Would YOU Do This?

We bought a voucher for a weekend getaway down south, and have been trying to book it. Every single weekend this year was booked out in 10 seconds or something, so we're booking it for this time next year. Only the owners won't accept the booking without credit card details for incidental expenses.

My problems with this are -

* The booking is already completely paid for, and they ask for the voucher number when booking. Surely they could just cancel the voucher in the unlikely event we don't show up?

* That would mean them keeping my credit card details on file for a year. What if my credit card is due to expire before then, could I just not book it?!

* Every time I try and talk to them about it, they just say 'company policy'. I've tried ringing but no-one answers, they say to do an enquiry through the website.

Professor really wants to go, so I suspect I'm gonna hafta just suck it up and give them the details. I'm not happy that this wasn't mentioned as a condition of buying the voucher. I wonder if it'd do any good to contact the voucher company? I don't want a refund though, I just don't want my details kept on file for a year.

Thoughts?

We do quite a bit of travelling (both within Australia and overseas) and it is pretty standard practice nowadays to provide a cc for incidentals regardless of whether you have paid for the holiday or not.

I personally wouldnt be concerned and certainly would not let it stop me from booking the accomodation.

Yeah, everytime I book accomodation it asks for CC details even if it is paid for already... if something goes wrong or there is damage then they charge it to your CC...

I find it standard and don't mind putting the details in but that is just me. :)

Yeah, it's a standard thing. It also covers damages and such if you happen to pack and run as well as those times when people book a night and don't show.

I thought it was standard... I'd do it.

Hmm, seems I'm wrong :rofl:

Alrighty, thanks ladies :hug:

Good on your for checking though Keike

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We do quite a bit of travelling (both within Australia and overseas) and it is pretty standard practice nowadays to provide a cc for incidentals regardless of whether you have paid for the holiday or not.

I personally wouldnt be concerned and certainly would not let it stop me from booking the accomodation.

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Totally agree. It's standard procedures. It will be fine hon, don't worry about it.

Yeah, it is standard these days. But i hate it. If you don't have a credit card or debit card you are in trouble. it annoys me because they require you to give them information that they don't need 'just in case', and the more you have to give out information the harder it is to find where the issue is if something goes wrong.

Keike, I'm pretty sure a 'swipe' of the credit card is a standard thing that happens these days. Nothing is debited, but they just keep the number JIC something happens & they have the ways/means to charge you for incidentals.
I know it sucks, I wouldn't be overly impressed either.

Yep, they want your details invade you go all rockstar and trash the room or steal the towels etc
They aren't allowed to charge anything to it prior to you going. You could always ask for their reason in writing

Im going to be odd one out here and say I have been burnt badly by the "just in case" swipe. They did charge it, without my permission, they meant to charge someone elses, it was $780 so not a small amount. Yes I got it back but it took ALOT of effort on my behalf.
Whilst you cant get around places wanting a credit card, you can just open a seperate account and have a visa debit card used specifically for this kind of purchase. I use mine for paypal and bookings and for deposits, always just transferring the money over as its needed. Limits the financial implications for someone elses mistakes and limits our risk if the details are stolen or misused.
Our direct debits are also taken from this account (an auto transfer is set up from out main account to go into this one 2 days before the dd is due), I have had a phone company keep taking money after I cancelled the account and the bank wouldnt stop it either.

Could the mabe do a cash deposit instead? They should really have alternitives for those of us without CC's.
The only time we booked holiday accom though, it was our honey moon 4 years ago & we paid a deposit...

Can you post the voucher to them? Surely they'd accept that, I mean what if you didn't have a credit card at all?

I ended up just doing it, and reporting them to the voucher operator ;) Haven't heard anything back yet, but its only been a week or so. Will let you know!