TUI - Beware of the small print (T&C's) Marella Cruise

Previously booked on Tui in 2017 and had a fantastic holiday. Booked again for a special occasion in March 2019. However due to unforeseen circumstance I had to cancel. Thinking I would lose £250 which is £125 pp I initially paid for the deposit, to be told it was in fact £250 deposit (£500 total) as I was given low deposit payment.

To say I am not happy is an understatement. TUI have been really unhelpful and follow their script - blah blah read the small print, T&C's..........

It is outrageous that TUI can charge so much cancellation fee, even though my reason for cancelling is legitimate and given I was not due to travel until March 2019.

Got to say, TUI is nice and an excellent experience. Out of principle I would not give them anymore money. I feel robbed of my money.

So TUI has now lost a customer, I was going to book for July for another special occasion. Why would I give them more of my money?

If TUI read this, do not bother to respond, you respond by script and you really don't care as you have the money!

Not sure why you have posted this here. If anywhere it should be in the

Marella board which is here.

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=497

Obviously you should have read the small print - it is the same when it is £1 deposit or other low deposit offers with any of the cruise lines it will say in the event of cancellation the full deposit will be payable.

A couple of thoughts - as you might have been considering another cruise, did you ask if you could transfer rather than cancel.

Also if the cancellation was unforseeable is it covered by your insurance?

Thinking I would lose £250 which is £125 pp I initially paid for the deposit, to be told it was in fact £250 deposit (£500 total) as I was given low deposit payment.

I am confused ! Did you pay £250 or £500?

If you paid £250, then you have lost exactly what you expected to lose.

If you paid a deposit of £500, then why would you expect to only lose half of it?

Surely they don't expect you to pay more than you originally paid?

She booked under low deposit promotion. Since she is cancelling, she owes the full deposit of £500

It is most unfortunate that you feel this way, but as a consumer you are responsible for being aware of the cruise contract you are signing.

In addition to asking, or even reading the cancellation clause on the contract, you also had the option of purchasing trip interruption/cancellation insurance, many of which are available for any reason.

Just checked their website and the Low Deposit explanation clearly states, if holiday is cancelled, the balance of the deposit is payable. Unfortunately, in this case, fault is not with the cruise line/holiday provider.

Won't your travel insurance pay the $500?

Sounds as if the OP may be from the UK. Besides what everyone else has said in replies, the cancellation rules in the UK are different.

DON

This does not only apply to cruise lines, but to any company/operator offering low cost deposits. It is made quite clear at the point of booking that you are responsible for the balance of the deposit if you cancel. But your holiday insurance will cover it if you have a valid reason for cancelling.

You did take out holiday insurance... Didn't you?

Sounds as if the OP may be from the UK. Besides what everyone else has said in replies, the cancellation rules in the UK are different.

 

DON

Is travel insurance different in the UK?

I'm not sure how it works in the UK but in Sweden "travel insurence" is for things happening during the trip, not before the trip.

I personally would be very reluctant to book a cruise with a nonrefundable deposit. I do see this more and more often, but I don't like the trend.

I realize this may be the norm for European cruise lines, or certain countries, but am not sure.

Isn't Marella a wholly separate UK-based subsidiary of TUI Cruises (a German owned cruiseline that is a joint venture with Royal Caribbean)? Are we certain it is the parent corporation from the continent setting policy for the UK bookings which as pointed out above have very different regulations than the rest of the world? Just trying to understand what the OP is implying by citing TUI as the culprit when they were booked on a Marella cruise.

I'm not sure how it works in the UK but in Sweden "travel insurence" is for things happening during the trip, not before the trip.

That doesnt sound much good, what if you have an illness that means you cant travel. or you slip and break your ankle or a relative dies.

In the uk for all foreign travel you are recommended to have insurance from the time you book until preferably a few days after you are supposed to return home.

Isn't Marella a wholly separate UK-based subsidiary of TUI Cruises (a German owned cruiseline that is a joint venture with Royal Caribbean)? Are we certain it is the parent corporation from the continent setting policy for the UK bookings which as pointed out above have very different regulations than the rest of the world? Just trying to understand what the OP is implying by citing TUI as the culprit when they were booked on a Marella cruise.

Marella is formerly Thompsons Cruises, it is now TUI- UK, which is owned by the joint partnership of TUI AG & Royal Caribbean.

Is travel insurance different in the UK?

Hi,

Yes, it is. I'm not aware of any insurer offering "cancellation for any reason".

But not as onerous as The Swedish example quoted by Sverigecruiser - the cancellation costs of an insured risk such as Auralis' examples of a broken ankle or close relative's death pre-cruise are an important element of travel insurance

JB :)

Travel insurance would cover the deposit if the holiday was cancelled for a valid reason and in the insurance company's terms and conditions.

It’s very plain to see how the low deposit system works on the TUI site. They even set you up an account which shows the date that the second half of the deposit must be paid by.

Although I have sympathy with your circumstances, these are the terms that you signed up for.

This is link to Tui https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/info/cruise-deals-terms

Previously booked on Tui in 2017 and had a fantastic holiday. Booked again for a special occasion in March 2019. However due to unforeseen circumstance I had to cancel. Thinking I would lose £250 which is £125 pp I initially paid for the deposit, to be told it was in fact £250 deposit (£500 total) as I was given low deposit payment.

 

To say I am not happy is an understatement. TUI have been really unhelpful and follow their script - blah blah read the small print, T&C's..........

 

It is outrageous that TUI can charge so much cancellation fee, even though my reason for cancelling is legitimate and given I was not due to travel until March 2019.

 

Got to say, TUI is nice and an excellent experience. Out of principle I would not give them anymore money. I feel robbed of my money.

 

So TUI has now lost a customer, I was going to book for July for another special occasion. Why would I give them more of my money?

 

If TUI read this, do not bother to respond, you respond by script and you really don't care as you have the money!

I sympathise with you for having to cancel your cruise but the Marella terms and conditions very clearly show that, if you pay a low deposit and have to cancel, you will be liable for paying the rest of the deposit.

<<LOW DEPOSITS: Low Deposit offer applies to selected new Marella cruise bookings only departing between 1st May 2018 – 31st October 2019. Low deposit amount on short and mid-haul destinations and cruises sailing from the UK is £75 per person, and for long-haul destinations it is £125 per person. The rest of the deposit will be due within eight weeks of booking your holiday, or you will be required to pay the remainder of the total holiday cost, whichever date comes sooner depending on when you booked your holiday. If you cancel your holiday you still have to pay the full deposit. Deposits are not available on holidays departing within 12 weeks of departure, where full payment is required at the time of booking. Offer is for a limited time only and may be changed or withdrawn at any time. >>

If you have a genuine reason for cancelling can you not claim on your travel insurance (why it is essential that insurance is taken out at the time of booking not nearer to departure).

Yes, as everyone points out to the OP, its in the T&C's. Although we should, how many of us actually do go through the reams of T&C's ? There are low deposit deals out there that don't have the same penalties as this. What other T&C should we be aware of with somewhat hidden in plain sight terms?.

This maybe a lesson for us all, its just a shame we have to read pages & pages and play detective to find out if the deal we get is the deal we think we're getting.

Just like advertising with free this and free that - I get very cynical about these companies and their tactics and considering the age group that is being targeted, I find it unscrupulous.

My sympathies are with the OP, but I doubt there will be another cruise company out there that won't push the envelope of legality within their promotions.

Yes, as everyone points out to the OP, its in the T&C's. Although we should, how many of us actually do go through the reams of T&C's ? There are low deposit deals out there that don't have the same penalties as this. What other T&C should we be aware of with somewhat hidden in plain sight terms?.

 

This maybe a lesson for us all, its just a shame we have to read pages & pages and play detective to find out if the deal we get is the deal we think we're getting.

Just like advertising with free this and free that - I get very cynical about these companies and their tactics and considering the age group that is being targeted, I find it unscrupulous.

 

My sympathies are with the OP, but I doubt there will be another cruise company out there that won't push the envelope of legality within their promotions.

I genuinely do sympathise with the OP and, if she booked through a TA who did not explain the rules regarding low deposit payments, she should have some come back from the agent. However, if she booked on line, it is so clearly displayed during the booking process - before you fill in payment details - giving the date that the rest of the deposit has to be paid and that this would still be due in the event of cancellation so not a matter of scrolling though pages of Ts and Cs.

The one time we booked with on line 'low deposit' we didn't have to scroll through all the Ts and Cs - before we completed the booking it immediately came up what date the remainder of the balance had to be paid by and clearly stated that the rest would have to be paid in the event of cancellation.

We booked with our TA who didn't specifically mention this, but did refer us to the T&C's and check everything was ok. I didn't bother to check and it turns out it wasn't necessary in our case anyway, but there was no clear statement for us. The OP didn't find it to be clearly stated either.

What may be obvious for you may not mean it is for everyone.

I feel a lot better having read this post. I was browsing on the HAL site last week, and saw an offer for £1 deposit on a cruise I was considering. The offer was only valid that day, and I was sorely tempted to make a booking, thinking that at least I could hold the cabin I wanted, and only risk losing £1 if I decided not to proceed.Hopefully, the actual Deposit details would have become apparent during the booking process, but if it hadn’t been clear, I would have been very very angry indeed.

Previously booked on Tui in 2017 and had a fantastic holiday. Booked again for a special occasion in March 2019. However due to unforeseen circumstance I had to cancel. Thinking I would lose £250 which is £125 pp I initially paid for the deposit, to be told it was in fact £250 deposit (£500 total) as I was given low deposit payment.

 

To say I am not happy is an understatement. TUI have been really unhelpful and follow their script - blah blah read the small print, T&C's..........

 

It is outrageous that TUI can charge so much cancellation fee, even though my reason for cancelling is legitimate and given I was not due to travel until March 2019.

 

Got to say, TUI is nice and an excellent experience. Out of principle I would not give them anymore money. I feel robbed of my money.

 

So TUI has now lost a customer, I was going to book for July for another special occasion. Why would I give them more of my money?

 

If TUI read this, do not bother to respond, you respond by script and you really don't care as you have the money!

What were the legitimate circumstances for cancelling ,is this not covered under the cancellation section of your insurance.

We booked with our TA who didn't specifically mention this, but did refer us to the T&C's and check everything was ok. I didn't bother to check and it turns out it wasn't necessary in our case anyway, but there was no clear statement for us. The OP didn't find it to be clearly stated either.

What may be obvious for you may not mean it is for everyone.

I did amend my post to say that it was clearly stated if you booked on line but that, if the OP booked through a travel agency, I would have thought that the TA should have pointed it out..