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Block Booking by Organisations

Booking Guide

The booking guide to organisations for hire of craft:

Block bookings of craft in water sports centres may be accepted for the priority users to organise water sports events when the following pre-requisite requirement for use of craft are fulfilled by the specified organisations. All the participants of the organisations are required to meet the following conditions of use of craft:

all craft users of the organisations should possess the recognised qualifications for using the craft to be hired, and the organisations will produce the copies of qualification proof to respective centres for vetting when putting up the applications; and
the organisations have to arrange on their own cost the qualified instructors recognised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to lead the water sports activities, and produce the copies of instructor certificates to the respective centres for verification when putting up the application.

Quota

The quota of craft for block booking by organisations with booking priority will be made with reference to the variances including and without limitation to the public demand for craft and water sports programmes in different water sports seasons. In general, a maximum of one-third of the total number of craft (counted on class basis) at each centre in peak days and two-thirds of the total number of craft (counted on class basis) at each centre in non-peak days may be hired to the organisations (except the recreation craft of CHWSC).

Booking Procedure

Block booking of craft should be made in writing / by the application form (LCS 189) to respective centres in advance as stated below. If there is clash of booking, the centres will allocate the craft by balloting.

Schools
Booking for the coming school year shall be made before 1 June of each year.
Twelve-month in Advance Booking
Booking shall be made at least four but not more than twelve calendar months in advance (e.g. booking for February 2014 should reach the booking office between 1 January to 30 September 2013. All late applications made after 30 September 2013 will be processed with applications of other organisations entitled three months in advance bookings).

Six to three months in Advance Booking
Booking shall be made six/three months in advance (e.g. bookings for May 2013 should reach the booking office between 1 to 31 January 2013).

Remarks :

(a)	If the organisations want to book the sessions less than 3 months, please check with the relevant water sports centre whether there is still quotas for block booking.
(b)	Block booking is not applicable to Package Programme.

Breach of Conditions of Use by Organisations with Booking Priority

If any organisation with booking priority fails to observe or perform any of the provisions of the Conditions of Use for block booking, the Centre may refuse the organisation from using the craft, or without notice cancel the confirmed booking or immediately terminate the booking, in whole or in part. Any charges paid by the organisation to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) may not be refunded and the LCSD haves the right to deduct from the charges paid or claim from the organisation any loss of the Department as a result of the breach.

Bad Weather Arrangement

Reallocation of bookings will only be arranged when the organisation has used the craft for less than half of the booked sessions and the Centre has to be temporarily closed due to the issue of tropical cyclone warning signal No.3 or above and unforeseen circumstances such as inclement weather. However, this alternative date should be within 15 days from the date of the original booking. No reallocation will be arranged if the organisation has used the craft for a duration of more than half of the session.

If the original booking falls the non-peak day, the reallocated session should be within the alternative non-peak day of the same venue. For peak days, reallocation is however allowed to be made in either peak or non-peak days. For school bookings, the reallocated sessions should be within normal school hours. The organisation is entitled to refund of the difference in charges for reallocation of sessions.

If a mutually acceptable alternative date and time cannot be arranged, the organisation may apply for a full refund. Application of refund should be made within 30 days, inclusive of the day of the original booking.