Name of Travel Company

Travel House is known as The Original Travel House Ltd

Location of Head Office

Lower Ground Floor
Exchange Buildings
Adelaide Street
SWANSEA
West Glamorgan
SA1 1SE
Part of:
MORGANS HOTELS LIMITED,
SOMERSET PLACE
SWANSEA
SA1 1RR

Contact Details

Telephone: 01792 483962
Fax: 01792 463595

Abta Number

J5567 & W9186

Founded

Registration date: 5th September 2001

Also Trading As

The Travel House

Previous Company Names

Jaxx Travel Ltd

Type of Website

This is a high street travel agent for various travel companies including Thomson, Virgin, Thomas Cook, Superbreaks, and Butlins.

Ease of Use

Easy enough website to use although a bit confusing.

Layout

You have the contact info front and center…the phone number.
The menu at the top of the page gives you a number of choices from Brochure selection…taking you to the online brochures of the holiday companies mentioned above. You can view holiday offers, with very little information without calling the company. Holiday extras brings you to outside links. The competition link brings to a chance to win a fifty quid holiday voucher (worth something a hundred years ago I would think!). You can also find your local branch, contact the company through a generic contact form, or get a quote by filling out another generic contact form.

Additional Features

No additional features.

Standout/Novelty Features

No Standout/Novelty Features.

Interesting Tools

No Interesting Tools.

Booking Options

Call the phone number

Payment Options

Pay by credit card with a 2.5% surcharge. I presume you can also pay with cash at one of the offices.

Customer Support

According to reviews the support is very good as is often the case with high street travel agents.

Ease of Contact

Phone or contact form.

Cancellation

It is going to cost you at least 70% of the cost of your holiday if more than 21 days prior to departure.

Guarantees

None.

Awards

None.

Standout News

None.

General Public Impression

According to the review center (http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews68576.html), the company gets a 3.1 out of a possible 5, with almost 60% of their readers recommending the company.
At the time of writing, the top review gave 5 out of 5 and said the following:
“I found Travel House through Google search and rang Travel House to enquire about the flights to India and SriLanka. Max, the travel consultant provided an excellent wonderful professional service and helped to find the best flights at a good price for our holiday with good connections.

Max was confident, courteous and a friendly person who gave consideration to all our needs when booking the flights. He was very prompt on sending emails to confirm details and suggested the best method of payment which I found was secure and satisfactory.

I am so happy that I found the right Travel Company to book my flights and Max represented the company very well.

I should congratulate Max on his performance!! We will definitely use Travel House for any future bookings.

Many thanks for your services and well appriciated!!”

Overall Opinion

The site is general run of the mill, nothing special. No way of booking online. They have links to a blog (last updated in October 200?), they seem to have a few facebook pages, and twitter is used to give exchange rate info.

Anderment Ltd

Location of Head Office

(a)13 Hardye Arcade
South Street
DORCHESTER
Dorset
DT1 1BZ
Also:
(b)34 High Street
ABBOTS LANGLEY
Hertfordshire
WD5 0AR

Contact Details

Telephone: (a)0044 (0)1305 852234
(b)0044(0)1923 265 256

Founded

1983

Also Trading As

Langley Travel, A.T.O.

Logo/Slogans

“Your window on the world”

Type of Website

Bonded Travel Agent

Layout

The Langley Travel website is laid out on four levels. There are two menu bars at the top, positioned under the header, a sidebar on the left hand side, the main content on the right hand side, and a selection of links at the bottom.

The top most links will take you to the homepage (fairly redundant), contact us page which takes you to a “request a callback” section on the left, where you will see the address and telephone number in the main section … no e-mail address. Next is the enquiry link which takes you to a contact form … presumably someone will contact you by phone if you fill out the required details. Then you have the opportunity to meet the team … some nice pictures of two high street branches and some skewed staff photographs. Finally to the mail login section … I don’t know whether this is for staff or customers?
First up on the next menu are the late deals, click this and you will be taken to this weeks “red hot offers” … the same link is also offered on the left hand side, above the sidebar. Then, short breaks which takes you to another website. Weddings will take you to a section entitled “Weddings & Honeymoons Abroad”, including a few deals. Travel insurance also takes you to another website, as does extras, and hotels. Terms and conditions is next (T & C), and finally travel tools where you can find out if you need a travel visa, check out the holiday checklist, a currency exchange rate table, and a BBC World News Headlines feed. There is also a currency converter on the left-hand side and some useful links.
At the bottom is another menu offering the same links as you see at the top, more confusion.

Additional Features

No additional features.

Standout/Novelty Features

No standout or novelty features.

Ease of Use

I think the site could be a little easier on the eye with their red hot offers front and centre. Instead you need to click links to look on internal pages for any deals and much of the time you are taken to a different website which is not a great user experience.

Social Media

At the bottom of the page are Facebook and twitter links. When I clicked on the Facebook link, the Facebook page couldn’t be found. The twitter link took me to the neglected Langley Travel twitter page where the last tweet was almost 2 months ago, at the time of writing.

Booking Options

I think the only booking option was to contact the company directly.

Payment Options

Payment options are with credit or debit card, cash, cheques at discretion, wire transfer or BACS.

Customer Support

Looks like they have friendly staff!

Ease of Contact

By telephone.

Terms and Conditions

You must have travel insurance for all bookings. Cancellation must be in writing to the supplier of the service, not the travel agent. On their agency status…

” We act as an agent for all reservations made using an operator’s brochure or advertisement as the description of the service to be provided. All other transactions will be separately shown on our confirmation invoice. Reservations made when we are not acting as an agent, will be booked on behalf of the client with the supplier at cost to which we will add a booking fee in accordance with the scale displayed in our offices. In these cases the contract will be between the client and the supplier (the client will pay the supplier). We will be responsible for all aspects of the booking up to the confirmed reservation. Book with us for financial protection with the added bonus that we will always be available in case of difficulty to act in your best interest.”

Guarantees

Only those offered through ABTA.

Awards

None.

Standout News

None.

General Public Impression

A simple Google search didn’t bring up much in the way of reviews.

Overall Opinion

It’s not a great website, very difficult to find anything of value if you are looking from a pure online shopping experience viewpoint. The site is difficult to navigate. The broken links and confusing links to outside websites don’t make for a very professional feel. Who exactly are you buying from?

• Make sure you use the internet in your search for bargain prices. Using an online search will be much cheaper than booking on the phone or walking into a high street travel agent. Price comparison websites offer a huge range of prices in a variety of travel related industries.
• Flights, hotels, car rental, foreign currency, insurance and parking can all be organised over the internet and you can browse a huge range of prices and services in one sitting. Use a couple of search engines and not just one to get a proper overview of prices, and clear the cache before returning to the best deal. Some sites remember that you have previously visited their site and increase the price when you return to purchase. If you clear the browsers memory then this can’t happen.
• Booking early can save you money. Have a good look around in advance and book early. Make sure that you use a discount code on your bookings too. Price comparison websites often carry these promotional vouchers and you can subscribe to a website’s newsletter also to receive periodic updates on offers and promotions.
• The opposite can also be true and you can find some great deals at the last minute. This will usually limit your choices though, and if you’re booking travel and accommodation separately you may be making up for the savings on one thing by paying over the odds on another.
• Consider using alternative transport. If you’re used to a familiar form of transport like driving for instance, consider using the bus, coach or train. You can get some great deals on public transport and use your travelling time more usefully when you’re not concentrating on the road.
• Ask for a group discount if you are travelling with others. Asking for discounts is something that in the UK people find difficult. However the more of you that are travelling together the more companies will want your business and they are usually open to offering group discounts – if you ask.
• Consider getting an international sim card for your mobile phone to reduce your international call charges. You could also get an international, prepaid phone card which is more inconvenient than using your mobile but much less expensive than normal roaming costs.
• For your airport parking make sure you use an airport parking discount code – available when you compare airport parking online through a price comparison website. Promotional codes can save you from 10-15% off the regular price and using a website will help you find the cheapest option when booking a holiday abroad. Sign up to a site’s newsletter for all the latest offers and promotional vouchers.

One requirement that is surely at the top of your checklist is weather.  In the summer and even in the winter, you can expect to have temperatures in the 80’s.  However, regardless of when you go, you will not have to worry about the sunshine – you’re on a tropical island after all!

Puerto Rico is home to many great tourist attractions which make this destination so unique.  Two of the more common ones include the old fortress (Castillo de San Felipe del Morro) and Old San Juan.

Once on the island, there are many activities that will keep you and your partner busy throughout your trip.  For the adventurous types, the rainforest (El Yunque) is an ideal place to hike many trails leading to spectacular waterfalls.  If zip-lining is your thing, you can enjoy the thrill of shooting across the forest canopy.

Other popular activities focus on the ocean.  Many couples enjoy spending the day snorkeling or scuba diving.  Another great experience that you should not miss is the bioluminescent bay where thousands of fish light up the waters in the night!

A honeymoon in Puerto Rico wouldn’t be complete without beaches and the island is certainly in no shortage.  In fact, one of the key attractions in Puerto Rico is Culebrita – an area of beautiful beaches, turquoise water and stunning views.

For a romantic evening experience, take your partner out to one of Puerto Rico’s fine restaurants and enjoy some great local cuisine.  Afterwards, be sure to dance the night away at a local music establishment and immerse yourself in the culture of the island!

If you’re a frequent traveler and have a stockpile of hotel points, you should have no problem finding a national hotel chain on this island.  In fact, almost every kind is represented – Marriott, Hilton and Starwood to name the most popular.  If you and your partner prefer a more unique hotel that is locally owned, these are in abundance as well and in very desirable locations such as San Juan!

With so many great activities, attractions and beautiful beaches, Puerto Rico should be at the top of everyone’s list of honeymoon locations.  To learn more about Puerto Rico and all the attractions and activities it has to offer, visit www.discoveryourhoneymoon.com.

A Good Digital Camera: You’re going to want to record your trip, whether it’s fantastic views, or splashing about on the beach. Make sure you bring a quality camera with plenty of memory cards and batteries.

Good Sunscreen: The odds are that wherever you go you’re going to be looking for some sun. Even a skiing holiday can see you facing danger of sunburn. Buy a good sun cream, being careful to read the information on the bottle before you buy.

DEET Mosquito Repellents: Mosquitoes seem to be getting everywhere these days, and nothing will ruin your holiday quicker than some itchy bites in places that you don’t want to be itching.

A Decent Hat: If you’re going out to the Highlands or off skiing, you want to keep your head warm. If it’s sunny, a hat can provide you with some much needed shade.  But more than that, in modern society we just don’t get enough opportunities to wear decent hats. I want to wear a fedora without looking like a hipster.

Reading Material: Because sometimes you are just going to be bored. We spend so much of our lives worrying about deadlines, chores, and things that need doing right now that you might find yourself pretty lost if you, for even a moment, don’t have something to do. Bring some decent books to read, or you’ll lose the whole holiday to checking Twitter on your phone.

First Aid Kit: Just in case it all goes horribly wrong, having a healthy selection of bandages, plasters, painkillers and antihistamines will help smooth over the worst of it.

Pack a bag with all of these elements and you’ll be fixed for a great holiday getaway, whether it’s a long weekend or a trip of a couple of weeks.

There are 6 types of activities that you might want to be a part of. For starters, as soon as you arrive at one of the numerous hotels in Nuevo Vallarta, you can immediately visit a golf course where you can relax after your trip. If golfing is not your thing but you do want to relax, there is always the possibility of going o one of the world class spa & wellness centers in the resort. To put it simple, your entire day can be relaxing and you can even go shopping for items that are unique and you can buy for friends or for yourself. When on a romantic getaway, we recommend that you also consider dining at one of the romantic restaurants. If parties are what you are after, this is also covered with numerous night clubs opened all night long.

When you had enough relaxation, you can opt for an adventure ride. Nuevo Vallarta offers something for anyone thanks to numerous activities that range from water sports to bird and whale watching. You can go horseback riding, enjoy picturesque scenery, go on a water adventure, visit one of the numerous snorkeling sites or even go scuba diving. Whatever you might want to do on a perfect vacation, it is possible in Nuevo Vallarta!

Photo by Giles Douglas

A cruise ship sails with thousands of people and often some of those who have signed up for a cruise cancel their bookings for personal reasons. When cruise ships are unable to sell all the cabins on board, they begin to discount the price of the voyage in a bid to attract more passengers before the departure date of the cruise. For a cruise company, it’s better to offer reduced rates than to sail with empty cabins. The majority of the profits for cruise companies also come from extras like alcohol, shore trips, spa treatments and other services that are not included in the cost of the voyage, so they don’t mind offering discounts.

Even if you pay less with a cancellation or a last minute cruise deal, once aboard the cruise ship you are entitled to all the amenities that are available to full fare paying passengers. So you can go ice skating, bowling, play basketball, indulge in a spa treatment, catch a movie or do any of the many leisure and entertainment options available on board. You just have to remember that you may not get the most spacious cabin in the most ideal location because the best cabins would’ve been booked well in advance. But considering the discount you are likely to get, this is a small compromise to make.

When you are ready to getaway for a few days, check out the cruises departing from the nearest port. Choose a sailing route that suits your schedule and your budget and go ahead and book your cancellation cruise.

Apart from cruises, you can also consider a cancellation holiday for any time of the year, including a Christmas break at ski resorts.

There are two major expenses to this type of holiday – the cost of the RV, and the cost of the campground.  Many people choose to buy fancy RVs, or utilize RV rental services.  These options unfortunately are not exactly budget friendly, and are certainly not cheap.

I favor – and have done so myself – purchasing a cheap trailer for camping. I picked up a travel trailer for sale in Texas for a steal. There are many people who buy travels trailers with the best intention, but then only ever use them once or twice.

This make is ridiculously easy to pick up a like new trailer at a very low cost.  While spending a few thousand dollars on something like this may not seem cheap, it is a one off expenditure.  You can use it as your accommodations for an endless series of camping trips!

Now, the second big expense of RV camping is paying for campgrounds.  There are numerous ways around this however.  My personal favorite is to find great places to camp – or boondock – for free.  Towing a small travel trailer is a great help in this regards, as you can access more isolated places easier than when driving a full sized recreational vehicle.

One of my favorite means of doing this is to go exploring down forest service roads.  You can readily identify some absolutely beautiful camping spots that are wonderful for spending a night at.  Another possibility – at least in some states – is to boondock on Bureau of Land Management property, while not completely free the charge is negligible.

Please note you should treat your campground with the respect it deserves.  Don’t go lighting unauthorized campfires, dumping trash, and in general leaving a mess.  Free camping opportunities like these are not officially sanctioned, so we don’t want to encourage the authorities to crack down on them!

Photo by Slideshow Bruce

This tiny village is home to one of Portugal’s finest Romanesque churches. Set among the hanging vines producing grapes for the local vinho verde wine, the church of Sao Salvador is a very simple, yet impressive, rectangular structure in granite. It was built during the reign of Afonso VI at the end of the eleventh century by a local nobleman, probably at the instigation of the Cluniac monks from Santa Maria island in Azores who brought the beautiful carving typical of their cathedral south along the pilgrim’s way to Braga. It then passed into the hands of the Benedictine order of monks and from them to the Augustinians.

Its most remarkable feature is the elaborate and exuberant carv­ing to be seen in the main doorway. Amongst the figures can be discerned doves, monkeys, and two bulls’ heads at either side of the doorway modelled on the local long horned gado barrosoa cattle, so important to the region’s economy. In ways that echo the treatment of cattle in India and parts of sub-Saharan Africa these cattle can often be seen leading religious processions in the Minho.

A low relief of the the Lamb of God is to be seen, supported by two griffins, decorating a side doorway. The interior contains two medieval murals of Our Lady and St Sebastian. Sebastian is often depicted in paintings and statues in Portugal and Azores islands archipelago, typically tied to the stake and pierced by arrows during his martyrdom, as it was be­lieved he visited the country in the Middle Ages. Like several other fine monuments in the country, the church was substantially re­stored in the 1940s.

Ponte de Lima, the largest town of the area, lies 14km (9 miles) beyond Bravaes through attractive villages and woods of pine, chest­nut and eucalyptus, ideal for a stroll and a picnic. It is a pleasantly spacious town in which to spend a day or even longer. It has a good number of hotels and is a centre for the development of, what the Portuguese call Turismo de Habitaccio, or manor house accommoda­tion. Their offices are combined with the tourist office in the Praca de Republica in the town centre. They offer accommodation in the homes of wealthy Portuguese families, and while usually very at­tractive, they can often be very expensive. Most are dotted around the countryside to the north-west of the town. The manor house owners often organise small-game shoots in their areas.

So you either make do with what you’ve got, and travel on a budget. Or you save up more before you go, allowing you to do more of the things you want to do and see.

If you ARE traveling on a budget, what are some tips and tricks for traveling cheaper?

I think one of the main things you can do to help the budget whilst on the road is to watch the little things. The little expenditures can really add up, so if you can cut out the things you really don’t need – you’ll end up saving a lot! Quit coffee for example.

Here are five hot tips to help keep that budget down:

- Spend more of your time in rural areas of countries like Portugal or Spain or Eastern Europe. Staying for a long period of time in central London or Paris is not going to help that budget of yours.

- Get into the habit of ‘dining in’. This means cooking at your hostel using food you have purchased from the supermarket. Buying food at a cafe or restaurant three times a day will see your money running out like you wouldn’t believe.

- Don’t take any mobile phone credit with you. Only use the free wi-fi spots at places like cafes and libraries.

- Make sure you bring along appropriate discount cards. If you have a valid Student ID for example, you will find loads of discounts all around Europe – from bus and rail tickets to museums.

- Try to withdraw less from the ATM, don’t be there every single day taking more money out. Try to budget for the next three days to a week at a time. Those little foreign currency fees and ATM withdrawal fees will start adding up.

- Use hub cities when flying. Places like London, Rome and Paris will have airports that operate the budget airlines. Can get a low cost ticket – ending up somewhere with a small airport and having to fly out of there will result in a much higher ticket price.

This was a guest post from  ActiveBackpacker – click here to check out the post on planning a European backpacking trip.

Photo by Marta Crowe

So what type of travel insurance policies are there for holidaymakers and individuals who are travelling abroad. It does depend on the type of holiday you are taking. If it is just a normal holiday to Europe then you will just need either a single trip travel insurance policy or annual travel insurance. If you are going on a skiing or adventure style holiday you will require a different type of policy.

So what is the difference between a single trip and annual travel insurance policy?

The main difference is time; most single trip holiday insurance policies will provide sufficient coverage abroad for up to 30 or 60 days of travel. If you require more then you will probably require an annual policy. There is a big difference in price so if you think that you are going to be travelling abroad a couple of times a year, then I would consider buying an annual trip travel insurance policy. On the other hand if you are thinking of only going aboard once, then a single trip travel insurance policy will suffice. There is a big difference on price so try and plan ahead if you can and pick the right policy to suit you and your family when travelling abroad.

Where should I get a travel insurance policy?

When you book your holiday with your travel agent or Holiday Company, do not be tempted to take out a travel insurance policy through them. It has been proven that in most cases holiday companies and travel agents that offer travel insurance do at a high cost. It would be a better option to shop for travel insurance online or go direct to the provider. You can save much more money by purchasing a policy direct for the supplier online.

Money Gossip offers holidaymakers lots of information on how to buy and save money when buying travel insurance. Visit their website for travel insurance deals and guide information.

Photo by Hajime Nakano

Check out the posts on TC Holidays about the Philippines:

• The Puerto Galera Nightlife Guide

Here in the Philippines, the nightlife is fantastic. While it’s part of the developing world, there are many types of nightlife options, from bars and clubs to romantic restaurants and discos.

Once you have checked into your hotel or resort, strap your party shoes on and get ready for the best night you’ve had in a long time.

The Puerto Galera nightlife is focused around two small towns, however there are a number of local options.

If you are the type of person that wants to avoid the touristy areas, go where the locals go. In the main town of Puerto Galera, there are a number of local karaoke bars along the main road.

Park your motorcycle and find a comfortable seat. In places where the locals go, the drinks are cheap and it’s more relaxed. You’ll be afforded a Filipino experience and you’ll probably be the most popular person in the bar. Expect to be asked all the standard questions, such as “where are you from?” and “what’s your name?”.

The local Puerto Galera nightlife is very safe, so there’s no need to worry about trouble.

However, if going where the locals go doesn’t excite your party instinct, make your way to one of the two tourist towns.

Most Westerners prefer the Puerto Galera nightlife in Sabang, with it’s assortment of bars and hot Filipina girls. There are a whole bunch of different places and lots of fun to be had.

There are three main beaches which are lined with dive shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Sabang is a great place to bar hop, with all the venues being within two minutes walk of each other. With infinite ice cold beer on tap and lots of entertainment on offer, Sabang is a great place for an exciting night out.

At the other end of the spectrum is White Beach. This beautiful town caters more for families and Filipino tourists with its Puerto Galera nightlife. The main town lines the beach, with thumping dance music that makes its way across the beach.

It’s a great spot to admire the sunset while sipping on a fresh cocktail. Grab a massage on the beach or swim with the fish. Like Sabang, White Beach is a great place to party. With coconut trees, white sandy beaches and plenty of activity, it’s the perfect party in paradise.

Photo by Mio Miranda

Here is a list of the different types of buses you can choose from when getting a rental bus service.

• Basic buses. These buses are usually the ones used by schools on field trips and some organizations such as church organizations who tend to go for the simplest approach.
• Mini buses. These buses are larger than vans but are not really as big as they could be. A smaller group would find this type of bus appropriate.
• Tour buses. These buses, as their name implies, are the types most usually used for tours. As such, they usually have some sort of entertainment system on board such as a dvd player and a tv. They also usually have toilet facilities.
• Party buses. These are for the use of people who attend parties and who tend to find this arrangement safer than having to go behind the wheel while not completely sober.
• Double decker buses. These are similar to those one would find in the UK. These are great for tours around cities.
• Limo buses. These are rather high end models which emphasize on quality rather than quantity.
• Luxury tour buses. These are all out luxurious buses which may or may not include amenities such as a full bath and even a kitchen.

Now that you know the types of buses available for you to choose from, you can go ahead and search for some nj bus rentals which can provide you with the type you need for your trip.

Photo by CTS61 on Flickr

Other posts you may have missed include:

Lollypop Cheap Holidays

Tapestry Holidays

Ilkeston Coop Exchange Rates

I Want That Flight International

Holiday Hypermarket Currency

Firstly vacationers should understand that vacation rentals are generally more comfortable than hotels and motels. Most people tend to rent spacious homes that have full kitchens and living areas that they can relax in. Many homes offer amenities that hotels do not. Some examples of these amenities are fireplaces, sports equipment, hot tubs and free internet.

Another benefit of choosing a holiday home over a hotel is that renters can decide how close they want to be to the slopes. Those who have a bigger budget can opt for a ski-in, ski out vacation rental. People who want to save money can choose a home that is located further away from the mountains. They can then drive to the slopes on days that they want to ski.

In terms of cost families and large groups of friends can save money when they book a vacation home. For example a home renting for $300 a night split between a family of four is only $75 per person. This type of rental will generally be more affordable than the cost of a hotel.

Holidaymakers can get great value for their money if they choose the right rental. Those who do decide to consider booking a vacation home will need to make sure that they use their common sense when booking. For example vacationers will need to ensure they book a property through a reputable website such as Vacation Roost. Vacationers will also need to get a receipt for their deposit and account for extra costs. Many people forget to factor in the cost of ski passes and equipment rental when they book a holiday. Some vacation homes will have ski equipment that renters can use.

Hoteliers and airlines offer preferential rates to clients who book online. This means that people considering going for Belfast vacations who make their bookings online often end up paying less than those who make their bookings in the traditional way. And as we all know, most people work very hard for their money, and are therefore keen on doing anything to save it. If it emerges that making online bookings is the only way in which they can actually save some of the money they’d have paid for fare and Belfast accommodation, they are likely to be inclined to do so (book online). We thus end up with one group of people who opt to use the online bookings because they see it as a strategy through which they can save money. These are folks who, in other circumstances, may have preferred to book in the traditional way – which they may be more comfortable with. But to the extent that online bookings present them with an opportunity to save money, they are inclined to opt for them, in order to save money.

It is more convenient to make the bookings online. Not all people who opt to book their accommodation and travel online are motivated to do so by financial considerations. There are others who simply find the idea of booking accommodation and buying travel tickets online more convenient. It is, after all, something that saves them from the trouble of having to call up the travel agents, writing paper checks, waiting for confirmations via ‘snail mail’ and so on. Simply put, in terms of convenience, you can’t even start comparing the idea of making travel and accommodation bookings online with the idea of making the same bookings in the traditional way. Thus, much as some of the people who take Belfast vacations nowadays may not care about the marginal savings they stand to make by booking online, they are nonetheless motivated to make online bookings by the ‘convenience’ of online bookings.

It has become fashionable to make bookings online. We are living in an age where anything not done online is regarded as being ‘unfashionable.’ This is an age where most people log onto the Internet, whenever they need anything. These are people who may not care so much about the marginal savings they stand to make by booking online, but who nonetheless find the idea of booking holidays online ‘chic’ and therefore decide to do it on that account alone.

In this category too are the folks who are motivated to make their bookings online by tales from friends, relatives and others in their social or professional circles who successfully made holiday bookings online. In a nutshell, we can say that there are folks who are simply motivated to use the online bookings by what can only be termed as ‘peer pressure.’ They may not care about the cost-cutting opportunity inherent in online bookings, or the convenience associated with online bookings, but they simply do it because it is the ‘in thing.’

TC Holidays is a general holidays/vacation site, we look at the “how to” of cheap holidays, the “where” of cheap holidays, the “who” of cheap holidays, and the “when” and “why”.

I started building this site because I wanted to find the cheapest ways of going on holidays for myself and my family…things are getting tight for everyone, right!

The Criteria

My search criteria has always been to spend as little as possible, have as much fun as possible, see new things or ‘old’ things (as in antiquities), bring back great memories, and not spend too much…yeah, I said it twice…getting value for my Euro is very important for me!  I get to spend much more quality time with my family when I spend a little bit of time searching for bargains and cutting out the silly extras.

The Equation

I would rather go on two vacations a year that one, I would rather go on holidays three or more times a year if I can arrange everything so the family are all free at the same time.

So it’s an easy equation…I have only X amount of money to do this, so I can spend all of X at once or I can spread it over 2 or 3 holidays: 1X=2X or 1X=3X…depending on the variables…simple!

So, without further ado, here are a couple of ways I use to get the latter model…1X=3X.

Spanish Paddy or Irish Pedro

I spend a lot of my time travelling between Ireland and Spain, soon to be the other way around because I’m making the move permanently, mostly because I have family living in Spain and my son is studying in Galway.

I have family to rely on when I want a bed, or at least floor-space, in either location, so for me it’s always the cost of the flights, if I’m going to get free taxes, whether the taxes are going to be more expensive than the actual flights, how much am I going to be robbed out of for baggage charges etc.

The Low Cost Option

For the flights to Spain I always go to either Ryanair or EasyJet directly because I know I’m going to get the best deals with those companies … more than likely I choose Ryanair because they provide the most flights to and from Ireland.

I used to take a Ryanair flight from Shannon airport directly to either Murcia airport or Alicante but those flights were stopped, so now I have to go through Dublin with a train journey from the West to factor into the pricing.

Another option, which is sometimes a lot cheaper, is to fly to the UK…Gatwick or Stansted, with a connecting flight to Espana.

Anyway, I know I’m going to get the best savings with Ryanair so I’ll always go directly to their website.

Going to other destinations is a different story altogether, one of the best places to go for the cheapest flights is Skyscanner where you’ll find all kinds of deals sorted by price, airport, and airline amongst others.

Choose a Debit Card

If you’re flying with Ryanair, you can save money by using a debit card … I think it’s MasterCard debit card with Ryanair, I’m not sure … just go to the site and check it out … it means that you don’t have to pay in the credit card charges which can add up to about €10 per flights per person.

Pack your Belongings Sparingly

Another way to save money is to just take your bags as carry-on luggage, don’t check any baggage because this is going to add a bundle of currency to your overall cost … watch this great video, funny and very practical, on how to pack a suitcase like a pro.

Bring it from Home

Take a sandwich and drink with you from home…I know this sounds incredibly cheap but hey…we want to save money where we can don’t we…it all adds up.

I’m not a health nut, far from it, but I’m also not an idiot … I like to try and eat food once in a while.

In-flight food (should we really be calling it that)  is full of additives including chemicals to make the food taste better, look better, and smell better ….Yummy!

For a fraction of the cost I can bring my own healthy sandwiches and snacks, I know exactly what’s gone into making them, a bit of fruit perhaps, maybe a couple of chocolate bars, and a bottle or two of water that I have bought once I have been groped by security for the fourth time this year, must be the bald head…I’m not trying to look like a skinhead, I am actually quite bald…thanks Dad.

Simple Measures Equals Big Savings

These things are very simple to do and can save you a small fortune… if you are travelling with a party of four people, you could save about €350 on a return flight, that amount of money that will buy you another return flight for your entire family… think about it!

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to saving money on your holidays … check out some of the articles below and have a scoot through the categories on the left hand side of this page for more info.

Also, give a little click to the Facebook like thumb at the top right hand side, I’m always on  the lookout for good deals and competitions that you can take advantage of…you’ll find them there…that’s also the place where you’ll find the latest travel alerts.

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CheapCaribbean[i] is an online travel agent who says that they are going “back to basics” in order to give you the cheapest possible price at your favourite Caribbean destinations.

CheapCaribbean is an American-based website which was started in the year 2000 as a one-man operation … “Caribbean Jim” Hobbs[ii], using a cell phone and a laptop.

Today the company employs over 120 people and serves 250,000 customers every year.

The website homepage contains a search engine for creating your own vacation including “Vacation Packages”, “Hotel Only”, “Sale Finder”, “Cruises”, and “Activity Finder”.

Some people say that the website is too busy, but I think if you concentrate on the top section you have everything that you want in those links underneath the header.

You also have several search buttons at the top which will lead you to various options for hotels, cruises, and of course destinations.

At the time of writing there are three most popular packages on the CheapCaribbean homepage, I’m going to look out each of these destinations in turn.

Puerto Rico … Staying at the Intercontinental San Juan Resort Spa and Casino

The Intercontinental San Juan Resort Spa and Casino[iii] is located on one of San Juan’s best beaches … Isla Verde.

The 398 room hotel was designed by Morris Lapidus[iv].

The hotel offers a choice of authentic Italian cuisine, Mediterranean cuisine, and Japanese cuisine in three different restaurants.

There is a fitness centre which is open 24 hours a day, equipped with a sauna and whirlpool, hotel shops, live entertainment, outdoor pool, and Casino.

The standard room includes satellite TV, coffee/tea maker, wireless Internet, hairdryer, and air conditioning.

Trip advisor gives this hotel a ranking of 12 out of a possible 45 hotels in San Juan.

There are 924 reviews on the site including 324 excellent, 342 very good, 130 average, 64 poor, and 64 terrible.

Some of the reviews include:

“Filled all expectations. Clean, quiet, good service and food. A bit expensive on the drinks but you can take a short walk and buy your own if you want. checkin early no problem.”

“A very pleasant, if a little out-dated. The suite we had was very nice and spacious – clean and tidy. The bed was very much too soft for our taste, but it could have been worse. The staff was generally very pleasant and helpful, but occasionally a little ‘slow’, as in response times. It is an ‘island’ after all – running on ‘island time’ frequently. Location is not particularly close to anything but the airport – you’ll need a car or taxi to get to most major shopping/restaurant/attraction areas.”

“I have been researching this hotel and others in the area for several months before deciding to stay at Intercontinental. So I had an idea what to expect and didn’t have many surprises (good or bad).”

Mayan Riviera… Staying at the Barcelo Maya Colonial & Tropical Beach

The Barcelo Maya Colonial & Tropical Beach[v] is located on the Caribbean coastline of Mexico.

It is located 75 km south of Cancun airport and 85 km from the city.

It has several different restaurants that you can choose from including Oriental, Mexican, and Mediterranean style cuisine, and several different bars.

The basic rooms each have either balcony or terrace, they are also fitted with air conditioning, satellite TV, coffeemaker, dressing gowns, minibar, and are furnished with either two double beds or a king-size bed and a single sofa.

Trip advisor gives this hotel 7/50 out of the hotels in Puerto Aventuras.

There are 1029 reviews on the website including 553 excellent, 298 very good, 87 average, 63 poor, and 28 terrible.

Some of the reviews include:

” Stayed at Barcelo Maya Colonial-Beach in Feb. of this year, the grounds are beautiful, the beach area was really nice, especially if you go down to the beach at the south end, water is shallow and calm most days as it is in a cove. Favorite restaurant was the Japanese show cooking, yummy. You need to get to the pool early at high season to get seats, but worth it! The evening shows were hit and miss, some O.K. others not worth going to. I would go back in a heartbeat, no hesitation. The only real negative was the bar service, slow and they ran out of straws and even cups, but your on vacation, no need to hurry……enjoy!”

” I stayed at the Barcelo Maya Colonial at the end of August 2011 and had a great time. Barcelo is actually 5 resorts in one. The Colonial is the middle resort of the 5 and not much different than the Tropical in my opinion. I really couldn’t tell the difference between the two. The resort was very clean and the staff was very friendly. My room did not have a great view but that did not matter to me. The food at the buffet restaurants and grilles were average at best. However the food at the specialty restaurants exceeded my expectations. I really enjoyed the Japanese and Spanish restaurants. One suggestion is to sign up for the specialty restaurants after checking in because the availability is slim.”

“The Barcelo Tropical overall is a very nice resort. We had 3 rooms in the premium section, which was well worth the upgrade. They even had all 3 rooms next to each other just as I requested. I traveled with my parents, my sister, husband, and our 3 kids ages 4, 11, & 12.

Rooms – Very nice and spacious. A/C worked great. The beds were very hard they could use some new mattress.”

Dominican Republic … Staying at Lifestyle Tropical Beach Resort and Spa in Puerto Plata

The Lifestyle Tropical Beach Resort and Spa[vi] in Puerto Plata is located approximately 30 minutes from Puerto Plato international airport in the Dominican Republic.

There are 282 guestrooms which feature ceiling fan and air conditioning, cable TV, either balcony or terrace, coffeemaker, mini fridge, and a choice of either one king-size bed or two queen sized beds.

For eating you have a choice between four restaurants … reservations are required … these are a seafood restaurant, and Asian fusion restaurant, pasta and pizza restaurant, and a Mexican restaurant … all are part of the all-inclusive package.

Trip advisor gives this hotel ranking of 15/50 from the hotels in Puerto Plato.

The website has 984 reviews including 242 excellent, 295 very good, 171 average, 136 poor, and 140 terrible.

Some of the reviews include:

“Ok, i was very skeptical when i first heard about lifestyles. i got the deal through cheapcaribbean.com. we paid 19 pd pp. and for the money its a “cant miss”. yes, its a time share promotion but that takes only a few hours and you get it out of the way. hey, if you want to buy the time share i think its a good deal. lifestyles is an even better deal for those of you who are in the airline industry and can fly for free. the vip member ship that you are automatically included into (if you go through cheapcaribbean.com) is great. the vip beach for prospective buyers is the place to be everyday, if you do not do the daily excursions. the paradise island trip is a bit pricey i thought but so much fun.”

“I read some of the reviews before and after booking and a part of me was scared that we would get bombarded by sales people the whole trip and eating bad food with ants all around us….. not the case at all!”

“I been here 2 times had a great time,food And drinks great. Happy Happy good drink. We own a time here it is has been a good investment. great deal on stay.Very nice people that work and help make your stay fun.Love this place.”

This is only a small selection of the Caribbean vacations than are available in through CheapCarribean.

The majority of people who have taken the time to review this website online[vii] [viii]have said that there were great deals, great service, good prices and customer service on offer and that they would return again for a repeat booking.

There are plenty of websites where you can review any holiday company before you book, it’s in your own interests to do so when it comes to saving money, getting good service, and not getting ripped off.

Always make sure that you always research any resort that you are thinking of taking your vacation in.

It’s always going to be too late once you arrive at the hotel or resort and find out that it’s not to your taste or standard.

If you have any experience dealing with this website, please use the comments section below to publish your opinions. 

This article is about the cruising company, Cumbria Cruises which is an independent cruise specialist offering cruising holidays both at home and abroad.

Many people might have clicked on this link in order to find out information about cruising and the Lake District, and there are many different companies that offer this option, Cumbria cruises is one of those, albeit a small part of their operation.

For this post we will take a quick look at the Cumbria cruise company, a look at a few of their different destinations, and the deals that you can expect to find on their website[i].

Cumbria cruises are part of the Co-op Group Travel 1 limited[ii].

Originally, the business was part of the Barrow Travel Group which was founded in 1982.

It was one of the first specialist travel agents who dealt with cruising in the 1980s and went under the name Cumbria Cruise Club.

When you go to the Cumbria cruises website you will see several options along the top including “Special Offers”, “Late Deals”, “Cruise from UK”, “Stay & Cruise”, “Luxury Cruises”, and River Cruises”.

We’re going to look at a couple of those options.

Stay & Cruise

The stay & Cruise option allows you the best of both worlds, the rolling romantic experience of a cruise with the option of getting off the ship for a land based tour.

A couple of these options include Australia and New Zealand Highlights, from Princess Cruises, which is a 19 night Stay & Cruise giving you a two night hotel stay in both Auckland and Sydney, and 15 nights on board the diamond princess.

Or, how about the 15 nights New York Silhouette, offered by Celebrity Cruises, which includes 12 nights on board the Celebrity Silhouette and a two night stay in New York City.

Or if you’re looking for something a bit more romantic, the Far East, Indian Ocean, and South Africa 27 night cruise offered by P and O cruises might be just the ticket, where you will spend 19 nights on board the Arcadia cruise ship, two nights hotel stay in Singapore, and the Garden Route and Cape Winelands Tour.

Luxury Cruises

Maybe you have a bit more money and you are looking for opulence, sophistication, and need a bit of indulging.

Luxury cruises offer you six star luxuries on board some of the most magnificent vessels.

For instance, with Crystal Cruises you can discover Miami and Los Angeles with a 14 night cruise on the Crystal Serenity.

Or, what about the Beaches and Rainforest package, with a 13 night cruise on board the Crystal Symphony from Los Angeles to Miami.

If you’re looking for the more exotic destinations you should take a look at the Silversea options including 10 nights on the luxurious Silver Wind which visits Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Mapputo, Durban, East London, and Cape Town.

River Cruises

I must say that this option is one of my favourites, the chance to drift down a river, a la Huckleberry Finn…maybe a bit posher, viewing ever changing scenery, without the choppiness that one can expect on an ocean crossing.

The European Splendour on board the Avalon Imagery, with Avalon waterways, 13 days visiting Amsterdam, Cologne, the Rhine gorge, Nuremberg, and Vienna to name a few.

Or, perhaps a trip up the Nile to see the pyramids will take your fancy, visiting Memphis, Cairo, the Valley of the Kings, Esna, and Aswan.

Finally, and one of my favourites, the Viking Peterhof Waterways of the Czars, offered by Viking Cruises and visiting Moscow, Moscow Canal, Uglich, Yaroslavl, Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, Kizhi, Scenic Waterways & Mandrogy, St Petersburg.

Cumbria Cruises have won several awards including the travel industry Best Cruise Agent three years on the trot.

directholidayhomes.co.uk[i] was originally registered in 14th of May 2003.

The Direct Holiday Homes Website

The direct holiday homes website is simple enough to use.

The home page gives you six choices “UK Caravan Lets”, “French Caravan Lets”, “Last Minute Caravan Holidays”, “Villas, Cottages & Apartments”, “Hassle Free Advertising”, and “Holiday Caravans the Sale”.

UK Caravan Lets

The “UK Caravan Lets” section brings you to a page which gives you a choice of area from Cornwall to Yorkshire.

Click on any of these and you will be brought to a list of individual caravans and chalets for rent where you will find information about the number of maximum people per property, number of bedrooms, details of starting price, reference number, and a short description.

You are also given the opportunity to click the box in order to see more details about the individual entry.

French Caravan Lets

When you click on this section, you will be taken to a page which gives you a list of the areas in France where you can find mobile homes and chalets including Brittany, West Coast of France, Cote d’Azur/Provence, Languedoc/Roussillon, and the Dordogne.

At the top of the page direct holiday homes gives you other choices including Midi-Pyrenees and Spain?

Clicking on any of these entries will take you to the individual advertisements, as laid out in the section above,  giving brief descriptions and a clickable link to “View More Details”.

Last Minute Caravan Holidays

This section does exactly what it says on the tin, it gives the property owners a chance to advertise specific holiday dates available at a discount due to cancellations or other form of availability.

Here you will find individual brief advertisements giving exact dates when the property is available and the exact price that you are going to have to pay.

Click on any of these and you will be taken to the full advertisement where you will find all the details.

You need to click on the link for Price, Availability & Offers on the left to see the individual offers.

Villas, Cottages and Apartments

This section deals with villas, cottages and apartments in several different locations including the UK, Ireland, France, and Spain, as well as international locations such as America and Australia.

When you click through these links to “View More Details”, most of these are empty of actual holiday homes, simply advertising the fact that you can advertise your holiday home on the site.

The Positives

The direct holiday homes website is very simple to use.

The site lets you bypass any agents, going direct to the holiday property owners themselves by either e-mail or telephone.

Each entry is very clear, giving you plenty of photographs and detailed descriptions.

Good website if you’re looking to rent a caravan in the UK or France.

If you want to rent a property, there is no charge from the website.

The Negatives

There’s not many entries for Holiday homes for rent.

When we looked at the few reviews that we could find, the couple of bad reviews mostly spoke about an individual property being different from the descriptions on the website.

It’s a pity that there is no way for customers to contact the website in order to inform them of any rogue advertisers or bad dealings.

Overall, I think Direct Holiday Homes is a nice all site if you’re looking to rent a French or UK caravan, it has a good selection on offer with plenty of details.

There are not many “holiday homes” advertised on the site as yet, not saying that this will not change in the future.

We welcome any opinions or experiences  using Direct Holiday Homes, please use the comment section below to publish your opinion.