Coronavirus

[Vitalsign]

We got our refund back to our credit card within 3 days of us cancelling due to our age but it took longer to get it back to our bank account from the credit card company  - 8 days The cruise would have been this Friday 10th and at that point Marella hadn't cancelled it but they knew the FCO advise and refunded us immediately on contact

We got our refund in TUI TA and they insisted on using our credit card for refund and we got receipts there and then Because it's the TA not TUI who refunds you. I think he should ring his TA and check Also Nancy has your brother contacted his credit card company? Maybe they have paid them

[rkingphoto]

[nancyneptune]

2 hours ago, Vitalsign said:

We got our refund back to our credit card within 3 days of us cancelling due to our age but it took longer to get it back to our bank account from the credit card company  - 8 days The cruise would have been this Friday 10th and at that point Marella hadn't cancelled it but they knew the FCO advise and refunded us immediately on contact

We got our refund in TUI TA and they insisted on using our credit card for refund and we got receipts there and then Because it's the TA not TUI who refunds you. I think he should ring his TA and check Also Nancy has your brother contacted his credit card company? Maybe they have paid them

 

 

Glad to hear you got your refund.  My brother would have been happy to have the refund back to his credit card and was surprised when the staff asked for his bank details. He is elderly and vulnerable and is very wary of giving his bank details to any one so always uses his credit card for purchases.  He is now very concerned that Tui have his bank account details. He put his trust in Tui and they have let him down.  He hasn't contacted his credit card company in case it causes problems with Tui.  He is so upset as he feels due to his age and health problems he would not be able to re-book for next year if he was now only offered the option to re-book or accept a voucher. 

[kevinyork]

55 minutes ago, nancyneptune said:

 

 

Glad to hear you got your refund.  My brother would have been happy to have the refund back to his credit card and was surprised when the staff asked for his bank details. He is elderly and vulnerable and is very wary of giving his bank details to any one so always uses his credit card for purchases.  He is now very concerned that Tui have his bank account details. He put his trust in Tui and they have let him down.  He hasn't contacted his credit card company in case it causes problems with Tui.  He is so upset as he feels due to his age and health problems he would not be able to re-book for next year if he was now only offered the option to re-book or accept a voucher. 

Very strange they would want bank details as they would get a refund of the credit card charges they would have paid when accepting a credit card payment. 
 

Just been reading in Which that STA travel and loveholidays have been refusing refunds and offering credit notes “on ABTAs advice” but that is still just advice at the moment with ABTA lobbying the government in the meantime. 
 

I think I would be contacting my credit card and initiating a chargeback against Tui, if they refund in the meantime then you can cancel the chargeback.

[Vitalsign]

Yes he definitely needs to contact his credit card company as they should have received the refund if it has been processed The girl in the TA was wrong and should have processed the refund in the store and given a receipt straightaway and it needs sorting with them As far as info at the moment the TAs are answering calls so he should do that I'm sorry he is elderly and obviously understandably confused by the process particularly as the TA was wrong When she took his bank details did he give her the security no on the back? I hope not 

[MX-Drew]

I have just had a call from my TA re my cancelled cruise on the 21st April. They called to say the refund has been requested from Marella and they asked if I wanted to rebook with Marella (Marella will give £200 per adult) or another cruise company (TA only deals in cruises). I asked for a full refund and the agent said "no problem" it will be processed asap.

[WeeCountyMan]

3 hours ago, nancyneptune said:

He is elderly and vulnerable and is very wary of giving his bank details to any one so always uses his credit card for purchases.  He is now very concerned that Tui have his bank account details.

 

Knowing a sort code and account number does not compromise a bank account - payments can be deposited into it, but not taken out.

 

You wouldn't divulge details as routine of course.

Edited April 8, 2020 by WeeCountyMan

[nancyneptune]

On 4/8/2020 at 7:27 PM, WeeCountyMan said:

 

Knowing a sort code and account number does not compromise a bank account - payments can be deposited into it, but not taken out.

 

You wouldn't divulge details as routine of course.

 

 

That's good to know.  Unfortunately he has still not received his refund despite his cruise being cancelled on the 13th March ,the day after the Government said people aged 70 and over should not go on cruises and to stay indoors for 12 weeks. 

[WeeCountyMan]

3 hours ago, nancyneptune said:

 

 

That's good to know.  Unfortunately he has still not received his refund despite his cruise being cancelled on the 13th March ,the day after the Government said people aged 70 and over should not go on cruises and to stay indoors for 12 weeks. 

 

Going by anecdotal evidence on holiday related websites this "delay" is par for the course across most of the travel industry.

 

 

[Millie22]

I was due to travel on Sunday 3rd April on a Marella cruise.  I did not book directly but through an independent cruise agent.  I phoned the agent today as I had heard nothing from them.  I was told I would not receive my refund until at least 31st July. When I questioned this I was told it was unprecedented times and Tui would make no exceptions about refunding people quickly.  I didn’t expect an immediate refund but I did expect to have my money back before 31st July.

 

I do understand this and feel for the agents dealing with these calls however I feel that a general e mail sent out to customers would go a long way towards reducing these calls.  The only communication I have had is for my cruise agent to try to sell me another cruise!
 

I’m not sure if people who have booked directly with Marella will have been given more information but I thought I would share what I have been told today. 

[Pensioncruiser]

Be interesting to see what happens on the 31st.🙄

[jono75]

26 minutes ago, Millie22 said:

I was due to travel on Sunday 3rd April on a Marella cruise.  I did not book directly but through an independent cruise agent.  I phoned the agent today as I had heard nothing from them.  I was told I would not receive my refund until at least 31st July. When I questioned this I was told it was unprecedented times and Tui would make no exceptions about refunding people quickly.  I didn’t expect an immediate refund but I did expect to have my money back before 31st July.

 

I do understand this and feel for the agents dealing with these calls however I feel that a general e mail sent out to customers would go a long way towards reducing these calls.  The only communication I have had is for my cruise agent to try to sell me another cruise!
 

I’m not sure if people who have booked directly with Marella will have been given more information but I thought I would share what I have been told today. 

 

The thing I learned most in my customer service years is that communication goes a long way.  Even if it's not always what the the customer wants to hear.

 

Tui aren't excelling in this area, it's not the fault of the front line staff who must be at the wits end by now.  I hope people are being nice to them.

[Brummijam]

16 minutes ago, Pensioncruiser said:

Be interesting to see what happens on the 31st.🙄

Still no joy then PC?

[Pensioncruiser]

1 minute ago, Brummijam said:

Still no joy then PC?

Not at the moment, thanks for asking, do have it in writing that they are doing a BACS transfer which may be useful in the future if we survive, but to be honest it is only money just hoping we all come out the other side then we can worry about getting our refund back, really pleased we did not commit the final payment although I fully understand why others have. Stay safe one and all. 🤞

[Brummijam]

2 minutes ago, Pensioncruiser said:

Not at the moment, thanks for asking, do have it in writing that they are doing a BACS transfer which may be useful in the future if we survive, but to be honest it is only money just hoping we all come out the other side then we can worry about getting our refund back, really pleased we did not commit the final payment although I fully understand why others have. Stay safe one and all. 🤞

You are correct with what you say  our health is vastly more important than money in these horrible times

The reason that I am peed off is that TUI were 100% inflexible when I asked them if it would be possible to re schedule a cruise we had booked and I couldn’t go because of unexpected illness, We lost the £4,500 balance that we had paid.They quoted terms and conditions and I accepted the loss.These are the same terms and conditions that they are Choosing to ignore now.
Anyways look after yourself and your family and be positive, I believe we will come out of this eventually.

keep well😉

[Vitalsign]

Brummijam in the instance of illness where you had to cancel why didn't you claim from your travel insurance? Isn't that what you pay for?

[Brummijam]

1 hour ago, Vitalsign said:

Brummijam in the instance of illness where you had to cancel why didn't you claim from your travel insurance? Isn't that what you pay for?

 

Of course I claimed off my travel insurance but my point is TUI were unwilling to even talk about moving the holiday to an alternative date their attitude was" Hard luck you have lost your money its in the T&Cs"

Well its in the T&Cs that they will refund if they cancel but they haven't and I object to them using my money as a crutch because they have hit hard times.

Loyalty is a two way thing.

Keep well.

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by Brummijam

[Vitalsign]

The reason that I am peed off is that TUI were 100% inflexible when I asked them if it would be possible to re schedule a cruise we had booked and I couldn’t go because of unexpected illness, We lost the £4,500 balance that we had paid.They quoted terms and conditions and I accepted the loss.These are the same terms and conditions that they are Choosing to ignore now.

 

you said you'd lost £4500 balance you had paid which if you claimed on your insurance then you didn't lose it

[Brummijam]

25 minutes ago, Vitalsign said:

The reason that I am peed off is that TUI were 100% inflexible when I asked them if it would be possible to re schedule a cruise we had booked and I couldn’t go because of unexpected illness, We lost the £4,500 balance that we had paid.They quoted terms and conditions and I accepted the loss.These are the same terms and conditions that they are Choosing to ignore now.

 

you said you'd lost £4500 balance you had paid which if you claimed on your insurance then you didn't lose it

I lost the balance to Tui ! They certainly never refunded it. I claimed from my personally arranged insurance, A completely separate business. My point is/was Tui we’re not prepared to be flexible at all, their attitude was look in the T&Cs tough luck.

[Vitalsign]

It has always been that if you cannot travel through illness you claim off your insurance and then use the money however you want - maybe to book another holiday

i can't really see why you are griping so much You got your money back if you're so upset go to another cruise line and see what would happen if you had to cancel due to illness with them - that's what travel insurance is for 

[Brummijam]

1 hour ago, Vitalsign said:

It has always been that if you cannot travel through illness you claim off your insurance and then use the money however you want - maybe to book another holiday

i can't really see why you are griping so much You got your money back if you're so upset go to another cruise line and see what would happen if you had to cancel due to illness with them - that's what travel insurance is for 

My original point was /is Tui are completely inflexible quoting T&CS when it suits them but under the same T&Cs they are not communicating/paying refunds to  lots ofcustomers That are due. 

Even you must be able to see that this is not right.

Edited April 11, 2020 by Brummijam

[Rebel Rouser]

Marella explorer now this minute heading towards Southampton

 

 

[WeeCountyMan]

According to this newspaper TUI are not planning to fly again until 17th June.

 

TUI no flights until 17th June

 

Can anybody confirm this ? Maybe the Mirror has its wires crossed on this ?

 

Obviously, if correct, this begs questions of TUI in respect of package holidays and cruises between 14th and 31st May respectively (and up to 17th June) which have not, as yet been cancelled.

Edited April 11, 2020 by WeeCountyMan

[Vitalsign]

They pay refunds if they have to cancel or people cannot travel due FCO advice - simples

[Brummijam]

16 minutes ago, Vitalsign said:

They pay refunds if they have to cancel or people cannot travel due FCO advice - simples

But they are not paying refunds, they are not answering their phones, they are not communicating with customers. 
You can defend them as much as you want but You must know that what they are doing isn’t right.