why do they rip us Brits off ?

[Dee Sa]

I am going to Vegas in April,party of 3, we paid �380 each return with US airlines, a pal in the US has booked the hotel of our choice for us at approx �400 for two adjoining rooms.
So why did Thomas Cook and similar quote us at �698 per person ? that is charging us �300 each approx for the hotel room all sharing one room, my maths are not spot on but that �900 for one room ![ they stipulated sharing].Why do the US charge per room but the agents over here change it to per person, its a total rip off.

[jno]

it's the way UK tour operators do their sums, calculating per person. Why they're so much more expensive, I don't know. But you can always book hotels yourselves online with people like ebookers or lastminute, or if you don't trust the internet just find out what the cheapest prices are then ring the hotel up and ask them to match it.

[alavahalf]

Do your own package...

Find a hotel of your choice, and check that they have vacancies to suit your available dates...if they have provisionally book it.
Check for available flights to coincice with your hotel dates.
When you have decided the two are suitable...book your flight,then your hotel...
Get your own travel insurance online.
Arrange your own transfer... between the airport and hotel.

Make sure you get a price from one of the tour operators who do a similar package...you will then feel very smug about how much you have saved by doing it yourself..!

[Dee Sa]

many tks for both replies, we have saved �500 by doing this, but what really gets up my nose is that we have been ripped off for the past trips each year.
Also if you have someone in the US who can book your hotel you can get even more off your accomodation.
best rgds
Dee

[KARL]

Note that what you describe is Brits ripping Brits off - but they don't discriminate, they will rip anyone off. However, it is a fairly universal rule that if you ask someone to do something for you commercially (i.e. as a paid agent) they will only do so for a profit - what varies is how much profit each one aims to gain. British margins do appear consistently higher than elsewhere which is no doubt one reason why the country is called a retailer's heaven and the nation one of shopkeepers (no wonder, easy way to make a living). Do the legwork yourself and you avoid some of the mark-ups (as already pointed out by alavahalf).

[jno]

alavahalf, get a travel agent's price first, then you know what your target is. A lot of mass market holidays - Majorca and so forth - will still be cheaper through an agent because they can make economies of scale. But for places that aren't big resorts (and Vegas is probably in this category) you can quite likely do better on your own.

[auntiebertie]

I am actually amazed at the number of people who actually go into a high street travel agent still. It is so easy to DIY, find the flights and hotels on ebookers,read the reviews on tripadvisor, book your own car hire.....and save a packet in the meantime. Surely anyone can do this and does not have to rely on a 17 yr old who could barely pinpoint where LasVegas actually is on a map!

[darcydark]

Went online to book holiday in Tenerife, �150 cheaper in high street travel agency, was surprised.

[alavahalf]

Sounds like you've been had... This holiday should normaly cost �4000...but today we can offer it to you for an amazing �3000... thereby giving you an extra �1000 spending money.!
I don't have any desire to go to Las vegas but....
Just out of pure curiosity I have just put a package together..
Flying out on 5/9/09 with KLM to Las Vegas.Returning 26/9/09....�782.30
Staying at the Stratosphere Hotel on the strip.. for 21 nights.
$851.09 = �596.98 at todays exchange rate.
Travel insurance �49.50 for 22 days.
Get in a Taxi for your transfer.

................Total Cost....�1428.78

Anyone wishing to spend �4000 on a holiday should contact me first as I can possibly save you hundreds of �s
and still make a tidy margin for myself.
He..He..He !

[Dee Sa]

I also thought redhelen had been ripped off but was too polite to say so, the Stratosphere is too far down one end of the strip,I would at those prices opted for the other end for Luxor,Tropicana or Excalibur [ the knights of old one, not sure of the name], we are staying this time in the middle at an older hotel, but for the ,money redhalen is payng I would have wanted the Wynne !!!!!!
anyway redhelen I hope they have a great time three weeks in Vegas you need a lorra spending money, good luck.

[67jock]

not long back, did a round the world trip, just myself, london to chicago 6 nights,, vegas 4 nights, sydney 3 nites, adelaide 8 nights, perth 2 nights and singapore 4 nights, all flights and hotels total cost just over �1700, most of it via expedia, except the hotels in adelaide and chicago, which i found on the web, phoned them up and got a deal over the phone. Alavahalf is right tho, get a price from an operator as a guide first...best insurance I found was Journeywise, also on the net..

[Dee Sa]

Happy Wedding Day, enjoy the whole trip.
when are you going ?if its between 8th & 15th April can I come to the wedding ceremony ?
Dee

[Dee Sa]

sounds like a great trip, redhelen, try and do Alcatraz in SF[ book early from the pier] and you must eat in Chinatown and the tram ride of course, what alovely honeymoon trip you have planned, hope all goes well. which wedding chapel have you got in mind ? I dont know anything about any of them but do like to see the brides all dressed up tripping through the casino/hotel even one bride queing up with her guests to get in a disco ! only in America ! and the shopping is to die for !
best of luck
Dee