Olympic 2006 bookings

[Graham_and_Karen]

Mike
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[/quote]
LOL  .........have stayed at kostas for years and have never came across room 59 or 62 yet, but thanks for the tip.
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[/quote]
We can vouch for the fact that they do exist! The broom cupboard area is also where they take their breaks. Having the cleaners' cigarette smoke wafting in during their breaks was not pleasant. Neither was the clattering of their buckets or their chatter early in the morning.

[George]

i do know that kosmar have rooms at kostas chrysoulla next year, but as far as i can see olympic still have the best price....and there is a bit on there website that says they will match any price of rival companies if the holidays are identical.
i cant seem to beat olympic - even with friends offering me a lift from the airport to miss out the transfer cost i still cant do it cheaper - when is easyjet gonna start flying to crete???
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Hello Sheryl,

Re. price you are just confirming what I have always believed and I think this also came out of a much debated topic on the Forum some time ago.

Re. Olympic and their "lowest price guarantee", the holiday has to be identical. In this case Kosmar flies to Hania and Olympic to Heraklion, so the holidays aren't identical. When First Choice pulled out in 2004 I had booked Kostas Chrysoulla with them and transferred to Olympic- same date, same accommodation, paying £30 per person more. Olympic didn't want to know when I asked them if they would match First Choice's price. This may be because they knew FC had pulled out; however this wasn't widely known at the time and, as John R will remember, many at FC didn't even know they had pulled out.

Don't forget to ask to avoid rooms 59 and 62 in KC, unless you like looking out over the broom cupboard as you have your pre-dinner drinks.

Mike
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LOL  .........have stayed at kostas for years and have never came across room 59 or 62 yet, but thanks for the tip.
totally agree with the above; that first choice were cheaper - and if i'd stopped and thought about it, i knew kosmar flew to chania.  but olympic still are cheaper (for me anyway with the scottish flight supplements) there is a £30 -£40 per person difference
whats the difference in the transfer time between chania and heraklion to plakias?
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There's no difference, I've done both and they both should take about two hours, depending of course on the drop offs/pick ups.
george g...

[sheryl]

i have just phoned up the free phone number to book next summers holiday, and tried my luck with getting a discount.  they said that what was on the website was already the maximum discount, and they would match it over the phone even though they didnt have too - even chanced trying to get an early booking discount but they weren't having it.    it turned out that they quoted me a price about £5 cheaper than the website price.......on the up side they did let me request the room number that i wanted  . but it is only a request - i'll let you know in 2006 if i get it

[Mike G]

There's no difference, I've done both and they both should take about two hours, depending of course on the drop offs/pick ups.
george g...
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Hello Sheryl,

George is right. The transfer time will depend on the number of drop offs en route, mainly in Rethymnon and its suburbs. My attitude is not to let it get to you. I just compliment myself on my good judgement that I haven't booked a holiday in the grotty, over-developed places that you are dropping off at. If you really are in a hurry to get to Plakias you can always pay €75 each way for a taxi, although there was some suggestion in a recent post that there may be an additional charge per kilo of baggage.

Mike

[sheryl]

thanks guys
i was just curious - the past few years i've been spoilled and was lucky enough to get a lift of friends or a taxi transfer on the package deals.  but this summer we ended up on the bus transfer - kinda forgot how bad it was... it was like being in a coach full of kids ARE WE THERE YET ( obviously first timers ). and on our guarented (by the rep) non stop trip back to heraklion we still ended up in rethymno looking for missing bodies for over an hour - looking back it makes me laugh, there is always a story behind the transfers i've had to plakias, nothing surprises me now and i should learn to expect it

[George]

thanks guys
i was just curious - the past few years i've been spoilled and was lucky enough to get a lift of friends or a taxi transfer on the package deals.  but this summer we ended up on the bus transfer - kinda forgot how bad it was... it was like being in a coach full of kids ARE WE THERE YET ( obviously first timers ). and on our guarented (by the rep) non stop trip back to heraklion we still ended up in rethymno looking for missing bodies for over an hour - looking back it makes me laugh, there is always a story behind the transfers i've had to plakias, nothing surprises me now and i should learn to expect it
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I think I mentioned in the forum somewhere that last year my transfer with FC took four hours, but it was a double decker (Denzil Washington if I remember correctly), and I did have a front seat. I actually quite enjoyed seeing all the ghettos around Rethymnion.
If it takes me much more than two hours this year I'm going for the compensation plea.
george g...

[harribobs]

If it takes me much more than two hours this year I'm going for the compensation plea.
george g...
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4143\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

i wouldn't hold your breath on that one George

[John R]

. If you really are in a hurry to get to Plakias you can always pay €75 each way for a taxi, although there was some suggestion in a recent post that there may be an additional charge per kilo of baggage.


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€75 each way = €150 total (my first use of that ctrl-alt-4)

You can hire a car for a week for €150.

John R

[George]

If it takes me much more than two hours this year I'm going for the compensation plea.
george g...
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i wouldn't hold your breath on that one George
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As expected the transfer took over three and a half hours this year to Plakias, and we didn't have a rep on the bus from Rethymnon to Plakias. There were a few other things that happened on the transfer including misleading information about how long it was going to take, so I emailed Olympic this morning with the complaint, which I thought was very well worded and I'm now waiting for the responce.
Other than that the two weeks were perfection, and I've already booked for next year, with Olympic.
and so was Morven in the nicest possible way.
I'll keep you all posted!
george g...

[harribobs]

so I emailed Olympic this morning with the complaint, which I thought was very well worded and I'm now waiting for the responce.
Other than that the two weeks were perfection, and I've already booked for next year, with Olympic.
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I'll be interested in their response, so do let us know

and so was Morven in the nicest possible way.

  I'm sure Morven can be nice in any number of ways  

[George]

 I'm sure Morven can be nice in any number of ways  
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[/quote]

Now, Now, this is my fantasy! and we don't want to embarass her... do we?
george g...

[harribobs]

Now, Now, this is my fantasy! and we don't want to embarass her... do we?
george g...
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or get barred from the forum!!

[George]

...I'll keep you all posted!

I've just received my last (I've made my mind up) piece of correspondence from the lovely lady at Olympic regarding the transfer times and the immense commensation that I'm not getting.
All the usual excuses about the reps being busy and having to cope with unforseen circumstances was the excuse for there not being a rep on the bus from Rethymnon to Plakias, and the time of year was one of their busiest, so they had more drops. (Cost/Rep reductions??)
I did put a hyperthetical situation to her ie If the bus crashed and the driver was unconscious what does one do? No comment, but she has passed my comments on to the reps in the resort.
I also asked that, because of the transfer time, if I hired a car from the airport to the resort, (which this year I intend doing) would I get discount for not taking advantage of the transfer bus? That was completely ignored.
Still it was fun making her quirm a little because she knew I had a point and having a pen pal for a while was entertaining.
Perhaps this year I'll make the compliant formal and get Morven to record it for me as Trade description; the brochure states 2Hrs 45mins and it took 3Hrs 45mins.
She did however seem very pleased in almost all her letters, because other than the transfer I told her that the holiday was perfect.
Very diplomatic!

george g...  

[Mike G]

I've just received my last (I've made my mind up) piece of correspondence from the lovely lady at Olympic regarding the transfer times and the immense commensation that I'm not getting.

George,

I have just returned and you will be pleased to know that  the Olympic transfers were much improved this year. 3 stop-offs going and only one returning.

We avoided the dreaded Room 56 in Kostas Chrysoulla (as did Harribobs) but one unfortunate couple didn't. I don't think Olympic should put clients there.

I got to meet Ali but sadly not Harribobs. I think I did see him on a couple of occasions but didn't think that approaching a couple of "far enders" sunning themselves was very appropriate, especially as I was only 75% sure it was the great man. Chris, I'll E-mail you on your return to find out if it was you.

Kostas said that Olympic are featuring Kostas Chrysoulla in 2007 and Morven expects to be back next year as well.

I'll do some reports when time allows.

Paul (Ploppy), I think Ariadne is under new management and they were very quiet. Is it possible for it to be clear under the FAQs that my bad experience was under the old management as I feel guily that my report could put some off.

Mike

[beachcombers]

We did our own transfer from Agia Pelagia (25 km from Heraklion) via the Old National Road to Rethymno and down to Plakias via Kotsifou gorge (Paleoloutra-Kanevos-Myrthos)
Just to get the right views!
5 hours transfer time
6 or more stop-overs
However no complaints at all from my passenger.

Leen
 

PS
George this year you might have to find something else to remain in contact with Olympic rep.?