How terrible for you! Surely they should pay you something. Do you know what * rating the hotel was that they moved you too? If this was lower then surely that is grounds enough as they have broken your contract. We have booked to go to Breezes next June with Direct Holidays, Hopefully before the hurricane season. I would keep writing to Direct Holidays and percevere (maybe a phonecall to Ros may help) I think her number is at the top of the forum
Rachael

Rachael,

Thank you for your support, well unfortunately both of the hotels were meant to be 4* but there's no way they were of the same level at all. Our fridge was even covered in mould in the second hotel - not what anyone should accept from a "4* hotel".

I hope you have a lovely time, if you're going to Punta Cana Breezes then I don't doubt that you'll have an amazing time, it was truly beautiful. (The hotel rooms are not spectacular - but certainly nothing too bad and the beach, pool and facilities make up for any discrepancies in the rooms!)

Thanks for your comments. We are off to Punta Cana, but looking at the Thomson brochure, the customer survey shows better for Breezes in Puerto plata. I've been to POP before, so am really looking forward to Punta Cana and we got it for a good price, 2k for 2 weeks for 4 of us. I would recommend giving Ros a call though, I called her over a cancelled holiday in March and her assistant gave me some sound and useful advice! Good luck. It seems criminal that the Tour Ops always seem to have you over a barrell!!!

Force Majeure...

thanks for that helpful comment!
Surely that doens't apply to the coach ride home as well!?

Force Majeure...

With regards to the hurricane - yes. However, the rest of it wasn't. The failure of the tour operator to provide a competent rep service was a breach of contract. The failure of the tour operator to cough up the compensation you were promised to induce you to take alternative accommodation rather than fly home was another; as was their failure to provide you with an acceptable standard of accomodation, and fly you back to the right airport. I could go on, but I suggest that the best thing to do at this stage would be to speak to Ros and ask for her advice.

It seems criminal that the Tour Ops always seem to have you over a barrell!!!

They only have you over a barrel if you let them. Once you show them you mean business and start proceedings in the courts, IME they very quickly start to change their tune.

Punta Cana Fan,

I know exactly what you have been through ! We had problems with our twin centre holiday last year.

We travelled through Virgin Holidays, 1 week in Florida and 1 week in Grand Bahama. The first week was brilliant. The secong week, well, what a week.

We paid for All Inclusive, and when we got there, the hotel had changed it's eating plans.

Virgin failed to tell us that the hotel wouldn't be available after 2004 as it was being sold for time share ! So with all the staff knowing they weren't going to have a job, you can imagine the services we received !! It was absolutely appauling !

We met up with the rep nearly every morning because we were told we couldn't have drinks, that my 16 brother couldn't eat from adult menu he had to eat from the childrens menu's which consisted of pizza & chips, burger and chips, chicken and chips and oh, more chips !!!!

The complex and hotel grounds were completely over run with drug dealers and prostitutes, we complained to the staff and the rep but they said there was nothing they could do.

We made sure we got a written report from the rep in resort to send to Virgin when we got back, we hoped that this would have been enough proof, but this proved otherwise, they couldn't care less !!!!

After contacting Virgin holidays, ABTA and our local solicitor, we eventually got back £750 in 'compensation', £250 of this went straight to the solicitor !

As a family we paid £9,800 (5 of us travelled) for this 2 week holiday, this was supposed to be a holiday of a lifetime for a special occasion, it turned out to be a nightmare. We got delayed by 2 days coming back because our connecting flight had a problem, we stayed in Miami over night, and ended flying to Texas !! Our bags went to Chicago and we ended up in Gatwick to days later instead of Manchester !! What a trip !

The only thing i can recommend is to keep on at them constantly, you may get somewhere, you may not.

These people don't care once they get the money from you which is wrong.

This whole mess has now put me off Grand Bahama for life !!

Donna.

I agree DEEDEE1, we still have an ongoing dispute with virgin. They cancelled our holiday and we are still trying to get the last of our money back 10 weeks later!

Rachie-m,

Where were you supposed to be going if you don't mind me asking ?

How come they cancelled it ?

Donna.

Hi DEEDEE, we were off to the Sunset Jamaica grande. I kept emailing them as I knew the Hotel wouldn't open on time. I even asked if I could be reallocated and they said no. 11 days before we were due to go they emailed me to say the hotel was closed and they were looking to reallocate us. I never heard all week and had to ring them, my phone bill to them alone was over £20 and 5+ hours. When I phoned 6 days before we were due to go I was told we were reallocated to Beaches Boscobel, and someone would confirm all details next day. Next day came and went and no call, when I phoned they told me I had been given incorrect info and hadn't found us anywhere yet, refused to refund as they had yet to offer me something! 2 days before received call to say that all accomodation was fully booked in Jamaica, but could offer 3* resort, with absolutely nothing for the kids to do (some beach huts with a dip pool). obviously they told us best thing to do was cancel. By now every other holiday was taken, being Easter, so had to change my holiday and pull kids out of school for week and ended up spending alot more.Went with Thomsons so had to pay with my overdraft facility. After 8 weeks of more chasing finally got a cheque back £100 short. Still chasing for the rest! Every letter has never been received, faxes gone astray etc. Am considering small claims court now. Hastle I can do without but I'm determined to get my money back! Need another holiday now
Rachael

Mrsj

Following your post's on this site, has been somewhat educational, may I ask though, does your chapter, verse and paragraph of the law, just relate to the travel industry.

Just curious

Driver02

My background is mainly in general contract law, Driver. However, most of the same legal principles apply to the law which relates to package holidays.

Where package holidays are concerned there are also additional, specific laws such as the Package Travel Regulations which have been put in place to give holidaymakers some extra degree of protection, on top of the rights they enjoy under general contract law and the law relating to the supply of goods and services.

I hope this has answered your question, but feel free to send me a PM if it hasn't.

Rachael,

I really feel for you and anybody else that has gone through this and those people that it hasn't happened to yet ! I don't think these holidays companies realise how upsetting it is when they do things like this to people. Most people can only afford to go on holiday once a year and they really look forward to going away. Holiday firms don't care as long as they have their share of the money and their not out of pocket !

When I had problems with my holiday, they kept telling me they hadn't received any letters. I started faxing them from work and rang them as soon as it was sent, they soon started to receive them (Especially when I sent the same fax 10 times to make sure)!!!!

I would keep on at them until you get every penny back, I got the impression that they were hoping I would get tired and give up, but no way !!!

If you're going away this year, I hope you have a better experience.
I'm off to Zante in June for 2 weeks, just a cheap one this year, but it's a holiday hard earned, I'm grateful for any holiday !!

Good Luck and happy holidays for 2005 !

Donna.

A copy of the Package Travel regulations may be viewed/printed from here:-

http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1992/Uksi_19923288_en_1.htm

Absolutely right - I don't plan to give up, I've replied to them including a copy to ABTA, if I don't get a satisfactory response I shall refer it to solicitors. And I know that several other members who were on the same holiday as me and were transfered to the same resort are taking the exact same action. I wonder if they'll give in.... and how long it will take!

Punta Cana Fan

I've been following this thread since the start with great interest, please will you let us know how it all pans out?

Good luck!!!!!

I will certainly let you know how I get on.

I'm not sure whether ABTA will be able to help me as apparently Direct Holidays (who we booked with) are not protected by ABTA, but My Travel (who we flew with etc) are..... bit confusing!

Hi There.
What hotel in the north of dom rep were you sent to?

Hi, we were sent to Breezes in Puerta Plato, - so it was the same chain that we booked, but it was totally different. It was like it was out of season - half the bars were shut. Our fridge was covered in mould, the room was a pit. The grounds were badly kept - no lighting outside (all the bulbs were dead and weren't replaced) and there was a burglary when we were there with loads of British passports stolen. It was was totally diff to the holiday we booked.