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Posts: 654
Location: MPLS, MN | I just got a letter from Wiley Point Lodge on LOTW about my trip informing me of a $25 a day gas surcharge per day added to our bill. Of course they didn't tell us until after we were paid in full. Anyone else experiance this and does it make you mad due to the current enviroment? I wasn't that bugged until they said they were charging the $25 on the arrival night too where you have about 3 hours to fish. |
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Posts: 232
Location: Sun Prairie, WI | Apparently my first reply was too harsh, so it was pulled, I will try to be more gentle this time.
I think adding on a surcharge after a reservation has been accepted, is wrong. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | Wiley Point seems to be one of the higher-priced lodges up there, so if they are doing this I can only imagine the other lodges (that offer boats with 'unlimited gas') prolly will, too. I'm guessing the fuel for on-site generators will also spawn price hikes and surcharges.
We're staying in The States this year. m |
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| Assuming you booked with the lodge because you thought they provided a quality service at a fair price, do you expect them to eat the cost? Is that really fair? If their price was fair and something really changed the cost of doing business I got to think its only fair to pass along the cost as long as they are not gouging. They should have sent a letter telling you they need to add the surcharge to continue offering the same services and offer to refund if you do not choose to pay it. I doubt that many people will cancel their big trip of the year over the surcharge. Big companies can eat increased costs and make it up the next year. Smaller businesses like lodges are less likely to be able to do that. |
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Location: Minneapolis, MN | Is it wrong? Gas is a commodity and subject to change hourly as of late. Wiley or any other lodge shouldn't be expected to eat huge price increases. If you are not aware, Wiley unlike most resorts does not charge you for the gas you use. Its built into their lodging fee as well as the food. Eat as much food as you like and burn as much gas as you like. So, if gas has gone through the roof, their profits would take a hit if they didn't add the surcharge.
Edited by Luke_Chinewalker 5/10/2006 1:33 PM
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Posts: 654
Location: MPLS, MN | Personally I don't mind the surcharge much. I HIGHLY doubt the EXTRA cost from what they anticipated while deciding rates is $25 a day. The thing that actually really bugs myself is that the first day you can't arrive till 3 so by the time you settle in and eat dinner you have 2-3 hours to fish and they charge $25 for that. I think a surcharge is one thing but taking advantage of the scenario tomake a few extra $$ is another.
thanks for your opinions/ |
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Posts: 367
Location: Chicago | $25 a day is crazy. If I drive my bassboat at 50+ mph I am not going to burn $25 of gas a day or even two days for that matter. This is my opinion. |
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Posts: 1310
Location: Washington, PA | An extra $25 a day, after you already made a reservation, and paid.........I'd take my business elsewhere, just my opinion. |
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Posts: 1769
Location: Algonquin, ILL | Keep in Mind that the extra $25 most likley includes Gas for the Boat, Generators, Trips to store for supplies,ETC.
The way gas prices are going I think we will be seeing this kind of stuff here at home soon as well 
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Posts: 172
| I DON'T AGREE.
What if the prices of gas went down. Would they cut the price? I don't think so!!! I think they should have the right to cancel with a full refund. I deal with contracts every day and there was full payment made and a price which was agreed upon. Now that said, I understand they need to make a profit, but this will put a bad taste in their customers mouths for future business. I own a business where my customers will pre-pay me for my services 6 months in advance. The cost of gas has also effected my bottom line, but there is no way in hell I will go to them and hit them with a surcharge. I took their money in good faith. If need be, when their 6 months are up, then and only then will I raise their rate. In many of my apartment buildings, I pay the heat for my tenants. Trust me I would love to go to them and hit them with a surcharge, but a lease is a lease and an agreement is an agreement.
Bob Blanke |
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| at $4.00 gas about what I expect this year at outposts/islands on LOTW you can burn $40 of gas a day easy - If your in muskie fishing to save money.........well..........we can all answer that. I dont think they are trying to "pull the wool over anyones eyes" business is business. |
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| In my opinion it's not a question of whether or not that they should be able to raise their rates to meet the rising cost of business due to any factor. This is about the fact that once there has been an agreed to, not to mention already paid, rate for service it must be upheld and followed by both sides of the contract. I am no lawyer but this sounds like a breach of contract, verbal or otherwise. Just because muskie fishermen might pay $50 for one bait has nothing to do with business etiqutte and doesn't give a business the right to charge people on a whim. That being said, I think that an increase of $25 per day for fuel usage is excessive. I retract that opinion on the aspect that you didn't specify how that charge was broken down. Is that $25/ day for each person, or for each boat used, or a total charge for your party dependent on the number? |
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| If you bring 30 gallons of gas with you to Canada, you'll have to pay about $15.00 American in tax at the border. Who's getting that money?
I think the package price should have covered everything, whether the gas price increased or not.
There are places selling gas by pre-paying in Minnesota. One guy on the radio bought 1000 gallons at $2.25. Now that it's $2.79, he's cleaning up. That's a chance the buyer and seller both must be willing to take. Good luck. |
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Posts: 1189
Location: Bagley,MN 56621 | Slimm, $25.00/day, gas @ $4.00/gallon (?)=approx 6 gallons. You can burn less than that going 50 mph in 2 days??!!
Obsofucate, I'm assuming you are renting their boat/motor and that is the surcharge for the rental?
If so, maybe a more tactful approach by Wiley's would be to just increase the boat rental package per day, leave off the "add-on".
Coming from Monsanto/Asgrow/Dekalb seed with their added "tech charge" really rubs people the wrong way, where as a higher included price, explaining the value inside works much better.
I can see why they would do it, if you paid in full for a boat/motor package, couldnt really raise that, but since gas went up since you booked/paid, the surcharge was more 'fitting" to cover their increases.
bummer? YES, but not their fault
get worked up? me, NO
dotn know what to say about the first nite though, maybe most of their customers arrive earlier than you plan to and utilize more fishing/gas use their first day....?? |
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Posts: 1080
| I'd say this is definitely a bummer to have the surcharge added. However, with the world the way it is today, with the energy crisis that is among us, there's bound to be a lot more of this coming. So...just accept it and hang on. It's going to be bumpy ride from here on out until alternative fuels come to the rescue. Then that'll open up a whole 'nother can of worms to switch out your motor or all the fuel lines, seals, gaskets, injectors, ECM programming, etc, etc. 
I've noticed many, many times, when doing trips or buying something, that there's often something in small, fine print that might be identified by use of an asterick that states "Prices subject to change without notice." I see that a lot. I'd be willing to bet that this situation that you're experiencing could indeed fall into that category. After the fact, after you've already paid in full? Yes, that does hurt. I don't deny that. However, it's a fact of life with the way things are today. Get used to it.
This is an expensive hobby to be in. It's the price you pay to play.
The only thing I could see these lodges doing here in the not-so-distant future is to eliminate the nice, attractive selling point of "unlimited gas." I'd think to continue to stay in business and stay profitable and to avoid adding on surcharges to people after they've signed the bottom line and paid in full, is to go back to the normal way of doing biz and do a "pay as you go" with the gas. Meaning, if you use 6 gallons today, you pay for those 6 gallons. Or if you use 25 gallons in a day, you pay for those 25 gallons. And those prices should be paid for at the time of receiving that fuel at that day's current market price for the gallon of gasoline.
Times are changing. Everyone's thinking needs to change too. Change is inevitable.
I can tell you...today's economy and gas prices have changed a LOT of what I do. Both from a fishing stand point and from a daily stand point of driving to and from work. In our household, we've made a lot of changes and we're considering making more changes, to try and accommodate for the rise in fuel costs. You gotta do what you gotta do.
Again...musky fishing and musky lodges are a good-time biz. They're a luxury. Not a necessity. Either they charge the surcharge...or they go outta biz and then that luxury for that good time is no longer available. Sink or swim. It's the price you pay to play.
That's just my $.02 cents.
Oh..and one more thing...I want that boat motor that Slimm has!!!! Man! That's one fuel efficient boat motor! LOL! |
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Posts: 654
Location: MPLS, MN | GregM - 5/11/2006 7:52 AM
Obsofucate, I'm assuming you are renting their boat/motor and that is the surcharge for the rental?
dotn know what to say about the first nite though, maybe most of their customers arrive earlier than you plan.
Actually I'm bringing my own boat and am suppose to get 10 free gallons per day but know it's $25 for the 10 gallons the way I understand . I'm going in a group of 6 and my buddies are renting the lodge boat.
The first night they won't let you check in till 3. That's their policy. If I could get up there early I'd have no problem with the first night surcharge. I don't mind the surcharge on full days even though I think $25 is excessive, I feel like there trying to rip me off a little by charging on the first night for a couple hours. |
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Location: Minneapolis, MN | If you are taking your own boat and want to fish earlier, all you have to do is leave your gear at Totem where you check in and go fish. They will bring your gear over and put it in your room at 3pm. When you show up for dinner after fishing, your gear will be in your room. |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | Yeah, it does suck, but are you really going to let $25.00 a day change your minds about a trip that cost over $1000 any way?
I am just happy I live in a place where we can all afford the gas, the boats, the trucks we use to pull them with, and have extra money left over to go on a fishing vacation for a week. |
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Posts: 654
Location: MPLS, MN | MikeHulbert - 5/11/2006 11:27 AM
Yeah, it does suck, but are you really going to let $25.00 a day change your minds about a trip that cost over $1000 any way?
No, It's more just the principle of them making more off the top with an exagerated surcharge. Their yeild spread shouldn't increase over this.
Edited by Obfuscate Musky 5/11/2006 4:04 PM
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| Obfuscate is right as rain I can't believe guys are out there defending the lodge. What a joke! All signs have pointed to the price of gas going up for quite some time. They should have raised there rates during the winter and dealt with it then. Look up BAIT and SWITCH in the dictionary and you will find this scenario. |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | I don't feel there is any defending the lodge here. When you mail in that deposit and agree upon the rates listed that is about as close as you can get to signing a contract. 25 bucks a day is plenty, the only correct scenario I see here is they should maybe enforce a more strict limit of the gas you are alotted to use and only charge you extra if you go over. To assume you will go over by 25 bones a day is a bad move I feel..... |
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Posts: 910
Location: Hastings, mn, 55033 | i agree its wrong. first off, the price was already agreed upon.i side houses fro a living. i cant turn around and tell a homeowner who already accepted my bid that "sorry but gas prices have gone up, so its going to cost more to get my equipment to and from your home as well as costing me more to go and get the materials needed to do your house so i am going to have to charge you mroe than what we aggreed upon".....yeah that would go over real well!!
besides, his $25 surcharge is apparently not for unlimited gas, BUT FOR 10 GALONS A DAY!! that means they are charging an EXTRA $2.50 a gallon. now prices have gotten out of hand, but they sure aint went up $2.50 a gallon even on the lake!! then if you add in that $25 a day is being charged to each person when you may have 2 or 3 in each boat means its now went up $5 or $7.50 a gallon?? no , thats not out of line at all 
"I am just happy I live in a place where we can all afford the gas, the boats, the trucks we use to pull them with, and have extra money left over to go on a fishing vacation for a week."
Mike,
apparently you live in a somewhat sheltered world, BECAUSE THIS STUFF IS AFFECTING MANY MANY PEOPLE. I KNOW OF NUMEROUS GUYS WHO HAVE HAD TO CANCEL TRIPS, SELL EQUIPMENT ETC BECAUSE THEY JUST CANT AFFORD IT ANYMORE. try and remember not everyone is single with no children, home mortage with the utility and tax cost increases etc etc etc.
there are many people hurting right now!
p.s. did you raise your guide rates this season? |
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