When you book a reservation.....

[Wildcard]

When you book a reservation for a dive boat and dont show up or call, twice, expect to be charged for it. Grrrrr. I had a lady call and book 6 DSDs for yesterday and insisted on doing them in the AM when we normaly do our two tanks dives because she had afternoon plans. no problem as we had no solid bookings for that morning. They didnt show up and didnt call untill 10:30. "They missed the ferry". OK, NBD. She rebooks for today and guess what? No show again. Now she is upset that we are charging her anyway. I tried to explain that was why she gave us a CC number. The shop lost money, I lost money and most important, I didn't get to dive for two days.
If you are booking a boat or anything else and cant make it, have some common courtesy and call and cancel and you wont get charged.
Does anyone think Im out of line on this?

 

[do it easy]

You're way out of line most of the time, but I think this is reasonable. She tied up the boat and your time. I think that also rescheduling and not charging extra for the already lost time was accomodating since she didn't call soon enough to fill the boat with other divers.

I've seen some places ask for a non-refundable deposit, not the full price. Did you explain to her when you took her CC info that she was essentially paying up front for the charter?

 

[Potapko]

People are far too irresponsible. Not being able to make an appt is one thing. Not calling to notify is a character flaw.

 

[redacted]

depending on how much you plan to charge, I don't think you are out of line. But what is your plan for when she contests the charges with the CC company? Do you have a documented policy that supports the charges and was she advised of it? I'm not sure the "I tried to explain that was why she gave us a CC number" is going to make the case.

 

[Wildcard]

It was explained but she now says she was never told that. Not my problem anymore, she can take it up with the owners when they get back.
Anyone want to dive today? Half price! Today only....

 

[do it easy]

More questions: would you have done anything differently if it was a single diver (not DSD) and the boat would have been full otherwise?

 

[fairybasslet]

Well, she can always dispute it with her CC company. If you don't have a written policy, you may be out the money. I won a dispute with an operator because her cancellation policy that she told me in an email conflicted with her published policy on her website.

 

[do it easy]

Anyone want to dive today? Half price! Today only....

yeah, put me down for a spot- I'll be there!

 

[captain]

Would she expect a hotel not to charge her for not showing up for a reservation without calling to cancel.
Best to be perfectly clear when the booking is made that if the reservation is not canceled a certain number of hours prior to the trip they will be charged. If you do fill the boat with other customers and don't lose business you could do a partial refund as a good will jesture. The reason I say partial refund is it doesn't let them off the hook completely for failing to cancel and asuming that you will always get other customers to get them off for not canceling

 

[Wildcard]

I did not take the reservation, Im sure however it was explained. Besides, what did she think she was giving out her CC number for?
I don't think they charge a single diver for not showing if there are other people but Im not sure. I run the boat not the shop. She wanted the whole boat, she gets to pay for the whole boat. We turned down other divers due to this.