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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To cancel our holiday?

68 replies

Chantin · 02/05/2022 23:04

We booked a 5 night all inclusive trip to a European beach resort in 2019 for the following year- after being re-booked several times we are now due to go next month. Only now DH and I will also have a 5 month old in tow…

The holiday has long since been paid for but now we are facing additional costs.

Baby’s passport has not been processed despite sending off for it months ago- I have been stressing about this and we may be able to ‘upgrade’ application to get before we fly but calls seem to be coming to get the passports the day before flight and is going to cost us £100+.

Boots has suspended click and collect at its airport branch so now we are going to have to take check in luggage for formula milk- extra £100. Manchester airport yet again does not look pleasant to be travelling through with a baby.

Once we are there we won’t have use of a kitchenette so are going to have a bit of a faff preparing her bottles and relying on ready to feed.

A caravan holiday in Cornwall the same week would be £250- so same as these additional costs and without stress of fighting passport office, getting through airport etc, would have a kitchen to prepare milk, can Jack it in and go home if baby is having a rough time with her teeth…

However this will be our last chance for a while to have an abroad holiday- we won’t be able to afford it when I’m working part time after May leave- it will be UK caravan by financial necessity- so it makes me think we should go for it.

We could be sat wet and miserable on a caravan wishing we were sunning ourselves…

We won’t see the money back for the beach holiday either way but trying not to think about the sunk costs. WWYD?

OP posts:
Theimpossiblegirl · 02/05/2022 23:08

I would go, even with the extra costs and hassle. It could be a long time before you go abroad again. It's annoying though, the passport issue and the Boots thing.

GoBackToPartyCity · 02/05/2022 23:09

I thought you were allowed to take formula through in your hand luggage without having to pay anything extra?

NumbLittlePea · 02/05/2022 23:09

It sounds like you would begrudge the holiday. Don’t go

Notimeforaname · 02/05/2022 23:12

I'd go. If it doesn't break the bank I'd go. Try to change my attitude and try to enjoy it.

LittleOwl153 · 02/05/2022 23:15

Check what your airline will allow re baby stuff. You might get some leeway on luggage.

Can you postpone the holiday to next year? Might cost you a bit more but sounds like you'd loose some of the baby costs which might compensate.

If you can't change it I would go. Going anywhere with a baby is tough but babies often travel easier than toddlers...

SantiagoSky · 02/05/2022 23:19

Any chance to postpone it another time until baby is a bit older?

Sswhinesthebest · 02/05/2022 23:19

Definitely go if you can

lightisnotwhite · 02/05/2022 23:20

You can buy branded formula abroad.
Passports go up every year anyway. Just accept that’s the cost of one.
Agree that babies are much easier than toddlers to travel with.

m00rfarm · 02/05/2022 23:22

Babies are easier to travel than toddlers. Most european resorts will have what you need. You could perhaps arrange for an amazon delivery to wherever you are going (your uk account will work for Spain or germany for example).

GrumpyPanda · 02/05/2022 23:26

You're not going to the wilds of Outer Mongolia are you? Just take enough formula for a couple of days and buy the rest there. As to facilities, I have yet to see a hotel that wouldn't provide an electric kettle upon request. Camping sounds MUCH more uncomfortable in contrast.

Shamoo · 02/05/2022 23:30

When we flew abroad recently we took enough formula for 48 hours in hand luggage and bought the rest when we got there, so do check if that’s an option.

If I were you I would either go or stay at home - I wouldn’t book a week in Cornwall with a small baby in a caravan, but save the money for when your baby is a bit older and a holiday would be more fun.

but if I could sort the passport I would go.

TokenGinger · 02/05/2022 23:34

You do not need an extra suitcase for formula for five days. We went away for a week and took two tubs of powdered formula and had plenty of space. We also lined the case with ready made formula bottles (put inside a zip lock bag in case any burst). One tub of formula and some ready made bottles for five days should be ample. And my son was a 9oz, 8 feeds a day boy.

Fupoffyagrasshole · 02/05/2022 23:35

Don’t get the issue about the formula? If you were gonna collect it at the airport and carry it on the plane anyway how is that different to taking it with you - both ways mean you need to be able to carry it in your luggage?

You are looking for reasons not to go though so don’t bother.

travel with a 5 month old is easy though I loved going abroad with my little one when she was small like that!

GroggyLegs · 02/05/2022 23:37

Buy nappies and formula there.

I'd email the hotel & ask their advice where to buy them (you never know they might offer to get some in for your arrival) & also ask for a kettle in the room. Then it's one less worry when you get there.

Unless it's an adults only resort, they'll be used to accomodating children.

Sisisimone · 02/05/2022 23:37

Just take some ready made cartons of milk to see you through a day or so then buy some formula when you get there. No way Id trade an all inclusive holiday for a UK caravan stay

Original poster
Chantin · 02/05/2022 23:43

To answer some queries:

We can’t postpone
The C&C if we had been able to do it counts as duty free hand luggage so there’s no liquid limit
we don’t have any hold luggage at the moment - it’s cabin bags- so would need one hold bag
her formula brand isn’t available where we are going- I’ve checked

It was mainly the passport stress that had me looking for alternatives just in case and then we began to wonder if they were preferable…

I’ve actually been to Outer Mongolia but no wouldn’t fancy it for baby’s first holiday 😁

OP posts:
MotherOfCrocodiles · 02/05/2022 23:50

The caravan in Cornwall is not AI so you would have to pay (millions of pounds) for (crap British) meals. Given a recent thread on here where everyone was laying into a new mum for bringing her kid to the beer garden, I'd go to a country where babies are allowed out and you can have some paid-for relaxed meals without grumpies clutching their pearls about a baby out after 6pm...

Dontlickthetrolley · 02/05/2022 23:51

Put your tubs of formula in your push chair and take through security and then buy something small in duty free and ask for a large bag, no one is going to take formula away from a baby.

Divebar2021 · 02/05/2022 23:52

Are you taking a buggy/travel system ? If you are you can use it right up to the gate. Once you’re there you put it away in your very generously sized buggy bag which you can stuff with all sorts of useful items - eg clothes if necessary.

Original poster
Chantin · 03/05/2022 00:03

Thanks @Divebar2021 and @Dontlickthetrolley

Those are good practical tips…if we don’t have to pay to check luggage that’s one less stress

OP posts:
GeneralAntiope · 03/05/2022 00:19

I’d pay the extra for checked luggage if necessary, and the emergency passport, again may not be necessary hopefully.

As a PP said, you’ll be paying extra for eating out in the UK if you opt for a caravan, won’t be as relaxing if you self cater, while all your food and drinks are included abroad.

I’d definitely go for sun, sea, nice pool and being waited on with no cleaning up afterwards, as opposed to a self catering caravan with cleaning up to do, with a 50:50 chance of rain! Especially if you may not be able to get away again for a while.

Can you contact the resort to ask about baby milk making facilities? They must have had guests with young babies before.

leftistbimbo · 03/05/2022 01:21

Can the names be changed on the holiday? if you decide against it at least you could sell it on to someone else and get some of the money back, which could be used for an abroad trip another time

PyongyangKipperbang · 03/05/2022 02:01

The thing is, you wont really be sunning yourselves in the way you imagined when you first booked it pre-baby. Sitting around the pool with cocktails, long dinners at sunset, nice evenings in a bar with a stroll along the beach....it just wont happen! There will be a lot of walking around, trying to find shade, one of you taking the baby while the other one has a break but it isnt really a break as you will be thinking that it will be your turn to take the baby, baby screaming as he/she is too hot in the sun, then too cold in the air con.......

Honestly, I would go to Cornwall. But I say this as a veteran mother of 6 so perhaps my expectations are different!

Original poster
Chantin · 03/05/2022 12:51

Thank you I’ve worked out now we can get away without hold luggage at least.

@PyongyangKipperbang yes that’s kind of what I’m thinking, that actually will we be just tag teaming to get some sleep! She loves her routine too

I think it’s a good point about the AI vs self catering- we would use vouchers to do an M&S shop before going g to Cornwall but would probably end up spending more on eating out…

Think if the passport comes through we might go- but that’s a big if

OP posts:
Sisisimone · 03/05/2022 13:15

her formula brand isn’t available where we are going- I’ve checked
you don't need the same formula brand. The ingredients in all cow's milk-based, iron-fortified infant formula are basically the same. I travelled a lot with dd as a baby and just bought the market leader formula in each country I went.