SC - paid reservations?

[Mark Harris]

At 15:54 18-11-97 +0000, Stefan wrote:
>Here in central Ansteorra, reservations have been practically unheard of 
>until recently. When I have tried to bring up the advantages of paid
>reservations, I have been shouted down real quick even for feasts as
>good and as period as Baroness Clarissa's. As it is, since no money is
>required, I think the current reservations are not much better than
>none at all, although they do give you a very rough estimate of the
>number who will be attending.
>
>What is it like in other regions/kingdoms? Do you do reservations?
>Paid or unpaid? How do you handle cancelations or refunds?


Broadsides for Atlantian events often include the phrase, "the only
reservation is a paid reservation."

Here in the Barony of Marinus (the lands mundanely known as Tidewater
Virginia), we ask for paid reservations.  On-board reservations postmarked
after a set cutoff date (by baronial policy, normally ten days before the
date of the feast) cost an extra $3 each.  (If I'm the steward for an event,
I waive this late-payment fee for anyone who can show me a military ID.)
The number of paid reservations is used as a guide for buying food - for my
events, I take the number of paid reservations received by a week before the
event, round up to the next multiple of eight, add eight, and tell my head
cook to buy for that many.  (My last event was our Baronial Investiture, two
months ago.  Both of the other Atlantian events that weekend got cancelled,
so we got more people than we'd expected.  After consulting with my head
cook, we added two tables to the feast hall - then made up for the extra
people by adding another dish to the menu, and by increasing the quantity of
the soup.)

Cancellations and refunds are at the discretion of the event's steward.  If
someone cancels ahead of time, and I'm sure we can sell his seat, he'll
probably get a refund.  (I say "probably" because, so, far, I haven't had
this happen.)  People who simply don't show up at the event probably won't.
The deciding factor is the financial status of the event - if we're ahead,
we may give refunds; if we're losing money, we don't.

Slainte -


Alasdair mac Iain of Elderslie        Argent, a chevron cotised azure
Dun an Leomhainn Bhig                 surmounted by a sword and in
Seneschal, Barony of Marinus          chief two mullets sable


- -----------------------------
James and/or Nancy Gilly
katiemorag at worldnet.att.net

****  REUNITE GONDWANALAND!!

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