Center Parcs booking and Corona Virus

davewallace1000

So I have a decision to make and could do with some advice.
I have a stay at Center Parcs booked for the end of May/start of June. Hopefully everything will be back to normal (ish) after the corona virus by then. However I am due to pay the balance on my booking on 20th March of £845. I don't know whether I should pay that (and potentially lose my deposit, which I may get back on travel insurance), or pay it and wait and see what happens. If they cancel I obviously get a full refund (or the chance to rebook). They recently announced they are closing until 19th April, their website says not to try and contact them unless you are due to travel in the next week. My wife and son both have asthma so fall into the 'chronic illness' category where they would be more likely to have serious complications should they contract the virus.
So should I pay and hope that they cancel or things get back to normal? Or just leave it as is and accept that we are not going to be going (and have the hassle of a claim for the deposit)?

energysavingexpert

I'm in exactly the same situation.
Don't pay the balance and they will say you've cancelled, and snaffle the deposit; or pay the balance and you should get the whole lot back when they eventually cancel due to closure. There is no way that they will or should be open in  May - they know it and we know it. Their attitude in continuing to collect balances in this situation is disgusting. A national scandal. They are playing chicken with their customers, hoping customers will cancel first so they can profit.
If we do pay the balance then in theory - and IF they don't go bust and IF they don't come up with some scam where they are sort of open and expect us to go at the risk of our health - we will get the whole lot back including the deposit.
I am going to pay - on a credit card obvs. But I won't be going, not this time nor ever again.

davewallace1000

I've paid too - worst case scenario is a travel insurance claim - or actually worst case scenario might actually be them being open after all..

Aylesbury_Duck

Pay the balance on credit card and when it's inevitably cancelled (I can't see them being open until late summer at the earliest), you'll get a full refund and if they go bust, your card issuer will reimburse you.

"A national scandal".  Get a grip.

mintymoneysaver

I did phone them to query this. They said if I didn't pay I would lose my deposit. However once I had paid I could have a full refund if they cancelled or I could change my booking at any time to any other date up to the end of 2021.

Phil_kakarot

I had a holiday booked to centre parcs in the Netherlands next week. I have been chasing a refund as we will not be able to travel/ book(due to personal and financial reasons) within the next year using the voucher they are offering. They have said it's no problem if we book now, the stay can take place at a later date, but I can't see us being able to travel in the next couple years and would like a cash refund. This is what they are now saying:

"The decision was taken by Groupe Pierre & Vacances in consultation with the trade association of the travel companies. In addition to the Center Parcs General Terms and Conditions, the conditions of the voucher offered are in accordance with the HISWA RECRON scheme that has been drawn up in this exceptional situation, after consultation with the Consumer and Market Authority (ACM) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

A validity date is stated on the voucher. If this date has expired and the voucher has not been validated, the money will be refunded to your account 1 month after this expiry date.

We hope that you will be able to agree with this mutual agreement with the trade association of the travel companies and legal authorities."

So looks like I will have to wait a year for the voucher to expire before I get a refund, is this right? Or can I legally still ask for a cash refund?