Holiday plus package deal to good to be true?

coconnellz

Saw holiday package deal on the sunday indo to Cyprus for €798 in october. Was going to book it, but i got a bit suspicious when they wanted 50% of a deposit via a bank transfer is this normal? they wouldnt take credit card for come back, Anyone have any experiences with them

Thoie

If it's this crowd, I'd avoid purely on the basis they're not IATA members. The website page names being Spanish is also a little odd, but they may just have hired a Spanish firm to do their site.

There is no Rathmines St. If they mean Rathmines Road Lower, how could you get your address so wrong on your own website? I also don't think there's such a business at Rathmine's Road Lower.

Whole things smells fishy to me I'm afraid.

coconnellz

Was thinking that for €798 for 7 nights so in a 4 star hotel with free bus transfers and 3 tours was getting my hopes up!

coylemj

Thoie wrote: »

There is no Rathmines St. If they mean Rathmines Road Lower, how could you get your address so wrong on your own website? I also don't think there's such a business at Rathmine's Road Lower.

Whole things smells fishy to me I'm afraid.

+1 Daft had a 'serviced office' to let at 185 Lr. Rathmines Road and it's now flagged as 'Let agreed', here is the listing....

http://www.daft.ie/5205897

When you put the address into https://finder.eircode.ie it lists these five businesses ...

CELTIC COLLECTIONS LTD., 185 RATHMINES ROAD LOWER, DUBLIN 6
CELTIC WOMAN TOURING LIMITED, 185 RATHMINES ROAD LOWER, DUBLIN 6
CLIFFORD DESMOND & ASSOCIATES, 185 RATHMINES ROAD LOWER, DUBLIN 6
FOREST FRESH IRELAND LIMITED, 185 RATHMINES ROAD LOWER, DUBLIN 6
LIFFEY PUBLISHING LIMITED, 185 RATHMINES ROAD LOWER, DUBLIN 6

Avoid!

Tippex

Thoie wrote: »

If it's this crowd, I'd avoid purely on the basis they're not IATA members. The website page names being Spanish is also a little odd, but they may just have hired a Spanish firm to do their site.

There is no Rathmines St. If they mean Rathmines Road Lower, how could you get your address so wrong on your own website? I also don't think there's such a business at Rathmine's Road Lower.

Whole things smells fishy to me I'm afraid.

They are actually licensed via the aviation regulator http://www.aviationreg.ie/_fileupload/TTTACurrentlicenses2016-300616.pdf had never heard of them before so looked them up. Not sure I'd be using them.

Thoie

Hmm, if they're registered with the Aviation Regulator, that does seem a bit more on the up and up. They are also registered with the CRO at that address

https://search.cro.ie/company/CompanyDetails.aspx?id=561039&type=C


Maybe we're all just too suspicious. A 50% deposit is high though, and I'd be really uncomfortable with bank transfer only.

I still wouldn't do it myself, but they may not be as dodgy as I initially thought.

coconnellz

Thanks for the information yeah i thought sunday indo be more reptable to be going
Promoting dodgy holiday companies. it's a bit to risky for my liken if something went wrong it a fair lot of money to be out.

gctest50

They didn't mention anything about any fines maybe ? .........

coylemj

coconnellz wrote: »

Thanks for the information yeah i thought sunday indo be more reptable to be going
Promoting dodgy holiday companies. it's a bit to risky for my liken if something went wrong it a fair lot of money to be out.

The SIndo has done much worse than promoting dodgy holiday companies.

Remember the Limerick woman who read a glowing article in the Sindo about a cosmetic surgeon in NY? According to the article, this guy was a surgeon to the stars, had appeared on Oprah etc. etc.. What the Sindo failed to mention in that case was (1) the journalist who wrote the article got a free 'nip and tuck' from the surgeon in return for writing the article and (2) the surgeon in question was, at the time, the subject of more litigation than any medical practitioner in the state of NY. After she read the article, the Limerick lady flew to NYC and went to him for a facelift which sadly went horribly wrong through general incompetence, she was rushed to a general hospital and later died.

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/plastic-surgery-death-suit-747-237601411.html

Paper never refused ink, do not take anything you read in a newspaper at face value.

VincePP

Media will never ever check the background of compnaies that advertise or promote themselves - it just not their position to do so. As long as the advert/promotion is not for something illegal or does not comply with legislation such as alcohol or tobacco advertising, it can and will be published.

Puff pieces dressed up as "articles" are usually writen by PR companies - especially in the indo where so many journalists have left.

As for the booking - I'd avoid it. It may well be legit, but refusing to accept payment by credit card when credit card commission rates are at an all time low (less than 1%) would sound alarm bells.


A quick look sees ryanair €194 pp return from stansted on Friday 7th Oct + probably €40 dublin to stansted then hotels.com have 4 star St George in paphos for €203 for 7 nights, add in bag and a taxi and you're still under €800.

KidMeNotA1

coconnellz wrote: »

Thanks for the information yeah i thought sunday indo be more reptable to be going
Promoting dodgy holiday companies. it's a bit to risky for my liken if something went wrong it a fair lot of money to be out.

If they do not accept credit card/PayPal or similar secure payment system, run a mile. "if it seems too good to be true, it usually is"

MOH

Although their website looks a bit iffy, quite a few phrasing/grammatical errors, they definitely seem to be registered at that address with both the CRO and the CAR.

I'd never book something like that by bank transfer though. They might be having cashflow issues which would be a warning sign.

The deal itself might be legit though, depending when exactly it is, as the holiday season ends in October. So if it's towards the end of October, you might well get a cheaper deal, but the place might be empty.

[edit]
Just looked at the site in more detail. Bar one optional day trip to Paphos, the whole thing is in the Turkish occupied northern half. Given that prices there are a lot less than the south, I don't think it's a particularly good deal. Definitely wouldn't be risking paying them by bank transfer for that.