Real-life MMD: Holiday nightmare - should we forgo £6,000 or pay £1,000 more?

Former_MSE_Debs

Money Moral Dilemma: Holiday nightmare - should we forgo £6,000 or pay £1,000 more?

We recently paid £12,000 for a "holiday of a lifetime", which includes a Rocky Mountains train ride. AFTER paying, the company told us we'd need to cross picket lines. As trade unionists, we refuse to do this. We want to cancel but the firm says we'll lose half our cash. The alternative's paying £945 to rearrange our trip. Should we cancel and lose £6,000, or pay the extra and travel with a company that has deceived us?

Click 'reply' to have your say

Note: Please remember that these are real-life Money Moral Dilemmas and while we want you to have your say, please remember to be nice when you respond.

Got a MMD suggestion? [EMAIL="mmd@moneysavingexpert.com"]Email us[/EMAIL]

Previous MMDs: View All

Click reply below to discuss. If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply. If you aren’t sure how it all works, watch our New to Forum? Intro Guide.

[threadbanner] box [/threadbanner]

katecheshire

If the company were not aware that you were likely to object, they haven't exactly deceived you. I'm not sure at what point a discussion on picket lines would crop up in holiday planning so I'm curious about how you found out.

I admire your principles which are either going to cost you £6000 or £945.

lizardking

How about if you considered it from the other perspective, if you were picketing and someone came up and explained they'd spent £6000 on their 'holiday of a lifetime' but only after found out about the protest, would you think less of them etc or tell them to enjoy their holiday?

You could also consider giving the £945 to their union, or to help their cause in some way.

DuncanDavis_2

Depends what they mean by cross a picket and where, why etc?

if there is industrial action that will affect your holiday and they clearly knew about it before booking, then threaten them with the small claims court and bad publicity.

JimmyTheWig

I agree with Kate in that the company haven't decieved you by not mentioning the picket lines.
If you had asked "will we need to cross picket lines?" and they said "no", then you are (surely) entitled to a full refund as the holiday was mis-sold. But not mentioning something which you can't reasonably expect them to mention doesn't count as being decieved.

The elephant in the room option, as lizardking aludes to, is to go anyway and cross the picket line. Good for you for standing by your principles and not even considering this as an option.

So with that not an option, and putting the feelings that they deceived you to one side, it's simply a question of money.
Spend an extra £945 and get a holiday of a lifetime or get £6000 in your pocket. That, in effect, means "is the holiday worth £6945?"
Given you were happy to pay £12,000 for it, I'd say "yes".
Assuming that you can reasonably get your hands on £1000 then I'd say go with that option.

But I would complain to the company in question. Point out the amount of money you are spending, point out that you, personally, consider it the company's fault for not telling you and that because they haven't rectified their mistake you are unlikely to travel with them in the future. Ask, as a gesture of goodwill, that they refund the £945.
[And if they do, you could always forward it (or half of it) on to the workers in struggle for their fighting fund!]

zorber

What a topic.

You havent been decieved.

You obviously have more money than sence if you can afford to forego £6k and why rearrange your holiday which will cost you more money.

I am more than annnoyed with trade unions blackmailing business. We all want to earn more money have better benefits etc but in times of recession the business may not be able to afford to pay more or give larger benefits. In fact this industrial dispute may send the company into administration threating all the workers jobs, never mind losing your holiday because of it.

Take your holiday, enjoy it as i quess you have probably earned it.

Macca83_2

Im not sure in what situation you'd end up crossing a picket line on holiday. I thought you only crossed a picket line if you opted out of strike action and decided to work.
My understanding of this isn't very clear. I think id need it explained further.

keet83

If you were sensible and paid by credit card then wouldn't you be covered by section 75?

jessiedebbie

I am shocked to read this. I am a union man but I fail to see how this is a problem. If I was entering a place of work and had to cross a picket line I would refuse but on holiday. Never, you are mad and have far too much money if you think putting principles first will make you a better man.
Go on the holiday and stop being silly.

originaladidas

Agree with the poster about crossing a picket line, you dont work there, it's nothing to do with you whatever their dispute is with their employers.

You're not going to be a scab by crossing the line you're there as a tourist not as an employee trying to get into work.

Also agree with someone as to how this came up in conversation!? Presume it's something they were told they had to inform you of? If so you could go back to them and ask them when they knew of the situation? If it was before you paid up you may have some comeback? I dont know the legals on that!

If its the trip of a lifetime dont let a bunch of fat american hamburger chompers protesting about the fact they havent invaded a country recently bother you, put some dark glasses on and walk on by.

kerri_dfw

3 options then:
- stand by your principles and lose £6k....well done you...blatent first world problems!
- rearrange and cost yourself a grand - yet again, first world problems
- get over yourself and go on the blinking holiday, if it's costing that much it's likely one of those "once in a lifetime" ones that most of us can't go on anyway. I find it a bit insulting you're even asking us to be honest.

Oh actually....there is another option. Seeing as you have more money than sense, donate your holiday to someone more worthy of it. You don't have to lose any money, you don't get the holiday but hey! your principles weren't compromised.