Hi Fifty, Welcome to HT. I'm so glad that you've found us, even if it is at such a late stage. I'm sure you don't want to sift back through over 270 pages to share all our frustrations and ultimate successes and someone from here will no doubt be able to point you in the right direction if you are one of those owed a cruise by the DE. Could you just let us know how far you have got to date? I take it for granted that you obeyed all the rules, collected the tokens and applied for your cruise giving suitable dates. Were you then, like many of us, offered a cruise at one stage which never materialised? Do you still have proof of this? If you could confirm all this then there is every reason to expect that you will either get your cruise or, more likely, a nice cash sum as compensation. It would appear that the DE are still fighting a rearguard action, but as far as I know they have always capitulated before the case goes to court. Do come back and let us know if my surmise is correct and then I'm sure you will get some excellent advice as to how to proceed. Best of luck.

Hi Asleema

Thank you for your message, I have tried to do a personal message in return but I cant, why is that?

regards

Fifty - you have to make a number of Posts before you are allowed to Make a PM

Hi again Fifty, Rather than PMs, it is usually best to post in the forum so that several people, all of whom will have far more useful and up-to-date information than I, can respond. If you could just give a brief résumé of the situation so far I'm sure you will get some help. Aslemma (with only one e and two ms!)

Hi

Is it possible for someone to do a PM to me and I will explain!

regards

Just share it with us Fifty, you know it makes sense.

I thought I'd stop off and have a look at how you are all doing regarding the Express Cruise Offer.
Glad that the people who are owed holidays are still kicking up a fuss and winning. I was one of the lucky few who got a cruise in the Med with the MSC Melody for £10 and have just been looking through the Late Cruise Deals to see what was on offer and lo and behold I come across the Melody being advertised for a cruise from Genoa (my port of departure) to Brazil, 14 nights, outside cabin, £169. Not quite a tenner but unbelievably cheap. Wrong date of departure for me (23rd Oct 2009) but well worth the money. Good luck to everyone still fighting, and a warm hello to all the old timers. Also hi to Lucy the HT mod who has been here for ever, you must have been just a child when it all started.

Hi

May I 'strongly' suggest that if you are still considering if this is worth pursuing then just 'go for it'!

fifty

Fifty you never did share your concerns on HT - did you get them resolved what ever they were

Trisantona wrote:
I am surprised that Private Eye never ran this story in their "Street Of Shame" section.
*********************************************************
First of all, thanks a million to Luci and everyone else for keeping the cause going. Luci's brilliant. It's unbelievable that this issue is still alive. Goodness knows how many gave up - which is, of course, what the DE wants.

I got my cruise by threatening the DE with articles in the Daily Mail and Private Eye. I didn't actually try the Eye (though I did speak to one of their staff) because I'd imagined that a concerted court action would resolve things and everything would be settled. So it would be a dead story. That was over two years ago. I'm having a re-think about the Eye.

Has anyone thought of a letter to the DE's correspondence page to alert non-cruisers (or not-yet-cruisers) to this thread? It would need to be positive: from someone who got their cruise without legal action or threats - to say what a lovely time they'd had. That might get readers who failed to get cruises interested in fighting for their rights.

What do you think?

Just thought: it's nearly 5½ years now. Can we get into the Guinness Book of Records as the world's longest-running promotion?

The thought oif having Private eye "on board"would be fantastic,sadly for some of those who recieved money instead of a cruise there was a legal disclaimer that had to be signed to say that we couldnt/shouldnt talk about it...tch perish the thought!
but there is nothing to stop other people from "talking" like you say it is now nearly 6 years and there must be thousands of people who just let it go to bed,i dont know if there is a time limit on claims but maybe that is what the DE is expecting but i am sure glad that at least HT is still in the ring to fight the cause and i like the other lucky? ones wasa late "winner"(october 2008) theres hope!

I have not followed this in detail but would Martin Lewis of MSE be interested.

A rerun to get all the straglers out fighting before the 6y mark could be attractive.

The guy has good TV/media presence.

WHY oh Why have you not simple gone to the small claims court. I didn't even need to go to achieve my free Hoover. Found the legal loophole spotted by my Daughter and simply told them they had bad legal advice would not disclose what I knew. EVEN the Daily Record had not spotted the loop hole.

I got my flight and my shuttle paid also and had to tell them to stop calling me I would call them (Hoover)
Papers wanted to print the story buy I was on my way. Pick up the tickets at Heathrow bought my own shuttle Glasgow to Heathrow. Sent the bill for payment to them and asked for it to be put in writing. Fax they said it was because of my determination and spirit they paid out.

Go to the SCC now and as others have had success then so will you. I am uncertain what the legal time limit is but you should check this out.

Watchdog covered this story not even Trading Standards had spotted the this and the Daily Record were very excited as the reporter spoke to his Editor and HE said "She's right" I would check not only did I get my flights etc my MIL and SIL got theirs also. They closed the loop hole after this and they promised you a cruise if you bought or sent coupons etc. Hoover said I will give you a free flight ie a gift or gratutity if you buy my product. So whilst some might say that the contract was with the shop you bought it actually was that this free gift was promised from Hoover.

My Husband said what if the tickets are not at Heathrow my answer is I will buy 2 and send them the bill. Got the money from them £274 for the shuttle cost from Glasgow. If I can do it so CAN YOU. Just go for it

Sue

Sadly Sue, There are literally thousands of people who never found this site and who can't see your advice! I believe Cruiser's aim (Hello old friend!) is to resurrect the story so that the thousands who didn't get their cruises are reminded that it isn't too late. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that thousands did take the same route you did in the Hoover flight debacle. At the time, the Express (via the travel company) received over 40,000 applications and at it's height I believe the £10 forum on HT had only around 600 members (any correction needed here Luci?) and not even the majority of us actually reported getting our cruises showing that even on the forum some people dropped out early on. Imagine then just how many people didn't succeed, just as many people didn't win the fight with Hoover. You were one of the lucky ones and so were we, with the help of the forum!!!! Actually, very few forum members actually had to resort to the SCC and certainly those who told HT about it were successful.

Hope you are still enjoying your cruises and getting good upgrades Sue!

Magsy

Hi Magsy Good to speak with you again. I will pm you. Just off the Celebrity Solstice and home on Monday. YES of course I am getting upgrades and Captain's table invitation invites etc. You know me I think it is the luck of the IRISH. Will pm you with all the news When I have the time
I think after 5 years people have two choices
1 To take the legal route through the small claims court
2 Go to the National tabloids! The first choice would be the DAILY MAIL a the Daily Express are very much pitched against each other. They may be delighted to use a story against their rival/enemy
Get a phone no use saynoto0870. Click on to alternative numbers. type in daily mail click and then scroll down. Free phone no based on what you think is the right one to ask such as DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL?
Failing this I would approach the Daily Record or the Judge in the Sunday Mail (Scottish edition as opposed to the Mail on Sunday)
Make a call and ask to speak to a reporter who would be interested in your Story. For the Judge on the Sunday Mail you need to write in. He deals with consumer problems and very much is out there to find justice for the underdog!
Sugggest you go on line Look at any Sunday issue and you will find the info and the address etc to write to him.

I have edited the previous post as windjammer rightly said it was confusing. I was very tired but my deep belief if that every single person who wanted to take up this offer should get the cruise they were promised. What I finally say there is NO way that I would have let this go on for this prolonged period. All they are doing is hoping you will go away.

Sue

WINDJAMMER
I do trust that my edit of this post will now be acceptable to you. Meet with your very high standards Your view on the different standards on for Suite Guests on NCL which you explained in such great detail. May I simply add that every Cruise Line had added benefits for their loyal guests. Having just come off Solstice on the 19th October I have now booked a further cruise on the Equinox for next April
I am a loyal X cruiser and am treated Royally by them always regardless of where I am on any of their Ships.

Sue you need to reread that post some of it makes no sense at all.

They loved the Hoover saga and when I found the loop hole in the Hoover they told me say nothing to about the DAILY RECORD as they the loop hole my Lawyer daughter she found in the Hoover offer

The point is that this site is not going to get those that might have an otstanding claim back on the case.

This needs to get picked up by someone/somewhere else that can actualy reach people.

(note: I did not bother with this offer)

Hello Everyone (nice to hear from you Magsy),

I'm a glutton for punishment (= mug!): after I failed to get my cruise I actually went in for another DE promo (DVD player) thinking they'd have learnt their lesson. I did get my player (they even sent me two - one for each eye, I suppose). But, to my amazement, I have just seen, on another forum, that people have been waiting years for their DE DVD players! I find that absolutely extraordinary: who (apart from me!) would dare go in for a DE promotion now that so much is known about what (fails to) happen?

W/J
You will see that I have edited my post re the DE offer. You were correct that it was confusing. On the Hoover issue I didn't buy it just for the offer. I actually was just about to buy a new Hoover in any case.
Hoover had totally underestimated no of people actually buy a product and that was their failure.

DE may have also underestimated how many people would want to collect their coupons and apply for this. It just meant buying a paper collecting the coupons and following the rules and everyone believed that DE would fulfill their obligatiom laid out in their contract with their readers.

It may have got either too big for them or at the outset who know. I would not have been interested in a Cruise such as this pot luck in some cases. I still firmly believe that those who applied for this offer should get what they were promised.

What I was trying to say is that they hope people will give up etc. What I was saying in the previous post they have been messed around enough and I would advise everyone out there who still wants their cruise to go the SCC route.

Sue