customers

Customers of Center Parcs resorts have said they “could cry” after the holiday park chain announced it would no longer be offering a popular service from the end of May

Center Parcs has scrapped a popular service at its resorts, prompting criticism from families.

The holiday park chain has announced it is no longer offering a crèche service for those aged between three months and three years of age.

By the end of next month, visitors to Center Parcs will not have the option to pay around £30 for a three-hour creche service for their children.

A spokesperson for Center Parcs told the Mirror: “At Center Parcs, we’re always looking to review and evolve the guest experience. We have made the decision to remove the crèche activity from our breaks, to reflect guest feedback and limited demand for this particular activity.

“Crèche sessions are one of more than 20 activities available within our Activity Den and our other activities will continue to run as normal. We’re developing new activities for children of all ages, with the aim of creating even more engaging experiences for families to enjoy together at Center Parcs.”

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Customers who are due to visit a Center Parc resort in the coming months discovered that they could no longer book crèche slots from June.

One parent wrote on a Center Parcs Facebook page: “We go to Longleat for a week in June and bookings opened today for our break. We’re going with our three children and will be celebrating my birthday while we’re there. I had planned to book a much-needed child-free trip to the spa with my husband and planned to put the children in the kids clubs and our two-year-old in the crèche so we could go together. However, the crèche is unavailable for booking?? I could cry.”

Another lamented: “We’ve been to Center Parcs loads of times over the years and the crèche is such a godsend.”

Prior to the decision to close it, Center Parcs explained what the crèche offered. “Crèche is a colourful interactive environment for children from 3 to 23 months and 24 to 35 months old. Here, they are encouraged to take part in a variety of structured activities to help them develop and learn, guided by our experienced carers. Location: Activity Den. Duration: 180 minutes or 120 minutes. Activity available at all villages.”

One happy customer described the staff in the crèche as “friendly and professional.”

In other Center Parcs news, work has begun on a new site in the Scottish Borders. The £450 million holiday resort is expected to generate approximately 1,200 jobs.

The new forest will comprise multiple tree species and other plant life, establishing an environment abundant in biodiversity and teeming with wildlife.

The Center Parcs Scottish Borders development will feature 700 lodges and flats, a Subtropical Swimming Paradise mirroring those at existing sites, retail outlets and dining venues in the village hub, plus an Aqua Sana Forest Spa nestled within the woodland. Virtual tours and 3D renderings show numerous amenities positioned along the waterside.

All impacted guests have been offered a full refund or a future cruise credit, and will be supported by the firm’s teams, who will provide rebooking options and assistance.

A major cruise line has cancelled all its April sailings as the impact of the Iran war on travel worsens.

Celestyal has confirmed the cancellation of all April 2026 departures as its ships wait to reposition to Athens, Greece.

The line’s fleet is currently positioned in the Arabian Gulf, with Celestyal Discovery in Dubai, UAE, and Celestyal Journey in Doha, Qatar. All guests and non-operational crew have been disembarked, while both vessels remain fully operational. The cruise line announced that staff and crew’s departure from the region will take place in accordance with safety guidance from the relevant authorities.

“Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, all sailings scheduled for April 2026 have been cancelled,” a statement from Celestyal read.

The next planned departures are:

• Celestyal Discovery – May 1, 2026 (3-night Iconic Greek Islands)

• Celestyal Journey – May 2, 2026 (7-night Heavenly Greece, Italy and Croatia)

Lee Haslett, chief commercial officer at Celestyal, said: “Our priority remains the safety and confidence of our guests, crew and partners. While we know this will be disappointing, taking this decision now provides greater clarity and flexibility for those affected. Our teams are working closely with guests and travel partners to support rebooking options and ensure a smooth transition, and we remain focused on returning to service in the Mediterranean as soon as it is safe to do so.”

All impacted guests have been offered a full refund or a future cruise credit, and will be supported by Celestyal’s teams, who will provide rebooking options and assistance.

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The news comes as senior figures from the energy, shipping and banking sectors prepare to meet Sir Keir Starmer as Donald Trump hinted the conflict with Iran could intensify.

Oil prices surged after the US president revealed he was weighing up a military operation to take control of Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical component of the country’s export infrastructure.

The Downing Street talks are expected to centre on Iran’s continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has severely disrupted a key shipping route for the oil and gas industry, as well as supplies of other goods such as fertiliser.

The gathering will include representatives from energy giants Shell and BP, shipping behemoth Maersk, maritime insurance specialist Lloyd’s of London, and banking heavyweights HSBC and Goldman Sachs.

Major General Richard Cantrill, the UK’s maritime operations commander, will also brief those in attendance on the latest developments in the region.

This follows the Royal Navy’s announcement that it is equipping the transport vessel RFA Lyme Bay with minehunting drones — a move widely understood to be aimed at giving ministers options for securing the strait once conditions allow.

Downing Street confirmed the purpose of the meeting was to hear directly from businesses and explore how the Government and private sector can join forces in tackling the ongoing conflict.

The No 10 summit is expected to be followed by a Cobra meeting on Tuesday, where senior ministers will assess the continuing economic damage caused by the war, Sir Keir has suggested. The summit follows Mr Trump’s comments that he could “take the oil in Iran” or potentially seize control of Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export hub.

ROYAL Caribbean has reportedly canceled a number of scheduled cruises out of Miami this summer.

The cruise ship operator is said to have told guests with already booked trips they are eligible for full refunds if offered alternatives do not work.

In an email seen by Royal Caribbean Blog, the company tells customers: “As part of our ongoing itinerary planning process – which sometimes requires flexibility due to scheduling, port agreements, or operational needs, Freedom of the Seas will be redeployed for our Summer 2027 season.

“We know how much effort goes into planning your vacation and apologize for the inconvenience.”

It is understood the liners will be redeployed to Southampton in the United Kingdom.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told The New York Post: “Freedom of the Seas will sail from Southampton for the 2027 summer season, reflecting the continued strength of the UK & Ireland market.

“The move represents an upsizing of capacity and brings a Freedom Class ship — long regarded as a favorite among British and Irish guests — back to the region.”

Upwards of 20 voyages on Freedom of the Seas between May and September are thought to have been moved.

The trips were scheduled to depart from Miami to the Bahamas, Aruba and Curaçao.

The decision comes just weeks after Carnival Cruise Line pulled the plug on 11 routes.

The scrapped trips were aboard Carnival Firenze, the line’s Italian-themed ship that sails from Long Beach, California in short runs. 

Carnival said the affected departures were scheduled between October 12, and November 16. 

The change in Caribbean’s schedule means customers have been invited to rebook on alternative sailings or claim full refunds.

The email to customers adds: “Regardless of the sailing length of the cruise you move to, if your booking was already paid in full and your cruise fare decreases, we’ll provide you with a refund for the difference.”