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Long haul,is it worth it?


yesididit
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Perhaps I'm unusual, but I look forward to the long flights, as long as it is not in economy! Sitting in a nice comfy seat, catching up on films I've missed, with wine and food served at regular intervals - what's not to like? Give me 9 hours of that to the Caribbean compared to 4 hours stuffed into easyJet to the Canaries any day!

 

 

 

I could have typed this - I can even hack economy when I know what's coming next !

 

 

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Perhaps I'm unusual, but I look forward to the long flights, as long as it is not in economy! Sitting in a nice comfy seat, catching up on films I've missed, with wine and food served at regular intervals - what's not to like? Give me 9 hours of that to the Caribbean compared to 4 hours stuffed into easyJet to the Canaries any day!

I too love the flight, I take my holiday starting the moment I'm through security.

 

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Think it's all been said but my 2pennorth, I wouldn't go for a week, 2 week or more is fine. I tend to read, watch a film, listen to music unusually talk to the wife. Going out is a doddle no real jet lag, cat nap if you can. Only problem we have is waking up at 3am in Barbados or wherever and creeping about trying not to disturb others. Coming home is a different story, if you get a Dreamliner it's much better the air and lighting help you with the lag. I don't sleep well on planes but usually manage a nap here and there, wife sleeps. You can get up and walkabout on the big planes which helps. For me worth it for a fortnight. Get an Eastbound reposition if you can but they do tend to be March time.

Kev

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Here are my thoughts for what they are worth. Caribbean should be two weeks and not one week. If I only had a one week holiday I would not fly so far.

 

We fly out of Gatwick and do a hotel park and stay package. We stay at the Sofitel the night before the flight. I park the car directly outside the hotel, take the luggage in to the hotel with my wife, check-in, put our luggage into the room, then I park the car in the hotel's car park and walk back into the hotel. We get a club room which provides lounge access giving a comfortable lounge environment with unlimited drinks and nibbles. We eat in one of the hotel's restaurants that evening. In the morning we have a quick continental breakfast in the club lounge then check out and head to the airport.

 

The flight itself I actually enjoy. I load up my phone with films/programmes to watch and also watch whatever I fancy in the in-flight entertainment. The fact that all on board are on the same cruise (assuming it is a P&O charter) gives the flight a different feel to a normal flight.

 

The transfer to the ship is generally as good as it can be. No need to wait at the carousel looking for the luggage as it is taken directly to the cabin.

 

The transfer back to the airport is equally as good as it can be. The flight back is definitely not as good as the flight out. Arriving back in the UK in the early morning is a shock to the system. Luckily I have only a one hour car journey home. If the journey were any longer, I would definitely plan to take a coffee break or even consider checking in to a Travel Inn or similar for a 3 to 4 hour sleep.

 

The answer to the question of is it worth it - yes it is. The Caribbean is wonderful and cruising in the Caribbean is a great way to experience it.

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We did the outbound transatlantic last November and were totally destroyed by the flight back; when we arrived in Manchester there were no trains from the airport and we were only offered a 3 hour bus journey half way home, by a nasty official who laughed in our faces.

I would NEVER do this again. I didn't even like the Caribbean that much; the heat was fine but the humidity was dreadful.

If I were to return it would only be by sailing out and back.

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For one thing, don't drive home. Get a bed at the airport, or get a taxi home.

 

For another, an eight hour flight doesn't take four times as long, door to door, as a two hour flight. If your two hour flight takes nine hours then your eight hour flight takes 15 hours - not even twice as long.

 

Finally, if you really struggle to cope with red traffic lights then don't fly. A six hour delay could drive you right round the twist.

 

I read for 8 hours on a transatlantic, day or night. I can't get any sort of relaxing sleep with the noise and vibration of the engines. Plenty of time for sleep when I get there. I don't think planes are any less comfortable than trains, and 8 hour train journeys aren't thought of as exceptional.

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The Thomson dreamliner is just about doable for long haul economy. We've done it numerous times to Mexico and Mauritius, decent leg room etc.

 

I've no idea who P&O use to the Caribbean but obviously it wont be them. That aside the end result is usually worth the pain but premier economy prices are ridiculous across the board. The flight home is pretty grim on most airlines.

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The Thomson dreamliner is just about doable for long haul economy. We've done it numerous times to Mexico and Mauritius, decent leg room etc.

 

I've no idea who P&O use to the Caribbean but obviously it wont be them. That aside the end result is usually worth the pain but premier economy prices are ridiculous across the board. The flight home is pretty grim on most airlines.

 

 

 

Just watching flights from hell on channel 4 [emoji23] - seems to fit this topic !

 

 

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The Thomson dreamliner is just about doable for long haul economy. We've done it numerous times to Mexico and Mauritius, decent leg room etc.

 

I've no idea who P&O use to the Caribbean but obviously it wont be them. That aside the end result is usually worth the pain but premier economy prices are ridiculous across the board. The flight home is pretty grim on most airlines.

 

P&O do use the Dreamliner, amongst others.

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For me I love flying, even in economy as I just enjoy having nothing to do but watch films, have a few wines, eat a few meals and just relax. I usually stay up all night as I hate to miss any of the flight - apart from the one time we used our airmiles and upgraded to Premium, the seats were so comfortable that I actually fell asleep within an hour and missed the whole flight, I was absolutely gutted! I do hate the arriving back in the early hours of the morning and the worse thing is the disgusting breakfast they serve but it is worth it. We drove to Cornwall one summer, took us 9 hours to drive there with two young children, no air conditioning and not enough toilets on route - give me a long haul flight anytime over that.

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I have flown to the Caribbean and on the flight out after 4 hours I had had enough!. the night flight back was better as it was half empty and I had 3 seats to lie on. The next time I cruised transatlantic both ways. I also flew to Sidney and back from Singapore for a cruise segment on Aurora so tolerated the flights. The cruise was poor but that is another story. Four hours to Greece or the Canaries is about my limit.

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Thanks all, the general consensus is it's not worth it, given the sort that I am. Irony is I can afford it now.

Just seen a fred Olsen video on you tube of people having fun and folk saying the staff remember your name. That's not going to happen either. I'm not good with social skills. Hate forced fun.

Fixed dinning, we asked to be moved every night, realised at the end that it's me,not others

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Thanks all, the general consensus is it's not worth it, given the sort that I am. Irony is I can afford it now.

Just seen a fred Olsen video on you tube of people having fun and folk saying the staff remember your name. That's not going to happen either. I'm not good with social skills. Hate forced fun.

Fixed dinning, we asked to be moved every night, realised at the end that it's me,not others

Not sure where you got the feeling about the general consensus being that long haul flights are not worth it. For only one week, no, for more than one week, yes.

And I have no idea what Fred Olsen has to do with a question about long haul flights! And as for fixed dining - sorry, totally lost me!

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Not sure where you got the feeling about the general consensus being that long haul flights are not worth it. For only one week, no, for more than one week, yes.

And I have no idea what Fred Olsen has to do with a question about long haul flights! And as for fixed dining - sorry, totally lost me!

Sorry,trying to be conclusive about my future holiday. Thought of returning to UK early morning then having to drive 6 hrs or stay hotel and stare at the ceiling for couple hours negates the holiday. A few have had bad times with this part of their trip, it has totally nailed it for me.

rhetorically saying this time, Fred Olsen, I don't want staff in my face befriending me.

Fixed dinning,too risky. Boring people are never bored. I appear to be a magnet, yes I know.

Britannia or a Queen it shall be. Nothing to do with long haul, just scribble.

To be honest I'm just not good with holidays, much prefer my garden. I do it for my wife and I happen to be a very good ballroom dancer, which she likes :)

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I hate flying but we are going for it, see the world whilst we still can. We've booked PE to hopefully make it a bit nicer. In-laws are collecting us from the airport so we don't have to drive home after the night flight as we have no idea if we will sleep having not done one before. I've booked a hotel at Gatwick the night before and that's when our holiday will begin! I'm so excited, I then come home and go back to work for 4 days before we break up for Xmas so hopefully it will help the holiday blues.

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Not sure what the deal is about the 787. 14 hours upstairs on the A380 is much more comfortable than 9 hours on the 787.

 

The price differential between both flights would probably give us an aft suite over a balcony cabin, however each to their own.

 

I wouldn't pay the difference unless I was a lottery winner or on my death bed - Just out of principal.

 

Sitting in a plane with a decent pitch (787) with 3 meals and unlimited drinks Long haul is less stressful than a 5 hour drive to the Midlands.

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Yes long haul is a pain, but worth it for the fantastic places we've been to. Longest was New Zealand, absolutely amazing holiday and worth every uncomfortable moment. Luckily we only live 30 minutes from Manchester so journey home not too bad.

Emirates A380 is very comfortable.

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The price differential between both flights would probably give us an aft suite over a balcony cabin, however each to their own.

 

I wouldn't pay the difference unless I was a lottery winner or on my death bed - Just out of principal.

 

Sitting in a plane with a decent pitch (787) with 3 meals and unlimited drinks Long haul is less stressful than a 5 hour drive to the Midlands.

I think you have missed the point I was trying to make, which is that flying economy, the A380 is much more comfortable than the 787, and all this Dreamlike guff is just rubbish.

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I think you have missed the point I was trying to make, which is that flying economy, the A380 is much more comfortable than the 787, and all this Dreamlike guff is just rubbish.

 

I didnt find any difference:)..apologies but isnt most of the upper deck on the A380 business class , we've only flown Emirates on it.

 

Do P&0 use the A380 ?

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I didnt find any difference:)..apologies but isnt most of the upper deck on the A380 business class , we've only flown Emirates on it.

 

Do P&0 use the A380 ?

Depends on which airline you are using. Malaysia, for example, have a nice small economy section at the rear of the upper deck.

P&O fly cruises only use charter airlines, none of which use A380s.

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So why mention the A380 on a long haul P&0 thread ?

I agree it is not really relevant. It is just a pet hate of mine that everyone appears to go into raptures over the bl**dy 787, for no reason whatsoever. I'll try and keep my coonents on point in future!

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Thanks all, the general consensus is it's not worth it, given the sort that I am. Irony is I can afford it now.

Just seen a fred Olsen video on you tube of people having fun and folk saying the staff remember your name. That's not going to happen either. I'm not good with social skills. Hate forced fun.

Fixed dinning, we asked to be moved every night, realised at the end that it's me,not others

 

Not sure what you mean. There is no forced fun unless you want to join in (I hate the Great British Sailaways and avoid them at all costs). Book Freedom DIning if you don't want the same table every evening (although FO don't do this.)

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