why is virgin holidays more expensive ?

Hello everyone

Just got a quick question about VH upgrade prices.

I booked a package holiday yesterday to Cuba flying U/C and a multicenter stay in Varadero and Havana.

I first priced up the holiday with a tour company The Holiday Place' and then asked for upgrade process from econ to U/C for 2 adults.

After getting a quote I then rang Virgin Holidays and asked for a price for the same holiday itinerary on the same flights as my 1st quote, V/H came back with a comparatively close price, I then asked for a price with upgrades to U/C both ways and was very surprised when V/H quoted me approximately 800 more than that quoted by the first tour company.

Needless to say I went with the first quote from the Holiday place.

My question is therefore is it normal for V/H flight upgrades to be more expensive than those offered by other tour operators who have no affiliation with Virgin Atlantic?

Cheers
Jerseyboy

[Nottingham Nick]

JB

I don't know the answer to your question about whether VH is normally more expensive for upgrades, as I have never used them. The main moral of your post to me, is the need for us all to shop around when we are booking holidays.

I don't think it is possible to say that one tour company is always cheaper than another - there are a huge number of variables, I suppose it depends which fare bucket the seats are in, and how keen each company is to make a sale.

A saving of £800 for an identical trip sounds like a winner to me, though. [y][:D]


Nick

Indeed it was a winner.

Cheers Nick

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
JB

I don't know the answer to your question about whether VH is normally more expensive for upgrades, as I have never used them. The main moral of your post to me, is the need for us all to shop around when we are booking holidays.

I don't think it is possible to say that one tour company is always cheaper than another - there are a huge number of variables, I suppose it depends which fare bucket the seats are in, and how keen each company is to make a sale.

A saving of £800 for an identical trip sounds like a winner to me, though. [y][:D]


Nick

[Pete]

VH are sometimes more expensive, sometimes cheaper. It depends on the destination, the time of year and the availability.

I book VH regularly when self-built itineraries are coming up pricey, but VH's block booking of hotels can normally keep the price reasonable even during peak times.

[mitchja]

What VH do have is a price match guarantee, where if you book a VH package and then find a cheaper package within 14 days from another ABTA tour operator holding an ATOL licence, they will match the price or offer a full refund.

Every part of the VH and the cheaper package holiday has got to be exactly the same (even right down to using the same car hire company and having the same type of car insurance for example!!)

It does exclude fly drives, special offers and free child places though.

Regards

[RichardMannion]

I wish holiday companies did away 'kids go free' promos as it's just a sham, as the cost has just been absorbed elsewhere. Puts me off booking a VH package.

Pete is right though, always help to look round. And VH can be very good if you don't want to stay a Saturday night [;)]

I always compare self built costs with VH as sometimes VH can work out cheaper.

We did a 3 week fly drive to LA in 2006 in PE and the cost with VH including a full sized car and platinum insurance was about £1k cheaper than just the flights with VS. The other advantage was of course we didn't have to pay the balance until 8 weeks before departure. We were also upgraded to UC on the outbound leg which was very nice indeed.

Miopyk[8D]

Must admit that I have just booked a holiday to visit the parents in Fl and VH were a lot cheaper than any other company I found.Guess it higlights what Pete said- sometimes cheaper sometimes not!