Assumed cabin was booked

In January ’08 I reserved a cruise to Norway for May 31-June 11, 2008, with Taitbout Voyages. I sent them a check for €1,180 (about $1,636) for the basic price and added €346 ($480) for a single cabin.

I asked Taitbout in several letters at what time I would have to meet the group on May 31 to take the bus from Paris to the cruise ship in Amsterdam and at what location. Taitbout Voyages never answered my letters or e-mails. The telephone number on their brochure was not reachable from the US; it was a number that could be used only inside France.

Taitbout did not return my check, either, so I was convinced it had been accepted.

I regularly take trips out of Europe with French companies and this had never happened to me.

As soon as I arrived in Paris on May 29, I called Taitbout’s local number. The agent who answered had my check in front of her, but she informed me that they had no single cabins available. I asked if I could, in that case, share a cabin with somebody. She said they had no double cabins anymore and that the cruise was booked full.

Why did she never inform me about this?

After an 11-hour flight from San Francisco, I was stuck in a Paris hotel for the duration of the cruise, which was 12 days. I had not expected to have to pay for the hotel and living expenses.

I did get the check back, but that is not the point. I am extremely surprised that any travel company would treat their clients so badly.

The reason for my rejection was that I had paid for a single cabin and there were no single cabins available. But they never let me know.

CORNELIA M. SULZER

Mill Valley, CA

ITN sent a copy of the above letter to Taitbout Voyages SA (30, rue de Paradis, 75468 Paris, cedex 10, France) but received no reply. Upon being informed by ITN of the National Travel Agency Syndicate (51 Place du General, Catroux 75017 Paris), which deals with travel agencies in France, Ms. Sulzer also wrote to that agency, but she received no reply.