Anyone in the travel industry? Changing holiday - are tour operators likely to agree?

[secretscwirrels]

I have a booking for a holiday in July with Thomas Cook.
I booked it early because it's a hotel that sells out in school holidays and now we may not be able to travel on the date in question. It's not something insurance would cover.
What I would like to do is
a) book a holiday in the same place a couple of weeks later (unlikely due to availability) or
b) book somewhere else for a similar priced holiday (around £5k) or
c) rebook the holiday for 2014?
Does anyone know whether they are likely to agree or should I be resigned to losing my deposit?

Read the T&c and then give them a call.. Thats your best bet and see what they say.

...and do it quickly. If you do have to pay cancellation charges, they get bigger the nearer the date.

I haven't yet paid the final balance so the most I would lose is deposit, although that's a lot.
It would seem to me to be in their interest to keep my business as I plan to spend several thousand pounds on a holiday but I don't know how much flexibility or discretion they have.
Can't ring yet as I we may still be able to go but I'll do it before the final payment.

Just before Christmas I swapped a holiday for this Easter to another one for next Easter with Thomsons and paid a £50 per person ammendment fee. I had already aid £1000 deposit so thought it was worthwhile.

Yes Fluffy that would be better than losing £700 deposit. Had you booked online or in store?

Yes you can change it. But you will be charged an admin fee.

Just give them a call and they can sort it out for you or go to whoever you booked it through.