Booking direct vs online travel site

Discussion in 'Temptation Cancun' started by hrdway8, Dec 8, 2011.

  1. hrdway8

    hrdway8 Regular Registered Member

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    I recently booked a jacuzzi room stay for my wife and I to celebrate our 20th :lotsofmichaelfs: at TTR Cancun in July 2012 (16-21) on their direct site. We're very excited and we would be TTR noobs. We did stay at the GP two years ago, but wanted to try a change of pace with more party atmosphere.

    However, I recently checked a popular on-line travel site that for the same week was almost $600 less than booking directly thru the TTR site. I sent an email to TTR inquiring as to what the difference is (are we getting a "better" view room, etc) by booking directly. Their response was simply, "go ahead and cancel, there's a $40 cancellation fee, and re-book thru the travel site".

    I was curious if anyone had any experience booking directly thru TTR vs on-line travel sites? Did you feel you were given a cheaper room? Did they treat you any differently? A $600 difference is huge, even with a $40 fee to cancel my existing resv.

    Also, my wife and I are absolutely not interested in any vacation clubs or resort memberships.. we don't travel enough, have three kids, and quite frankly want to simply unwind sans the kids without having to sit thru some 1+ hour sales pitch. I've seen some threads on the memberships, and I'm hoping a simple "no thanks" will be enough.
     
  2. twoxtrouble4u

    twoxtrouble4u Guru Registered Member

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    Just tell them your not interested.
     
  3. Jamie

    Jamie Mayor of Temptation Registered Member

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    All the Jacuzzi rooms are on the first floor of Building 1. So you really can't get better or worst rooms.

    TTR advertises on their site that they are the cheapest. I don't know who they are comparing themselves too but it’s not reality. You can get rooms for up to half the price in several locations. So yeah, cancel, pay the $40, save the other $560 for tips and trips once you get there and you'll never notice the difference in the room you get.

    As for the time share presentations you will be asked to sign up for when you check in, yeah, no thanks will work, you just have to keep saying it over and over again till they quit asking. 15 minutes spent there will save you hours later. No they will get the message if you stay on message.

    Never fear, whatever information they would give you can be gotten from fellow guests once you're out by the pool, or you can always go back and ask later if you really decide to check it out. So it's not a "one time offer" that you should worry in any way about passing up.

    Jamie
     
  4. gowick

    gowick Addict Registered Member

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    yes to everything jamie says.

    Also check the links on this site.

    They are some of, if not the best rates available, and they help keep this site up...

    Steve, how is that for helping the marketing campaign :)

    I found alpharooms through this and have saved hundreds
     
  5. Ready2party

    Ready2party Original H&H Gangsta's Registered Member

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    We were going to book direct last time but when we compared it to other sites we found the other sites (like Apple Vacations and Cheap Caribbean) to be abour half the price. We ended up booking through Apple.
     
  6. hrdway8

    hrdway8 Regular Registered Member

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    Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

    After some further searching the cost thru the website is the essentially the same everywhere else. Expedia, Orbitz, and Hotels.com were all equivalent to TTR's website. Travelocity, which was shown as lower, was not a true cost, after being on phone with a T-city agent for 35 minutes to own up to that fact. AppleVacations and CheapC don't even offer the Jacuzzi rooms as an option, and appear to be similar cost based on the room types and rates they do offer.

    That all being said, I'm just going to leave well enough alone, keep the resv that I already have, and look forward to the trip in July :)
     
  7. Zac&Kristin

    Zac&Kristin Addict Registered Member

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    I would highly recommend alpharooms.com. We have booked through them the last 2 years, and I've never seen prices cheaper. We have always received rooms in our preferred area, once requesting at check-in. You will have to book flight seperately though if you do use them.
     
  8. The Woodman

    The Woodman I can choose my own title Registered Member

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    Expedia and AAA were giving good rates this year too from the States!
     
  9. soop

    soop Addict Registered Member

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    Now you gotta tell us where you booked that was 600 cheaper :p
     
  10. dwbutt

    dwbutt Newbie Registered Member

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    Second visit arriving tomorrow

    I used alpharooms and got a rate of $138/nt double. Cheap air on Spirit from Detroit. A nice tip to the desk clerk will usually get you the room you want.

    Enjoy!
     
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