Holiday cancellation rights

lawry74

Hi all,



I recently booked a holiday with Virgin holidays.

After several discussions with a rep from Virgin holidays, I requested quotes for several options for a 10 night holiday to the Caribbean. Upon much research and deliberation we settled upon a holiday in Antigua. Having gone through the quote on the phone, we agreed an itinerary and I agreed to speak to Virgin holidays a few hours later and confirm and make a payment once I'd spoken to my wife.

[FONT=&quot]When I got the call back from Virgin holidays to say that our required departure date of 18th April was not actually possible, but we could go on the 21st April. We were re-quoted and at that stage I made the payment.
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A week later on 2nd April (yesterday) I received an invoice from Virgin holidays and to my horror they had booked us for 9 nights at the resort! At NO STAGE was I advised that I was paying for a 9 night holiday!!!



I am in discussions with them at the moment. Initial feedback is not encouraging as they keep telling me I was advised of the dates but I could stay an extra night at a charge of around £800 extra for flights and accommodation. I am not prepared to do that as my holiday as it stands is at the top of my budget.



My question is could I be covered by the consumer protection act if I wanted to cancel as I paid for the holiday by American Express and have clearly not received what I thought I was paying for over the phone. I realize I am outside of Virgin holidays standard cancelation policy.

neilmcl

Surely when you confirmed and made payment you were aware of all relevant dates?

lawry74

When you book a 10 night holiday, you expect a 10 night holiday. For the original date of 18th April, all dates were confirmed. When I was called to be advised that the outward flight was actually 21st April, you would expect them to tell you explicity that this was now only for 9 nights....surely?

neilmcl

But did they confirm the return flight date or not?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

And would the 10th night in their usual bookings be taken up by flights, thus making them only 9 nights at a hotel?

lawry74

Again, when you ask to book 10 nights at a resort that's what you expect to get. The point is, they changed the dates, did not explain that this is now for 9 nights only. Had they done that, I would have declined and looked at our other 10 night options, of which there was a few! Inasfar as this topic is concerned, does anybody know the situation with paying for goods and services with a credit card not getting what you expected and the redress of this....I'm thinking section 75 of the Consumer Protection Act....can we get our credit card company to seek a full refund??

gnaril

Simple answer no....

From your post there would be nothing you have document wise to verify your case.

Your struggling to show they have misrepresent the holiday to you, or they are in breach of contract....

All the best thou. I work within disputes and its very very very difficult for any chargeback certainly to hold against any of them..

Good luck

pinkshoes

Although they didn't mention it was 9 nights, did they at any point mention the date that you return i.e. fly out on the 21st April, and fly back on 1st May (making it 10 nights in resort)? 9 nights would mean you fly back on the last day of April...

If they definitely did NOT mention the date of the return flight, then I would send them a recorded delivery letter asking for a full refund, or a 10% reduction based on 9 nights instead of the10 nights you were initially sold.

Searcher

pinkshoes wrote: »

Although they didn't mention it was 9 nights, did they at any point mention the date that you return i.e. fly out on the 21st April, and fly back on 1st May (making it 10 nights in resort)? 9 nights would mean you fly back on the last day of April...

If they definitely did NOT mention the date of the return flight, then I would send them a recorded delivery letter asking for a full refund, or a 10% reduction based on 9 nights instead of the10 nights you were initially sold.

I'm guessing that isn't the case by the way the OP is avoiding answering the question

Lawry, did they tell you the return date or not?
The advice/ help you are given will depend on the answer

wealdroam

Generally, when you book a 10 night holiday, that means 10 nights away.
For example, if you depart UK on 21 April and arrive back in UK on 01 May, that is considered a 10 night holiday.
You may arrive in resort at say 5am, and will expect a room available then. That is the first night of your holiday.

But hey... that's just my opinion.

:beer:

dmg24

Searcher wrote: »

I'm guessing that isn't the case by the way the OP is avoiding answering the question

Lawry, did they tell you the return date or not?
The advice/ help you are given will depend on the answer

wealdroam wrote: »

Generally, when you book a 10 night holiday, that means 10 nights away.
For example, if you depart UK on 21 April and arrive back in UK on 01 May, that is considered a 10 night holiday.
You may arrive in resort at say 5am, and will expect a room available then. That is the first night of your holiday.

But hey... that's just my opinion.

:beer:

What they said!