Why you should collect Sun Holiday Codes in January
I think January is the best time to sort out your holiday. Firstly, the slum of after Christmas can make people feel a bit miserable, and having something to look forward to always gives a bit of a boost. It’s a much better way to spend your money than on things you do not really need, but buy them just because they are in the sales. Because if you have money to book your holiday at this time of year then you are doing well because not everyone has any spare cash left after Christmas. Not only that but you are onto a winner because you can make some great savings. I find things are much cheaper in January (up until Blue Monday when prices tend to shoot up, this year it believed to fall on Monday 20th January). For instance, I always book our Ferry in January through Tesco, who normally change their £10 clubcard = £30 Ferry tokens to £40.
Is it worth collecting the Sun Holiday Codes ?
Personally, for our family of 6, even a trip away with our tent is more expensive (in the UK). We have always been happy with the price we have paid, compared with how much we would have to pay if we tried any other way of having even a comparable holiday. Do take a look at how much it cost us (3 adults and 3 children) to go abroad in July, staying in a theme park). The Sun Holiday Codes come out several times throughout the year, meaning that you can book more than one. We have actually booked a Monday-Friday, followed straight by a Friday-Monday break in the Isle of Wight this year.
The Sun Holiday does come with a ‘Best Price Guarantee’ – that is that the price of the Sun Holiday (with service charge & entertainment/clubroom passes added) will be the best price for exactly the same holiday (location/date/accommodation type), when a maximum of 4 people are sharing with no optional extras. If, in these circumstances, within 28 days of making the Sun booking they will refund the difference plus £10. I think that it is unfortunate that they are only are really offering this to families of 4, and the same applies with the Ferry, as the promotional codes that are sent do not match the requirements of our vehicle.
Do consider that how much you pay is dependent on where you go and when. Do you want a particular holiday or do you have a certain budget? What kind of holiday are you after? If you are used to going all-inclusive then these may not end up being the cheapest way to take a holiday – but if you want a bargain break and are willing to do all your own cooking then I really do recommend them. I have to admit that when we went to Torbay, Devon in April it was bitterly cold, that would have been the same if we had of paid more money but not if we had of opted to go somewhere with a hotel (for example) – so it really does boil down to what you want, and what you are prepared to pay.
You can further save money on your Sun Holiday by taking your own linen and taking off the optional Entertainment passes. These cover the pool, bars, restaurants etc, and it may depend on the time of year (could you use the sea for free as opposed to the pool) or the nearby attractions. We actually found it to be hot enough in October that the boys did not want to use the entertainment passes but stayed in the sea. Our in-laws had opted out of having them and were offered them on arrival, and told they could purchase them at any point during their stay. Some parks have FREE entertainment passes or are otherwise between £2 and £15 per person per break (pppb).
Some parks on some dates are guaranteed to cost no more than £9.50 per person (based on 4 people sharing). Based on the fact that children are unable to miss school now, and not everyone can get a week off work I complied which parks and dates are guaranteed to be only£9.50:
See Sun Holidays Weekends that cost no more than £9.50 in East Anglia
Thinking about your location before the Sun Holiday Codes are all available
Once the codes come out people move pretty quickly, so it is really worth considering where you would like to go and to which parks (see the Sun Holiday Park List). Also consider alternative options – or whether you would be happy just going to a particular area.
How are you going to get there? Sun holidays to Europe do not include flights – a long drive may cost more in fuel/ferry crossings than a flight included in a package deal (see my post on whether long ferry journeys are worth it). Each of the parks tell you how much extra they charge, so you can work out how much each park would cost you depending on the size of your party. Look out for the Ferry deals too – again be aware that they may not be right for your vehicle (we have a people carrier with top box making it higher than normal) and the sun code did not apply.
For more information see https://www.ukholidaysinthesun.co.uk/
Other posts of interest
I have no affiliation with The Sun Newspaper whatsoever, this is not a sponsored post.