Virgin have really upset me this time!!

[crabbie1]

After a fax a letter and 2 e-mails they still hadn't responded to my enquiry.We booked our accomodation /tickets and dining with them in march.As we had vouchers from them due to error they made with our wedding with them .On the back of the voucher it says not to be used with accom only bookings OR FVF discount.I asked at the time about this and because of the reason we had the vouchers there was no problem.When I sent them in they returned them saying I couldn't use them.Although I had all the girls details name extension etc they were not interested in discussing it.Plus if I wanted my FVF discount (which was £265) then I couldn't use my voucher!!What is the point of sending a voucher if the FVF discount will always be more(which it always is in our case)I feel like I have been conned.I spoke to an english rep today and she has promised to sort it out one way or another.Said if they couldn't deduct the £200 they would give me a full refund.I am at my witts end with this company and will never use them again after this.I am busy trying to find other quotes in case they do come back and say they won't allow the voucher.We are staying in POR at the moment with ddp and 14 day tickets.Flights are booked independley through VA( thank god).Anyone recommend any good companies that do accom with the dining plan.Sorry to all people that love VH just me ranting because I am fed up with their customer service plan . :

 

[Claire L]

Try an independent agent as alot do specialise in Disney.

Claire

 

[Netty]

Hope it all gets sorted out for you

 

[Andy Lou & Meg]

I would recommend Dreams Unlimited (www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com) have booked with them for this year. The specialise in Disney and are one of their offical agents. With the $ rate so good at present you might even save some money. Good luck.

 

[stephensmum]

So sorry for you, hope it's soon sorted.

 

[angel659]

Hiya

Oh dear poor you. Sounds like an ordeal. I hope they sort it out soon.

Try dreamsunlimited. Perhaps book a flydrive. Have you thought of flight only. If so have a look on

www.travelsupermarket.com
www.expedia.com
www.airlinenetwork.co.uk

I am shocked at thier customer service. I never trust emails to be honest. I always phone them and get sojmeone to speak to. Yesterday VH were more than happy and excellent service once I passed to an english lady and not Indian call centre. No offence, but she was much happier and was able to understand me. The call centre couldnt grasp that all I wanted to do was change my booking.

 

[crabbie1]

Hi
Yes I already booked the flight seperate with VA using miles +money. I have had a quote with dreams unlimited and it is slightly dearer than virgin with my 10% fvf discount.Out of interest I also asked them to quote for the wilderness lodge with thier 10 day base plus dining and water parks etc and that was only £300 more than POR.I am very tempted to get my deposit back from virgin and book the WL .They did offer me the deposit back but I dug my heels in at the time and said no till they had sorted the voucher out.The WL with virgin with DDP and 14 day pass is £800 more so quite a big difference. .Anyway will see what virgin have to say.





Oh dear poor you. Sounds like an ordeal. I hope they sort it out soon.

Try dreamsunlimited. Perhaps book a flydrive. Have you thought of flight only. If so have a look on

www.travelsupermarket.com
www.expedia.com
www.airlinenetwork.co.uk

I am shocked at thier customer service. I never trust emails to be honest. I always phone them and get sojmeone to speak to. Yesterday VH were more than happy and excellent service once I passed to an english lady and not Indian call centre. No offence, but she was much happier and was able to understand me. The call centre couldnt grasp that all I wanted to do was change my booking. [/QUOTE]

 

[Hobbes]

Hope it works out-I am totally in agreement with you about Virgin, I won't use them again after this time, they were a complete pain, ignored my e-mails until I started shouting in them and I don't mean to offend anyone here, but would it be possible JUST ONCE to get someone for whom English does not appear to be a foreign language.

 

[Claire L]

Oh WL is lovely if you can get a better deal elsewhere, than VH, then do it I must admit I am not so keen on using them anymore as can often get a better deal doing things myself!

Claire

 

[Steve and Sarah]

Virgin really have gone down the pan regarding both thier customer service and their prices.

We have repeatededly looked at trips with them, however it is ALWAYS loads cheaper to book with someone else - normally on a Virgin holiday and/or flights as well.

They really do take the biscuit with all of thier add ons that they put on. We have vowed never to use them again.

Seems the service have got worse since they shut Virgin Travelstore (Who were similarly appalling when VH were actually pretty good) a couple of years back. Our theory is that they have now transfered their staff/call centres from Virgin Travelstore to answer the Virgin Hols calls - thus now providing the seriously low service levels (If any at all) to VH customers. May be just a coincidence but I doubt it.

We now refuse to book ANYTHING direct with VH.

My tip is get your cash back - don't give them ANY more profit ever again. That way maybe Mr Branson and his pals will learn that Virgin grew up on service and pricing. They are now VERY poor at both. Book with someone else. Treat the family with the cash saved.

 

[tttessa]

This is going to sound daft, what with the internet and everything available nowadays, but we always book expensive holidays through going places travel agent in the high street - we booked Virgin Holidays 2 or 3 times through them, and EVERYTHING has gone well, we have changed details, bookings, accommodation on one instance, added tickets, etc and they just deal with it.

I get to see or phone my own holiday booker in person, no problem with foreign call centres, if she is unavailable, she actually calls me back!!!. They book us seats/meals in advance etc and cost EXACTLY THE SAME as booking VH on the internet including giving the same discounts (5%/10% whatever is on offer for internet bookings).
I know I sound like an advert, but I really have no connections and think that their good service should be applauded!

Just jinxed the next trip...
Tessa

 

[crabbie1]

This is going to sound daft, what with the internet and everything available nowadays, but we always book expensive holidays through going places travel agent in the high street - we booked Virgin Holidays 2 or 3 times through them, and EVERYTHING has gone well, we have changed details, bookings, accommodation on one instance, added tickets, etc and they just deal with it.

I get to see or phone my own holiday booker in person, no problem with foreign call centres, if she is unavailable, she actually calls me back!!!. They book us seats/meals in advance etc and cost EXACTLY THE SAME as booking VH on the internet including giving the same discounts (5%/10% whatever is on offer for internet bookings).
I know I sound like an advert, but I really have no connections and think that their good service should be applauded!

Just jinxed the next trip...
Tessa

Im glad someone has had good service although the travel agent has done the work for you.I think everyone has likes and dislikes about any situation and I am sure that VH are very good with the majority of holidays and customers but I have had 2 bad experiences now and I am afraid this is the last.I will still book flights with VA as find there miles plus money really good and had no problems so far.I am still waiting to hear from them and somehow I think it will be a loooooooong wait They have till next monday then I will ask for my deposit back as they originally offered.

 

[tttessa]

aahhhhh - twas the good service of the travel agent I was applauding - I never had to deal with VH in any way at all....

(well except when the car got bumped by a nasty looking group of gentlemen on the way from Orlando airport - back in 98 when there were all those thefts/warnings etc.... - we just drove straight back to the airport and their stateside reps were AMAZING - called the authorities, sorted the car, got a new one delivered to our hotel for pick up there, got us private driver transport to the hotel and had us checked over by medical staff at the airport in case of whiplash. They made it all seem "less of a problem" if you know what I mean. Then we only had the hurricane to worry about... AND WE'RE GOING BACK!!!!??)

Tessa

 

[UKDEB]

Seems the service have got worse since they shut Virgin Travelstore (Who were similarly appalling when VH were actually pretty good) a couple of years back. Our theory is that they have now transfered their staff/call centres from Virgin Travelstore to answer the Virgin Hols calls - thus now providing the seriously low service levels (If any at all) to VH customers. May be just a coincidence but I doubt it.

Worldwide Travelstore, which became Virgin Travelstore when the founder sold to Virgin, was an excellent travel agent. We always got great service and great deals under both guises (same staff). When Virgin suddenly pulled the plug in 2004, the entire staff was made redundant . They were based in Norwich and I imagine that some of them went on to secure jobs with Virgin's other operations there (Virgin Wine and Virgin Money), but I can't imagine there was a wholesale movement of staff to Virgin Holidays.

 

[MorningGlory]

My tip is get your cash back - don't give them ANY more profit ever again. That way maybe Mr Branson and his pals will learn that Virgin grew up on service and pricing. They are now VERY poor at both. Book with someone else. Treat the family with the cash saved.

Sorry you have ended up so unhappy with VH, but I have to say 3 things that stand out for me so far for this upcoming holiday, my first with VH;

1. The price we paid, I reckon, is unbeatable. 14 nights, flights, transfers and accomodation for me and my son in June. £830 total. It's worth noting this was based on 2 adults (single parent discrimination )

2. I made a thread about this a couple of days ago, but will mention it again. I actually received a call from one of my Reps in Orlando the other day! Just to see if I was looking forward to it, did I need any help, etc. Caught me by surprise, but it was a VERY nice touch. I've never had this before from any holiday company.

3. I only dealt with the call centre on 2 occasions. Yes, it is a bit annoying when calls take 50% more time than they need to because you are having to explain everything slowly. However, both queries were quite 'technical' (firstly, I had to call them as I couldn't get their system to accept my card details. They honoured the online sale price. On the 2nd occasion, I rang to find out about changing accomodation (hotel rooms) on 2 separate bookings and merging it into one different accomodation (a villa). It took a while to explain it fully, but the lady got me my answer fairly sharpish once she grasped what I wanted.

Im almost positive we will be going back next year, and i'll have more time to plan and so to look at different options. If I manage to catch the same sale again however, I will probably end up booking through them again

 

[crabbie1]

Sorry you have ended up so unhappy with VH, but I have to say 3 things that stand out for me so far for this upcoming holiday, my first with VH;

1. The price we paid, I reckon, is unbeatable. 14 nights, flights, transfers and accomodation for me and my son in June. £830 total. It's worth noting this was based on 2 adults (single parent discrimination )

2. I made a thread about this a couple of days ago, but will mention it again. I actually received a call from one of my Reps in Orlando the other day! Just to see if I was looking forward to it, did I need any help, etc. Caught me by surprise, but it was a VERY nice touch. I've never had this before from any holiday company.

3. I only dealt with the call centre on 2 occasions. Yes, it is a bit annoying when calls take 50% more time than they need to because you are having to explain everything slowly. However, both queries were quite 'technical' (firstly, I had to call them as I couldn't get their system to accept my card details. They honoured the online sale price. On the 2nd occasion, I rang to find out about changing accomodation (hotel rooms) on 2 separate bookings and merging it into one different accomodation (a villa). It took a while to explain it fully, but the lady got me my answer fairly sharpish once she grasped what I wanted.

Im almost positive we will be going back next year, and i'll have more time to plan and so to look at different options. If I manage to catch the same sale again however, I will probably end up booking through them again

Thats good to hear.I wish I had your luck .I agree about the "single discrimination act".We took my mom last year and she(well we)had to pay double for her room at both the cbr and pop.Absolute rip off!!.It seems such a hassel to cancel then rebook with someone else although the 2 american companies I have had quotes from have been a+for corrospondance.Dreams unlimites and kingdom magic.The latter being cheaper by $250 for both POR and WL.Both have a person they assign to you so you are always dealing with the same person.

 

[MorningGlory]

Thats good to hear.I wish I had your luck .I agree about the "single discrimination act".We took my mom last year and she(well we)had to pay double for her room at both the cbr and pop.Absolute rip off!!.It seems such a hassel to cancel then rebook with someone else although the 2 american companies I have had quotes from have been a+for corrospondance.Dreams unlimites and kingdom magic.The latter being cheaper by $250 for both POR and WL.Both have a person they assign to you so you are always dealing with the same person.

You are right, it was definitely luck. Had I not caught the last day of the Virgin sale in January, I wouldn't be posting here now and planning our first trip to happyland I reckon. So, in that respect, I like to think this trip was meant to be Because of that, I sorta feel I 'owe' Virgin a debt of gratitude if you know what I mean.

I appreciate though that people who are long-travelled with them notice a big difference in their (apparent) dwindling customer service.

I hope you get your holidays sorted soon, so you can relax and start looking forward to nice things