Round the World Ticket
Apr 4th, 2013, 12:29 PM
#21
<i>"Consolidator tickets can be good value until something goes wrong, at which point they can become impossibly inflexible, to the point of useless." Gardyloo
Not true.</i>
I don't know how you can be so definitive about something so complicated and variable. I said things <b>can</b> go wrong, not that they will. I have personal experience with things going fine when using consolidator tickets, and also the opposite.
Sounds like you've had good experiences with Air Treks. Good on ya. The few times I've pulled fares from them I was able to beat them handily using alliance RTW products, but one of the things about RTW travel is that every trip is different, so, again, being definitive is ill-advised. As always, YMMV.
<b>annhig</b> is in the UK, so would have access to various other travel agencies who specialize in RTW or multi-continent travel, such as Trailfinders.
Not true.</i>
I don't know how you can be so definitive about something so complicated and variable. I said things <b>can</b> go wrong, not that they will. I have personal experience with things going fine when using consolidator tickets, and also the opposite.
Sounds like you've had good experiences with Air Treks. Good on ya. The few times I've pulled fares from them I was able to beat them handily using alliance RTW products, but one of the things about RTW travel is that every trip is different, so, again, being definitive is ill-advised. As always, YMMV.
<b>annhig</b> is in the UK, so would have access to various other travel agencies who specialize in RTW or multi-continent travel, such as Trailfinders.
Apr 4th, 2013, 02:08 PM
#22
well thanks again both of you.
your full and frank discussion is actually quite helpful as you are thrashing out the pros and cons of each approach. I have been in touch with Airtreks, and Roundtheworldflights.com as recommended by your both, and have had a good introductory experience with both of them.
RTW are the people who have come up with the fare and itinerary mentioned above, which i feel is probably going to be difficult to beat; I am beginning to appreciate that the RTW ticket would give us more flexibility by way of dates, but would actually require us to go to the Americas which aren't on our agenda this time [not even to see DH's rellies!]
i can also see that we could incorporate some flexibility by only booking outward and return flights, and sorting the rest out when we're there. However, even with 6 weeks i'm beginning to feel that we don't actually have that much room to maneuvre.
anyway, thanks a lot and keep it coming. I'm going to try Trailfinders next.
your full and frank discussion is actually quite helpful as you are thrashing out the pros and cons of each approach. I have been in touch with Airtreks, and Roundtheworldflights.com as recommended by your both, and have had a good introductory experience with both of them.
RTW are the people who have come up with the fare and itinerary mentioned above, which i feel is probably going to be difficult to beat; I am beginning to appreciate that the RTW ticket would give us more flexibility by way of dates, but would actually require us to go to the Americas which aren't on our agenda this time [not even to see DH's rellies!]
i can also see that we could incorporate some flexibility by only booking outward and return flights, and sorting the rest out when we're there. However, even with 6 weeks i'm beginning to feel that we don't actually have that much room to maneuvre.
anyway, thanks a lot and keep it coming. I'm going to try Trailfinders next.
Apr 4th, 2013, 02:13 PM
#23
I was responding to your statement that "until something goes wrong...(when)they can become impossibly inflexible, to the point of useless."
Yes, they can, but not necessarily. In my experience it hasn't been so. I didn't say never, I did say you were wrong in characterizing them that way. Some are, some aren't and to be fair we must include the possibility that they are not necessarily inflexible. Does that work for you?
I know Annhig is in the UK. I don't believe it would stop her from comparing what a variety of companies might offer. What's the problem?
Yes, they can, but not necessarily. In my experience it hasn't been so. I didn't say never, I did say you were wrong in characterizing them that way. Some are, some aren't and to be fair we must include the possibility that they are not necessarily inflexible. Does that work for you?
I know Annhig is in the UK. I don't believe it would stop her from comparing what a variety of companies might offer. What's the problem?
Apr 4th, 2013, 02:21 PM
#24
Good, I'm glad to see that you're shopping around. The more information you have from as many sources as possible the better your decision can be.
I had 6 months on the first RTW and 4 months going the other way recently. So, you may be right, to take full advantage of that kind of itinerary may take longer than you have. But RTW aside, these companies can supply what you need for the time you have. And, especially in Asia, I've found that last minute flights (relatively speaking) are easy to book and still affordable. That might very well be the way to go, as I frequently have.
I had 6 months on the first RTW and 4 months going the other way recently. So, you may be right, to take full advantage of that kind of itinerary may take longer than you have. But RTW aside, these companies can supply what you need for the time you have. And, especially in Asia, I've found that last minute flights (relatively speaking) are easy to book and still affordable. That might very well be the way to go, as I frequently have.
Apr 4th, 2013, 02:35 PM
#25
You've both been very helpful.
MmePerdue - i tend to be a bit conservative, and probably over-cautious in travel matters when it comes to first time trips. I like to know where we're going when, even if on one level i know that it's not really necessary. DH pulls the other way, so i suppose we even each other out.
the information about the last minute flights to Asia is very useful, ditto the idea to add fiji on as a simple add-on round trip.
however, the quote we've got from RWT does include Fiji as the stop-over on the way back from NZ so if we stick to that itinerary i think that will probably be the best way to do it. We'll be following in DD's footsteps if we go there - she was there a year ago on her RTW trip, and just loved it, so we thought we'd better go and see what the fuss was about!
MmePerdue - i tend to be a bit conservative, and probably over-cautious in travel matters when it comes to first time trips. I like to know where we're going when, even if on one level i know that it's not really necessary. DH pulls the other way, so i suppose we even each other out.
the information about the last minute flights to Asia is very useful, ditto the idea to add fiji on as a simple add-on round trip.
however, the quote we've got from RWT does include Fiji as the stop-over on the way back from NZ so if we stick to that itinerary i think that will probably be the best way to do it. We'll be following in DD's footsteps if we go there - she was there a year ago on her RTW trip, and just loved it, so we thought we'd better go and see what the fuss was about!
Apr 5th, 2013, 12:51 PM
#27
I've never been to Fiji and would also like to know what the fuss is about. Be sure to let us know!>>
DD just loved it - it was really laid back, very friendly, but a nice range of things to do - diving, snorkling, swimming, - and far fewer people than Bali and other similar places. [Actually I'm not so sure that they are that similar]. AND they play rugby.
DD just loved it - it was really laid back, very friendly, but a nice range of things to do - diving, snorkling, swimming, - and far fewer people than Bali and other similar places. [Actually I'm not so sure that they are that similar]. AND they play rugby.
Apr 8th, 2013, 02:10 AM
#28
an update on our itinerary - fiji is now gone, to give us more time in NZ.
shame - but you can't do everything.
it's now singapore on the way out and HK on the way back - 3-4 nights in each, to give us time to look around and recover a bit from the jetlag. i'm still waiting for RTW to come back with a revised cost.
any other tips anyone can give me will be gratefully received.
shame - but you can't do everything.
it's now singapore on the way out and HK on the way back - 3-4 nights in each, to give us time to look around and recover a bit from the jetlag. i'm still waiting for RTW to come back with a revised cost.
any other tips anyone can give me will be gratefully received.
Apr 8th, 2013, 06:03 AM
#29
Why not do an experiment while you're waiting, and price an RTW itinerary online using the Oneworld RTW booking tool? http://www.oneworld.com/flights/plan-book-online/ You can plug in a route, play with it, and take it all the way up to the screen where you enter your credit card information. That way you'll have a basis on which to compare whatever the agent tells you.
In your experiment, do a route or two where you're originating in Europe someplace outside the UK to see the effect on the bottom line. You might be surprised.
The Oneworld Explorer - the product the online tool is for - doesn't allow travel to Fiji (no Oneworld airlines go there) so I hadn't recommended it while you were including Fiji. But if Fiji is out, then it might suit you.
Speaking of Fiji, I have been there (a couple of times) and it is indeed lovely, and the people are indeed very friendly. However (just a personal view) one really needs to get off the main island (Viti Levu) to see the real beauty, at which time the price tends to spike for accommodations and inter-island transport.
If you're still interested in visiting someplace tropical on an RTW ticket, there are plenty of places somewhat more accessible - the Australian Queensland coast, Lord Howe Island in Oz, the northern end of North Island in New Zealand, Hawaii, the Caribbean...
Or, if you wanted to do an RTW that skips North America altogether, you could leave Auckland and fly to South America and include Easter Island, Peru, Rio, or Buenos Aires (or dozens more places) with ease.
In your experiment, do a route or two where you're originating in Europe someplace outside the UK to see the effect on the bottom line. You might be surprised.
The Oneworld Explorer - the product the online tool is for - doesn't allow travel to Fiji (no Oneworld airlines go there) so I hadn't recommended it while you were including Fiji. But if Fiji is out, then it might suit you.
Speaking of Fiji, I have been there (a couple of times) and it is indeed lovely, and the people are indeed very friendly. However (just a personal view) one really needs to get off the main island (Viti Levu) to see the real beauty, at which time the price tends to spike for accommodations and inter-island transport.
If you're still interested in visiting someplace tropical on an RTW ticket, there are plenty of places somewhat more accessible - the Australian Queensland coast, Lord Howe Island in Oz, the northern end of North Island in New Zealand, Hawaii, the Caribbean...
Or, if you wanted to do an RTW that skips North America altogether, you could leave Auckland and fly to South America and include Easter Island, Peru, Rio, or Buenos Aires (or dozens more places) with ease.
