That holiday companies are really taking the ....

[Ineedchristmascake]

I have never started one of these before and I am sure it has been done to death but...

For 4 nights at Centre Parks in February half term it costs roughly £750!!

The week before half term it costs roughly £250!!

That is a difference of £500

Its not just CP but they are the worst example I have found so far.

Many holiday cottages are hiking up the prices by £200 or so.

I am sorry if some people might find this boring but I find it very upsetting.

We are told not to take our kids out of school in term time and this is what we are up against.

Is there anything that anyone can do about it.

Nothing cam be done, no. It's a problem we all face...

It is the way it has always been. They are running a business, not a charity.

If you look at it another way, the full prices they charge allow them to be able to charge less during off peak times, when there is less demand.

YANBU, it stinks. But they can get away with it because enough people are prepared to pay those rip off prices. Supply and demand.
Have you thought of cheaper places, eg Pontins/Butlins or even camping?

We always camp in spring and summer but February half term is usually our chance to take the Dd's somewhere a bit more civilised and under cover.

We have never taken them to Centre Parks and I didn't dream for a minute that we would be able to afford it but I was really shocked to see the £500 difference in prices and wondered what others thought.

Supply and demand. CP are not philanthropists.

Don't see the problem. Surely the situation is that they have to offer the less popular weeks at very low prices rather than that the school holiday weeks are inflated.

Supply and demand: CP charge what they think they can get and it's the same for any commercial transaction. If you don't want the goods at the price offered you don't buy.

Try Center Parcs outside the UK or try booking UK Center Parcs from outside the UK. OR try the alternatives to Center Parcs in continental Europe such as Landal Green Parks.
www.landal.nl/

Or a Travelodge room somewhere. No-one forces you to pay £750 for 4 nights at Center Parcs, obviously some people pay that amount but no way would I pay that much, our Summer 10 camping holiday in France cost half that much for 6 of us.

February! Wow, CPs are expensive. Thought you were booking your summer holiday! So camping not really an option then! Whoops, must read threads properly.

It's supply and demand. Actually 750 for 4 nights for four of you works out at £46.875 pp per day. Center Parcs is actually pretty nice and that includes swimming, cycling and other activities. If you put it in the context of an outing to a local big swimming centre costing circa £25ish for a family of 4 plus petrol it isn't so bad.

Try to book late - in this economic climate there might be late reductions. Look at cottage websites with indoor pools - we did that once and saved about £200 in accommodation much nicer than a cp lodge.

Our dc go to independent schools (both teenagers) if we were take them out for a week the differential would be much greater. We pay about £450 pw each for education - puts it in perspective doesn't it.

Centreparcs aren't the only company that offer cabins in woodland settings with outdoorsy activities though, they are just the best known and therefore trade on their name as a brand. They are like the Heinz beans of cabin breaks ;)

Try looking for forest holiday cabin breaks and comparing prices. In fact, I saw an advert for somewhere called forest holidays.com last night and have been idly looking at their website today. For the same time, February half term, you would be looking at £325 for a basic 2 bed cabin, or £400 for a 2 bed with private hot tub! I have no idea what they are like though and they too inflate their prices, as the half term week is over double the price for the week before, but £400 is still a hell of a lot better than £750 and I think to get a hot tub at centreparcs you have to go for a super executive plus type cabin, which starts at a grand

supply and demand

I suppose it is all about perspective and I am obviously meant for a tent.

We are going in March for £400 or so, always take advantage of any inset days and go for a weekend. CP is good, but not that good!

What date is your February half term - wondering if it varies throughout UK?

suppy and demand

you would be nuts not to make a profit where you can in business

Supply and demand.

Doesn't make it any less galling though.

Total rip-off! Depending on where you are in the UK how about Bluestone (pembrokeshire) - They are advertising half term breaks from £319 - and I found a midweek one for 4 for £450.....

I run a holiday let, and yes we do charge more for peak weeks. I could sell my let for New Year week and Feb half term (it is in a ski resort) 50 times over. And then for the rest of the year I struggle to sell many weeks at all. So I have to break even somewhere. I am not maintaining, running and letting my place for a favour to parents!

I am also an employee of a very large travel company, and see the mad hoards of holiday makers every school holiday and Bank holiday weekend. Every flight is full. Every flight costs much more than it does outside of the school holidays. We still didn't make enough for the employee bonus to be paid out.

Travel firms are not charities, and neither are they wallowing in profit. They charge what they charge because that's how much it costs. I'm really sorry if that means it costs a bit.

That is shit.

I'm always going to take my children on holiday in term time. I refuse to pay £500 more for a week later just because it's half term.

Actually married the only thing included in the price is the swimming. All the other activities including cycle hire are charged.

We go every couple of years and although we love it, going in school holidays is soooo expensive. Very annoying.

Have managed to find somewhere that is not going to rip me off, can only afford 2 nights but at least we will get away. .

We are taking our main summer hol [camping in devon] in term time.
And to married... we don't even earn what you pay for one child per week to go to school!!

Talk about perspective.

I was going to suggest the Dutch center parcs type places eg. Landal. I'm a teacher so have to go in school holidays but I was browsing their site and found Feb half term week for 3 of us at 99 euros. The following week was 400 euros! I kid you not! I suspect the Dutch half term must be a week later than ours. We then had to pay for the car/ferry over to Rotterdam but altogether it came in at under £400 for a total of 6 nights, so loads cheaper than CP's.

I do find the UK can be extortionate at times. We wanted to go to Chester zoo last Oct. We priced up tickets, a travelodge nearby for 2 nights and petrol. It worked out cheaper by £10 to drive to Hull, get the Ferry (1 night e/way) and go to Amsterdam zoo! How can than be right? We had a fab time as well.

That's a fab solution TheHappyCamper, I would be too scared of getting lost though!

Is the weather any nicer in Feb in parts of Europe than here?

Supply and demand! These people aren't charities! It would be stupid not to make the best profit possible for your company.

It's a private business not a government funded charity providing holidays out of the goodness of their hearts.