The Eurofurence Forum
Eurofurence Information => Questions & Answers => Topic started by: Mryia on 12.11.2016, 14:53:15
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Since credit cards are rather uncommon in Germany, and many many Germans just don't own one:
- Is it possible to use someone else's credit card for the booking (friend's or relatives')?
- Is it possible to use prepaid credit cards (I know some shops don't accept them)?
Any info would be approciated. :)
Thanks in advance,
Mryia
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Since credit cards are rather uncommon in Germany, and many many Germans just don't own one:
- Is it possible to use someone else's credit card for the booking (friend's or relatives')?
According to the announcement: Probably, yes, as long as they agree to it.
- Is it possible to use prepaid credit cards (I know some shops don't accept them)?
According to the announcement: Yes, see the attached file.
Any info would be approciated. :)
Thanks in advance,
Mryia
Thanks for thoroughly reading the announcement! (=
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Ah damn, I've overseen that... shame on me. :)
But thanks for the information, all is clear now.
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This raccoon is NOT PLEASED in the least. Sorry. Since I have no credit card (and I don't know who has!) I can kiss EF goodbye... :-[
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This raccoon is NOT PLEASED in the least. Sorry. Since I have no credit card (and I don't know who has!) I can kiss EF goodbye... :-[
1) You can get a pre-paid credit card at any gas station, in many supermarkets, online, etc.
2) If you don't have one and you simply refuse to get one, just ask a friend. Yes, you can book with the card of a friend (as made clear in Cheetahs post)
3) Only ONE person per room needs a card as only ONE person books a room for two/three people.
This process is simply required now, since telephone and email booking isn't possible anymore to make booking fair for everyone and actually doable for the hotel.
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This raccoon is NOT PLEASED in the least. Sorry. Since I have no credit card (and I don't know who has!) I can kiss EF goodbye... :-[
1) You can get a pre-paid credit card at any gas station, in many supermarkets, online, etc.
2) If you don't have one and you simply refuse to get one, just ask a friend. Yes, you can book with the card of a friend (as made clear in Cheetahs post)
3) Only ONE person per room needs a card as only ONE person books a room for two/three people.
This process is simply required now, since telephone and email booking isn't possible anymore to make booking fair for everyone and actually doable for the hotel.
1> In our town they don't sell those, or already filled up to €25,- each (PRE-Prepaid)
2> I don't have family members with a credit card or even WILLING to spend that much money in one go...
3> I don't know any furs who would do that for me
And about On-site: nope! I don't walk with an thick envelope full of monnies in the town of berlin without the thought of getting ROBBED! :slap:
So yeah, EF: NU-UH! Won't gonna happen for me this year.
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2> I don't have family members with a credit card or even WILLING to spend that much money in one go...
Just for further clarification: The Credit card is NOT used for payment as clearly stated in the announcement. It is merely a method for verification and is not used to withdraw any amount of money. Whatever way you used to pay in the past years will most likely still be available.
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But why verfication at all? oO
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But why verfication at all? oO
Instant online reservation without any form of identity verification? If that were to be done, anyone would be able to send out as many reservations as they like, without the need to verify that the reservations actually correspond to actual people. In that situation, it would only take one person with bad intentions to block out the entire reservation system, or at least a good part of it.
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The announcement only mentions credit cards but I assume debit cards will work as usual? At least they've always taken my VISA electron.
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Will there be a small notes section provided? I loved the room I had at EF22 and if possible would like to request the same room.
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Hello,
just before we dive into miniscule detail, please understand that we do not provide the booking service. The estrel uses ihotelier, which is a service by travelclick, who use some sort of card payment provider, who will have some bank backing them. We can't answer any questions that go past what the management of the estrel has told us about their business relationship with their booking agent :) It's buniness-ception, and we can't go that deep :)
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The announcement only mentions credit cards but I assume debit cards will work as usual? At least they've always taken my VISA electron.
I'm assuming VISA Electron will work this time too, it has worked for me before as well.
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Will there be a small notes section provided? I loved the room I had at EF22 and if possible would like to request the same room.
Ask the Estrel for that.
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The announcement only mentions credit cards but I assume debit cards will work as usual?
Same question. No bank is crazy enough to give me a credit card right now. But I do have a normal debit card (bank card as we say), which can very simply be used to confirm I exist (or whatever the reason is they need card info, which makes it strange that you'd be able to use a friend's card, since that's not on your name)
This is going to cause much chaos once registration opens...
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The announcement only mentions credit cards but I assume debit cards will work as usual?
Same question. No bank is crazy enough to give me a credit card right now. But I do have a normal debit card (bank card as we say), which can very simply be used to confirm I exist (or whatever the reason is they need card info, which makes it strange that you'd be able to use a friend's card, since that's not on your name)
This is going to cause much chaos once registration opens...
There are many ways to confirm your identity, but as the announcement clearly states, the credit card is the only verification method that can be used on the reservation-website. So no, a debit card will not be sufficient for that purpose.
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[...] So no, a debit card will not be sufficient for that purpose.
Hmm interesting, I'll have to look into getting a credit card then I guess, since I don't know anyone with one (only Debit cards/"Bank cards").
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The announcement only mentions credit cards but I assume debit cards will work as usual?
Same question. No bank is crazy enough to give me a credit card right now. But I do have a normal debit card (bank card as we say), which can very simply be used to confirm I exist (or whatever the reason is they need card info, which makes it strange that you'd be able to use a friend's card, since that's not on your name)
This is going to cause much chaos once registration opens...
It needs to be a credit card, or a debit card that works like a credit card. Normal bank cards (girocard etc...) will not work for the reservation.
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The announcement only mentions credit cards but I assume debit cards will work as usual?
Same question. No bank is crazy enough to give me a credit card right now. But I do have a normal debit card (bank card as we say), which can very simply be used to confirm I exist (or whatever the reason is they need card info, which makes it strange that you'd be able to use a friend's card, since that's not on your name)
This is going to cause much chaos once registration opens...
It needs to be a credit card, or a debit card that works like a credit card. Normal bank cards (girocard etc...) will not work for the reservation.
DARN! There goes my chance to visit EF again. (and NO, I know nobody who actually has a CC. Only prepaid CCs that I know are preloaded with 50€ or €25. That doesn't cut it AT ALL!
http://www.apex-foundation.org/no-credit-card-no-problem/
Only ones that I know of:
(http://www.knappzak.nl/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/prepaidvisa1.jpg)
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http://mywirecard.com Credit Card Paypal style
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http://mywirecard.com Credit Card Paypal style
they don't sell these in the nl...
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http://mywirecard.com Credit Card Paypal style
they don't sell these in the nl...
Quincy,
Here is a brand new product which might be worth looking at for you:
https://www.wirecard.com/newsroom/press-releases/newsdetail/wirecard-issues-first-virtual-prepaid-card-for-online-payments-in-the-netherlands/
Further down on that page is a link to the PDF press announcement:
https://www.wirecard.com/uploads/tx_nenews/PM_2016_11_17_EN_pay2d.pdf
And lastly - those pre-paid VISA credit cards? Take a close look at the fine-print on the package back. The 25-euro cost should be the minimum value that the card has on it, when first purchased. Once you have followed the instructions to have it activated, you should be able to "top it up" to a higher value, and there should be instructions on how to do that (usually this would be done at your bank, or at another retailer).
I hope this helps you get to EF! :)
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http://mywirecard.com Credit Card Paypal style
they don't sell these in the nl...
It's a worldwide online thing that has no card oO
Card total optional.
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A quick bit of Googling finds https://www.dbcardservice.com/ (https://www.dbcardservice.com/), which is definitely available in The Netherlands.
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It needs to be a credit card, or a debit card that works like a credit card.
I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed that includes the Electron. I have booked online every year with it and there's never been any problems. So unless they've changed the system it should work.
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Vielen Dank für alle Tipps, aber ich lebe geführt, so kann ich nicht nur etwas in Bezug auf Bank arrangieren. Das Gleiche gilt für meine persönlichen Mentor, der keine Credit Card hat. Tatsächlich, die niemand hier in Bezug auf die Führung funktioniert, ist bereit, alles zu ordnen per Kreditkarte Banking. Ja, ich weiß, dumme Regel hier, aber so tut das auch einmal, kann nichts tun. Regel habe ich nicht gedacht.
Nun, ich werde nur ein weiterer Urlaub finden müssen. Merkwürdig ist, wenn es in Magdeburg stattfand, alles verlief reibungslos. OK, es biß Seiten Bord in Bezug auf die Zahlungen noch. Jetzt ist es in Berlin stattfindet, wie es scheint ... na ja ... ich weiß nicht ... ist eher mühsam. Auch wenn diese Änderungen in Bezug auf die Zahlungen und so ... Kann nicht zu gewöhnen. Hoffentlich kann ich in die Zukunft der EF genießen, aber so wie es jetzt aussieht, wird es nichts sein. Leider aber wahr. Ich lebe aber auch von einem Jahresbudget (viele es nicht ist, kann nicht einmal ein Fursuit kaufen)
Also ja. Sehen Sie meine Sorgen hier. EF ist nicht billig, das ist ein Problem. Wenn es jetzt eine fur die für ALL war, würde ich zahlen würde ich sagen, hurra, aber ich glaube nicht, dass ich so verrückt sein, würde eine andere pelzig zu bekommen, dass auf jeden Fall tun.
Na ja, kann ich träumen oder nicht? Darf im Internet zu sitzen, aber Kauf ist außer Frage.
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Quincy: It's nice to see you're trying to write German, however, we could better understand you when you sticked to English. Also it's fairer to those other attendees which might be reading here and who don't speak German.
All: One thing I'd like to remind all of you: while staying at the main hotel is the more comfortable and thus preferred option for many, getting no room at the Estrel (for no CC or for not being quick enough) still leaves you the option to get a room elsewhere. So there is still a chance to attend EF after all. It might even be cheaper.
*purrrr*
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Quincy: It's nice to see you're trying to write German, however, we could better understand you when you sticked to English. Also it's fairer to those other attendees which might be reading here and who don't speak German.
All: One thing I'd like to remind all of you: while staying at the main hotel is the more comfortable and thus preferred option for many, getting no room at the Estrel (for no CC or for not being quick enough) still leaves you the option to get a room elsewhere. So there is still a chance to attend EF after all. It might even be cheaper.
*purrrr*
Hmmmmmmmm.................. That might be an option....... But does paying to EF itself (for entrance to the con itself) also mean to pay with CC?
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Quincy: It's nice to see you're trying to write German, however, we could better understand you when you sticked to English. Also it's fairer to those other attendees which might be reading here and who don't speak German.
All: One thing I'd like to remind all of you: while staying at the main hotel is the more comfortable and thus preferred option for many, getting no room at the Estrel (for no CC or for not being quick enough) still leaves you the option to get a room elsewhere. So there is still a chance to attend EF after all. It might even be cheaper.
*purrrr*
Hmmmmmmmm.................. That might be an option....... But does paying to EF itself (for entrance to the con itself) also mean to pay with CC?
Direct bank transfer has worked the past years, and I'm not aware of any changes in that area. So no, you most certainly won't Need a CC in order to pay the con-fee. As it's said in the announcement, the CC is not needed for any kind of payment, but only for the booking service of the hotel.
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Quincy: It's nice to see you're trying to write German, however, we could better understand you when you sticked to English. Also it's fairer to those other attendees which might be reading here and who don't speak German.
All: One thing I'd like to remind all of you: while staying at the main hotel is the more comfortable and thus preferred option for many, getting no room at the Estrel (for no CC or for not being quick enough) still leaves you the option to get a room elsewhere. So there is still a chance to attend EF after all. It might even be cheaper.
*purrrr*
Hmmmmmmmm.................. That might be an option....... But does paying to EF itself (for entrance to the con itself) also mean to pay with CC?
Direct bank transfer has worked the past years, and I'm not aware of any changes in that area. So no, you most certainly won't Need a CC in order to pay the con-fee. As it's said in the announcement, the CC is not needed for any kind of payment, but only for the booking service of the hotel.
AAHHH! NOW We're getting somewhere... ;D
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I don't want to rant at anyone from the Eurofurence Team, but this years "improved" Hotel booking is a total disaster.
In Germany, many people simply don't want and therefore not own a credit card.
And what was the problem with the old system ?
After spamming the F5 on registering for the event (unchanged, lol) you could relax and write an email to book a room. Yes, it took them 1 or 2 days to confirm a free room for you, but If you wrote them an email after registering for the event and not days after, you could pretty much be sure to get a room and didn't have to worry.
Those people complaining who were too late simply were too late, where is the excuse ? There is a German saying: "If the hound didn't take a dump, he would have caught the rabbit"
simple as that.
Now, around 2000 People will bomb another website on the 16th. Now some people can't book, because they don't own a credit card and other are at I dunno.. places like AT WORK???
So now EVERYONE has to pray to have a good internet connection that day and finish the booking as fast as possible to get a room.
I now ordered a credit card, but I doubt that I will receive it till Monday. So this year no Eurofurence for me 90%. ::) And I don't have any friends who own one and my parents neither. Staying at another hotel and constantly traveling back and forward is a no-go for me.
I seriously think something could have been worked out by your team and the Hotel rather than just saying "well, sucks to be you guys!". I know you don't mean it that way, but this is how it ends up on our end.
Just my dissapointed 2 cents,
NightHawk
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I don't want to rant at anyone from the Eurofurence Team, but this years "improved" Hotel booking is a total disaster.
In Germany, many people simply don't want and therefore not own a credit card.
And what was the problem with the old system ?
After spamming the F5 on registering for the event (unchanged, lol) you could relax and write an email to book a room. Yes, it took them 1 or 2 days to confirm a free room for you, but If you wrote them an email after registering for the event and not days after, you could pretty much be sure to get a room and didn't have to worry.
Those people complaining who were too late simply were too late, where is the excuse ? There is a German saying: "If the hound didn't take a dump, he would have caught the rabbit"
simple as that.
Now, around 2000 People will bomb another website on the 16th. Now some people can't book, because they don't own a credit card and other are at I dunno.. places like AT WORK???
So now EVERYONE has to pray to have a good internet connection that day and finish the booking as fast as possible to get a room.
I now ordered a credit card, but I doubt that I will receive it till Monday. So this year no Eurofurence for me 90%. ::) And I don't have any friends who own one and my parents neither. Staying at another hotel and constantly traveling back and forward is a no-go for me.
I seriously think something could have been worked out by your team and the Hotel rather than just saying "well, sucks to be you guys!". I know you don't mean it that way, but this is how it ends up on our end.
Just my dissapointed 2 cents,
NightHawk
SO VERY AGREE TO THIS and a sigar to NH. Because... well... I too don't own a CC and don't have exactly the resources of even buying such a PP CC (prepay credit card). I can still remember how smooooothly it went in Magdeburg. Yeah, I just keep on whining about that. You hadn't had to leave there, even the Mayor misses you. But what do you do? You LEAVE. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
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Quincy, I've found a website that may be helpful. I don't have a creditcard either and looked into these before, may be an option for you even with limited online banking ability. Most of these will allow you to use iDeal to activate the card and put money on it -- similar to how you used to pay the confee, basically, except easier because you will not be transferring to a foreign account:
http://www.creditcard-vergelijk.nl/creditcards/prepaid-creditcard/
Dutch attendees owning an ANWB membership may wish to check this, too, a free 5 EUR is included: http://www.anwb.nl/creditcard/prepaid?gclid=CIn1ma-OtdECFVAQ0wodooIIPQ
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Quincy, I've found a website that may be helpful. I don't have a creditcard either and looked into these before, may be an option for you even with limited online banking ability. Most of these will allow you to use iDeal to activate the card and put money on it -- similar to how you used to pay the confee, basically, except easier because you will not be transferring to a foreign account:
http://www.creditcard-vergelijk.nl/creditcards/prepaid-creditcard/
Dutch attendees owning an ANWB membership may wish to check this, too, a free 5 EUR is included: http://www.anwb.nl/creditcard/prepaid?gclid=CIn1ma-OtdECFVAQ0wodooIIPQ
Anything like that for Germany ?
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Quincy, I've found a website that may be helpful. I don't have a creditcard either and looked into these before, may be an option for you even with limited online banking ability. Most of these will allow you to use iDeal to activate the card and put money on it -- similar to how you used to pay the confee, basically, except easier because you will not be transferring to a foreign account:
http://www.creditcard-vergelijk.nl/creditcards/prepaid-creditcard/
Dutch attendees owning an ANWB membership may wish to check this, too, a free 5 EUR is included: http://www.anwb.nl/creditcard/prepaid?gclid=CIn1ma-OtdECFVAQ0wodooIIPQ
GAH! I hate to say it to you but: Thank you, this will work out fine! :)
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Quincy, I've found a website that may be helpful. I don't have a creditcard either and looked into these before, may be an option for you even with limited online banking ability. Most of these will allow you to use iDeal to activate the card and put money on it -- similar to how you used to pay the confee, basically, except easier because you will not be transferring to a foreign account:
http://www.creditcard-vergelijk.nl/creditcards/prepaid-creditcard/
Dutch attendees owning an ANWB membership may wish to check this, too, a free 5 EUR is included: http://www.anwb.nl/creditcard/prepaid?gclid=CIn1ma-OtdECFVAQ0wodooIIPQ
Anything like that for Germany ?
https://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/193951-prepaid-visamastercard/ :)
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As a small info for those who missed the previous announcements: it was broken, and needed to be changed.
Madgeburg vs Berlin: Despite being a wonderful place for a fursuit parade and the major noticing us for our fiscal spending power, we outgrew the venue and needed to find a bigger place.
Estrel booking: there were two ways the last years. Booking via CC online, or booking via directly contacting the hotel. Those two were separate, so room contingents had to be split. This didn't really work out, so it was decided to only use one booking variant now, which is the online one. And this happens to be the CC-only one. And while I agree that the timing is inconvenient for our usual convention goers, this was on explicit request from the hotel.
We can argue whether more optimal solutions would be possible, but there usually are circumstances beyond our control which needs to be taken into account. So if you have any better ideas, we're eager to listen - IF they are feasible and realistic, for all sides. Most spontanous ideas unfortunately aren't.
*purrrrr*
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The announcement only mentions credit cards but I assume debit cards will work as usual?
Same question. No bank is crazy enough to give me a credit card right now. But I do have a normal debit card (bank card as we say), which can very simply be used to confirm I exist (or whatever the reason is they need card info, which makes it strange that you'd be able to use a friend's card, since that's not on your name)
This is going to cause much chaos once registration opens...
It needs to be a credit card, or a debit card that works like a credit card. Normal bank cards (girocard etc...) will not work for the reservation.
I'd say what is a "normal bank card" for a German, might not even exist for someone else. Any other handles on this issue? Such as, if it bears a MasterCard or Visa logo and you can usually buy online with it, that should work, right?
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For everyone who hasn't seen it yet: Here's what the Estrel room reservation process through the IHotelier portal will most likely look like for you.
Bear in mind that that's just a snapshot, subject to changes and corrections at their leisure.
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Anything like that for Germany ?
Try https://n26.com/ - you can register online (you only need a webcam - smartphone works too - and ID), it only takes a couple of minutes.
And they are shipping the cards within 3-5 business days.
https://support.n26.com/read/000001273?locale=de
This card should work for the hotel-reservation.
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I allready ordered an American Express card just for the con. I hope that one will arrive till Monday or else i'm not going to attend. "3-5" Business days for the option Martin posted from now on is likely to end up having no chance for a room.
I hope at least something will be done for non cc owners next year and not just flip us the bird like that again (a Team Member just told me "it's not our problem, but yours") though in a lot more vulgar, immature way. but I spare you his exact words. Well, it could end up being your problem if attendence numbers drop or the con gets a bad reputation for this.
Remember: This is a con in GERMANY, not the US !
My last resort will be directly contacting the Hotel. Worth giving a "final cry for mercy" at least. They are the ones to blame at most after all.
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I hope at least something will be done for non cc owners next year and not just flip us the bird like that again (a Team Member just told me "it's not our problem, but yours") though in a lot more vulgar, immature way. but I spare you his exact words. Well, it could end up being your problem if attendence numbers drop or the con gets a bad reputation for this.
Remember: This is a con in GERMANY, not the US !
My last resort will be directly contacting the Hotel. Worth giving a "final cry for mercy" at least. They are the ones to blame at most after all.
But it will go like this:
- it will be the exact same procedure next year - see all the descriptions that go with it
- the attendance numbers will not drop - see nose counter
- contacting the hotel to get a room outside of this process will not work - see the description, see my pics, and see the respective posts in the EF forum
You were late in organizing a credit card, but next year you're prepared for sure. Hope you will get your room and your frustration can dissipate. :)
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I allready ordered an American Express card just for the con. I hope that one will arrive till Monday or else i'm not going to attend. "3-5" Business days for the option Martin posted from now on is likely to end up having no chance for a room.
If you order a credit card on such short notice, despite the requirements being posted two months ahead of time, there is nobody you can blame but one person :) Sorry.
I hope at least something will be done for non cc owners next year and not just flip us the bird like that again
We never flipped anyone the bird. We told you in great length, very polite, and way ahead of time how the procedure is going to change, and why. Here. (https://forum.eurofurence.org/index.php/topic,7389.0.html)
That is our official announcement, and if someone got upset with you in private, I am very sorry for that.
My last resort will be directly contacting the Hotel. Worth giving a "final cry for mercy" at least. They are the ones to blame at most after all.
A credit card will not guarantee you a room anyways. Demand is roughly 50% over supply, so be prepared for checking out alternative accomodation in berlin ... either way. Just saying this to modulate your expectations.