7DaysinParadise

Cuba => Cuba => Topic started by: bellagio on July 22, 2005, 02:18:00 PM

Title: Holiday Prices
Post by: bellagio on July 22, 2005, 02:18:00 PM
Just thought I would start a thread to give everyone an idea of the kind of prices we are looking at over here in the UK for prices to Cuba this coming fall.    These prices are as shown on Thomas Cook TV at the moment.
 
 Sol Palmeras, Varadero (Period 1st December 2005 - February 2006) - £899
 
 Tryp Peninsular, Varadero (Period 31st August - October  2005) - £999
 
 Playa Costa Verde, Guardalavaca (Period 18th Aug - 8th October 2005 ) - £899
 
 Brisas, Guardalavaca (Period 2nd November 2005 - January 2006) - £769
 
 Sol, Cayo Coco  (Period 28th August - October 2005) - £799
 
 Melia, Cayo Coco, (Period 13th November 2005 - 29th January 2006) - £899
 
 All holidays are priced per person but based on two people sharing  and for two weeks duration.  Prices also include insurance and are for departures between those dates specified only.    Nothing startling there I am afraid.    I rang them up for a costing on the Playa Costa Verde for a 10th November departure and they were £36 more expensive than the Thomas Cook web site.
 
 I'm fast losing confidence in any type of travel agent.   The internet prices seem untouchable.
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: sunluvr on July 22, 2005, 04:18:00 PM
Anyone know what the conversion would be in CDN funds?
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: SharonAnn on July 22, 2005, 04:49:00 PM
RBC is quoting 2.15 Cdn per 1 Pound today.
 
 Therefore 799 pounds would be $1,717.85 Cdn.
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: Shine on July 22, 2005, 04:49:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by sunluvr:
  Anyone know what the conversion would be in CDN funds?
:rof:  
 
 I'm terrible, I wondered the same but was too shy to ask
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: bellagio on July 22, 2005, 04:56:00 PM
As a rule of thumb just double the price and add a bit on!!!!
 
 Incidentally all UK prices that are quoted include taxes - so the price you see is the price you pay.  That is one good thing about the UK - the price of everything is always inclusive of tax.
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: nickiscorpiop on July 22, 2005, 05:50:00 PM
very expensive deffinatly for the single traveler.
 
 however we have been looking at prices to go back to the patadisus varadero next year  and
 
 based on 14 nights
 
 virgin are 1480pp
 t cook are around 1500-1600
 kuoni suprisingly came in at 1206 pp
 and didnt get past looking at tradewinds as a week was 1300 let alon looking at a 2 week price.
 and thompsons are around 1600  
 
 plus with t cook and thompsons you have to pay extra for your inflight meals.
 
 we will be booking with kuoni this deal really suprised us as i always thought it was an expensive operator , it uses virgin flights from gatwick too ( lol its only the virgin hols dpt i have issues with) .
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: sunluvr on July 22, 2005, 06:21:00 PM
That doesn't sound too awful, it's not reflective of selloffs, so this is worst-case scenario, right?  There will still be last minute sales to look forward to in the coming months!
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: FredTracie on July 22, 2005, 06:50:00 PM
Bellagio:
  What about Las Brisas, it's an O.K. property, you would be a returning guest (plant a tree) and able to walk "downtown Guardalavaca"? By the way, have you ever tried Bacon Wrapped "Filet of Buffalo" on the Barbie? It may be part of the menu for the Bellagio Barbie????
 
     Cheers....F&T
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: sunluvr on July 22, 2005, 07:06:00 PM
Las Brisas!!!!!!  :D
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: FredTracie on July 22, 2005, 07:15:00 PM
Sunluvr
 
   And Bears Poop in the Woods!
   And the Queen's underwear is white?
 
           :eek:    :eek:    F&t
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: mojitomiss_cuba on July 22, 2005, 08:05:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by sunluvr:
  Las Brisas!!!!!!   :D  
Yeah, and if you are too friendly with the "locals" then you are either a drunken, stoned tourist on the prowl or a thief (or both) right sunluvr  ;)
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: bellagio on July 23, 2005, 05:02:00 AM
F&T:
 
 Just done an online check on Thomas Cook's website and Brisas comes in at £1021 against the PCV at £931.  
 
 The single supplement at Brisas is a whopping £266 against £182 for the PCV.
 
 I have also just phoned Thomas Cook TV and the offer quoted at £769 on the TV for Brisas suddenly becomes £1052 when all the supplements are added on.
 
 I seriously can't see any experienced Cuba traveller, travelling as a single,  paying £90 more to stay at Brisas unless, of course, they had some definitive reason to stay there.
 
 Looks like I'll be sticking to the internet in future when booking holidays.  I am just wasting my time ringing and visiting travel agents!!!
 
 Never tried Bacon Wrapped "Filet of Buffalo" - never even tried Buffalo.   Does sound delicious though.  I'm sure whatever is on the menu that evening will be mouth watering.   Really looking forward to it.
 
     <img border="0" alt="[cook]" title="" src="graemlins/ernaehrung002.gif" />        <img border="0" alt="[chef]" title="" src="graemlins/chef.gif" />
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: flopnfly on July 23, 2005, 11:05:00 AM
Prices still haven't moved for us leaving Toronto.
 
 November 12 2005, for one week all inclusive out of Toronto:
 
 Club Amigo   $843 plus tax
 Brisas       $983 plus tax
 PCV          $1173 plus tax
 
 No great deals yet,
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: bellagio on July 23, 2005, 04:07:00 PM
flopnfly:
 
 How much is the tax? If it is around $175 that does make the PCV very expensive for one week at around $1350 all in.   That makes the Eclipse (First Choice) price of £851 (inclusive of the single supplement) for a two week stay from the UK seem quite reasonable.
 
 For two people the Eclipse price is £1450 which is £725 per person - very reasonable indeed.  If I had a partner it would have been booked by now I can assure you.
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: Bulldog on July 23, 2005, 04:09:00 PM
The TAX is between $160.00 and $180.00 CDN depending on where you book threw...
 
 Bulldog  :s:
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: flopnfly on July 24, 2005, 12:18:00 PM
The taxes are $99 on the ones I found with Transat Holidays.  Not too bad until they slap the fuel surcharge on Monday!!
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: bellagio on July 25, 2005, 06:16:00 PM
I don't know why I do it, but in my quest to TRY to get a good price from a Travel Agent, I called into the First Choice shop in St. Albans this morning before driving home.
 
 Best price for the PCV ex Manchester on Nov 4th £1005.   As soon as I arrived home I checked the Eclipse website - £851 - that is a small matter of £154 cheaper than the First Choice quote.
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: sunluvr on July 27, 2005, 10:33:00 AM
Does anyone know what sort of prices we'll be looking at once they DO start to go for last minute deals?  September deals are still pretty steep which is only 5-6 weeks away!
Title: Re: Holiday Prices
Post by: bellagio on July 27, 2005, 11:08:00 AM
Sunluvr:
 
 That is the $64,000 question.   I note that the Sunwing Surprise deal for Cayo Coco that we were looking at for September 18th has sold out, though the Holguin one is still available at $477.95 plus taxes.
 
 Over here last minute deals are virtually a thing of the past.  With the reluctance of a great number of people to travel to Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and now Egypt, the focus for UK holidays seems to be firmly fixed on caribbean destinations and Cuba and the Dom Rep are the more affordable places to go.
 
 Prices for the November period for the PCV have remained fairly steady throughout.  I have just completed an exercise checking the prices for a single person flying First Choice and staying at the PCV for 14 nights flying from Manchester and/or Gatwick right through August to November.  
 
 August 10th is a ridiculous £1457 reducing to £1228 a week later and then £1029 by the end of the month.   Throughout September and October the price fluctuates between £940 and £1070.    Interestingly enough the cheapest price of all is on Nov 4th from Manchester at £851 and that is just the one that I am considering booking.    In view of all the previous weeks prices which are considerably higher maybe I should seriously consider booking this one.