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Legal matters

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Original poster

London boat trip to see fireworks was cancelled how do we stand please?

26 replies

Ilikevino · 02/01/2014 14:33

For a part of my Christmas present my new husband decided that we were to see our first new year as man and wife in style and booked a surprise trip to London with a boat trip on the Thames for New Year's Eve to see the fireworks along with a hotel booking for three nights in London

He booked through a website, (I'm not sure I can put it on here?)

On New Year's Eve we got to the pier in Greenwich in plenty of time, in fact, we were the first ones there lol

The excitement grew as we waited for the boat to arrive, when we saw it sailing down the Thames towards us we all cheered, the the skipper moored the boat then he must have realised he needed to go backwards a bit but i think he was annoyed at himself so he rammed it in reverse and went far too quickly, the deckhand couldn't tie it off in time and lost the rope therefore the boat kept going, hitting a war vessel with a huge thud, we couldn't believe how he reversed so fast but he is now trying to blame it on a broken gear cable, which we know is nonsense as he was driving the boat off ten mins later towards London where we should have been going :(

He cancelled the trip leaving 100 of us stranded in a place not exactly built for New Years celebrations we had all hoped for

Me and DH tried to make the best of it but where we were left wasn't exactly great for nightlife, we ended up in a grotty Mexican restaurant then went to watch the fireworks from a great distance away in the pouring rain stood on a wall so we could see, I was disappointed of course but I felt for DH, he was gutted

The website has offered us the ticket price back but to be honest the trip was all about this and extra costs were incurred, they are saying any further costs have to go through the owner of the boat but our contract was with the site we booked through surely??.....anyone out there that can give us some advice please?

We are so disappointed, surely someone should be held accountable?

OP posts:

Juno77 · 02/01/2014 14:38

You are getting a refund, but want compensation?

Also.. Man and wife? Really?

DuchessFanny · 02/01/2014 14:44

I think they are only responsible for refunding the amount you spent on the ticket for the boat ride. They are only the boat owners agent. It must have been a disappointment - but you need to take that up with the boat owner.

LELoupee · 02/01/2014 14:45

You are getting a refund on the part of the package that wasn't delivered to you. That seems fair enough to me, especially as the company you booked through wasn't at fault here.

Original poster

Ilikevino · 02/01/2014 14:54

Juno, Ok should maybe I should have put husband and wife

Wouldn't you want some sort of compensation if you were left stranded in a place that wasn't suitable for a night out, when looking forward to what was supposed to have been a fantastic night for New Year's Eve?....just imagine watching the fireworks on TV knowing you should have been there

I know accidents happen but this one was most definitely avoidable

I get what you are all saying about the agent but surely that's who our legal contract is with, they deal with what boats to use??..

..I may be wrong here but that's why I'm posting in legal, to see if anyone with a legal background knows different?

OP posts:

prh47bridge · 02/01/2014 14:56

If the whole thing (i.e. transport and/or accommodation plus the boat trip) was booked as a package through the website it may be covered by the Package Travel Regulations. This would mean that you can claim from the website for loss of value (i.e. the difference in value between what you booked and what you got), loss of enjoyment and loss of expenses. The website would be liable, not the boat owner. However if the website only sold the boat trip and you arranged the other elements yourself or the website made it clear that there were two or more separate contracts you will not be covered by these regulations.

Juno77 · 02/01/2014 15:03

Honestly, I think you've made a huge big deal out of a night out. This has made you feel like you are owed something, but you aren't.

You weren't 'stranded'.. You were in Central London!

Absolutely you are entitled to a refund. But compensation? I think you are being dramatic.

Original poster

Ilikevino · 02/01/2014 15:05

Bridge, The boat trip and hotel were all booked separately :(

Would the loss of value, enjoyment and expense be just as liable by the agents for the boat trip?

They are offering the cost of the boat trip but nothing for loss of enjoyment etc, don't get me wrong, I'm not one for complaining but feel so disappointed by the actions of the boat company as we were just told trip is cancelled, now go!!

OP posts:

Original poster

Ilikevino · 02/01/2014 15:11

We weren't in Central London

We were left in Greenwich, it was about an hour away from London on the tube, it was approx 9pm with no way to get into London as they close roads and any decent places to see the fireworks was already taken, they don't let more than a certain amount of ppl into the popular places

You may think I'm being dramatic and you are welcome to your opinion but this trip was presented to me as part of my Christmas present and we were really looking forward to seeing the fireworks close up with a party boat including food and drink, it isn't something we can afford to do every year and it was a special treat for us

OP posts:

Juno77 · 02/01/2014 15:17

But you still had your weekend in London? It's just fireworks, I fail to see how you can consider asking for compensation for loss of enjoyment?!

Seriously, it's really petty. If you and your new husband can't make the most of a weekend with a slight setback, you have bigger issues. It's an accident. Accidents happen.

I hate this bloody compensation culture. Shit happens. Get over it. You are getting a refund, you've not lost anything.

Hopefully you'll have plenty more New Years Eve's to come.

Original poster

Ilikevino · 02/01/2014 16:08

Yes Juno, we had a weekend away in London looking forward to a great night, the whole reason for us travelling to London 160 miles away

I'm just looking for some legal advice, not to defend why I feel disappointed the night didn't turn out to be the one we hoped for, it's your choice if you don't agree with compensation but we feel we should be compensated and that's our choice!

If anyone that knows the law and how we stand on this matter please help if you can

OP posts:

DrNick · 02/01/2014 16:10

did oyu book on credit card?

DrNick · 02/01/2014 16:11

I think you havent a leg to stand on wrt the other aspects of the trip.
we once booked a holiday where the airline went bust but as the accommodation bit was still there we didnt get anything for it. Plus it wasnt a package

your accom was still there - you used it. No comp. not a hope

DrNick · 02/01/2014 16:15

these bastards here - took our money and went bankrupt as their previous incarnation Sunisle holidays
www.perfectblueholidays.co.uk/aboutus.asp

NorthernLebkuchen · 02/01/2014 16:17

I don't understand what you want from this. You will get the cost of the trip back.You will not get anything for your hurt feelings because frankly that's not the boat owners problem. we are talking about an evening excursion here not a life changing event.

HectorVector · 02/01/2014 16:18

Hmmm you say it was avoidable but lots of things are avoidable and still happen (have you ever driven a boat?), if you'd have bumped your car would it have been avoidable? Maybe but it would still be an accident. In the circumstances it is very unfortunate but it happened and you've been refunded the cost of the boat trip.

I really think you're trying to make a very big deal out of an accident. I think you've got the compensation you deserve in the circumstances.

HappyMummyOfOne · 02/01/2014 16:21

Your rights are a refund and you are getting one.

I'd suggest you get a grip, yes not nice it didnt go to plan but why all the drama. You sound about six rather than an adult. If you react like this for something that doesnt even matter how on earth will you cope in a crisis.

You were in London with no children, there would have been lots to do instead.

JugglingIntoANewYear · 02/01/2014 16:22

I'm sorry you were disappointed not to see the fireworks - they did look good I thought (we watched them on telly at a New Year's Eve party) - I thought I must try to take the DC one day.
Boat trip sounds a lovely idea too.

But I think DrNick is right that it will be unlikely you can claim for the hotel costs as that was booked separately?
Just one of those things you have to put down to experience I think.

If I was you I'd consider going another year if you possibly can?

LIZS · 02/01/2014 16:26

Only one aspect of your trip didn't go to plan and you will get a refund for this. Greenwich is not an hour away from central London last time I went , even in crowds. Disappointing evening perhaps but not as disastrous as you are making out. You aren't out of pocket and maybe had a lucky escape if his manoeuvring was that bad.

LIZS · 02/01/2014 16:28

I think you'd be hard pushed to demonstrate that a 3 night stay was all about a couple of hours' trip.

JohnnyUtah · 02/01/2014 16:31

Phone the cab consumer helpline, they should know.

Original poster

Ilikevino · 02/01/2014 16:45

Ok I get that a lot of ppl think I'm being a drama queen, and I can defiantly cope with a true life drama, believe me, I've had my fair share of them!

This, to me, was a big deal (it was my Christmas present!!) and if you don't share that opinion that's your choice, it isn't life changing or even as bad as some ppl are facing and for that I'm truly grateful, but it was a huge disappointment that could have been avoided, the skipper was annoyed at himself for mooring the wrong place so rammed the boat into reverse without the thought of the consequences, that to me, is an accident that could be avoided, oh and yes I have driven a boat before, and if I was to drive my car like he did that night, I would expect an accident to happen

Some ppl are saying we are getting our money back, yes we are for the boat trip, but not for hotel and travel expenses that were incurred because if we weren't going for the New Years celebrations we would have stayed home and seen the new year In costing us a lot less

Dr nick, we did pay on credit card so will be looking into that aspect of it, thanks for all of you that have tried to help, I do appreciate it

OP posts:

mrsminiverscharlady · 02/01/2014 17:04

No idea about compensation but I get why you are so upset. Incredibly disappointing, I'd have been gutted and furious too. OTOH it sounds as though the boat's driver was shit so maybe better you weren't on board

HectorVector · 02/01/2014 17:18

It doesn't work like that I'm afraid. You will not get 3 days hotel and travel refunded. It was a boat trip. If you'd flown over from Hong Kong to sit on a boat in the middle of the Thames for some fireworks it would be no different than if you'd opened the door to you house on the edge of the Thames to get on the boat.

Did you do anything else in those 3 days, did you go to the theatre? Will you be wanting those tickets refunded because you were only in London because of this boat trip? Do you see what I'm trying to get at?

The boat trip was refunded and that is all you are legally entitled to.

Bloodyteenagers · 02/01/2014 17:23

Even if you had managed to get on the boat, you would still be standing in the pouring rain to see the display. You could have still been disappointed - the location on the Thames might not have been close enough - 100 other people got in your way of a decent view - the food wasn't that great - the drink was flat - it was cold..

Greenwich to central London, on the underground is not a hour. It's about 30 minutes. Roads around the Embankment closed yes, but the others not.

They are not responsible for the other aspects. Only for the part in which you purchased from them.
You made the decision to spend 3 nights in London, when it could have been a night. You decided to go into the restaurant despite there being thousands of restaurants in London.

On the other hand the car could have broken down on the way to London. Or the coach. Or the train could have been cancelled like lots have been in the past week...

You book an event and sometimes shit happens. And I really doubt that on a short stay like that, one night really spoiled the whole thing.

DrNick · 02/01/2014 17:24

I went from the O2 to oz street once really fast.
Op you're on. Hiding to nothin

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