Transfers

[Butties]

I can now say that we are going on holiday next month. Yipee! O.K., it might be the end of June but whose counting?  java script:emoticon('')
This year we have arranged to hire a car from Heraklion airport for the full two weeks, mainly to give us more roaming options but also because of the notorious Plakias 'Death by a thousand stops' transfer. We have done it several times now and we feel that we have almost seen as much of Crete; and everyone else's accommodation, from a coach window; as we have during our stays.

My question is for those of you out there who have done this before.
When, in your experience, is the best time to inform your holiday company that you do not need the transfer?
I am leaning towards when we arrive. Seek out the rep, find out room allocation, thank them for their assistance and then go our own way, as oppsed to informing the company before we go.
Thoughts, experiences of this please would be welcome.
We are going with Olympic for the first time after several years of First Choice.

Butties.

[Mike G]

My question is for those of you out there who have done this before.
When, in your experience, is the best time to inform your holiday company that you do not need the transfer?
I am leaning towards when we arrive. Seek out the rep, find out room allocation, thank them for their assistance and then go our own way, as oppsed to informing the company before we go.
Butties.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3249\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hello Mark,

I have no experience of this but would think informing them on arrival at Heraklion would be acceptable. i.e. find out your room number and tell them you don't need the transfer. You may arrive earlier than expected and find your room isn't ready. This happened to me last time I went to Plakias.

I am going to Plakias with Olympic this year (originally First Choice) and found a satisfactory way to communicate with them when they wanted to change my flights (rather than rack up a considerable phone bill) was E-Mail. Try the E-Mail address resadmin@olympicholidays.com.

Mike

[paleo]

We just let them know when we land - when they are getting the group together in the terminal - theres never any problem. In any case it keeps all your options open.

[harribobs]

we do it just about everytime, first i seek out the rep and get the details of where the apartment is and then pick up the car

it means your holidaystarts right away

[wakefossil]

If you leave out the transfer, why don't you book independently, then?
If I compare a package holiday to independently booked flight-only, it basically amounts to the same, except for the transfer. So if you leave that out, then there goes the last reason to book a package.
Well, that applies to journeys booked from Austria. Maybe it's different from the UK.

I booked a package for my last stay in Plakias in 2002, and got a room looking into the hill. However, the owners were really nice and after some complaining and 5 days in the muddy-hillside-and-straying-curs-at-the-door-experience we got a room with a really breathtaking view over the bay and it was perfect from then on, but our holiday fun was somewhat dampened in the first few days.
Especially the small hotels and pensions (which means all but the Alianthos'es) seem to try to fill their sub-optimal rooms with package tourists.
If you book independently, you can reserve a specific room (which is impossible with a package holiday).
Just my €0,02.

Package or not: I wish you a wonderful holiday!

Andy

[John R]

If you leave out the transfer, why don't you book independently, then?
If I compare a package holiday to independently booked flight-only, it basically amounts to the same, except for the transfer. So if you leave that out, then there goes the last reason to book a package.
Well, that applies to journeys booked from Austria. Maybe it's different from the UK.


[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3261\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I've booked independently from the UK this year for late in the season (September). The situation may be different for mid season but even without considering transfer costs it is costing me a lot more than going with tour operator Kosmar for similar standard of accommodation etc.

John R

[harribobs]

If you leave out the transfer, why don't you book independently, then?
If I compare a package holiday to independently booked flight-only, it basically amounts to the same, except for the transfer. So if you leave that out, then there goes the last reason to book a package.
Well, that applies to journeys booked from Austria. Maybe it's different from the UK.

[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3261\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

i work in the travel trade and still find a package cheaper than booking each part seperately, and i book my car from the UK as well

regarding the room, unless it is really bad, we rarely complain as we spend very little time there, maybe an hour on the balcony before dinner and the bed must be comfy  

[Mike G]

If you leave out the transfer, why don't you book independently, then?
If I compare a package holiday to independently booked flight-only, it basically amounts to the same, except for the transfer. So if you leave that out, then there goes the last reason to book a package.
Well, that applies to journeys booked from Austria. Maybe it's different from the UK.

Especially the small hotels and pensions (which means all but the Alianthos) seem to try to fill their sub-optimal rooms with package tourists.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hello Andy (Wakefossil),

There was a lot of discussion earlier about the pros and cons of using a tour operator versus going independently. See [a href=\"http://forums.plakias.co.uk/index.php?PHPSESSID=496468a5d952e5c92990a3663327434c&showtopic=197]here.[/url]    

I still think the former is cheaper, in low season at least (i.e. agree with John R) although I concede that much of this difference is accounted for by the expensive taxi transfer. I agree that the independent route offers more flexibility as mentioned by you and others.

From the UK there are now only Olympic and Kosmar offering package holidays to Plakias (except from a couple of operators most people haven't heard of) so if this decline continues we may no longer have the choice of which method to chose.

You say the best rooms are being withheld from the tour operators. I haven't experienced this and would be interested in the opinions of others in this matter.

Mike

[Ploppy]

i work in the travel trade and still find a package cheaper than booking each part seperately, and i book my car from the UK as well

regarding the room, unless it is really bad, we rarely complain as we spend very little time there, maybe an hour on the balcony before dinner and the bed must be comfy 
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3264\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I agree, last year independently was a little more expensive than First Choice could do for us. However lack of the tortuous transfer makes up for that  

[harribobs]

I agree, last year independently was a little more expensive than First Choice could do for us. However lack of the tortuous transfer makes up for that 
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3282\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

the worst i ever had was a half hour trip that took four hours because there was a drop every mile down the road  :'(

[Karen T]

For many years we've arranged our accommodation and transfers independently.  We've always used MotoPlakias for car hire and the good thing we've found is that they arrange a taxi to pick you up from the airport and to take you back and they will drop you off at your accommodation, then take you down to pick up your hire car afterwards.  It saves you driving from Iraklion which is always busy and we've found it to be less stressful than driving yourself.

We have on one occasion booked a package purely for cheapness then stayed elsewhere, having pre-arranged our own accommodation.  The package company didn't seem to mind and even dropped us off at our accommodation as it was on-route (Ifigenia Pension on the main road).  I don't think the reps mind either way whether you use their transfers or not so long as they're informed and not left waiting for non-existent passengers.

[fraoula]

If you leave out the transfer, why don't you book independently, then?
If I compare a package holiday to independently booked flight-only, it basically amounts to the same, except for the transfer. So if you leave that out, then there goes the last reason to book a package.
Well, that applies to journeys booked from Austria. Maybe it's different from the UK.

Especially the small hotels and pensions (which means all but the Alianthos) seem to try to fill their sub-optimal rooms with package tourists.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hello Andy (Wakefossil),

There was a lot of discussion earlier about the pros and cons of using a tour operator versus going independently. See [a href=\"http://forums.plakias.co.uk/index.php?PHPSESSID=496468a5d952e5c92990a3663327434c&showtopic=197]here.[/url]    

I still think the former is cheaper, in low season at least (i.e. agree with John R) although I concede that much of this difference is accounted for by the expensive taxi transfer. I agree that the independent route offers more flexibility as mentioned by you and others.

From the UK there are now only Olympic and Kosmar offering package holidays to Plakias (except from a couple of operators most people haven't heard of) so if this decline continues we may no longer have the choice of which method to chose.

You say the best rooms are being withheld from the tour operators. I haven't experienced this and would be interested in the opinions of others in this matter.

Mike
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3270\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I too work in travel, each tour operator as you probably will know, are given a certain amount of rooms each and not sole use. Depending on what their contract is with the hotel/Apartments etc. the tour op. will sell some room types at a lower cost than other  room types they may have eg- a standard room with inland view will often be cheaper than having a room with a sea view and so the inland view rooms will sell quicker. Also one tour operator may have one type of room and no others so it may not be a case of selling sub-optimal rooms first,  - for example take the Neos Alianthos,
Argo are contracted to sell their guests rooms with a sea view whereas Olympic only have a contract to sell Inland view rooms- so there may not be the choice in what you get. Also the Apollo, if you've paid for a twin room you could end up in the block at the front which has bigger studios or you could end up in the block at the opposite end which has smaller studios but both sleep 2 people- same price but it's just a case of allocation( rooms are not allocated to guests until a few days before-that part is organised in resort-what you pay for at the time of booking is the room type.)
  What I would suggest is, ask the Tour operator/travel agent what rooms they have on sale. You may pay more, then again you may not. If you don't ask.....
In some cases I could agree with what Wakefossil is saying ( not in Plakias though)
Hotels do sometimes hold back their 'best' rooms but often this is because they know they can make more profit on themby selling them direct ( this is usually most common with city hotels) Also like I said before it does come down to what the agreed contract is between the hotel and Tour operator and what 'budget' they have.

[marmaliser]

I agree, last year independently was a little more expensive than First Choice could do for us. However lack of the tortuous transfer makes up for that 
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3282\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

the worst i ever had was a half hour trip that took four hours because there was a drop every mile down the road  :'(
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3324\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hi, we have just got back and would like to warn everyone travelling with the tour operators that the transfer took nearly 4 hours!!! we stopped at bali and every place in and outside of rethymnon(at least it felt like we did!)including a small hotel near the harbour.The transfer was on a double deck coach which had no end of problems getting into and out again of many of the places.Although I undersatnd the economics of it, it was horrendous so be prepared and make sure you have food and drink before you leave the airport.

[Mike G]

Hi, we have just got back and would like to warn everyone travelling with the tour operators that the transfer took nearly 4 hours!!! we stopped at bali and every place in and outside of rethymnon(at least it felt like we did!)including a small hotel near the harbour.The transfer was on a double deck coach which had no end of problems getting into and out again of many of the places.Although I undersatnd the economics of it, it was horrendous so be prepared and make sure you have food and drink before you leave the airport.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3630\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

My Olympic transfers in May were 2.5 and 3 hours respectively. I have a low tolerance level so if I can endure them then most can. Outbound I just give thanks I am not staying at the places we stop at (e.g. coast east of Rethymnon) and inbound,  time spent on the air conditioned coach is time not spent at the airport!!!

This year inbound, the coach engine died going up a hill. We all thought we would be stranded and miss our flight. However the driver got it going. He was just very, very low on diesel!!!!!!!!

Just think of the 150 Euros saved.

Mike

Mike

[Ploppy]

Hi, we have just got back and would like to warn everyone travelling with the tour operators that the transfer took nearly 4 hours!!! we stopped at bali and every place in and outside of rethymnon(at least it felt like we did!)including a small hotel near the harbour.The transfer was on a double deck coach which had no end of problems getting into and out again of many of the places.Although I undersatnd the economics of it, it was horrendous so be prepared and make sure you have food and drink before you leave the airport.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3630\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Ouch! This will be our 2nd year of independent so I will miss out on this but then of course I miss out on the cost saving (left it too late as usual)

The incoming transfer is fine, just so happy to be in Crete. The outgoing is somewhat more depressing