Olympic

[Deborah]

Would someone please tell me where Olympic holidays are taking their guests for late arrivals on Wednesday evenings. Many thanks in advance.

[Gemma1]

I'm not sure that anybody will be able to tell you in advance Deborah as it usually depends where Olympic have rooms available. I've never stayed at the same place twice when I've overnighted on Rhodes with Olympic, it's always been somewhere different. I will wait with anticipation to see where they put me when I'm going back to Symi in September.

What time is your flight due to arrive on Rhodes?

[Deborah]

We are due to arrive at 6.30pm. We usually book our own hotel in Rhodes town, as many years ago we were taken miles away, only to have to be picked up a few hours earlier to go back. We have also been known to wave goodbye to Olympic at the airport, jump in a taxi and leg it to the ferry independently. This year we know it will be too late to do that. As we are staying on Symi for a month, I don't really mind where they take us, but hubby is a grumpy old bugger, who doesn't want a long transfer on a bus.

[Gemma1]

I appreciate what you're saying about the long transfer as I ended up in Pefkos one year! I've also ended up in Falaraki a couple of times. I'm happy to 'go with the flow' and end up wherever Olympic put me as I'm travelling solo and don't want the added expense of booking a hotel in Rhodes town.

Somebody who recently travelled with Olympic and is a member of the Symi Friends forum on Facebook was provided with overnight accommodation in the Sunday Hotel. She didn't say where on Rhodes it was but when I've just googled it looks as though it's in Rhodes town so you might end up there - I'm hoping that I do as it would be nice to spend the night in Rhodes town and not as early a start the following morning

[Fina]

If it helps, we just got back from Symi. We were lucky we got the early flight from Birmingham. on a Wednesday. we got the 6:30pm ferry. Others we spoke to had overnight stays in Ixia and Falaraki.

Fina

[MrsMcS]

On another note, I am devastated as it looks as though Olympic are not offering Symi from Glasgow next year. As we don't have the option of cheaper flights from Glasgow booking separately is not an option for us as it is way too expensive. It also makes it too expensive for us to travel to Newcastle or Manchester to take a flight from there. We have been coming to Symi for 18 years and are looking forward to being back on Symi in September, but the thought that this might be our last visit is just too upsetting to think about

[JeanW]

Talking of Olympic, has anyone tried to book for 2019? I have phoned Olympic as they have bookings available on their website and the cheapest deal they can give me for the same accommodation, same room type, same 2 weeks and same flight times and carrier as this year is £281 more expensive. I would be interested to hear from any other Symi regulars if they have had the same experience. This makes Symi not an option.

[Gemma1]

Jean,when the Olympic prices were first released for 2019 I could have booked for 2 weeks on my normal dates in September for 650, LBA flights were silly money. However, as we've booked 2 weeks island hopping in June I can now only go to Symi for a week and last time I checked it was over 600 for a week from Manchester which I'm not prepared to pay. I can go to Crete from LBA with Jet2 for under 500 HB (not that I want HB). I think those prices will come down so I'd keep checking - I certainly won't be going to Symi next year at those prices!

[Lisa B]

When are you there this year Gemma?

[Gemma1]

I fly out on 22nd September Lisa but won't arrive on Symi until the following day as I'm on the afternoon flight from LBA.

[Lisa B]

We'll keep an eye out for you, we don't leave until 26th.

[MrsMcS]

I agree Jean re. the prices they are ridiculous for next year, and what is this nonsense about not offering any hold baggage and charging an arm and a leg if you want hold baggage. I think our time booking with Olympic will be coming to an end as not only have they stopped offering Symi from Glasgow next year (apart from the first two weeks in May!!), the choice of accommodation has greatly reduced also, their prices are ridiculous and the baggage scenario is a joke. We are thinking about going to Parga with TUI next year as fed up with Olympic. Can you tell I am not a happy bunny .

[Shadrack22 was]

The Kassandra in Ixia was the usual venue, though we once ended up in Faliraki.

Gave up on Olympic due to laughably poor customer service and on the past couple of occasions booked accommodation through Symi Visitor or Kalodoukas Holidays.

[plee]

I am going to Symi with Olympic on 26th September for 2 weeks from Newcastle - This year is the most I have ever spent on a holiday - much more then last year. This means I have a lot less to spend on Symi. I also notice that Olympic now charge transfer fees (not for Symi - although being left in a foyer for hours in the middle of the night is never a good experience for me) which also puts the price up on their holidays. Last year I went to Crete with Jet2 and was pleasantly surprised at how efficient and good value they were. I love Symi and as a single traveler I have chosen Olympic in the past because it is more affordable for me. I think I will probably go less in the future but when I do will travel independently.

[Gemma1]

I noticed that Olympic no longer include transfers on a lot of their holidays for next year plee. Unless this changes it means I won't be going back to another of my regular Olympic destinations of Plakias on Crete as last time I checked there was no option to add transfers and I certainly wouldn't be able to afford a taxi all the way to Plakias and back. Twice before when I've stayed in Plakias with Olympic I've been provided with a taxi transfer (once sharing with another couple) which probably isn't cost effective for Olympic - however to me a 'package holiday' isn't a package if it doesn't include transfers.

When I first checked prices for Symi for next year Olympic were showing flights from LBA, however that's no longer an option on their website - though they still offer holidays to Rhodes (without transfers) from LBA. That doesn't make sense to me. Not sure who the flights from Newcastle were with plee but it's possible that Olympic may offer more options once more flights have been released as some airlines haven't released flights for next summer yet. Good luck with finding a reasonably priced holiday to Symi however you get there

[Irene]

I am traveling to Symi from Glasgow on the 19th September for two weeks . This will be my third visit in three years, but it sounds as though this might be my last if what people are saying about Olympic is true! This is very sad for us and potentially very bad news for Symi as I suspect many people will decide that they can no longer afford to visit the island. With the dire exchange rate it is already fairly expensive ( and who knows what Brexit will bring next year), so if Olympic start to raise prices, cut local flights and charge for baggage and transfers it will put Symi out of the reach of many.
Oh well, I'll make the most of this holiday- I can't wait to be there!

[orangepeel]

Gemma1, Not knowing what your budget is, have you tried doing things independently. Jet2 fly in to Rhodes from LBA . Maybe a night in Rhodes as with Olympic, and catch the ferry the next morning, booking your accommodation direct on Symi. We have done this the last 3 visits to this wonderful island, and find it quite a adventure. The costings work out roughly the same, and with you saying that Olympic prices have risen steeply may work out cheaper. Good luck.

[Gemma1]

Gemma1, Not knowing what your budget is, have you tried doing things independently. Jet2 fly in to Rhodes from LBA . Maybe a night in Rhodes as with Olympic, and catch the ferry the next morning, booking your accommodation direct on Symi. We have done this the last 3 visits to this wonderful island, and find it quite a adventure. The costings work out roughly the same, and with you saying that Olympic prices have risen steeply may work out cheaper. Good luck.

As a solo traveler on a budget this works out too expensive for me as accommodation on Symi is quite expensive. I'm flying Jet2 from LBA this year (booked via Olympic) and paid £647 for 12 nights including transfers. The price of the Jet2 flight alone was £314 which leaves £333 for 12 nights accommodation, ferries and transfers to the port and back to the airport. Maybe travelling as a couple it can be done cheaper but not when you're travelling solo.

[Deborah]

Oh how I remember our first holiday on Symi with Kosmar at the Grace studios, many many years ago.

[bill]

Dear old KOSMAR, limited accommodation but great prices. Once you were on Symi you really didn't care where you stayed in those days.