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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Please help - holiday cancelled by Siblu!

29 replies

pinkteddy · 22/07/2008 20:00

My friends are supposed to be going on a Siblu holiday to the south of France next week for 3 weeks. Siblu phoned them today and cancelled! They say the caravan they were booked in is no longer available so they can no longer accommodate them. They booked this holiday last November and are devastated. We have booked to go to the same site (for one week) and are meeting them there. They have flights booked separately. Siblu have offered them alternative accommodation on another site but it is too far away for us to meet them and is only 2 star (as opposed to 4 star).

Has anyone any suggestions? We have checked the terms and conditions but it looks as though legally they can do this.

OP posts:
brimfull · 22/07/2008 20:02

sorry no helpful ideas but .....BASTARDS!!!!!!!!

can't believe hey can do this!

Original poster
pinkteddy · 22/07/2008 20:06

I know I can't believe it, I've never heard of this type of thing happening before.

OP posts:
brimfull · 22/07/2008 20:11

threaten to go to the press??

the most annoying thing is the downgrade to 2 star

Marina · 22/07/2008 20:16

pinkteddy, Siblu are a Mumsnet discount partner so I'd e-mail MNHQ about this and ask if they can put pressure on Siblu to come up with a better suggestion, in the circumstances. I know it is peak season but that's a terrible thing to do to customers.
We won a holiday with them last year through MN, and had a great experience, I am staggered the same helpful firm could do this to a family at such short notice.
Could it possibly be that the particular caravan has been damaged by a brush fire or something? I can't believe there is not a fairly major reason behind this.
Good luck

scrappydappydoo · 22/07/2008 20:20

pinkteddy - can I ask which site its on?? my mil owns a caravan on la carrabasse - shes booked up but might know other private owners who may have one available..

DontNeedAnything · 22/07/2008 20:21

I realise that it is less than perfect - but will the holiday insurance cover anything like this? If they can help they may be able to rebook a more local (but non Siblu) park. I guess they would have to be lucky to get abnother booking thoough this late.

Original poster
pinkteddy · 22/07/2008 20:25

That's the problem Dontneed its too late to book anything else they have been googling all day today.

scrappy - it is la carabasse - can you ask your mil? - that would be fantastic.

Marina - who would I contact at MNHQ - do you think they would help?

thanks everyone for all your helpful suggestions so far.

OP posts:
Marina · 22/07/2008 20:27

I hope you don't mind pinkteddy but I actually "reported the thread" so they can see what has happened and maybe pull some strings for you at Siblu HQ
So, no need to mail
We are due to go to France (a gite this time) soon and your poor friends' situation has given me the heebie-jeebies. Hope you get it sorted

Cammelia · 22/07/2008 20:27

If a caravan was damaged surely Siblu would be able to obtain another?

scrappydappydoo · 22/07/2008 20:29

Will do - what are the exact dates??
tbh its a long shot for 3 weeks in school hols but you never know!!

Marina · 22/07/2008 20:30

Camm, I think a lot of vans at Siblu sites are privately owned and leased to Siblu for letting for some of the season, or let direct, as per scrappy's MIL's caravan at La Carrabasse
Either a private owner has welched on them, or something baaaad has happened to the van, taking the matter out of all parties' control
Either way in August most sites are operating at capacity so they will not have anything to fall back on in a situation like this, I guess

Original poster
pinkteddy · 22/07/2008 20:33

Thanks Marina - don't mind at all we are willing to do almost anything! It has given me heebie jeebies too about our little week for obvious reasons.

Cammelia - you would have thought so - its totally bizarre IMO.

Scrappy its a family of 5, dates 6 August until 27 August but they would be willing to consider anything within that IYSWIM. We are going on 16th for a week so ideally it would include that time. I really appreciate this, thanks so much.

OP posts:
SueW · 22/07/2008 20:34

We arrived in Tenerife late one night back in my younger days to find we couldn't get into one of the apartments we'd rented and couldn't get hold of anyone. Being v young things, we managed to sleep five of us in a studio for 2 people (maybe we didn't sleep and partied all night instead!) and found out the next day that the apartment had changed hands in a poker game and was no longer available to rent!

Good lukc with iinding a caravan.

Original poster
pinkteddy · 22/07/2008 20:48

scrappy - will you post back on here tomorrow or whenever you have some news? I will bump to remind you if you want!

OP posts:
scrappydappydoo · 22/07/2008 20:56

Yep - have mil on the case already.... she's ringing around as we speak BUT she said that siblu e-mailed her last week asking her if she had any space so it sounds like its happening to lots of people

Original poster
pinkteddy · 22/07/2008 21:02

You are a star thanks so much! Awful to think that its happening to others too

OP posts:
scrappydappydoo · 22/07/2008 21:26

right good news and bad news..
There is one van available for 1 week from 6th -16th and another van available for the last week - so doesn't match up with your dates I'm afraid but still better than nothing.
MIL said to try other campsites in the area - camping club farret - owned by yelloh are right next door. There is also one opposite called les sallisses. Both of these have caravans to rent out so may have dates...

Original poster
pinkteddy · 22/07/2008 22:02

OK thanks I will let them know. If they want to go ahead with the weeks you have mentioned, how should they do this? We will also investigate the other campsites in the meantime. Has les sallisses got a website?

OP posts:
scrappydappydoo · 22/07/2008 22:09

If they contact me by e-mail I'll forward it onto mil - scrappydappy2 at hotmail.co.uk

salisses

Original poster
pinkteddy · 22/07/2008 22:22

OK will pass messages on, friends mobile is off now, will speak tomorrow and get in touch with you asap, thanks again.

OP posts:
MNHQ
JulesMumsnet · 23/07/2008 15:53

Hi pinkteddy, so sorry to hear about your situation. I have emailed our contact at Siblu and they are have got on the case straightaway to see what has happened, and what they can do to remedy it. I'll let you know if we hear anything back from them. They may well post something themselves or speak directly to your friend. Hope it all gets resolved

jamsmum · 23/07/2008 18:30

thankyou all so much for all your concern and help.have been liasing with siblu most of day and they have managed to sort out our holiday as we originally booked.cant thank you all enough. its all been so stressful!!just cant wait to get there now!!

jamsmum · 23/07/2008 18:30

thankyou all so much for all your concern and help.have been liasing with siblu most of day and they have managed to sort out our holiday as we originally booked.cant thank you all enough. its all been so stressful!!just cant wait to get there now!!

forevercleaning · 23/07/2008 18:33

oh brill, i have been following this thread with dread, as we are fellow mobile campers in france. So pleased it has all worked out.

scrappydappydoo · 23/07/2008 19:44

Phew!! Will call the search off..
You'll have a great time - the kids will love the pool and the beach is luvely