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| Thread ID: 82565 | 2007-08-31 21:23:00 | Good travel agents | somebody (208) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 586644 | 2007-08-31 21:23:00 | Does anyone have any recommendations for a good travel agent? I am based in Wellington. | somebody (208) | ||
| 586645 | 2007-08-31 22:03:00 | You only need a travel agent these days if you are booking something complicated with many stops or going to some out of the way country the rest you can do yourself online. Even within a travel agency there are good and bad staff members depending on motivation and training as to how well they will help you. Travel Insurance - Southern Cross online has been the cheapest with the cover we wanted. Overseas booking opodo.co.uk - From them we booked UK, Rome, Paris, Manchester legs of our travel last year. If you use Airpoints then book online through your Airpoints Airline - We used Qantas since we had thousands of Qantas points and flew Qantas and BA. Flight Centre NZ Wide have one of the biggest range of options if you go down the Agency track, They are a huge company created by the original owners of Top Deck Travel who began back in the 1970's. |
Bantu (52) | ||
| 586646 | 2007-08-31 22:16:00 | Thanks Bantu. I have done some research online, looking at airlines which fly to the destination city I want to arrive at. I have found several, including one which flys direct ex-Auckland. My main difficulty at the moment is booking accomodation, for which I'd prefer expert advice. |
somebody (208) | ||
| 586647 | 2007-09-01 04:35:00 | Accommodation - you might want to check out www.tripadvisor.com - it's free and we used it very successfully for our central European jaunt last year. You specify your chosen stop/city, the relevant date range and your price per night budget and hit Go. There are reviews by fellow travellers of many hotels and B&Bs, so you can make a call on whether it's any good based on other people's experiences rather than just a few photos in a brochure. We had no problems with any of the bookings we made and were able to confirm the state of accommodation was pretty much spot on based on the reviews on this site. We also used www.hotel.de - but I think that's pretty exclusively German hotels. But again, a great range and an easy to use site. I don't know why anyone would use a travel agent in this day and age with so much information available just beyond your keyboard (well, OK, maybe for scenarios like Bantu describes: complicated flight plans - you don't want to get them wrong!).... |
johcar (6283) | ||
| 586648 | 2007-09-01 04:46:00 | Thanks johcar - will have a look. | somebody (208) | ||
| 586649 | 2007-09-01 04:49:00 | Hmm... just checked my destination city using TripAdvisor and apparently there are no hotels available at the price range I'm after during the time I want to travel. | somebody (208) | ||
| 586650 | 2007-09-01 08:11:00 | For booking accommodation is Germany, Austria and Switzerland, may I recommend the Verkehrsamt - (or Travellers' Office), frequently found at the Railway Station - ( excellent ones in Zurick, Heidleburg,) for a very modest fee they will hunt down accommodation for you in the city you are visiting, and usually within your budget. I used to use them frequently, excellent service and well worth the fee - the snag, you have to front up in person to get the service- accommodation can be pension, hotel private or licensed or 4 star. I used them frequently when motor touring while on leave -the other snag, during the Bier Fest in Munich, not much chance of anything budget. | KenESmith (6287) | ||
| 586651 | 2007-09-01 09:00:00 | I am in Wgtn. I don't know any good ones. Accom - get a guidebook and book direct with them.. B&B, hostels and stuff. Hotels not sure, don't use them. I think you have to work it yourself,compare quotes from travel agents what is available, vs online prices, vs direct contacts vs hotels that may be available via your airline you travel with or vs some other packages ie.. tours, train/bus passes. For the flights really. I think Islands and Oz just get online really. Go offpeak so its cheaper. For further travels the airline websites I have yet to see one that is cheap, you better I think from my experience to visit or just call and ask them to call you back .. ask like 5 diff travel agents and then at the end of the get the best price, that is if you are freely to go with any stopovers, any airlines, and your dates are pretty flexible. YHA is a good one I have found .. but you still have to look at reviews at each place. They do have a good website that you can book accom and stuff.... Travel agencies I have found they tend to do hotels only. |
Nomad (952) | ||
| 586652 | 2007-09-01 09:36:00 | Thanks guys - I'll have a shop around. Unfortunately for where I'm going guide books probably won't be too useful as it isn't exactly a tourist desnitation. This is a semi-business trip. | somebody (208) | ||
| 586653 | 2007-09-01 09:42:00 | somebody, where are you heading if you don't mind me asking. Some places can be expensive and some cheap just depends where your heading. I have travelled in over 40 countries driving tour buses. I have a passion for travel and try to get away when i can. |
Bantu (52) | ||
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