Travel Agent .vs. Internet Bookings

Rips

Just looking for imput from those of you who have done a lot of travelling outside of europe.

Would you book through a travel agent (package deal, set flights etc) or is it doable online?

I've never travelled outside of Europe and the US, and there was never much bother with things like visas, vaccinations or restrictions. However I'm hopng to organise a long trip to visit some places in India and Asia.

Looking online, there seems to be a massive difference between the costs of individual flights and package deals.

(For example €600 for 3 week stay, flexible dates in one country vs €1900 for 2 week stay, package flights through an online travel agency service)

I have of course read about various requirements along the way, which seem like they could be difficult to organise.

My only experience (don't laugh) is with pets, how difficult it can be to make sure you have all the individual requirements for each different country to ensure you are not refused entry and the 'go to' in these cases, was always the embassy of the particular country, but still, sometimes, requirements were 'overlooked'!

For instance, you can have all the right documents in place to fly your cat from Ireland into either Germany or Chile, but you can't fly your Irish cat out of Germany into Chile


Any advice?

mel.b

I always book and plan my travel independently. What 'various requirements' have you read about that are difficult to organise (excluding animals - I presume you're not travelling with an animal?). You can find out if you need a visa but looking at the countries embassy website - even a simple google search will give you an idea if one is required or not. If you need a visa most countries have application forms online that you can fill in and send off with your passport. The only other 'requirement' I can of is if you need any vaccinations and your local GP will be able to tell you what you need and do them for you. The rest of it is just planning where you want to go, what you want to see and how long you want to go for. I find tripadvisor, google and google images (funnily enough) to be invaluable for this. Planning a trip is half the fun!

Rips

mel.b wrote: »

I always book and plan my travel independently. What 'various requirements' have you read about that are difficult to organise (excluding animals - I presume you're not travelling with an animal?). You can find out if you need a visa but looking at the countries embassy website - even a simple google search will give you an idea if one is required or not. If you need a visa most countries have application forms online that you can fill in and send off with your passport. The only other 'requirement' I can of is if you need any vaccinations and your local GP will be able to tell you what you need and do them for you. The rest of it is just planning where you want to go, what you want to see and how long you want to go for. I find tripadvisor, google and google images (funnily enough) to be invaluable for this. Planning a trip is half the fun!

Not my kind of fun! :P I'd want to skip the actual 'organising/packing/travelling part' and just be there

I guess I'd be just nervous of trying to go the cheaper route but getting caught out. Just as I said, the different visas, vaccinations, stipulations on length of stay, transit/re-entry or exit visas etc depending on where you want to go.

'Difficult to organise' might be the wrong phase, it just seemed like it might be easy to overlook something, if you had to get information from a variety of sources.

I didn't expect for example; that it would be up to your GP to know, required vaccinations for each and every country.

Google images when trying to organise travel plans = procrastinators dream!

mel.b

Just keep track of it (visa regulations etc) as you plan - write it in a little book or something for reference and you'll have no bother. I presume you are looking at doing some travel through a few different countries? If so, look at an open jaw airfare (where you depart from a different airport / country from where you arrived) and you shouldn't have to worry too much about re-entry visas etc. Google maps is also good then to help plan a journey that doesn't have a lot of backtracking.

GP's have this wonderful thing called a computer where they look up country you are going to and it tells you what vaccinations you need :pac::P;)

naughtysmurf

It's been years since we booked a 'package holiday', more often than not it's cheaper to DIY, you do tend to get more bang for your buck though doing it yourself as in you will get a 4* two bed apt rather than a 2* one bed, that type of thing

Being a bit of a control freak helps, if you book a kip you only have yourself to blame rather than ranting at a tour company rep

roundymac

I always book short haul w/end away online. However for long haul except the USA I would book with a T/A. You are going to be spending a lot of your hard earned cash on long haul so you don't want anything going wrong. If something go's wrong when your away what part of your computer do make your complaint to? We had a problem on a trip to Africa a few years back, airline did'nt want to know until I got my T/A to phone, soon sorted that out. Also I booked a l/h trip back in January, my T/A got it cheaper for me than what I could get it online (BA)
BTW I'm not a T/A and don't have any connection with the travel trade as I have been accused of this before when I recommended using a T/A.

shamrock55

I always book with a ta because you will be covered if anything goes wrong anyway its just easier, travel agencies have plenty good deals going these days anyway, ive heard alot of horror stories of people booking their own holidays like insurence problems or accomadation booked up when they arrive and cant get refund if problems arrise with airlines etc

Rascasse

Rips wrote: »

I guess I'd be just nervous of trying to go the cheaper route but getting caught out. Just as I said, the different visas, vaccinations, stipulations on length of stay, transit/re-entry or exit visas etc depending on where you want to go.

For this sort of thing you can can check Timatic on some airlines websites. It's what airlines and travel agents use to check requirements themselves when booking and at check in. Here is United's Timatic page (you don't need to be flying United to use it). Just fill in your info and it will tell you what visas or vaccinations you need.

Beruthiel

Rips wrote: »

Looking online, there seems to be a massive difference between the costs of individual flights and package deals.

I've never booked a package holiday.
I have organised all my travel online for 10 years now.
Last year I was in Japan, did it all online. Flights, apartments in Kyoto and Tokyo, JR rail pass, gig tickets, restaurant reservations etc...
Why pay a commission to a travel agency when you can do it all yourself?

killbillvol2

It depends on yourself. If you're going to spend your time worrying about things going wrong, go to a travel agent.

Personally, I do it myself. It's cheaper and it's easy.