rtw tickets/great escapades

[HighFlyer]

Best of luck with it Milliemoo, relocating is a huge adventure in itself!

Quite often I think that there have got to be better places to live and raise a family than in the UK, if you have a chance at a new life then go for it. As you say, you can always come back (not that you would probably want to!!)

I guess you will be swayed towards Air New Zealand a lot after you move? Not much chance of catching too many VS flights down there at present. Will you keep your FC account or would it make sense to switch to their own loyalty club? You are going to rack up the miles on all those jaunts to the South Pacific! (you lucky thing!!)

Hi,

We'll definately keep our FC membership. I'm holding out for VS flights to Auckland within the next 5 years....I reackon it's on the cards.

In the mean time, we still need to return to the UK at least once a year, so will still be using VS quite a lot As I was saying on that other thread about my mileage confusion, I think we'll take advantage of the GE fare at least once more and will definately be using it next October. Did I mention that as we are going with the GE again, we're gonna stop off at Vegas for a couple of nights ....yeah baby! I'd been looking at your TR for Belagio....say no more [8D]

Milliemoo

[HighFlyer]

Have you been to Vegas before? I do love going there, im hoping to go again in March but the ticket prices are always extortionate for LGW-LAS direct, we could fly to SFO/LAX but we were only planning a 4 night break there - so all that extra flying kind of makes it not worth it - hell what am i saying!! Its Vegas!!

Bellagio is a great hotel and we will definately be staying there again. We did think about the Wynn as its new but as we know what to expect from Bellagio we will go back there. (Its great when people ask what hotel you are staying at and you tell them Bellagio!) The service is great and the location is awesome - plus if you are on the right ss=ide ofthe hotel you can see the fountains out of your window!! I couldnt ask for more!!

We have been thinking of doing another GE too but have to do a bit of saving first [:(] I think we will be a good few grand in debt with Mastercard when we get back in July as we have to pay for all the hotel stays!!!

Hi,

No, it'll be our first time in Vegas [8D] If we stay at Belagio ,sorry when we stay at Belagio we'll definately get a lake view. I think it was yourself that gave the tip of the higher floors which don't have the wee 'balconies' to obstruct the view.

Eeeeeek we still have to pay the final balance to Trailfinders....I'm trying not to think about what we're spending on this trip too much [:I]

We'd have to pay for flights next year anyway, so I just think we're gettting better value for money with the GE. It's still an extra few ££££ that I hadn't budgeted for. Better get selling some more nonsense on Ebay lol

Milliemoo

[HighFlyer]

Oh you will have a great time in Vegas!!

The standard lakeview rooms should all be fine, its just the suites on those certain floors that have the alabaster moulding (i think its floors 29 and 33). When you book you can perhaps make it clear that you dont want an obstructed view - they may be less likely to put you on those floors if they know you know! If you are not going at convention time or other busy period you should be able to switch your room if you dont like it anyway, we didnt have that choice at Christmas but we still enjoyed the experience - albeit me standing on a chair to watch the fountains - bet that looked hilarious to anyone who saw!

We have paid off our GE balance - we got loads of miles for that one on the FC Mastercard! LOL Our budget keeps escalating but we kept saying 'oh well, its a once in a life time trip' so didnt worry too much about it. Now we are considering another GE (purely as the fare is such good value) and we realise what we have the to potential to spend if we do go on another one.

I also sell lots of crap (erm ... goods! LOL) on Ebay - ive sold amentity kits and sleepsuits on there, lots of people buy that sort of stuff (from all airlines) so maybe thats one way we can claw some of the pennies back!! hehe

I'm hoping the GE fare would increase again for some time (It stayed at £3300 for at least 2/3 years), so it should still represent excellent value for money. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it lol

I made a killing on Ebay just before Christmas selling Buberry Earmuffs to Americans

Milliemoo

We are totally off the wall as we are doing a RTW with GE in 31 days with two kids and the in-laws:D

Hong Kong 2 nights
Sydney 4 nights
NZ South I 7 nights
NZ North I 5 nights
Taihiti 8 nights
San Fran 3 nights

And we fit in 2x Xmas Days

[HighFlyer]

Excellent news Stephen

When are you going?

Originally posted by HighFlyer
Excellent news Stephen

When are you going?

5 Dec and return 5 Jan
we are all v v excited but have not told the mother-in-law about the 02:35 departure on 1st Jan with a nine hour flight to LAX followed by a four hour wait to transit onto SFO. All after new years eve[:0] so lets hope she does not smack me one!!!![B)]

[HighFlyer]

Excellent - a christmas trip away! That will be one to remember!

Im sure mother in Law will be fine - a month away is exciting enough to make you almost spring out of bed in the morning!! I know thats how i would be on think of going to all these lovely places - especially Tahiti, id love to go there!!

My first flight for my GE is the VS200 which leaves at 22.00pm so i will be on tenterhooks all day!! (as will Milliemoo as she is on the same flight when its her turn) I have to go to work in the morning that day and i will be so excited - i will probably annoy the hell out of all my work mates!!

It's all a lot of fun:D

OMG Your going to work the morning of the VS200 flight !

LOL I just couldn't do that....I'm bad enough now, let alone the morning of the trip. I'd be sick with excitment at work [:I]

Stephen, glad to hear about someone else doing the trip. It's getting very popular me thinks. Highflyer will try and make out that she started the trend, but she copied me really ;):D Even down to the hotels lol

Have you prebooked your seats, what with being a big party and all? The lovely girls at VS even reserved our NZ flights....had no idea they could do that.

Milliemoo

forgot to say.....
your getting Christmas twice.....I'm having my 30th B'day twice

Oh one more thing, Highflyer did you know there's a Tiffany's actually in the Peninsular Hotel. hummmmmmmm I'm thinking birthday (twice) nice wee eternity ring to make my engagement ring lol

Milliemoo

[preiffer]

Hmm... Out of interest (and since greatescapade.com is still down), does anyone know the rough costs for the tickets? Economy & Biz/Upper?

[HighFlyer]

OMG Your going to work the morning of the VS200 flight !

Hahahaha .. yeah, i have to really to tie up those loose ends - going away for a month and all! hehe! besides, id be going nuts at home otherwise!! Id probably just pack and repack!!

Tiffany's at the Pen? Now that has to be worth a look! There is one in Bellagio as well if you do go to Vegas - i recall bring dragged out of there at xmas LOL

One thing i was going to ask you, have you got your VS FC number on all your flight bookings with SQ/NZ? I need to check that as i have asked Travelbag to do it for me (as i booked with them) but they havent confirmed either way. Ill take my Ag card to check-in anyway but i wondered that as VS can reserve seats on the partner airlines whether they can sort that side out for me? Worth a call to them i guess.

Hi,

When I spoke to VS she said to keep all the NZ boarding cards, just in case there was any probs with adding mileage on. It means we'll have them to hand if we do need to claim the miles. By the sounds of it, they must have problems with the mileage going on quite a lot.

I'll take our cards with us to check-in as well

Milliemoo

[HighFlyer]

Hmm... Out of interest (and since greatescapade.com is still down), does anyone know the rough costs for the tickets? Economy & Biz/Upper?

When i bought mine, Biz was £3300 plus tax (tax around £150) but i believe this fare will be increased when the site goes back up (probably to about £3500 i reckon). I cant find a price for First but i think it was £5400 - bit pointless as there is no First on VS and not all ANZ/SQ flights have First either - you get bumped back into J and no money back!

Economy prices vary, there was no one single fare as with the premium classes but was aound £1000 per ticket as far as i recall.

Brilliant value though

Hi,

Just to confirm, the cost of Biz went up to £3500 in March. Tax obviously depends on your route.

As HF says, there isn't a fixed price for ecconomy, but I think I remember seeing them for about £800/£850 plus tax going up to over £1k.

Milliemoo

[HighFlyer]

Just to confirm, the cost of Biz went up to £3500 in March

Ooh - looks like i got in just in time!!

Woooooo I can feel the excitement from here on the south coast. Like you lot just got there on the £3300 ticket + tax etc. Yup we managed to get our VS seats booked A7-12 on the A360 and AK 6-8 on the return 747. As for the NZ legs i am not sure although the SYD to CHC leg there are only 8 seats in J and we got 6 of them:D

[i]
As for the NZ legs i am not sure although the SYD to CHC leg there are only 8 seats in J and we got 6 of them:D

Cool !

I'd noticed there wasn't many J seats, which is why we wanted to get seats reserved ASAP.

Milliemoo

I am doing a RTW in Nov as am really excited...it goes SYD SIN BOM on SQ, BOM LHR on VS, LHR LAX on NZ ONT LAX SFO on UA, SFO AKL CHC SYD on NZ. All in J class too.

My first time on VS:) and with the refurbished A343 and I hoping I will get a UCS but no gurantee. Can't wait to sample VS.

Get to fly NZs new refitted 744s and , of course, fly their new 772s

Wahoooooo Another one

It's a busy old year for RTW trips [8D]

We're hoping to be on the NZ refits aswell. It'll be the end of Novemeber by the time we fly NZ.

Milliemoo

Just an update to say that I have now booked my great escapade ticket which departs 1.10.05. Route as follows (approximate length of sty in destination):

Man-Heathrow (BMI Internal)
Heathrow-Hong Kong (approx 5 day stay)
Hong Kong - Sydney (Approx 5 Months)
Sydney-Auckland (approx 3 weeks)
Auckland - Christchurch (approx 2 weeks)
Christchurch - Las Vegas via Auckland (6-8 weeks)
Orlando - Manchester.

Got my frequent flyer membership - can anybody work out my tier points/mileage?

Just got to survive the next 6 weeks in a campervan on a road trip to spain and italy!!

Regards

Homer J