missold holiday first choice

aljack30

2013-02-21 16:25:30

Hi I'm after some info regarding a holiday wedding I was sold by First Choice back in April. We are due to get married at the Louis Patheon in Cyprus this year in April.

At the time we went into first choice we had chosen a different hotel in Cyprus till they had sold us this as it was suppose to be better for kids as it has kids club and water park and is open from 5th of April to 31st of Oct. So we went with that. After being sold this they changed the brochure, the waterpark times had changed, and kids club is closed until May after the time were there pretty pointless.

We have argued with the holiday company sending many emails and written complaints and they just seem to be fobbing us off saying its our fault and should have looked at the brochure more clearly but they're looking at the new brochure not the one we were sold the holiday out of. I know its not the hotels fault but First Choice should have updated their brochures sooner instead of selling me a holiday that was out of date.

I've had many families drop out of the wedding due to this. They have lost money through deposits and First Choice don't seem to care.

I do still have the original brochure that the holiday was sold from so they really can't get away with it but I need to know where I stand and what steps would be best to take next. Any help or info would be much appreciated.

aljack

Edited by Glynis HT Admin 2013-02-21 19:08:10
Edit to add paragraphs and full stops to make it easier to follow.

merseygull

2013-02-21 18:53:04

Re: missold holiday first choice

Do you still have the original brochure that you booked from?

Am I right in thinking that you booked in April 2012 to go away April 2013?

As far as I am aware, the brochures are issued in May and November each year, so you would have booked from the brochure that was published in November 2011?

is that correct?

ATB,J.

aljack30

2013-02-21 19:00:46

Re: missold holiday first choice

hi yes still have brochure but looking at it we got it in april 2012 and boked from it and the manager even phoned head office b4 we booked to make sure there was no new changes to resort or brochure, then later in the year we had a call from best man to say they have changed opening times of everything in new brochure so we then check ares and the dates on ours says nov 2012 to april 2013 which has got to be a miss print cos we had 8 months b4 that date(big mastake)but there making out iv miss read it but its here in black and white hope u understand what im writing

Glynis HT Admin

2013-02-21 19:12:43

Re: missold holiday first choice

Was it the same person who persuaded you to change your original hotel and made the booking the same person who phoned head office? If so their name should be on the booking system so maybe they can help?

aljack30

2013-02-21 19:19:11

Re: missold holiday first choice

hi yes it was and yes hes tryed but a customer adviser has sent me 2 emails now saying his brocure is right and basicaly mines wrong,it just seems he just doesnt get it.first choice gave me the dodgy copying in the first place i havnt printed it myself so someone at first choice is to blame.

Glynis HT Admin

2013-02-21 19:24:02

Re: missold holiday first choice

Thing is you would never have booked the hotel had you been informed, by either the brochure or the sales staff/head office if an important part of the holiday was missing. What was your original hotel (out of curiosity) and did it have a kids club?

aljack30

2013-02-21 19:29:35

Re: missold holiday first choice

we wanted to marry at the annabella but with 15 kids flying out they recommended the Louis for the new waterpark and kids club. What's even more strange the waterpark has been open for nearly 3 years now and in the first 2 years it was open from April to Oct and they have explain that the hotel change the month due to pools being to cold in April but we was never informed of the change so my poor kids and family children would of turned up expecting itt all,it was only cos the bestman spotted in new brochure that we found out,they just always seem to pass the buck back to us and its soooo frustrating.

Glynis HT Admin

2013-02-21 19:46:39

Re: missold holiday first choice

Have had a look on the Annabella hotel's website and they too have a kids club so I wonder why First Choice persuaded you to change :think

My friend and an ex Admin on here often stayed at the Louis Paetheon Beach and said it was a lovely hotel. I've checked their website and although they mention the water park not being open until 1st May they still have the kids club.. They also have an indoor heated pool in winter.

http://www.louishotels.com/en/our-hotels-in-cyprus-and-greece/hotels-in-cyprus/louis-phaethon-beach-hotel Click on facilities for a list.

aljack30

2013-02-21 19:53:59

Re: missold holiday first choice

hi yes we know all what uv just checked with done alot of research and yes the local hotel kids clubs r open but the first choice ones arnt until may and the local ones are more of a entertainment team i no they have a indoor pool but waterparks is more fun for 3 to 15 year olds,thanks for ur comments but really need to no if im waisting my time fighting a possible losing battle.

SMa

2013-02-21 21:15:49

Re: missold holiday first choice

Aljack, I'm not clear what you are wanting to happen, what is your preferred solution? For example, are you wanting to cancel and get a full refund? To be able to transfer the booking to your original choice of hotel? It's difficult to know how to advise you of what your rights are etc without knowing what you are looking for from First Choice.

SM

Sunaddict

2013-02-21 22:27:03

Re: missold holiday first choice

aljack30 wrote:
hi yes still have brochure but looking at it we got it in april 2012 and boked from it and the manager even phoned head office before we booked to make sure there was no new changes to resort or brochure, then later in the year we had a call from best man to say they have changed opening times of everything in new brochure so we then check ares and the dates on ours says nov 2012 to april 2013 which has got to be a miss print cos we had 8 months before that date(big mastake)but there making out iv miss read it but its here in black and white hope u understand what im writing

The brochure that covers the period Nov 2012 - April 2013 (winter season) would have first been published around November 2011. The brochures state on them which edition they are eg November, December etc. so if you got it in April 2012 it may have been the first edition and the information may still have been current at the time of booking (April 2012?). The July edition of the Thomsons brochure shows the opening times as summer season (May-October).

It may not have been "mis-sold" as much as the times hadn't been altered when you booked.

brewerdave

2013-02-22 09:49:50

Re: missold holiday first choice

I've read thru this and have enormous sympathy with your plight,I would have been incandescent with rage if this had happened to me when our kids were young.........but you knew about this last year -have you actually made a formal,written complaint to First Choice setting out a date for resolution or otherwise?? And if so, have they given you a final reply which you can take to arbitration?? If not, you are struggling to get thru the process before your wedding date. :cry

cyprus100

2013-02-22 09:55:03

Re: missold holiday first choice

You need to check in the back of the brochure where it tells you the Validity Date that the brochure covers.

Brochures are re-issued 2 or 3 times each year and the date you confirm your reservation is dependent on which brochure is in operation at the time - not the brochure you have in your hand at the time.....

Any updates to hotels/travel arrangements etc which are not in the reprinted brochures are entered into the reservation system by the tour operator and this automatically displays on the Travel Agents booking system when they confirm your holiday. They should read out any "errata" amendments and confirm them with you as they are required to mark in the system they have passed on the information.

However, if the latest brochure is already in operation which contains the amendment/errata - this is then automatically removed from the reservation system so the onus is on the Travel Agent to make sure they have the "current" and valid brochure on display and up to the client to check it before making their reservation.

fwh

2013-02-22 20:41:12

Re: missold holiday first choice

Whilst I can understand the attraction of the water park the owners will be the people who decide when they start to operate. Thomson/First Choice and other TOs would publish dates based on the information they are given, if the owner/operators should decide to change the dates then I am afraid that there is nothing you or Thomson/First Choice can do about it. You could perhaps contact them to find out when the decision was made to change the opening date to May which may assist in you getting some sort of recompense from the TO.

Contact details here. http://aphroditewaterpark.com/contact/

fwh

Sunaddict

2013-02-22 21:52:49

Re: missold holiday first choice

I think the waterpark the OP is referring to is the one that's part of the hotel?

Glynis HT Admin

2013-02-23 08:54:28

Re: missold holiday first choice

Sunaddict wrote:
I think the waterpark the OP is referring to is the one that's part of the hotel?

You are correct it's the hotel's slides etc that the OP is complaining about.

denny.53

2013-02-23 17:25:34

Re: missold holiday first choice

Try emailing the hotel and ask them when the waterpark is open? A lot of the hotels in the Lara Beach area of Turkey state their waterparks dont open until May but often they will open in April if the weather is good and the hotel is full of kids. Email the hotel and ask.

researcher1

2013-02-26 12:51:23

Re: missold holiday first choice

Hi Aljack30. Sorry to hear about your issue. I am currently researching holiday issues for a new tv programme and wondered if you'd be happy to chat to me about your story? If so please contact Lydia on 0207 5987 306. Thanks

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