" just at the resort, make sure to include airport transportation, and let everyone purchase their own flights. Sometimes families don't want to be all on the same plane, and some would have an airline preference or air miles to use.

To answer your question, yes, it would be easier to have a TA do this for you to keep track of all the dates and details, and also to make sure everyone has their payments in before the deadlines. There may be a small admin fee for the time involved, well worth it for the work they will save you.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

I visit Atlantis annually. I started a thread a few years ago "Tips for Doing Atlantis-Paradise Island for Less". Sorry, but I don't know anything about the group dimension of your question,

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

Thank you @tinka-belle for all of the info. I'm trying to find a reputable TA that specializes in the Caribbean or Atlantis - I am a planner and it's very difficult for me to give up the control for vacations but it might be best in this situation.

And thank you @GrnMtnMan ! I think I've seen your posts before - I'll have to take a look. I've actually been to Atlantis twice now but I'm sure I don't have half the experience you do! I'm learning