why wait ?
It’s time to get summer sorted
HAVE I left it too late? Was I wrong to sit out January’s travel sales and see February approach without putting a summer holiday in my diary?
It certainly looks as if everyone else was busy. EasyJet says it sold six seats a second in the peak of its January sale, effectively filling two planes a minute. Amsterdam, Paris, Alicante and Malaga were the most popular picks, with the Greek island of Skiathos (new to me and very intriguing), Calabria in Italy, Zadar in Croatia and Tivat in Montenegro selling fast as well.
EARLY-BIRDS
Trains seem just as popular. Eurostar reports that early-bird sales mean its services should be a third busier this summer. Plenty of people are already ahead of the game, having reserved seats to Paris in time for the Olympics at the end of July.
Are cruise fans holding back? Not a bit of it. Royal Caribbean says it had no difficulty finding an extraordinary 5,610 people to board Icon of the Seas – the biggest cruise ship in history – for its inaugural voyage last week. Meanwhile friends trying to book three cabins for their annual multigen, Mediterranean summer cruise say they’ve never seen as many ‘sold out’ signs on the reservation pages.
AWESOME IDEAS
Lateral thinking may be required to find peakperiod availability this summer
Lateral thinking may be required to find peak-period availability this summer. So consider river cruises as well as ocean voyages. On page 9 we showcase holidays on the Moselle, the Mekong and even the Mississippi.
Look at new routes that might still have lots of empty seats and beds. Jet2 has announced plans to fly an extra 100,000 passengers out of Manchester airport alone this summer, including on new Saturday flights to Sardinia, the sunny Italian island we feature on page 4. The resurgent Virgin Atlantic has new routes too, including to the Maldives and the Turks & Caicos islands that we describe on page 10.
And don’t discount good old coach-based holidays for a relaxed break. We look at those on page 20 and I’m a particular fan of specialist Flower & Garden, Battlefield and Festive Breaks (because it’s never too early to begin daydreaming about Christmas markets).
FLY FURTHER
Another way to escape the crowds is to head a little bit further afield. That could mean one of Tui’s new flight-and-hotel packages in Kenya, Indonesia, Senegal or The Gambia (and did you know that Tui is also offering hotel-only deals so you can book yourself a DIY break from Seville to San Francisco?).
And is this the year to finally take the plunge and explore Australia? I remember agonising about flying so far when I went down under for the first time. Don’t you need at least a month off work, I asked? And it turned out you don’t. My trip was for two weeks – just the same as any other main holiday. I packed so much in, brought home so many memories and have never stopped recommending everything Australian.
That’s why our four-page report on holidays in Victoria means so much. From pages 11 to 14 we reveal the magic that you’ll find on offer in Melbourne and beyond. Better still, we’re offering everyone the chance to see it all for free.
WIN A HOLIDAY
In a first for Check In, today’s edition contains a unique competition for readers. Singapore Airlines and Visit Victoria have joined forces to offer return Business Class flights for two and a dream Victoria holiday as a fantastic top prize. All the inspiration and ideas you need for the ultimate Australian adventure (and a luxurious Singapore Airlines flight) are to be found on pages 11-14.
Get more holiday details and enter the competition for free at dailymail. co.uk/visitvictoria
DAZZLING
With so much on offer, it’s easy to be dazzled by choice and take even longer to book a holiday. So if your fingers freeze when shopping around online, why not see if the personal touch will provide you with the nudge that you need?
Friends rave about the staff in Trailfinders branches who are particularly good at pulling together complicated trips (and where latest great deals include beach breaks on the Algarve, campervan trips in Canada and a private Hidden Jewels of Vietnam tour).
Kuoni’s clever idea of opening branches in department stores as well as on high streets makes it easier to tap into their expert knowledge. And Hays Travel is certainly doing something right. This January it’s had so many people wanting to book summer breaks in person (the most in its 43-year history) that it’s kept many branches open seven days a week.
So join me, looking for the perfect holiday in the days ahead. And good luck with our Singapore Airlines/Visit Victoria competition!