Overcharged by travel agent

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Meldrew2

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IGLU cruises - here's a warning based on my experience.

IGLU claim to "have expert advice, best prices & exclusive cruise deals on the widest selection of cruises online.” and it was based upon these assurances that I placed a booking with them for TUI Discovery departing 15 January 2017. They told me that the price was £1722 and assured me that this was the lowest price available.

Immediately after booking this cruise, I visited the Thomson Cruises web site to look up further information about this cruise. Their web site was advertising a substantially lower price. I telephoned IGLU customer services line to give IGLU the opportunity of matching the price but the phone was not answered for over 25 minutes.

I have now booked the same cruise – with the same cabin grade, flight dates & times and board basis – direct with Thomson Cruises for the sum of £1568.93.

Clearly, IGLU's claim of “best prices” is a misleading claim and they have taken my booking after misrepresenting the competitiveness of their pricing - charging me an extra £153.

I have twice emailed IGLU without reply. I have drawn my own conclusions regarding their fairness and customer care, and shall certainly not be booking with them again.

The matter is now being pursued through the Small Claims Court.
 
"Best prices" is very open to interpretation, it was the lowest price available, through them!

Standard practice and to be expected...

I always check direct first, nearly always cheaper than going through an agent. They have to make their money somehow.
 
Did I read this correct, you booked with second agent before getting a refund on the first one? Haven't you just thrown away £1722 for the sake of £153. Have you read their cancellation policy as most of them have zero refund policies ??


I bet their low price guarantee is all a load of tosh also.
 
Did I read this correct, you booked with second agent before getting a refund on the first one? Haven't you just thrown away £1722 for the sake of £153. Have you read their cancellation policy as most of them have zero refund policies ??

I bet their low price guarantee is all a load of tosh also.

Second booking is direct with cruise line. I am only risking £250 deposit paid to Iglu. At worst, I will be £97 worse off - but I'm certain that the contract made under misleading claims will be rescinded. If their guarantee is "tosh" they will have a hard time defending my claim. There's plenty of consumer protection legislation - sadly there's almost no government bodies to enforce it so the consumer is forced to take the action.

They have advertised "best prices" so I am reasonably confident that the Small Claims Court will uphold my claim - time will tell. But in the past I've been successful pursuing claims with BT, FlyBE, the RAC and a few others. I find that Court action focuses the attention of the company much better than complaint letters do.
 
"Best prices" is very open to interpretation, it was the lowest price available, through them!

Standard practice and to be expected...

I always check direct first, nearly always cheaper than going through an agent. They have to make their money somehow.

I've done well with agents (not necessarily this agent) in the past - often saving 5-6% compared with booking direct - as some agents can be persuaded to share their 10% commission.

Iglu's search feature is an easy one to use and I had no reason to suspect that I could have got cheaper booking direct. I'll certainly check in the future though...
 
Second booking is direct with cruise line. I am only risking £250 deposit paid to Iglu. At worst, I will be £97 worse off - but I'm certain that the contract made under misleading claims will be rescinded. If their guarantee is "tosh" they will have a hard time defending my claim. There's plenty of consumer protection legislation - sadly there's almost no government bodies to enforce it so the consumer is forced to take the action.

They have advertised "best prices" so I am reasonably confident that the Small Claims Court will uphold my claim - time will tell. But in the past I've been successful pursuing claims with BT, FlyBE, the RAC and a few others. I find that Court action focuses the attention of the company much better than complaint letters do.


Ahh OK - understood. :thumb:
 
It's an old thing isn't it?

When I go on holiday and meet new people, they like to talk about what 'deal' they got and its invariably different to the cost of my holiday. Do I care? Not really. I do my bit of research before, feel comfortable with the package and then book.

Get your money back, move on and don't use that firm again if that's how you feel but I certainly don't see why you deserve compo or why you want to drag the company through the courts. Prices change, what if you check a week before you travel and its half price as they need to fill rooms? Let it go....

Might be worth doing all your shopping before pulling the trigger next time.
 
I strongly suspect that IGLU will cough up on receipt of court papers once they realise that they value their time higher than you do yours.
 
I'm pleased to be able to update the situation.

Iglu have (after several hours) got back in contact with me and have agreed to beat by a nominal £10 the price for booking direct. Thomson have agreed to merge the two bookings into one - effectively cancelling the direct booking and refunding my deposit on that one.

I'll spend the £10 on a couple of pints tonight - and call it a nice gesture of apology for the nuisance. And I'll compare travel agent prices with direct prices before I reach for my credit card.

As Shakespeare said - "everything's alright what finishes proper" - or something like that.
 
...Prices change, what if you check a week before you travel and its half price as they need to fill rooms? Let it go....

Might be worth doing all your shopping before pulling the trigger next time.

I'm quite aware that prices change for "late deals" and the like - but the different price was on line LESS THAN 5 MINUTES after I had pulled the trigger!

It's akin to walking out the shop door to see the price in the shop window has been changed while you were at the till.

Still - it's all resolved now - Pints tonight!
 
I'm pleased to be able to update the situation.

Iglu have (after several hours) got back in contact with me and have agreed to beat by a nominal £10 the price for booking direct. Thomson have agreed to merge the two bookings into one - effectively cancelling the direct booking and refunding my deposit on that one.

I'll spend the £10 on a couple of pints tonight - and call it a nice gesture of apology for the nuisance. And I'll compare travel agent prices with direct prices before I reach for my credit card.

As Shakespeare said - "everything's alright what finishes proper" - or something like that.

Well done son, but I`d hate to meet you in a dark alley !!

Regards

John
 
"There's nothing like a serial litigator to put the smile on a Lawyers Bank Managers face" or so I've been told :)
 

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