urgent advice needed please...holiday problems

mum2one

I would just echo what the others said, the bookings in your name, any changes would need to be arranged by you. If she does cancel, as its within 12 weeks she will lose her money and would need to make a claim with the Insurance, but she would need a doctor to say she wasn't fit to travel, I've had the misfortune to have this happen 3 times in the last yr, 1st - last Nov - Swine Flu, 2nd time March I was due to go to Tunisia with my daughter, but 2 days before we flu she came down with chicken pox, and 3rd attempt, month before we (dd and me) were going I fell over on a wet toilet floor and fractured my knee cap - wasn't allowed to go, my poor insurance company must dread hearing my reference number! The doctor wouldn't put their job at risk by writing a false report.

I don't know how old your son is, (guessing he's under 12), I traveled to Tunisia last yr the 1st time with my daughter she was 6 1/2 then, and although I have stayed at the hotel before, it was the first time she had been abroad, so I know what you mean about the billy no mates, but honestly once your get there that thought will just disappear, there be other children there, and other people to speak to, I've met people (as holiday friends), chatted to people when been away, and my daughter last year, you'd of thought she had been there years. I have only done a day trip to Egypt, (went from Cyprus for the day), but have had friends who have been to the holiday resorts and they loved it, and children are welcome over there, its not like they must be in bed by 8pm and seen but not heard, a lot is catered for the children.

I don't know what to suggest about your friend, if she did cancel, then the travel agent may change the booking (unless get a child deal, I have to pay adult rate for my dd), and you lose the free child place and he would be classed as an adult, unless the deal was single parent offer, (adult pays adult price plus single room supplement then child pays child price - thou those can be hard to come by), I personally would hold on to the booking, as its within 12 weeks for another person to replace your friend would result in a cancellation and new booking, thats a no-go.

Is there any way your friend can try and do a passport at collection as suggested by the other poster.

(apologies it along post - brain keeps working overtime)

If she wanted to claim on travel insurance, she couldn't do anything till after the holiday had finished, basically to stop people claiming then catching another flight and having the orignal hotel booking. A report of no show would be issued at resort by the rep, this would go to the booking company, who will only confirm a no show once she has wrote claiming illness stopped her, then the insurance would kick in with doctors reports etc. My last holiday it took 6 weeks to get a cancellation notice from the holiday company.

Do hope something can be sorted out, u take care. xx

nico26

If she is going the insurance route it will likely be nul and void if she tries to claim on medical grounds,especially If she has excisting medical conditions which she never declared to them.

Good luck dont let it spoil your holiday. Go and enjoy it.

debtfreeatlonglast

zaksmum wrote: »

What date in October are you going? At my local passport office you can make an appointment to go in person and collect your passport there and then.

Do you have an office within travelling distance?

hi, well she would need to get copies of birth cert then fly from edinburgh to london (return) to go to the irish embassy to get her passport, take a day off work, and all in all this would cost about £400 which she is unwilling to do, think she feels that claiming her money back on insurance and losing £50 excess is the more sensible, cost effective way forward now for her. x

debtfreeatlonglast

mum2one wrote: »

I would just echo what the others said, the bookings in your name, any changes would need to be arranged by you. If she does cancel, as its within 12 weeks she will lose her money and would need to make a claim with the Insurance, but she would need a doctor to say she wasn't fit to travel, I've had the misfortune to have this happen 3 times in the last yr, 1st - last Nov - Swine Flu, 2nd time March I was due to go to Tunisia with my daughter, but 2 days before we flu she came down with chicken pox, and 3rd attempt, month before we (dd and me) were going I fell over on a wet toilet floor and fractured my knee cap - wasn't allowed to go, my poor insurance company must dread hearing my reference number! The doctor wouldn't put their job at risk by writing a false report.

I don't know how old your son is, (guessing he's under 12), I traveled to Tunisia last yr the 1st time with my daughter she was 6 1/2 then, and although I have stayed at the hotel before, it was the first time she had been abroad, so I know what you mean about the billy no mates, but honestly once your get there that thought will just disappear, there be other children there, and other people to speak to, I've met people (as holiday friends), chatted to people when been away, and my daughter last year, you'd of thought she had been there years. I have only done a day trip to Egypt, (went from Cyprus for the day), but have had friends who have been to the holiday resorts and they loved it, and children are welcome over there, its not like they must be in bed by 8pm and seen but not heard, a lot is catered for the children.

I don't know what to suggest about your friend, if she did cancel, then the travel agent may change the booking (unless get a child deal, I have to pay adult rate for my dd), and you lose the free child place and he would be classed as an adult, unless the deal was single parent offer, (adult pays adult price plus single room supplement then child pays child price - thou those can be hard to come by), I personally would hold on to the booking, as its within 12 weeks for another person to replace your friend would result in a cancellation and new booking, thats a no-go.

Is there any way your friend can try and do a passport at collection as suggested by the other poster.

(apologies it along post - brain keeps working overtime)

If she wanted to claim on travel insurance, she couldn't do anything till after the holiday had finished, basically to stop people claiming then catching another flight and having the orignal hotel booking. A report of no show would be issued at resort by the rep, this would go to the booking company, who will only confirm a no show once she has wrote claiming illness stopped her, then the insurance would kick in with doctors reports etc. My last holiday it took 6 weeks to get a cancellation notice from the holiday company.

Do hope something can be sorted out, u take care. xx

poor you, talk about a run of bad luck, makes me feel stupid moaning now lol... my son is 11, so yes he will be company for me, luckily its an all inc holiday and there is a aquapark at the hotel and lots of entertainment/activities so we can basically have a lazy holiday but still be entertained. i know that we will meet people, and to be honest , now that i have got used to the idea of going alone, i am actually ok about it... have got over my hissy fit lol. x

debtfreeatlonglast

nico26 wrote: »

If she is going the insurance route it will likely be nul and void if she tries to claim on medical grounds,especially If she has excisting medical conditions which she never declared to them.

Good luck dont let it spoil your holiday. Go and enjoy it.

thank you, i will, i am feeling bad that she might lose her money but i keep reminding myself that she knew her passport was about to expire and should have acted quickly and not left it to the last minute.i am actually now looking forward to spending some quality time with my son, (work has been hectic lately)and relaxing all day ...and having a nice long cold cocktail in the evening:rotfl:

mum2one

Just popped by to see how you were and was there any news.
Just reading the last post, - she knew about her passport - it something she could have organised earlier - maybe the documents were lost, but as others have said there was ways of getting a new passport, yes an added expensive but break it down over 10 years and the cost would pay for itself.

I am so plzed that you and your son are going, - relaxing all day - think it will be mum, come down the slide, mum do this or your be sat there with a cocktail and he'll be with all his new mates.
In a way with him being older than my dd was when she went abroad he'll mix better, and from the sounds you have got a "family based" hotel, with the aqua park, thee may be "kids" but aimed for the early "teenager" - so I would say grab the suntan lotion, a good book and enjoy yourself. Don't let your friend pressure you into cancelling the holiday - just explain to her that as its within 12 weeks any cancellation will be treated as no refund.

We off to Dom Rep next Apr, its the big 4.......0....... so celebrate in style, so for the week before we're going to be both wrapped in cotton woll!!

Give you a laugh, was due to have a week away in UK, but had to cancel due to illness, got to ring the insurance company later - think there be glad when Nov comes and my policy finishes, def had more than mymoneys worth xx