The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 13th October

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• Nicky says:

  13 Oct13 October 12:31

  Thanks for replies….the package is the Orient Express to Venice then it was originally 2 nights in Venice followed by the cruise. Now it is basically arriving on train into Venice in the afternoon and leaving the following day. Upon return from the cruise instead of 3 days in Lake Garda it is now 4. Not interested in the e TTS day on Lake Garda I booked the cruise for the Orient Express and days in Venice. Also one of the Port calls has been taken off the cruise ergo not the cruise I booked. I think this is a substantial change and should be offered the option to cancel but they are just saying…tough

• Nicky says:

  13 Oct13 October 12:31

  Whoops this was a reply to page 3 issue

• Tom says:

  13 Oct13 October 12:31

  Has anyone had the 750 clubcard points (multiplied by how many bookings you made) for booking a lovely hostel somewhere on hotels.com? Terms stated up to 14 weeks, it has been 13 for me and nothing yet…

  • RogerC says:

    13 Oct13 October 12:43

    They cancelled all mine, and invited me to ring and explain why I needed them…

• Tom says:

  13 Oct13 October 12:38

  Looking at booking the Maldvies for New Years. Will be first time there and have a boat load of Marriot points. Seems that pretty much all of them have a mandatory event on New Years which at the W costs $604 a person…. Has anyone who has been to one of these explain exactly what it is and whether it is even remotely worth it? $600 seems absolutely crazy to me!

  • Rob says:

    13 Oct13 October 12:51

    That’s just how it is. Same as many resort hotels in many countries over New Year. Clearly it isn’t worth anything like that – it’s just effectively an extra tax on your stay over a peak period.

    • Harry T says:

      13 Oct13 October 12:53

      This is pretty common for hotels and resorts over Christmas and new year.

  • Tom says:

    13 Oct13 October 12:58

    I appreciate its essentially a NYE tax but what I am wondering is what it includes as there isn’t much information about it at all. I assume dinner of sorts but what about drinks? Free flowing all night etc?

    • Harry T says:

      13 Oct13 October 13:32

      Best to contact the hotel directly. No one here is in a position to give you that degree of granularity!

    • The Savage Squirrel says:

      13 Oct13 October 13:45

      … although I do recall HfP reader reports from previous years at other resorts; only really that it’s the same (or slightly worse) food than every other night and some fairly standard drinks. I think we can guarantee you are not going to feel like you got any sort of $600/p value or even a fraction of that – it is just a pure NYE tax, so if you can’t mentally just write off thaht money then this may affect your decision to book.

    • Flyer68 says:

      13 Oct13 October 13:50

      Having stayed at the W Maldives for NYE 2019, they did make a reasonable effort – party reception, extensive buffet on the beach, live bands, DJ, nightclub etc. IIRC soft drinks were included, others not. Was it worth $600 ? Absolutely not, but as others have explained, consider it a surcharge / tax for staying at a peak period.

      • meta says:

        13 Oct13 October 14:25

        Check Flyertalk to give you an idea of what it includes. People have no doubt reported past experiences. This may have changed though, so if you want up-to-date, contact the hotel.

      • Tom says:

        13 Oct13 October 16:10

        Thank you for the reply! I expected as much. Just need to weigh up whether i can justify it or not!

        • Patrick Cold says:

          13 Oct13 October 18:48

          If you are wary of this cost please take a good look at the F and B charges at Maldives hotels before you commit.

• EwanG says:

  13 Oct13 October 12:45

  Would anyone like to give me a Wise referral link….?

  • Bill says:

    13 Oct13 October 12:46

    https://wise.com/invite/a/williamh1991

    Here you go

    • EwanG says:

      13 Oct13 October 12:52

      Perfect, thanks Bill!

• Mco says:

  13 Oct13 October 12:49

  BA cancelled LHR-NCL flight on Christmas Day so my award ticket now has a 24hr stop in T5. Ticket issues through Cathay miles. What are my options? Will BA rebook me as Cathay are saying no award seats available on BA long haul’s around those days.

  • AJA says:

    13 Oct13 October 14:03

    A few questions: Is this one PNR? Which airline is flying the LH sector? Also is it the return flight from the far east? It sounds like it. In which case you could be stuck because although the BA LHR-NCL flight is covered by UK/EC261 and potentially the LH flight might be (assuming it’s BA metal) it sounds like the original long haul sector is still operating. If the LH is not
    BA metal and combined with the fact you booked via Cathay means you are subject to their goodwill or BA agreeing to open up award seats on the day you want to travel. That said if it’s on one PNR then duty of care should apply so either BA or Cathay Pacific should pay for one night’s hotel and meals at LHR. You can always try asking BA but I think the question has to be routed via Cathay Pacific or the Oneworld representative.

    • Mco says:

      13 Oct13 October 17:05

      It’s USA – UK on BA but booked with Cathay miles.
      I don’t want hotel for the night as it’s Christmas Day and need to be home. Would rather fly in a day earlier so who is responsible for this? BA or CX?

      • AJA says:

        13 Oct13 October 18:48

        As LL says BA is responsible but it is complicated by the fact you used Cathay Miles. Is your ticket on a BA flight number or a codeshare with a CX flight number? If it is a BA flight number then BA should definitely be able to help you. If it is a CX flight number you need to get CX to liase with BA to open up alternative TATL flights for you. I believe BA can only take charge if it is on CX flight numbers within 24 hours of the flight.

        Have you checked whether there is Avios availability on the day you want to travel? So far you only have CX’s word for it that there is no award seat availability (not that it should be necessary if the LHR-NCL cancellation is on the same PNR as the TATL)

        I would look at BA’s schedules and see what flights it has for sale on the day you want to travel then phone up CX.

        Alternatively is there another BA NCL flight on Xmas Day?

  • Lady London says:

    13 Oct13 October 16:23

    Operating airline, so BA, owes eu261 so duty of care hotel, meals, transport to hotel, internet, if needed in association with replacement or delayed flight after their cancellation. BA is operating the flight booked that they cancelled so you do have eu/uk261 rights such as these regardless of how booked and paid

• LindaP says:

  13 Oct13 October 13:01

  Afternoon everyone,
  I have a Companion voucher which expires early December 2021 after being extended twice I think, so as no more extensions. I was thinking of Robs suggestion of making a booking then cancelling so preserving it as a FTV.

  Can you cancel the booking made online or do I have to phone which I am reluctant to do with all the problems in getting through. Will I be charged the £35 pp fee or is this waived if taking a FTV. Many thanks for any replies. Linda

  • Froggee says:

    13 Oct13 October 13:17

    You can cancel online. No fee if taking FTV.

    • Harry T says:

      13 Oct13 October 13:34

      No fee – just fill out a simple form online.

• Jonathan says:

  13 Oct13 October 13:01

  When using the Virgin 2 for 1 voucher with cash ticket as red / no status do you pay 50% of the cash price for the second ticket in upper class as with the 50% price when using points for the second ticket?

  • Mattb says:

    13 Oct13 October 13:05

    Someone posted they just paid taxes/fees for 2nd ticket….

  • Rob says:

    13 Oct13 October 13:59

    50% of the points requirement (the ticket is coming out of reward inventory after all) which I admit is a bit confusing.

    • Jonathan says:

      13 Oct13 October 14:09

      But if you buy an upper class cash ticket and use the 2 for 1 voucher do you pay 50% of the cash price for the second ticket as red / no status?

    • r* says:

      13 Oct13 October 14:58

      If you buy a premium economy cash ticket and use the virgin card voucher to upgrade to business with no status, theres no additional points or anything to pay is there?

      • Rob says:

        13 Oct13 October 15:00

        Only if there were additional Virgin-imposed surcharges between Upper and PE. You can check this by doing a dummy PE redemption and an UC redemption online and seeing if the tax figures are the same.

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