Feeling annoyed about holiday

[Rochelaise18]

Had a holiday booked for next year that I was looking forwards to. It was to be my first overseas holiday for a while. Was making a payment by phone earlier as the website was playing up. All good, payment taken, no problems.
2 hours later got an email to say the holiday is being cancelled.
I just don't get how nothing was said when I was speaking to the person taking the payment.
Now having to try and find something to fit with the budget and dates as really want to avoid going outside of school holidays and the dates were ideal for nice weather but with not too many crowds.
It's also the waiting 40 days for the refund. I'd rather have the nice holiday, than this stress of trying to find something else.
AIBU to be annoyed with the holiday company?

Because they will make money with the interest on your money.

It’s really unfortunate timing but the person taking the booking wouldn’t have known it was about to be cancelled

As it’s not until next year you should be able to find something else in good time, even waiting for the refund

Why are you waiting 40 days for a refund? If this is a UK company, and it's a package holiday they've cancelled, under Package Travel Regulations they have to refund within 14 days.

And that's also last resort, they should be offering a like for like alternative at no extra cost to you first, and you have the option to cancel if the alternative isn't suitable.

@WhatsitWiggle They aren't a UK company. It's 30 business days to process the refund and 7-10 business days from the refund being processed to being paid.
It's more that there wasn't really a reason for cancellation given beyond "we're rejigging our holidays, so yours is cancelled."
I guess I should be grateful, a family member had a cruise cancelled last year due to vaccine requirements (children were too young to have the vaccine and cruise refused no vaccinated passengers) and is still waiting for their refund. Hopefully, I won't have that much trouble!

Welcome to my world.

I have one trip that is on it’s 4th cancellation/reschedule. And another is on it’s second try.

In the meantime we’ve had to scramble to find something affordable while we have a bunch of money tied up in future vacations. And not fully booked already. Our last cancellation came 3 weeks before we were due to leave.

Yes, it’s a first world problem but it’s my first world problem. And it sucks.

Cross your fingers that I get to meet the Jamaican Easter Bunny!

Good luck finding a replacement. The fact there were hours between paying and cancellation is dodgy as hell. For that I’d open a credit card fraud investigation to get refunded sooner.

@saltinesandcoffeecups I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.