# Holidays on a budget - Suggestions



## goosebump (25 Feb 2009)

I've spent the last 2 weeks trying to put together a 10 holiday for myself, my wife and our 2 kids, one of whom is an infant. Our budget, not including spending money, was €1,300. Here's what I've come up with:

Destination: La Rochelle, France

10 Days (June) in 6 berth tent with Keycamp just north of the town: €305
Ryanair flights, including priorty boarding and 2 check-in bags: €334
Car hire in 4 door economy with A/C, including 2 child seats: €340
VHI Multi-Trip insurance: €49
10 Days pre-booked parking at Dublin Airport: €85
2 dogs in kennels for 10 days: €150

That gives me €1,263

I'd be interested in finding out other peoples ideas/experience re. putting together budget holidays.


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## DrMoriarty (25 Feb 2009)

goosebump said:


> 10 Days (June) in 6 berth tent with Keycamp just north of the town: €305.


Which campsite? You may well find that the price is cheaper if you book direct.


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## moneygrower (25 Feb 2009)

Ring travel agents and see what packages they will offer you for your budget? Be great to avoid ryanair cause they don't have to seat you together, even with priority booking.


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## bluemac (25 Feb 2009)

we managed 2 years ago to go to sardinia in may/june 2 adults 1 infant 1 child for €950 flights transfers SC, food was cheap no car needed fab place best place ive been on a budget, it was with sunway (booked via another website dealer which i never found again) was a last miniute thing but you usually get good deals just before the kids are off school


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## goosebump (25 Feb 2009)

DrMoriarty said:


> Which campsite? You may well find that the price is cheaper if you book direct.




That's only if you want to bring your own tent.

We're getting one of Keycamp's on site tents, which have cookers, beds, iceboxes etc


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## goosebump (25 Feb 2009)

bluemac said:


> we managed 2 years ago to go to sardinia in may/june 2 adults 1 infant 1 child for €950 flights transfers SC, food was cheap no car needed fab place best place ive been on a budget, it was with sunway (booked via another website dealer which i never found again) was a last miniute thing but you usually get good deals just before the kids are off school




That was really good. I couldn't come up with any packages for under €1,600 for the 4 of us. We need 2 bedrooms.


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## Mommah (26 Feb 2009)

I thought I replied to this thread yesterday?
We 2 adults and 2 kids flew betw Ireland and France with Aer Lingus and managed with just carry on ...6kg limit with AL...its up to about 15kg with Ryanair.
So I wouldn't bother booking bags...you won't get an allowance for the infant though...but you can bring buggy and car seats on board at no extra cost.

I would bring my own car seats...cheaper and not that much extra hassle...my hubby bleats about it...but I've travelled with 2 kids and 2 car seats on my own.

The car hire seems steep...I would definitely shop around on the net for that...it varies wildly.

The only other option that might be cheaper is home exchannge with car swop. 
It costs around €100 to join the websites...I haven't don it but plenty people have successfully...that would knock about €500 off.

Good luck


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## bluemac (26 Feb 2009)

it was good so just tried again but €2000+ with sunway.. for 2 adults and 2 kids, 

but managed I think to bring it in at


€560 for a 2 bed apartment (think there are a couple of extras when you get there €70) 
flights €327.88 as always there'll be extras depending on bagage payment etc
Taxi to and from hotel €50 TOPS

so about €1000 so far for a week in may/june
add 
VHI Multi-Trip insurance: €49
10 Days pre-booked parking at Dublin Airport: €85
2 dogs in kennels for 10 days: €150

€1285 
you dont need a car really


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## BillK (26 Feb 2009)

Check out [broken link removed] for holidays in Italian hotels. I don't know whether they include flights from Ireland, but they certainly do from England.
There is a phone number on the website and the operators all speak English, soit should be easy to checkout.

We have used four of their hotels in the past few years and have been very happy with the standards. All of the hotels we used were full board and three out of the four included wine and water with meals. You need to like Italian food as the majority of the guests are Italian.


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## dariuscork (26 Feb 2009)

Get a keycamp brochure and pick the campsite you like,then go on internet and get the phone number of that site,ring them directly and you will save alot of money,but you are cutting out the middle man!!!!!!!!!


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## Concert (26 Feb 2009)

I'm just after booking flights with Aer Libgus to Barcelona for three adults for 339 euros and 9 nights with Eurocamp on a campsite an hour away close to Portaventura and Tarragona for 600 euro, staying in a mobile home with air con and decking.  Have not booked car hire yet but expect to get it for about 300 euro.  Have stayed in this site three times before, beautiful site on the beach.  Camping Playa Bara is the name of the site, go on line and have a look.  We have holidayed all over France as well and all campsites are of a great standard.


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## Hurling Fan (27 Feb 2009)

Last year we went to Pra Delle Torri - a large campsite in Italy. Its an hour north of Venice. The accommodation providers are Elle Vacanze which would give you a chalet instead of a tent and we booked directly with them.  Plus if you have a toddler the chalets have a big deck that has a gate so great for containing them.  We didn't bother with a car as the public transport in Italy is great. So for flights flying with Ryanair into Trevisto (Venice) from Shannon on 30 May and 11 nights in a chalet and transfer from the airport and back cost about €1200 and that was for 6 of us. We only checked in a couple of bags as the bigger kids carried their own gear as hand luggage and didn't bother with priority boarding.  Husband and 2 kids queued in non-priority line and got seats for us all.  Haven't checked equivalent prices for this year but there are good deals out there.


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## big bird (27 Feb 2009)

make sure you book through the keycamp uk site. We did last year and saved 600 euro on the price of our  holiday. You also haven't specified dates but La Tranche sur Mer for 10 days in a tent  june 3rd starting
£188 stg €219 .


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## goosebump (1 Mar 2009)

big bird said:


> make sure you book through the keycamp uk site. We did last year and saved 600 euro on the price of our  holiday. You also haven't specified dates but La Tranche sur Mer for 10 days in a tent  june 3rd starting
> £188 stg €219 .




I checked this at the time and the sterling and euro price were more of less the same.

However, on checking it now, the sterling price in 186 and the euro price is 318!!

Keycamp were also advertising a sale at the time I booked, which was supposed to end on Feb 25, but the prices they have up today and the same!

Not sure what to do now. I have paid a €125 deposit. Kind of thinking that I should get a campsite in La Rochelle and forego the car, although I know the missus won't be too happy about that.


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## goosebump (1 Mar 2009)

Mommah said:


> I would bring my own car seats...cheaper and not that much extra hassle...my hubby bleats about it...but I've travelled with 2 kids and 2 car seats on my own.



Its €20 each way for each car seat on Ryanair, and its €25 each to add them to the car hire. Too much hassle to save €10.



Mommah said:


> The car hire seems steep...I would definitely shop around on the net for that...it varies wildly.



THe price includes €50 for the car seats.


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## Perplexed (1 Mar 2009)

Did you ever think of going by ferry ? We used to go camping in France years ago when the kids were small.
The kids loved the ferry and you had no problem with car seats, luggage allowance etc.
Other bonus was you could stock up on wine on the way home !


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## popol (1 Mar 2009)

The Ferry isn't cheap either. We went in May last year got 3 adults and 3 kids (none at school yet) for 772. This year the same thing is costing 1340 - the difference is that I need to go in June this year. They bump the prices up for school holidays.

Irishferries, LDlines, Brittany and celticlink all have crossings but give or take a few euro the prices are pretty much the same. I'm going to hold off booking for the time being in the hope that the slow down will force them to drop prices.


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## goosebump (1 Mar 2009)

Perplexed said:


> Did you ever think of going by ferry ? We used to go camping in France years ago when the kids were small.
> The kids loved the ferry and you had no problem with car seats, luggage allowance etc.
> Other bonus was you could stock up on wine on the way home !



Flights and Car Hire and Parking are coming in at €800. Ferry from Cork to Roscoff is €872, and I'd need to add in another €150 to that for tolls and petrol, plus it would add 4 full days travel to the holiday.

I've done the Ferry before, but I would only do it again for min. 3 week trip and when kids are older.


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## Concert (1 Mar 2009)

Would love to know where you kennel your dog for 150E for 10 days for two dogs, we pay 220E for 10 days for one dog ?


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## oldnick (1 Mar 2009)

It is very difficult to beat tour operator prices especially in May and possibly June. for example your family can get TWO full weeks in a number of locations -which have far better weather than France in May - in mid-May for about  1300 euros. That includes flight, transfers, accommodation, insurance (not the dogs, sorry). This price holds good for Ibiza, Majorca, Turkey, Crete and others.

Tour operators are desperate for business and the May prices -with reductions in June soon to follow -are unbelievable. 

-and with a licensed travel agent/ tour operator every penny you spend is bonded.
But then I would say that wouldn't I ?


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## goosebump (1 Mar 2009)

flahers2 said:


> Would love to know where you kennel your dog for 150E for 10 days for two dogs, we pay 220E for 10 days for one dog ?



They are small dogs and they share a kennel. Its in Longford.


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## michaelm (2 Mar 2009)

goosebump said:


> I'd be interested in finding out other peoples ideas/experience re. putting together budget holidays.


You could get to France and back, (for the first two weeks in June) taking your own car with Irish Ferries, for over €100 less than your flights, car hire and car parking combined.  I suspect you could get a 2-bedroom mobile home on a good campsite for maybe €50/60 per night if you book direct.


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## Omega (2 Mar 2009)

michaelm said:


> .....You could get to France and back, (for the first two weeks in June) taking your own car with Irish Ferries, for over €100 less than your flights, car hire and car parking combined.....


Ferry prices have come down (especially Irish Ferries) and bringing your car - and all the luggage you like - is a great advantage. You can book direct with most campsites or book accomodation-only with Kelair/Campotel in Ballinasloe, the advantage here being that you have Irish courier services on-site....


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