Great Escapade....again!

Can you start the Great Escapade in the US?
Is it offered to a US citizen?
Is it charged in dollars then?

Best,
OWEN.

[HighFlyer]

Can you start the Great Escapade in the US?

Yes you can, you can start the GE from any of the main destinations on your GE.

Is it offered to a US citizen?

Yes, US citizens (and infact anyone from pretty much anywhere can do the GE

Is it charged in dollars then?

This part i am unsure of. I think it depends which country is ticketing it. If anyome on here knows (Jetwet1?/ChuckC maybe?) im sure they will let you know. Otherwise, call Flying Club, they will know for sure.

[Scrooge]

Yes it will be charged in dollars,they just take the exchange rate and crush the numbers.

Thanks Milliemoo and HF--it's been a wonderfully daydreaming afternoon planning our route (as I'm sure we will do a LOT prior to actually booking it!). Still not sure whether to book it in UK or US. Trailfinders was recommended to me as an agent. Apparently there was a company actually called Great Escapade that was excellent but I can't seem to get into it, so perhaps it's defunct. Any suggestions?

We might be thinking somewhat ambitiously--as we would love to extend the Pacific component by also going to South Africa. Not sure if that is do-able in 29K miles. We have between 4-6 weeks and might start in NY or LA and end in London--using the final leg to get back to Bos before the year runs out (as we will be UK based for 12 months July-July 06-07).

Do you recommend then, booking the entire trip business class? We had thought to book PE and use miles to upgrade the longer segments. We thought we'd book the trip now, although not planning to take it 'til Jan '07--as prices are likely to only go up.

Thanks!

RR

[Scrooge]

The Great Escapade site has been "down" for a while now,you may want to just give VS a call.

I would say save up your money and go UC,there are some long leg's on these flight's and with NZ putting suite's on their aircraft it has to be the way to go.

One thing to note,if im reading this right you want to go say LAX- LHR then back to BOS for the last leg ?

If im reading that right you can't do it,one of the rules of the GE fare is that you keep going in the same direction,ie you go LAX-LHR as your first leg you have to continue going east,or LAX-AKL as your first leg your locked into going west.

[HighFlyer]

Hiya

we would love to extend the Pacific component by also going to South Africa

You could do this by flying to JNB from LHR on the VS601. There is an SQ flight that goes from JNB - SIN (SQ497 i believe), and then from SIN you can explore Asia, then on to Australia.

I was going to do this myself, but figured i would do a seperate SA holiday as there is so much i want to see there. If you have the time, you could do this, and purchase your own flights around SA so it does not impact on the GE mileage. You must go to CPT for example!!

Not sure if that is do-able in 29K miles

You have to be creative!

Only use the GE for the main longhaul sectors, then buy flights yourself once you are in those countries (as mentioned above in SA) then you can make the most of the 29k. You can buy additional mileage if needed, but the rate isnt really that good.

You can do SA, Asia, Oz and the US in a GE - you just need to plan a great deal and be sure where you definately want to go and where you want to stop.

If im reading that right you can't do it,one of the rules of the GE fare is that you keep going in the same direction,ie you go LAX-LHR as your first leg you have to continue going east,or LAX-AKL as your first leg your locked into going west.

Dave is absolutely right! One direction only on the GE - although you can zig zag between Australia and other countries for some unknown reason, like flying SYD-SIN-BNE-AKL-SYD ... not sure why that is allowed but it is? The rules are a bit hazy, but technically yes, one direction only, and one Pacific and one Atlantic crossing are mandatory.

HTH?

[Scrooge]

Hey Sarah,whats the name of that site that has the interactive route planner?

[HighFlyer]

Hey Sarah,whats the name of that site that has the interactive route planner?

Go to: http://www.travelbag.co.uk

There is a blue box towards the bottom of the page with 'route planners' as the heading - click on the top one (Round the World route planner) and hey presto!

WARNING: You will lose many hours of the day on this thing, planning not only this trip but trips for many years to come!!

Also, dont take what it tells you as law. Its a guide, but it can be wrong as i proved myself when it wouldnt calculate certain routes for me. It would say that you couldnt fly from X to Y when you can because i know there is a flight doing that route. If you get this sort of thing, check the SQ and ANZ websites yourself to fill in the blanks.

I have no idea why it cant get the flight data for some flights, i queried this with Travelbag but they didnt know either [:(!]

WARNING: You will lose many hours of the day on this thing, planning not only this trip but trips for many years to come!!

Oy! Yes--these are the planners we had been using as we sort of dozed towards committing to this--but were not aware that TravelBag also handle Great Escapade. AirTreks and BootsNAll do so in the US I believe. Apparently the Escapade website has been down for a very long time...

I am having a little trouble assuring my other that doing the entire trip in UC is a good idea, as he stubbornly insists that we will also need to sleep and eat OUTSIDE of the aircraft and the CH during the trip, and where exactly do I think those funds will come from?

I know we can do Cape Town and NZ on the cheap as have friends to stay with....but South Pacific, Asia segments are less clear. It's a great deal simpler (and cheaper!) when a nice big corporation picks up the flight/hotel tab under the heading "work" but then of course they expect you to actually do so. Going out on a holiday as a vagabond seems part of a distant past--and I believe that one involved few flights, lots of hitchiking, some VW vans and pots of yoghurt for sustenance.

I have had a lovely read of the GE conversations on V-Flyer, or actually re-read as I do remember them when they were posted--but not in any useful way as it was less relevant, I suppose.


Our route actually could skip all of the US if need be so it's only the challenge of figuring out how to include SAfrica.

Thanks all for your help--it continues to snow here and be very cold and wintery, a far cry from Raratonga!

Meg[y]

[HighFlyer]

Meg

I found that the best way to start was to make a list of the places you wanted to visit on your RTW (irrelevant of how impractical) then when you have your list, whittle it down. Once you know where you want to go, planning is so much easier.

I had JNB/CPT and NRT on my original wish list, but dropped them as i could easily do those another time directly with VS, so concentrated on Asia and Australia where there wasnt as much VS presence, and where getting to wasnt as easy. Once i had places such as HKG, KUL, SIN and SYD as definates the rest was easy.

If stopping in the US isnt important to you, its a shame you have to route through there as its a lotof miles. You could consider doing the SIN-EWR flight (from SYD) not that it will probably show on the planner, but it could be a miles efficient way of getting home? I am not sure and would need to calculate it.

I am having a little trouble assuring my other that doing the entire trip in UC is a good idea, as he stubbornly insists that we will also need to sleep and eat OUTSIDE of the aircraft and the CH during the trip, and where exactly do I think those funds will come from?

There is life outside Upper? hehe

Rest assured that you will find Asia the cheapest part of your trip, the food and accomodation are very cheap. Sell him on that part - and then gloss over the cost of the rest!

Seriously though, i dont think there is any other way of doing such intense flying over a short period. Believe me, when your internal clock just dies as its been through more time changes than Marty McFly - you will be glad for everything Upper has to offer, from the lounges to the priority baggage to the space and sleep on the aircraft.

If you were doing this trip over a year then you have recovery periods inbetween, but when doing it in a matter of weeks you dont have that luxury so having a good flight ensures you dont ruin your trip by being too tired, cranky and jet lagged to see what you flew all that way to see!

HTH?

[Scrooge]

As I said above,there are some long flight's and many time changes,this is where the UCS come's into it's own.Just to give you an idea,this is what we have planned....

LAX-LHR

spend two days in London saying hi to the family.

LHR-HKG

spend the night there just to break up the flight.

HKG-SYD

spend 4 days there,well up on the reef.

SYD-AKL

again just an overnight.

AKL-NAN

This is a place we both have wanted to visit and there are some great deals on rental houses here. 1 week stay planned

NAN-LAX

home sweet home

So here you see for just a little bit more then a z LAX-LHR ticket we get to go round the world,visit the great barrier reef and Fiji,rack up a boat load of miles and TP's and all from the comfort of a suite.

Originally posted by HighFlyer
.
Believe me, when your internal clock just dies as its been through more time changes than Marty McFly - you will be glad for everything Upper has to offer.

I think you should sell that quote to VS Marketing!

Milliemoo

Have been on to Premier Team to look at routing for GE for next year, very helpful. This was of interest to me as had some conflicting information from UK travel agents (eg their insisting that I had to start and end in London--not true!).

What is definitely fact though is that few flight booking agents, including premier team, get a lot of GE business bookings, so it does seem wise to ask for check and double-check when in doubt. They are able to book the entire journey and offer help for re-booking if there is a need to date -change once en-route. They gather your itinerary, submit it to fares and get back to you with a final price--which, for US based bookings, can be paid directly in dollars. Was also well reassured that if the flight is booked and GE for some reason pulled, tix would still be honored.

What is even more apparent is that few bookings are made from the US for the business GE-- so my challenge still exists--is it possible to start from LAX (or better--SFO) to Hawaii and/or South Pacific islands (undecided exactly where), NZ and OZ, Thailand, Singapore, Capetown, then back to LHR -- final end in Boston (after lapse of several months in UK) without twice crossing the Atlantic for 29K miles?

I've used the Great Circle Mapper and come in at 28,274 but know that is cutting it fine and I do know that overland miles count so plan to fly in and out of same site when exploring. Anyone else stuck on a next thought at work and needing a little mental exercise care to have a try?

Cheers,

RR

[HighFlyer]

RR - Thanks for that

You can buy extra miles (not that its a good rate) but still may be an option if you come just over the threshold

Good point raised regarding ex-LAX and en-BOS, technically it should be no different to LHR/LGW as its still one country/destination, did you ask Flying Club for their thoughts?

If you have had no joy, i'll call my travel guy in the morning who arranged most of my GE as he has handled a few US customers and knows the GE ticketing very well. I'll let you know if he gives me a verdict.

Routing straight out of SFO might be tricky due to the lack of flights from there to the South Pacific (generally ex-LAX) but there might be some out there, SFO is opening up as more of a hub now. Otherwise you could route through LAX and omit the SFO routing (hopefully) from your miles allowance

So whats your routing? LAX-HNL-South Pacific (Nadi/Atutaki etc?)-AKL-SYD-SIN-BKK-SIN-CPT-LHR-BOS

Thanks Sarah,

Not dead sure about routing yet--(it does seem to change every time we say to each other, "Okay, enough with the daydreaming,this is IT") but still really hoping to start SFO (only for the CH!) include island South Pacific (suggestion welcome!) some OZ (SYD/melbourne) a longer stay Christchurch to Auckland NZ, SIN, Bangkok (Phuket), SIN if we have to backtrack (can we?), CPT, LHR--and very finally, BOS. And of course we are trying to stretch our 6 weeks to 8, knowing full well it will be a whirlwind. The cardinal rule is warm weather only.

I located an interesting RTW travel agent in San Francisco a journalist friend once interviewed, saying he's quite a character and runs his own specialist RTW agency. On phoning him, he has told me he can "beat" the VS-offered GE business fare (don't quite see how that's possible)--but I told him--go for it. I would like a US travel agent to help with accommodation so I can book in dollars etc but there doesn't seem to be much demand for RTW bookings here, except for students.

I would be very interested in what your agent had to say--and if she or he is knowledgeable about booking GE for US originating travel--pm me a name and #?

thanks,
meg

I may have missed something somewhere, but how can you buy FC miles?

Viz.

[HighFlyer]

Hi Meg

I'll try and call my guy tomorrow and get some feedback, hopefully he can give me details of one of his team members to help you if they can facilitate a US booking, or at least give you lots of advice!

Im with you on flying ex-SFO, its a lovely airport, lovely Clubhouse and fantastic staff.

I had a quick look at ANZ, most of their flights ex-SFO route through AKL, but they do fly back to the South Pacific from there, on to Nadi (Fiji) and Rotorua for example. So technically yes you can do ex-SFO if you dont mind doing it that way? You will be fine as far as the rules for the GE go in terms of entering and leaving NZ on more than one occasion.

I'll be interested to hear what your US baed agent has to offer you - by all means get them on the case, just review all the fare rules carefully.

Im sure others on here can give you suggestions for South Pacific islands, personally it would be FIji or Bora Bora. Milliemoo, spend some time in Rarotonga and Aitutaki so you might want to read her GE TR to see what you think of those destinations?

Basically, trawl the ANZ website to see what you can get ex-SFO and to where, and whatever they show you, you can technically book on your GE as long as there are seats to book.

Keep us posted!! Oooh .. GE planning .. i love it!!

Thanks Sarah,
Am listening on daily work commute to cd of Tony Horowitz' Blue Latitudes, a wonderful chatty story about re-tracing Cook's journies--from Yorkshire start as a mariner lad to .... well the last of him--his leg--- after a small SP misunderstanding. Hoping this will help in teeth gritting decision about which and where to visit in South Pacific. Horowitz has an interactive website up now as well--(Blue Latitudes--boldly going where Captain Cook has gone before). Unfortunately Horowitz all but spoils most places (Tahiti is a def no) by featuring the clash between then and now and focusing on how school children have been taught to hate or revere Cook.

I would very much appreciate your, Millymoo's or anyone's suggestions for must see/visit/or just lovely in south pacific or elsewhere on our proposed route. ANZ shows many possibilities (and thanks for suggesting a look at routing in and out of NZ for more options).

Am holding fast to VS/SFO departure--and letting that determine where we go next as have little faith in adventures that start (or end)at LAX. Not enough magic. [ii]

meg

Hi Viz,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I may have missed something somewhere, but how can you buy FC miles?

I think not.

RR

[HighFlyer]

I may have missed something somewhere, but how can you buy FC miles?

My mistake in terms of clarity. You cant buy VS Flying Club miles but you can buy additional miles to add to the 29k for the GE

As said, its not cheap, but maybe an ideal way of doing your preferred routing if you go over the 29k by 2k miles or so.

I hope that makes more sense?

In regards to South Pacific, what sort of thing did you want to do there? Just a beach hol, or are you into diving/watersports etc? Just to get an idea of what sort of place you are after .. im sure Milliemoo will give you her verdict to on the places she went next time she logs on ... or i'll point her over this way.

[HighFlyer]

RR

Spoke to my travel guy today, he was very adamant that if you are booking in the UK you need to start your RTW in the UK, although I have heard that you can technically start the GE from any destination on your route, so I might try and do a bit of digging to suss out the rules on this. It might be that US pax get more flexibility than UK pax?

He did say that you donÕt have to finish in the same location though, advising that a lot of his clients use the RTW fares to get from one place to another (i.e. London, round America, Asia and then stop in Europe) so i asked him about starting in LAX and finishing in BOS, he said that it should be fine as its starting and ending in the same country.

I can PM you a name and number of one of his minions if you want to talk travel with them, but they will be working off the basis of ex-UK, and im interested to find out more about the situation where some say you can start the GE from any destination, and others say you cant.

Out of interest, the rate is $150 for each extra 1500 miles you want to add to your GE if you are travelling on a Business Class fare.

[preiffer]

Originally posted by HighFlyer
Out of interest, the rate is $150 for each extra 1500 miles you want to add to your GE if you are travelling on a Business Class fare.

$150/1500 miles in Business isn't a bad rate...

That'd make the equivalent of NY and back $750 ish in J! [y]

[HighFlyer]

Its not a bad rate, it goes up in similar increments ($4500 for 4500 miles etc) so i guess its $1 a mile (i do wonder if you can negotiate if you are buying a heap of miles) so really, if you are only a tad over the 29k its really worth throwing the extra few dollars at it to grab the routing you want.

[preiffer]

Hold on Sarah - you said it was $150/1,500 miles (ie: 1:10) - is it 1:1? (in which case, it's nowhere near as good... [n]

[HighFlyer]

Ok, sorry, someone else was using the family brain cell ...

For clarity:

You can buy more miles for the GE at approx. $150 for 1500 miles. To put this into a UK GBP context, you can buy miles in 50 or 100 mile blocks.

Pricing is done in 1500 mile block intervals at:

1500 miles = £70 (approx)
3000 miles = £140 (approx)
4500 miles = £200 (approx)

The most miles that can be added on to a GE is 4500, therefore the total Maxium miles you can travel on the GE fare is 33,500

I hope that makes it clearer?

(please excuse me while i slap myself on head!)