Hi, think everybody gone drowning their sorrows tonight, very quiet on here but Iam still looking on the positive side, especially after seeing recent photos.

Hi, think everybody gone drowning their sorrows tonight, very quiet on here but Iam still looking on the positive side, especially after seeing recent photos.

oops

Michelle, those photos the nearby beach I mentioned earlier and not the one in front of the hotel. Look at the rocks below my thumb on the picture I have already sent. That is what is on the beach in front of the hotel.

I took the picture to show everybody that all is not lost for those that place a nice sandy beach high on their list of critirias for a vacation.

It is remarkable to see how fast work was done in such a short period of time. In a matter of six months they put up about 20 buildings. They do work fast, so stay positive everybody.

This is a resort that will operate this year. As to when, none of us are in a position to specutate based on what we see on the outside. How many of the buidings are complete on the inside, are there still projects that have not yet begun?, how busy are the contractors that will install the waterpark?. Will they open with some rooms unfinished and finish them while the hotel is running or do they want to wait. These are questions that none of us know the answer to.

Just to l et you all know, you can now book on line again!

Thanks to our Dutch freinds for letting us know the response from Gobest and trully hope you have a good holiday.

Would anyone agree that there is a vast difference in customer service between the two companies? How many emails have been responded to that we haqve sent to FC? A big fat 0 from my expereince.

Even though Gobest are non the wiser than FC, at least they have taken the time to respond.

This is the only forum where the photos can be seen, so if the company are aware of the photos, why don't a director or senior manager create an account with this forum and post some information. Even if it is a "Don't worry" message? For how much we have invested in the company this year, it would make sense for them to try thier upmost to keep us happy and to look forward to our holiday?

SP, you will have to let us know what that traditional dish tastes like! Hope you had a Good Friday yesterday!

Cheers

The above point is a very valid one.

Most of the problem that First Choice are experiencing is due to poor communication on their part and a lack of reliable information.

The major reason that they now have people cancelling in droves from Kos & Kefalonia ABC's is largely out of sheer frustration.

Many people would be willing to accept the situation if they had reliable progress updates, and felt comfortable that they would be getting everything that they had paid for.

I don't even blame First Choice Customer Services, I think they are victims just like the customers as they appear to be doing a very difficult job using inadequate and out dated information.

Sadly this shows a lack of regard for the customer and even FC's own staff who are being used as cannon fodder, this is grossly unfair to all concerned and clearly unprofessional in the extreme.

Whilst contacting FC regarding Corfu ABC I was initially emailed by the manager in charge of these resorts, who responded to my questions just the once. When I emailed agin asking him to clarify some of the points raised he did not reply and has been silent ever since.

FC's wall of silence on these issues is appalling and one would expect senior management up to director level to be taking responsibility for customer satisfaction, instead they ignore them, seemingly using the principle of "there's another mug born every minute".

However, I do have an interesting insight in to why First Choice directors are not as visible as one would assume. Lets take the example of Dermot Blastland - did you know that Mr Blastland is actually a director of some 24 companies?

Considering how many working days there are in a month, how much time would you think he would spend at any one of the companies that he is a director of?

Doughtless at some future time we will address him as "Sir Dermot Blastland", but a gold star for customer service is not going to be handed to him by his customers, that is for sure.

Incidentally, his last recorded earnings at First Choice alone were something approaching £800,000 / year. For that kind of money I would have expoected a little more respect for the ticket paying customers who fund his lifestyle.

Hello,

Go Best (FC Holland) is aware of the pictures, I emailed them the link to the Kos photo gallery!

Hello holiday-forum-friends,

We are not going to meet up with you!! We canceled, it's not fun anymore for us.
Now, we have an option for two resorts in Turkey, have to decide on monday which one it will going to be.
I'm sure we will go to the KosABC when it is all up & running and finished, so maybe next summer in June/August.

Here is a question. If First choice is holding on to your money, how much money will they have made in interest before they refund their customers if the hotel is not ready on time. Motive or not it is a fact.

Yes indeed.

Also if a customer cancels now, because they don't feel confident that the resort will be ready in time, they will either lose their deposit or be charged a fee to transfer to another holiday, I understand that this fee could be as much as £60 per person.

And yet if they do that and then FC decide that they wouldn't manage to open by their original holiday date, do they get their lost deposits or fees back?

But whilst FC can charge a significant fee to merely transfer people from one of their holidays to another, and yet the maximum compensation that FC will pay you, if they fail to open on time is just £50 per person, and if they cancel you holiday with more than 56 days before departure they pay you nothing.

There is a huge inequality between what the tour operator pays you if they cancel and what you pay if you do the same. Surely if it is inconvenient to them for you to cancel your holiday, it is equally inconvenient to you if they cancel it?

Cancel your holiday within 3 days of departure and you will lose all of you money, but if the tiour operator does the same to you, they pay just £50 per person at most. Doesn't seem fair somehow does it?

The only way to get higher compensation is to actually sue them in the courts and they know that most people will not do it, due to the financial risk if they lose.

I feel it is time for an overhaul of the laws covering package holidays, the cancellation fees should become more similar and it should be made easier to get reasonable compensation from a tour operator without having to risk thousands of pounds in legal expenses.

srmnd - sorry to hear that you have cancelled your holiday and that we wont be able to meet up with you and your family. Hope what ever holiday you choose you have a wonderful time.

Ive had a very busy day today - shopping for holiday things.

Finally got an email from FC Customer Services re: KABC ( I mailed them about a month ago)- we're supposed to be travelling 24th May - as far as they are aware, first customers will be OK for 17th May, he was going to Email to Resort yesterday and promised me a response on Monday as to whether all will be complete, but.... he did suggest looking in the brochure for an alternative "should the response given be unsatisfactory"......

If first customers okay for 17th why did they cancel me? Boohoo! I was meant to be going on 20th.

Mrs Gaz
I wouldn't worry. I would still be VERY surprised if we are going on 24th. At least you know where you are now going is built and all up and running. I'm taking Liz's advice and looking in the brochure for alternatives - just in case.

Just updated the list with Liz Fraser (24th may) and sam & bob (28th June) added and srmnd's cancellation

3rd May - Saunders0000 - CANCELLED
10th May - Debora - CANCELLED
20th May - Mrs Gaz - CANCELLED
24th May - River
24th May - Emmjay
24th May - SamanthaJ
24th May - TelnShell
24th May - Mickd
24th May - Lisa London
24th May - SKLR
24th May - Kandice
24th May - Jo123
24th May - Liz Fraser
31st May - Sass
31st May - Sam L
7th June - Careen
7th June - Piggypacker
7th June - Keithstephen1
7th June - Lockwood - CANCELLED
8th June - Bluespirit
11th June - Srmnd - CANCELLED
14th June - MichellefromEssex (aka Jellybabie)
14th June - Syfield
14th June - harlequinn - CANCELLED
14th June - Genise
14th June - Suewarrior
14th June - Tildan
17th June - Munskinn
21st June - Sacko
28th June - GNigel
28th June - Firebird Apache
28th June - Sukaay
28th June - Chiara - CANCELLED
28th June - Natasha Smith
28th June - AJenkins
28th June - fdss
28th June - Limit123
28th June - Buzz Lightyear
28th June - Sam & Bob
? June - Short Short Man
5th July - Grahamedw
5th July - LynnK
12th July - anniewinnie
19th July - Greeneyedgal
19th July - K&R
19th July - Citizen98
19th July - Lexy
19th July - Banksroad
19th July - Tadalaja
23rd July - Aceape
26th July - Jochick
2nd Aug - Lambini
2nd Aug - Diddabel
2nd Aug - Slick
Mid Aug - Grimbob
Mid Aug - Carolyn1st
30th Aug - Foxy0810
30th Aug - Mcfester
? Aug - Karen Harris
13th sept - AlexUK
23rd sept - Kelly Marie
27th Sept - Naparky1970
? Oct - Tasha

How come people who are going after the 24th May have cancelled? Did you have to pay anything
We were told that if we cancelled we would have to loose 50% of hol price and pay admin charge of £20 per head so £80.
I have already lined up 4 different holidays in case we are cancelled which i see as being a real possiblity at the moment, but you never know.
Lets all think positive thoughts and fingers crossed it will be open on time with absolutely no problems at all.

Samantha,
We decided to cancel cos we weren't willing to take the chance on things being up and running and quite frankly I'm not willing to give my money to First Choice after the way they have treated people. The balance wasn't due to be paid yet so we haven't paid anything other than the deposit which I'm not happy about losing but figure that it's better than handing over another £2K and having a terrible holiday,
Trying to get my deposit back but will not hold my breath. Some-one else on this forum was successful in doing this due to the changes to the kids club etc so I figure nothing ventured nothing gained.
Chiara

still nt holding my breath. does the snake come free? looking for alternatives just incase. just p---es me off as we have had to arrange time off work. will try fc yet again monday... in 4 and a half weeks well all probably have a good laugh about all of this, I mean ive turned down a night on the town so that i can catch up with the last 24 hours gossip!!!!!!