Cancel Package and go DIY?

[2littleboys]

Apologies in advance but this is another post about changing my holiday dates... 3rd one this week!

We are booked for 12 October next year and booked a package deal which consisted of:

Virgin Flights GLA-MCO
4 nights RPR
10 nights 4 bed Glenbrook Villa
10 days Car Hire
Park Tickets
4 adults - 2 children
Total Cost: £12,885 (we have paid a deposit of £654)

However we are looking at bringing the holiday forward as my dad is poorly and we know this will be his last holiday

Doing it DIY I can get

2-16 May 2019
Thomson Flights - GLA-SFB
4 nights RPR
10 nights Villa
Park Tickets
4 adults - 2 children
Total Cost: £9041

Which is a massive difference - my DIY quote doesn't include car hire though.

Anyone ever cancelled a package to go DIY?

Also what are Thomson like to fly with as never flown with them before?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Archie14]

We've flown with Thomson the last 3 times, twice on Dreamliner. Can't fault them. Like flying into Sanford too, easier than MCO. The DIY price doesn't seem too bad and at least you can choose your own villa doing that.

[2littleboys]

Originally Posted by Archie14

We've flown with Thomson the last 3 times, twice on Dreamliner. Can't fault them. Like flying into Sanford too, easier than MCO. The DIY price doesn't seem too bad and at least you can choose your own villa doing that.

See more...

Thanks - yeah that was my thoughts as well re the villa!

[Procrastinator]

Why not ask Virgin if they can give you a quote to move it all along the lines you have in your diy price. No harm in asking for that quote.

[niccynoo66]

Hello,

Sorry to hear about your dad x

No experience of cancelling but we have flown Thomson three times now, excellent each time

Great saving with the DIY option !

best wishes

Nickyx

[4fromsuffolk]

Virgin will let you move your deposit onto another holiday for an admin fee. I think they said it was £35 per person. You can ‘move’ the booking at anytime until the full balance is due. Virgin Holidays are booking up to December 2019 at the moment. Maybe that might be a way for you to go diy in May and then be able to find a new holiday in 2020 and not lose your deposit. Just a thought. We booked for April 2019 with Virgin but have decided to diy. We were thinking of transferring the deposit to a February half term holiday 2020. Not all the telephone advisors tell you that, I thought we would lose our deposit and that was that.

[tracey1302]

So sorry to hear about your Dad.

That said, it is a great saving for you and it’s a lovely time of year to go as well!

Ask VH if they can get anywhere near that quote - and explain your situation, you might potentially save yourself a cancellation/amendment fee of some description.

[smithlane]

So sorry to hear about your Dad.
Have you thought about waiting until March/April time to take advantage of the low TUI flights that seem to surface every year for May term time? If not that is a massive saving with going DIY anyway!

[loopyloo33]

So sorry about your Dad. I am a big fan of DIY due to the savings and flexibility to be had. I would always go for the cheapest way possible.

Just a thought and please don't feel like I am being insensitive but please make sure you have your travel insurance in place straight away after booking ensuring the insurance company fully understand the family situation. I would hate for something to happen which means you would need to postpone or cancel in the future and you having the added stress of losing a significant amount of money.

Good luck in whatever you decide. Xx

[scoobyz2312]

I agree with Loopyloo book insurance straight after booking holiday... one year I didn't had a back operation and could not cancel! I was 10 days post op from back fusion and did the flight due to losing everything which was not going to happen. Now I have a yearly policy I let run, that way I know I am safe
I would book DIY I think you can save a lot more than what you have quoted... All the best!