Help please. Have to cancel a holiday

E2006

Hi. I'm hoping someone can help me. We have booked a family holiday to centre parcs and are due to go tomorrow however my daughter has been admitted to hospital and will likely be in until at leave Thursday/Friday when the holiday is due to end. I've rang centre parcs and explained and they have said they can't do anything, can't even let us change the dates. I've told them that I can produce a letter from the hospital but they are immovable. I booked and paid for the holiday on my Santander MasterCard but I idnt take the cancellation insurance because stupidly though there was no reason why we would cancel - we go the same time every year. Is it possible that I would be covered by my credit card? I know the money's not important at this stage, but we also have a 7 year old who will be devastated not to go and this would mean we could re book for maybe January instead because we couldn't afford to do so otherwise.
Thanks in advance

duchy

Claiming back on the credit card is for when the supplier of the holiday has not provided the holiday. In this case it is your "choice" not to go so there is no claim. Unfortunately an expensive lesson about travel insurance and why you should take it out

I hope your daughter is better soon

Could your partner and the other child go anyway and you stay home ? (I'm assuming family holiday means 2 parents apologies if I'm wrong). Not ideal but better than losing it all.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

As duchy said.

Here is a similar recent thread with responses that apply in your case too.

Caz3121

do you have any bank accounts that may have travel insurance included?

RedLemon

E2006 wrote: »

Hi. I'm hoping someone can help me. We have booked a family holiday to centre parcs and are due to go tomorrow however my daughter has been admitted to hospital and will likely be in until at leave Thursday/Friday when the holiday is due to end. I've rang centre parcs and explained and they have said they can't do anything, can't even let us change the dates. I've told them that I can produce a letter from the hospital but they are immovable. I booked and paid for the holiday on my Santander MasterCard but I idnt take the cancellation insurance because stupidly though there was no reason why we would cancel - we go the same time every year. Is it possible that I would be covered by my credit card? I know the money's not important at this stage, but we also have a 7 year old who will be devastated not to go and this would mean we could re book for maybe January instead because we couldn't afford to do so otherwise.
Thanks in advance

Why would your credit card cover you? :huh:

You were offered insurance, which you declined stating here you didn't thik there would ever be any reason to cancel.

So unless your credit card happens to provide travel insurance, then no your credit card will not cover you.

rehanmalik3030

E2006 wrote: »

Hi. I'm hoping someone can help me. We have booked a family holiday to centre parcs and are due to go tomorrow however my daughter has been admitted to hospital and will likely be in until at leave Thursday/Friday when the holiday is due to end. I've rang centre parcs and explained and they have said they can't do anything, can't even let us change the dates. I've told them that I can produce a letter from the hospital but they are immovable. I booked and paid for the holiday on my Santander MasterCard but I idnt take the cancellation insurance because stupidly though there was no reason why we would cancel - we go the same time every year. Is it possible that I would be covered by my credit card? I know the money's not important at this stage, but we also have a 7 year old who will be devastated not to go and this would mean we could re book for maybe January instead because we couldn't afford to do so otherwise.
Thanks in advance

A 7 year old cannot be devastated he may be miserable or disappointed for a day or two but then forget about it. And you need to do the same.

System

Unless you have travel insurance -- check the T&Cs on your credit card and also on your current bank accounts in case either has cover, maybe even your house insurance just to be thorough (do any of those policies include travel insurance as well?) -- then you won't get any money back unless Centre Parcs feel like being sympathetic, which it sounds like they don't.

I've been in a similar situation and had to cancel a holiday because I was ill and unable to travel. Remarkably I was able to get some money back, but not all, despite not having travel insurance. (And as for Ryanair claiming you can have a refund in extreme circumstances... ha. That one still irritates me. Anyway, I digress.) It is a lesson to learn though, that even if you're staying within the UK and can't think of any possible reason you would cancel or need to pay out medical expenses... something can come along totally out of the blue and spoil your plans.

Have you explained to your 7 year old that you won't be going on holiday yet? They may surprise you and be more concerned for their sister's health than the holiday. Really hope that your daughter recovers quickly and is OK for Christmas!

Vortigern

OP - can you sell the holiday to a friend, or through a Facebook group?

Offer a suitable discount to the price you paid and you could cut your loss.

thebritishbloke

Failing all the other options, write them an email explaining the circumstances and appeal to their compassionate side. They might give you a partial refund, or a discount off of your next booking. Just remember travel insurance next time. The Nationwide FlexPlus account is the best all-rounder for family's if you want to look into it.

w00519772

I do sympathize with regards to your daughter, however if you could simply claim back on your credit card then no-one would pay for travel insurance.

You took a risk not taking out travel insurance (you could of saved money). However, it has not paid off this time.

stator

If you're a regular customer try writing a letter and they may offer you a discount next year.