GroupEase^® Program: Accommodates clients traveling in groups of 5 rooms or more. These clients may be eligible to receive a dedicated promotional code discount for any property available in VAX, as well as applicable air credits and/or incentives for selected bonus properties. While we do not create a contract nor hold inventory, you may quote and book your group as individual reservations directly in VAX, subject to current market pricing and availability. A GroupEase code must be requested 35-70 days prior to travel, dependent upon hotel chain selected.

Contracted Group Program: Accommodates groups beginning with 20 passengers and a 10 room minimum for Mexico/Caribbean/Hawaii/Puerto Rico Destinations or 20 room minimum for Las Vegas; no other destination is currently offered for these groups. With this type of group, a block of air seats and hotel rooms will be held at a guaranteed rate, subject to attrition/cancellation penalties. These groups may also be eligible for complimentary rooms and airfare credits based on the number of pax/rooms/nights sold.

Bonus Hotel: a hotel that supports a higher promotional code discount structure and may offer a group the ability to earn additional comps/concessions. Bonus hotels are listed within the participating hotel offers link on the GroupEase® landing page. All hotels available in VAX but not listed within the participating offers are considered non-bonus hotels and offer half of the promotional code discount structure as a bonus hotel. No additional comps/concessions are available for non-bonus hotels.

Booking window (aka code application window): Each GroupEase^® code is issued with a booking window. Reservations for the group can be made during or before this timeframe. The booking window simply refers to the dates in which your code must be applied to any new or existing bookings that you would like considered as part of this group for any applicable benefits. The last date of this window is considered your code’s high booking date (aka cutoff date) which corresponds with when the selected hotel requires us to report your group in full for any applicable discounts/comps/concessions. The booking window cannot be extended once is expired.

Departure date range (aka hotel arrival window): Each GroupEase® code is issued with a 10-day departure date range in which all bookings must depart for travel / arrive at the selected hotel. A booking’s return date and length of stay have no bearing on this window and may extend beyond it.

Comp: Complimentary value assigned to any free passenger, room, night, etc. earned through a bonus hotel.

Concessions: Additional group benefits offered to eligible groups by a bonus hotel. Examples can include, but are not limited to, a cocktail hour, room upgrade, private check-in, and/or spa discounts.

PL Code: A PL Code, or ‘Private Label’ code, is an arbitrary string of alphanumeric characters that associates an agent’s Go Funjet / Go United link to the agency’s ARC and agent’s direct email address, physical address, and phone number.

The policies enclosed are subject to change at any time, without prior notice.

1. Work with your client to decide which group program (GroupEase® or Contracted) they meet the criteria for and best fits their needs. If GroupEase®, see step 2.

2. Help them confirm their dates and a specific hotel. Utilize VAX to estimate the pricing and availability of their desired itinerary.
Tip: Although a bonus hotel choice is not required to utilize GroupEase® program, encourage your clients to book through a bonus hotel, if available, to maximize the group benefits they may be eligible to receive!

3. Request your GroupEase® promo code in VAX. Once you receive your code via email, be sure to review all its details thoroughly.
Note: The promo code can be applied to a reservation up to the code’s high booking date, so you are welcome to start booking prior to receiving the code. We recommend applying the promo code to any existing bookings as soon as you receive it.

4. Happy booking! Secure your FIT reservations and apply the GroupEase® promo code to each reservation within the code’s allotted booking window.

     Need assistance?
     Our Reservations team is happy to assist you with any reservation-specific       modifications that you are unable to complete in VAX (i.e. new or existing bookings, PAX/hotel/date changes, inventory, deposit/payment/cancellation policies, transfers, travel credit/fund transfers, booking commission, etc.). These agents can be best reached at 866-ALG-DESK (866-254-3375).

     Our GroupEase® Team oversees the promo code piece of your reservations (i.e. promo code errors, noting reservations with alternate codes or price-matches applied, modification to the promo code itself, activating additional brands, group comps/concessions, custom event pages, etc.). We can be reached at GroupEase@algvacations.com by replying to your original promo code email.

5. Bonus Hotels Only: After the booking window passes, the GroupEase® Team will report all reservations associated with the group promo code to the hotel. This allows the hotel to place the rooms near one another, if availability permits, and apply any applicable concessions that they qualified for. If the group is eligible for any comp(s), the hotel will align on this with the GroupEase® Team once all bookings have completed travel. The GroupEase® Team will then reach out to you 3-4 weeks after the group returns with the total value earned and your options for how you may request that it be processed.

The policies enclosed are subject to change at any time, without prior notice.

Why am I only able to quote/book 4 rooms at a time in VAX VacationAccess?
Four is the maximum number of rooms you can book per reservation. The promo code is per reservation, not per room, so we recommend booking each room on its own reservation for the best discount.

What should I do if hotel is available to book, but air is not?
Air is available for booking approximately 330 days prior to travel, so you may go ahead and book hotel only now and add air later. To add air later, please follow these instructions. If you need assistance, our Customer Care team will be happy to assist. After you add air, please make sure your GroupEase® promo code is still applied to the reservation.

What happens if rooms are no longer available in VAX VacationAccess when using a GroupEase® promo code?
Please contact the Customer Care or the 500 Club to inquire about requesting more rooms above our allotment. At times, ALG may be able to secure additional inventory subject to hotel approval.

The policies enclosed are subject to change at any time, without prior notice.

Do I need to have a GroupEase® promo code in advance to make a booking?
You may request a GroupEase® promo code up to the hotel’s required reporting cutoff, although, the sooner, the better!

Is there a maximum number of rooms you can book with the GroupEase® program?
For the most part, GroupEase® is intended for smaller group sizes as many hotels enforce a maximum number of rooms through this program. We strongly recommend reviewing your promo code details (or bonus hotel grid if you do not have a code yet) to identify any maximum restrictions for your group’s desired property. Groups exceeding the allocated maximums will be required to utilize the Contracted Group program.

Can I add multiple properties to my GroupEase® promo code?
Typically only one hotel can be activated under a promo code, however, select suppliers allow multiple properties to be combined on a promo code. Any combinable properties will be noted below their respective concessions on the bonus hotel grids.

Am I able to add other Vacation brands to my GroupEase® promo code?
Absolutely! As only one promo code should be requested per group, we are happy to activate any participating GroupEase® brands under your existing promo code: Apple Vacations, Blue Sky Tours, Funjet Vacations, Southwest Vacations®, Travel Impressions, United Vacations®. Only eligible reservations booked through a participating GroupEase® brands are considered towards the total room count for the discount and applicable concessions. Simply reply off your original promo code email with the additional brand(s) you would like to book with to initiate this request.

What happens if my group does not meet the 5 room minimum?
After your code’s booking window expires, the GroupEase® Team will review your group’s production. If the group falls short of the program’s 5 room minimum requirement, you will receive an email notifying you that the code will be removed from your 1-4 rooms the following week. After the code is removed, any balances on the reservation are the agent’s or client’s responsibility.

Why won’t my reservations pull under Retrieve Group?
Kindly note that the Retrieve Group feature is reserved for Contracted Groups only, however, you are able to retrieve a current list of reservations tied to your GroupEase® promo code here.

The policies enclosed are subject to change at any time, without prior notice.

Help! I am getting an error message when I try to apply the code.
We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing issues with your code. To duplicate the error you are receiving, please send an email to GroupEase@algvacations.com with the reservation # that you are trying to apply the code to or, if you do not have a reservation # yet, please send the following information that you are using to search in VAX so we can look into resolving this for you.

• ARC
• Vendor/supplier
• Package type
• Origin (if air is included)
• Specific destination code
• Travel dates
• Occupancy (adults/children,ages)
• Screenshot(s) or error(s)

I have bookings made prior to the low book date outlined on the promo code email I received. Can they still count towards the group?
Yes! The booking window is simply the range of dates you can apply the code to your bookings. You can apply the promo code to existing bookings by following the below steps:
1. Retrieve the reservation in VAX
2. Scroll down to the “modifications” tab
3. Click on “Apply Promotion”
4. Enter promo code into the box and click “Apply”
5. Be sure to “Checkout” and complete the itinerary change

Can I still add a GroupEase® promo code to a booking that is already paid in full?
As long as you are doing so before your code’s booking window expires, absolutely! You can apply a GroupEase® promo code to a booking that has no money applied, has the deposit applied, or even if full payment is applied. If it is applied to a booking with full payment, you can either request a refund for the difference or apply the difference back into your commission using the Set Your Commission tool.

What if I find a promo code that offers a better discount than my GroupEase® promo code?
Take advantage of the better savings! We always encourage you to use the most competitive code available for your clients. That said, because we track your group based on reservations that have the GroupEase® code applied, it is your responsibility to notify us within your code’s allotted booking window if you have any reservations that will be using an alternate promo code. We will note these booking(s) as part of the group internally so that, when it is time to report your group to the hotel, all bookings can be considered toward any other applicable group inclusions.

Can I add a GroupEase® promo code to a price matched booking?
If you are price matching a booking, the booking will not also be able to take advantage of the GroupEase® promotional code discount. However, as long as you notify the GroupEase® Team of any price-matched bookings within your code’s allotted booking window, we can internally note and track them as part of the group so they can be considered toward any other applicable group inclusions.

The policies enclosed are subject to change at any time, without prior notice.

How do I know which hotels are considered bonus hotels?
All bonus hotels are listed under our participating hotel offers on our VAX landing page. Any hotel available to book in VAX that is not listed on these offers is considered a non-bonus hotel.

What discount will I receive on each reservation?
Based on your selected property, you will receive either the bonus hotel discount tiers or the non-bonus hotel discount tiers. It is important to note that GroupEase® discounts are calculated based on each reservation’s total package price per reservation (not by room). We recommend booking each room separately to maximize the total discount value that the group may be eligible to receive. Please email groupease@algvacations.com if you feel that the proper discount is not being reflected on your reservation.

Do all package components count towards the total reservation package price corresponding to the discount amount?
All package components except for any commission increases using the Set Your Commission tool will count towards the gross total of the booking to calculate the discount amount.

How do I request rooms near each other?
If your group is staying at one of our bonus hotels, we always include a general request for the rooms to be near each other when we report your group to the hotel, if availability permits. Whether your group is staying at a bonus hotel or not, we strongly suggest also entering this request in each individual booking in VAX under the Special Service Requests area. Please note that this is subject to availability at check-in and cannot be guaranteed.

How and when do I set up the concessions my group is eligible for?
All concessions, with the exception of the comp, must be coordinated directly with the hotel. Please review the details received with your code for the hotel contact that can assist you. If no hotel contact is listed, we recommend reaching out to the hotel via a contact method listed on their website and request to connect with their group coordinator.

When will I know my group’s complimentary value?
All bookings must be paid in full pre-travel. It is only once all bookings have completed travel that the hotel and GroupEase® Team can align on your group’s eligibility to receive a comp. Please allow up to 4 weeks post-travel for the GroupEase® Team to reach out to you with the applicable earned value. Because comps must be aligned with the hotel post-travel, we unfortunately cannot provide complimentary value estimates pre-travel.

Who receives my group’s complimentary value?
If a comp value is announced to you post travel, you have the opportunity to advise which of the following you would prefer:

• Credit card – We can refund any credit card that was initially used to process payment on a reservation within the group. The amount being refunded cannot not exceed the initial amount charged or the net price of the booking. Multiple cards can be refunded. If you wish to refund the amount to your client but their card didn’t have sufficient funds, please reach out to the GroupEase® Team for additional options.
       o If you encounter a situation where a card has been lost, stolen, replaced, or cancelled, we are still required to process a refund back to the original credit card. In most cases the associated account that both cards were issued against has remained the same so there are typically no issues. Card holders can inquire with their financial institution to review the pending credit as the refund will still be processed from Apple Leisure Group to the associated account.
• Commission – Any complimentary credits being kept as travel agent commission will follow Apple Leisure Group’s standard Set Your Own Commission (SYOC) policies which includes ALG retaining 10% of the SYOC total. Please note, the 10% retained by ALG is only on the SYOC amount, not the regular commission earned on the booking.
• Client check – We can process the refund via check if it was originally used to process payment on a reservation within the group. Checks may also be subject to an additional $15 processing fee.
• Combination of the above

Do I receive Charter Flight or Value Flight complimentary seats when using a GroupEase^® promo code?
Yes! We currently offer 1 free charter seat for every 20 paid (21st seat free). This comp value is also paid post-travel and is based on those seats used. The value of the free seat is $400.00 per seat. If the group is traveling to a non-bonus hotel and they are eligible for this credit, the travel agent is responsible for advising the GroupEase® team prior to travel.

Do you have a question that was not covered in this Guidebook?
Our team at groupease@algvacations.com will be happy to assist!

The policies enclosed are subject to change at any time, without prior notice.