Booking Help/Quieries

[James Bennett]

Hi All this is my first post although i have been reading some great comments/reviews etc.

Just got a couple of questions of my own now... I'm looking at travelling to New York then onto Tobago (or the other way around). This will be my first time to the Caribbean after travelling to the far east for the last 4 years. (with the exception of canada) so my first question is when is the best time to travel? We usually take our holiday between May-June. Would this be suitable/advisable in Tobago?.

Secondly how is the best way to book? Online/Through an agent/DIY??? I see that there is a lot of talk about Virgin. Do virgin have a good balance between cost and and decent locations in terms of hotels.

I do have a question about accomadation but ill stick that in the right place!

Thanks guys and gals!

James

PS
Great Site!!!

[Steve Wooler]

Hi James

Welcome aboard!

Being tropical and so close to the equator, the climate in Tobago doesn't vary a great deal and you just have the two seasons - Dry and Rainy. See our Weather page (menus: Tobago/Weather) for full information.

The way you book will largely depend upon the type of accommodation you prefer/expect. If you're going to any of the major AI resorts, then you'll undoubtedly get the best deals through the main package operators. If you're looking at guesthouses/villas/apartments, etc., then you've got no real choice but to book flights-only and then directly with the accommodation or their booking agency. Of course there's lots of small agencies that will put a package together for you. Virgin are fine and offer several of the top hotels.

[James Bennett]

WOW there's a speedy reply if i ever did see one!!!
Thanks Steve - i posted my accommodation query in the "General Accommodation" section of the forum. I was looking at the Arnos Vale.

So basically you think that Virgin will put together as good a deal as anyone? are there any internet comapnies that are well respected and are competitively priced?

I've recently and flights with Thai Airways and Malaysia Airways who have both been FANTASTIC are Virgin/BA up there with these eastern flyers?.

Thanks again
James!

[Steve Wooler]

It must be 20 years since I last used a package tour operator, so you'll have to rely on someone else for that. Similarly, its been more than a few years since I flew to the Far East (I find the climate in the Caribbean a thousand times more comfortable), but I have to say that in my experience the Far Eastern airlines are far superior. BA senior staff can be incredibly arrogant - I even walked off one BA flight at an intermediatery stop because of the First Officer's obvious contempt for the passengers (its a long story). Virgin try their best, but sadly despite the superficial veneer, they're now no different to any of the big carriers.

Having said all that, the flights are only 8-9 hours of my x-week holiday. My choice of airline is strictly secondary to destination and choice of accommodation. You can have a bad flight with EVERY airline and frankly it sods-law that it will be yours. It use to matter to me before I 'retired' 18 years ago, when I had businesses in North America and was crossing the pond every two to three weeks, but now the flights are just a petty annoyance that have to be endured.

[Annette Stone]

Whenever we now travel to the caribbean we always book independently. I would email the hotel you are thinking of staying and ask what their rates are for the dates you want, and then ask them if they offer discounts for bookings of 1 week or more. Look for special offers on flights to Tobago. We got a good cheap flight one year with Lyn of Barbados Travel. We worked out booking with travel agent or booking it all ourself and it worked out cheaper doing it ourselves.

[James Bennett]

Thats great thanks for the advice Anette