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Feedback on cancellations


fifi
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So, as far as I can see, there's no real benefit in having a gold pass at all? I would have thought there would be something here for people who have paid the extra given the cancellation of the main guests. I queued up early in the morning at 7.6 to get a decent number. Confirms my thoughts about not buying one again and possibly not coming again at all after 7.8 which makes me sad.

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I must admit that I agree with you - there appears to be no compensation for the loss of the "Selling" guests. The big hype at 7.6 and the chaos of buying the tickets on the basis of two guests that are no longer attending and no compensation - name another industry that gets away with that? The loss of the main attraction at other events would have been a breach of contract and the offer of refund - not here.

 

I am disgusted by the contempt that sci fi fans are shown.

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The benefits of going gold as per the website are...

 

1: Exclusive drinks reception with the guests on Friday evening

2: Reserved priority seating for the guest talks

3: Exclusive convention t-shirt and goodie bag

 

But you are still getting all of these plus the usual other benefits not mentioned like Golds going in to the photo shoots first.

 

I understand that having lost the original two main guests will likely have been a major blow for yourself and others, but that wasn't ME fault and they have found good replacements. It's a shame that because of this you feel you'll not come again.

 

I'm honestly interested to know what you were expecting from the schedule that it's there?

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ive decided im not coming! and am ok with that now! wont be buying again! for the £242 i spent on tickets all i get is a 1hr cocktail party and a tshirt extra than the people that paid £78?

 

Needs to be some sort of insurance policy in future! really not worth it

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Upon the request of the organisers I've removed this discussion from the schedule thread as it isn't really anything to do with it.

 

ive decided im not coming! and am ok with that now! wont be buying again! for the £242 i spent on tickets all i get is a 1hr cocktail party and a tshirt extra than the people that paid £78?

 

Needs to be some sort of insurance policy in future! really not worth it

Please remember you get at least £50-£70 of photo shoots included the same as the silver passes. There is also the priority seating in the talks.

 

As I say I understand that having lost the original two main guests it's a major downer for a lot of you. And given one or two months ME could have maybe found similar guests as replacements, but with only one and two weeks, that's just not been possible.

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As far as I see it, there can never be refunds or similar for a 'main guest' as people will take advantage of that.

 

Some book because it's a Stargate con.

 

Others book because they wanted to meet Ben for something else.

 

Others book so they can hang out with likeminded fans.

 

Etc etc etc. You get my point.

 

But introduce this 'if so and so pulls out, you'll be refunded..' type deal, and it's far too open for abuse. That and it'll ruin organisers because they'll be left completely out of pocket.

 

Yes, I realise some attendees are, but when everything's laid out in black and white for people to make their own individual choices whether to book or not, I don't think anyone can ask for any more.

 

The risks are the same here, at a signing event, and for any other organiser. Does it suck when it happens? Absolutely. I've had it happen myself, but I wouldn't expect ME or any other organiser to refund me. I always have sympathy with fellow fans as it's completely disappointing, but I also have sympathy with the organisers as I know they put a huge amount of effort into these events and it isn't fun for them to have a fantastic lineup fall apart.

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I think that there is already something extra. Five guests. The schedule indicates that ticket sales are lower than normal, and I wouldn't expect five guests in that scenario. The 'extra' funds have quite possibly gone to securing that additional guest. Personally I would rather have that extra guest that than a 'free' group shot for example.

 

As for the loss of a major attraction. It is clearly stated that guests appearances are subject to their availability, and that there are no refunds. This is standard practice for any organiser/event. Guests would not agree to attend in the first place if the contract stipulates that they have to attend regardless. It is simple as that. They will always, quite rightly, place work above conventions/appearances.

 

I think it does happen in other industries. Sport for one. For example if you attend a football match and the manager does not select your favourite player, do you complain and expect a refund, etc. No, because you are paying to see a football match between two teams, not a certain individual. This is no different, you are paying to see a convention based on a show (in this case the Stargate franchise) comprising of guests who have appeared in the show. In both cases the actual line-up can vary from what may be expected.

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I think that there is already something extra. Five guests. The schedule indicates that ticket sales are lower than normal, and I wouldn't expect five guests in that scenario. The 'extra' funds have quite possibly gone to securing that additional guest. Personally I would rather have that extra guest that than a 'free' group shot for example.

 

As for the loss of a major attraction. It is clearly stated that guests appearances are subject to their availability, and that there are no refunds. This is standard practice for any organiser/event. Guests would not agree to attend in the first place if the contract stipulates that they have to attend regardless. It is simple as that. They will always, quite rightly, place work above conventions/appearances.

 

I think it does happen in other industries. Sport for one. For example if you attend a football match and the manager does not select your favourite player, do you complain and expect a refund, etc. No, because you are paying to see a football match between two teams, not a certain individual. This is no different, you are paying to see a convention based on a show (in this case the Stargate franchise) comprising of guests who have appeared in the show. In both cases the actual line-up can vary from what may be expected.

^^^ THIS

 

You're booking for the event and shouldn't base it purely on one or two guests as it always says they appear subject to availability. They can be offered work at any time.

 

Plus what one person considers a headliner may not be the same for everyone.

 

yes it's disappointnig but I think they've got some great replacements at short notice and I'm disappointed I can't afford to go myself so soon after HW3, which needs paying off first. Should be doing 7.8 though.

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I'm disappointed that Ben and Chris cancelled but I know its beyond ME's control. I'm going to 7.7 and 7.8 as a Silver and its for the reasons of possible cancellations that I never go Gold!

 

I do hope that Amanda attends 7.8 as she is one of the few I still have to meet!

 

Unfortunately when we watch the guest announcements on Saturday afternoon for 7.8 I will wonder if any of them will be there!

 

Still I look forward to a great weekend with the 5 guests we have. B)

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I am so fed up that I could just cry. Transferred out of the hotel because they said I went through ME. Gave a credit card number as a guarantee but not good enough obviously. If I had any idea that mentioning ME while making my reservation meant it wasn't guaranteed, I would have prepaid the entire weekend upfront.

 

As far as guest cancellations, they are absolutely not the con organizers fault. Appreciate all their hard work and how difficult it must be to find replacements. However 4 guests that appeared in only a handful of episodes and two of them being repeats, is not fair. I do not expect a headliner nor even a 'secondary' but at least one person that has been in more than a few episodes.

 

At this point I'm expecting my flight to be cancelled and/or my luggage to be lost. These things happen in threes so I've heard B)

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yup I have to agree with the disappointment as well, I'm normally very positive but for this con I am really like wtf .. with the guests the amount of money you pay for the entire event and for what you get doesn't really compare ... last time when shanks cancelled we got cool guests now we got like said before ones that have been in there for what 2 or 3 times?

 

I am gonna go because I will not throw away all the money I have spend cause I can't cancel my flight... and will try to make the best of it .. but I am still not hyper or even close to excited, besides seeing my friends.

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I am so fed up that I could just cry. Transferred out of the hotel because they said I went through ME. Gave a credit card number as a guarantee but not good enough obviously. If I had any idea that mentioning ME while making my reservation meant it wasn't guaranteed, I would have prepaid the entire weekend upfront.

 

As far as guest cancellations, they are absolutely not the con organizers fault. Appreciate all their hard work and how difficult it must be to find replacements. However 4 guests that appeared in only a handful of episodes and two of them being repeats, is not fair. I do not expect a headliner nor even a 'secondary' but at least one person that has been in more than a few episodes.

 

At this point I'm expecting my flight to be cancelled and/or my luggage to be lost. These things happen in threes so I've heard :thumbup:

 

I hope my hotel reservation is till open. That really sucks, Lisa. How did you find out that your reservation wasn't guaranteed? Am looking forwad to seeing you, but totally agree with what you say.

 

As for what I expect from a gold pass? Well, obviously, as a regular con goer and a loyal Chevron one too, I know what is NORMALLY there but there could have been something as a consolation. With the best will in the world, meeting the guests coming this time at a gold reception party is not as exciting as meeting Chris and Ben. Having priority seating is the same. I paid in advance for the costume shoot with Chris as well. It's costing me a lot of money and it is only because I've paid, and because a lot of my friends have and will be there, that I'm coming at all.

 

Any announcement at about 7.8 now will be taken with a large pinch of salt.

 

Oh and my registration letter never did arrive, either. Good job I have a confirmation e mail from Yvie.

Edited by fifi
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As for what I expect from a gold pass? Well, obviously, as a regular con goer and a loyal Chevron one too, I know what is NORMALLY there but there could have been something as a consolation.
I may have misunderstood, but the use of the word 'normally' implies that you think the contents of the Gold ticket package has changed in some way?

 

I can fully understand that for you (and various others) the loss of Ben and/or Chris is a huge disappointment. I am disappointed, although probably not as much because I am just as happy, if not more so, to see Torri. That is just down to personal preference though.

 

As Too Tall has queried above, what were you expecting to see as a consolation? As I mentioned previously, I think we already have it in an extra guest. I wouldn't normally expect to see five guests in an event with a less than normal number of attendees. Fewer ticket sales normally equates to less guests.

 

With two cancellations at this late stage, personally I would have been happy if ME had managed to secure one more guest let alone three.

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As I have previously said if this was a big concert with 2 headline bands and 3 supporting bands I doubt that people would be as forgiving as they have been here.

 

I understand that with the film industry there are changes to schedules and that the occaisional cancellation is to be expected but I as I have said 3 out of the last 4 events I attended have had MAJOR cancellations.

 

It has now become impossible for me to take any promotional statements from ME as credible. I would suggest that only guaranteed guests be advertised. If I wanted I could advertise an event being attended by a rather famous person I know and sell tickets knowing there was a one in four chance he would attend - would that be right?

 

I will say that these are the last gold tickets I will buy and possibly the last ME event I will attend.

 

I actually feel sorry for the VIP ticket holders - big money for guests that arent there.......

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As for what I expect from a gold pass? Well, obviously, as a regular con goer and a loyal Chevron one too, I know what is NORMALLY there but there could have been something as a consolation.
I may have misunderstood, but the use of the word 'normally' implies that you think the contents of the Gold ticket package has changed in some way?

 

I can fully understand that for you (and various others) the loss of Ben and/or Chris is a huge disappointment. I am disappointed, although probably not as much because I am just as happy, if not more so, to see Torri. That is just down to personal preference though.

 

As Too Tall has queried above, what were you expecting to see as a consolation? As I mentioned previously, I think we already have it in an extra guest. I wouldn't normally expect to see five guests in an event with a less than normal number of attendees. Fewer ticket sales normally equates to less guests.

 

With two cancellations at this late stage, personally I would have been happy if ME had managed to secure one more guest let alone three.

 

You misunderstood me. I know what is usually in a gold ticket having bought one for the last 4 events. I was suggesting that there could have been something extra this time.

 

As I have previously said if this was a big concert with 2 headline bands and 3 supporting bands I doubt that people would be as forgiving as they have been here.

 

I understand that with the film industry there are changes to schedules and that the occaisional cancellation is to be expected but I as I have said 3 out of the last 4 events I attended have had MAJOR cancellations.

 

It has now become impossible for me to take any promotional statements from ME as credible. I would suggest that only guaranteed guests be advertised. If I wanted I could advertise an event being attended by a rather famous person I know and sell tickets knowing there was a one in four chance he would attend - would that be right?

 

I will say that these are the last gold tickets I will buy and possibly the last ME event I will attend.

 

I actually feel sorry for the VIP ticket holders - big money for guests that arent there.......

 

Agreed.

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I would suggest that only guaranteed guests be advertised.

 

So you want a 110 percent guarantee? Sorry, but then we'd book book blindly because no guest ever would be announced. Something even can happen on the day.

 

Last EMS - Mercedes McNab had to leave early because she wasn't feeling well. At another event (different organiser) a guest got food poisoning. Another guest had to leave for some hours at a signing event because of a family emergency. Christopher Lee slipped in the shower and injured himself. The list is endless.

 

When the contract is signed a guest is announced, that's the short summary. The guest guarentees at the moment of the contract signing that he will appear. Unfortunately as you have been posted the movie industry is quite unpredictable and things can change.

 

I totally understand people being frustrated. But the only way to avoid this frustration is buy a ticket on the day. And then you sacrifice the low ticket numbers that seem important to you to attendees who are willing to take the risk.

 

 

As I have previously said if this was a big concert with 2 headline bands and 3 supporting bands I doubt that people would be as forgiving as they have been here.

 

If we go from "an evening with Metallica" to "fun with the Backstreet Boys" yes, I agree with you. But we still got replacements from the same TV show franchise.

 

We booked for a Stargate convention, not "Weekend with Ben and Chris" thing.

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As I have previously said if this was a big concert with 2 headline bands and 3 supporting bands I doubt that people would be as forgiving as they have been here.
Glastonbury has it's fair share of cancellations. It is a very similar set-up in that the line-up can change, and the tickets are non-refundable if you do not want to attend because that happens.

 

It is a gamble if you are booking a ticket based on a certain, or guests.

 

I would suggest that only guaranteed guests be advertised.
That is an impossibility as no guest can be guaranteed. Even if a guest has retired, and no longer working they could still cancel due to illness.
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I booked for a stargate weekend headlined by guests I hadnt met, who were ararity or even a first at this type of event in the UK.

 

As a Star Trek fan I have noted that without a headline guest you cant sell enough tickets to make it work. You sell enough tickets for the Stargate cons with headline guests that dont appear and substitute others.

 

My comments intend no offence to the replacement guests - we are pleased to have them otherwise the episode count for the guests left wouldnt reach double figures......

 

I work in an industry where the customer pays to receive a service as advertised - if we cant provide it, as advertised, the customer is compensated - either with vouchers for use immediately or for a discount on their next booking. You will say that you can't control the guest cancellations - my employer can't control the severe adverse weather we get but still compensates the client when it disrupts our services.

 

I know this argument can go on for ever but it wont go on for ever with me - I vote with feet - last gold, last event.

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The problem I see is that you're expecting every service across the board to abide by the same rules and provide the same things. Surely you realise that's simply not possible?

 

I understand disappointment but people can go elsewhere and the exact same thing COULD happen. I have seen it happen with other events where the two main headliners pull out a few days before the event. It's not just Massive Events, and if people aren't willing to take that chance then I completely respect that, but please all be aware that the same set of circumstances will happen absolutely everywhere you go.

 

It's not an argument. It's just the facts, and whether we choose to accept those and take a risk, or we don't. It is what it is, and what it always will be.

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As a Star Trek fan I have noted that without a headline guest you cant sell enough tickets to make it work. You sell enough tickets for the Stargate cons with headline guests that dont appear and substitute others.

 

I can understand your frustration, I really can. But this is really going a bit too far. You're very clearly alleging that SM either never had the guests in the first place and only announced them to make money or they cancelled them when had reached their sales goal and get cheaper guests.

 

I did by accident barge into the news of Ben having cancelled the morning the announcement was made. I had seen the announcement elsewhere and wanted to check with the office before the news hit the forum. This situation was not a pretty sight at all and the office guys and gals were as devastated as we are.

 

So you really believe all this is a big ruse?

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I am looking forward to the weekend, but as I bought a gold ticket I am feeling ripped off, this is my 2nd chevron and the 1st time gold. I won't be taking the chance again.......i know a lot of us are feeling the same.......whether it is possible but i think for gold ticket holders we should have the group photo included in the package.

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I'm sorry but this is getting silly. You're buying a ticket to the event. The advice is never to buy just because of one guest as cancellations do happen unfortunately.

 

They are actors and must take work when it comes up. On the website, booking system, everywhere it says guests appear depending on availability. Yes, contracts are signed but compared to a convention, you can't reorganise a film/tv schedule that easily so that will always take priority.

 

Yes it's disappointing and I experienced this at HW3 last weekend with a guest I wanted to meet pulling out. I've met some of the others attending before but still had a great time.

 

But ultimately you are buying a ticket to the event, not a ticket to meet one or other guest. That's the reality.

 

Sure if a band cancels a gig you expect a refund etc but that's different as it's their gig and you can't replace that band. Here, whatever some may think, we're talking about the event and your buying a ticket to the event. The guests appearing at that event are always subject to change however disappointing that may be.

 

Personally I wish I could go as i think it's a great lineup and I hope 7.8 which I should be going to is as good.

Edited by Rockstar6662
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If we only want guranteed guests I think we'll have to go with the ones that have stopped working actively as actors. Like 1of2 said, I don't think that any still active actor will go to a convention knowing that they risk loosing a role in a movie. Or if they do prioritize to go to a convention I believe they will demand such high remuneration that each convention only can afford maximum one guest in total.

 

So the question is do we want retired actors only or do we want the possibilty of more popular ones but with the risk of them cancelling?

 

I know that late cancellations creates a lot of work for ME and I feel for them as I feel for the convention-participants. I don't have the money to go to Chevron 7.7 but will go to Chevron 7.8 and my hopes are that Amanda won't cancel. If she does I'm sure ME will do everything they can to get replacements.

 

I just want to thank the ME-crew for even doing the conventions!

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there are many things being talked about here and i understand why people are unhappy and we are to we work for a long time to get the guests and put the event together even down to talking Chris into doing a photo shoot in costume and after all that he finds out he cannot come so its sad for us to .

 

i know people need a place to vent and thats why this thread is here but i have to say to the person that is implying that we promote big name guests that we have not booked , this is not true and a bit silly , if we did this a guest or agent would go legal and it would go public so saying is is just rubbish .

 

one other thing we pay for flights well in advance of the event and in some cases we have to book none refundable flights to help make the flight budget go that little bit more and when these things happen we loos this money so its not in our interest loosing guest ether .

 

we are decent people here and fans just like you and we want the guests we work to get to attend to but we also know sometimes guests have to drop out its the way things are sometimes .

 

all in all the event will be fun the guests will be great as they want to be with you and join in with the show and we have never been let down by any guest however big or small they are in the show , so if you have bought a ticket then come along and you will see it will be fun .

 

as to the hotel mess up we will be looking into this and trying to find out what happened as far as i am aware there is no order to which peoples bookings have been lost and its just random and could have happened to anyone that has booked a room , this is the first time bookings have been lost in this way , but its not helpful for though's of you that have been affected by this .

 

once again we are sorry for the above issues , we do our best every time to put on and run the best events we can for you the fans and do everything in our power to make the event every bit what you want it to be .

 

thank you for taking the time to read this and i look forward to seeing you all tomorrow

 

jason :blink:

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