AIBU to ask for your help with booking a holiday?

[WineRipened]

I haven't been on a holiday in 13 years and have rarely flown in the interim so am utterly clueless. I am getting totally confused with websites. For e.g. loveholidays.com is showing £201.17 for the accomodation but the summary bumps it up to £320.80 . Sometimes 7 nights comes in cheaper than 5! A lot are showing Greek Islands but again, I'm not 100% clear on whether they are green or amber for travel (I've only had first shot of vaccine). Then, with luggage, is 20kg carry on, all you're allowed i.e. no handbag along with that for example?

I'm travelling from London and am open to red eyes, but will need to factor in taxis/airport hotels(?) or something if not able to get trains to meet flights. On the way home for e.g. I wouldn't mind if my flight got in at 1am and I had to hang around the airport until the first train. Stansted is my nearest airport I think.

I will be travelling alone and want sun, beach & bar, shops maybe. Cheap food, hopefully some nightly entertainment. It's just the sun and relaxation I am going for so don't need anything terribly cultural, sporty or active. I want to depart either this weekend or next week sometime and duration can be for 4-7 nights. Budget needs to come in under £350 incl. flights and accom.

I've been trying to book using search for 'cheap sun holidays' and looking at the websites that give flight/hotel/transfer options as I wouldn't be confident enough trying to book everything separately.

Canaries or Balearics would be great really, but I'm not incredibly fussed. I'm mid forties, but being single, I don't want a fuddy duddy holiday necessarily and probably not a totally family resort either.

Can anyone help get me away??? Lol. I'm crying out for a break.

I was just making the point that OP has done zero research herself yet planned to go away this weekend and expected strangers on the internet to do all the work for her. Having helped several friends navigate their recent trips (having been away myself in July) I find it a bit frustrating that some people expect everything to be done for them with zero effort on their own part!

@chocolatesaltyballs22

I was just making the point that OP has done zero research herself yet planned to go away this weekend and expected strangers on the internet to do all the work for her. Having helped several friends navigate their recent trips (having been away myself in July) I find it a bit frustrating that some people expect everything to be done for them with zero effort on their own part!

Just don't bother. The request didn't specifically go out to you and you alone.

Travel at the moment is only for the very dedicated. It's hard work. I'd leave it for this year OP.

@CloudPop

Travel at the moment is only for the very dedicated. It's hard work. I'd leave it for this year OP.

Yes, seems so. Oh well!

What about somewhere in England?

You have a couple of hundred pounds IDed for holiday.
Would you consider a hotel in UK?
Could try to find one with easy transport links from London meals provided and something to do in evenings if you fancy that

@WineRipened

Can you not just get tested for free?

No. You have to pay for tests. How many depends where you are going , you will need one in the resort to return and various tests when you come back. Bear in mind that the country you go to could change status while you're there. 20kg is not a carry on case it will go in the hold and would be enough for a week. If you aren't sure why don't you go to a travel agent. You might have to pay more if transfers aren't included. It's quite a low budget and it is now school holidays when holidays are more expensive.

If you're travelling alone, is there a particular reason why you want to go in the school summer holidays? Prices will be much cheaper if you wait for September (and you'll be double jabbed).

Tui has a really useful page telling you where you can go and what the restrictions are there. They also have a reasonable testing service.

www.tui.co.uk/holidays/where-can-i-go-on-holiday/

Might be worth giving them a ring and seeing what they have for your budget in the time you want to travel. They can arrange all the testing etc if you need any of that.

Go to a good independent travel agent, either high Street or home based like travel counsellors or personal travel agents - there are lots around. They have been dealing with this for over a year and can advise on requirements.

Tui are good but will sell you a tui holiday when there might be a better option for you - an independent can sell Tui and many more, lots of tour ops have deals for reduced priced tests and the agent will know all of these.

Go with a tour operator. TUI have great deals on PCR tests (£20 for a green list country). Call or visit a travel agent and get all the information.

By going with a tour operator, you will also be protected if things go wrong (so do covid cover, will get you back if the country becomes somewhere you need to mandatory quarantine before the deadline etc)

Definitely don’t travel now if your inexperienced or budget restricted.
How would you cope with testing positive in another country and having to stay out there? If the country changes from green to amber or amber + and quarantine for 10 days is required on your return. So many flights are getting cancelled last minute, you would likely be ok with a package but not so ok if you’ve booked separately or on sites like love holidays etc.

@WineRipened

Can you not just get tested for free?

Not for leisure travel

Op, Covid testing will swallow up
your budget this year. In future, try Trailfinders, they were absolutely superb with cancelling and reimbursing our trip with them last spring. They do a lot more “sun and relaxation” time trips now, than the more backpackery/year out/exploratory travel they are known for.

Either go somewhere in UK or go mid-September to somewhere that accepts the double vaxxed with no need for additional tests.

Yes @titchy makes a good point. Hopefully things might become a bit clearer by September and you can make sure you're double jabbed by then. Plus prices will naturally be a lot less because out of school holidays.
If you're desperate for a break now I'd look for something in the UK - booking.com is a good way to search through alternatives. We're in Whitby at the minute and the weather is practically scorchio hot. If you want an outdoor pool look at places down South - there won't be huge availability but as it's a single room you might strike lucky.

Not sure if the weather is due to last though.

Jersey perhaps?

Moneysavingexpert explains the testing requirements by country and signposts to where to get them cheapest:

www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/#guidance

I don't know what BA offer, because they offer very little from the airports near me, but if they do good flight and hotel packages, that could be an option.

It's probably best sticking to green destinations, which is either Malta or Maderia and Malta is a good place to go for an inexperienced traveller and often good value too. Plus you can get around easily and cheaply by bus, which also helps.

If you can travel from Stansted, see if there are any suitable flights or packages with Jet2, they've recently added extra flights to Malta and Madeira due to increased demand. Bear in mind that Malta at least will be very very hot.

www.jet2.com/

If you can manage at all with hand luggage only (although jet2 packages allow a suitcase) you can save around £50. Jet2 also allow a bigger cabin bag and a handbag too, which helps a lot and should be fine for a week if you pack carefully, wear your trainers and buy your sunscreen and other toiletries at the airport after security or when you get there (get your sunscreen at the airport because it is usally very expensive abroad).

Without it sounding as if I am boasting - we are v experienced travellers - independently booking flights / hotels etc rather than using travel agents.
We have been looking at getting away in August and to be honest I have said it's too complicated and stressful at the mo, let's wait a couple of weeks to see if there's any improvement.

Yes, thanks all. It was all on a whim this morning as I had a few nights booked away on the coast for next week but the weather is to be crap so I'm cancelling it. It's the sun and sea I want. I'll wait now until I'm double jabbed and see prices for first week in September. I just hope Covid doesn't fuck everything up as usual. I've had such a shitty year and a half with it. You really would lose your patience fast!

BarbaraofSeville yes, after you told me about the green lists, I looked up and Malta was the only one short haul really so I was thinking of there too. Thanks for all the guidance. As complicated as it all now sounds, you might well just have saved me £££s and a lot of inconvenience. It wouldn't be beyond me to have rocked up to an airport with no clue that I needed a test thus losing whatever amount I had spent! Will tune in to travel updates from now on. It's so bloody frustrating.

Im an experienced traveller and I've been utterly bedfuudled and confused about what I'm supposed to do going away!
As other pp said op, just forget aboard this year, there is are some places to be visit in the UK?

Dorset? Not too far and some nice places to visit..

Sorry just seen you cancelled it.

Op try looking at easy jet flights yourself, from Stansted and then look at hotels where you want to go..

What about Jersey/Guernsey www.gov.je/Health/Coronavirus/Travel/Pages/CoronavirusTravelAdvice.aspx