BOOKING THE HONEYMOON

If we were around in the early 1990’s, then an article entitled 'Booking your Honeymoon' would certainly have led to some raised eyebrows!

Back then, your good old high-street Travel Agent was pretty much the only option, and only a brave or foolish couple would look elsewhere. However, times have changed and your options these days are significantly greater.

Great deals can be had if you shop around and don’t simply snap up the first price you get offered, and to counter the competition, travel agents have struck back with smaller profit margins and greater levels of customer service – put simply, on all fronts the customer has benefited.

Before we get stuck in to covering the booking options open to you, it is wise to just quickly mention a couple of points that you should not lose sight of when booking your Honeymoon.

• Know what you want and don’t change: Take a look at all the articles within our Honeymoon section here on Weddingsday, get advice from friends family and colleagues, do your research and develop a clear picture of where you want to go and what you want to do before proceeding to make the booking. Don’t be swayed by price and opt for relaxing on a Caribbean Cruise ship if what you always dreamed of doing was going on safari to Kenya. The idea is that you get the best price for what you want rather than booking something simply because it is a good deal.
   
• Mention the 'H' Word: Drop the phrase ‘we will be on our honeymoon’ into every conversation you have. From discounts to free upgrades, you may be surprised how far the 'h' woud will get you!
   
• Shop Around: Even if the person you spoke ‘was really nice’ or the website you went to ‘was well laid out and easy to use’ it doesn’t mean that you should have any loyalty to them. In fact, on the contrary. Don’t be afraid to play companies off against one another to scramble to get those few extra pounds discount – we know it’s not usually the ‘British’ way, but just remember that every pound you save on the booking is a pound extra you can spend while your away
   
• Book as early as possible: Last minute deals are possible, but often they are only as good as those attained when booking within weeks of a brochure being published. An early reservation will give you time to shop around and free up valuable time nearer the Wedding for other matters.
   
• Compare like-for-like: Some deals include insurance, whilst others bump you up to a room with a sea view. Pay close attention to the small print as sometimes things aren’t always what they seem.
   
• Follow your instincts: Nothing is certain in life, and things can go wrong in even the largest companies, so when booking trust your instincts. If ‘The Dodji Travel Co.’ come back with a great price but you have concerns that they may not be in business come the time of the Honeymoon, then steer clear of them. Likewise, if a reputable and long-established company who you have used before and trust provide a competitive quote, then it could well be worth paying the few extra quid for the peace of mind you will get booking with them.

Now let’s look at the options open to couples in the UK when it comes to where to go to book a honeymoon:

·         High-street Travel Agent: Still by far the most common way to book a Honeymoon is via a high street Travel Agent. Many well established and household name companies can be found down your local town centre and you not only get the chance to speak to someone face-to-face, but you also get the added benefit of friendly, free expert advice. Increased competition from other sources has led to a lowering of prices and improved customer service, not to mention the peace of mind available by booking with a well-known organisation. Many high-street Travel Agents also have an internet site that process bookings, usually with a small discount thrown in. If what you are after is relatively straight forward, you may wish to go back home and book online to obtain this discount or alternatively ask the person in the shop if they will price match with their website figure.

·         Tailor Made high-street Travel Agents: If what you want from your holiday is a little more than boarding a plane, spending two weeks in a beachfront condo then flying back home, then you may wish (or even need) to use a Travel Agent who tailor makes every part of your holiday around your needs. Your run of the mill booking agent may be able to butcher something together, and it is possible you could do so yourself with a lot of planning and heavy use of the internet and telephone, but for peace of mind, a specialist Travel Shop me be your best bet. Discounts are difficult but they can be obtained if you haggle hard enough.

·         Web only Specialist Travel Agents: A number of companies have entered the online travel market in recent years and have quickly established themselves as reputable organisation you can trust. Unlike with face-to-face dealings, you can play around to your hearts content, changing dates, departure airports and a whole manner of things without feeling like you’re wasting someone’s time. The prices you see will be based on an online booking, so if you feel the need to call the company direct there is little chance that they will reduce the price – that would simply defeat the companies overall strategy. Some sites provide useful destination resort information, but on the whole you will not be able to beat the knowledge available from a high-street agent. It is often cheaper than a like-for-like high street offer and you can even book it in your pyjamas. If you are happy to book the most important holiday of your life this way (and there is no reason why not), then a web only specialist agent could be the way forward.

·         Reward Scheme providers: Most people seem to be part of a reward scheme of one type or another, earning ‘points’ when you buy petrol or groceries etc, but many of us never spend them wisely. These points that you have accumulated can often be spent buying at least part of your holiday, if not all. Airport parking, hire cars, flights and hotels are just some of the things you could spend your points on. You are unlikely to get much, if any, of a discount on the quoted price, but this could easily be offset by extra points being added to your account for your purchase – and what do points make?

·         TV Travelshops: There are a load of naff channels on satellite TV these days, but those dedicated to travel do not fall into this category. Providing an insight into one destination after another, they can not only be a great source of info (albeit slightly biased!), but can provide you with a great travel deal in the process. One weak point of such channels is that they tend only to focus on mainstream destinations, so if it is backpacking in Chile you are after, you are barking up the wrong tree. For those of you who are interested in one of the many locations they do cover however, discounts are attainable so make sure that you drive a hard bargain.

·         Newspapers & Magazines: You’ve probably all seen those offers scattered around the back pages of your local and national publications, often offering staggering discounts that seem unbelievable. Many smaller independent travel agents use this as a source for advertising and just because you haven’t heard of them it doesn’t mean that they’re in any way irreputable. Do your research before committing to an agent who neither you nor no-one you know has heard of. Carry out an internet search, often of travel forums, to gauge other people’s opinions. The deals themselves are often so good that there is little or no room for negotiation - but that doesn’t mean you can’t try!

·         TV Text: Jam-packed full of offers, the majority of which are last-minute and therefore of little interest to Honeymooners, although the odd bargain can be found if you look hard enough. TV Text is another medium for the smaller players to get in on the act, and any deal found via this means should be investigated fully before committing to the final purchase. 99.9% of them are kosher and above board, but there is always that potential for ‘The Dodji Travel Co.’ to rear it’s ugly head! As with deals found in newspapers and magazines, you will struggle to negotiate a further discount.

·         Direct: Not having to deal with middlemen can help save a small fortune. Booking travel direct from the train company, airline or ferry company and accommodation direct from the hotel or owner can dramatically cut costs. Putting together your own ‘package’, including things like arranging taxis before you go and excursions from specialists, can help reduce your bills at the same time making you feel more independent! That said, with so much already to organise in the coming months, be careful you are not taking on too much!