November in Cozumel

[pelagic_by_nature]

Ha Ha! How's that for jumping the gun for a thread? I have been watching the airfare and from Detroit for a while and it's around $700 to CZM, $476 to CUN. We (my wife and I) had pretty much resigned ourselves to flying to Cancun and doing the bag drag thing. :yuck: Then today, on Orbitz :admin: , I was able to book a week at Casa Del Mar with air for $570 ea. ($670 ea with $200 off for the "200entertain" discount). This will be my 2nd trip ever to Coz. We were there in Feb/March, staying and diving with Aldora. :love4: Loved it!! Can't wait to go back. :banana:
We'll be arriving Saturday, the 27th and leaving Saturday, 12/3

 

[Sue Sue]

Good for you !!! When a deal happens you have to jump on it !! And thanks for posting. It's wonderful when friends share their happy news ! Have a wonderful time.

Sue

 

[Diver Kat]

I's never too early to plan that next trip! We just booked our November trip this past Sunday. Used Orbitz as well, but we did the $200 off Fiesta Americana with a Hertz rental car for the week at just $505. We'll be there November 17th - 24th. Diving with Scuba with Alison (of course!!)

 

[DandyDon]

I saw Lubbock-CZM fare jump from $300 to $600 in months before coming back down. Houston-CZM remained low; the bottleneck was getting out of LBB on the contract carrier. Looks like air for mid Nov has dropped to $458 Flint-CZM, $505 DTW-CZM on Wednesdays only.

Now Orbitz charges the air and hotel separately to your card. How much did you have to pay for the air at that time? You'd think that the vacation packages for different dates would directly vary with air prices for different dates during off season, but it doesn't work that way - until you book and see how much Orbitz charges for the plane ticket you couldn't find at that price. It is nice that your purchases are still directly between you and the airline and hotel.

I mentioned this in my thread on General Travel: Sometimes looking for a single room, the 7 days package is less than $200 more than air - so if I booked then, took the $200 discount, my net price is cheaper than air alone, does the hotel get charged? Surely not, but you don't know for sure how the money is split until you actually authorize the purchase and check your card. As much as I enjoyed my old hotel, it was too cool to get air and a private room for only $100 more than air alone for the week, but sometimes you can the package for less than air alone. :silly:

I'll link it here in case anyone wants more info on how to use obtain the $200 discount good for all of Mexico, Caribbean including much of Central America, and Hawaii, subject to the properties offered - altho it seems to work best for Coz: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ge...s/331431-fun-orbitz-200-package-discount.html

Orbitz has got me hooked now, altho it can't be good for them. I start with Sidestep.com in shopping for hotel...

look at properties in my range,

see where Orbitz is $20/night higher than Hotels.com,

still book thru Orbitz so I can use my $50 voucher from the last booking,

file a claim for the rate difference and receive the guaranteed refund,

plus receive another $50 voucher for next time.​

Sometimes I feel less than honest taking advantage of some offers, but I didn't ask them to guarantee the lowest rates always.

 

[pelagic_by_nature]

Now Orbitz charges the air and hotel separately to your card. How much did you have to pay for the air at that time? You'd think that the vacation packages for different dates would directly vary with air prices for different dates during off season, but it doesn't work that way - until you book and see how much Orbitz charges for the plane ticket you couldn't find at that price. It is nice that your purchases are still directly between you and the airline and hotel.

I just checked my credit card and there was just one charge to orbitz for the whole amount. I read your posts in the travel forum, DD. Thank you for all the great info!!

I'm hoping to upgrade to an ocean view room upon arrival. I've read several posts on tripadvisor where people were able to do that for much less than booking it up front with Orbitz. If I can't, it's OK. Don't plan to spend much time there.

 

[DandyDon]

I just checked my credit card and there was just one charge to orbitz for the whole amount. I read your posts in the travel forum, DD. Thank you for all the great info!!

I'm hoping to upgrade to an ocean view room upon arrival. I've read several posts on tripadvisor where people were able to do that for much less than booking it up front with Orbitz. If I can't, it's OK. Don't plan to spend much time there.

How about that. I guess it varies.

I bet that Orbitz makes it's big profits on the add-ons and upgrades, like the overpriced ground transfers that are the same thing you can buy there for half. I did upgrade to a superior room in advance, pretty cheaply, but I've noticed even that upgrade at that hotel varies a lot. Taking a chance to do it there is probly cheaper.

I tend to go overly into details when I try to explain something like in that other thread. Perhaps it's the salesman in me, or a reflection of the times I didn't understand simple things. :silly:

 

[Diver Kat]

How about that. I guess it varies.

I bet that Orbitz makes it's big profits on the add-ons and upgrades, like the overpriced ground transfers that are the same thing you can buy there for half. I did upgrade to a superior room in advance, pretty cheaply, but I've noticed even that upgrade at that hotel varies a lot. Taking a chance to do it there is probly cheaper.

I tend to go overly into details when I try to explain something like in that other thread. Perhaps it's the salesman in me, or a reflection of the times I didn't understand simple things. :silly:

Last few trips the CC has been hit with one charge direct from Orbitz. In 2008 they were showing us as split charges direct to hotel/rental car agency. Maybe they changed it so you don't know who really gets paid what.

I've also found that the upgrade from garden-view to ocean-view at Fiesta Americana will jump all around. Sometimes it's as little as a dollar or two a day. Right now it's $15 a day. An upgrade to Grand Class is $26 a day, but we don't even look at that any more. They have automatically upgraded us the last couple trips upon arrival (without our even asking) to an Grand Class room, we just don't get the free breakfast - which is no big deal.

 

[DandyDon]

Last few trips the CC has been hit with one charge direct from Orbitz. In 2008 they were showing us as split charges direct to hotel/rental car agency. Maybe they changed it so you don't know who really gets paid what.

I booked one a couple of months ago that had split charges, but I think it was one to the airline, one to Orbitz, so I guess when the net package after discount is cheaper than the plane alone - they may change for the plane, refund for the difference?

At any rate, got to watch the charges closely, the refunds, and the vouchers owed. I had to remind them.

 

[atatt]

I am so glad to hear others are thinking that far ahead. Husband and I are booked end of June, mid Nov and to go even farther out March '11. We had airline miles and if you don't grab them right when they are offered our preferred dates of travel are gone so I snatched them up. It is a gamble but I am hoping it falls during Carnival! Being a Cozaholic is the best kind of addict!

 

[kentmorrdave]

BWI-CZM 7 nights Villa Blanca Nov 9-16 for 2 w/breakfast $710 w/ the orbitz coupon booked April 15 using the savings for LivingUnderwater