Do Virgin price match expedia?

I've just returned from a 2 week holiday booked through Virgin Holidays to Oahu in Hawaii. I enjoyed it so much im looking at going back again in June next year.

Currently when i try to search for the dates i want to go (6th June 2009 for 14 days) on the virgin holidays website, it says there are no flights available so I cant get a price quote yet. If i change the dates slightly, I am able to see some prices. Expedia offer the same hotel, the same flights (even the same connecting flights) and are significantly cheaper.

Does anyone know if VH will price match Expedia, and if not, can anyone think of a reason I shouldnt just book the holiday with Expedia?

Thanks

Yes, they have a Price match guarantee if it's for an identical holiday.

Link to VH pricing page

They should attempt to match the price or beat that price if you phone them up, make them work for you!! Don't forget also priceline.com is quite good for flights from the west coast to Hawaii (sometimes you can get a 'deal' on Hawaiian Airlines).

Did you go to any of the east coast of Oahu like Kailua and Lanakai beaches?
Make sure you do a trip out to the Big Island next time and see the volcanic activity, if haven't already done so.

[:)]

Originally posted by Nick23
I've just returned from a 2 week holiday booked through Virgin Holidays to Oahu in Hawaii. I enjoyed it so much im looking at going back again in June next year.

Currently when i try to search for the dates i want to go (6th June 2009 for 14 days) on the virgin holidays website, it says there are no flights available so I can't get a price quote yet. If i change the dates slightly, I am able to see some prices. Expedia offer the same hotel, the same flights (even the same connecting flights) and are significantly cheaper.

Does anyone know if VH will price match Expedia, and if not, can anyone think of a reason I shouldn't just book the holiday with Expedia?

Thanks

We went all over Oahu. Its a shame that so many tourists just stay in Waikiki... its not the 'real' Hawaii at all.

Snorkelling at Hanauma Bay was amazing, having surfing lessons near Ewa Beach, going to the Koolau Mountain Ranch, then finding a nice secluded beach by 'Chinaman's Hat' plus going to lots of beaches on the north shores, including the ones where they film lost was very surreal as im a big fan of the show.

We didnt get a chance to go to Big Island as all our days were extremely busy, but when we go next year, I probably wont do Pearl Harbor again, and take a day trip to see the volcanoes on Big Island

Originally posted by soledad-canyon
They should attempt to match the price or beat that price if you phone them up, make them work for you!! Don't forget also priceline.com is quite good for flights from the west coast to Hawaii (sometimes you can get a 'deal' on Hawaiian Airlines).

Did you go to any of the east coast of Oahu like Kailua and Lanakai beaches?
Make sure you do a trip out to the Big Island next time and see the volcanic activity, if haven't already done so.

[:)]

Originally posted by Nick23
I've just returned from a 2 week holiday booked through Virgin Holidays to Oahu in Hawaii. I enjoyed it so much im looking at going back again in June next year.

Currently when i try to search for the dates i want to go (6th June 2009 for 14 days) on the virgin holidays website, it says there are no flights available so I can't get a price quote yet. If i change the dates slightly, I am able to see some prices. Expedia offer the same hotel, the same flights (even the same connecting flights) and are significantly cheaper.

Does anyone know if VH will price match Expedia, and if not, can anyone think of a reason I shouldn't just book the holiday with Expedia?

Thanks

[Scrooge]

Do they still make you watch the video about Hanauma bay before they will let you go down there ?

Yes scrooge, they do still make you watch the video. But last time I went to Hanauma Bay, about a year ago, they give you a ticket or a number which you can keep so if you go again you don't have to review the video.

Some of the best snorkaling is on Lanakai beach where only a couple of weeks ago I had a green turtle encounter. Amazing!![oo]

Nick23, next time you go try the shark cage dive on the North Shore of Oahu, you can have a dvd made of your experience. It sounds tacky, but it isn't, really.

http://www.sharktourshawaii.com/

Yeah, they still make you watch the video before they let you go down to the bay. I found the shuttle trolley funny. They charge 50c to take you down, and $1 to bring you back up... I wish they had a trolley when we hiked up Diamond Head though

Thanks for the info everyone, and soledad-canyon, i'll look into doing a shark dive

If Expedia are cheaper, and all Virgin are going to do is match it, then just give Expedia the business... Virgin are still benefitting...

Originally posted by Sealink
If Expedia are cheaper, and all Virgin are going to do is match it, then just give Expedia the business... Virgin are still benefitting...

If you go to Expedia via Quidco.com, you'll get cash back. We went to Boston in the summer, Expedia doing a 'stay 2 nights, get 20% discount' and were also doing a 10% cashback for bookings via Quidco (currently up to 7.25%). That gave a very welcome 28% discount on our hotel booking.

Originally posted by DarkAuror
Yes, they have a Price match guarantee if it's for an identical holiday.

Link to VH pricing page

Well, turns out they do NOT price match expedia. Despite the holiday being identical, and having been a very good customer to them spending well over £7000 in the last 2 years, they refused to budge on the price.

Not very good customer service in my opinion.

[mitchja]

You have to book the VH package first, then go to them and show them the identical cheaper Expedia booking. They should then price match or offer you a refund of any money paid if they wont match it.

VH wont match the price without booking their package first.

As the Expedia package is cheaper than the VH package in the first place, there's little point in booking the VH package anyway as you wont gain anything (unless you want extra VS miles by using your VS Amex card). Just book the Expedia one.

This is why price match offers are a waste of time IMHO unless they are willing to better the offer (which in this case they wont). At the end of the day, if the product your buying is the same, it doesn't matter where you get it from.

Regards

Originally posted by Nick23

Originally posted by DarkAuror
Yes, they have a Price match guarantee if it's for an identical holiday.

Link to VH pricing page

Well, turns out they do NOT price match expedia. Despite the holiday being identical, and having been a very good customer to them spending well over £7000 in the last 2 years, they refused to budge on the price.

Not very good customer service in my opinion.

But why should they? As far as they're concerned, you're still a loyal customer as you are still booking on Virgin! Through one of their partners...

Its funny what the replies come out as, it must be to do with the phone adviser on the day and what side of the bed they got out off because i phoned about about a package being offered on expedia, they not only matched but beat it down by another £50 or so.

cheers
alex

Originally posted by av_norw792
Its funny what the replies come out as, it must be to do with the phone adviser on the day and what side of the bed they got out off because i phoned about about a package being offered on expedia, they not only matched but beat it down by another £50 or so.

cheers
alex

Ah! customer service consistency!

Or, is it like car insurance call centres where depending on the seniority of the agent depends on the amount of discount they can offer?

Originally posted by DarkAuror

Ah! customer service consistency!

Or, is it like car insurance call centres where depending on the seniority of the agent depends on the amount of discount they can offer?
[/quote]

Dont talk to me about car insurance (the great british swindle)[:?]

cheers
alex