FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Who should attend the 2005 National Marine Mammal Stranding Network Conference?
When should I arrive and depart?
Where can I stay?
What is the National Conference Center (NCC)?
The cost to stay at NCC is $175 per night (excluding tax) or $700
      (excluding tax) for all four nights of the conference. What does that
      fee include?
The cost to attend the meeting at NCC, if I am lodging elsewhere, is $51
      per day or $153 for the three days of the meeting. What does this usage
      fee include?
What airport should I fly into?
Is there an airport shuttle from Dulles to NCC?
If I drive, where do I park my car?
Can I share a room with a spouse or friend?
Can I upgrade my room?
Can I extend my stay?
Can I bring my family?
Can I bring a pet?
Is there security on the premises?
Is there a place to send faxes or photocopy documents?
Does the facility have Internet access?
What can I bring?
What will the weather be like?
What type of attire is needed for the conference?
Are there any special events during the conference?
What things can you do at NCC?
What else can we do in the area?
Can I come for one or two days?
Can I sell items from my organization?
Is there a Starbucks nearby?
Is there an ATM on site?
Can I submit an abstract for a spoken presentation?
What if I need to cancel my reservation?
What if my question is not on this list?

Who should attend the 2005 National Marine Mammal Stranding Network Conference?

The National Marine Mammal Stranding Network Conference is targeted at members of organizations that respond to stranded marine mammals both live and dead. This includes state and federal government agencies that participate in stranding response. Members of the general public are welcome to register, but should be aware that the conference is specifically directed towards stranding network participants. We have also extended invitations to interested members of Congress and their staff.

When should I arrive and depart?

You should plan to arrive on Sunday, April 3, 2005. Check-in for the meeting and your room will be available after 5 PM. If the guestroom is available early, you may be able to check in prior to 5.

You should plan to depart on Thursday April 7, 2005. The meeting will conclude after dinner on Wednesday, April 6, so plan on staying Wednesday night and leaving Thursday morning. Check-out is at noon.

Where can I stay?

The meeting will be held at the National Conference Center, in Lansdowne, Virginia. This is a self-contained conference center with housing and meals on site. While there are other hotels in the area (http://reefshark.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/mm/hotel.cfm), you will be required to pay a daily fee for attending the meeting at NCC. Staying on-site will provide you with opportunities for networking with stranding network members from across the country, and your interactions with the other stranding network members outside of the planned sessions will likely be extremely productive and informative for you. These opportunities may be limited if you are staying off-campus.

What is the National Conference Center (NCC)?

NCC is one of the largest and most technologically sophisticated conference centers in the world. It provides over 250 meeting rooms and 950 rooms for overnight accommodation. There is also a full-service dining room, gym, business facility, grill and bar, 24 hour security (including guarded entry), and many other amenities. Please check out their website at: http://www.conferencecenter.com

The cost to stay at NCC is $175 per night (excluding tax) or $700(excluding tax) for all four nights of the conference. What does that fee include?

· Lodging in a guestroom (color television, desk, telephone with voicemail, private bathroom, full-size bed, hotel amenities)
· 3 meals per day in the full-service dining hall, including dinner on Sunday when you check in and breakfast on Thursday when you check out (for a total of 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 4 dinners over the meeting)
· Morning and afternoon snacks each day
· Continuous beverage breaks
· Use of all of the services at NCC (including the gym, bar, business center and many others; for the complete list visit their website

The cost to attend the meeting at NCC, if I am lodging elsewhere, is $51 per day or $153 for the three days of the meeting. What does this usage fee include?

· Access to the NCC property. Payment of this daily fee is required to enter the grounds.
· 3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
· Morning and afternoon snacks
· Continuous beverage breaks
· Use of NCC’s services while on the property

What airport should I fly into?

Dulles International Airport is only 12 miles from NCC. An airport shuttle can be scheduled to/from NCC from Dulles. Other airports in the area include Reagan National and Baltimore/Washington International, but there is no transportation from these airports to NCC other than a rental car or taxi, which would be expensive options. For these reasons, we recommend using Dulles.

Is there an airport shuttle from Dulles to NCC?

Yes, NCC provides airport shuttle service from Dulles on Sunday from 1pm-10pm. The cost is $15 each way. There is no shuttle service on Monday. To schedule a shuttle pick-up, contact NCC’s Guest Registration (800-640-2684) with the time of your arrival. You can arrange for the return trip (NCC to the airport) the day prior to your departure.

If I drive, where do I park my car?

If arriving by car, please proceed to NCC’s Gatehouse Security and they will direct you the appropriate parking areas. There is complimentary parking in Parking lots “A” and “B”.

Can I share a room with a spouse or friend?

Yes. The first person will pay the $175 fee for lodging. The second person staying in the room must pay the $51/day usage fee, which will cover their 3 meals. Please remember that the rooms have full-sized beds, so accommodations will be cramped for multiple people. There are no rooms available with multiple beds other than suites (see next question).

Can I upgrade my room?

Yes, there is the possibility to upgrade for an additional charge. A limited number of suites may be available. The room rate for a suite is $204 per night. A suite has one full-sized bed and a pull-out sofa.

Can I extend my stay?

Unfortunately, you can’t. NCC is not a hotel and cannot accommodate meeting participants after the meeting has ended. If you wish to extend your visit to the area, you will need to find other accommodations.

Can I bring my family?

You are allowed to bring family members, but please remember this is a working training center and children under the age of 18 are discouraged, as there are no activities for them. Please also remember that the rooms have only a double bed and there are no options to accommodate families (cots or cribs).

Can I bring a pet?

No, pets are not allowed. Of course, working service animals are permitted on premises.

Is there security on the premises?

Yes, there is 24 hours security onsite. Entry into the Conference Center is through a guard gate, and you must be on the 2005 National Marine Mammal Stranding Network Conference participant list in order to gain access. This is why all conference participants must be preregistered.

Is there a place to send faxes or photocopy documents?

Yes, there is a business center that is open 7 days a week for your convenience.
It provides faxing and photocopying (color and black and white) service for a small charge, as well as computer kiosks to check e-mail or make edits to documents and presentations.

Does the facility have Internet access?

Yes, every guestroom is equipped with a live wall jack connected directly to the Internet via high-speed circuits, free of charge for your convenience. Bring a Laptop equipped with a (NIC) Network Interface Card, configured to use DHCP and a Cat 5 Ethernet cable to connect with. (If you forget, Cat 5 Ethernet Cables are available in the gift shop for a fee.) There are also a limited number of computers in the business center and a computer lab that will be open for parts of the day.

What can I bring?

In addition to your personal belongings, please remember that you are representing your organization. There will be opportunities to share information and operating procedures with other stranding network members from across the country, so you should be prepared. Some things to bring might be brochures or publicity information about your facility, volunteer manuals or presentations from training sessions, necropsy protocols, safety procedures, etc. If you have reprints of any papers published utilizing data from stranded marine mammals, please bring them as well.

Also, there will be space set aside for the display of trucks, trailers, boats, and other vehicles (ATVs, etc.). If you are fairly local (or don’t mind driving to the meeting), and would like to, you should bring your stranding equipment to display and demonstrate. If you wish, you may also bring t-shirts and other items from your organization to sell or trade with other stranding networks (please e-mail us if you are interested in participating in this prior to the meeting).

What will the weather be like?

Spring weather in the DC metro area can be quite variable. Please check this link to the weather forecast just prior to the meeting to get a better idea. In case of rain, most of NCC’s buildings are connected via an underground walkway.

What type of attire is needed for the conference?

Casual attire is appropriate (jeans are fine). However, the poster reception on the final evening will have attendees from the area and potentially Congress, so you might want to bring something nicer for that evening.

Are there any special events during the conference?

On the evening of April 6, there will be a wine and cheese reception with the poster display. We are inviting interested people from NOAA and Congress, and we hope that some of them will be able to attend.

What things can you do at NCC?

You can enjoy nightly food and drink specials, a relaxing game of pool, large-screen TV’s showing the latest sports events, and weekly Karaoke Nights. Don’t forget the gym and hiking trails, too!

What else can we do in the area?

The in-house travel desk located at NCC’s Reception Desk can make special arrangements for excursions to regional theme parks, Baltimore Orioles baseball games, Baltimore Maryland’s Inner Harbor, Washington DC or Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The conference is fully scheduled for all three days, though, so unfortunately you shouldn’t have too much free time during your stay! For a listing of nearby attractions, check out this website.

Can I come for one or two days?

Yes, but the conference is intended for participants to stay the full 3 days.

Can I sell items from my organization?

If enough people bring t-shirts or other items from their organizations that pertain to strandings, we will try and arrange time for this. If you are interested, please e-mail us and let us know.

Is there a Starbucks nearby?

Yes, there is a Starbucks on-site. Prices are the same as other Starbucks.

Is there an ATM on site?

Yes, there is an ATM at NCC.

Can I submit an abstract for a spoken presentation?

No; the spoken presentations have been arranged by invitation. However, we do invite you to submit your abstract for the poster session.

What if I need to cancel my reservation?

If you cannot attend the meeting or if you want to transfer your invitation to another person from your facility, please e-mail us to assist you with this as soon as you know your plans have changed. Thanks!

What if my question is not on this list?

Please e-mail us, and we’ll answer it as soon as we can. Thanks for your interest in the 2005 National Stranding Network Meeting!