C &CMc booking.

[Hutch]

I am thinking of leaving the C & CMC , due to their booking systems, I understand that we are now in the season when some caravanners are coming out of Hibernation and want to get out in their newly washed caravans, ,( to get the green rain slime from 5 months of sitting around, ) and get away on site. I though I would try and book Castleton club site, for next weekend from Sunday to Thursday, fully booked. checked lots of other sites. The same. When I rang a few sites they said " oh ring a day before as people book and don't turn up, This doesn't happen with the C&C as you pay a deposit,
Ok windge over.

 

[otherclive]

I can understand your frustration.
It's a by product of the boom day when advance bookings open and everyone goes for such popular sites. I don't think that the new rolling 12 month booking process will help much. Also there are also an increase in caravan and motor home numbers, and as the population is ageing there's an increase in the number of retirees who can now go mid week. The problem is that the two clubs need more sites/pitches.

Whereas at one time we would invariably go CC we now are tending more to CCC, CL/CS or commercial sites. The latter having some excellent standards at prices not that much more expensive than CC.

 

[Hutch]

OC, yes We are the silver Brigade, Though not in mind , so can get away during the week , normally go to Cl /cs site but best mates went to Switzerland for a few year, so tried the club sites , ( please don't take offence) but I like to walk to a pub and engage with locals and club sites seem to be very remote. Private sites seem to be much more aware as to what people really need. I have even had on CC site a woman, say to us why are you drying your washing behind the caravan when they have dryers in the was room.
Private sites are getting much more competitive in prices as well, just look at Henly on Thames.
Did I say enough,

 

[Brasso530]

Only been doing this caravan lark for about 5yrs,but used camc sites for first year just to get a feel for it,great quality etc..but with a family it's cheaper and usually free wifi at comercial sites .Usually we use camc sites for weekends away out of season,comercial sites for longer/main hols.
I digress,sorry.As for booking system,personally never had a problem,I like the no deposit way as we had to cancel when the beast from the east came.
Take a look on camc Facebook page I think there's going to be a lynching

 

[Hutch]

Only been doing this caravan lark for about 5yrs,but used camc sites for first year just to get a feel for it,great quality etc..but with a family it's cheaper and usually free wifi at comercial sites .Usually we use camc sites for weekends away out of season,comercial sites for longer/main hols.
I digress,sorry.As for booking system,personally never had a problem,I like the no deposit way as we had to cancel when the beast from the east came.
Take a look on camc Facebook page I think there's going to be a lynching

Brasso, just checked that out, So it's not just me that Hacked off. The new booking system has made it even worse, Thanks for the info,
Hutch.

 

[Brasso530]

To be quite honest I don't understand what they are trying to achieve with spreading it out rather than a mad morn in December.All you have to do now is log on and book up loads of weeks/weekends next year,no cost,then just cancel if weather looks poor early on in week,like several posters say,who's the idiot.
It is very annoying,if you look most weekends are booked for first part of 2019.I like to be very organised,but not that much,I usually look at 2019 hols after summer.

 

[Craigyoung]

I like to be very organised,but not that much,I usually look at 2019 hols after summer.

Ha ! Already booked for 2o19 ! France for us was coming in twice as much as a few years ago , 2 weeks in crete (no driving) a lot cheaper !!! We'll get back to France sometime !!

Craig

 

[Dustydog]

Hutch

I gave up trying to book certain Camc sites years ago. Check out Chatsworth. All weekend bookings leaving no full weeks for us.
However I won’t leave as the CLs and most their other sites are usually available. Have you tried their Buxton site? Great dog walking and pretty countryside a throw from Castleton.

 

[Brasso530]

Buxton good site,went last year.its having a refurb,opens August,might try for October half term.
I would book camc sites all time if they had free good wifi.For what I pay for a family of four "in season " I can go on a comercial site with pool and free wifi for similar price.Out of season,great value as well as kids go for a quid.

 

[Raywood]

I agree that the clubs sites can be booked up but there is a late booking option and apart from bank holidays there is normally a good selection on there. I am not sure how you tackle the problem, deposits are unpopular and apparently result in far more non shows. perhaps the computer could be programmed to save some pitches for longer stay members but it would be controversial.
C&CC sites are usually easier to get in but they also have popular sites as do commercial operators and the problem can occur on any of those.

 

[camel]

This is my main gripe about the c&Mic advance booking in bulk, we have had three caravans next ti at Sandringham for one night now can count over twenty give empty pitches which could of stopped someone booking a long weekend.

 

[Buckman]

Although members of the CC we gave up worrying about booking on their sites as we found many commercial sites offered sites just as good or even better sites than the CC and at a lower price with more facilities. It has now become a choice between using commercial sites in better locations and also CLs as we can easily book a week or longer and are happy to pay a deposit. BTW we have noticed that quite a few CLs have pushed by their prices in the past year/ Some CLs are now more expensive than nearby commercial sites.

 

[Craigyoung]

We have just come back from our CL site in Yorkshire this morning , 5 years ago it was £13 a night with views that you couldn't ask for more for , you get your electric hook up, water and even has a small toilet and toilet combined shower block and still today we go back and it is only £15 now , still cheap as chips , but we did try one up at Bamburgh area and it was £25 a night on the Cl site , quite a difference !!