Sun, sea and sand. Here in Irish Country Living, we’re all about supporting Irish businesses for your breaks away, but sometimes you just need guaranteed heat and a cocktail by the pool.
If you’ve put booking your holiday abroad on the long finger, you may be worried about extortionate costs. When it comes to flying it pays to be organised. That’s not to say that there still isn’t value to be had, it might just be harder to find.
Ten years ago the market was completely different. You were nearly guaranteed to get better value by holding out until the bitter end.
Sarah Slattery, who worked as a travel agent for 25 years and now writes her own travel blog (www.thetravelexpert.ie), explains why things have changed.
Less Last-Minute Deals
“Years ago there was a huge range of travel operators. Thomas Cook and Budget Travel, for example, were popular options for Irish consumers. Many ran their own chartered flights to popular travel destinations such as Spain, Portugal and the Canaries. If they were sending a plane from Cork to Malaga on a Thursday, they wanted it to be full – meaning if you wanted to book at the last minute, you were guaranteed a great price. Selling seats was the priority,” says Sarah.
“Now, however, we’re really only left with the likes of Falcon, Sunway and Top Flight, so the amount of chartered flights has decreased significantly. Aer Lingus and Ryanair don’t drop their prices at the last minute. In fact, often you are looking at higher costs and booking in advance is advised.”
Although the last-minute market isn’t as popular, it is still possible to get good prices for summer 2015. However, you need to be flexible about your dates and locations though.
Good Deals in Italy
Italy, for example, can be expensive for food and drink. However, it is a destination that Sunway is focused on at the moment. If you’re looking for the full family package, you can get a week at the start of August in Lake Garda in the four-star Garda Village for two adults and two children for €1,849. The included flights are €239 return, with checked luggage of 20kg. This is normally an expensive destination, so this deal would be considered good value for money. Looking to go cheaper again? Portugal is a hugely popular destination for Irish tourists.
Sarah says: “I highlighted a deal on my blog where you can get seven nights in the popular Agua Marinha Hotel near Albufeira for only €399. The hotel gets great reviews online, but you will have to book your flights separately (€210 plus baggage).”
Get Organised
If you’re not booking a package deal with a travel agent, then it’s really important to sort out your flights and accommodation simultaneously. There is no point in booking really cheap flights only to find accommodation is limited. You could end up spending much more in the long run.
Also, look outside the box. Airbnb is now hugely popular and gives a different experience. You’re staying in someone’s house (don’t worry, you can opt to have the house all to yourself), but you’re really getting a more authentic experience. It can be very cheap and often the owner will leave tips about their favourite local restaurants or the locality.
Cruising
Certainly, the whole resort holiday isn’t for everybody and you can still get away for a rather different experience.
Sarah says: “Cruises are hugely popular and now there is a lot more competition in this market, meaning there is really good value to be had. For example, Royal Caribbean, Thomson Cruises and MSC Cruises offer really good value. You can get a week-long Mediterranean cruise from as cheap as €500.”
Another option that Irish people are looking at is river cruises.
Sharon Jordan, manager of Uniworld river cruises, says: “We deal in the high-end market of four-star and five-star holidays and river cruises to places like Portugal and the River Rhine in France are becoming extremely popular.”
Little wonder that they are increasing in popularity, given that this is the first year that Insight Vacations are seeing discounts of up to 50%. While the cost is usually around €3,000 per person, Sharon says there are now deals for €1,600, which includes everything: your food, gratuities and even the tours.
Sharon says: “This is the first year that we have come across these big offers. As river cruises become more popular, more ships are being built. With increased capacity, there are more last-minute cabins.”
So why are the Irish taking to the rivers?
“River cruises only hold 132 people. Compare this with cruise ships which have capacity for 4,000 or 5,000 people. For tours, everybody is disembarking at the same time, which causes queues and then you’re waiting to get back on in the evening. With the river cruises everything is very easy and relaxed, and it’s a much more intimate setting. It’s like staying in a boutique hotel versus a big commercial hotel, except, of course, you’re enjoying your holiday on water.”
Top tips
• Be flexible about your dates and locations. Consider flying mid-week and be open to places that you might not have planned to visit. They might just surprise you.• Talk to a travel agent, they’ll know exactly what is available and can save you a lot of time trawling through the web. • Thinking of saving your money so you can go somewhere really impressive in 2016? Falcon has just announced that it is doing packages to Jamaica and Mexico starting next year. For two weeks all-inclusive, with flights, accommodation, transfers, meals and drinks, you’re looking at €1,599 for Jamaica and €1,699 for Mexico.• • Every Tuesday, Sarah Slattery publishes the best deals of the week on her blog, visit www.thetravelexpert.ie• For more information on river cruises, visit visit www.uniworld.ie" target="_blank">www.uniworld.ieWhen to travel?
July and August
• These are good months to get last-minute deals and special offers if you are flexible, but family resorts are usually booked out.
August
• Consider flying the weeks of 23 August and 30 August as usually these are much cheaper than the first two weeks of the month. Most children are gone back to school, meaning prices can drop considerably. Often this is one of the cheapest weeks during the summer to get away.
September
• If you’ve got young children who are not in school yet, you’ll get good deals in family orientated resorts in Majorca, Portugal and Spain. Generally, this time of the year is popular for couples and students.October
• Weather is starting to cool in the Mediterranean so you’ll get specials. but be warned, it could rain. The Canary Islands and Egypt are more popular as they have more guaranteed weather.November
• November tends to sell well, but there are a lot less flights.December
• Lots of great deals in early December, but prices will be high for Christmas and the new year. January to April
• You’ll be paying a premium during mid-term and Easter breaks. Aside from those times, you will get offers, but they are much more limited as there are fewer flights.May
• This is a great month to travel and the best time to grab a bargain. You’ll find lots of good deals to pretty much everywhere.
Sun, sea and sand. Here in Irish Country Living, we’re all about supporting Irish businesses for your breaks away, but sometimes you just need guaranteed heat and a cocktail by the pool.
If you’ve put booking your holiday abroad on the long finger, you may be worried about extortionate costs. When it comes to flying it pays to be organised. That’s not to say that there still isn’t value to be had, it might just be harder to find.
Ten years ago the market was completely different. You were nearly guaranteed to get better value by holding out until the bitter end.
Sarah Slattery, who worked as a travel agent for 25 years and now writes her own travel blog (www.thetravelexpert.ie), explains why things have changed.
Less Last-Minute Deals
“Years ago there was a huge range of travel operators. Thomas Cook and Budget Travel, for example, were popular options for Irish consumers. Many ran their own chartered flights to popular travel destinations such as Spain, Portugal and the Canaries. If they were sending a plane from Cork to Malaga on a Thursday, they wanted it to be full – meaning if you wanted to book at the last minute, you were guaranteed a great price. Selling seats was the priority,” says Sarah.
“Now, however, we’re really only left with the likes of Falcon, Sunway and Top Flight, so the amount of chartered flights has decreased significantly. Aer Lingus and Ryanair don’t drop their prices at the last minute. In fact, often you are looking at higher costs and booking in advance is advised.”
Although the last-minute market isn’t as popular, it is still possible to get good prices for summer 2015. However, you need to be flexible about your dates and locations though.
Good Deals in Italy
Italy, for example, can be expensive for food and drink. However, it is a destination that Sunway is focused on at the moment. If you’re looking for the full family package, you can get a week at the start of August in Lake Garda in the four-star Garda Village for two adults and two children for €1,849. The included flights are €239 return, with checked luggage of 20kg. This is normally an expensive destination, so this deal would be considered good value for money. Looking to go cheaper again? Portugal is a hugely popular destination for Irish tourists.
Sarah says: “I highlighted a deal on my blog where you can get seven nights in the popular Agua Marinha Hotel near Albufeira for only €399. The hotel gets great reviews online, but you will have to book your flights separately (€210 plus baggage).”
Get Organised
If you’re not booking a package deal with a travel agent, then it’s really important to sort out your flights and accommodation simultaneously. There is no point in booking really cheap flights only to find accommodation is limited. You could end up spending much more in the long run.
Also, look outside the box. Airbnb is now hugely popular and gives a different experience. You’re staying in someone’s house (don’t worry, you can opt to have the house all to yourself), but you’re really getting a more authentic experience. It can be very cheap and often the owner will leave tips about their favourite local restaurants or the locality.
Cruising
Certainly, the whole resort holiday isn’t for everybody and you can still get away for a rather different experience.
Sarah says: “Cruises are hugely popular and now there is a lot more competition in this market, meaning there is really good value to be had. For example, Royal Caribbean, Thomson Cruises and MSC Cruises offer really good value. You can get a week-long Mediterranean cruise from as cheap as €500.”
Another option that Irish people are looking at is river cruises.
Sharon Jordan, manager of Uniworld river cruises, says: “We deal in the high-end market of four-star and five-star holidays and river cruises to places like Portugal and the River Rhine in France are becoming extremely popular.”
Little wonder that they are increasing in popularity, given that this is the first year that Insight Vacations are seeing discounts of up to 50%. While the cost is usually around €3,000 per person, Sharon says there are now deals for €1,600, which includes everything: your food, gratuities and even the tours.
Sharon says: “This is the first year that we have come across these big offers. As river cruises become more popular, more ships are being built. With increased capacity, there are more last-minute cabins.”
So why are the Irish taking to the rivers?
“River cruises only hold 132 people. Compare this with cruise ships which have capacity for 4,000 or 5,000 people. For tours, everybody is disembarking at the same time, which causes queues and then you’re waiting to get back on in the evening. With the river cruises everything is very easy and relaxed, and it’s a much more intimate setting. It’s like staying in a boutique hotel versus a big commercial hotel, except, of course, you’re enjoying your holiday on water.”
Top tips
• Be flexible about your dates and locations. Consider flying mid-week and be open to places that you might not have planned to visit. They might just surprise you.• Talk to a travel agent, they’ll know exactly what is available and can save you a lot of time trawling through the web. • Thinking of saving your money so you can go somewhere really impressive in 2016? Falcon has just announced that it is doing packages to Jamaica and Mexico starting next year. For two weeks all-inclusive, with flights, accommodation, transfers, meals and drinks, you’re looking at €1,599 for Jamaica and €1,699 for Mexico.• • Every Tuesday, Sarah Slattery publishes the best deals of the week on her blog, visit www.thetravelexpert.ie• For more information on river cruises, visit visit www.uniworld.ie" target="_blank">www.uniworld.ieWhen to travel?
July and August
• These are good months to get last-minute deals and special offers if you are flexible, but family resorts are usually booked out.
August
• Consider flying the weeks of 23 August and 30 August as usually these are much cheaper than the first two weeks of the month. Most children are gone back to school, meaning prices can drop considerably. Often this is one of the cheapest weeks during the summer to get away.
September
• If you’ve got young children who are not in school yet, you’ll get good deals in family orientated resorts in Majorca, Portugal and Spain. Generally, this time of the year is popular for couples and students.October
• Weather is starting to cool in the Mediterranean so you’ll get specials. but be warned, it could rain. The Canary Islands and Egypt are more popular as they have more guaranteed weather.November
• November tends to sell well, but there are a lot less flights.December
• Lots of great deals in early December, but prices will be high for Christmas and the new year. January to April
• You’ll be paying a premium during mid-term and Easter breaks. Aside from those times, you will get offers, but they are much more limited as there are fewer flights.May
• This is a great month to travel and the best time to grab a bargain. You’ll find lots of good deals to pretty much everywhere. 
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