When do you book your holidays?

**bubhub** · 18-06-2007 10:36

Do you book your holidays way in advance or do you prefer to grab a bargain and chance it by waiting to the last minute. Or do you think the whole idea of taking young kids away is too much to handle and you prefer to stay at home?

I'd be grateful for poll responses - and any thoughts in here - so that Bub Hub can continue to provide the features that suit our viewers best.

**MrsDribbleDrawers** · 07-09-2007 06:00

We're about to head off on our first holiday with 3 kids, but holidayed with two while pg.

In this instance, we only decided about 6wks ago we wanted/needed a break, and it coincides with our wedding anniversary, so we thought, why not. Usually, it's planned a few months in advance, to take advantage of cheap airfares whenever possible! A family of four soon adds up frequent flyer miles!

I do lots of research about the destination, surrounding area, food - it's so expensive, and always check out customer reviews if they're available. But sometimes you have to take them with a grain of salt, especially if it's a mixed bag of positives and negatives, and make your own decision.

We're looking forward to our break, and I'll certainly be having my two cents worth on bubhub when we get back.

**zenifa** · 09-09-2007 12:19

We usually prefer to book our holidays in advance, we find the cheaper airfares/accomm/car hire etc by booking early rather than last minute, plus with kids it helps to be organised!

For us, once we've come back from holidays, that is when we start thinking of the next holiday and start tentatively thinking of when/where we will go away.
Like the previous post, we prefer to research the destination, accomm/restaurant/activity/kids options quite thoroughly before deciding on a holiday and making a booking.

Since having kids we've only ventured interstate for our holidays, but next year with 2 kids 2 and under, we plan to go overseas, so that will be interesting!!

**Noah_and_Elijah** · 09-09-2007 12:21

I generally book mine 3 or more months in advance because I like to be organised. I'm a bit anal when it comes to organisation!

**subaruforestermum** · 09-09-2007 12:24

We have not gone away with DS yet, apart from to Straddie, where accommodation etc was provided for us, we didnt have to worry...

But I booked a holiday for DP & I, well I bought the holiday to Rainbow Beach for DP's birthday, and we ended up waiting about a year to take it....and only took it when we did due to me being pregnant and not wanting to miss out!!!!

I like planning things in advance.

Anything from Birthday parties, christmas party etc....PLAN ahead

**cheezelkat** · 09-09-2007 12:32

I booked our holiday next month 6 weeks in advance. I had to make sure DP's holidays were going ahead and no other major family functions, but still gives me plenty of time to book.

This is our very first family holiday. DP and I never went away together pre childen (been together 6 years) and DS is 20 months.

**workin'mumof2** · 09-09-2007 12:49

When seth was born we planned our trip to melb and ended up flying when he was 5months. (took us that long to plan ect) we already had accom & transport (parents) so once again once this one is born we are planning a trip i am even now looking at specials on flights as we are flying in june. and bubs is due in april so pretty safe its not staying in my stomach for that long.

**ThomasMum** · 19-12-2007 11:09

We're pretty organised when its come to holiday, esp now that we have Thomas because we want to make sure that we'll have the best accomodation, the right car to hire, excellent flights schedules etc...

**Seekrit** · 19-12-2007 12:02

last holidays I booked about 4 or 5 months in advance.. including airfare, hotels and car hire.

I'm a bit of an in-advanced person so I can get good deals.

**Africamum** · 26-12-2007 20:16

With us, if we plan too far in advance DH's work gets in the way,

We went to Canada recently and DH had to work in the first week and then we planned to spend a couple of weeks touring through Canada, he called called back to work after 5 days,

This time we were going to Maritius on the way to Australia, he now needs to be in Salt lake city at the same time !! So we will attempt skiing in SLC, two of the resorts have childcare centres attached.

We travel a lot and try to plan at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance. I do a lot of research as to what is available, however living overseas has allowed us to do things that other people wouldn't contemplate. DS has done three safari's (the last one in nov, he stuck his head out the window and roared at 5 lions alseep on the side of the road), we have been to Australia twice, south africa 3 times, china, canada, safari'ed and had a couple of island getaways as well.
January will see us head off to perth, exmouth, salt lake city and los Angeles.

We use some baby travel websites for inspiriation even if we dont end up booking though them - i havent found an Australian one, the main one I use is a UK one. I am not sure if I can share openly.

DS is a good flyer - he needs to be! However we have had some horror flights due to flight staff (Emirates

Swiss air

).

I have used the bubhub directory to find family friendly accomadation on my last trip to Perth.

We love to travel with DS, he turns a average holiday into an experience to remember.