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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think this trip is overpriced

61 replies

grumpysquash3 · 12/01/2017 20:36

DS1 is going on a trip to Rome with school for history. So far so good. It cost nearly £600 for three nights. Less good, but sort of ok.
Now it turns out that they have stupid flight times - by this I mean having to meet at school at 2am to go; returning to school at 1.30am.
It also turns out that they have to buy a picnic every lunchtime, and the three evening meals provided are just pasta or pizza and ice cream. They are staying in some kind of hostel, six to a room. Entry to the Coliseum and the Basilica is included at least.
AIBU or is this really expensive for what they're getting?

I think it will be a really good trip, but I'm just a bit disappointed in the details.

OP posts:

HermioneJeanGranger · 12/01/2017 21:03

Sounds about right. Coach hire to/from the airport, flights, travel when in Rome, accomodation, food, tickets to attractions, insurance, and then money to cover the teachers as well.

Sounds pretty good value to me.

PollytheDolly · 12/01/2017 21:06

Rome is expensive, even just pizza and ice cream but wow! What a place. Your child will be mesmerised, it's beautiful!

Doilooklikeatourist · 12/01/2017 21:11

DD is in New York , on a Uni trip
BA flights from Heathrow,
3 nights in a hotel , some sightseeing and a Broadway show , bus transfers in NYC and then back to uni ,
£800
Makes Rome look a bit pricey

Hissy · 12/01/2017 21:12

This what school association should be for, to raise money for the trip. I get that teachers shouldn't be expected to fund something for their work, but it's really hard for single parents to keep up when paying for their child already. I would never ever be able to find £800 for a trip. Plus spending money, plus, plus, plus.

Our kids are on rugby tour this summer, we're doing lots of events to raise money for food and expenses for while they're there.

Kids need to see what things cost and how much effort goes into finding these things.

Chloe84 · 12/01/2017 21:21

£600 is extortionate. I would't pay it for 3 nights. Groupon has weekend breaks to Rome for £119.

If they were departing from and landing in Heathrow it would be more understandable, but not much.

Bubblysqueak · 12/01/2017 21:27

Don't forget to factor in coach costs from school to airport and back again and transfers the other end, that will all add to the cost.

BusyBeez99 · 12/01/2017 21:29

Ah i see sorry I thought the teachers got paid for going. My bad. Then of course their cost gets divided up amongst the pupils ;-)

FuzzyWizard · 12/01/2017 21:29

Schools don't really have the option of booking groupon deals though do they? They book with specialist companies who deal with hotels and hostels that accept school groups (lots don't) and provide local contacts and guides, coach transfers and travel for the days they are sightseeing, activities and meals. You also need a company that will take payment in instalments.

BusyBeez99 · 12/01/2017 21:30

When our child hits senior school I shall be less organized than I usually am so he doesn't end up going on lots of trips because they will be full. We can't do family holidays and very expensive trips.

ilovegin112 · 12/01/2017 21:41

I am sure the headmaster of our secondary school told us that a big chunk of trip money is down to the price of insurance, we also can pay in instalments which helps

YouOKHun · 12/01/2017 21:49

That's pretty much what my son's three day Rome trip cost last October. Horrible flight times too (EasyJet from Gatwick) but I think the times kept the cost down and maximised their time there. Our cost was covering five teachers' flights etc - very hard work; marshalling so many kids in a tricky environment like Rome, they looked exhausted when they landed. I don't think you can really compare individual flight/hotel deals with the costs of a school trip. We can't afford to do these things too often ever again but our DS got a lot from it and listened to his guides and teachers whereas if we had tried to show him round it would have been 'boring'.

Caboodle · 12/01/2017 21:49

You can't compare a Ryanair or Lastminute type booking that a family can take, with fairly flexible days / times of travel a 5/6 places with a school booking that will be booked a long time in advance and must fit in with the school calendar; not just holidays but other trips, exams, parents' evenings, available staff etc and may be for large numbers of students. I cannot even get my 6th formers to London at a reasonable price because we cannot be flexible enough.
Also the school maybe using an outside educational provider and they will want their cut (I would use a specialist for a trip abroad if I was running it due to their experience etc).
Yes, in some form you will be paying for the staff to travel and their expenses (meals); but at least you aren't paying their hourly rate for their working time! Staff will be unpaid for this work outside of normal school hours. Trust me-I'm sure staff would have chosen better flights if the cost was reasonable

Weepatchesoflove · 12/01/2017 21:49

My son is on a rugby tour in a couple of years and we had a consultation from a member of the firm that the school have always used. He explained that partly why the cost is so high is because of insurance, paying in installments, but also because wherever your wee one is staying has to meet a cetain safety standard. So while it may be a hostel the school are staying at, it's probably not like what you might expect. I be wrong, but certainly that's what we were told.

KarmaNoMore · 12/01/2017 21:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Caboodle · 12/01/2017 21:54

Weepatch yes that's true (insurance will be high for rugby too) and whilst Ryanair may have 10 seats left on a plane to Rome they may sell cheaply to fill they won't sell 60 seats at that price; same for hotels (and most don't want a class full of our little darlings anyway!). Hostels can be safer as they are targeted at school groups.

Caboodle · 12/01/2017 21:56

And I'm chuckling at the idea I can find 30+ Groupon deals that fit the requirements of a trip.....and wishing I was paid to go 😀

sirfredfredgeorge · 12/01/2017 22:00

It's expensive... but there's sensible reasons why it's expensive.

However, I can't really see sensible reasons for having the trip given the cost, where's the educational return on the investment?

Caboodle · 12/01/2017 22:05

Ah yes.....education as a spreadsheet.....raw materials in.....product out.
Actually I would have to justfy any trip - but I would include cultural, personal and social benefits alongside educational ones. Some children cannot go-they cannot afford to; doesn't mean I wouldn't run a trip like this.

Bluntness100 · 12/01/2017 22:07

This sounds about right to me too, and was also going to add the coach at stupid o clock will not be cheap.

There is a lot to factor in, coaches, insurance, flights, meals. Accommodation, luggage, transport when there, not just to and from the airport, but also to attractions, then in addition entrance fees to attractions. I doubt the school is making a profit, this will be the cost.

ChristopherWren · 12/01/2017 22:12

Many student groups also have local guides who show them around the sights and provide the educational benefit. That also needs to be factored in to the cost.

samlovesdilys · 12/01/2017 22:21

You probably need to also factor in cover for lessons teachers on trip would be teaching at school if it is during week...at £30+ an hour that soon adds up, even if divided between students (how many kids are going?? Fixed Costs such as cover, coaches etc will be cheaper if 30 going vs 15) how many staff?? Should be 1:10 ratio but as abroad and dependent on student age could be less...and assuming they are using a company?? (Provides insurance, support and help if something happens)...it all adds up, I agree, a family trip would be cheaper! But...school trips are truly amazing, what memories are made of and truly inspiring to students!!!

pollyglot · 12/01/2017 22:37

We took a school group to Rome for the day. The absolute rock bottom price I could arrange was under 100 pounds per student. That was for flights, insurance, coach hire in Rome (picked us up from Ciampino, dropped us at the Colosseum, picked us up again at the Pantheon and took us back to Ciampino). Entry was free for the students and the two staff and 4 parents accompanying paid for their own. We (the staff) provided the guided tour. The kids brought money to buy pizza and gelati at the places I knew from experience to be the best and good value for money. I think that 600 sounds eminently reasonable for 4 days. The students and parents were absolutely delighted with the day and the feedback was amazing.

Crumbs1 · 12/01/2017 22:58

I sounds reasonable to me for a large group package. I guess, if you don't like the price don't let him go.

Scholes34 · 12/01/2017 23:04

If it's Italy, you can be sure that the pizza, pasta and ice cream will be good!

Original poster

grumpysquash3 · 12/01/2017 23:06

Thanks everyone. Glad (sort of) that this is the going rate.....
I think there are about 40 students going FWIW. Years 10 & 11.

On the subject of school trips, DS2 (year 6) is going on a PGL residential in the UK. Two nights, food and activities included, but need to bring own bedding, £289. I thought that was a lot too. Maybe I just need to re-set my expectations.....

OP posts:

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