Good luck to all those who are taking the legal route to claim their cruises. I for one will be most interested to hear the results of these claims but I expect those who are still without cruises are even more anxious. The precedent has certainly been set because several people have now cruised since the promotion passed back to the newspaper from the hands of the agent. Good luck all!

If anyone who has not had their cruise would like to let me know then I will reflect the overall number of replies I have had when my case gets to court. I expect that this will be in the next few months as my deadline for submission of my case was today. It may well add weight to the case, and add further weight to the call for the DE to honour their commitments.

All the best

Marcus

** Edit to remove email address for members security as per T&C's. Please use PM facility for contact. luci HT Mod **

I'm so pleased to see there are new people joining in now, though obviously very sorry and annoyed for them that they need to do so. What a long-running fiasco this whole sorry tale has been for so many. Those of us who did eventually manage to get our cruises had a very enjoyable time, though in most cases we did not end up with our original 'allocation' - I was allocated the Caribbean for November '04 but finished up in the Med in July '05. Good luck to those who are taking legal action. We will all be watching the outcome with interest.

Good Morning from the Balcony

Well well, I'm away for two weeks and things have rearly hotted up whilst I've been gone.

Well done Marcus :pele :pele

I do hope you are sucessful As I said in my pm to you I paid £140 extra for my cruise and an upgrade, to an outside cabin with a balcony, no where on the ship was there a balcony unless you count the bridge !!!!
I do trust that everyone who has not had a cruise yet is supporting you with their names as further e vidence. Once more well done and power to you.

Phil

Marcus
You asked for people who have still not had their cruises, well, I have not received my cruise yet. Allocated Western Caribbean November'05, heard nothing since July'05 when I was told the DE had taken over direct control, and to please be patient! Since then, nothing, despite various letters etc.
Good luck with your case. If you succeed then more of us will take the same action, I've no doubt!

Hi Marcus,
I'm in the same position as Jeanm. Same cruise allocation, same 'please be patient' letter so you can add me to your list.

Hi Marcus. I haven't been on my cruise either so you can add me to you list.

I'm glad to see that the situation is advancing. I hope that the threat of mass legal action shakes the Daily Express enough to sort the situation out.

Marcus - I have been my cruise, which was wonderful - sorry to rub it in.
EDIT: I had been awaiting a New York City Break but after a bit of ahem, gentle persuasion i now have that booked.

Good luck all.

Hi All You can add me to your list i should have gone on the now famous Libya June 05 i have not heard anything from anybody Good Luck

Hi Marcus

You will find the names of people who agreed to accept a cruise in 2006 HERE I very much doubt that any of these people have cruised yet.

luci

I have not heard anything since being allocated a Libya cruise back in Oct 04. Dispite letters to both companies and watchdog, Working Lunch etc.

My spouse and I were both been left high and dry after receiving offers of a Carribean and Mediterraneian cruise respectively. These were cancelled like eveyone else's. We were offered excuses and vouchers and returned the vouchers. We agreed to pay £100 extra to be put together on same cruise late 2005, and waited for the cruise consultant to call us back to confirm the booking. Needless to say, it never happened and then we heard that the business was moving over to the DE. We were then contacted again by the company originally handling the offer AFTER they were no longer handling the business (very strange!) to be told that noone would be getting a cruise now because of this, that and the other. The woman quoted loads of Ts and Cs and reminded me of clauses that gave them this right and that right. I contacted the DE and was told to send copies of everything to them. To be honest I've kinda lost motivation to go to all the effort of getting all the evidence together.

Is there anyone out there who can say that it's worth it in the end?

Hi Barneydog
I think all those that managed to get a cruise, (even paying extra) will say it was worth it. (It would have been even better without all the hassle)
Suggest you keep after yours, it will be worth it

Hopefully the start of the legal cases will prompt them into action.

Peter

Hello folks

Yes Im still here, still waiting for some news on this DE cruise saga!

As stated by others, I still read the comments on this site, still ring the DE to listen to that frustrating 'same ole same ole' recorded message and still write to DE - all to no avail

Only a thought but could we try and get into groups based on locations and try take up legal action in numbers!!!! Perhaps with the knowledge of support in groups more will be tempted to take action and we can all try and help each other.......

Lou x

Hi Marcus
Please add me to your list, also have a good friend who has no internet facility but who is in exactly the same position as myself. We were both offered Libya on June 5 2005. We have both sent numerous letters, made telephone calls e mailed Watchdog and Working Lunch, and as every one else, all to no avail. We are determined not to give up though. Wishing you luck with your proceedings and please keep us posted.

Thank you Marcus for the reply please add me to your lisit... I was allocated a Carribean Cruise for Sept,05. All the best

Marcus,

I am also a cruiser in waiting.

Should we all inundate The Mail with our plight?

Pam B

Today I went up the the DE offices in Lower Thames street and asked to see someone on Mr SM's staff. The receptionist asked if it was about the cruise and I replied 'What makes you say that?' 'We get hundreds of people coming in!' she replied
A lovely lass called Rebecca came down to see me. She was sweetness and light, very polite and rather like talking to a padded wall. 'We'll let everyone know as soon as we have some information' she kept on saying again and again and again. I pointed out that I had been offered two different cruises before being told I wasn't having any and she nodded, very sympathetically and said 'As soon as....' I also pointed out that as they were running a good manners campaign it was hardly good manners not to have the courtesy to reply to letters 'As soon as...'.
I suggested that perhaps it would not have been too much trouble to have let me know that my letters had been received. She pointed out that they had hundreds of letters. I suggested that a print off of a set letter would have solved the problem of replying individually. 'As soon...'
I also contacted Radio Kent but am still awaiting their reply.
Just before I left I asked Rebecca if I would get a cruise in 2006 or would have to wait until 2007. Guess what the reply was
You're right As soon as....'

I forgot to mention that I asked Rebecca if they watched this web site and she said they did. I pointed out that they must be aware of the attitude developing towards the DE as a result of this farce which was at least on an equal fitting with the DM Hoover fiasco. She said that they had been badly let down in the first place and were now trying to sort it out themselves. I suggested they hired a couple of cruise liners and filled them from top to bottom to clear the backlog! She looked bemused. I said that going to law seemed a rather desperate action and would reflect so badly on the paper but I got the stock answer yet again. 'as soon...'
Are they broke that they can't hire a couple of boats?
I also pointed out that, had I been told at the very beginning that they'd totally underestimated the number of people who would apply and were very sorry and here's a travel voucher, I'd have been disappointed but resigned. But to have two cruises dangled and then snatched away was unkind. I'm pretty cross. It was very cold and whilst the placard idea was in my mind I thought I might wait until the weather's warmer and protests have cooled a bit before I get arrested for banners causing incitement not to buy the DE!! Though coppers are looking a lot younger and some are quite hunky looking - it's my age I guess. Fogive me!