soboyle

My wife and I would like to make a trip to Ireland this year sometime, probably in the fall, september or october, We've been once before with my parents, and we went with a flight - B&B - car package that worked out pretty well, we had the vouchers for the B&B's, a decent car to go where we wanted to, and the flight was a charter out of Boston. You can read about this trip on my website if interested here.
www.oboylephoto.com/ireland
Was hoping to get some recommendations on package tour companies who run reputable and reasonable trips to Ireland out of Boston, MA or Albany, NY. The other option of course is to organize the trip myself, which I like to do, but I wonder if we can do it cheaper than the tour companies can with the charter flights/vouchers and all. There are now 3 of us with a 4 year old daughter. We will want to spend most of our time between Donegal county and Cork on the Sheepshead Pen. Loved those areas from our first trip.

CowboyCraic

I would suggest that you price out both options.

I always plan my own trip, as vouchers are not always well received at your lodgings. You are going in the Fall period it would appear, which would make your B&B & Car rental rates less, if you book it out yourself. AutoEurope and Kemwel, their sister company, will match rental rates from other rental companies, should you find a lower rate. I have used them for all but one trip and wish I had used them for that one, as well.

Also, There is now service between Boston and Knock, via Flyglobespan, http://www.flyglobespan.com/US/index.asp?lan=US, which you might want to consider since you are looking to be in the Donegal area to start.

You certainly have chosen two of the furthest points away from each other to visit! T'were it me, I would stay put in the North region, as it is gorgeous in the Fall and there is so much to see and do.

Enjoy your adventure!

Slan Agus Beannacht,

Bit Devine

janisj

You may have had good experience w/ vouchers -- but that doesn't mean they are your best option.

Vouchers do not save you any money. And they do not guarantee you a room anywhere. They only pay for the room if one is availabel - and if one is, they place will also take cash/credit cards. The owners really don't like vouchers because it really REALLY slows up their cash flow. For that reason, many B&Bs don't accept the vouchers.

You will do better just making your own arrangements . . . . .

soboyle

These suggestions make sense to me, any suggestions on finding the best air fares to Ireland? Any recommended charter companies making the flights more affordable? I was considering the package route because of the cheapness of the package we had last time, I belive it was about $800 PP including flights from Boston to Shannon, car and lodging vouchers for 10 days (in 1998).

CowboyCraic

Aerlingus is running some good deals on summer airfares still, out of Boston. Also, http://www.1800flyeurope.com/, is another site to check for low airfares. Don't forget to check with globespan,you can use the link I provided for them in my first response.

I don't think you will find $800 per person to be applicable now, as the dollar is fairly weak there. Most packages, without the airfare attached are averaging out to $750 per person However, you will find a good selection of reasonably priced B&Bs on your own, without the vouchers.

Slan Beo,

Bit Devine

jefe

As Bit notes, $800 might be pretty hard to come by for the full package. 9 years ago things were a lot different The dollar was stronger, Ireland wasn't on the Euro (1999 is when they started the switch), and airlines were just starting to really put the squeeze on travel agents and sell directly over the internet.

Now, through a company like CIE http://www.cietours.com , $800-$900 will get you maybe 6 days or so, touring by bus. It's getting cheaper to just do it on your own.

Aer Lingus just announced a bunch of fares to kick off their 3 new routes from the U.S. (San Francisco, Orlando, and Washington D.C.)

But since you mentioned Sept/Oct, I'm not sure if the sale will have much bearing. A quick check shows fares in October under $200 one-way on quite a few dates. ($461.51 round-trip, including taxes, if you fly on the 8th and the 19th to and from Shannon, for example.) Sept. is mid $200s most of the month.

Good luck!