I’m back from what I’d like to say was a perfect, relaxing, wonderful family celebration in Cuba.
What I can say is I’m back from a fun time in Cuba.
Thomas Cook made sure our holiday was NOT relaxing, was NOT perfect and certainly wasn’t the holiday we’d planned for almost 10 years and described in their brochure and online, and paid almost £6,000 for.
To make it easy to see why I’m so upset with Thomas Cook I’ve listed the problems we faced during our Two week holiday in cuba.
Our holiday was also a family celebration. My parents were to renew their wedding vows. We’d planned this trip for 10 years and thought it through looking through holiday companies and planning VERY carefully. I’d called many times to check and re-check the booking, ensuring the wedding vow renewal would be perfect (it was – I can’t fault the hotel staff for that day – it was perfect.) And to check the rooms would be sorted.
Susan, the lady we booked online with, was very helpful and I thought everything would go well. However the first of the problems was the start of many, before we even left home…
1. Loss of wedding certificate copy/passport copy/ and wedding forms
I was called a few days before travel to be told the forms had been misplaced and had I sent them? I was really upset and worried. All the planning ruined! I was told I’d get a call back if they could’nt find them. I didn’t get a call so emailed and was told yes – they were found and everything was fine.
Why didn’t they call to reassure me once they were found?
2. Flight delays/cancellations: both outbound and inbound
On our way out our flight was was delayed, by we think, four hours. The plane was then replaced and was downgraded so no in-seat entertainment and we couldn’t sit together for the journey (we’d pre-paid and booked for this) and had to fight to sit with our children who were only 2 and 3. A very poor and stressful start to the holiday. I was in tears.
The flight back was eventually cancelled. We were left in a hot airport for over 8 hours with no information, no food and no water. My children became very stressed and we were all very upset. After no information we were told a coach was picking us up to take us to a hotel. We had no idea where we were going and were bundled onto a coach late at night with two small children who were very upset and frightened. We were all hot, tired, hungry and worried.
The next day there was no information until midday when we were told the flight might be ok but she would know more at 5. We were told to vacate our rooms. At this point all passengers went crazy and started sohuting! By pure kindness of the hotel manager (not Thomas cook) he let us have our temporary rooms until 4pm. We weren’t bering picked up until 6.45pm, but it was better than vacating at 12pm.
We were picked up late at 7.30pm. Checking in was a nightmare, the queue for passport control went out of the door but luckily a member of airport staff took pity on us with the two littlies crying and VIP’d us through. Not Thomas Cook. The rep had gone or was hiding from all the complaining travellers.
The flight was then delayed again, yet again no information. No food, no water, no info. Again – two very stressed young children in an airport for hours on end.
3. I asked for adjoining rooms – I got rooms around the corner from eachother
It was very important we had adjoining rooms because my parents were renenewing their vows we needed to get ready together on the wedding morning -The men in one, girls in the other. A fun time – stress free. (No!)
Also one child was supposed to be in each room and I wanted them to be close to hand incase they needed me.
The rooms were around the corner from eachother. Not adjoining.
My parents room had a double bed and an old dirty cot – my son is 2 1/2years old – he hasnt slept in a cot for almost a year and certainly not in a filthy dirty cot.
I asked if anything could be done and was told the hotel was fully booked and no, nothing could be done. This after a terrible flight wasn’t great. Only the evening before the wedding were we offered adjoining rooms, but they were a downgrade (no sea view) and it was too late the night before. We’d already unpacked and settled.
Both children had to sleep in our room (we had a double bed and one single bed and pushed them together to all sleep together for two weeks) not ideal but we managed.
4. Air condiitioning kept leaking in both rooms.
On the first few nights the air conditioning leaked onto the cot in my parents room and then when the cot was removed (we were told they were desperate for cots in the hotel and needed it if we weren’t using it) and then on the floor.
The air conditioning in our room leaked on the bed and then onto the floor so badly it flooded the apartment (see photo above) and they were going to move us, but it was fixed and floor cleaned, and soaked mattress changed. however – the base replaced was disgusting. It was ripped and broken and when I pointed it out to the manager (Lewis) he said ‘it’s Cuba – it’s how it is!’
5. Toilet leaking
My parents toilet in the room leaked daily for 2 weeks. They kept coming to fix it but it kept leaking.
6. No door lock
My parents door for a whole day wouldnt even close or lock – they had to keep their eye on the room until it was fixed
7. TV in room not working
My parents room the TV wasn’t working. They reported on arrival and it took 13 days to get it fixed. I know TV isn’t important really, but on the day of the wedding it would have been a distraction for the littlies while we waited for the registrar to arrive.
8. Phone not working
The phone in my parents room wasnt working. They reported on arrival and it was never fixed despite daily requests.
9. Clean towels covered in poo. (I’m not kidding!)
Often towels were given to us that were clearly stained with poo. It was vile and disgusting. We complained but nothing was done. We just had clean towels given. Until the next day when more poo towels came. We called them bum towels to make the littlies laugh. We had to laugh through all the rubbish. It was the only way not to cry!
10. Poor food
For a 4* hotel we would expect there to be a certain standard of food. It was basic and sometime inedible. We all suffered bouts of food poisoning and my husband who is vegetarian lived on cheese and salad for two weeks as there was NO vegetarian alternatives to the meat dishes. ‘That’s Cuba!’ Said Lewis the hotel manager.
We complained to the rep. nothing was done, so we went to the hotel manager (Lewis) ourselves and he talked to the chef and gave us 3 complimentary meals in the a la carte restaurant. We arranged this – not Thomas Cook. Lewis was lovely and very apologetic, he even gave the meat eaters in our group some fabulous Lobster and we also had some champagne. It was a lovely gesture from the hotel. (Not Thomas Cook.)
11. Badly recommended trips
We went on a catamaran trip recommended by Thomas cook. The trip left an hour late meaning we were all sat in the sun for over an hour waiting on a boat. The toilet on the boat was overflowing with urine and vomit and the vegetarian meal was – rice! Just rice! My husband had to swim ashore at one of the stops to buy a meal!
The guide was off sick so we had no guide. No refund was offered on this trip. It cost us around £200 for 6 of us.
We cancelled the second trip we had booked ‘a day visit to Moron’ at guidance from other guests and the hotel manager who informed us it was an awful trip (visiting the local town which is poor and the sights would be terrible and sad for young children to see) We were told by Ivan it was family friendly. We got a full refund after much debate.
12. Poor and very dangerous maintenece (see photos)
The hotel is in much need of updating and repair. It’s very dangerous and won’t be long until someone is seriously hurt.
The steps up to our hotel room were breaking away – so badly in-fact that chunks of concrete came away daily. We reported this. Nothing was done.
Chunks of concrete were falling off the buildings and just left uncleared. My son was in his buggy and nearby a chunk of ceiling came down. I reported this – nothing was done. If it had landed on him or someone else they would’ve been seriously injured.
The bathroom was very dangerous and grotty. Cracked tiles (see below) and a sharp, unfinished shower door and generally in very bad shape.
13. Flight movies
I complained on our ‘changed plane’ about the movies being shown. Both were 12A guidance films. Our original plane was cancelled and replaced with a smaller plane with no in-seat entertainment. This meant screens were overhead for all to see. My 2 and 3 year old witnessed shootings and a lady being punched in the face. Also a massacre. I can’t even begin to tell you how upset and angry this makes me.
I told the flight attendant I wanted it off – he said yes he would turn it off then told me actually it was OK to show the film but I could fill in a complaint form – which I did.
14. No white wine
As part of the all inclusive package it states all local wines and beers and spirits are included – the hotel ran out of white wine on day one of our holiday and only got more in on day 13 of our 14 day holiday. While I appreciate white wine isn’t a big deal – it’s something my family like to drink. We don’t like red wine in the heat – it’s too strong right? So for us on an all inclusive package we felt cheated and disappointed.
15. Temporary room after flight cancelled.
We were taken to the Memories flamingo hotel for the night. The staff were very welcoming and gave us our room key. After all the stress we were glad of finally getting our children to bed. However, on opening the room a half naked man was in there in bed. I’m not joking!
They’d double booked the room!
On complaining the staff were mortified and moved us quickly to another room. It had twin beds. We pushed them together but there were FOUR of us in two twin beds.
There was no toilet paper, no toiletries and no towels. We called to ask for some but nothing was done as ‘housekeeping was closed’ we had to wait until 930am the next day.
16. Costs we have incurred due to flight cancelation
Due to our cancelled flight my husband could not go into work. We were all so jet-lagged and exhausted we also missed our Monday plans. My husband has lost a days earnings.
We have had to make calls from Cubs to the UK to re-arrange pet care, house care and appointments. We also incurred charges from not picking up our cars on time from the airport from the car delivery/pick up company SkyDrive. This is two cars (my parents car and ours) My parents also had to make calls to arrange pet care and cancel appointments.
In all Thomas Cook have truly ruined what was supposed to be a fanatastic family celebration. We looked forward to this holiday for 10 years, planned it well and saved hard.
I feel we are entitled to a full refund of our holiday plus the costs we have incurred. I also feel we should be given compensation for stress and upset due to Thomas Cook incompetence and errors.
What do you think lovely readers? Would you Thomas Cook it after reading this?
Response from Thomas Cook so far:
*I’m currently in talks with Thomas Cook. They are aware I’ve been tweeting about the errors and they know I’m writing this post. I have sent an official complaint via email and talked on the phone. I’ll let you know the outcome. They have apologised for the errors and say they are looking into it all.
Call from Thomas Cook Directors Office 3/5/13
I’ve been told today that they are still investigating the complaints and flight delays/cancellations and should hopefully have more information on Monday.
They say it’ll take time to get information from all the parties involved (airline,hotel,rep etc) and that they are waiting for the forms I filled in over there to be sent to them.
Call from Thomas Cook Directors Office 8/5/13
Thomas cook have offered some compensation but nowhere near the amount we paid for our holiday. A small fraction which we find insulting.
We are still waiting to hear abut the flight problems but on seeking legal advice now know we are entitled to compensation on both outbound flights (delayed 4 hours) and return flights (delayed 31 hours)
If Thomas Cook pay this compensation at the EU regulation suggested price plus the compensation we were offered yesterday, we would accept and put closure on this whole nightmare.
I have emailed this suggestion to them and am waiting for Thomas Cook to call back today.
April 30, 2013
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I hope Thomas cook fully compensate you and your mum and dad
Charlotte Everiss
Absolutely disgusting Fi no wonder you are absolutely livid. We had a similar experience in Mexico some years ago now and complained direct to ABTA, Watchdog, the holiday chain of the hotel, the booking agent and eventually were reimbursed some money. Fight tooth and nail to get the compensation you and your family rightly deserve.