Caravan Club Site Night Vouchers

[MikeJE]

The Caravan Club announced in the November magazine that as from 2nd. Feb. 2009 site night vouchers will be allocated against the first night of the stay and then subsequent nights if more than one voucher is presented. This is, I feel, unfair on those like my wife and myself who travel some 350 miles to join up with grandchildren, then want the first night to ourselves to draw breath so to speak and thus lose the benefit of the free child place, before the children join us in the caravan for subsequent nights when we would benefit more from the voucher.

Is there anyone else who will be affected in the same way?

And, if so, would you e-mail the Club to express concern as I have done.

 

[Rioja]

I think I'd need a night after they had gone rather than before they arrived !

 

[BigAl1]

Mike E

Sorry Mike, I'm not sure what the new rule will mean. Would you explain further please

Thanks

 

[MikeJE]

Big Al

A site night voucher entitles you to one night on site i.e. pitch + two adults + two children - the actual cash value depending on the time of year you use it, high season, value season and so on. If you are staying on site for, say, three nights and have two vouchers to use but are only having children staying with you for nights two and three you can at present specify that the vouchers be used to pay for the second and third nights and pay normally for the first night. By the new system, as I read it, the vouchers would have to be used to pay for nights one and two thus wasting the child benefit on the voucher being used to pay for the first night. This could be worth, in peak season, up to

 

[Ray R]

Whilst I see your point Mike and have some sympathy with your case, I think in the majority of cases families travel together and so the problem does not arise very often.

The club could have stated that the vouchure would be used against the cheapest night, which is what most companies do, so it could be worse.

 

[Rioja]

Could you not book a single night, pay on arrival then return the following day to book in again !

You can understand the clubs need to simplyfy everything. I can't imagine you have that many vouchers, it's taken me a couple of years and

 

[BigAl1]

Mike E

Thanks for the explanation, I tried to find the piece in the mag that you refered to in vain, but all is now clear.

Rioja.

Know what you mean, is it only about 16 months ago that the card was transfered from LV to Goldfish (Morgan Stanley)?

Al

 

[MikeJE]

Rioja,

When I e-mailed the Caravan Club I suggested that people would do as you said - pay for the first night then re-book the next day using vouchers with all the extra work that would entail for the wardens. So far there has been no response to that.

What did draw an answer was my comment, like yours, about the frequent changes of card administration; after all I would be wary of dealing with a business that frequently changed it's bank account. They 'appreciate the change of provider is inconvenient' but have 'worked together with the new provider to ensure that the transition is as stress free as possible'. Maybe, like me, you did not notice that. It might be worthwhile, if you have not already done so, to double check that the airport barrier will accept a now defunct card.

 

[MikeJE]

Big Al,

When the change from L.V. to Goldfish took place I was in the process of getting a refund which had to be sent to the L.V. account then transferred to Goldfish. Took nearly three months and then only after writing to old and new card providers and the ferry company offering the refund.

 

[BigAl1]

Mike E

I too was due a refund from a purchase made on the LV card but I managed to persuade the retailer to apply the cred to the new Goldfish card. Quess I was lucky with that.

The ONLY reason that I use the C Club card is because of the site night vouchers. I buy all fuel and most large items on the card and as long as it is paid in full each month it is free to use and I earn interest on my money which remains in my account for a few weeks longer.

I usually get a free week at peak season for 2 adults and 2 children from vouchers thus saving me about 24 quid a night.

If the C Club stop giving the vouchers then my card will get cut up. Simple as that.

Al

 

[BigAl1]

Mike E

I too was due a refund from a purchase made on the LV card but I managed to persuade the retailer to apply the cred to the new Goldfish card. Quess I was lucky with that.

The ONLY reason that I use the C Club card is because of the site night vouchers. I buy all fuel and most large items on the card and as long as it is paid in full each month it is free to use and I earn interest on my money which remains in my account for a few weeks longer.

I usually get a free week at peak season for 2 adults and 2 children from vouchers thus saving me about 24 quid a night.

If the C Club stop giving the vouchers then my card will get cut up. Simple as that.

Al

Forgot to say that the C Club never goes abroard with us. It is the Nationwide card that fills the tank then.