Hi all...im a newbie and glad i have come across such a informative site....Myself and my partner are getting married on 9th August 2008 and have booked our honeymoon through First Choice we are going to Margarita for 2 weeks, when booking the holiday it said in the brochure that Scuba diving is not charged which we though great!! until we recieved a letter a week ago stating that they are charging nearly 600 to scuba dive!!!...and basically if we wanted to change our holiday then to visit first choice shop so we made a trip down there and what a waste of time!!!!
The assistant manager was no help at all no apology nothing we did say we were looking forward to doing the scuba diving and the assistant manager just said that we could change our holiday and offered us Greece!!!! im sorry but lot of difference from the Carribean to Greece!! we got quite annoyed and asked how much we would lose if we cancelled our honeymoon she got on the phone to somebody and just said to us that they would get in touch with the hotel and we would recieve some info by email within 48 hrs that was a week ago and we still waiting...
Just wondering whats the best way of going about complaining? mainly as we have been misformed they brought another brochure out and still says its free in there aswell
Any advice appreciated looking on some of the posts on here First choice take there time in replying so is there a quicker route?
Thanks
Josey12373
Hi josey12373 and welcome to HT!
If they are still advertising something which doesn't exist I would take the brochure to your local Trading Standards in the first instance and get their advice.
Keep us posted on your progress.
luci
If they are still advertising something which doesn't exist I would take the brochure to your local Trading Standards in the first instance and get their advice.
Keep us posted on your progress.
luci
Hi josey12373 - congratulations on your forthcoming wedding
Are you going all inclusive to Margarita? Usually the AI option includes a free scuba diving lesson in the pool each day but doesnt include a full fortnight of diving. Was it a specific Scuba diving holiday?
hope you get it sorted, let us know x
Are you going all inclusive to Margarita? Usually the AI option includes a free scuba diving lesson in the pool each day but doesnt include a full fortnight of diving. Was it a specific Scuba diving holiday?
hope you get it sorted, let us know x
Hi Josey, also congrats on your forthcoming nuptuals! (sp?)
Can you post the name of the hotel so we can view the description online?
Maybe they gave you a first or second edition brochure in the shop? In which case it should be corrected in the subsequent edition.
They have obviously made an error, otherwise they would not be informing you of it. In cases like this, they have to make you aware and give you the option to decide if it bothers you that much that you want to change or cancel. If it was me, I couldn't care less, I'm not a diver.
But, if you consider it to be a big part of your honeymoon plans, they should in theory offer you the chance to cancel without charge or change to a property with free scuba (unlikely, as I'm sure it was an error). I've had a look at the T & C's and they are a little vague.
Here in Cyprus, it costs approx 60 Euros for a half day shore & boat dive so 600 quid sounds right for two weeks worth of diving. You have to weigh this one up. Did you want the scuba because you thought it was free? Will it really spoil your honeymoon if you don't get it?
I hope you get it sorted. A stress you don't need when planning a wedding!
Louise
Can you post the name of the hotel so we can view the description online?
Maybe they gave you a first or second edition brochure in the shop? In which case it should be corrected in the subsequent edition.
They have obviously made an error, otherwise they would not be informing you of it. In cases like this, they have to make you aware and give you the option to decide if it bothers you that much that you want to change or cancel. If it was me, I couldn't care less, I'm not a diver.
But, if you consider it to be a big part of your honeymoon plans, they should in theory offer you the chance to cancel without charge or change to a property with free scuba (unlikely, as I'm sure it was an error). I've had a look at the T & C's and they are a little vague.
Here in Cyprus, it costs approx 60 Euros for a half day shore & boat dive so 600 quid sounds right for two weeks worth of diving. You have to weigh this one up. Did you want the scuba because you thought it was free? Will it really spoil your honeymoon if you don't get it?
I hope you get it sorted. A stress you don't need when planning a wedding!
Louise
*Admin edit - post removed as member banned - Glynis*
Thank you for your contructive input active19. Nice first post.
If they had not made an error, they would not be telling her about it.
Louise
If they had not made an error, they would not be telling her about it.
Louise
And you can't say they haven't samsung unless you are a mind reader.
You really know how to make a new member with a problem feel welcome don't you.
Hi Josey12373,
Congratulations on your nuptuals. I agree with loubychew they have probably made an error and that is why they are informing you. You need to explain to them that the main reason you booked this holiday was the inclusive scuba diving and you want the Carribean and not Greece for your honeymoon, that is why you booked it. Perhaps they will be willing to make some monetary allowance towards the cost.
If you feel really strongly, give Ros the travel Solicitor who works with this site a call, after the Bank Holiday, to see where you stand legally as it seems like false advertising as they have sold you something that didn't exist.
You really know how to make a new member with a problem feel welcome don't you.
Hi Josey12373,
Congratulations on your nuptuals. I agree with loubychew they have probably made an error and that is why they are informing you. You need to explain to them that the main reason you booked this holiday was the inclusive scuba diving and you want the Carribean and not Greece for your honeymoon, that is why you booked it. Perhaps they will be willing to make some monetary allowance towards the cost.
If you feel really strongly, give Ros the travel Solicitor who works with this site a call, after the Bank Holiday, to see where you stand legally as it seems like false advertising as they have sold you something that didn't exist.
If they had not made an error, they would not be telling her about it.
Have you considered that the hotel may have withdrawn the scuba diving facility? In which case it is not an "error" and First Choice are passing on the information to their customers.
As SallyMac posted, often the scuba diving is little more than trial lessons in the hotel pool, just to see if you like it and want to book to perhaps go out to sea and experience sea diving.
" And you can't say they haven't samsung unless you are a mind reader."
doepsmc why do you think that active 19 is samsung ?
just because active 19s first post does not appear helpful and is in a first choice complaint section
doesn't mean that samsungs back .....does it ?
Sorry gone slightly
......lets get back to the topic of josey12373
my suggestion is to ask first choice how recent this change is, and if it was made after the booking was made. Ask for the latest brochure in the shop and find out if it is still being offered free of charge.
I like the thinking of "traveller" in that it might of been recently withdrawn....things do change from time to time.
doepsmc why do you think that active 19 is samsung ?
just because active 19s first post does not appear helpful and is in a first choice complaint section
doesn't mean that samsungs back .....does it ?
Sorry gone slightly
......lets get back to the topic of josey12373my suggestion is to ask first choice how recent this change is, and if it was made after the booking was made. Ask for the latest brochure in the shop and find out if it is still being offered free of charge.
I like the thinking of "traveller" in that it might of been recently withdrawn....things do change from time to time.
Hi again Josey,
Traveller and doepsmc make some good points.
It may be a recent change. Hotels do this all the time. They tell the TO that whatever is included then change their minds after the brochures have gone to print. Or, it could be a human error at the point of unputting the info.
At the end of the day, only you can decide how much this affects you but I certainly would not want to change from Margarita to Greece for my honeymoon, much as I love Greece.
Ros will be able to help you and maybe you could turn this around by negotiating some freebies to go a little way towards making up for the disappointment.
Louise
Traveller and doepsmc make some good points.
It may be a recent change. Hotels do this all the time. They tell the TO that whatever is included then change their minds after the brochures have gone to print. Or, it could be a human error at the point of unputting the info.
At the end of the day, only you can decide how much this affects you but I certainly would not want to change from Margarita to Greece for my honeymoon, much as I love Greece.
Ros will be able to help you and maybe you could turn this around by negotiating some freebies to go a little way towards making up for the disappointment.
Louise
i had a look on their web site at all the margarita hotels and all say scuba diving and there is no asterisk by any of them which indicates a charge. the only exception was one hotel which said " free scuba lesson in pool". it could be that all the hotels have a free lesson in the pool and that they have made mistakes. usually it is only the lesson in the pool that is free. i would look into their terms and then go to the agent and show the brochure, be firm and don't budge till you get the result you want, it could take a while but be patient.if possible print off the online brochure that is still advertising it. good luck.
Slightly but many hotels do offer free scuba diving. We recently returned from the Paradisus Rio de Oro (fab hotel - ideal for a honeymoon) in Cuba where you could dive whenever you wanted. Sandals I believe also offer free diving but I guess with them the diving is already factored into the somewhat high prices!
but many hotels do offer free scuba diving. We recently returned from the Paradisus Rio de Oro (fab hotel - ideal for a honeymoon) in Cuba where you could dive whenever you wanted. Sandals I believe also offer free diving but I guess with them the diving is already factored into the somewhat high prices!
If the hotel is simply listed as providing 'free scuba diving' with no further details then this could mean as little as one free trial lesson in the pool and as long as they porvide that they have fulfilled their obligations. Scuba diving with properly trained instructors is never going to be cheap - hence the £600 charge. The TO is likely to argue that no one could reasonably expect that to be included as a freebie in the holiday. Unless it clearly states that PADI diving classes are free/included (and as far as I can tell from a brief look at the FC website, this is only offered at one hotel and it makes it clear that this isn't free)then I think that you'll have a hard job trying to keep them to this.
SM
SM
The big but is what constitutes free diving! They could say that the tanks air and weights are free and then you have to hire the rest of the gear you need, plus of course local requirements may mean you have to be guided so you have to pay for them. Also any boat trip to a site would be payable so Free diving is nice but I dont think you would get a lot out of it in terms of savings.
It would be helpful if the original poster (Josey12373) could tell us the name of the hotel in question.
You could ring the number on the letter...I did that and they found me a new hotel which was better for me.
Post a Reply
Please sign in or register an account to reply to this post.
Similar Topics
-
Complaining to First Choice
Posted by vikkib in Holiday Complaints
-
Is it worth complaining????
Posted by kat225club in Holiday Complaints
-
Help with complaining about a UK holiday cottage?
Posted by holiday cottage in Holiday Complaints
-
Advice on Complaining - ABTA etc.
Posted by onejacko in Holiday Complaints
-
Complaining to another nation's Health and Safety Executive?
Posted by Cidermonster II in Holiday Complaints