Cancelling Summer trip - anyone done it yet? (1 Viewer)

[GAVLAD]

Hello all,

We are due to go away in July & August and have booked and paid for the tunnel out and P&O Zeebrugge to Hull back crossings through the CAMC - both have been paid in full.
We’ve paid a deposit on a site in Spain and made provisional bookings for overnight stays enroute.

Although there are rumours of lockdowns easing by July for campsites, we are now of the opinion that this year for us may be a write off and have already started to do some diy in the house.
Has anyone who has/had planned to go away in July / August had any info regarding where things stand regarding cancellations or date changes with the CAMC?
We’ve had an email a few weeks ago advising that they’re only working up to June departures at present and will waiver their fee but pass on the operators fee.
Getting through to them to speak about it has been difficult to date.
We don’t want to leave it too late in case the operators (Tunnel & P&O) sting us for a bigger fee as it will be closer to departure date.
Is anyone else in the same situation or have you already made changes/cancelled?
Or are you sticking it out to see what happens regarding lockdown easing?
Anyone spoken with CAMC recently? Any issues getting through or with changing/cancelling?
Thanks!

 

[bobandjanie]

Difficult one, most people that don't fancy going, but everything is up and running, ? a refund is highly unlikely, to change the booking is probably possible at a cost, most are waiting for the company to cancel, but I can't see that happening. ?
We were lucky as we couldn't get a pet friendly cabin with brittany ferries, so ended up with the cheapest P and O crossing we could get. ?
We feel the ferry will be running, and try and change the booking, but prepared for the worst, ? just wait and see what happens. ?

It's the same with our holiday rental, the terms and conditions are agreed, the people that have been unable to come had the choice of refund deposit or re book for next year, but you couldn't give that option if they just didn't fancy coming. ? Bob.

 

[Robert Clark]

We’ve re scheduled our planned trip to Norway from this June to next.
No charges to change our Danish ferry.

Am now making new bookings for UK trips instead, starting in July.

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[Nasher]

I was booked & paid for both ferry & campsite for the Isle of Man TT and the Classic TT (two trips, 1 in May & 1 in August) and booked over a year in advance

Both events were cancelled, the ferry company & the campsite offered a full refund or transfer sailings to next years events - whilst it took a bit of time to sort, they kept us informed - no probs I'm booked for next year

Every cloud has a silver lining, normally in mid May I have the hassle of booking next year's ferry first thing on a Monday - now I won't have to?
(& yes, I'm a glass half full sorta guy)

 

[LesW]

Not so much canceled, we just haven't made any arrangements, we are booked for the Chester show at the (now) end of August, but are still unsure if we're going.

 

[Zains Pops]

Was planning on Denmark this year. Simply cancelled the Harwich Hook ferry full repayment money back in account within 24 hrs. I always pay a bit more for flexible tickets as we have a track record of changing and adaptation going back years.

Different story for a UK holiday cottage booked for a special family event with a company called Sykes. I’d never heard of them and certainly regret ever having any dealings with them. Absolute bunch of crooks,taking payment for holidays that cannot be taken and then refusing full refund.
Very lively Facebook group of Sykes victims many of whom have lost large sums they cannot afford. Whatever you do avoid them at all Costs.

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[nicholsong]

I can see all your problems, but as residents on the Continent and ones who only use Aires/Wildcamping we are free from reservations.

We are still restricted by border closures, like everyone.

 

[chaser]

We’ve re scheduled our planned trip to Norway from this June to next.
No charges to change our Danish ferry.

Am now making new bookings for UK trips instead, starting in July.

In the back of your car?

 

[Robert Clark]

In the back of your car?

No
In our lovely luxury Gin Palace

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[Reallyretired]

We never book so nothing to refund. Obviously we book the tunnel but only a few days before, it doesn't seem to be any cheaper if you give longer notice, just don't leave it till you turn up or pay through the nose.

 

[Tykatem]

We've re scheduled our June planned trip to Greece. Contacted Anek Lines direct and they gave us an 18 month extension with no charges.

Pete

 

[Geoff185]

We were due to go to France mid July through to mid August. Booked through CAMC last week we called a halt to it ,no point in going if can't eat out, cycle and beach without restrictions. Family were going to fly in to join us in Canet for a couple of weeks, unlikely to happen
Club refunded deposits and rescheduled tunnel to November as temporary hold. Can ring up before crossing date and schedule to next year at no cost. Was going to delay but advice was to cancel and book again if situation improves dramatically
Let's hope

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[GAVLAD]

I can see all your problems, but as residents on the Continent and ones who only use Aires/Wildcamping we are free from reservations.

We are still restricted by border closures, like everyone.

What about your ferry?

 

[Devon Sue]

We were booked to go Plymouth Roscoff on Tuesday 19th, changed it already to September, and will decide before balance payment is due in early July whether to move it to next year

 

[GAVLAD]

We were due to go to France mid July through to mid August. Booked through CAMC last week we called a halt to it ,no point in going if can't eat out, cycle and beach without restrictions. Family were going to fly in to join us in Canet for a couple of weeks, unlikely to happen
Club refunded deposits and rescheduled tunnel to November as temporary hold. Can ring up before crossing date and schedule to next year at no cost. Was going to delay but advice was to cancel and book again if situation improves dramatically
Let's hope

This was very similar to our plan - me to drive down and Mrs and Miss to fly down.
We’re unsure whether the airline will recommence the route (Girona) on the date we had in mind - fortunately, that was the only element we hadn’t booked.
We know that everyone will be operating, but restrictions on eating out, shops, beach, facilities on site etc. has all been discussed at home and we’ve said that we’d rather delay the trip.

As and when I do get through to CAMC, I will let you know.
Thanks everyone

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[nicholsong]

What about your ferry?

If you have not noticed there are bridges from Poland to Germany and across to France etc.

 

[clanjones]

We have a ferry crossing from Santander to Plymouth in mid October but as all our cycling events have been cancelled we have decided to stay at in the UK this year.

The main problem I have is trying to either rebook for next year or get a voucher. It seems almost impossible even though we have a flexible ticket.

I am resigned to loosing the 30% deposit but in the scheme of things it is drop in the ocean. There are people in much more difficult situations and life is just too short!

 

[gus-lopez]

I use dfds & book flexible. That way you can cancel with full refund.

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[Geoff185]

through

Hi, when I got through the agent for CAMC they said to ring at 9 or just befor 5 as that's the best time to get through?

 

[Geoff185]

As and when I do get through to CAMC, I will let you know.

Sorry full quote is this?

 

[russ the rambler]

i had Brittany Ferry tickets for 2 weeks in Spain at Easter + 1 week in France in May half term. Also, a Red Funnel to the Isle of Wight last week.

BF gave me a voucher for all crossings and Red Funnel is a 50% refund and 50% voucher. None of them was a refundable ticket so not too bad.

in the summer I’ve got 3 weeks - ferry to France and back from Spain. My guess is that ferries will be running and campsites open but with restrictions like closed pools etc. In that case i don’t see anyone refunding anything. I'll just go.

...but it still seems a bit optimistic to me. To happen, the foreign office would need to drop its warning against 'all but essential travel' for France + Spain, and two European countries would need to open campsites, plus open their land borders. Its only 11 weeks until i leave.

The question for me is what if there is quarantine? That’s where i draw the line because my 3 weeks away would involve the first 2 weeks in quarantine and another 2 weeks after i get back.

would insurance companies and travel firms refuse to refund if they were open but with quarantine? I think they would. In which case it’s so ridiculous I’ll write off all costs.

I do have a Plan B. I've booked caravan club sites in the UK for every weekend in July and August. They can be cancelled up to 72h before arrival.

I do realise this is 'boo hoo poor me', but it took about 15 years for me to get my head around the cost of a motorhome and i took the plunge last August. I spent all winter getting toys fitted and got it valeted in February, all ready for the new season. I had 1 weekend trip away followed by lockdown. Nice. Tried driving it up and down the motorway from storage today to charge up the battery but the engine didn’t even turn over. So its new battery time. Nice again.

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[DIY campervan]

Hello all,

We are due to go away in July & August and have booked and paid for the tunnel out and P&O Zeebrugge to Hull back crossings through the CAMC - both have been paid in full.
We’ve paid a deposit on a site in Spain and made provisional bookings for overnight stays enroute.

Although there are rumours of lockdowns easing by July for campsites, we are now of the opinion that this year for us may be a write off and have already started to do some diy in the house.
Has anyone who has/had planned to go away in July / August had any info regarding where things stand regarding cancellations or date changes with the CAMC?
We’ve had an email a few weeks ago advising that they’re only working up to June departures at present and will waiver their fee but pass on the operators fee.
Getting through to them to speak about it has been difficult to date.
We don’t want to leave it too late in case the operators (Tunnel & P&O) sting us for a bigger fee as it will be closer to departure date.
Is anyone else in the same situation or have you already made changes/cancelled?
Or are you sticking it out to see what happens regarding lockdown easing?
Anyone spoken with CAMC recently? Any issues getting through or with changing/cancelling?
Thanks!

Dont hesitate, get your arses out there, your in a self contained sterile home. If the sites are shut then go wild. The whole point of s camper is to be as free as a bird no matter what. So long as your allowed to use the roads that is. Your adventure awaits you ?

 

[chaser]

No
In our lovely luxury Gin Palace

No luck with the sale then

 

[Welsh girl]

We booked a trip to Canada in September and the travel agent wanted full payment last week. Andrew phoned and they will postpone till next year with a higher deposit. We certainly won't be paying the £5 500 remaining as we don't think everything will be resolved by September!

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[Christoph]

Sadly we feel that this year going abroad is a total write off!

 

[Robert Clark]

No luck with the sale then

Thankfully

 

[138go]

We have a ferry booked and a deposit paid for a campsite in Spain, for the end of August. We’re not going. We haven’t heard back from the ferry company and we’ve been told to send another email to the campsite when they open.

We definitely won’t go. If we’re going to catch something horrible we want to be in the UK. If we lose our money, so be it.

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[Christoph]

Some of the horror stories on here and other forums about trying to get back from the EU to the UK should be enough to put anyone off going abroad this year. You can be sure if any EU countries do get a second wave there won’t be time to get home before lockdown this time. If it does come, (we all hope it doesn’t) I know where I’d want to be!

 

[robnchris]

Not much point in going away if you have to self isolate for 2 weeks when you get back home.

There just isn't enough information at the moment, travel companies, hotels, ferries and airlines just can't take the hit of refunding everyone so it is going to be one big bun fight.

We have 2 weeks booked in Skiathos in September with TUI, they are playing it by the month saying they may be flying after the next date, our friends that live on Skiathos told us from the beginning the island was in total lockdown and they now don't want a load of holiday makers arriving bringing with them Covid19.

Our problem is like 1000's of others we have to pay the balance of the holiday within the next 2 weeks or it will be deemed we cancelled so will lose the deposit, as we booked in store we can't get anywhere as they are all closed and phoning is madness with up to 4 hrs waiting time.
Now Tui are making 8000 staff redundant it might be unwise to pay the balance.
Rock and a hard place springs to mind.

 

[orridge]

We were going to go to Slovenia for a month Jul/Aug but had only booked 1st week on a site in Germany so I could work whilst the family start the holiday and that was cancelled with no costs.

Eurotunnel still booked for July/Aug but will move that out the October Half-term unless we can get a few days in France at the end of August.

Started thinking about a couple of trips around the UK visiting the places we have also meant to go but always ended up in mainland Europe instead.

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