In Advance or Last Minute.Your Booking Questions Answered.

By Tim Carter (owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

I had an advance booking  for thirteen months time, during the Summer, which initially I thought was a bit excessive. I was pleased of course for the booking, but it got me wondering what had prompted this bout of organisation. It was for a hen party treasure hunt in 2022 and it was that aspect which made me realise I was dependent on the impact of re-arranged weddings over the last two years and the desire not to have any more problems second or even third time around. In other words,that person was going to make sure their wedding was booked, and all the other surrounding parts to it, without having to worry about other people`s plans.
In the battle of in advance v last minute bookings here are all the other answers! Who is the winner? and does a Black Cat treasure hunt fall neatly in line with the answers?!

1. Which one is better value/best deal? Research on holiday flight bookings shows that the best deals are aimed at booking in advance. The companies can fill up their spaces and create a sense of demand. However, if you have the nerve,option or personality to wait until the last minute then there will always be those everything must go `great offers`. A money saver if you are not committed to going to a particular place maybe on a certain day etc.

*Black Cat says: Black Cat Treasure Hunts offers the same price whether the booking is far in advance or near the day. However, a price review is carried out in early January so a good tip to ensure the current years prices is to book before then just in case! 

2. Peace of Mind vs In the Moment? An advance booking for most forms of entertainment is because that person has a clear idea of what they want and they make a commitment to it. Booking late on can be for someone who likes to go with trends or see if there are new developments. I have to score this one even as it is very much dependent on type of activity. 

*Black Cat says: Our treasure hunts or developments in treasure hunts are more often than not driven by the brief given by a customer. We will not be unduly affected if the person booking is going with an existing style of advertised activity or a recent development. However something very original devised by a customer should be put forward for quotation preferably a couple of months in advance.

3. No last minute hitches vs No time for hitches? You may assume that by booking in advance that you are minimising the chance of anything upsetting your booking. The last couple of years has shown this not to be the case and, even without a pandemic, it doesn`t mean an illness or a transport problem or something more trivial can crop up for a far in advance booking. Last minute booking, if successful, would appear to negate anything annoying/unwanted disturbing your booking. Slight gain for last minute!

*Black Cat says: Insurance policies or written contracts or in Black Cat`s case a booking form will make sure there is no difference between the two approaches. Last minute for Black Cat is a week before for a personalised treasure hunt whilst an agreement is in place for payment terms for example for those who book a long time in advance. Our treasure hunts offer flexibility in day of the week/time of the day or even a delayed booking if something unexpected or unwanted affects the situation. This will negate the slight disadvantage for long term booking referred to above.

4. Higher quality likely if booked in advance?  Initially I thought this was very unlikely. A flight booked 6 months in advance as opposed to 1 day is not going to be flown any better. However, what about a personalised treasure hunt for example?(!) A last minute booking is not going to receive the same amount of consideration and attention as one booked well in advance. Answer me that Black Cat!!

*Black Cat takes your point, but will only accept bookings if there is enough time to produce the same amount of quality as one booked months in advance. One booked in advance will not be written straight away and will be slotted in amongst others for it to be done. If there is a request for it to be completed well before the date for any reason then I will warn that occasionally things change and not to print the hunt off until closer to the day. One with minimal notice given may need to follow Black cat`s guidance more closely possibly in terms of route or original brief compared to one roposed a lot earlier.

5. More likely to get what you want vs last minute thrill? A concert by a well known singer or band or a big sporting event will favour those booking in advance. The London Olympics for example had many tickets sold via public ballot for which you had to apply in advance. Of course additional concert dates or batches of tickets can become available closer to the date and this adds to the thrill for some people.I would have to score this as a win for advance booking really, but it does depend on what you are referring to.

*Black Cat has found this last question the most difficult because as mentioned before, once a booking has been accepted then you will get the necessary attention to make sure the treasure hunt is a success. However, if the brief given at the last minute involves site visits, lots of research and time for writing then it is likely to be turned down!

Whenever you are able to get in touch to make a booking, Black Cat looks forward to your enquiry on info@blackcattreasurehuts.co.uk or on 07445818996.