‘It’s not their money’ – mum angry about holiday refund
NHS worker Claire Booth has been left waiting six months for a £6,980 refund from a tour operator – after her summer holiday was cancelled due to coronavirus.
The 47-year-old had been due to fly to Rome on August 2 with partner David Ankers and daughter Freya Ankers after booking a two-week getaway with Iglu Cruise last January.
They were then due to board a stunning mini suite on a brand new cruise ship – taking them across Italy, Croatia and Greece – before sailing to Barcelona for their flight home.
The Cheadle holidaymakers opted for a refund after deciding against booking a different package for next year.
But the family have been left to chase the cash and lodge complaints with the company.
Harplands Hospital nurse Claire said: “We were very excited about the trip, especially with it being a brand new ship. We worked hard so we were waiting for a holiday.
“We were sad when we couldn’t go on holiday but, as responsible people, we do understand it was the safest decision and made sense.”
The holiday was cancelled in early May – four days after they had paid the balance for the trip.
Refunds are normally expected within 90 days. But that was later extended to 120 days – and now Claire has waited even longer than that.
Claire added: “I’m angry and frustrated because it’s not their money, it’s our money. They have had just under £7,000 of my money since April 31. We will not be using Iglu Cruise again.
“It’s outrageous for anybody to have nearly £7,000 of somebody else’s money for that amount of time. It shouldn’t be allowed. I know it’s not their fault that the cruise was cancelled but it has been and they should have refunded my money without any issue.”
Iglu
Cruise says the current situation is ‘unprecedented’.
An Iglu Cruise spokesman said: “Unfortunately, processing refunds is taking longer than normal and it is more complex than we initially realised.
“In this challenging time, we endeavour to refund our customers within 90 days and if this is not possible, we are aiming to contact them to keep them further advised on the situation.
“Customers still waiting for refunds are being advised on when they can expect to receive their money.
“We are faced with a constantly evolving and unfamiliar landscape
which no-one in the travel industry has had to navigate before. We are taking all possible steps to ensure that our customers receive their refunds as quickly as possible.”