Long Trips
Trip Sign-Up Night
Our third Trip Sign-Up Night (TSUN) happens this week on Thursday, October 24 starting at exactly 8:00 PM. Eight overnight bus trips go on sale for the first time. Login, go to the page of the trip you want and scroll down to the “Register” button. Don’t look for the button now; the “Register” button will appear only after 8:00 PM. Registration will continue 24 hours a day until each trip is sold out.
Getting on a Trip
The procedures for registering on TSUN are on the webpage, TRIP SIGN UP PROCESS. If you haven’t renewed your membership yet, do it right away because only those who have paid the membership fee for 2019-2020 are able to register.
Important about Wait Lists
If you see a “Join Waitlist” button instead of the “Register” button, do not think that you have missed out. Go ahead and add your name to the waitlist; there is no cost to do so. You will likely get on the trip in the coming weeks. This is why. Two seats are automatically held back so the Trip Leader can match roommates and deal with single room requests. Some people who have registered change their minds and bail. Some people have to cancel for a variety of reasons. If your name is on the waitlist, you will be contacted in the order you signed up.
Registered Attendees
When you register for a trip you can decide if you want your name added to the list of attendees. The list is not public and can only be seen by members after they login. If you don’t want your name shown, click on the flag and you will show up as “Anonymous”. If you are already registered and want a change, contact the TL.
Charter Trips
TSUN for charter trips on October 10 was a frenetic evening. We had an overwhelming response as soon as the trips opened at 8:00 o’clock. Several trips sold out immediately and by the end of the evening almost every available seat was taken. The Long Trips Committee began working that same night to get our tour operators finding additional space for those on the waitlists. This was not something that could be done easily or quickly. Airlines had to be contacted, hotels contacted, new contracts prepared and then signed, website updated, etc. Our hope was to get a space for everybody on a waitlist. The rub is that the airlines will charge a higher price for a new block of seats. And the hotel may not have available rooms necessitating a different hotel. This will increase the price of the trip for any new registrants. While we will hold the same price wherever possible, the good deals we originally negotiated are going to be hard to repeat for additional participants.
Trip Leaders
Trip Leader names and contact information are now posted on a webpage. The page is open just to members so you must login to see it. If you have a question that isn’t answered in the detailed description, contact the TL.
Cancellation Insurance
HPSC strongly recommends that you have trip insurance for any long trip. If you are injured or get sick either beforehand or while on the trip you will want to have insurance so you can recover the cost of the trip. And here is an important reminder. Put a photocopy of your insurance information in your ski jacket! If something happens on the hill, you will want to have your OHIP card and insurance information at hand and not back in a hotel someplace.
Parking for Overnight Trips
We are still searching for a new parking lot for our 2020 overnight bus trips. We need the help of our 1,100 members to locate a new lot. The lot would accommodate approximately 25 cars for the duration of each trip. If you know of a possible location or can assist us, please contact Kevin Chabot, Parking Coordinator, kchabot@ican.net .
Bill Bates, Director