Marcus,
Hope you enjoy your skiing. Please keep us informed of your progress.
When I finish my dental treatment in three weeks I will start to nag the DE again.

Marcus

Another piece of evidence you can use is the ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) which upheld complaints against both the Express and you-know-who, about the cruise offer.

You can read the ruling here :-

http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/non_broadcast/Adjudication+Details.htm?adjudication_id=39579

Many thanks

Marcus

Does anyone have one of the original front covers promoting the offer with Judith Chalmers beaming out at us. It would be usful to show it in court.

I have sent a copy to Marcus. I have scanned copies of the T&C's printed in the DE at the time as well. If anyone else wants copies please PM me with your email address.

Chris.

hi

Im really pleased things are moving again, but would like to know how they are justifying the £35 tax added. As per terms and conditions this should be included.

I don't think they can justify the £35, which wouldn't have been applicable if the cruises had been offered and taken within the original timeframes as per T&C. It's one of the reasons why I'm not accepting an offer and would prefer to let it go to court.

Happy hunting

Marcus

Hi Marcus
I can post a DVD of the adverts with Judith Chalmers if it helps. If you PM me with an address I'll pop one in a jiffy for you.
Good Luck Richard

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

As for having to decide straight away, I imagine that they would like to jump to their tune, but that's not something I'm good at so quite clear that it will go at my pace not theirs.

I think that was always the case. Many of us had to accept what we were offered on the spot or else face losing the offer. I did get to choose from a range of dates but had to decide instantly - the reason being that the offers were based on available airline seats which couldn't be held over.

Mind you at this late stage, I would hope some flexibility could be included, for the sake of fairness. But fairness doesn't seem a word that springs to mind with this......

I hope everything is starting to fall into place now and there are lots of cheerful postings in the very near future. Good luck everybody.

It was interesting re-reading the ruling from the ASA that the Express did not even answer the charges made against them, and just ignored the agency. Did they think the rules of good manners didn't apply to them ? This seems to be the same tactics they are using with anyone trying to obtain their cruise. So much for their terrible advert about good manners and respecting people.

Hi Marcus,
I have the original Newspaper Cuttings from the Daily Express. I see that you have alreadfy been offered a DVD of the advert. If you would like this copy , please send your address to my pm with your address and I can pop them in the post.

I have had my cruise-2nd -9th February on Thomson Spirit-the Red Sea Magic Cruise. The paperwork turned upafter I had written to the Managing Director of Express Newspapers just before Christmas. I sent it special delivery, private and confidential!

I had been originally been allocated a Caribbean Cruise, but was happy to accept a cruise to the Red Sea as Iwanted to see the Red Rose City of Petra.

The cruise was a good experience and well worth the wait and all the hassle

I have since sent a thank you letter to the Express c/of the MD of Express Newspapers. I hope that more cruises will be allocated soon-hang in there it will be worth the wait.

I met 2 others on the cruise promotion who were not members of the HT Forum. There is hope, hang in there, the wait will be worth it.

Grey Lady

Just to say many thanks for all the offers of hlep, which are greatly appreciated, and will really come in useful when it comes to the court case.

Interesting point about their recent public ethos abouot fairness etc. Just goes to show what double standrards they have, which is why I know other papers such as the Mail will delight in highlighting their short comings!!!

I'll post an update when I'm back from skiing, which start in 30 minutes times.

Regards

Marcus

Regarding the Daily Mail, it seems that there is some sort of "gentleman's agreement" whereby newspapers will not criticise other paper's offers and promotions. Whether it's a sort of "here but the grace of God" attitude I don't know. Apart from one article in the Guardian over a year ago, other newspapers have remained strangely silent about this fiasco.

I had a phone call this morning from a friend to say she has got a Nile cruise with Thomsons on 23rd Feb. After the usual round of letter writing, Watchdog etc. she finally got the name and phone number of one of the directors, spoke to him direct and it was sorted!! She hadn't heard of HT but I pointed her in our direction and hope she will post. She has paid the £35 (which is standard now) plus £30 to fly from East Midlands and is more than happy.

Hi everybody great news that people are being offered cruises once more. I have to admit that I had almost decided to give up but now I am determined to get the DE honour their commitment and I will start chasing them again. Well done those of you who have succeeded and lets hope we will all have an offer very soon.

Glancing at the front page of today's DE (in the newsagents - I don't buy it!) I see that they approve of turning up on someone's doorstep in a large group with a pile of correspondence - and to have a photograph on the event on a newspaper's front page.

So they could have no possible objection if we did the same to them, could they?

Jim

So they could have no possible objection if we did the same to them, could they?

Want a bet Jim? It is an excellent idea though

I joined this site to add my name to the list of would be cruisers, but haven't posted since(partly because I forgot how to). However, although I feel a bit like an eavesdropper, I do check the situation with the DE cruises every month or so and would just like to say thankyou to everybody who does post and share their information with others. I personally have written, e-mailed and phoned over the last 6 months but received nothing back but a recorded phone message, so have nothing much to add. I might have thought it not worth trying still if I hadn't come across this website, but reading your postings is enough encouragement to continue, many thanks.

Welcome Pollyday - keep on fighting - you will get there eventually!

Welcome to HT Pollyday! Glad the site has given you the incentive to keep fighting. Good luck!

luci