To pay (or not?) for a city break offered to you last minute?

I think half would be fair if it is non refundable and would otherwise go to waste.

A last minute invitation with your friend's friend, people you don't know, to my mind is less fun than going with your own friendship group. So how much you pay might depend on how much you think you'll enjoy the trip. For the person dropping out it's a great thing to get any of her money back. Not your fault she cannot go. In a similar situation involving expensive theatre tickets, I offered them for half price. They were eagerly taken up and everyone was happy. Although nice to have the holiday, this is an unexpected extra expense for you and a holiday with others you don't know isn't ideal. I don't think it would be unreasonable for you, in these circumstances, to offer half but ideally this offer should come from the person dropping out.

I'd expect to pay towards it but I'd be a bit surprised (and unwilling) to pay the full amount or close to it unless that was a total bargain and the trip was something I desperately wanted to do but wouldn't have the opportunity otherwise.

I get that the person dropping out wants to recover some of their outlay, rather than treat you to a free trip. But you would also be helping them by stepping in and covering some of it so that it's not a total loss.

Add to that the fact that it is probably not your first choice of location, dates and travelling companions. I'd expect a "discount" for all those factors, maybe up to 50%? I'd also expect the dropper-out to handle the cost and admin of the name change on the ticket.

TLDR: I wouldn't expect to pay nothing as I'd be accepting a benefit I wanted but I wouldn't pay full price either as I'm also helping someone out.

I’d expect to pay something, but not the full amount (+ any name change admin fees presumably).

By agreeing to drop everything and join last minute you’re helping out the person who was going to otherwise lose 100% of the cost, so I think a 50/50 split of costs is reasonable.

Unless it was somewhere I really really wanted to go I wouldn’t if it were 100%. If I were paying in full then why would I not go at a time that suits me and with people that suit me instead.

Yes. It wouldn't be fair to make the person who can't go for medical reasons pay for you.

Just ask, OP.

If I was the dropper-out I’d probably be offering out this holiday at 50% of what I’d paid - just to claw SOME of the money back at this late stage.

If someone offered this to me I’d think about the other people going:

1. if they’re likely to be inclusive and kind
2. Whether these are people I’d be interesting in developing relationships with

The bottom line is you can pay full price to go to Amsterdam with people of your own choosing, any time you like.

I would have thought it would have been on you to ask, and around 50% seems fair. If she hadn’t gone you would have got nothing.

I’d expect to pay about half as you’ll need to pay for a name change. Unlike the others who booked you havnt had time to save for the trip so should be getting it discounted. If you don’t go then everyone on the trip loses out.

I wouldn't expect to pay full notice for a trip iwhere I was a last minute stand in and not part of the main group

I'd expect to pay around half

To add to that i wouldn't be going anyway. Unlikely I'd use precious annual leave and money on good friends let alone to be the replacement on a trip i want originally invited on.
I said this exact thing yesterday when there was talk of a girls trip abroad at work! A bit more tactfully but it's a big no from me

To add to that i wouldn't be going anyway. Unlikely I'd use precious annual leave and money on good friends let alone to be the replacement on a trip i want originally invited on.
I said this exact thing yesterday when there was talk of a girls trip abroad at work! A bit more tactfully but it's a big no from me

Yes bc why would the new person be the one getting a freebie?

I’ve had this and offered my space to someone who couldn’t afford to go in the first place. She accepted but didn’t ask how much it would be and it was then awkward for me to say. About 2 weeks later she gave me £200 towards. Everyone was a bit miffed that she hadnt offered any money, but I couldn’t go it would be wasted anyway. I think maybe someone else had said something to her about it which nudged her to pay.
I think it was also around £70 to change names on flights.
In the end she got a break for £270 instead of £500
which isn’t bad IMO.
Id never expect to pay absolutely nothing if it were especially to someone who you don’t know who has paid 😆

This

I'm amazed at all the pay in full people.

It's just like the people who post 'got a ticket for theatre for tonight as can't go, paid £50 will accept £20'. You need to give people an incentive to join something last minute!

I went on a trip like this once - I had declined the invitation to join the trip as couldn’t afford it at the time, but 2 days before departure, one of the group was unable to go for some reason. I was offered the chance to go in her place for free. The “for free” bit was made clear. So I went, and had a lovely time. If I’d been asked to pay, I wouldn’t have gone because the reason I wasn’t going to start with was that I couldn’t afford it. If nothing was said about price, I’d have assumed they wanted me to pay, and would have declined.

So if no one’s said anything about price, I think they’d be expecting you to cover the full cost.

Fully

They’ve asked you so you can cover the costs instead of them. Yes you’d expect to pay.

Amsterdam is great but if you don't really want to go/think it would interest then don't go if it's more than you want to pay. As it's not THAT great.

Of course you should pay. But only go if you want to go.

Yes same. I’m doing them a favour by covering sone of the costs so I don’t expect to pay full price.

I'd expect to pay some but not all. Probably any fee to change the flight and hotel costs.

I had similar years ago - friend broke up with boyfriend a month before holiday. Begged me to go with her, all free as didn't want to go alone, I paid for ticket transfers etc and paid for quite a lot on the holiday itself. After we were back a while she asked for the holiday cost. I was so cross and I wouldn't have gone if I knew that in advance and also has a shit time as she was so upset about being dumped before the holiday. I was young and not as assertive as I am now so I bloody paid up!!

I would expect to pay