STENDEC,
Please don't think I'm stating the obvious, but have you remembered airport to resort transfers and, of course, insurance ? They're things that it's easy to overlook amid the euphoria of huge savings.Once you've tried it and found that the holiday is now fitted exactly to your requirements and not those of the tour operator, you'll be loathe to pay travel companies' prices again !! Hope everything works out o.k. - sure it will.

Hi Stendec

Good choice, We have been doing diy for quite a few years now and I think its the way to go.There are good savings to be had as long as you get the flights and accomodation from reputable suppliers and if its over £100 pay by credit card.
Always plenty of good advice on the forum on who to avoid etc and the best bit is you dont have to sit through those phoney `welcome` meetings
Have a great time enjoying the sun and spening some of your savings....

Stendec,

Me and my girlfriend have just enjoyed our first ever DIY holiday. We were initially a bit apprehensive but took the advice given on this site and went ahead with it. Getting no flight tickets just a booking reference, only getting an accomodation voucher for the hotel etc was all a bit worrying simply cos we'd never done it before, but it went like clockwork from start to finish and also saved us over £300 on prices quoted on various tour operator sites.

As Paully says I think as long as you deal with established reputable companies - we got flights directly with Monarch and accomodation through Hotelopia.com (part of First Choice Holidays plc) you can't go far wrong.

Definately think its the way ahead for us! Have a good trip.

Steve

Hi there
I went on my first diy holiday in April. I remember it was very nerve racking booking everything. Worried it wouldn't work out. I booked direct with a hotel chain, flights insurance and then I got in a taxi at the airport to my hotel and booked the return taxi a day before coming back with my hotel.
I saved a lot of money booking direct. The hotel was fantastic, my husband had stayed there last year. My room was great with a fantastic sea view and the staff were very nice, so mine was a complete success.
The biggest advantage with booking with the hotel chain I booked with, I didn't have to pay for the hotel until the day I was leaving.

Have a great time, I did.

Regards
Dawnie-Rob

Hi Stendec...I am hooked on DIY Holidays since booking Ryanair cheap flights to Italy and Poland this year.
We got a hostel in Milan, which was twin-bed and ensuite for £25 a night and stayed 2 nights with my friend near Turin. Had a great time.
Four of us had 7 nights in an appartment in Krakow, which was lovely. All-in the flights+ rent of appartment cost us each...£107. It was really cheap to eat out in Krakow and the people were so nice. We visited the Salt-Mines, Auchwitz and the Mountain resort of Zakopane. We even managed to see The Pope on his visit to Krakow as our appartment was close to the Park where he said Mass. It was a super holiday and I can't wait to go back there.
Good luck with your DIY Tours.
Yours Aye,
Jopa.

Last year was our first DIY holiday having always done package and if you look back you'll see how worried I was

I think I posted a question along the lines of "Is it normal to worry when you've booked your first DIY holiday" and I DID worry!

We had a fantastic holiday - we've been to the resort loads of times so know it well and all went without a hitch and we saved approx £2000 on what it would have cost us with Thomson.

We had such a fab holiday that we are going in just over a month's time (and have already booked apartments for Summer 2007)

Go for it !!

- doing DIY means great savings for us as a family (2 adults / 2 children under 12)- we stay in 4-5 * hotels and get to go on holiday twice a year - which we would not be able to afford to do otherwise.

This Feb we booked a 2 week fly drive to Orlando, hired a massive 4 bedroomed townhouse on a fantastic community resort AND took a 4 Night Disney cruise to the Bahamas, for a total cost of £600 per person - all booked DIY. This wasn't last minute either - we had it all booked 12 months in advance.

We don't miss the reps. - many of whom you don't see, are dismissive of any complaints, or only care about flogging you over-priced trips - IMO.

Thanks guys and gals! You have all helped to surpress any fears I had.

I have booked flights through Flightline.co.uk - but the flights are with British Airways and one of their sister companies, so hope thats going to go OK.

Accom booked privately through a contact link on another trusted website I use. The owner is very helpful and I have so far got no warning signs to worry me (fingers crossed). She has even offered to help sort out Taxis etc if needed from Airport to Paphos (its only 20 mins or so away from the Airport to the accom).

Also booking a day trip over to Cairo for the Pyramids etc, so really pushing the DIY boat out! Might well get a hire car too?

I only need to get insurance sorted now, but I know theres a lot of help on this website with reputable sites / companies to use for that.

I agree, its going to (hopefully) be bliss not to have to go to those patronising awful "Welcome" meetings with some disinterested, plastic, 16 year old tour rep trying to flog me an hours ride on a donkey for £50 a person or something equally pants!

Thanks again. I will let you know how it goes and wil be sure to ask advice again if needed.

Hi Stendec...When I was in Limmassol, I got a Ferry from there to Jerusalem for the weekend...a great trip. Just thought if you had any cash left over you might like to try it...then again I don't know if they do that trip anymore, or how safe Jerusalem is at the moment.
Yours Aye, Jopa.

It's reassuring to read these posts as I've booked our first DIY for August of this year, it's the only way for us now with the children being classed as adults at 12 and 13. We had a holiday last year in Crete, we paid £2,400 for the fortnight to do the same holiday next year with the kid's both adult age it would cost us £5,800 there is no way we would pay those sort of prices so DIY it is for us from now on, I just pray it goes without a hitch

shell,
You know where the help is if you need it !!!!

Thank you Sagres, that's very kind of you