Possibly trying the phone line might help. The internet is just one way to book, but if it fails the phone is worth a try while you hang onto the website to double your chances of getting in.
Just tried the site again and seemed to be working better, until I entered location, Cotswolds now includes New Forest and West of England, tried again with Southern England as search, came up with International sites, still needs some more work it seems, eventually managed a booking but don't understand why needed to put in the name of each member of our party, plus make and model of car together with length, also make and model of caravan and length, and colour of car and caravan, (made the last bit up about colour)
Mel
Moderator
So is the new system of taking Deposits in place yet; or is all the disruption because of IT prep work?
mel
mel
Hi Mel
Yes taking deposits, in our case full payment as only a couple of days before we go, strange they managed to get the bit that collects the money working OK, before the rest
Yes taking deposits, in our case full payment as only a couple of days before we go, strange they managed to get the bit that collects the money working OK, before the rest
Companies all over the world introduce major changes or new websites for customer interface. They do not generally have this sort of farce. This has been mismanaged. You cannot say what you just did and then contradict it by denying their naivety.
In fairness to CAMC maybe our expectations are too high. For every year for as long as I can remember there has been the usual bun fight for pitches.
Are we really expecting CAMC to pay for an IT system that copes with a two day window without issues, yet for the other 363 days will clearly be an over powered , over engineered expensive system?
Are we really expecting CAMC to pay for an IT system that copes with a two day window without issues, yet for the other 363 days will clearly be an over powered , over engineered expensive system?
Don’t understand what the two day window refers to. But we never book much in advance. But it would be nice to access the site to make the odd booking. Remember, it is more than a club, it is a decent sized business.
John
Mel
Moderator
And is that around about now? I thought the whole idea of introducing the deposit scheme was to stop that. Perhaps it failed. It was suggested earlier their problems were as a result of the new system introduction. Or is it a combination of things.
John
John , I tried for years to get a pitch at Chatsworth for two weeks. Could not get booked because of the weekenders. I gave up and found better alternatives. But I suggest the Annual Bun fight continues as soon as next seasons pitches are made available.
Arn’t they, or haven't they, extended the booking period. In order to prevent things like that together with the deposit scheme. I don't get involved with advanced block booking as I said earlier. But I did manage to get Chatsworth in 2019. And very nice it was.
But the OP suggested that this debacle was due to the change of booking system. It would seem mad to me to introduce a new system at a time that coincided with the forecasted ‘bun’ fight.
But I don't know.
John
Mel
Moderator
Prior to this new deposit system they had already changed the booking system and had done away with the annual opening of pitch availability. ( which used to be in December) Instead you could book up to a year ahead of the current date. It didn’t solve the weekend grabbers problem, just smoothed out the annual bun fight.
If there has been a recent scramble of booking I would suspect it was folks trying to book up loads of pitches before the deposit system went live; but that is just a guess.
Mel
If there has been a recent scramble of booking I would suspect it was folks trying to book up loads of pitches before the deposit system went live; but that is just a guess.
Mel
I read several posts on CAMC forum members saying they could not book sites for a good while before the changeover (2 weeks?) because the booking system had been blocked. There would be a backlog of members who wanted to book from that period + those who wanted to play with the new "experience" (why did the club decide to cal it that FGS ?) The mad scramble was worsened when they closed the whole site down for a time, which then became protracted because of problems the club found.
A chap on another Forum I use said
booked York Round-tree park next July £51 per night I was shocked, we won’t be doing so many club sites next year.
That‘s an eye opener!
booked York Round-tree park next July £51 per night I was shocked, we won’t be doing so many club sites next year.
That‘s an eye opener!
For perspective. We are on a peaceful CL with all very big hard standings and hedges. (no facilities), £20 per night. We will not be visiting Roundtree.
John
Mel
Moderator
The October Nec pop up site is up to £42 per night. To Kip in a car park!!! Beginning to think CAMC has lost the plot.
mel
mel
They lost the plot years ago, Rowntree in York, not a chance for us, especialy as we have friends in Rawcliffe.
The CaMC will turn into a MH club.
I think it's already going that way.
It was mainly motorhomers that kept pushing for more hard standing pitches and the ability to book them in advance.
We found the hard standings invaluable in our winter forays. If MHs can push for bookings in advance, why cannot caravaners do the same?
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I appreciate that the thread is about the CAMC, but to put it in perspective have the C&CC also increased their prices as much?
We will not be stopping in a club site but manage to get a Cottage near York for 6 nights very reasonable .next year .
Mel said : Beginning to think CAMC has lost the plot , ---- Not the CAMC Mel, but the customers paying it!
As far as I know, the Caravan Club has allowed motorhomer's to be members for many years, and after all why not? In most respects the needs of both caravans and motorhomes are broadly very similar, a point that was recognised when the club rebranded to show its inclusivity.
I don't think it's fair to imply motorhomes are inferior to caravans, they are just a different way to spend your time and no less valid.
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