Mumsnet users share their holiday nightmares with Admiral Travel Insurance

[EllieMumsnet]

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We can all laugh about our nightmare holiday moments when we are back in the comfort of our own home, but at the time they can often seem like the end of the world! The team at Admiral Travel Insurance have asked us to find out what holiday nightmares, however big or small, made you wish you’d stayed at home at the time.

So what's the worst holiday mishap you’ve had to deal with? Did you have a suncream explosion in your suitcase? Or realise you didn’t actually book the hotel you thought you did? Perhaps you planned a beach holiday and it rained every day? Or you discovered the major mistake of not practising putting up your new tent before you went camping?

Whatever your holiday nightmare moment, please share it below and you will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 voucher of your choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Booking a camping holiday, in the middle of the countryside, and it rained HEAVILY every day. We still had a great time, but it was hard work.

Rented a beautiful three bedroom grand apartment in central paris for myself, fiance, and my parents. Arrived to find that the "agent" had double booked the apartment and we were put in a one bedroom apartment with an extra pull out bed, a tiny bathroom which had a window opening into the kitchen (two grown men making stinky poos every morning), and fleas. It was the week of their big holiday so there were no alternatives available. The "agent" also never refunded us the money he promised to. And my fiance developed a migraine / sickness part way through the week so I ended up spending a romantic week traipsing around with my parents.

My worst holiday moment was booking our holiday to Disneyland Paris which co-incided with the Icelandic volcano ash cloud. We did not get to the airport as the travel agent kindly rang us and told us all flights were grounded. After tears tears and more tears we went to a Eurocamp in France as we could not get a later date at Disneyland. We had a fabulous time even though we did not ever meet Mickey.

Coming back from Kenya after a last minute holiday: the "Little Rains" in November came as very "Big Rains". The flight was delayed so much landing in Mombasa that by the time it arrived, the flight crew were out of hours.

The plane load of passengers were put up in a hotel. However, those of us that were with Somak, although we were given food, were not supplied with water, even though the reps had previously told us not to drink the water (other tour companies from other planes that were also stranded supplied their stranded guests with water).

Somak didn't authorise any communication home so we had to pay the hotel to let people at home know what was happening (this was in 1997 before the EU rules re delayed flights).

The following day we were taken very early to the airport where there was a total lack of communication - and the Somak reps (who were flying home too) even took their uniforms off so that they couldn't be identified. Eventually we took off sometime in the afternoon (no food supplied).

Landed in Crete with a bump for re-fuelling. It was one of those planes (DC10?) that had the jet engines in the tail.

There was a long delay and eventually the captain come on to say that during a routine inspection, part of the rear engine cowling was missing, which could have come off anywhere between Mombasa and Crete no, get a torch and go to the end of the runway and you'll find it as you landed nose up

As they were going to have to fly a new plane out from England, we had to spend a night in Greece. Unfortunately, we got one of the first buses which took us to the cheapest accommodation (the "last" buses got 4/5* accommodation). Dh had never been to Greece but "didn't like Greece anyway". Unfortunately, the really cheap accommodation just confirmed his prejudices. I've since "converted him"*

The following day we got back to the airport, where 2 Thomas Cook reps based on Crete did a brilliant job of looking after the whole plane - despite only having 4 customers on the whole plane (which Thomas Cook head office had notified them of in advance; ironically they were only on the plane because flooding in Mombasa had resulted in them missing their earlier flight). *

The Somak reps throughout all of this hid kept their heads down and did nothing to help. *

No idea of Somak still exists as a company - but we told* lots of people in years to follow how dreadful they were - and how great Thomas Cook had been.

Eventually got back to London (can't remember if it was Gatwick or Heathrow) nearly 48 hours late, where a very nice BA lady out us on to the next flight to Glasgow, despite our previous flight which of course we'd missed technically being a non-refundable flight, which had been booked separately to the package deal.

Booked a 3 night city break to Barcelona. My friend and I turned up at our hotel after travelling there by metro, only to be told the chain hotel we were due to stay in was overbooked and they had no rooms.
The receptionist was not very understanding and said we'd have to stay at their alternative hotel which was 30 km outside of the city! It was too late to seek out another hotel so we went and then had to waste time travelling into Barcelona centre every time we want to go sightseeing!

Fleas in the holiday cottage, d and v for 2
Out of 3 of us and PIL decided to come on holiday near u . First holiday as a family - surprised it wasn’t the last.

Caught an ear infection from a swimming pool at hotel in Malta. Went to local walk in medical centre, was told there would be a queue of several hours to be seen. Promptly fainted, and was rushed to the front of said queue!

When my purse had been stolen in Spain, so my friend was paying for everything. My flight was due to depart 30 mins after hers. It actually left 10 hours later. I had to survive the entire day on a €6 food voucher from the airline.

Remembered another one. I was travelling on my own for the first time internationally, age 16: Flying to Paris, with a connection at Heathrow; Had detailed instructions on how to get from the airport to Gare du Nord, taxi across Paris to Gare de Lyons (rather than trying to learn to navigate the metro on my first trip to Paris) and was booked on to a train down to Avignon, where I would be picked up by the family (BIL of family friends) I was going to stay with.

The travel agent had booked me on to a flight with far too tight a connection at Heathrow. I had to run to make the connection - but of course my luggage didn't make it

Having waited interminably for it at the airport in Paris, I worked this out. Has to go and report it missing, provide details about where I would be staying (in the South of France). Of course, this took time.

Got to Gare du Nord, now very tight for time to get across Paris to catch my train, only to find a massive long queue for taxis. Burst into tears and the man next to me (in French) asked me why I was so upset. I did my best to explain - losing my French because I was so upset - and he kindly told me to go to the front of the queue and explain to the gendarme (which I did in English). The gendarme put me into the next taxi, where I managed to say, " Gare de Lyons, vite, s'il vous plaît"

Got to Gare de Lyons and was told my train was "à gauche". Ran (to the furthest most train platform on the left( and got onto it just as it started moving off.

It was probably as well that I didn't have my luggage at this point as I would never have made it.

This was back in 1977, before mobile phones, so I'm not sure what I would've done if I'd missed the train!

My luggage arrived a day or two later and I went on to get a degree in French a few years later

Lost luggage! Grrr! 😶 nothing worse (or perhaps there is!!!) than having nothing arriving at your destination!

We went on a fly drive holiday to California and had our luggage stolen from the car when we were visiting Hollywood. It was the 2nd day of a 3 week holiday. I had stupidly left my passport in the car so had to go to the embassy to get a temporary one, and then had to replace clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc. I was very upset especially as I hade made many of my clothes and a lot of things had sentimental value. I certainly learnt from the awful experience!

Running a bit late to the airport so we decided that DH would drop us off at departures so me and DC could check in the luggage whilst he parked the car in the prebooked airport car park. Except he couldn't find the right car park and got lost in the roadworks. His phone died so had no way of contacting him. I thought he wouldn't be far behind so we boarded the flight. It left without him and he had to rebook and fly out two days later.

Honeymoon in Thailand.

Arrive at immigration and new DH is interviewed for a long time about the 'shopping list' and 'directions' he'd written on the empty pages of his passport.

Thank god he was let in.

I questioned him about why he'd written in his passport and his response was "sure what are all those empty pages for".

Dread to think of he'd been refused entry....would've had to have enjoyed the honeymoon on my own!

Flew from Edinburgh to Heathrow to JFK.

I bought this bright pink suitcase so I knew it was mine. No sign of it in JFK. Notice on wall saying my suitcase was still in Heathrow🤦🏻‍♀️

My cousin who we were staying with in New York phoned BA and we finally got it at about 11pm the next night.

Flew home. Got to Edinburgh... no suitcase. 😡 still in bloody Heathrow again. Got 1 bag that night and took another couple of nights to get the other bag back! Swore I would never fly indirect again 😂

Weekend away in Rome

Have my purse stolen by a pick pocket! Everything in it as well. Absolute nightmare to sort out and ended up ruining part of our holiday

On our last holiday DH's luggage didn't arrive. We hate to wait 2 hours in the airport waiting for it to arrive. Cue us panicking as we had a driver booked and when calling the hotel number, nobody was answering. The hotel was a small 5 roomed business and the driver had the keys, so we wasn't sure what to do.

Thankfully the driver had waited for us and we went on to have a fabulous holiday!

Staycation, supposed to be stress free and fun....

3 hour journey turned into 7 hour hell , 7 month baby in the back. Finally get there and they tell us that the restaurant is full, despite us being on a half board basis.

On the way back, just start on our journey, baby vomits the bottle of milk back up, husband in the back (😂😂😂) with baby. Vomit goes all over baby, and forms a pool in the car seat.

Next services 25miles.

😂😂 glad I didn’t handle it, husband panics, so I just tell him to strip the baby down to nappy and cover with blankets.

Cue internally laughter that I’m driving, and baby LOVES being semi commando lol.

Husband still raving on now about how great he dealt with that.....🤦🏻‍♀️

'Trip of a lifetime to cuba'...
Air strike meant a 24hr delay flying out. We were re routed via Jamaica, where our bags were lost. A storm while flying from Jamaica to cuba meant i was horrendously air sick.

Then 3 days in havana waiting for our bags. Not many clothes available to buy there - my boyfriend at the time bought us matching havana club cycling shorts and vest which i refused to wear

At the end of the holiday on journey to the airport there was a hurricane which meant no trains, so we had to hitch a lift and were robbed. Only to get to the airport and find no flights for 3 days! The airline put us up in a hotel but weather was obviously awful. Then had a flight home with air europa (no i had never heard of them either) with a 16 hour delay.

Lessons learned? Always pack a few clothes in hand luggage, don't try the caribbean in hurricane season and never fly air France/ air jamaica or air europa!!

But luckily cuba itself was great

nearly missing a flight due to delayed transfer

the time i set off all the airport alarms in amsterdam schipol airport for pushing open an emergency door to get airside when i realised i'd left a cabin bag behind. Cringingly embarrassing and got held up for ages whilst they had to double check all our passports etc.

You'd think the worst memories would be the kids causing chaos - but nope - it was me!

Discovering both children were hopping with nits while on a small Caribbean island in the middle of their independence celebrations so EVERYWHERE was shut. Couldn't get any form of treatment so had to watch them (and us!) scratching for 3 days before we headed home. Straight to Boots from the airport. Always pack a nit comb in my bag now!

Booked a weekend in Scotland when DS was just one. It started snowing on the way & we got there to find we'd forgotten his special prescription milk. So I was phoning round all the local hospitals to get a supply. Then he developed a high temperature so we spent about an hour on the phone to NHS24, who advised us to go in to hospital. At which point he had an episode of really bad diarrhoea & it covered him head to foot. So the babysitter we'd booked & paid for had to be cancelled. He never slept a wink that night & we didn't leave the hotel room for the duration of the stay. Worst holiday ever.

Went to Alcudia a couple of years ago cried wen I got there room smelled lamps was broke door did not lock and to top it all off the food was disgusting we ate out even tho we was all Inclusive

Booked idyllic 14 night honeymoon in Antigua. Threw caution to the wind, and put it on the credit card and hang the expense. The honeymoon was double the price of the entire wedding.

Travel agent advised it was hurricane season, but that the island hadn't seen anything in a decade and was in the best place to avoid any risks in August.

Day 2 of idyllic honeymoon - hot, sunny, relaxing, lots of cocktails and champagne and exactly what I needed. Staff are muttering to each other about a storm coming. I switch my phone on and find out a tropical storm is possible, but nothing major. Within 24hrs, its become a hurricane warning.

Anyway, by day 5 we're in for Hurricane Irma. The strongest category of hurricane possible, and subsequently the worst hurricane seen in the Caribbean in living memory.

We were fine - a bit twitchy at times, but in a well built resort with a back up generator and fantastic site staff. The locals, however, suffered horrific damage to homes and the next island was decimated.

Flew home before Hurricane Jose could hit 2 days later- because the resort asked us all to leave!

Not the relaxing break I needed, but you live and learn..... No more holidays in Hurricane season!

Oh wow. A memorable holiday to Scotland.

My daughter then 2, climbed on a table and nearly fell, I caught her by her arm before she hit the tiles but somehow pulled her arm. Two hours later on a Saturday tea on our way to Fort William A&E, five mins away the car completely died, then DH stayed with the car, whilst I pushed DD to hospital. Car had a knackered alternator so was towed to a garage, to be left until after the weekend. Luckily DD was fine, just jarred it. It rained all weekend and we were in the middle of nowhere with limited places to visit without a car.
Rang the garage Monday to ask if we'd been watching the news, no was our response. There'd been a huge landslide blocking a major route, our car was one side and the replacement alternator the other side. We didn't get our car back until Weds. And it cost nearly £500. We can laugh now, bit at the time it was a nightmare.