Sorry to here about your problems, here is a standard phone number for customer service 01733 335500 taken from http://www.saynoto0870.com/

Dave

Thanks - I'll give it a go.

This is far too complicated - I suggest you call Ros Fernihough on 01922 621114 she is a travel law lawyer who assists our members - she will offer you free advice.

Thank you. We will have one more go then seek advice.

I am another unlucky person to fall foul of The Thomas Cook Group. Booked to go to the Ghazala Gardens Sharm El Sheikh as a party of eight going on the 8th June 2008 or we were.
Booked the holiday with Panorama Holidays last June to get the holiday we wanted and the best deal.
I also have had notification from TC that we are now going to The Sonesta Club
I have made numerous calls sent emails and as a last resort a letter to both companies and still not got anything sorted out except a large phone bill.
I was also under the impression that if your holiday was changed you received like for like in exchange. This they have not done.
In all the times I have tried to speak to someone, I have managed it twice, I will get T/C operations dept to ring you back was the reply I am still waiting
Has anyone managed to get through to T/C and get their hotel changed and had any satisfaction from them?
Never known such poor customer relations.
Not a company to deal with.

Hi Patricia

If you go to the Egypt Form on this board and find the appropriate thread a regular member of HT - username - Kiltman Graham had this exact problem. If you find and read the thread you will see that he was initially offered the Sonesta Club (graded 3*) but managed to get transfered to the Sonesta Beach Resort (graded 4*) which was more in line with the Ghazala Gardens which he had booked.

Also the SB is in a similar location to GG whereas the SC is a little further out of Namma Bay.

See left map at http://sharm-el-sheikh.ovh.org/index_engl.php

Sonesta Beach is 95, Sonesta Club 100

There may be some info on the thread which could help you as Thomas Cook are not really offering you a comparable grade of hotel with the Sonesta Club.

Thomas Cook have lost the contract with The Red Sea Hotels Group but they should offer you like for like not a downgrade.

HTH, Doe

Hi Doe
Thanks for the advice, I have had a look at the map you kindly sent to me I hadnt realised it was so far from the G/G

I have looked at Grahams messages on the Egypt forum and there was a lot of info on them.

One thing I did come across from one member was a phone number of a solicitor who deals with this type of thing 01922 621114 Ros Fernihough I have spoken to her department and received some helpful advice on how to word a letter if I get no joy. (Very helpful at no cost).
I have tried again this morning, got through to reservations cant do anything but will email the right dept to ring me back Chance would be a fine thing!!!!
Will keep you informed to the outcome

Pat

We were promised a phone call by seven last night. Guess what? No phone call.

I phoned them and after about 15 minutes I eventually got through. They had no record of anyone saying they would phone us. It now appears that we are going All Inclusive on the 12th May and are assured that the price will remain unchanged. I wait with growing curiosity to see the invoice.

These people are a nightmare to deal with.

I had one e mail back from someone called **** who said sorry she couldn't help but that I should call customer services. She didn't think to include their number. The only light moment - and I actually burst out laughing was when I spotted this at the bottom of her e mail - was:

*Thomas Cook - The ultimate experts in leisure travel".

*Admin edit T/O staff name removed - Glynis*

Ha ha - the post just arrived and for a moment - when I saw the Thomas Cook logo - I thought it was final confirmation of our amended holiday.

Nope! It's the final invoice and final payment request for the one they cancelled.

I've removed some posts that were best described as being sarcastic.

If anybody doesn't have anything constructive to add to the discussion (please remember that in this section members seek advice) please don't bother posting it.

Many thanks

MarkJ HT Mod

I had another e mail, from the same department as the lady who couldn't help, helping. We now have a confirmation number, an apology (of sorts) and a departure date.

We are still waiting for written confirmation and an invoice but using the reference number on the Thomas Cook website for payments reveals that our balance is the same as it should be. ie no increase for the upgrade to all inclusive.

I am trying hard to be grateful for the upgrade to A/I (at the cost of a two week shift forward) because the free drinks aren't worth much to me and the reason we usually avoid A/I on gulets is that we don't want to be stuck on a gulet for two weeks with a bunch of heavy drinkers. Ho Hum.

However, thanks for the offers of help on here.

Thanks for the update. Pleased to hear you have acheived a result that suits you. (sort of).

Doe

Hopefully, after all the hassles you have had to put up with, you will have the best holiday ever...
Best wishes to you..

Thank you - I'm looking forward to it. I note that their demand for the balance payment is a lot more efficient than the rest of the process.

Hi everyone,Ibooked to go to the Ghazala Gardens Hotel in Sharm El Sheikh on the 9th june 08 for two weeks, in January I was informed that the Ghazala Gardens was no longer available to me, they could offer me the Sonesta Club instead and informed me it was right next door to the Ghazala Gardens so I accepted the change.On January 24th 08 we decided to have a weeks holiday in Sharm El Sheikh one day whilst on holiday we decided to have a taxi ride to firstly view Ghazala Gardens and then Sonesta Club,I was informed by the taxi driver that the Sonesta Club was next door as I was informed but 3km's away.I asked the taxi driver to take us and the journey took ten minutes supposed to be next door yeh right.When I returned home I contacted Thomas Cook to inform them of my findings and inmfomed them it was too far from Naama Bay where we origanily booked ,they told I could I either book another holiday with Thomas Cook or have a free refund I went for the refund they informed me they would deal with it ,this was three weeks ago after several telephone conversations and three unaknowledged emails I am still waiting for a result I am not holding my breath. Has any one else got any information about this holiday. Regards Grey.

book Ghazala Gardensith flyglobespan!!

I am totally convinced that since the merger this firm has gone into freefall. They are trying to intergrate Thomas cooks system with that of Mytravel and so far its been a shambles. Holidays are being changed on arrival even though they've known for some time but not passed it on to the customer. One department hasn't got a clue what another dept is doing. Its nigh on impossible to contact anyone by phone,you just get through to piped music after several options. The cost of the call leaves a lot to be desired.

I still don't know for sure whether I have a holiday or not, having suffered one major change to it already.

Its sad to see such a large player in the market be in such disarray and it doesn't bode well for the other mergers that are/have taken place. God help the customer

If it's any help to you chelsea 1 here is an 0800 number for thomas cook customer services they may be able to help you.
08000288808.I have had my own nightmare with them and am waiting for a refund at teh moment. regards

Just been told by Thomas Cook that the hotel I'm going to inFuerteventura will have building work being done and the heated pool will be out of action. I leave in two days and all Thomas Cook would do was refund my money..This is the last holiday with Thomas Cook for me