I was yesterday informed by email and text that my booking at the beginning of July has been cancelled. While I understand that unexpected disruptions like line maintenance can occur, the way this was handled has been truly appalling.There was no apology at any stage—not in the cancellation email, not during the phone call, and not in the acknowledgement of my follow-up email. The tone throughout was cold, dismissive, and completely lacking in empathy or basic courtesy.The cancellation message bizarrely described the suggested alternative trip as “exciting news,” which was frankly tone-deaf. I had booked the original journey for my 70-year-old mother’s birthday specifically because it did not require leaving the train due to her mobility issues. The suggested alternatives involve hours off the train and extend the day significantly, making them completely unsuitable.I called the number provided by Northern Belle “for help”, which I did not receive. The representative told me that he had no authority to cancel the booking, and that this had to be done in writing. When I asked if this could be done over the phone, I was told flatly that this was “company policy.” Unhelpful, inflexible, and unnecessarily obstructive.I then emailed to cancel and complain about the poor customer service, as instructed. Ironically, the same representative who told me I had to email was the one who responded—simply stating my request had been “passed to Head Office” and that I should allow 28 days for a response. No confirmation, no indication of timelines, and still no apology.I’ve been left feeling as though this is somehow my issue, rather than a situation entirely caused by Northern Belle.To top it off, the cancellation email mentioned a gift card if I didn’t switch to another trip, but said nothing about my right to a refund or compensation despite these being clearly outlined in the company’s own terms and conditions.So now I’m left with no trip for my mother’s birthday, little time to arrange an alternative, and no clarity on when I’ll receive a refund or the compensation I’m owed to enable me to make other arrangements.From a company that markets itself as a premium experience, this has been anything but. A situation that could have been entirely avoided by adherence to the most basic of customer service standards. Not good enough and recommend avoiding. I am incensed!
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The train service was launched in 2000, after careful restoration by Venice-Simplon Orient Express.
