Good Tour Operators

[george g...]

Hi All
I tried to book the Lamon last night with Kosmar, but they would not allow any single person booking in any of the appartments. They did however offer me the Apollon but they wanted £120 per week, single suppliment.
I'm still looking!
george g...

[harribobs]

They stated that I would 'probably' been contacted early in the new year and offered an alternative holiday 'at the next resort along' - I didn't bother to find out where 'along' was!!!

probably cyprus

[Mike G]

There is no doubt that Ian has been treated appallingly by First Choice. It was 25th June when Grahame alerted the forum to the situation re. FC pulling out of Plakias for 2005. See link.. To take your bookings in July and then admit you wouldn't be told until next year is unforegivable. Have you thought of writing to the Travel sections of the Saturday Telegragh or Times (or similar in other papers) to shame FC into a response. I might even do it myself.

John R and I were lucky in that we were alerted early by the forum and were then pro-active in getting our money back. I suppose you were a little bit lucky in that your surfing did eventually alert you.

In terms of FC talking about "the next resort along", I don't think they feature any other south coast resorts on Crete! You wouldn't be best pleased with Malia or Agios Nikolaos I suspect!!

I don't think you will match the FC prices. I paid £30 pp more for the same accommodation with Olympic in May and John R has reported that he is paying significantly more "going independent".

I hope you get there next year.

Mike

[Graham_and_Karen]

Regarding Brochure options - it certainly is limited. No budget places like Dora or Stella. Costas Chrysoulla is £779 for 2 people for the 2 weeks in September we want  -and that includes an online booking discount.  
Cheapest flight I've seen is £220, £440 for 2, say £280 for the room/studio add about £100 for the transfers gives £820 total. Not so much more than Olympic. If only we had the nerve to book the accomodation and then get any late deal to Crete just to get to Heraklion - but, we haven't so I guess it's going to be a pricier holiday next year.

[John R]

Cheapest flight I've seen is £220, [a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=2484\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Much as I don't want to continue to support FC I found an quirk when booking my late September Flight for 2005.

The flight that FC use out of Newcastle is a Thomas Cook flight and I instinctively looked on their site to book the flight. However it was much cheaper (£187 each) when booked via First Choice than via Thomas Cook.

Hey - I've just realised, only 4 days before we set off this year - better get packed !!!

John R

[Mike G]

=Graham and Karen, yesterday, 4.06pm
Costas Chrysoulla is £779 for 2 people for the 2 weeks in September we want

Hello Graham and Karen,

You may particularly want to go in September, but have you considered May? On average, the weather is very similar (but more light in the evenings and the higher sun means more sunburn risk), and resorts are similarly quiet. The accommodation you mention is £520 for two for the middle two weeks of May (Olympic)- this is an early morning Gatwick flight.

Mike

[compage]

Have a good time John and I hope the wind has dropped by the time you arrive.

And thanks for your tips in the 'Where to go' topic.
This year the safari took in the road from Asi Gonia to Imbros and we also did an independent trip to the Amari valley using your suggested route.

This week I sent Dionyssius by email the picture that you took out for him last year.  I also sent the original unedited version but I doubt he's got his head around photo editing just yet.

[John R]

Have a good time John and I hope the wind has dropped by the time you arrive.

And thanks for your tips in the 'Where to go' topic.
This year the safari took in the road from Asi Gonia to Imbros and we also did an independent trip to the Amari valley using your suggested route.

This week I sent Dionyssius by email the picture that you took out for him last year.  I also sent the original unedited version but I doubt he's got his head around photo editing just yet.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=2492\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Many thanks for your good wishes.

I was thrilled that you took that route to Imbros - it is quite something. We will definitely be doing a repeat trip - and the Amari valley.

The forcast hints a strong North winds from Wednesday onwards - not a good sign. Not being a far ender and not being addicted to beaches (shame I hear you all saying) we can at least travel away for the day usually leaving the worst of the winds behind. Returning to Plakias is always great though.

I've got quite a good photo of Dionyssius to give him this time.

Best wishes

John R

[compage]

We do like the beach but, nambie pambies that we are, only when it's calm.
So we were only on the beach 4 out of the 14 days this year.
The sheer endurance of many people who braved the beach while we were in Plakias this year was astounding.

Not that we were short of things to do on the other 10 days.  Through looking around for properties on Crete we met quite a few ex-pats and, in the end, spent quite some time with them.

One couple introduced us to an excellent 'old style' taverna not a million miles from Plakias in which we enjoyed 2 excellent dinners at very reasonable prices.  The choice of meals was very limited but the food was scrummy.

[John R]

What you have just said really does sum up Plakias and the area around very well. A super place to be with no shortage of sensible things to do whatever the weather. Can you imagine this sort of conversation occuring about a place like (say) Malia.

John R

[sheryl]

i've been going to plakias for years and done firstchoice, olympic, flight only and other companies that just dont go there anymore.  but after checking out the travel agents, the internet & flight only it looks like as long as you book early the travel agents are the cheapest.  you do have to be quick of the mark because from going in to price it and then going in to book it a fortnight later the price had jumped up £60 per person (this is for july 2005)  but aleast its booked now. got a great deal through olympic on the internet for september passed, last minute thing but i dont like to chance last minute deals for my main holiday incase there isn't any avalibility.
my problem is the £100 & over flight supplement you get for flying from scotland- anyboby else in the same boat?? (or should that be plane)

[John R]

I've got flights from Newcastle in late September which are a reasonable price - ironically via first choice but on a Thomas Cook flight. I now know that excelair fly daytime to Chania from Newcastle at a similar price - wish I had known that. Booking my flight with First Choice was much cheaper than booking the same flight with Thomas Cook - even though it is a Thomas Cook flight. One has to be careful.

I agree that the cost of going independent is going to exceed a package deal by a considerable amount - I've now booked those flights and done my sums.

However Kosmar do now have a reasonable package deal with accommodation at Lamont and Appolo.

John R

[sheryl]

have to admit i've done the same for next summer and am flying from newcastle too, its the only reasonable choice if your north of the border.....haven't seen kosmar yet but i'm guessing from what been writen its definetly worth a look