We booked with Kosmar and fly to Skiathos next Friday. I tried all day yesterday on the ticket number to contact them and no-one would answer the phones! Tried again this morning and ended up ringing reservations just to get through. She said tickets are being sent out a week before you go, so I said 'so we should get them this Friday' and she said ' I wouldn't hold your breath, more likely Monday or Tuesday'!!! I am much happier when I have the tickets in my hands.
Gets worrying when its only a few days to go and they haven't come.

Anyone else flying soon and not had your tickets?

I've just tried chasing my tickets up for Cyprus next Wednesday and was told that the tickets for this weekends departures were only issued yesterday. I'm expecting them on Monday or Tuesday which is very late.
I've just got back from Rhodes last week with Kosmar and had to chase those tickets up as well - those arrived with days to spare.
The agent confirmed they are having problems with Kosmar and are even having problems contacting Kosmar, with queues on the pnone.
It's not a major issue, the tickets can be picked up at the airport, just a little frustrating.

Best of luck,

Robby

I have been ringing Kosmar for 2008 holidays and they say it will now be the end of June early July when they start booking. There is no brochure at the moment and there are difficulties getting current tickets out to clients.
This has made me wary and wonder if anyone knows whether or not they are in trouble and whether or not to book with them in case they are going under.
I may be paranoid but I have been caught like that before.

Anyone got any information that might help?

I'm not sure but something strange is going on with Kosmar at the moment and I wonder if it is due to them being bought over by Excel.

I tried to book our usual superb Kosmar studios that we've been going to for four years (and still in their latest brochure) only to be told that the property was 'not available'. I asked if it was fully booked and the young lady couldn't tell me. I pressed for an answer and she was evasive.

Unhappily, I had no choice but ask about another studio closeby and was told it was also 'not available'. Our booking times were for the end of the season and I couldn't believe they were BOTH fully booked.

I contacted the owners of our favourite studios by phone and they told me Kosmar had cancelled their contract without warning a month before the season began and had left them with no guests for the summer. He understood that those that had made a reservation had had their holidays cancelled by Kosmar. He also said that the other property had also had its contract terminated. I now know that they've been doing this for many of their properties in Greece.

Maybe it's a big trimming excercise by Excel but I don't know for sure.

Luckily we got our rooms booking directly with the owner and saved a good bit of money by doing so. We won't be flying Excel to the island. Their prices this year seem to have increased substantially compared to last year.

All in all we will be better off but why the heck is Kosmar still carrying a number of those now cancelled popular studios in their latest edition?

I'm sorry but I should point out that I am talking about the latest edition of the 2007 brochure.

Hi billbar. Whereabouts in Greece did you try to book with Kosmar? My friend has just come back from Stoupa and said that a lot of properties that Kosmar use were empty. Apparently, in some properties, Kosmar are paying 10 euros per room per night. How can the property owners expect to make a living?

pargaluvva

It was Thassos. What you've just said has amazed me. Empty studios when folks are trying to book them??

What on earth are Kosmar playing at? I have friends who used Kosmar studios in Mykonos and those too have had their contract cancelled, also just before the beginning of the season and leaving them without guests.

They should be ashamed of themselves especially as they have used many of those studios for a number of years and then pull out without a word of warning. How's that for loyalty to their customers i.e. studio owners and guests alike.

I won't use Kosmar again.

Hi billbar. I will ask my friend about the situation in Stoupa tomorrow and post a reply (we didn't really talk about it in much depth). We have booked for Zante with Kosmar for August this year. The flight time has been changed but, fingers crossed, everything else will be OK. BTW we had a week in Thassos early June this year and loved it. Will defintely return. Gx

We have just returned from Tolo and found the same things happening there.A couple at our hotel were told the apartments they had booked were not available, but when they went to see them, they were up & runnning with vacancies! The owner of the Hotel we stayed at, told us that Kosmar have pushed him down to 15 euros a night for B & B, then take months to pay him! Don't know what they're playing at, but in future I will DIY so at least the hotel owners earn a living!

Looks like Kosmar are intent on pricing themselves out of the market next year. Have just priced up a holiday online for September 2008 and it came out at £1094 for 2 of us. This holiday cost us £600 this year, how can they justify such an increase? I have now booked with Thomas Cook for 2 weeks (as opposed to one with Kosmar) and the cost was £732!!! Crazy

Hi, I had a quick look too at 2008 prices and agree they are much higher than the competition. I used to regularly travel with Kosmar, but for next year have found Thomson much cheaper.

The holiday we have book for this year in Thassos would cost £150 more for the two of us in 2008! This year will be our first time with Kosmar and probably our last!

Hi,

Just checked whether they are going to Paxos next year, it appears not. They do seem to have lost a lot of the smaller destinations off the 2008 listings, I think this is a big mistake as this was what made them one of the better Greek operators. Only time will tell, but after 8 years of using them several times a year to explore the smaller islands it looks like we shall have to try others..

Some silly prices for Kosmar holidays as stated, How are they going to sell them???????
There could be lots of late deals with lack of bookings.
Excel have changed things too fast for me, but time will tell.
Has ANYONE actually booked with Kosmar yet ???????????

Robby

Well I usually go with Kosmar twice a year to Parga but for next year they have priced themselves out of the market and I have now booked once with First Choice for June and for September with Thomas Cook. Both alternatives coming in at least £300 cheaper than Kosmar!

Hi

Just browsing through the Kosmar website (not booking) but just comparing prices for 2008 and noticed that they now have a luggage allowance of 15kg. Another nail in their coffin?

Cheers
Tony

they now have a luggage allowance of 15kg. Another nail in their coffin

They seem to be following the same path as the big companies and trying to get an extra few £s out of travellers in any way they can , I feel the coffin will be fully sealed shortly.

Is Kosmar owned by Thomas Cook? I thought it had been bought out by Excel airways.

You are correct MarieH, please forgive me