Booking process explained
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From: South Coast
I have a challenge for you Kowalski -
Go and book every room in 5 hotels over Easter weekend, the busiest weekend of the season (without any credit cards)
Also go to the largest events venue in your local region and book that in its entirety for the 2 busiest nights of Easter weekend.
Then, go and book a live music band and all the outside catering necessary to feed everybody during what is one of the largest S2000 meetings in the world.
Now, go and do this at a ridiculously cheap price.
Next, tell all these providers that there is a strong possibility that a large number of people may decide not to attend at the last minute with very little warning, and that they (hotels, restaurants etc) will have to cover any losses.
They are going to laugh in your face and tell you to go away.
Go and book every room in 5 hotels over Easter weekend, the busiest weekend of the season (without any credit cards)
Also go to the largest events venue in your local region and book that in its entirety for the 2 busiest nights of Easter weekend.
Then, go and book a live music band and all the outside catering necessary to feed everybody during what is one of the largest S2000 meetings in the world.
Now, go and do this at a ridiculously cheap price.
Next, tell all these providers that there is a strong possibility that a large number of people may decide not to attend at the last minute with very little warning, and that they (hotels, restaurants etc) will have to cover any losses.
They are going to laugh in your face and tell you to go away.
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Originally Posted by deibit,Feb 4 2009, 03:37 AM
Gaspode I do not think that the people is here blaming the organization which is doinng a great job.
What need to be clarified is.. is really the hotel willing to get a non-refundable payment 1 month before the reservation of the room? If this is true, then it's abusive.
Every service provider should have a policy of cancelation, in every hotel i have ever been (and because of my work i book hotels weekly) you could get a total refund of 1 night if you cancel the reservation 24h before.
Only in case of non-assistance the hotel will book the total amount of the stay in the credit card.
I agree that s2k italia is not willing to provide the credit card for the people who is not canceling the reservation. But they should return the money to the participant in case the participant is cancelling the reservation in the legal period (which is not 1 month)..
And the same for the other reservations (orchestra, meeting rooms.. etc...) they all should have a cancelation policy (not set by s2k club italia but by the service provider)
What need to be clarified is.. is really the hotel willing to get a non-refundable payment 1 month before the reservation of the room? If this is true, then it's abusive.
Every service provider should have a policy of cancelation, in every hotel i have ever been (and because of my work i book hotels weekly) you could get a total refund of 1 night if you cancel the reservation 24h before.
Only in case of non-assistance the hotel will book the total amount of the stay in the credit card.
I agree that s2k italia is not willing to provide the credit card for the people who is not canceling the reservation. But they should return the money to the participant in case the participant is cancelling the reservation in the legal period (which is not 1 month)..
And the same for the other reservations (orchestra, meeting rooms.. etc...) they all should have a cancelation policy (not set by s2k club italia but by the service provider)
Thanks Deibit.
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LTB
That is EXACTLY the point!!! - Well said!
I really hope people see it - and commit to paying.
I'm just wondering what the people who are on the waiting list think about this.
They want to go to Euromeet
They can't because they are stuck on the waiting list
And we have people who are on Euromeet being very non-commital on going or paying when obliged to do so.
It really doesn't seem fair for those on the waiting list.
If people are that unsure if they will attend or are that unhappy about paying when needed; then they should question whether they should attend at all. And give those who would really love to attend the chance to do so.
That is EXACTLY the point!!! - Well said!
I really hope people see it - and commit to paying.
I'm just wondering what the people who are on the waiting list think about this.
They want to go to Euromeet
They can't because they are stuck on the waiting list
And we have people who are on Euromeet being very non-commital on going or paying when obliged to do so.
It really doesn't seem fair for those on the waiting list.
If people are that unsure if they will attend or are that unhappy about paying when needed; then they should question whether they should attend at all. And give those who would really love to attend the chance to do so.
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From: Cologne, Germany
I'm usually quite hesitant when it comes to payments and turning over every penny - my ancestors (1850s) are from Scottland 
However in that case I understand the issues of a privately organized event of that size.
You can't apply the same cancellation policies like for a hotel room for 1 or 2 individuals.
So I fully agree with LTB and Gaspode
Looking forward to a great meeting
However in that case I understand the issues of a privately organized event of that size.
You can't apply the same cancellation policies like for a hotel room for 1 or 2 individuals.
So I fully agree with LTB and Gaspode
Looking forward to a great meeting
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From: Chester
Originally Posted by LTB,Feb 4 2009, 11:45 AM
Firstly, attendees are not simply booking a hotel room, they are paying for a package.
This package includes - Hotel rooms, meals, restaurants outside of the hotels, hiring of venues also outside of the hotels, hiring a live music band.
This talk of hotels is over simplified and disingenuous.
The reason why we have been able to negotiate the fee of 205 Euros per person for 3 nights with everything included is because we are acting as a group, not individuals. To do this we have to supply assurances to hotels, venues, caterers and all the other people that I have mentioned above.
People must get out of this mindset of the individual, it simply does not work like that..
This package includes - Hotel rooms, meals, restaurants outside of the hotels, hiring of venues also outside of the hotels, hiring a live music band.
This talk of hotels is over simplified and disingenuous.
The reason why we have been able to negotiate the fee of 205 Euros per person for 3 nights with everything included is because we are acting as a group, not individuals. To do this we have to supply assurances to hotels, venues, caterers and all the other people that I have mentioned above.
People must get out of this mindset of the individual, it simply does not work like that..
I would also suggest that we shouldn't be debating it, and just see how much of a problem it is - you may find the majority are all paid up no problems.
Obvioulsey there is a risk that soemthing will prevent me attending that I cannot prevent - in this case I will claim back my losses using my travel insurance.
Keep up the good work!
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From: Gatport Airwick
It is a shame perhaps that the timings of the payments were not known and or publiscised when the deposits were taken. Nothing can be done about this now, but perhaps this is worth considering in the future.
At the end of the day if the hotels/caterers etc are not prepared to offer a cancellation policy of less than one month, then the choice is take it or leave it. I cannot believe this is a policy being created by the S2K organisers, so if it is unfair to your mind, then your choice is to cancel, if you consider this fair or to be expected in today's climate, pay up. However it is spread amongst the months, the cost is the same ......
Financial states have changed throughout the world, but we have more than one month's notice to find this money and will therefore not have to find this in April - with all the fuel etc we have to pay at the time, this should make life easier from a cash flow perspective in April!!
At the end of the day if the hotels/caterers etc are not prepared to offer a cancellation policy of less than one month, then the choice is take it or leave it. I cannot believe this is a policy being created by the S2K organisers, so if it is unfair to your mind, then your choice is to cancel, if you consider this fair or to be expected in today's climate, pay up. However it is spread amongst the months, the cost is the same ......
Financial states have changed throughout the world, but we have more than one month's notice to find this money and will therefore not have to find this in April - with all the fuel etc we have to pay at the time, this should make life easier from a cash flow perspective in April!!
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From: Gatport Airwick
PS - It is common practice for hotels to require group bookings to pay in advance and set a deadline for refundable cancellation - usually some 60 days or so in advance.
The rationale being that whilst they hold the block of rooms they refuse other bookings from individual enquiries and so any cancellation at a later stage reduces their opportunity to resell them.
So one month payment in advance is not so bad a deal for us really!!!
The rationale being that whilst they hold the block of rooms they refuse other bookings from individual enquiries and so any cancellation at a later stage reduces their opportunity to resell them.
So one month payment in advance is not so bad a deal for us really!!!
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From: Bracknell Berkshire
I send my compliments to the Organizers on a grand job and think we should payup in advance as requested,but one thing worries me if a few members drop out because of this is it going to make any difference to the price that we pay.looking forward to the trip see you all soon.
Tony
Tony
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From: South Coast
Originally Posted by Kowalski,Feb 4 2009, 01:12 PM
245 participants x 70 euros = 17150 euros.
With that ammount, is there a possibility of contract a sort of cancellation insurance?
With that ammount, is there a possibility of contract a sort of cancellation insurance?
I fully understand your concerns, but we have no other choice than to act as we are through necessity. If there were a viable alternative then we would take it.
We are as passionate as everybody else about this event and everything we do is driven by this passion and no other motivation.
My personal advice, although you may not agree, would be to take out a travel insurance policy if you do not already hold one.