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Package holidays. Can someone explain to me why second child places cost more????
IlanaK · 24/02/2006 20:39
I have never booked a package holiday before but have a load of tesco vouvhers to spend with cosmos. I have spent hours searching their brochures and cannot understand why second child places cost more than first ones?? Do second children eat more??? In my case, the second child is only just going to be two so I object to paying for him anyway!
Skribble · 24/02/2006 21:50
kids prices are stupid, They say free kids but you have to pay supplements for under occupancy.
I find most of the time for an apartment you are cheaper paying for 4 adults anyway. Otherwise you pay for 2 adults, supplements, then two kids.
Tryt it on the websites and try different combinations, some apartments sleep 3 plus 1 child so put down 3 adults and 1 child to get the best price.
I tried explaining all this to a travel agent but it was way over her head, she couldn't understand why I wanted to pay for 4 adults even when it came up on her computer as cheaper?????
LIZS · 24/02/2006 21:54
Because allegedly the first child price is such a bargain - until you add on the underoccupancy supplements that is ! We also found that it was cheaper to try to book 4 adults than 2 and 2 but rather than pay over the odds with a tour operator, who equally could n't explain it, we booked the same hotel direct (flat room rate plus meals) and flights/car hire separately.
MaryBS · 25/02/2006 22:49
I got a quote on a Thomson holiday that was £1800 for 2 adults 2 kids and £1300 for 4 adults, due to underoccupancy supplements.
When I went into the shop and asked them if I book as 4 adults, can the kids go in the kids club, if you put on the booking that 2 of the adults are kids, they said no. I phoned up as well to make sure, and they said no too.
Skribble · 26/02/2006 01:02
I have no experience of kids clubs at apartment/ hotle complexes. Would the reps running the club know that you booked them as adults, when you turn up at the club don't they just take your details and let them join in. Perhaps it is all printed out for them and if your names not down your not getting in. The only problem I see is if the club is at capacity then it wouldn't be fair to expect them to accomadate kids they didn't know were coming.
I find usualy if you book direct you pay per room not per person in most european and american hotels. Might be cheaper to do it that way as LIZS says.
MaryBS · 26/02/2006 08:01
They have a list of kids who are booked. I agree it isn't fair if they didn't know they were coming, but if you put it in the "special requests", then surely they could include them?
I have no problem paying extra for them to join in, but £500 difference is excessive!
The trouble is, if you take them to a place with a kids club, and they like that sort of thing, its really obvious that the kids clubs are running, and horrible if they can't join in. Thats what companies like Thomson are banking on, when you book and pay over the odds
IlanaK · 26/02/2006 08:54
The whole system is truely insane! We have to book with cosom as we have £1000 of vouchers to use with them. I never book package holidays, but I am not throwing away that much money! One of the holidays I priced up on their website was like a previous poster said - 500 more expensive if you booked as kids and not adults.
SecondhandRose · 26/02/2006 08:59
If you go on to Virginatlantic.com and book 4 flights to Orlando for 2 ad and 2 kids it's £800 more expensive than going on virginholidays.co.uk and booking the same thing with accommodation included. How mad is that?! When I complained I was told they are two different companies. Where's the logic in that. Same plane, same flight, same seats.
laughalot · 26/02/2006 14:12
Well it is very daft i know i am a travel agent and yes you do get conned with all the suppliments etc sometimes you are better of not having the free child place any pay 2 adults and 2 kids. The best way is take friends or family who dont have kids book them in a room with them to get the free places just make sure your room is big enough to take all your kids as your friends family may not want your child sharing with them. When i went away last year it was cheaper for me to book a villa on the net instead of my work place so for all of you who think travel agents get good deals its a load of cr*p we have to shop around to.
welshboris · 28/02/2006 10:41
Ahhhh I dont understand this!!!!!!!!! HELP!!
Im trying to book a holiday with my best friend, her son who will be 2 and my daughter.
If we go at the begining of sept, she will be 1. If I wait til the middle, she will be 2
Basically, is it cheaper to book 2 adults and 2 kids? or 2 adults, 1 kid and 1 infant?
LIZS · 28/02/2006 10:50
Probably won't make much difference overall as the adult/child prices will go down fron the second week of September. "Infant" still has to be under 2 on the return flight otherwise you pay as a child - or if you book flights separately you book infant fare out and child fare back. You'd need to try different permutations to see, most travel agents site enable you to do this online.
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