Help a brit and a canadian meet on a beach, affordably.
December 10, 2010 7:13 AM Subscribe
Travel help: I live in Toronto and my friend lives in London, England. We want to meet up over christmas for a cheap beach-y package holiday. Problem is, cheap for her is expensive for me, and vice versa.
Any suggestions for places that offer relatively inexpensive packages from both locations? (Or, if not packages, then trips we can cobble together ourselves.) We both have a budget of about $1000 for everything all in (so are looking primarily, but not exclusively, at all-inclusives).
Any suggestions for places that offer relatively inexpensive packages from both locations? (Or, if not packages, then trips we can cobble together ourselves.) We both have a budget of about $1000 for everything all in (so are looking primarily, but not exclusively, at all-inclusives).
It might be easier to just say you have a total budget of 2k, and see if there is something that adds up to that amount even if it is more expensive for one of you than the other.
posted by jeather at 7:25 AM on December 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by jeather at 7:25 AM on December 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
Would it make sense to plan on just adding it together (travel and hotel for each of you)and dividing by two at the end?
Or you could pay more now, and plan on making another trip in a couple of years and use the other location where she pays more.
posted by aimedwander at 7:37 AM on December 10, 2010
Or you could pay more now, and plan on making another trip in a couple of years and use the other location where she pays more.
posted by aimedwander at 7:37 AM on December 10, 2010
There are some ridiculously cheap package places in Veradero, Cuba. The buffet wasn't 5 star in the place we went to but it was honest, decent food. The beach was beautiful.
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:59 AM on December 10, 2010
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:59 AM on December 10, 2010
I think you might struggle on a number of counts:
It’s Xmas, so flights are not cheap. And beach at Xmas = Southern Hemisphere (or at least nearer to the Equator), so longer flights.
Some options:
• Wait 3 weeks until the Xmas prices calm down
• Forget the beach holiday idea – one of you just visit the other person’s country for a wintery holiday – spend the money you’ve saved on the flight on doing cool stuff.
• If you are both really committed to the beach idea, look at Cancun. Flights from the UK to Cancun can be affordable as part of a package holiday. Then you just buy a normal flight from Canada.
posted by sleepy boy at 8:04 AM on December 10, 2010
It’s Xmas, so flights are not cheap. And beach at Xmas = Southern Hemisphere (or at least nearer to the Equator), so longer flights.
Some options:
• Wait 3 weeks until the Xmas prices calm down
• Forget the beach holiday idea – one of you just visit the other person’s country for a wintery holiday – spend the money you’ve saved on the flight on doing cool stuff.
• If you are both really committed to the beach idea, look at Cancun. Flights from the UK to Cancun can be affordable as part of a package holiday. Then you just buy a normal flight from Canada.
posted by sleepy boy at 8:04 AM on December 10, 2010
traveldiscounters.ca seems to have package deals to cuba over christmas for about 750.
newfoundland is also in between both!
posted by molecicco at 8:04 AM on December 10, 2010
newfoundland is also in between both!
posted by molecicco at 8:04 AM on December 10, 2010
Sounds like Reykjavik hot springs time to me. That would be pretty much in the middle.
This is fun, but it's going to be really dark at Christmas.
posted by randomination at 8:39 AM on December 10, 2010
This is fun, but it's going to be really dark at Christmas.
posted by randomination at 8:39 AM on December 10, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for the ideas so far, i'm going to check them out. Iceland never would have occurred to me!
One thing to keep in mind though: the reason we're looking at packages is that they frequently include the flight, and the flight is practically free. From toronto, there are ample 7-day packages that cost under $900, over the xmas vacation time, and that include flight plus the all inclusive resort.
The trick is finding one that's cheap from both destinations.
posted by Kololo at 9:28 AM on December 10, 2010
One thing to keep in mind though: the reason we're looking at packages is that they frequently include the flight, and the flight is practically free. From toronto, there are ample 7-day packages that cost under $900, over the xmas vacation time, and that include flight plus the all inclusive resort.
The trick is finding one that's cheap from both destinations.
posted by Kololo at 9:28 AM on December 10, 2010
Can you maybe spend some extra money to get her to Toronto and then both of you can leave from there?
posted by DuckGirl at 10:11 AM on December 10, 2010
posted by DuckGirl at 10:11 AM on December 10, 2010
From the UK, but near-ish to Canada I'd say the cheapest destinations are likely to be the Dominican Republic, Cuba or Cancun/Acapulco. Most of the rest of the Caribbean is significantly more expensive from the UK. The other main alternative is Florida - Orlando flights are normally reasonably priced from the UK.
I'm not sure that destinations closer to the UK are likely to be very cheap from Canada. The obvious winter sun choice is probably the Canary Islands. Alternatives are the Gambia or Cape Verde.
Thailand / Vietnam / Bali are longshots, being in-between, but the long way round.
posted by plonkee at 10:22 AM on December 10, 2010
I'm not sure that destinations closer to the UK are likely to be very cheap from Canada. The obvious winter sun choice is probably the Canary Islands. Alternatives are the Gambia or Cape Verde.
Thailand / Vietnam / Bali are longshots, being in-between, but the long way round.
posted by plonkee at 10:22 AM on December 10, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Namlit at 7:21 AM on December 10, 2010