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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I deserve more compensation?

132 replies

Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 09:54

We were due to go on a cruise holiday and the flight we were on was cancelled so we missed the boat. The holiday company have said they will refund us the cost and give us each £300 in their company vouchers.

I am thinking that £300 of vouchers isn’t very much for us now having taken a weeks holiday for nothing. Sat at an airport all day on the day we were meant to go and the following day had to wait to hear what was happening.

AIBU for thinking we should get more? And if so how do I go about it?!

OP posts:
Original poster
Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 12:39

kitsuneghost · 28/05/2023 12:33

Sorry spacing went a bit mad there.

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It was all booked together by one company.

OP posts:
NotMyMill · 28/05/2023 12:41

pleasehelpwi3 · 28/05/2023 11:24

It's not £300, it's £300 in vouchers with a company that has proved unreliable and probably have a short expiry date and probably are non transferable.
When my partner received compensation for not being allowed to use facilities based on skin colour on a Greek island from the tour operator, it was worthless to us as we would never book a holiday with that tour operator again.

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I agree, it should definitely be cash OR at the very least more in vouchers and I don’t know why people are suggesting OP is being grabby.

what happened with the Greek operator?! That sounds horrendously racist!

Fandabedodgy · 28/05/2023 12:41

The £300 each should be cash not vouchers. They are being cheeky doing that.

That's designed entirely to make you rebook with them

I think you should appeal their offer and say it's not good enough.

Original poster
Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 12:42

So, we were meant to be going Friday-Friday and have a wedding on the Saturday we get back so constrained by that.

We have now booked somewhere in UK from Monday - Friday and weather here looks good so happy with that.

OP posts:
Aprilx · 28/05/2023 12:43

Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 10:49

It’s only online with phones open Monday - Saturday.

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There is no point ringing your insurance company as you have been reimbursed. Insurance companies do not pay compensation, they cover financial losses and expenses like medical costs, however you are not out of pocket, you are in fact in a profit situation, so there is nothing for insurance company to do here.

Original poster
Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 12:43

i get that some people think £300 in vouchers is fine but I don’t get why people think getting a full refund is good. Of course we should have a full refund - we never got our holiday it our flight!

OP posts:
MsPrism · 28/05/2023 12:43

Can you get a flight to the first stop on the cruise and join the ship there?

Original poster
Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 12:45

Swansandcustard · 28/05/2023 11:39

You only get one week’s AL? It’s end of May, you have the rest of the year! And I would still call work and try to save the leave.

I don’t only get one week a year but I have other plans that don’t include another week off for a cruise.

OP posts:
InSpainTheRain · 28/05/2023 12:46

It's unfortunate but I wouldn't expect more. I'd try to book myself another slightly shorter break at the last minute though.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 28/05/2023 12:48

Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 12:43

i get that some people think £300 in vouchers is fine but I don’t get why people think getting a full refund is good. Of course we should have a full refund - we never got our holiday it our flight!

Are you referring to the cruise ship company refunding you in full?

Because many places wouldn't offer you a full refund when it's not their fault you couldn't get there in time.

TooOldForThisNonsense · 28/05/2023 13:00

Why couldn’t you book a flight to the next port?

seems a bit stingy but presumably you’ll also claim your insurance too.

hope you still have a nice time.

Aprilx · 28/05/2023 13:01

Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 12:43

i get that some people think £300 in vouchers is fine but I don’t get why people think getting a full refund is good. Of course we should have a full refund - we never got our holiday it our flight!

I don’t think anyone has said getting a refund is good, people have said the refund plus £600 compensation is good / fair. The refund itself should be a given, it is the amount on top that is good.

Original poster
Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 13:05

TooOldForThisNonsense · 28/05/2023 13:00

Why couldn’t you book a flight to the next port?

seems a bit stingy but presumably you’ll also claim your insurance too.

hope you still have a nice time.

There were no flights that would get to the next port in time.

We won’t double claim if that’s what you mean? You can’t claim on insurance if you have got a refund from the company.

OP posts:
TheKobayashiMaru · 28/05/2023 13:06

I think you should get a full refund if the holiday includung flight was booked through the cruise company. How come they couldn't get you to the other port?

Original poster
Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 13:07

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 28/05/2023 12:48

Are you referring to the cruise ship company refunding you in full?

Because many places wouldn't offer you a full refund when it's not their fault you couldn't get there in time.

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Ah I get you. It was the company that we booked the whole thing with that has refunded us. The price was for flights and cruise all included as one cost.

OP posts:
Original poster
Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 13:10

TheKobayashiMaru · 28/05/2023 13:06

I think you should get a full refund if the holiday includung flight was booked through the cruise company. How come they couldn't get you to the other port?

I don’t really know and now that I’m thinking about it I am thinking they should have made more effort to do that as the ship sailed at night then had a full day at sea before getting to the next port today. There were no flights from our airport but they could have flown us to London or wherever went maybe. They didn’t offer us that option.

I think cos it all happened late at night by the time they started sorting it out in the morning it was too late ???

OP posts:
Dinopawus · 28/05/2023 13:10

I'd maybe ask for the £300 in cash or a higher amount in vouchers/on board spend.

What would it cost you to take unpaid leave for a week to do your cruise? That's the figure I would be asking for.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 28/05/2023 13:13

Ah I get you. It was the company that we booked the whole thing with that has refunded us. The price was for flights and cruise all included as one cost.

Ah that explains the automatic full refund.

I thought you'd booked the cruise separately which is why I thought a full refund was incredibly generous.

Skyblue92 · 28/05/2023 13:13

Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 13:10

I don’t really know and now that I’m thinking about it I am thinking they should have made more effort to do that as the ship sailed at night then had a full day at sea before getting to the next port today. There were no flights from our airport but they could have flown us to London or wherever went maybe. They didn’t offer us that option.

I think cos it all happened late at night by the time they started sorting it out in the morning it was too late ???

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Was it this weekend? If so then they probably couldn’t fly you to London or the next port due to the chaos with the e gates. Don’t know if that’s even been sorted yet. Otherwise really not every company would refund you the whole package plus an additional £300 each (even as vouchers) so that bit is fair, id imagine the full refund was because of factors outside their control

AbreathofFrenchair · 28/05/2023 13:15

Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 09:54

We were due to go on a cruise holiday and the flight we were on was cancelled so we missed the boat. The holiday company have said they will refund us the cost and give us each £300 in their company vouchers.

I am thinking that £300 of vouchers isn’t very much for us now having taken a weeks holiday for nothing. Sat at an airport all day on the day we were meant to go and the following day had to wait to hear what was happening.

AIBU for thinking we should get more? And if so how do I go about it?!

You've got a full refund and £600 in vouchers as compensation. Use the vouchers and the refund to book a last minute flight somewhere.

If not, save the vouchers towards a holiday later this year or next.

How much compensation are you after exactly and why? £600 isnt enough, what would be?

Skyblue92 · 28/05/2023 13:15

Skyblue92 · 28/05/2023 13:13

Was it this weekend? If so then they probably couldn’t fly you to London or the next port due to the chaos with the e gates. Don’t know if that’s even been sorted yet. Otherwise really not every company would refund you the whole package plus an additional £300 each (even as vouchers) so that bit is fair, id imagine the full refund was because of factors outside their control

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Although I’m aware it was inbound flights but would assume that would have a knock on effect with outbound flights

powerrangers · 28/05/2023 13:33

BonnieGlasses · 28/05/2023 10:04

Er no I don't think you deserve more than a full refund and a very generous amount of vouchers!

The refund is not compensation. That doesn't even come into the conversation.
The £300 each compensation is woeful as the op has now wasted one precious week of holiday allowance. Your expectations are very low.

BungleandGeorge · 28/05/2023 13:41

Why was the flight cancelled? Was it beyond their control? (Eg weather, strikes, medical emergency?). Usually if it’s beyond their control it’s not their responsibility. It will be in your t&cs.

TooOldForThisNonsense · 28/05/2023 13:43

Birdsongsinging · 28/05/2023 13:05

There were no flights that would get to the next port in time.

We won’t double claim if that’s what you mean? You can’t claim on insurance if you have got a refund from the company.

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Yes I know but that’s what I mean. You’ll get the rest of it back from insurance presumably?

LumpyandBumps · 28/05/2023 13:43

I don’t feel that any amount in vouchers is acceptable.
You were at the airport so presumably had travel costs to get there, possibly parking too. If you were at the airport for ages it’s reasonable to expect that you paid for some food/ drinks, which are never cheap.
You can’t pay for such expenses with holiday vouchers, so I understand that you are out of pocket.
I assume that even if the refund was made immediately it would take several days to reach your account. I am pleased for you that you have been able to book somewhere else. I am sure lots of people wouldn’t have have the funds to do so.
I would pursue the laid down compensation for cancelled flights. If your insurance makes additional provision for delayed departure there is no reason not to make a claim on it, as long as they are aware of any other payments.
There is no possible way I would accept travel vouchers from a company that has already let me down.

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