Anyone been late paying Virgin HOlidays

[Sweet Pea UK]

The balance of my holiday is due on Sunday. I have paid 80% of it but I won't have the last bit until a week on Sunday unless I put it on a credit card (which I don't want to do) - does anybody know if it will matter if its a week late??

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

I honestly don't know with Virgin. My friend forgot to pay Disney on time and was two weeks late, and they were fine about it. Sorry, probably not much help!!!!!

 

[luke]

You're best ringing them to find out, although their website says this

Paying for your holiday
In order to confirm your chosen arrangements, you must pay a deposit (or full payment by credit or debit card if booking within 10 weeks of departure). You must also pay all applicable insurance premiums if you wish to purchase the insurance policy we offer. The balance of the cost of your arrangements (including any surcharge where applicable) is due not less than 10 weeks prior to departure. If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case the cancellation charges set out in clause 9 will become payable. Except for flight inclusive bookings, all monies you pay to one of our authorised travel agents for your arrangements with us will be held by that agent on your behalf until we issue our confirmation invoice, after which your agent will hold the monies on our behalf. We accept payment by cheque, credit card and debit card - direct payments to Virgin Holidays by credit card will incur a charge of 2% of the total value of your Holiday. Late bookings made within 14 days prior to departure may require ticket pickup at the airport. An administration charge of £25 per booking will apply.

On their booking conditions page

http://www.virginholidays.co.uk/info/important/terms_conditions/booking_conditions/

 

[mollies_mum]

I was one week late paying because of how my payday fell in the month, I rang them a few weeks before to le tthem know and they were fine, no problems at all

 

[2Tiggies]

Note that they "reserve the right to cancel" your holiday. They may not do so and possibly won't immediately anyway. But if they did, it is stated in their Ts&Cs and you have nothing to fall back on. I agree with Luke, I would phone. If you put it on a credit card and then pay the card a week later when you get your cash you should incur no interest charges, depending on where you are in your billing cycle.

Another point to consider is that underpayment and non payment are very different and have different consequences. An agreement to make an interim payment and an undertaking to produce the balance by an agreed date and then ensuring that you duly deliver as promised, is most times perfectly acceptable. But you need to agree this with the company.

 

[orangetiggs]

we were 3 weeks late one year as i forgot!! no problem they send letters beofre they cancel

 

[stba2006]

I was late paying with Virgin the first time we went to Orlando. I had spent over a year planning the holiday and then got the final payment date wrong.

When i realised about a week later i phoned in such a panicky state. They were really good about and said it does happen but not to worry, our holiday was still reserved.

This was a few years ago so I'm not sure if this is the same now

I would give them a ring just to make sure and if you have no option but to pay on your credit card "2Tiggies" suggestion of paying off the amount the following week is a good one xx

 

[Babyboo]

We were about 2 weeks late last year and they sent us a letter reminding us that the payment was due. Nothing more than that.

I'd just like to add that I had sent the payment to be there on time but not put the booking reference on the bank transfer so it didn't get allocated against my booking. After many heated phone calls with the Indian call centre when I asked if I could speak to somebody that worked in that department as I knew they had the money they kept telling me that it would be OK the UK accounts department would contact me and they could sort it out then and me quoting their terms and conditions that they might cancel my holiday. I gave up and waited for the letter.

I've kept the letter just in case I never need to sort anything out again as it's got a phone number which goes straight through to the UK offices

I would think that the fact you have already paid 80% would mean that they wouldn't just cancel it without trying to contact you first.

Of course there terms and conditions are always there though

 

[jtlover]

I rang them one year and said I needed an extra week which wasnt a problem. They said the reminder would still come out but they made a note on my records.

Just ring them and let them know

 

[George12]

Had a letter today from VH reminding me of my balance due date and that if it wasn't paid by that date my holiday will be cancelled and that appropriate cancellation charges will be due! Think I will be paying on time!!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Well ... I can now answer my own question. My balance was due on Sunday and I had paid £8500 from a £8900 holiday. The only reason I was £400 short was because I booked next years holiday with them and used some of the money for the deposit.

The simple answer was I could have taken the money from my other savings account but this would incur a charge on the interest as I am only allowed one withdrawal a year and I will be using that when I withdraw the spending money - they other option would have been to put the £400 on a credit card. Out of principal I don't want to do that because of the extra charge.

I really didn't think it would be a problem. I phoned today to ask if it would be OK if I paid the remainder on Wednesday when DH gets paid. I didn't ring the UK number so I got somebody from the Indian call centre. Basically he asked me "why it was late" and then said that he would give me until Sunday to pay it or there was every chance they would cancel my booking! I am a little aggrieved to say the least. Don't get me wrong I am fully aware that I entered into an agreement with them when booking the holiday to pay it by the said date. However I had paid the majority of a very expensive holiday!!! I was in two minds to tell them to wipe off the Universal passes which would have then made us even and booked them with somebody else on Wednesday! As it was I used my Mums debit card to clear the outstanding balance.

Just a word of warning to others, they may not be as lenient as they have been with others.

Still, I'm not bitter - only 64 days to go!!!

 

[2Tiggies]

At least you got it sorted. I would also have been annoyed had they taken that tone with me. I suspect it could be a case of it depending who you speak to. I know how those call centres work They pick the key words when you ask a question, type it in and a generic response comes up on their screen which they read to you.

I decided to go with Thomas Cook again for my previous trip although VH offered a slightly better deal, based purely on my experience over the phone. They would NOT answer the question. This person kept reading (yes, there was no mistaking it, she was reading) a vaguely related statement.

Had you got throught to a UK office you may have had a different experience, but who knows .... At least it is one less thing to worry about now.