Anyone doing that Cook Is Status run that has not booked Hotel yet etc?

[ozstamps]

Anyone doing that Cook Is run that has not booked Hotel yet etc?

Booked that great double SC Biz ‘’instant Platinum’’ deal SYD-RAR via all milk run stops along the way.

Flying next weekend.

At the time I pre-paid booked two hotels, with Free Cancel window and meant to cancel out the other within the cancel window, and as usual I forgot.

As anyone else know who did the run the Hotels there are very costly – tyranny of distance I guess, and no competition there, and no large chain Hotel properties at all, but it is what it is.

One of the Hotels a top end family run place was generous and replied they were happy for me or friends to use the hotel nights anytime within 6 months – and I guess I might be able to ask for a longer window, if that were really necessary for someone.

Booked 4 nights as that is all the time I could get away from work but all Cook Hotels work on 5th night free if you book 4 nights. Booked a waterfront suite in this very highly reviewed place.

Anyway, anyone who is yet to fly, and indeed anyone who is adding Cook Islands as a normal mileage run (ton of SC if you route SYD-BNE-AKL-RAR-AKL-MEL-SYD) or just a holiday, let me know, and we’ll work out a great deal - say HALF my actual cost - as I really need to get these off my hands fast! WIN-WIN all round. Better than losing the lot.

Please contact me direct if interested – ozstamps [at] gmail dot com and I'll pass on details

 

[ozstamps]

Just checked adding in SYD-RAR-SYD, and selecting the Milk Run options of SYD-BNE-AKL-RAR-AKL-MEL-SYD, and see ELEVATE fares can be found for under $1000 round trip for anyone looking for a lot of SC, pretty cheap to an interesting destination.

RAR-AKL-RAR alone is 70 Status Credits.

 

[ja1]

I had fun on this run but it's not a totally easy one for a couple of reasons:

- There's no VA lounge in RAR itself which means you are spending at least a couple of hours at a pretty small airport.. and in the bar opposite the airport.. (and doing something with luggage..)

- Your flight back gets into AKL when everything is closed - literally. Even the transit facility is closed so you're literally camping out on some chairs for anywhere from an hour to two hours. Even after transit opens the lounge doesn't until 5am.. so you're still stuck in the airport until then.. and you only get a short amount of time in the lounge before you're away again..

I booked into business the whole way and they did try to look after you but it is a 737 - so good legroom and seats (and I had almost the whole J cabin to myself on the AKL-RAR leg) but it is not a lie flat bed..

With DSC i requalified for WP in one round trip. .

Good luck with the hotel resale - yes the hotels are expensive but the destination is absolutely awesome and if you're offering 50% off that would make the hotel a bargain!

 

[ozstamps]

ja1 - good to hear you got instant Platinum locked in on one return flight to Rarotonga!

Even without the double SC offer there is a Gold Velocity Renewal right there it looks like to me on those pretty cheap Elevate class tickets. (Change fee on those is HALF what our Biz Class tickets is!) And anyway, there certainly will be another double SC in the future I feel sure.

We rented a car pretty cheap so will not be stuck at airport prior to leaving, but will have dinner on island before the 10pm flight. So no lounge there in RAR Biz or Plats have access to?

Re the AKL stopover on way back I'd looked at that, and we just booked a cheapie AKL airport hotel for a nice sleep in, and took the 4pm flight AKL-MEL-SYD that gets us to SYD at 8.55pm.

Hotel owner was very good about it all and said what I paid was good for a full credit with him for a year, so all sweet. As you say decent accommodation there is not cheap, so that was a nice offer.

Just got this email from Virgin - we have oz passports thank goodness -

​ UPCOMING FLIGHT NOTIFICATION​

​ Dear ozstamps, Please be aware that the New Zealand Government has introduced a new travel requirement. Australian and New Zealand citizens are not affected by this new requirement. If you are a citizen of any of the 60 visa waiver countries, and are travelling to or through New Zealand, you will be required to obtain a NZ eTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority). A list of the countries affected by this travel requirement can be found on the NZ eTA website. In order to enter New Zealand and to make your journey as seamless as possible, please ensure you have requested an NZeTA. You can request this via the official mobile app or website. Please note that approval can take up to 72 hours, and failure to provide your NZ eTA will mean you are denied entry into the country by New Zealand Customs. For more information, please visit the New Zealand Immigration website. Thanks and we’ll see you onboard soon, Virgin Australia

 

[ja1]

Nice scheduling ozstamps. I would have been tempted to do something similar but I couldn't figure out how to book something that gave me an overnight.. so I would bother to leave the airport.

I had a great trip in RAR itself. spent 5 days there

If you are an aviation buff contact me as it may be possible to visit the ATC while there (if they are amenable that is) and it's a pretty cool view to watch your plan land from up in the tower ;-)

Yes you're right - in Elevate you'd make gold renewal in one trip - my logic was that business was only a few hundred more (I think the whole RT was < $1700 in J)