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[NightHawk]

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

[Quincy the Raccoon]

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!

[Sithy]

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

[NightHawk]

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 ?

[Quincy the Raccoon]

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!

[Quincy the Raccoon]

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/

[Zefiro]

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*

[Ralesk]

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?

[Hai λ]

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.

[MartinRJ]

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.

[NightHawk]

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.

[Hai λ]

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.

[Cheetah]

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.

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.