Trying to get a refund

[MAC_1867]

I'll try and keep this short.

 

We originally booked a 2 week cruise for Exotic Explorer and Pride of Panama. This was cancelled and we were offered an amendment.

 

Unfortunately, we couldn't get on the same 2 weeks as this was now split by the Flavours of the Caribbean cruise, we ended up booking 3 weeks and intended doing all 3 back to back. It has been booked as  - Pride of Panama and then the  Exotic Explorer & Flavours of the Caribbean, this had come under 2 separate booking references.

 

It was cancelled again and moved to January/February 2022

 

We have booked a few excursions and the grand total paid is £9,000.00 for 2 of us.

 

We've had an email today now saying that Guatemala and Cayman Islands have been removed and replaced with an extra night in Jamaica (We are already there for 6 days) and a day in Cozumel, Mexico, we are already going there, so thats 2 trips there.

 

Our itinerary is shrinking and we now spend 21 days doing the following - 

6 days at sea

6 days in Jamaica 

2 days in Cuba

2 days in Cozumel

 

Thats 16 days out of 21 either spent at sea or somewhere on a repeat visit.

 

This is now not something i want to do, nor feel £9,000.00's worth of holiday. We are worried about further changes being made and we don't want to book again as its a nightmare getting 3 weeks off work. 

 

Any advice on how strict TUI are on their refund policy?

 

 

 

[MAC_1867]

After speaking with Marella they are trying to split the 2 booking references as far apart as possible, treating them as 2 entirely separate bookings when any normal person would treat them as one.

 

We were not made aware when booking the 3 weeks it would fall like this.

 

Speaking to them a few weeks ago they asked me if i would call Marella from Jamaica at the end of the first week and let them know i wouldn't be on the return flight to Manchester, nor be on the flight out from Manchester to Jamaica as we would already be there.

 

Nobody seems to know whats happening from one call to the next 

[howmuch!]

A few things spring to mind, but check first - 

 

It may not go ahead due to Covid/Omicron, if they cancel receive full refund.

 

If the start date is after the 5th January, you can change 'fee free' - see website. This could allow you change to another cruise, cruise and stay or land based hotel holiday, and get the difference back as a refund (just done this with our January Canaries cruise)

 

Looking at your new itinerary looks like a 'significant change' in my view, so may be reason for refund. Did the email give a reason for the changes

 

Edited December 21, 2021 by howmuch!

[MAC_1867]

23 minutes ago, howmuch! said:

A few things spring to mind, but check first - 

 

It may not go ahead due to Covid/Omicron, if they cancel receive full refund.

 

If the start date is after the 5th January, you can change 'fee free' - see website. This could allow you change to another cruise, cruise and stay or land based hotel holiday, and get the difference back as a refund (just done this with our January Canaries cruise)

 

Looking at your new itinerary looks like a 'significant change' in my view, so may be reason for refund. Did the email give a reason for the changes

 

 

I think we've just had enough of the stress now and would prefer to get a refund. We've already changed 3 times and my partner cannot get time off to move after ding this 3 times already.

 

It would have to be a hell of a land holiday to justify £9k

 

Email - 

 

Due to the current situation, with Grand Cayman remaining closed to cruise ships, we’ve made the decision to remove this island from your cruise. We’re replacing the call in George Town with an overnight in Montego Bay.

We’re also replacing Guatemala in the second week of your cruise. Guatemala still have mandatory cruise line shore excursions in place as an entry requirement. As they’re not able to provide enough trips and tours for us, we’ve made the difficult decision to swap Santo Tomas with Cozumel in Mexico. We’ve adjusted the order of the ports in our schedule to make this possible. And, you’re currently able to go ashore independently in Mexico.

Your new itinerary looks like this…   We have 7 days prior to this on a separate booking reference

Day 1 Montego Bay, Jamaica

Day 2 Montego Bay, Jamaica Dep: 15:00

Day 3 At Sea

Day 4 Havana, Cuba Arr: 08:00

Day 5 Havana, Cuba Dep: 13:00

Day 6 Cozumel, Mexico Arr: 09:00 Dep: 20:00

Day 7 At Sea

Day 8 Montego Bay, Jamaica Arr: 09:00 Dep: 20:00

Day 9 At Sea

Day 10 Roatan, Honduras Arr: 09:00 Dep: 18:00

Day 11 Belize City*, Belize Arr: 08:00 Dep: 18:00

Day 12 Costa Maya, Mexico Arr: 08:00 Dep: 18:00

Day 13 Cozumel, Mexico Arr: 08:00 Dep: 18:00

Day 14 At Sea

Day 15 Montego Bay, Jamaica Arr: 09:00

[MAC_1867]

PS i'm in Rotherham too 😃

[howmuch!]

I was thinking £1000 hotel hol, £8000 refund. 

I would ring them as it's usually quicker than Chat (although chat has the benefit of having something in writing - if you copy and paste, as they never send the transcript)

[howmuch!]

Just to confirm. On Monday I changed our Jan 4th cruise to hotel holiday in April. Just checked Barclaycard and cash refund has arrived. 

Edited December 22, 2021 by howmuch!

[MAC_1867]

Flat out refused my request for a refund.

 

Told me to take it up with my insurance.

[howmuch!]

This is the Tui website -

Plus, we promise you the flexibility to make changes to your holiday date, hotel, flight, or destination.

TUI BOOKINGS

You can make a change fee-free from now up until 14 days before your departure date if:
• You’re due to travel between 1 January and 31 January 2022

-----------------------------

Our original booking was made online, so I had to ask for the change by telephone. A relative who had the same holiday booked via a Tui shop, made their change of holiday at the Tui shop that they use. Both of us have successfully changed our cruise to a land based holiday, with the remainder of our original booking, being refunded to the original payment card - no fees/losses.

 

If you asked for a straight refund (perhaps due to the change in ports), their terms and conditions probably cover that, and does not trigger a refund. However, the flexibility promise allows changes to the holiday type, destination, dates etc, provided its the same people travelling.

 

Before we made the changes, I checked that it was acceptable by telephone and 'chat', both said it was, but at that point we hadn't selected an alternative holiday, so couldn't proceed at that point, when asked if I wanted to. Like any large organisation, not everyone gets things right, so I would keep trying.

 

[Pensioncruiser]

2 hours ago, MAC_1867 said:

Flat out refused my request for a refund.

 

Told me to take it up with my insurance.

As they did with us in March 2020 sorry to say I have tried always to resolve it, including solicitors, with no movement still have vouchers for the full amount, which run out in January, I do feel for you and wish you well for us think we will book anything in 2022 and move if we feel safe to do so. 😕 Good luck 

[MAC_1867]

Thanks for the replies.

 

the issue we are going to have is the 3 week cruise has been put under 2 separate booking references. A 1 week and then a 2 week.

 

We are looking at a lane based holiday but not sure if they expect us to book 2.

 

We weren’t aware it was under 2 references until after booking. 

[MAC_1867]

They also described dropping cayman island and Guatemala as minor. 

[Pensioncruiser]

10 minutes ago, MAC_1867 said:

They also described dropping cayman island and Guatemala as minor. 

Think that's normal, in the past, for Marella, but they would give a £50 OBS for missing a port. 🤔

[MAC_1867]

Still struggling here as Marella have split the 3 week cruise into 2 separate booking references now looking like they want us to book 2 separate holidays.

 

dear me 

[howmuch!]

For the 2 holidays, I would book 1 week somewhere that suits you, and then for the second booking, another week at the same hotel for the following week (wasting the un-needed flights as with your cruise). This fulfills what they want.

 

While doing this, remind them that they asked you to ring THEM from Jamaica, so that they could resell your Caribbean flights.

 

They are taking the proverbial!