Are you comparing Like for Like on a trip whether offering savings or not?
Please take the time, particularly when comparing trip costs, to make sure you are comparing like for like. You don’t want to think you are saving yourself hundreds of pounds only to discover that the reason you appear to have saved those hundreds of pounds is because hotels and transfers are not included in the quote. In order to save those hundreds of pounds, it is very likely that some costs have been taken out such as hotels or transfers.
There are of course very genuine offers and cancellation deals out there, but do beware of clever marketing that seems to save you more but in reality does the opposite.
By no means an exhaustive list, but set out below are some sensible guidelines when you sit down to compare costs. Make sure you are comparing like for like.
We will always adjust an itinerary and quote in order to help you do just that.
Are international flights included?
If so, where from? What airline are they on? What class are the costs based on? It may be that the flights are on an airline you have sworn never to use again or are departing from an airport that is inconvenient for you to get to. If you need to travel down a night before in order to make the flight because of the airport location or flight schedule, will your additional parking and hotel costs negate your saving? Could you have used miles or points to cover the flight cost? We will always quote flights separately, based on what works best for you, so that we can take those factors into account.
Are internal flights included?
Adding in an internal flight, if one is not part of the overall package, can very easily erode any savings you think you are making so do check.
If you are comparing the same destination but using different operations, will the experience be the same?
If looking at a holiday in Seychelles for instance, a week on Praslin at a hotel offering fishing is going to be cheaper than a week on Alphonse but you are not going to have anywhere like the same fishing experience. In the Caribbean, with many operations in the same area, will the experience at the B&B, using Cousin Miguel who has borrowed a boat as he’s a full time carpenter and not a guide, be as rewarding as that at the next door lodge with full professional guides?
If it is the same destination and the same lodge, are the itineraries exactly the same?
If the itinerary requires extra hotel nights are the room types the same? Do they have the same meal plan and are the rooms shared or single? A sea view room with a plunge pool at half board is going to cost more than a garden view room with no balcony on a room only basis. Transfers, particularly in Iceland, can be expensive if not included and the cost may differ if they are shared or private.
Are the inclusions and exclusions the same?
When comparing costs for the same destination, do make sure that the costs included and excluded are the same on both quotes.
Is the trip for the same time of year?
The itinerary may be for the same destination, with the same operator but are the dates the same? Costs can vary throughout a year with an operation having low season, high season and peak season rates.
Are both companies bonded?
While it shouldn’t make any difference whatsoever to the costs whether a company is bonded or not, it will make a big difference to you if that company goes out of business. You may have met a charming lady or entertaining chap whilst out fishing or at a show who persuaded you to book a trip with them. Are they bonded? If they have no financial protection in place, how confident are you that you’d get your money back? Would they have the wherewithal to refund you? A harsh question but in the light of relatively recent airline liquidations not one to be taken lightly.
Why book with us?
Please read our Why Book with Aardvark section for more information about our company, the team here and our policies.