Alton Towers Holidays - Cancellation automatically converted to vouchers

ernest1983

Evening all,
I had 3 separate bookings in late November with "Alton Towers Holidays", with overnight stays in the Alton Towers accommodation and various activities bundles in.  The total for the 3 was just over £1000.  At the time of booking I received an email saying that they were classed as a "package" under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations.  FWIW I also bought their cancellation insurance with each booking.
Today I've received 3 emails saying that the trips are cancelled due to the new lockdown and that I have automatically received vouchers for the 3 amounts, which have to be used for by June 2021, for stays by the end of 2021.    
None of the emails, or the website, mention any alternatives to the vouchers i.e. a cash refund, but this is what I would prefer.   I'm planning to call them tomorrow but was hoping for some advice here beforehand please.  Am I entitled to a cash refund?  If I accept the vouchers and subsequently use them, will I lose the protection covered by my credit card?
Thanks in advance

MattMattMattUK

Have you read their cancellation policy and the relevant section in the insurance policy you purchased? 

ernest1983

Having a read through them now.  It seems they are part of "Holiday Extras", who have been in articles online, including MSE, over their COVID refunds / vouchers.  

anticlaus105

ernest1983 said:

Evening all,
I had 3 separate bookings in late November with "Alton Towers Holidays", with overnight stays in the Alton Towers accommodation and various activities bundles in.  The total for the 3 was just over £1000.  At the time of booking I received an email saying that they were classed as a "package" under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations.  FWIW I also bought their cancellation insurance with each booking.
Today I've received 3 emails saying that the trips are cancelled due to the new lockdown and that I have automatically received vouchers for the 3 amounts, which have to be used for by June 2021, for stays by the end of 2021.    
None of the emails, or the website, mention any alternatives to the vouchers i.e. a cash refund, but this is what I would prefer.   I'm planning to call them tomorrow but was hoping for some advice here beforehand please.  Am I entitled to a cash refund?  If I accept the vouchers and subsequently use them, will I lose the protection covered by my credit card?
Thanks in advance

Hi,

I have the same issue. We were due to go next week and they have cancelled and auto issued vouchers. I also took the insurance and paid by credit card. Did you receive a refund eventually? I'm on hold trying to get through and getting very sick of the music.

anticlaus105

Took an hour to get through but refund due within 14-30 days.

anticlaus105

Well I got my refund but they deducted the £25 Covid insurance. Am a bit annoyed given the insurance was rendered null and void when they cancelled the trip. Should they have refunded the Covid insurance?

[Deleted User]

anticlaus105 said:

Well I got my refund but they deducted the £25 Covid insurance. Am a bit annoyed given the insurance was rendered null and void when they cancelled the trip. Should they have refunded the Covid insurance?

Not totally sure if you are entitled to your insurance premium back or not. Presumably it will have been passed to the underwriters.  However, when I received a refund from cottages.com I was fully expecting the insurance premium to be deducted and it wasn’t!  I got refunded my entire lay out.   Definitely query it although as I said am not entirely sure what the regs are?   Good luck. 

anticlaus105

Phoned again today and thankfully got straight through. I was advised the insurance was non refundable. I queried this saying if my car insurer cancelled my policy I would expect a refund (not getting into pro-rata). The advisor went to speak to a manager and came back asking if I had been previously advised I wouldn't be refunded the insurance. I hadn't and was told I would receive my voucher back, which was the full value. They then listened to the previous call and agreed to refund the insurance premium. I have a feeling there will now be some staff training.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the update anticlaus, always love a happy ending.