Sorry to be thick but why didnt you just go with the eclipse booking, rather than getting FC to price match? Is there an advantage to booking with FC?

Sarong as fc are shop based it means by price matching you have the benfit of real people to speak to if you need advice rather than using the internet company eclipse exclusively.You also get your invoice immediately rather than having to wait too.

Oh right, ok, I prefer to do it on the internet myself but wondered if there were advantages to booking with FC that I didnt know about.

Hi peeps

Thanks for that Jo03, spot on, if I can get a shop price for an internet price then that is fine and dandy.

Kazee

I've just checked the same holiday on First Choice and Eclipse.

It was £60 cheaper with First Choice than with Eclipse.

if you phone the other tour operator up and tell them u had a price of the internet they will do it cheaper

I think that the whole of the first choice group are having staffing problems at the minute, i work for a Travel Agency and regularly sit on on hold for 2 hours listening to them babble on about their 'toppings'.

Its not really staffing problems its coming toward the height of the summer season now and things get busy.

I've booked my holiday online with FC, leaving on july 16th. I was reading the small print in the back of their brochure and it states that initials on tickets and passports must be identical. Does this include middle names? Beacuse when I booked there was only space for one initial (first name). Does this matter? It's my first time abroad and not sure about everything!

No, we have been going abroad for years now and never had any problems with middle names. As long as your first names and surnames tally up they dont usually ask for middle names, no worries

Thanks Deb!

I'm looking forward to my holiday so much, I just keep panicking about things going wrong!

First Choice have a new trick! Well maybe they always do this but its a new one on me.
We just got back from Turkey and our hotel is one and a half hours from the airport. As we had got our own taxi on arrival and had not had any contact from the rep whatsoever, the day before our return (we were using their transfer) I went looking for a notice of our pick up time. When I found that we were getting picked up 6 hours before our flight I tried to phone the resort office but kept getting an answering machine.
Long story short, we presented ourselves at the crack of dawn and asked why the early pick up. We got a long rambling tale about huge queues at Dalaman. Anyway, it turns out they only had a 16 seater so were picking us up early, dumping us at the airport and then going off to get another bunch of paople for the same flight. As our check in wasnt open and there is only seating for about 8 people in the check in area of Dalaman, it was a long uncomfortable wait.
Never again. We booked First Choice as they were marginally cheaper than DIY but you lose any control over your holiday.

Hi all,

Last year I went to the Dominican republic with Thomsons and they offered several day trips which you could book through your rep , ie fishing trips, snorkelling.

I have this year booked with First Choice and have seen no details as to whether they also do this kind of thing. I emailed FC about a month ago and still haven't had a reply.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

Hi, usually with first choice if you attend the welcome meeting in your hotel usually the following day after arrival, they will tell you all about whats going on and also explain all the trips and days out with you and give you a leaflet explaining this and giving prices, dates, times etc. These meetings are very helpful for things like this especially if you intend do go on the trips.

ahhhh thank you for that.

got tickets today from first choice and next to board basis it says *c complex board i booked self catering got my final invoice it said i was all inc i phoned first choise they say im all inc but on my ticket booklet it says * c complex board whatever does that mean im very confused

Me and my boyfriend are flying with first Choice. We haven't booked seats together, is it likely that we will have to sit apart? Also his dad says that if you turn up early you can ask for a window seat, is this true?

It depends on how many people have booked "Sitting Together" and you cant ask for a window seat.

BFT

Hi birdygirl. We never pre book our seats and have been going with firstchoice or eclipse for years now. When we check in we are always seated together and usually do get given at least 1 window seat even when there is just the 2 of you. Like the last post says it does all depend on how many seats are left when you check in, and also how many are left that have not been pre booked. They do try to sit you together if they can, but even being either side of the aisle sat on the ends is ok, your still next to one another and you get to stretch your legs out.