WeeCountyMan

Thanks.

WCM I was joking with you but I'm still confused��

I realised you were having a laugh - not so sure that was a universal reaction though !!!

Tui are making a big mistake by ignoring their Scottish customers

TUI have dropped their flights from Scotland to the Algarve - and use other carriers with an inferior service.

They used to do weekly departures from EDI and GLA, then one was discontinued, followed by the other.

OK, two flights a week might be difficult be unjustify, but to remove both........?

We are out of Rosyth soon on Balmoral with the AI drinks deal.

Can anybody please advise the draught beer, lager and cider that is on the package ?

Last summer on Braemar they had just dumped Boddingtons (?) for Newcastle Brown Ale - well chuffed, that was a result !!!

But when you go into a lounge area in the afternoon and there isn't a spare seat and everyone is asleep. This is not only disrespectful of other guests but makes my point, they have a cabin with a bed in it. Go sleep there!!

Maybe FO should have designated "Snooze Zones" in public areas ?

It's catching !!!

Infectious - or is it contagious ? :confused:

And I'm surprised someone (of a certain age I'm sure) is suggesting returning it after washing and ironing it !!!!

My reply to Jim the Scot's suggestion had a question mark.

After having worn it, with a subsequent wash and iron ?

If you still have the receipt you will get the price you paid refunded.

AFAIK, M&S (any store for that matter) are not under legal obligation to refunded unless goods sold are faulty - their policy is to refund but that's not statutory where merchandise is fit for purpose.

Return it,get a refund then purchase the one in the sale ;p

After having worn it, with a subsequent wash and iron ?

We have booked a cruise on discovery for November there has been a price drop since we booked is there any recourse on this

I recently bought a shirt in M&S and a few weeks later it was reduced significantly in their sale - same scenario.

The shop often offers 2 bottles at a very discounted price also and some days there is 15% off so watch for the advert in your cruise news

Catches out unaware punters who head into the duty free shop on the first night after sailing.

Duty Free shop will only be open if you are visiting any non-EU ports.

They had well known brands of Gin and Dark Rum any Thomsons cruise we've been on.

I bought a bottle of Captain Morgan's - the irony is that all stock is held in bonded warehouses a few miles from here.

If you go on line early morning of the 7th day before you fly i.e. Just after midnight to check in you will be one of the first to select your seats after those who have paid to select a seat who can choose theirs 90 days before the return flight We always select an aisle seat each across from each other so we can get up and down whenever we like without disturbing anyone else

That was oue experience on a package holiday last month out of GLA to Mallorca

I went to the online check in at the 7 day marker and the adjacent outward and inward seats were reserved in our name, no further action required.

Just as an aside have you noticed that they are doing a lot less from Rosyth next year and that Greenock has vanished altogether.

I hadn't clocked that, thanks for the heads up.

Not thinking about next year yet, maybe it's about time to do so.

NO. Spain is not in the same insurance group as most of Europe.

I expect the vast majority of major league insurance companies "Europe" cover means just that - some include certain North African countries that border the Med I believe.

Incidentally, I think the length of the cruise (and the departure port) is relevant

When the offer arrived by post, 'er indoors first reaction was "what clothes would we need to pack ?" - if the cruise headed for Norway (for example) it would mean different kit from that if it were sailing south.

If, like us, you live on the uncivilised side of Hadrian's Wall a cruise from Rosyth is much more convenient than Southampton.

So, yes, duration and departure port are entirely relevant IMO.

Have to check your insurance policy carefully though

When it comes to hotel based holidays in the usual resorts of the Med or Canaries I have found that DIY is rarely, if ever, a better deal than the major package outfits after transfers and hold luggage is added - and, as you say, if there is a drama the customer with TUI etc. can just sit back and let them sort it out.

I have to say that Jet2 have got (?) their act together and produce a better all round offering than the others.

We are more into adventurous destinations if possible and are starting to book our own hotels with international and internal flights.

We've done a few DIY holidays, however, they are not without pitfalls.

Stayed in a nice 4 star hotel in Malta April 2010 on a Thomas Cook package - there was a large party of Irish folk over for a wedding, flying with Ryanair, having made independent arrangements.

When the Icelandic volcanic ash problem grounded return flights O'Leary was quick to wash Ryanair's hands of any responsibility for them. Their hotel booking had ended and they were obliged to pay for further nights or seek alternative accommodation.

Meanwhile TC kept us in the same room on the same board basis for 4 extra nights (no complaints) before they organised an Air Malta plane to take us all back to Glasgow. We were also advised we could claim back £x (can't recall specifics) on travel insurance for incidental spending, which we duly did - the insurance company gave us the full daily amount allowable although it was more than we spent, or claimed !!!

I'm not up on the legal aspects of these situations however it seems a holiday travel company has a duty of care if it sold customers the whole package.

O'Leary came back on Sky news later that day - apparently his lawyers had had to advise him that his earlier pronouncement was not quite the "nothing to do with us" position he had stated.

The Irish crowd had to take a boat to the heel of Italy, a hired coach all the way up to the French channel ports, a ferry over to the UK, another coach over to Holyhead for the ferry over to the old sod. Nightmare journey and it cost them around £1000 per head it seems.

We are slowly getting our heads around FO prices and offers etc.

Our forthcoming jaunt from Rosyth was booked last summer on board with the 5% discount - relatives joining us on the cruise took a late offer booking and saved a substantial amount in comparison, even after paying for preferred dining sitting to be with us.

Once bitten, twice shy now !!!

As for land holidays - we like TUI GOLD hotels - no children (there is a God) and decent evening entertainment, maybe not your scene of course. We recently did the one in Camp de Mar, Mallorca, one of the best - a couple we chatted to were on their 14th visit, and the hotel was full of repeat customers. That level of frequency is more than a bit OTT for us though.

You are not in such a dissimilar position to us, governed by family responsibilities - except we know when we can/cannot get away on holiday, whereas you are constrained by different issues.

We are new to Fred, just starting the learning experience of good deals etc.

The 3 for 2 is a good deal in absolute terms, however for us wild heathens north of Hadrian's Wall the thought of cruising from Southampton is a consideration. The outward journey is OKish , but the return slog up the motorways is something we don't relish.

That's why Rosyth attracted us for our second cruise with Fred - it's almost literally just up the road.

I opted out of emails, we get regular updates from our booking agent - they are excellent, however I'm not allowed to mention names.

It just struck me earlier - any FO customers who were away from home for the long weekend would likely receive said offer letter with less "action time" than we did. It's not a Scottish holiday, although the banks were closed Monday.

However had you given a full quote of my post, it susequently said "Either you want to go for it or you do not............."

If you can't go, for whatever reason, the wanting/not wanting scenario is irrelevant.

I still do not understand your original post complaining that the offer had been made though.

The issue was timescale. Four days is a a ridiculously narrow "window of opportunity" for potential bookings IMO, especially for those of us who are limited as to when they can travel.

We've not long returned from a 7 night hotel package which we were able to fit in - had the offer letter arrived during our absence it would have timed out by our return.

It seems like the uptake (or lack thereof) on Fred's 3 for 2 may have left them with cabins to fill, hence the retrospective inclusion of previously booked cruises in the deal.

[ The fact remains though that Fred wants you to book two further cruises and do not see what your problem is./QUOTE]

 

There's no problem for anybody who has complete latitude to chose when they go on a holiday or cruise, we don't have that option, as explained.

 

The rest is academic.

The Offer as been on the go for months.

The tone of the recent letter was not a reminder notice.

However, I'm not infallible !!!

We received a letter on Saturday morning advising that our existing summer booking qualified to be included in the 3 for the price of 2 offers.

One of the two cruises to be added to be taken between September and December this year, which is more than a bit restrictive in our circumstances due to peace keeping duties (aka babysitting grandkids) during those months.

However, the most immediate impediment is that this deal ends 31st May.

C'mon Fred - 4 days is hardly enough time for punters to consider all the logistics of adding two cruises to their travel plans at such short notice. :(

Just thinking aloud - if a ship misses a port of call it saves on berthing fees etc., but has additional fuel costs remaining at sea, so perhaps the cruise lines work on a swings and roundabouts procedure ?

Usually the captain will try and arrange an alternative POC if possible.

Never experienced or heard of refunds though.

A thousand apologies - somewhere in my befuddled brain I had thought PC was resident in Spain.

DOH !!!