TUI Passengers Demand Refunds After River Cruise Became Coach Tour
TUI customers who booked several 'premium all-inclusive' river cruises across Europe are demanding full refunds after their holidays were fundamentally changed from waterborne tours to extensive coach excursions. Passengers on itineraries, including voyages through France and Germany, claim to have spent hours daily on buses, often arriving late at destinations, contrary to the advertised experience.
Disrupted Holidays and Unmet Expectations
One couple, who paid over £4,000 for a trip on the Rhine and Moselle rivers, reported spending 36 hours on a coach and just 11 hours sailing. They describe the experience as 'not what we signed up for,' highlighting missed attractions due to travel delays and a general failure to deliver the advertised relaxation and scenic river journey.
Similar accounts have emerged from other TUI river cruise passengers, with reports of itinerary changes often communicated late or upon arrival. These alterations have consistently involved substituting river travel with road transport, leading to widespread dissatisfaction and accusations that TUI failed to deliver the core product purchased.
TUI acknowledged that 'operational challenges' have necessitated itinerary changes on some river cruises. The company stated it has offered compensation to affected customers, though many passengers maintain that the offered amounts are insufficient given the dramatic alteration of their pre-paid holidays and the substantial deviation from the promised experience.
