Caravan Club site booking survey

[Guest]

Parksy,

I agree with your comments regarding the C&CC. As a member of both Clubs I feel I can view the similarities, and differences with some degree of authority. I do note that both Clubs have changed over the last decade, not just in improving facilities but in their approach to their organisations and members. In the 80's and 90's the CC was almost 100% caravans with a few motorhomes tolerated and the C&CC tended to be dominated by the tenting fraternity. Now the CC allows tents on some sites and the C&CC has far more caravannners while both Clubs have had to adjust to the explosion in motorhome ownership. All this has led to increases in hardstandings, better toilet/shower facilities and a more mercenary (if that is the right interpretation) approach in general through insurance, marketing and overseas operations. In the current world that is understandable, if not always wanted. Although there is still a form of ribald rivalry between the 2 Clubs, there is no animosity and I know they work closely on many things to do with the pursuit of camping and outdoor leisure in general.

The main source of aggression between the 2 Clubs are the individual members who frequently make unsupported comments based on either hearsay, or one possibly bad experience on a site. Both Clubs have good and bad personnel, fortunately not too many of the latter, and if you do happen to encounter a bad experience then do not allow that to cloud judgement of the Club as a whole. Do try again. The C&CC has used a deposit system for some time and it has drawn 'complaints' from many who use the CC system as a result. Personally I have no problem in putting my money where my mouth is and fully expect any organisation to wish to see a commitment from me before they supply any services. It is not as if you pay any extra at the end of your trip. The greater availability of sites during weekends and high season make this a better system for a late booker such as myself, and as a result we have tended to use the C&CC far more often than the CC, so they have gained by it.

All I can say is that if the C&CC was not around then the congestion currently being experienced on CC sites, would become intolerable, so don't knock the C&CC

 

[Parksy]

I will leave further comment on the CC survey to those who are members of the CC, as I mentioned earlier the C&CC system of taking deposits never seems to cause problems as far as I can tell from forum posts.

As for commenting on the clubs comparing systems I have no real problem with that, the thing that annoys me is the almost constant sniping at the C&CC by those who are not members of it.

There are things that I dislike about the CC but because I'm not and never will be a member of that club I keep my adverse comments to myself and respect the right of CC members to enjoy their club.

As Steve W wisely mentioned some sort of tribal instinct seems to take over but forum evidence shows that the untoward and unfavourable comments are one sided, for those who dislike the C&CC - fine, don't join but don't keep banging on about it for ever after.

 

[Parksy]

I suspect the CC, and the CC&C are more likely to listen to members who contact them direct rather than be overly influenced by what is said on forums!

Unfortunately David, In my experience, they don't seem to take any notice even then. Have the time they don't even acknowledge the fact that you have taken the time to write or e:mail.

Steve W

At least the CC are conducting a survey Steve so some of the apparent dissatisfaction with the present system must have filtered through.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

To put the latest comments into perspective regarding the CC and C&CC the law of averages says that there will be more people complaining about the CC on a caravan forum.

The CC is made up of caravanners/motorhomers and from the availability of tent pitches I would think very few tenters, if any.

I would think most people, like myself, have been members of both clubs to compare the difference and then made a decision which clubs comes out tops with them. I found the CC better, not only in facilities/pitch choices, but also attitude of staff and like Diane I could list a few reasons why I didn't carry on with my membership. Even the free nights and age concession couldn't tempt me.

I'm not knocking those who think the C&CC score higher with them because if all caravanners/motorhomers thought the same and preferred/joined the CC then the situation of booking full weeks would be even more intolerable. Think of the chaos if there were no such sites as CLs or CS's.

 

[Alan Partridge]

Parksy said:

The way that the CC conducts it's business is up to them and as a non member it's really none of mine but a look around any caravan forum will confirm that the deposit system causes no problems to C&CC members.

The gripes about pre booking or block booking in advance never appear on any forum from C&CC members.

Surely this is no coincidence and is proof that deposits work?

___________________________________________________________

Unfortunately it proves nothing. We'd need to know how many members each club has per pitch, and how many nights those members want to take each year, to make sense of this.

I think it more likely that the CC is just more popular - leaving aside the locations and character of specific sites (some of our favourites are C&CC ones)the CC sites tend to have better facilities on the whole.

We are members of both, and have been generally happy with them.

 

[JulieandStuart]

It seems apparent to me, given the endless complaints that the CC receives over a prolonged period, that something needs to be done to change the CC booking system.

What exactly that change is has yet to be defined, but surely it is better to make some change that moves in the right direction than to do nothing at all.

So come on Caravan Club - DO SOMETHING - at least do not be accused of dithering, lest you start off the yet another campaign against someone called 'Brown'

-{pipe delimiter}