What our holiday rep failed to mention...

Former_MSE_Becca

Hi all, this is a thread to discuss the MSE blog:

What our holiday rep failed to mention...

"Having been on all-inclusive package holidays before, and after only paying £320, I wasn’t expecting 5-star luxury (it wasn’t).

"I did expect our rep to be a bit more helpful though. After all, his job was to make sure we enjoyed our holiday (we did, though no thanks to him)..."

ruby_eskimo

Your story sounds exactly the same as my experience when I went to Rhodes with Olympic. We were invited to a "free" BBQ with drinks included provided by the hotel. What they failed to say was it was free if you booked an excursion through the Rep. Our flight times were changed the day before we left, when checkout was 12, our original flights were 3pm but were changed to 2:30am! So we spent all day and most of the night in the bar. We were dumped at Rhodes airport and the Reps left to go back to where they were staying, knowing full well that there was a delay to our flight! There were no boards, no announcements, we just had to keep asking staff in the airport where we had to go/what was going on. Ended up not getting on the plane till almost 8am! No apology from Olympic, and I would not go with them again. This was 5 years ago, and if you went with them, clearly they haven't learnt their lesson!

cottonhead

I once had a holiday that turned out not to be as advertised and so I wrote to the tour operator to complain. They sent me a £50 voucher off my next holiday so I worte and complained again and stated a £50 voucher is no good as I will NEVER book with them again. The second reply had a £700 cheque enclosed. Holidays are a product and should be what you sign up for ( unless it states somewhere that alternatives can be offered ).

minnie123

I went on holiday to Rhodes with Olympic and they thought it was a good idea to walk us past a car crash that had just happened to drop us at our apartments. We had a lovely view of a man with his brains hanging out still alive making noises I have never heard come from a human and a blonde woman covered in blood. Lovely start to the holiday in fact we could hear him making noises for a couple of hours after we were dropped as the ambulance took so long to arrive. I asked the rep if she could move us the next day as I was a mess tbh and she just shrugged it off. Later in the holiday our apartments got egged and the cleaner used one of my t-shirts to clean it up. Worst holiday ever.

rachhh

Not trying to be rude or even impolite, but I think this would get more replies on the holidays board, wouldn't it?

brightonman123

I had an 'all inclusive' week in Tunisia several years ago - cant remember the t/a.

Agent made no mention of it being Ramadam that week (staff at hotel got a bit ratty, as fasting, busy times..), or that most snack/drink items at hotel were not included!

It took a lot of hassle to get refund of costs incurred, and compensation (a nominal £50) for money wasted- that would have otherwise gone on souvenirs and seeing the 'sights'..

At the time, this included late night building (noise!) on the site next door- along with unfinished roads, etc.


regarding rep-arranged tours, i would def DIY- usually cheaper in most cases, when its YOUR choice, and at YOUR pace.

msb5262

minnie123 wrote: »

I went on holiday to Rhodes with Olympic and they thought it was a good idea to walk us past a car crash that had just happened to drop us at our apartments. We had a lovely view of a man with his brains hanging out still alive making noises I have never heard come from a human and a blonde woman covered in blood. Lovely start to the holiday in fact we could hear him making noises for a couple of hours after we were dropped as the ambulance took so long to arrive. I asked the rep if she could move us the next day as I was a mess tbh and she just shrugged it off.

Sorry to hear your holiday was ruined by seeing the aftermath of a car accident, but I can't help thinking the accident probably had a rather more severe long-term effect on the families of the people involved!

Am I the only person thinking it shows an unusual attitude to a serious car crash to be saying, "My holiday was wrecked!"?

MsB

minnie123

msb5262 wrote: »

Sorry to hear your holiday was ruined by seeing the aftermath of a car accident, but I can't help thinking the accident probably had a rather more severe long-term effect on the families of the people involved!

Am I the only person thinking it shows an unusual attitude to a serious car crash to be saying, "My holiday was wrecked!"?

MsB

You are twisting my words - I never said my holiday was wrecked by them having the accident - I said the Olympic rep should have made the correct decision to not walk us past the accident.

It more than "wrecked my holiday" I was in tears the whole week traumatised, couldn't sleep or be left alone and the rep didn't want to know. I saw the accident for months afterwards. The point is to the Olympic reps this was all fine!

Of course I felt for the people I spent the whole week trying to find out how they were - the rep informed me they were drink driving with no seatbelts in an open top car he survived but in what state I do not know.

Anyway this is the reason I rarely post there is always someone there to twist my words as I am not very eloquent at writing down what I mean.

Mara69

Personally, I'd never go on an all inclusive holiday - everyone I have spoken to that has been on one reports that the food is cheap and the drinks watered down. That, plus the fact that this type of holiday generally attracts hard core drinkers and families with lots of kids, means it is not my type of holiday at all.

I am learning at the knee of a master (my Mum) on how to book cheap holidays by booking flights and accommodation separately. She and my Dad have had some stunning holidays very cheaply.

Former_MSE_Becca

rachhh wrote: »

Not trying to be rude or even impolite, but I think this would get more replies on the holidays board, wouldn't it?

Thanks for the recommendation - will move to the holidays board.

MSE Becca

mcfisco

What our holiday rep failed to mention...

So some people actually make contact with the holiday rep?

I tend to avoid them at all costs