Thanks Craig for the Watchdog answer
Thanks Davy Jones.......fear as a cruiseless one I am going to get the penal colony offer
A few questions on that offer
Will there be upgrades on the offer ?
How about regional departures ?
Dress code-Voluntary or compulsary ?
Tea or coffee making facilities ?
Transfers from arrival point to colony ?
Have I collected enough coupons ?
The children think the penal colony offer is much more likely and more appropriate than the cruise.
William
Thanks for your review, it sounded like you had a ball.
It's great that people are still posting

I just looked on the Watchdog web site and there's no new information. Sounds like we're on our own.

I e-mailed the newspaper on the day that the old thread was removed (Thursday), giving home and work e-mail addresses, home & work phone numbers, work fax number, address and flying directions for pigeons, but I haven't heard anything back yet.

If there are going to be over 1000 people e-mailing and phoning them tomorrow, it may be some time before we hear anything.

On a separate topic, is it my imagination or has no-one had any more contact from the holiday company which starts with the 18th letter of the alphabet?

At one point there were regularly people posting to say they'd at least had a phone call, but it seems to have quietened down. Perhaps it's because the other section (site/thread/forum - what's the right word for it?) has been closed down and not everyone has found this new site yet.

Graham

PS My 21 day wait for a call expires on 3rd March. Fingers crossed!

Maybe it`s because everyone has had their cruise confirmed???

Or could it be the beginning of the end?

I wouldn`t have thought that transferring to this `replacement` thread would stop people posting that sort of info.

It`s hardly defamatory saying something like, "Rise Travel `phoned today and confirmed my cruise on....... etc. etc. and I paid £XXX"

I suspect that either (hopefully) they are:

A) Consolidating their facts before causing any more confusion with conflicting calls from different offices and we will soon hear of a new wave of positive calls.

or

B) Run out of ideas and closing ranks.

Let`s confidently anticipate option A.

Tony

Hi All,

Yes, not much new information from Watchdog tonight. Obviously HT users already knew that the three interviewees had got their cruises ok, though the viewing general public wouldn't have known.

The Express keep saying everyone will be satisfied; 1000 contacting Watchdog is more than had been in touch a fortnight ago. When will the contacts from 'you know who' restart?

Fingers crossed the cruise confirmations start rolling in soon.

Love Kay

PS. This is being typed on a TINY computer.... I hae to be careful that eerytime I type a v it works ok. Its ery aggriating.

Hi, everyone.
Haven't been here since a travel firm sent me some Travel Vouchers which I promptly returned, so you can imagine my horror when I couldn't find the link in my 'Favourites'! Pity 'cos I was going to look at my posting to confirm dates for a summary I'm writing. Never mind! I was delighted to see this is back - my thanks to you all at HT for sorting that out. I had horrible withdrawl symptoms when I thought all was gone! This site has truely been my lifeline thru all the hassle.
Looked back over a few pages but not sure if I should be inserting a subject description - I'm in the 'Allocated/not confirmed/still hoping' category! My latest 21days is up tomarrow, so I guess I will be one of the 1000 trying to get thru to the DE! Think I'll just have a nightcap and get to bed for now, and look again tomarrow! Glad to see so many new and familiar 'cruisers' are still here, and really pleased to see we have a 'returned' cruiser in our midst. It gives one heart! 'Nite all!
John

Now then William / JennieL....

I notice we have a few reviews from the same sailing as yourself...Have you been touting for business on board?
Good on yer
Van

Hi Phil

You can put photos on the site by clicking on Photo Galleries at the top of the page. Please make it clear which location they should be posted in.

HTH

luci

I too noticed on Watchdog that the Daily Express were dealing with all queries so I anticipate they will have quite a lot to sort out.

I e-mailed Emma Pearce today regarding the discrepancies in what people are being charged for the same cruise/flight/transfer/cabin type. It may sound petty to those who are still waiting to get anything at all, and I accept I have got quite a bargain, but I feel it is a valid point. I'll obviously keep you posted.

Well Van

I don't know what you are insinuating!!
When I said I accosted some 'William' contenders I didn't mean I was 'touting' for business.

But it's nice to know that other people have found this site all by themselves.

Well Van

I don't know what you are insinuating!!
When I said I accosted some 'William' contenders I didn't mean I was 'touting' for business.

I wouldn`t stand for that, Jennie. You should contact your legal team immediately............that`s a clear case of "Definition of Character" if ever I`ve seen it.

I'm so sorry that Rise have won this round...... whatever happened to freedom of speech. Do Watchdog know that this has happened? Sounds as if Rise are definitely worried.

Is anyone opening up a new website? I wouldn't even know where to start..... what about the other site ZNet or something??

I just feel sorry for the moderators who are being made scapegoats for this fiasco.

Hi Elaine,

Is anyone opening up a new website? I wouldn't even know where to start..... what about the other site ZNet or something??

No need for a new or different website.....Just think about it for a minute:

We are here, still talking about it and can still exchange the same information. All that is asked is that we be more aware of slipping from factual into what could be constued as defamatory.

In other words, "This company has not replied as promised" or "I feel very let down by this company`s attitude on the telephone" or "I don`t believe a word they say anymore" are your opinions and facts around the issue.

However, saying that a company company, eg, `XYZ` is running a con or s-c-a-m is not ok and could give them ammunition. Neither is it alright to specify individual names or contact numbers, even if they are already in the Public domain.

As was made clear by Van, the original topic has not been deleted, but taken down for the HT lawyers to go through following a threat by Rise Travel that they might consider legal action.

Don`t let`s talk like victims who have been beaten.....this action is cautionary and the Legal Eagles may well come back with the majority of previous posts being ok. There were only a few that I saw which could possibly be considered vaguely unsupported but they EVEN were only as a result of the frustrations caused by substantiated grievances amongst contributors.

This is the way people tend to go these days....as soon as someone shouts "Lawyer" everyone assumes they must have the high ground.

As I believe the Law to stand, we are still innocent until proven guilty and the first person to shout is not necessarily the innocent party.

THESE ARE OF COURSE, ONLY MY PERSONAL OPINIONS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE CURRENT SITUATION. I DO NOT REPRESENT HOLIDAY TRUTHS IN ANY WAY.

TonyW

Speaking personally, I would not bother to try other sites. Although I am sure many of them are excellent and serve a useful purpose (just watching out for any other lawyers lurking around) I have found HT to be the easiest site to navigate, with the best moderators and the most knowledgeable and humourous contributors. OK, some of us may appear to be a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic, but that is only because of the company we keep.

Hello elaine,

You express my feelings too, am finding it very difficult to post messages because of the events of the last week, my first thought was what has happened to freedom of speech, i feel somewhat gagged. I have my cruise booked and confirmed but i still feel strongly that i did not get what was offered and i also feel for all those still waiting and it makes me very angry. There are still a lot within HT still waiting ... over 250 members i believe (am not into number scrunching lol) and only just over a hundred of us with cruises. I would have battled on for those without but like i said feel somewhat gagged. love patricia xxx

Elaine and Patricia

No need to feel gagged. You are welcome to carry on posting provided you adhere to the few guidelines Glynis posted earlier:

In the meantime we would be grateful if members would not:-

Mention any staff member of the company by name.

Do not make any defamatory comments against the company.

Do not post any email addresses or telephone numbers.

Stick to facts that you can support.

HTH

luci

As has been stated you are allowed your opinion but you are not allowed to be libellous. You are allowed by law to post about your circumstances you are just not allowed to make defamatory comments.

You may of course go off to another website but that site will be governed by the same legal stance.

This law is not exclusive to Holidaytruths it governs all written works (even emails !) and will also include other websites.

I did actually reiterate this scenario happening when I spoke to the director.........that members may disband and go elsewhere where they may not be found, and that at least on HT they were able to understand their customers problems.

Maybe this is what was hoped.........United you stand - divided you fall ????

If I had been involved in this promotion I would stay loyal to the group of people with whom I had come this far.

Frobozz,

If it puts your mind at rest - the company you mentioned is still alive and well: I had a message from them only yesterday. It was a very helpful message saying something like: "Hello, we rang." I was less successful when I rang back to see why they'd contacted me. I'm sure it wasn't to say: Ah, Mr Cruiser, we're happy to offer you a cruise for a tenner!

Judging by the number of pages this fledgling thread has reached in a very short space of time, I think members posting know EXACTLY where their lotalty lies, thank you for everything.

Although only a recent member, I shall stick to this website as it is honest, informative, up-to-date, amusing (am I allowed that?) and appears to be the only way of keeping track of certain 'ascending', 'uplifting' (whoops I have been at the dictionary) situations. I do have a sense of humour : but thought I had better keep it under wraps for the time being. Have just e.mailed a certain person at a certain newspaper as advised by Watchdog last night and await his/her /her/whoops!) reply. Many thanks to the moderators who clearly have their jobs cut out at present. I still want my cruise. And so does my sister.
Chris J.