Holiday reviews for Calangute

We booked our 2 week ?dream holiday? in Goa on 26th November 2007 and were due to fly on 14th April 2008. Our insurance was covered with Thomas Cook and we collected our tickets in March 2008, from the Thomas Cook Manchester branch. However, on the day we were due to fly, at Manchester Airport check-in desk, to our dismay we were abruptly informed that we could not travel without relevant Visas.

In not one single instance was it brought to either myself or my partner?s attention that you MUST obtain a Visa in order not only to enter the country, but even check your baggage in at the airport. As far as I am still currently aware, this isn?t common knowledge apart from amongst people who have had the fortune of visiting the resort before. There was never any mention of a visa verbally nor was it pointed out to us in the paperwork when we booked. I find it extraordinary that a piece of important information as crucial as this was left in the dark, throughout all of our correspondence with the staff at Thomas Cook.

Needless to say we were left heartbroken and horrified. The fact that we were also informed that we could not claim a single penny of the cost of the holiday we had paid back (total at ?1,056.00!);, could only add to the injury. Due to one staff member?s neglect of a simple stipulation of information we had lost our holiday and all of the money we had worked hard for to pay for it.

To sum up - after 6 months of planning, saving and anticipation we were left over ?1000 short and no holiday. I realise this stictly isn't a 'holiday review' but we felt something had to be made public in order to avoid a repeat occurrence of this incident. I simply could not allow the future possibility of this happening to anyone else who wishes to book their holiday to Goa through Thomas Cook.