I think the words are Very Orange! On the face of it this is a cheap form of cruising but when you take getting there and eating in to account, it soesn't seem such a cheap option.

Hello again all

I got home from work yesterday to find an envelope with a book of vouchers!

The letter says (this is paraphrased as I'm currently at my sisters in Shrewsbury and haven't got it with me) that, as they did not receive my completed form (the one with passport details etc), they had assumed that I didn't wish to continue with the offer but, "as a gesture of goodwill" they were enclosing this book of vouchers.

To say that I was angry was an understatement of the highest order. As they weren't allowing people to send back the completed forms by Registered Post, I had sent mine back first class through my works' post. I therefore have proof of postage, but I don't know if that will be enough.

There was no mention in the letter of my calls to the help desk, nor of my three e-mails (two through the Holiday Truths link, and one through the Daily Express link).

It's lucky that the letter arrived yesterday, because I was supposed to be on the cruise departing today!

I'm not sure what my best course of action now is - I think I shall send the vouchers back, with a covering letter explaining my circumstances, copying the Daily Express and Watchdog, and demanding my £10 cruise as promised.

What does everyone else think? Has anyone else been sent this letter?

I read earlier in this forum that we had completed our part of a contract by collecting the tokens and sending them in to R!$£, does this mean they are obligated to offer a cruise, or is the "we didn't receive your reservation details" enough of a get-out clause for them?

Another long post - I'll be getting a reputation!

Thanks for reading

Graham

Hallo fellow cruisers its a grand day on the Balcony

I wish I could join you all in a G&T but gransons * today so I'm off to the zoo I got my cruise sorted - will post phots etc.. later.

Byeeeee for now

hi all,
thank goodness phils back so nonchalont. "got my cruise sorted will post photos etc later" Indeed phil after giving us all near heart attacks i hope you will. glad to hear all is sorted though and look forward to finding out what went on.
annj

hoorah he's back. who paid the ransome? vivien

Hi Graham,

It's lucky that the letter arrived yesterday, because I was supposed to be on the cruise departing today!

If I am reading what you say correctly, you had a "booked" cruise which, like all the others were "cancelled". (Whether they told you or like me you only found out via HT!.......Rise never had the common decency to inform me themselves....I told them I had inferred the information!)

Therefore I can only assume that they must have had your form with your details on for the first cruise........apparent proof of your entitlement to a cruise I would say.

I agree about the "not letting us register/record" the letters.....I phoned before sending the original tokens asking for clarification of their instructions.

The conflicting written instructions said not to register/recorded the docs but that we may wish to use special delivery. (Think I1ve used the correct options but it was something like that)

The post office indicated that any of them would need a signature...this appeared not to be what they wanted.

So I phoned Rise Travel and asked what I should do, only to be told that if it needed a signature, it would be refused as they were not going to be signing for "Thousands" of applications.

It was about then that I started to have concerns about how well this had been thought out........or perhaps it was a great way of `losing` a few applications by setting it up to fail.

To date, nothing has lessened this concern but plenty has deepened it.

I would stick to my guns, we have yet to hear the results of the HT legal beagles, Watchdog and other consumer groups......I think we may well be in the lull before the storm.

Good luck

Tony

hi Graham,
I agree with tony completely and you must stick to your guns so to speak. If i remember correctly **** have tried this tactic before.
keep at em!
ann

While they specified No recorded delivery, they did say Guaranteed Next Day delivery was acceptable, and that's how I sent mine. Strange isn't it because both have to be signed for! I did get the impression that mail had arrived in sacks and that the sacks had been signed for so perhaps I could have saved the expense!

Hi guys,

Not posted for a while. JohnFrum, don't loose hope

I have an NCL caribbean cruise confirmed for 16th April and have just received the tickets!!!!!!!!!!! Wohoooo!!

I have a welcome booklet, tickets, pre boarding registration form, shore excursions booklet and form, and luggage labels

Also my flight has been ticketed too.

Can I get excited now???



Ali

Fantastic Alii, I'm excited for you too! Did you get a good cabin?

boots has buy one get one free on suntan lotion. now wheres my bikini. diet here we go

(sorry to rub it in for those still not sorted)

Oh, that's great news Alii, so pleased for you

Elaine xx

Thanks Magsy. Have got cabin number but not sure where that is on ship. It says 2 just before the cabin number on label. Think is 2 up from bottom?? I know its definately an inside cabin and when I booked they also said KK I think whatever that means. Will have a look on their website. Think its the basic but its what I expected when I applied. I wont be in it much

Not entirely sure why I have 8 luggage labels!! Somebody must have warned them about me!!

I really hope everyone else gets fixed soon too.

Ali
Please feel free to get excited, I know I would be. This time last year I was on my first cruise, which was the inspiration for applying for the DE one. With regard to shore excursions I found a great travel book in our local libray which was a guide to Caribbean cruising. Cant remember exactly but think it may have been an Insight Guide. We found it really useful, it gave you all the ports of call and told you where the ships berthed, whether you could sight see on foot, where it was advisable to take a taxi, proximity to shops etc. if you have as much fun as we did you wont be at all worried where your cabin is!!. H

That's great news Alii!!

Graham - About posting original vouchers - I sent mine Special Next Day delivery (cost over £3) just to make sure. It actually made no difference really because I never received anything in response to it. I started phoning every week from August and they denied having it but in the end accepted my word. Even then when I was promised to be put on the data base, each time I rang it was like starting from scratch. It took 4 months before I was actually accepted as having applied and appearing on someone's data base!

I never did receive the form so wasn't able to give my credit card details, passport info etc. However, in the end I was believed so I think it's worth sending those vouchers back and pushing for your holiday. Can I suggest you complete the HT email link with everything you've told us? Then I would try DE.
Alli

Hi Alii.

I'm delighted to hear you're all set up with a cruise. Yes, I'd say it's definately time to get excited. I know I would be. I'm really pleased for you.
It doesn't give you a lot of time to get your jabs etc, so don't lose any time - you don't want to be cruising with a sore arm!
Have a great time and let us know all about it when you get back!

Thankyou everyone for your kind words. I know it must be so frustrating for those of you who are still waiting.

John, Think i'm ok for jabs as I have had a hell of a lot coz I work in a hospital. Had hep a + b courses, typhoid, diptheria, tetanus, etc etc. Just need malaria tablets I think for Roatan. I hope you are getting closer to getting sorted out. Not had a quote yet for boyf. Initially I was told it would be £500 but then told that was just med and it would be minimum of £1000. Not had a quote without flights though (he has airmiles to use up).

Helen, thanks for the tips on guide books. I will be reading up on it :-)

Thankyou everyone inc the mods for all your help and to Rise for my booking. Fingers crossed that everyone will get booked asap and we can all have a cruise to look forward to. I know a lot of you are in real need of a break. I certainly am! It feels more real now that I have the tickets!

I will let you know how everything goes. Think someone else is going before me so hopefully they can let us know too.

Ali xx

Well done Alli
A cruise at last
Phil is back safe and sound
I was meant to be on my cruise to Libya to-day !
but suprise suprise I'm still here
Going to phone DE on Monday as i haven't got my promised call back from Rise and it's 25 days
More bad news
Universities are releasing their inmates next week for a whole month so have to start hiding booze and anything they may consider desirable. If I had been on my cruise they couldnt have got in the house