Sheesh - seems like ages since I've been here. So many changes, business up and running - bred my f...
Sheesh - seems like ages since I've been here. So many changes, business up and running - bred my first litter of labs - moved house - guess I had better work on catching up now!
Member since:20.03.2001
Reviews:275
Members who trust:170
This company could be responsible for reducing the number of their sister travel agencies on the highstreet in the near future.
Being a big holiday fan, and someone who likes to book next years break before this years is out of the way, I think I could quickly become addicted to this company.
My ventures to find suitable holidays at reasonable price, often involve spending many hours of my precious time sitting in Travel Agents pouring over brochures until something suitable turns up. This is a carefully engineered exercise that can take many weeks, will have travel agents battoning down the hatches when they see me coming, and looks of panic as they all quickly pick up their telephones and pretend to look busy, yes I am 'the original customer from hell'.
PORTLAND DIRECT This company, as you may already be aware, are the direct arm of Thomsons, and therefore you fly on the same planes, eat the same food, stay in the same accommodation and get the services of the same rep, just as if you were travelling with Thomsons or Skytours, although I haven't been on a Portland holiday, yet, I hasten to add, I assume you would get the same good service you get from their other companies, if anyone disagrees with this, I am happy to listen and if appropriate update.
SO WHY AM I SO TAKEN? You can now book
Portland holidays over the internet at http://www.portland-direct.co.uk
Using their on-line search facility you input the following details:
Holidays, Price breakers or Late deals
You chose the date you want to travel right up until October 2002.
Price Bands: select any - or up to £199, then in bands of £100 until you get to £600+ (I wish)
You can select if you require a free child place, board type and flight times (i.e. day or night)
*Click Search
You will be asked if you are prepared to forego any of your options, such as, if there are no free child places available, are you prepared to fly from somewhere else, or travel on a different date (it will only go a week or two either side if you are flexible)
WHAT DO YOU GET BACK? You get a list of up to 30 holidays back, which exactly match, or are close to your choices. They are distributed in sections, and advise what, if any, features differ from your request within that section.
At this point, you can read the on-line brochure information about the hotel - it includes facilities, accommodation, star rating, location and also cost the holiday, and if you so desire book it.
You can also check out the location and typical monthly temperatures within this description, in fact, it just like a Thomsons Holiday Brochure on-line.
PRICES Yesterday, I checked out a few holidays for next year, and then rang my local travel agents for an equivalent quote for an identical holiday, there was a price differential of £180, i.e. Portland were much cheaper.
DOWNSIDE The Portland price does not include insurance, and this needs to be added on top.
My local travel agents (The Travel House - owned by Thomsons) is currently offering free insurance, so total prices need to be offset against each other, to get a like-for-like comparison.
My local travel agents also offer a low deposit scheme, whereby you pay £50 per person at the time of booking, and the balance of the deposit (£45 pp) around September/October time.
Apparently, I have been advised that Portland operate low deposit schemes if you buy their insurance, there are also indications on the site of regaulr payment options. I tried to get prices on insurance, but it looks like you have to book first.
OTHER SERVICES There is an option where you can select features of a holiday that are important to you (or not as the case may be). I tried this and found what sounded like my dream hotel, yet could not find availability for it on the system, a glitch maybe? I should imagine a database of this capacity is bound to have some teething problems.
===================== You can browse this site as much as you want, and price holidays to your hearts content (if you are sad as me), and you are under no commitment to purchase until you input your payment details. The site is operational 24 hours a day, and can save an awful lot of time, as I will no longer have to spend hours sitting in the travel agents (do you think they will miss me?)
If you are not comfortable booking on-line, you can call them on 0870 241 3172.
The website is easy to navigate, well laid out, fairly fast and, in my opinion, for anyone who likes holidays, well worth a visit, what have you got to lose?
UPDATE: 29/05/02 I have finally done it, I have booked a holiday with this company. After last years wonderful pre-Christmas break in Lanzarote, we decided we wanted to go again. The hotel we stayed in wasn't listed in the New Winter Sun Brochure (2002/03) with Thomsons and with Airtours (now My Travel I believe) we were in serious danger of forking out in excess of £1,000 for what is supposed to be the cheapest week of the year to travel.
As is usual behaviour, I spent a few days driving the travel agents to distraction, but couldn't really find anything coming in under about £900, I checked on the Portland Site and managed to find something for just above £600, in apartments in a complex in Playa del Pocillos with 3 heated swimming pools and use of the facilities from all the hotels and apartments. I had a few queries as I am taking my daughters friend with her, and decided that it would be safer to talk to a human rather than book over the internet - the staff couldn't have been more friendly if they had tried, they answered all my queries and appreciated the fact that I had telephoned as of course, this keeps them in a job.
They already had all my details on file (scary) and the booking process took around ½ hour. I was given free insurance for all of us (in this instance it was cheaper to book for three adults) and paid simply a £5 deposit per person plus the cost of the insurance which was reimbursed off the invoice and final costs. The balance of the deposit was payable 6 weeks later and they clearly identify what commision you will have to pay if you elect to use a credit card (although this does add a small cost, it does usually give you some extra protection - check your terms and conditions for information).
The paperwork was with me within a week, and when I rang up to pay the balance of the deposit, despite the fact that I couldn't find anything as Martin had been tidying up, they managed to locate the account with a few personal details and were very helpful.
Will let you know how the holiday goes, but all in all very impressed.
NOTE: For Summer 2003, Portland, like their sister companies will be making additional charges for coach transfers and meals on the plane.
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I thought your review was excellent. I too only use Portland Direct now as they are absolutely wonderful. I had a real cock up with Thomas Cook in my town centre and had to cancel 2 holidays due to airport changes so when I rang Portland I had 9 weeks to go before my husbands booked holiday and they found us a better holiday than we had booked withTC, and for the same price! Absolutely marvellous!
carol_uk 15.03.2003 05:11
Well, you certainly know your stuff, a lot of research put into this op, and every single piece of information is correct!! Booking online now, you save 10 pounds per passenger, not bad at all!! Carol x
criple 30.05.2002 10:36
Sounds good, you will let us know how you get on won't you. I watched holidays from hell last night, scary!
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Jun 9th, 2001
(May 29th, 2002)
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