Plakias Forums
Plakias => Holiday Companies => Topic started by: jann on April 20, 2010, 09:31:12 AM
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I notice that a lot of you travel independently to Plakias ! Is this really the best way ?
I paid £187 for a return flight with Monarch, Manchester to Heraklion, transfer and self catering accommodation at Kostas Chrysoulla with Olympic (in May) .
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I notice that a lot of you travel independently to Plakias ! Is this really the best way ?
I paid £187 for a return flight with Monarch, Manchester to Heraklion, transfer and self catering accommodation at Kostas Chrysoulla with Olympic (in May) .
We have travelled both independently and with a tour company. We were lucky a few years ago when we were independent, and Excel crashed the week after we returned home. (George was not so lucky, he was still in Plakias).
As the airline industry seems vunerable, we are back with Olympic, just for piece of mind.
Your deal sounds pretty good to me, unfortunately we are tied to school holidays when costs soar.
I'm sure you'll have a great time.
Peter&Dawn
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I notice that a lot of you travel independently to Plakias ! Is this really the best way ?
I paid £187 for a return flight with Monarch, Manchester to Heraklion, transfer and self catering accommodation at Kostas Chrysoulla with Olympic (in May) .
Thats a fab deal Jann.
I think independent is quite a bit more expensive these days. Gives you flexibity and choice though.
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I notice that a lot of you travel independently to Plakias ! Is this really the best way ?
I paid £187 for a return flight with Monarch, Manchester to Heraklion, transfer and self catering accommodation at Kostas Chrysoulla with Olympic (in May) .
Hello Jann,
Basically couples who hire a car (i.e. the transfer is just the petrol cost) can save versus Olympic but otherwise probably not; however the choice of flight/accommodation is limited with Olympic and the transfer can be frustrating. Peter & Dawn's point is well made- ask George!
Rest assured you got a great price. Plakias gets fully booked with Olympic very early (although Kostas Chrysoulla does have a lot of rooms) so you may have been lucky in that someone had just cancelled.
I hope you enjoy it.
Mike
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I notice that a lot of you travel independently to Plakias ! Is this really the best way ?
I paid £187 for a return flight with Monarch, Manchester to Heraklion, transfer and self catering accommodation at Kostas Chrysoulla with Olympic (in May) .
Jann,
The current price on Avro for the Monarch flight is £199.50, so the answer to your question is a resounding yes.
Hope you get away OK and enjoy your break. My wife and I are due out to the Canaries next Wednesday, Icelandic ash permitting.
Mike
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I notice that a lot of you travel independently to Plakias ! Is this really the best way ?
I paid £187 for a return flight with Monarch, Manchester to Heraklion, transfer and self catering accommodation at Kostas Chrysoulla with Olympic (in May) .
Jann,
The current price on Avro for the Monarch flight is £199.50, so the answer to your question is a resounding yes.
Hope you get away OK and enjoy your break. My wife and I are due out to the Canaries next Wednesday, Icelandic ash permitting.
Mike
:huh:Have I got a bargain?
Thanks all, I think I am satisfied with my deal
I have good daytime flights, last time I went it was 4am when I arrived in Plakias
I know the taxi fare from Heraklion is around 100 Euros and I also know it is quite a long arduous transfer by coach.
I have stayed at Kostas Chrysoulla before ( when it was just 1 block of sc rooms ). I've also stayed at Zorbas which was lovely
S'pose it's swings and roundabouts !
I'm really grateful for all your advice, looking forward to seeing Plakias again (volcanic ash permitting )
Jann
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hmm, i think i'd put up with a coach transfer and save the euros!!
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That's what I thought
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We did the coach transfer last year, it wasn't that bad, just waiting at the airport was the most frustrating. Once you get going , out with a book or the headphones or just enjoy the different scenery and remember what's at the end of the journey?
Barny.
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We did the coach transfer last year, it wasn't that bad, just waiting at the airport was the most frustrating. Once you get going , out with a book or the headphones or just enjoy the different scenery and remember what's at the end of the journey?
Barny.
I actually enjoyed the transfer even though it took 31/2 hours ! made me realise how lucky I was to be going to Plakias and not some of the places we dropped people off in Rethymon areas and Bali
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Has anyone ever stayed at Bali? I always remember years ago the coach always called there and there were always comments from other passengers on their first impressions of the place.
I would not like to stay there!
Barny.
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Both times I've been to Plakias with Olympic I've been lucky enough to be provided with a taxi transfer rather than the coach so certainly couldn't do it cheaper independently.
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Both times I've been to Plakias with Olympic I've been lucky enough to be provided with a taxi transfer rather than the coach so certainly couldn't do it cheaper independently.
I know that it doesn't always fit in with flight times but I always use the bus(es)....massive savings and comfortable air conditioned coaches for the long ride from Rethymno to Heraklion....if you aren't sure about catching the airport bus from the port bus stop where you are dropped off you can always catch a taxi for the last short leg of the journey....
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if you aren't sure about catching the airport bus from the port bus stop where you are dropped off
You catch it from Eleftherias Square although it's a bit of a hike to get there.
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if you aren't sure about catching the airport bus from the port bus stop where you are dropped off
You catch it from Eleftherias Square although it's a bit of a hike to get there.
Thanks Noopsy -not sure if I ever knew the name - I've found the bus stop in the daytime but when I have travelled back at night it just seems easier to get into a taxi for the last leg - and there are usually a whole load of others doing the same so its easy to share,usual advice applies - get an agreed price for the journey - these guys are going back and forth to the airport all day so they know how much they should be charging you....and asking for the price shows that you do too.
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I notice that a lot of you travel independently to Plakias ! Is this really the best way ?
I paid £187 for a return flight with Monarch, Manchester to Heraklion, transfer and self catering accommodation at Kostas Chrysoulla with Olympic (in May) .
Hi Jann, I have travelled independently for the last 8 years , Even taking into account a taxi both ways, it was still cheaper, however checking this year it looks like I could save about £400,in total for Fran and I to go on a package, The down side for me is I always stay At Stella, and I would feel I was letting them down, but its quite a difference.....Alex
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I notice that a lot of you travel independently to Plakias ! Is this really the best way ?
I paid £187 for a return flight with Monarch, Manchester to Heraklion, transfer and self catering accommodation at Kostas Chrysoulla with Olympic (in May) .
Hi Jann, I have travelled independently for the last 8 years , Even taking into account a taxi both ways, it was still cheaper, however checking this year it looks like I could save about £400,in total for Fran and I to go on a package, The down side for me is I always stay At Stella, and I would feel I was letting them down, but its quite a difference.....Alex
Change of Plan, I have just booked a flight with jet2 from Manchester, for £225, including 22.5 kls luggage, so its back to Stella for me, That is if hes got a room, it seems very busy in Sept, I have only ever been in June. Alex
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I notice that a lot of you travel independently to Plakias ! Is this really the best way ?
I paid £187 for a return flight with Monarch, Manchester to Heraklion, transfer and self catering accommodation at Kostas Chrysoulla with Olympic (in May) .
Hi Jann, I have travelled independently for the last 8 years , Even taking into account a taxi both ways, it was still cheaper, however checking this year it looks like I could save about £400,in total for Fran and I to go on a package, The down side for me is I always stay At Stella, and I would feel I was letting them down, but its quite a difference.....Alex
There was extensive discussion on this topic several years ago. Both have their advocates and, of course, the accommodation choice is very limited with Olympic. I usually, but not exclusively, go alone and as I don't hire a car I couldn't get anywhere near the Olympic price by booking independently. Others hire a car for all their holiday so the transfer is basically the petrol cost.
I'm prepared to book early rather than try and get a late cheap deal but risk getting nothing.
I also like the ABTA protection. Some forum members had a very hard time as they were in Plakias when XL airline went belly up.
So you pay your money and take your choice but it does seem to me that this is one of the main exceptions to the rule that it is cheaper to cut out the middleman.
Right now I'm more concerned about the political/financial situation in Greece.
Mike
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Right now I'm more concerned about the political/financial situation in Greece.
Mike
Me too. I wonder how it will affect things in Plakias. There's even talk of Greece coming out of the euro and going back to the drachma.
Noopsy
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We have booked our Jet 2 flight for September 13th to Plakias from Manchester and are looking forward to our visit .
Lets hope that it is a bit warmer than May of this year !!!
But we are holding off booking a hire car or accommadation until we see what the situation in Greece turns in to.
We are unsure about what currency to take with us: pounds ?
Euros ?
US Dollars ?
Drachma (heaven forbid !!)
Lets just hope that the situation does not result in industrial action which could affect air travel, fuel supply etc.
And we definitely will not re book for 2012 until much later than is usual for us.
Maybe even into next year ?
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Lets just hope that the situation does not result in industrial action which could affect air travel, fuel supply etc.
And we definitely will not re book for 2012 until much later than is usual for us.
Maybe even into next year ?
I suspect there will be problems as described above at some stage over the next few (many ?) months. It may be a matter of luck which of us will be affected and when. This forum may come into its own if/when there are any problems which spill over into directly affecting Plakias holidays. I'm trying not to worry too much but like you am holding off making a 2012 booking until I am more assured of the situation. Being utterly selfish - if their economy collapsed back into a drachma situation then after the initial chaos one outcome might be cheaper holidays again with respect to exchange rates.
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Right now I'm more concerned about the political/financial situation in Greece.
Mike
Me too. I wonder how it will affect things in Plakias. There's even talk of Greece coming out of the euro and going back to the drachma.
Noopsy
Those booked to go yesterday won't have left yet owing to the 24 hr general strike and even tomorrow may be affected by the UK strikes. How many of them may decide on somewhere else for next year which will hardly help Greece get out of its plight.
I can understand Daniel's concerns. The Greek people are clearly not happy with their proposed further cuts and tax rises but it seems to me that none of the protesters have an alternative. If Greece defaults and leaves the Euro it will be dreadful for them (and it will affect us).
John R may well be right about the effects of a return to the drachma and its likely devaluation; however the price of anything imported (and Greece doesn't make a lot I think) would rocket.
Mike
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Right now I'm more concerned about the political/financial situation in Greece.
Mike
Me too. I wonder how it will affect things in Plakias. There's even talk of Greece coming out of the euro and going back to the drachma.
Noopsy
Those booked to go yesterday won't have left yet owing to the 24 hr general strike and even tomorrow may be affected by the UK strikes. How many of them may decide on somewhere else for next year which will hardly help Greece get out of its plight.
I can understand Daniel's concerns. The Greek people are clearly not happy with their proposed further cuts and tax rises but it seems to me that none of the protesters have an alternative. If Greece defaults and leaves the Euro it will be dreadful for them (and it will affect us).
John R may well be right about the effects of a return to the drachma and its likely devaluation; however the price of anything imported (and Greece doesn't make a lot I think) would rocket.
Mike
To put peoples minds at rest a little, no UK flights were effected that day, the strike was between certain hours & scheduled so all holiday flights coming in or out wouldn't be disrupted. Also on these days Plakias buses for Rethymno turned up & we left the day of the taxi strike no problem (just in an unmarked car!!)
From what people have been telling me since we've been home it seems once again media makes the situation look much worse than it actually was.
Rowena
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To put peoples minds at rest a little, no UK flights were effected that day, the strike was between certain hours & scheduled so all holiday flights coming in or out wouldn't be disrupted. Also on these days Plakias buses for Rethymno turned up & we left the day of the taxi strike no problem (just in an unmarked car!!)
From what people have been telling me since we've been home it seems once again media makes the situation look much worse than it actually was.
Rowena
Yes that is good news although concerns for future travellers (I'm one of them) remain as on previous general strikes the air traffic controllers have prevented any flights in either direction for a 24 hr period.
It would take a lot for me not to want to return to Plakias and Greece generally. However, many are equally happy to go anywhere in the Med. so would be much more easily put off by Greek unrest. Tourism is one thing the Greeks can do well and increasing it would help them dig themselves out of the financial hole they have got themselves into.
Mike