Book Early !

[Big Momma]

As has been voiced on this forum on several occasions, you have to book early these days if you want to get a pitch on a club site (CC and C&CC). My OH is a teacher and so we are restricted to school holidays so we always book well in advance for our major holidays. However, we also enjoy getting away on a Friday evening, have a couple of nights on a site that is within no more than a 2 hour drive and then return by Sunday lunch. A couple of days ago I thought that I had better book a few weekend breaks in advance, not school holiday periods. I tried the Bath Chew Valley site, fully booked every weekend !! and when I rang the Oxford Site for a weekend at the beginning of July I was told that I was lucky as I had got the last pitch !! Did manage to get 4 weekends booked though ;-)

[bob b]

I'm seriously thinking of not re-newing my membership of the CC. I don't want to book every trip months in advance. I am firmly in the 'deposit' camp. It'll stop the multi site booking that I'm sure goes on.

[mel wood]

bob b - 2010-03-25 10:48 PM

 

I'm seriously thinking of not re-newing my membership of the CC. I don't want to book every trip months in advance. I am firmly in the 'deposit' camp. It'll stop the multi site booking that I'm sure goes on.

[/quote

 

The CC claim that it is now impossible for members to 'multi-book' sites for the same weekend.

 

I agree that there may be a point in charging deposits. I think that 'no shows' (ie people booking but then not turning up and not having the courtesy to phone in advance to inform the warden) is still an issue. I believe that the club is monitoring this and will take action against members who make this a habit. I don't know what action there will be.

[flicka]

Always a problem booking CC sites. Especially week-ends.

I'm firmly in favour of a deposit system or no show 3 strikes & your penalised for a period from pre-booking.

 

BUT it appears NON-Members can also book direct with the site.

Surely this should not be allowed, if people do not join the club they should not be allowed to use the club facilities to the detriment of members.

[Guest Tracker]

NON members pay more and there is always the chance they will join when on site for which the warden may well get a reward - so which would you prefer if you were the warden/manager - members or non members?

[flicka]

I have no problem with non-members using CCsites IF there is vacancy at the TIME they ARRIVE.

My beef is that they are allowed to pre-book, therefore many MEMBERS are disadvantaged.

[Klyne]

Now that we are retired we tend only to go away from Monday to Friday so tend not to have too many problems booking a pitch on Caravan Club sites, providing we are reasonably flexible where we go. All member recently had the opportunity to take part in a survey of the booking system. Not sure if its still there but you log into the website and look for 'Club Matters' Be interesting to see the result and if it brings any changes. Personally don't like deposits and not having them on CC sites is a bonus to me but we all have out own views. On the point of whether non members should be allowed I think it should be remembered that on sites owned by the Club they are not but often its in the terms of the lease on some sites that non members should be allowed to use the site. This tends to happen when the sites in question were previously run by Councils or the likes of National Parks.

 

David

[flicka]

Hi David

Tes it's great to be able to just turn up and have a pitch on request.

I question is :- Should NON Members be allowed to pre-book.

In my view MEMBERS ONLY should be afforded that facility.

If non members do not have the facility to pre-book there would be a lot more availability of pitches for members.

Please remember that non member booking via telephone to the Warden are entered & clogging up the bookings site.

I have no proof, but I suspect that many of the NO SHOWS are also NON Members. They have NO commitment to the Club & not worried that their bookings deny a member the opportunity.

 

NON MEMBERS - NO PRE-BOOKING IMHO. >:-) >:-)

[Guest JudgeMental]

 

NON MEMBERS - NO PRE-BOOKING IMHO. >:-) >:-)

 

 

If this IS the reason sites are always pre booled when I try to book something, I agree it is a farce...a deposit should be taken! :-S

[yeti]

The only adavantage of being a Club member is a nice directory of sites a great proportion of which you can't get on becuse they have been booked just after New Year or by non-members. I think there must be a ready market for old sites directorys!!!!

The rest of the advantages is the clubs bombarding you with financial packages and insurance which isn't the bargain you expect from being a club member!!

[mel wood]

yeti - 2010-03-26 4:03 PM

 

The only adavantage of being a Club member is a nice directory of sites a great proportion of which you can't get on becuse they have been booked just after New Year or by non-members. I think there must be a ready market for old sites directorys!!!!

The rest of the advantages is the clubs bombarding you with financial packages and insurance which isn't the bargain you expect from being a club member!!

 

I think the following are advantages (or benefits) of club membership:

 

Not paying an extra £7 per night per pitch

CL and CS sites

Temporary holiday sites and weekend meets

Quite good monthly club magazines

An excellent breakdown vehicle service with no restrictions on size or weight (In our case Mayday through CC)

Very good continental personal and vehicle insurance cover (in our case with CCC which also includes free camping international card)

In our case the best value Motorhome insurance package for our requirements (CCC)

Bonus free nights through CC Credit Card (good value if the full amount is paid off monthly)

Quiet nights - see CCC 'site rules'

Usually a high standard on sites - especially CC loos/shower blocks

 

There used to be free nights (excluding electricity) through the CCC Camping Miles passport - unfortunately no longer in operation.

 

So in my opinion you were being unfair in your comment about the only advantage being "a nice directory of sites"

 

 

OR

 

was your comment a 'Pythonesque' "What have the Romans ever done for us?".

 

 

Nevermind, each to his/her own way. Some dislike the clubs for whatever reason but we are happy to remain in the CCC for our 18th year and the CC for our 8th.

 

 

[Tony Jones]

We're in the C&CC, but only for the CS network.

We're not "ralliers," we don't stay on expensive Club sites, we book our own ferries, and we CERTAINLY don't want any of the financial products.

But until the UK has something like France Passion, it's worth the membership fee for the CSs.

As for booking ahead - only if we're going to a specific place for a good reason - like a family get-together. Otherwise we take our chances.

[Big Momma]

I am not sure that the problem can, or should, be directed solely at Non-members. not that I am disputing the comments made just that i do not know where these sort of facts or statistics come from. Another perspective though is that it may be the rise in the popularity of camping as a consequence of the recession. I remember reading in the national press and club magazines and motorhome magazines that there has been a boom in the sales of tents, trailer tents, caravans and even motorhomes. Now if this is the case then the demand for pitches will almost certainly create a shortage especially at peak periods. This may also explain why there are fewer places on the Aires in France. So, should we forum members form a co-operative and open up our own sites (lol)

[Klyne]

flicka - 2010-03-26 3:04 PM

 

Hi David

Tes it's great to be able to just turn up and have a pitch on request.

I question is :- Should NON Members be allowed to pre-book.

In my view MEMBERS ONLY should be afforded that facility.

If non members do not have the facility to pre-book there would be a lot more availability of pitches for members.

Please remember that non member booking via telephone to the Warden are entered & clogging up the bookings site.

I have no proof, but I suspect that many of the NO SHOWS are also NON Members. They have NO commitment to the Club & not worried that their bookings deny a member the opportunity.

 

NON MEMBERS - NO PRE-BOOKING IMHO. >:-) >:-)

 

Now things may have changed, and I am happy to be corrected, but my undestanding is that site wardens only have control over 5% of the pitches on the sites they run, the rest of the pitches are only allocated online or via telephone call to HQ where non members can't book. If I am correct then the number on non members on a site at anyone time would be quite small. I think I would find the non member fee quite a disincentive to using the site in the first place. If the numbers are as small as I think they are I don't think it would make a massive difference if they were not allowed to book.

 

David

[Big Momma]

Klyne - 2010-03-26 7:46 PM

 

Now things may have changed, and I am happy to be corrected, but my undestanding is that site wardens only have control over 5% of the pitches on the sites they run, the rest of the pitches are only allocated online or via telephone call to HQ where non members can't book. If I am correct then the number on non members on a site at anyone time would be quite small. I think I would find the non member fee quite a disincentive to using the site in the first place. If the numbers are as small as I think they are I don't think it would make a massive difference if they were not allowed to book.

 

David

 

I believe you are right because when I booked direct with the sites they both asked for my membership number. They type it into their computer whilst you are on the phone and when your details come up they verify your name and Outfit details e.g. make, model and registration number. But I don'tknow whether a non-member would just say 'I am not a member' and still be able to pre-book but at the non-member rate *-)

[flicka]

Like most things in life, there is an easy solution, which would also assist to identify the scale of the problem.

 

Make Non-Members pay a deposit when booking.

Booking NOT accepted or confirmed until payment is received.

 

The difficulty seems to be the will to apply it by a rule change.

 

If it is found that the bookings are clogged up due to members who abuse the facility by not showing, suspend their membership for a period, without refund.

 

Will the Club have the bottle or is the volume of members who do this, so large that any rule change would have no chance of getting voted in. ??????????????????

 

 

[Big Momma]

I fully agree and support having to pay a deposit, the C&CC charge £25 deposit for each site booked but the CC does not demand a deposit. However, not sure that this would provide the solution if the issue is not people pre-booking multiple sites and then not turning up but is simply a case of high demand for site pitches so more and more people are planning ahead and pre-booking much like myself.

[robertandjean]

It is all this pre-booking nonsense that means we spend as much time as we can in France where we can just turn up and stay on Camping-car aires or France Passion sites! Yes we know if still working not easy to spend as much time in France which is why when working we were members of the MCC. Then we used to attend their rallies each week-end, no pre-booking required and you do not have to go to the social or play bingo. Some might not like it but so what, we used them as aires.

[Mel B]

Don't forget that both of the major clubs are actually massive businesses ... whilst they still like to be called 'clubs' they are actually service providers and we are their customers, nothing more than that, no matter how it is dressed up. It is the bottom line that matters - they therefore need to have sites with as much occupancy/bookings as they can get to survive. Whilst it would be nice to be able to restrict advance bookings to 'members', and/or apply deposit charges to non-members, in the real world this would probably not be financially viable. The choice for us is simple, we either lump it or leave it.

 

We have only just re-joined the Caravan Club after some time away from them as we rarely holiday in the UK apart form the odd weekend. This year though we hope to make much more use of CLs so have paid our dosh and accept the limitations that come with it. I doubt that we'll be using any of the main sites, possibly some of the smaller basic facilities ones (whatever they call them now!), and the CL network. We prefer the CLs as we have more freedom and they are usually much quieter although I must admit that people watching can be fun ... especially when it involves them trying to put up an awning! :D

[tom rocks]

I TRIED TO BOOK SOUTHPORT CC FULLY BOOKED NOW UNTIL OCTOBER

[Bazza454]

tom rocks - 2010-03-26 9:54 PM I TRIED TO BOOK SOUTHPORT CC FULLY BOOKED NOW UNTIL OCTOBER

Come on Tom, I have just checked the CC Southport site and there are numerous dates available for a standard pitch through April, May and June, even a couple of weekends.

[JohnP]

At a recent CC committee meeting the problem of no shows was discussed. The Club is monitoring the subject of no shows.

 

It is not now possible for a member to double book different sites for the same date/s.

 

Regarding non members, they are accepted on some sites because this is written into the lease by the land owner.

 

 

[The Decorator]

Tom,

 

Your comments are misleading regarding the site at Southport. We are considering going in June and for the dates we choose there is plenty of room. Are you a M/H or a caravan user.

 

Generally M/H users prefer hard standing pitches as they cater for heavier the vehicle; they are also indicated as “with awning”. Your comments that the site is full only relates to the “without awning” pitches.

 

My guess on this situation is that there are many visitors who have small children and decide at the last minute depending on the weather; therefore the site is suitable for casual callers on the day and those passing by.

 

TD

 

[everhopeful]

I was talking to a CC Warden last year and he said he knew of at least one member who had booked weekends at his site right through the season.

This would be ok I guess, except the member had yet to show for any of them. Just doesn't show or sometimes cancels late.

They may have "fixed" this already, but the lack of available weekends tells me otherwise.

I wonder when the CC are planning to really do something about this type of caring member? I'd go for a 2 no-shows and you're out system.

Surely all the empty piches we see at weekends on fully booked sites must be costing the CC money and goodwill.

[GypsyTom]

I must be lucky as I have never had a problem booking a CC site. To be fair I'm lucky in that I can avoid Bank Holidays and the main summer rush.

I know that some are very popular but you can't blame the club for being too successful!

Last year we did the Outer Hebrides in May and returning down through Scotland simply turned up at three CC sites and were welcomed with open arms.

And what sites! Incredible locations with superb views and as usual, excellent facilities.

Finally, please don't think that I don't know that the problem exists in peak periods and I do feel for those who can only take their breaks in school holidays.