This is one of the reasons that I don't get into booking trips. It is a lot of work and can have it's problems when stuff like this comes up. Coupled with the fact that anyone with a little internet savvy can book a great trip on their own for not much more money and sometimes less.
That said the morally and ethically right thing to do would be to refund her money. What I'd like to know is what kind of trip is this and to where? What's included? Did the shop already pay for rooms, boat, fills, etc.? One thing you may not also realize is that on top of the owner making a profit off of her he is likely getting one or more free spots for him and whoever else he decides to take.
And for the record reputable shops don't worry about credit card surcharges, they build them into the cost just as we do on equipment sales. So that's total BS. And I'm with DoctorMike on this. What shop is doing this trip? Maybe if you post it they will get a few more people to go?
It's not like she canceled just for the hell of it. She got hurt and found people to take her place. If no plane tickets were involved that means no tickets to change so it should not matter who goes unless they are illegal. She should have sold her spot to the couple and then they could have just bought an extra for the spouse. Shop could not say a word about it. I'm guessing you are staying in the US so no one needs to provide passport info that had to be changed.
If he doesn't give her money back he deserves to never be able to book another trip. All cash or checks and different LLC? Ask to see the LLC paperwork for that entity.
And the no paper contract thing - BIG RED FLAG on a trip. Who is responsible if something goes wrong? What if the hotel rooms come up short or not available? All reasonable contingencies need to be spelled out. Another reason I don't try to organize them. Too much work to set things like that up and I don't have the time to do that. In addition there are a couple shops local that run great trips and have been doing it for a long time. I'd rather book with them as they have those things covered.
That said the morally and ethically right thing to do would be to refund her money. What I'd like to know is what kind of trip is this and to where? What's included? Did the shop already pay for rooms, boat, fills, etc.? One thing you may not also realize is that on top of the owner making a profit off of her he is likely getting one or more free spots for him and whoever else he decides to take.
And for the record reputable shops don't worry about credit card surcharges, they build them into the cost just as we do on equipment sales. So that's total BS. And I'm with DoctorMike on this. What shop is doing this trip? Maybe if you post it they will get a few more people to go?
It's not like she canceled just for the hell of it. She got hurt and found people to take her place. If no plane tickets were involved that means no tickets to change so it should not matter who goes unless they are illegal. She should have sold her spot to the couple and then they could have just bought an extra for the spouse. Shop could not say a word about it. I'm guessing you are staying in the US so no one needs to provide passport info that had to be changed.
If he doesn't give her money back he deserves to never be able to book another trip. All cash or checks and different LLC? Ask to see the LLC paperwork for that entity.
And the no paper contract thing - BIG RED FLAG on a trip. Who is responsible if something goes wrong? What if the hotel rooms come up short or not available? All reasonable contingencies need to be spelled out. Another reason I don't try to organize them. Too much work to set things like that up and I don't have the time to do that. In addition there are a couple shops local that run great trips and have been doing it for a long time. I'd rather book with them as they have those things covered.