Talk to me about package holidays

[Bobje]

Please tell me all the pros and cons - the good, the bad and the ugly.
We are usually long haulers and everything booked independently.
Have never done a package holiday.

Best company? Best time to book for the best deals?
We are open to any suggestions destination wise.

In the same boat and also keen to know!

As someone who did independent travel for many many years pre Covid, I couldn't be arsed to organise with our last two holidays and booked package.

Big mistake.

Huge.

The good bit is you don't have to think with a package.

The bad bit is that you are doing everything on someone else's overpriced agenda. And having organised my own agenda, at my own pace, at my own price, I HATED it! Even being unable to choose what I wanted for dinner grated!

It seemed like good plan traveling with toddlers for first time and in a lot of ways it was. Didn't have to think about airport transfer, room set up was great, same pattern for breakfast and tea. But didn't really get out and have local meals and place was geared up for people staying in hotel complex not getting out and exploring area. Next trip we've booked independently.

We used to book package when we had small kids. We just found it so much easier. Wasn't keen on all inclusive as felt stuck on the resort but generally package took the hassle out of things.
Now the kids have grown we book everything independently. You get so much more for your money and you can set things up exactly how you want them. Wouldn't book package again. Air b and b, booking.com etc have all made booking independently so much easier.

Our last holiday was a package holiday. We booked a ‘last minute holiday’ via the TUI website and the price was reasonable. The hotel was lovely with a beautiful beach right outside. We hired a car (independently) when we were there and visited several places each day. We were only travelling for a week and there was plenty to do/see within easy travelling distance of the hotel. Pros - convenient, booking easy, and the TUI staff we met were very helpful.

I only started doing package holiday once I had DC

Started off with Mark Warner and had lovely holidays

Then as they got older booked through TUI

This year started to travel independently and will do so again from now on although I do now love a decent AI

Jet 2 are the company i've used for about 9 holidays. I usually check my final price against tui and even flights and hotel etc seperately and they are always cheaper.

Are pp confusing package with AI? Package just means flight + hotel + some meals included. Of course you can choose room only or b&b. No need to stay in hotel and not have choice what to eat.

One benefit of a package holiday is that if something happens and the trip gets cancelled, the whole thing is covered. So eg, if you booked independently and your flight was cancelled, you'd still have to pay for your accom (yes, travel insurance but this can be messy and never guaranteed!). With a package holiday, if the flights cancelled the whole trip is cancelled.

I work in travel. 20 odd years ago I used to always book independently but now packages are always cheaper for me and better protected. If you need to use a smaller regional airport like me there isn't the competition to get great air fares. I still find packages booked at the right time cheaper though. Next sales will likely start just before Christmas. I don't book packages including meals, this isn't necessary if you like eating out. Packages are very flexible these days and can be tailored to complex itineraries.

OP, if you are used to doing things independently, l see little benefit in switching to a package.

During the pandemic, lots of people waited ages for refunds too.

Always do a price comparison, but remember package prices are per person, where as independently the accommodation is usually per unit. Make sure you have a “free cancellation” booking (some packages charge 60%) and good insurance.

To add best company entirely depends on your destination.

The served a purpose for us when the DC were younger. We always booked with kids clubs in mind, good swimming pools and overall, well rated food. DC are older now so we don’t go. We are doing city breaks when we can get away.

When booking packages, we found Jet2 to be good. I particularly liked their in resort check in for our return flights. I like with Jet2 that baggage is included and they offered good prices during the holidays.

I've done plenty of independent travel but also packages. Never have my dinner choices been dictated by being on a package holiday. Are you confusing a package with all inclusive? They are different things but still have had a holiday company dictate what I ate?

You don't have to have AI or half board on a package holiday. I have done self catering or just room only.
Best part is once you get to the airport you don't have to worry about transfers , everything is sorted for you. Cheaper as well plus if anything goes wrong you have help and support.

It seems people are getting package holidays confused with all-inclusive holidays (AI).

I think people are definitely confusing package holidays with all inclusive. You can book a package holiday with any type of board basis, from room only up to AI.

We generally book a package, but then very much do our own thing when we arrive.

We had a 24 hour flight delay on the way home from Cyprus last year, TUI drove us straight to a very nice 5-star hotel to wait for the next flight. That is one of the benefits of a package

If you want a nice break for about a week to relax and see some sun and read a book then packages are great.

You are confusing the cheap and cheerful Benidorm style package holidays of 20 or 30 years ago with what is available now.

DH and I did 5 days in the Canaries in a 5* adults only AI package holiday a couple of years ago and we had a wonderful time. The good thing about them is that everything is sorted for you so you have no mental load or worry about dealing with transportation, local currency, language barriers etc etc. So it's total relaxation.

Of course packages are scorned on here where everyone backpacks around the Everest foothills and wouldn't dream of going to Spain.

Likewise I work in travel, and post-covid will always book a package or at least a part package for the protection (recent trip we did packaged flights and a hotel for part of the time with BA holidays, and an independent hotel they didn't offer for the rest).

Before DCs we were fairly intrepid travellers. Last few hols have been packages to large resorts with kids clubs and multiple non-buffet restaurants (because I don't want to eat soggy pasta I have to serve myself every night after it has been sneezed on by many children). It has been great, even those long haul distance away.
Most recently did a cruise that worked well for all of us.

We often book a package for the protection and often works out cheaper than booking independently. EasyJet holidays for instance have served us well as the price includes luggage/transfers whereas if you book a flight you need to add all the extras on and it can start to add up. BA holidays are also great for city break packages-we’ve had some great bargains in their sale for New York.

Of course packages are scorned on here where everyone backpacks around the Everest foothills and wouldn't dream of going to Spain.

I can often be spotted at a Spanish all inclusive (but don’t tell anyone)!

We now book packages where the offer is the same as what we would book independently, eg for a city break or a straightforward week in the sun. It's usually about the same price as booking independently, with the added benefits of protection and transfers. Often we've gone off piste from the package: we hardly ever eat at the hotel, usually hire a car to get out and about and even stay overnight elsewhere if we fancy exploring further afield. I'd never book AI, but then we have no kids to accommodate. For flexibility, I'd also always book bigger "adventure" trips independently, or with the help of an agency like Trailfinders.

Apologies everyone, I read package for AI. It was late!

My post stands for an AI holiday.

The only package holiday I've been on was a room only city break many years ago. BA points paid for it. It was fine. It would have been cheaper than the BA price booking independently, but I had points to use up.

OP, it might help if you say who ‘we’ are.

As pp have said a package takes away the hassle of sorting everything out yourself. You can also pay in instalments if you’re booking 6, 12 months ahead.

Generally for short haul European holidays but you can find packages to popular long haul destinations like Florida and the Caribbean.

The package company websites bring everything together and allow a variety of searches, usually saving the searches for you to go back to.

One downside compared to flying scheduled flights is the package flights often leave very early and can return very late.
Though we’ve found with Jet2 ( who we’ve used for the last 6 years ) you can select different flight times and different airports to suit. You’ll also see if there’s a difference in cost. The earlier you go the cheaper the flight.

On the plus side, luggage is included to 22kg per passenger.
You can take bicycles, golf clubs, skis too so long as you speak to the package company first.

As well as the resort check in mentioned by a pp ( not available in every resort ) you have ‘Twilight check in’ available at most uk airports. Handy if you live local or you’re staying in an airport hotel.