Financial Warning

John Fox · Post by **John Fox** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:54 pm

Nearly a year ago we booked flights for this coming Saturday on Excel One with Golden Caribbean through a travel agents.
When the tickets had not arrived early last week my wife telephoned the travel agents to be told they were being sent out last Thursday. When I telephoned them on Monday I was told they had got lost between the tour operator and themselves and duplicates would be issued. I then contacted Golden Caribbean to be told the tickets would be at the airport for us to pick up. The reason - the travel agents - First Call - have not paid them for the tickets despite having the balance of the money several weeks ago. Despite this we have now received a letter from the travel agents confirming the tickets will be at the airport (at the wrong desk!) and the reason now given is there is a ticketing back-log !

The lesson for everyone is only book through ABTA and ATOL protected companies. Had we not done so well over £2k could have gone down the drain.

Of course we have discovered this year that Golden Caribbean take bookings direct and to me that is the obvious place to go. Full praise goes to them for the efficient , friendly and speedy way they have dealt with this issue for us.

Just get us on that plane and in to Bon Accord !!!

Gisela Grell · Post by **Gisela Grell** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 6:57 pm

Hi John,

I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you had. Hopefully your holidays will compensate this a bit (sorry, I'm not a native speaker so I hope I found the right words).

I watched out for Golden Caribbean on the Internet and found an interesting and cheap flight (even if I had to fly from Germany to UK before) but I couldn't find out, from where they start.

Only that they fly to St. Kitts, Grenada and Tobago.
Can you please help me out? Maybe I'm just to bild to see but I read the website up and down and couldn't find anything.

Have a amazing holiday

Cheers

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 7:18 pm

Hi Gisela

Golden Caribbean are a tour company who chater aircraft for flights to the Caribbean. They currently use aircraft operated by Excel Airways. However, because they are charter flights, you won't find them listed on the Excel site.

The Golden Caribbean/Excel flights to Tobago and other Caribbean islands operate from London Gatwick airport (South Terminal). You can get full details of their flights - and all other overseas flights to Tobago - on our Air Travel pages (Tobago/Getting There/Air Travel).

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:54 pm

I had got a quote for my flight from Golden Caribbean, which were quite reasonable, but was pleasantly surprised by the quote I got from Dialaflight. They quoted less for flying with Excel. I rang them twice in the same day and got two different quotes, the second being cheaper than Golden Caribbean. Just goes to show that the agent you deal with, albeit from the same company can make all the difference. Good luck..!
Syd.

Gisela Grell · Post by **Gisela Grell** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:43 am

Hallo,

thank you Steve and Syd, for your information. I will try to do my best to find a cheap fligth and will probably do directly with Golden Caribbean.

Cheers

Gisela Grell · Post by **Gisela Grell** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 9:16 pm

Hi there,

I booked the cheapest flight to Tobago ever with Golden Caribbean.

Had a very nice email chat with a lady (Jade) from GC and received my tickets three days later. If the flight goes as easily as the booking it will be a perfect start into my holidays.
I had to book a connection flight from Cologne and still its much cheaper than Condor (what I used to book).

Will keep you informed how it was.

Cheers

Steve Pitts · Post by **Steve Pitts** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 7:20 am

Hi Gisela

I'm sure that you will have a good flight with Excel.
Like you, we have always found their booking service to be very pleasant, efficient and the fares good value for money.

Enjoy your holiday - I know you will.

Cheers
Steve

Gisela Grell · Post by **Gisela Grell** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 4:03 pm

Hi Steve,

Jade was extremly friendly. I wrote an eMail because I wanted to go there on a Saturday and come back on a Thuersday what was not possible from the website. She wrote they normally don't do this but she checked my dates and could confirm this flights.

I don't need luxury so I'm sure I will be happy with the flight /Excel. If everthing goes as easy as the booking I will use Golden Caribbean again (and again)

I will have a Carib on you and watch out for your pantys

Steve Pitts · Post by **Steve Pitts** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:33 am

Gisela.Grell wrote:Hi Steve,
I will have a Carib on you and watch out for your pantys

Hi Giselle

Whilst I appreciate your kind consideration for my underwear - I think that you may be confusing me with the myTobago weather guru Paul.
He has been know to be reckless with his Y-fronts.

However, If you do wish to watch out for MY panties and not Paul's (I hope nothing is lost in translation here) while you are in Castara, I will post you a pair and a Tshit to go with them

Anyway - Have fun with whoever's panties you are watching out for

Cheers
Steve

Gisela Grell · Post by **Gisela Grell** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:17 am

What can I say? I'm confused and feel really ashamed. Sorry Steve, you are surely NOT Paul.

Don't worry, you don't have to send any pantys. I'm sure I have enough clothes to wear. And I'm not watching out for pantys (I will not even talk about it any more)

"(I hope nothing is lost in translation here)" Nothing!

Cheers

Steve Pitts · Post by **Steve Pitts** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:59 pm

Hi Giselle

Sorry if I embarrased you.
Hope you'll forgive me.

My British sense of humour gets the better of me sometimes and is not always easily understood (nor found to be funny) by others.

Have you started packing yet?

Steve

Gisela Grell · Post by **Gisela Grell** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:57 am

Dear Steve!

No, no, no! You don't embarresed me! I laughed about your post for minutes. Nothing to forgive.
Sometimes I don't understand things properly and sometimes I can not write the things in the right words to make clear what I mean. Thats my problem of not speaking English as a mother language. I will try to improve!

I know the special sense of British humor and made the experiances that it is almost impossible to translate a joke. In any language. But I still try

Cheers and I hope we will have the chance to drink a Carib together one day

Steve Pitts · Post by **Steve Pitts** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 12:44 pm

Gisela.Grell wrote:Dear Steve!
Cheers and I hope we will have the chance to drink a Carib together one day

Unfortunately, not on this trip Giselle, as I will be arriving as you are leaving.
But there is always next time and I am sure that we would have a good laugh - never mind the translation - your English is very good and when on Tobago, we are both liming in the same language

Regards
Steve

Gisela Grell · Post by **Gisela Grell** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:59 pm

Hi Steve,

looks like we have our own topic here

What was this topic about originally??

I will enjoy my holidays and looking forward to meet you and your special British humor one day on the island for a couple of beers.

Cheers

Giselle (3 days to go) $\:D/$