Ireland Trip Report **Finally Finished...Sort of p.13**

[sayhello]

Next time I'll stick to cruises, they're never cancelled!

Oh, yes they are! Just not for lack of bookings.

Sayhello

 

[Wonders10]

I have sort of abandoned this Pre-trippie as I have gotten settled in my new place and new job.

I do have some updates though...

We have booked 1 pre- and post-night for the trip. Apparently I am made of money, but this is going to be a trip of a lifetime so I'm trying not to get too stressed out about the money. When I wake up in a castle, I'm sure it will seem very well worth the extra money.

And today, I finally booked our airfare. Flying out of West Palm Beach to Dublin with a stop in Philadelphia. I always liked that airport which is a good thing since our layover is 4 hours...even longer coming back. Prices are ridiculous but they have been pretty much the same since I looked back in October so sucked it up and booked them.

Looking for some advice...I hate to fly. Every little sound makes me nervous and I just get very tense and stressed out. Any tips for me to make the flights, especially the overseas flights, a little easier to handle?

 

[Aburns8]

Hi Shannon!

I am going to subscribe to this thread. I always wanted to go to Ireland.

As for flying, I hate long trips to. A four hour flight kills me sometimes.

 

[wdwsos]

Looking for some advice...I hate to fly. Every little sound makes me nervous and I just get very tense and stressed out. Any tips for me to make the flights, especially the overseas flights, a little easier to handle?

I love my noise-canceling headphones. I didn't go with the expensive Bose, but got a Jabra model instead for a little over $100.00 (with the best price so far on Amazon). They help me a lot -- I hate those little noises, too.

I also recommend a comfy pillow. The flight seems much longer when your back or neck are hurting.

My biggest problem flying is my height. On most flights, my knees feel like they're somewhere around my chin. Business class isn't always an option when you're paying for five - ouch.

Dotti

 

[Poppins2000]

I have sort of abandoned this Pre-trippie as I have gotten settled in my new place and new job.

I do have some updates though...

We have booked 1 pre- and post-night for the trip. Apparently I am made of money, but this is going to be a trip of a lifetime so I'm trying not to get too stressed out about the money. When I wake up in a castle, I'm sure it will seem very well worth the extra money.

And today, I finally booked our airfare. Flying out of West Palm Beach to Dublin with a stop in Philadelphia. I always liked that airport which is a good thing since our layover is 4 hours...even longer coming back. Prices are ridiculous but they have been pretty much the same since I looked back in October so sucked it up and booked them.

Looking for some advice...I hate to fly. Every little sound makes me nervous and I just get very tense and stressed out. Any tips for me to make the flights, especially the overseas flights, a little easier to handle?

You will so glad that you booked the pre and post nights. We booked two pre-nights and had a great time in Dublin on our May trip. Wished we had booked a post-night to spend some time at the castle - there was so much to do there; tennis, golf, archery, heated indoor pool, spa, walking trails - you won't regret your decision and it IS the trip of a lifetime...

 

[slg]

I had a pre night booked, but for our family of 5 it was $760 US (for us Canucks, depending on the dollar, it was $1000 for one night!). The post-night was over $1600 US!

We booked into Bewley's Hotel which seems very nice. It has family rooms which will accomodate all of us for 99 euros. They pick up and drop off free from the airport, so we will come in the night before, go back to the airport, get picked up by ABD, put our luggage with the valet and spend the afternoon in Dublin, for about $800 less! Works for us...

When is everyone going? We're on the July 22 trip. I hope that our trip isn't cancelled. I'm really worried that it will be. There are 12 people booked on our trip but you need a minimum of 20.

Also, I have requested a brochure 4 times, since August 1 and still not received one. It makes me really upset. I really want to look at the new brochure and dream, dream, dream...

 

[sayhello]

There are 12 people booked on our trip but you need a minimum of 20.

Unless they've changed the policy, no you don't. My tour ran with 14 people last year, and I've heard of another one that ran with 12. I sure hope they haven't changed that!

Sayhello

 

[slg]

Really? The actual person at ABD told me they would need 20. Perhaps its varies with each adventure.

I hope you are right, its giving me so much anxiety wondering whether or not it will happen.

And I would sure love to receive my brochure. Every day I check the mail and feel rather cross about not getting one. They didn't waste any time sending me my package when I booked!

 

[Poppins2000]

That is strange - they must have changed something for back in May, our guide on the Emerald Isle tour, told us that they have run the Ireland tour with as little as 11 people (I think that was done in 2007) and that the most was 40 (we had 40 in our group)....

 

[slg]

Oh I hope you are right! But perhaps there are a lot of other things that contribute to the decision, such as whether there are two tours close together that have few numbers that they can combine, etc.

Anyway ABD told me they normally cancel no closer than 8 weeks out. 8 weeks out! I think that's so close, and hard to change vacation dates etc.

I'm looking forward to my ABD, but this will most likely be my last. In 2010 we are going on a Baltic Cruise with DCL and I feel confidant that will go and I can make firm plans

 

[Wonders10]

What brochure have you requested? Is it one especially for Ireland or the general ABD brochure?

 

[sayhello]

It took them a couple of months to send out my brochure. I wasn't happy. You can look at it online, (flash) but it's not the same as having it in your hot little hands!

I hope we're right, too, and that your tour has enough people to go. But I think you may be right, and it really depends on a case by case basis...

Sayhello

 

[slg]

I'm referring to the ABD Brochure. I'm wondering if this is a cost cutting measure. We're in Canada and perhaps they don't want to bother! Honestly, I've asked 4 times, and requested it on-line as well.

(Maybe 6 months from now I'll end up with 5!)

I'm going to be calling ABD again next month and ask how the tour is coming along.

My dh and I have decided that we will do Ireland on our own if they cancel the tour as we don't want to lose the cost of our flights and our insurance won't cover them.

We haven't booked yet, but Ryanair has loaded them into their system so I will be doing it soon.

 

[Bobo912]

I ordered the brochure and received it about two weeks later.

My dh and I have decided that we will do Ireland on our own if they cancel the tour as we don't want to lose the cost of our flights and our insurance won't cover them.

I haven't booked my flight, but will probably be doing so soon, so I checked the cancellation policy. This is what it says with regard to airfare if ABD cancels the trip:

if you booked airfare through us, we will issue a full refund of your airfare; and (iii) if you did not book airfare through us, we will reimburse you for your reasonable out-of-pocket (subject to proof) airline cancellation charges or, in the case of bookings using frequent flier miles, a reasonable cancellation service fee, provided you have exercised best efforts to mitigate such charges/fees

Sounds like you would get at least some of your money back. I'm with you though - I would go anyway.

 

[tigger_ttfn]

We just booked for the 6/20 trip. I had no idea that there would be possibility of cancellation. It's me and my DH.

 

[Bobo912]

In case you haven't seen the other threads, my Discovery Down Under trip was cancelled two weeks ago. I think there were some other adventures cancelled as well. If you call ABD they will give you the percentage of capacity that is currently booked for your trip. ABD has handled my cancellation/rebooking situation very well, so I'm happy with the way things have turned out.

 

[Wonders10]

We just booked for the 6/20 trip. I had no idea that there would be possibility of cancellation. It's me and my DH.

Those are our dates! For 2009 right?

 

[Wonders10]

In case you haven't seen the other threads, my Discovery Down Under trip was cancelled two weeks ago. I think there were some other adventures cancelled as well. If you call ABD they will give you the percentage of capacity that is currently booked for your trip. ABD has handled my cancellation/rebooking situation very well, so I'm happy with the way things have turned out.

When was your trip scheduled (the ones that was cancelled)?

I'm not on these boards much these days, but has there been any mention of ANY of the Ireland adventures being cancelled for this year?

 

[slg]

Yes, the first one is May has been cancelled. I don't know about any others.

Ours is July 22. Anyone else on that one?

 

[cappygirl]

We were scheduled for the first Ireland trip in may
But Disney rebooked us on the June 13th trip.