I think your time scales are way out. Booking 3 months ahead for a 6 day stay, not for me, At times we ( used to ) go away for two weeks on two days notice. Private sites have nearly always given discounts for extended stays.
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Reason for CMC deposits!
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To be honest, the current system has been working largely to my advantage.
I've not bothered booking anything in advance,. I've always been able to stay at a site of my choosing, simply due to people cancelling within 10 days of their booking!
I've not bothered booking anything in advance,. I've always been able to stay at a site of my choosing, simply due to people cancelling within 10 days of their booking!
To be honest I hardly ever use the clubs main sites as I don't find them suitable for where we want to caravan. Also there are many retired folk that travel around the country for several months in the summer, and no really making any plan until a few days before moving on to the next site.
The basic idea is something I have suggested before. The idea of the sites allowing longer bookings first seems sense to me, although when you open up sites to shorter ones is possibly the contentious bit.
When I was at work and through retirement we had family commitments that had to be recognised. So to us it was important to get our annual holiday booked in advance in an area we wanted to visit. So we would often book our 2 weeks when the CMHC bookings opened for the following year. After that most of our trips were weekends or longer weekends and so we were more flexible when and where we stayed, so a longer booking time was not important as we had a wide choice of club sites and CL/CS plus commercial. But increasingly the CMHC unfettered approach tended to see us not using CMHC main sites as much as we did as weekends became a no go area unless you wanted to rely on short notice availability.
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Cards on table I'm not a fan of the CAMC.
No one likes hypocrisy and my opinion the CAMC runs on it.
It seems immensely sensible to charge a deposit as in all walks of life handing over of money makes people think before they commit ultimately leading to fulfilment.
On caravan sites as a working person Im booking holidays that need to match workplace holiday entitlement so its important that I'm able to find bookings, the issue of a no deposit system is and always will be folk can book speculative which then blocks genuine holiday seekers from going to a chosen destination at a desired time.
I've paid deposits pretty much all my caravaning and yes camping life, and paid in full sometimes 6 weeks prior to arrival, thats fine by me as I'm guaranteed the pitch the site and the dates I need, note not want.
No one likes hypocrisy and my opinion the CAMC runs on it.
It seems immensely sensible to charge a deposit as in all walks of life handing over of money makes people think before they commit ultimately leading to fulfilment.
On caravan sites as a working person Im booking holidays that need to match workplace holiday entitlement so its important that I'm able to find bookings, the issue of a no deposit system is and always will be folk can book speculative which then blocks genuine holiday seekers from going to a chosen destination at a desired time.
I've paid deposits pretty much all my caravaning and yes camping life, and paid in full sometimes 6 weeks prior to arrival, thats fine by me as I'm guaranteed the pitch the site and the dates I need, note not want.
I would not agree that the CAMH did not confer with its members over deposits. They did publish their reasoning and as ever members were split on the subject. This is something that has to reviewed from time to time and if the statistics show a problem then the idea of deposits is probably the answer, although a bit more on the reasoning would help.
I would prefer not to pay a deposit when booking, but if it means I get the pitch I want and will cut out block booking, I feel it is the better option.
I would prefer not to pay a deposit when booking, but if it means I get the pitch I want and will cut out block booking, I feel it is the better option.
I personally try and avoid going to sites that require a deposit.
Never have a problem finding good sites that don't require one and have no problem paying in full on arrival.
CAMH club sites are almost always very full at weekends, in my experience, so I don't think charging a deposit will make any difference to availability
.........just my personal opinion!
Never have a problem finding good sites that don't require one and have no problem paying in full on arrival.
CAMH club sites are almost always very full at weekends, in my experience, so I don't think charging a deposit will make any difference to availability
.........just my personal opinion!
I don't think it will negatively affect the occupancy numbers at weekends, it's probable impact will be "availability" being released some 21 upwards days prior, not three where many of us can't generally take advantage. With that, longer period stays could well be a positive spin off; those wanting them might be able to get them.
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The fact remains 237,000 nights are cancelled by members less than 4 days before arrival. As Buckman points out in his OP the numbers quoted by the Club are imo a disgrace. The result is well known and thus I suspect is why I for one rarely use the mainstream sites. Ok In the last five years We used St Agnes Cornwall this year. No toilet block so easy to book.
What isn’t clear is how many of the cancellations actually get filled or do they remain unoccupied?
I don’t mind paying a deposit but in return not only do I want a guaranteed pitch , I also want to choose it at point of booking. That’s not possible with CAMC.
What isn’t clear is how many of the cancellations actually get filled or do they remain unoccupied?
I don’t mind paying a deposit but in return not only do I want a guaranteed pitch , I also want to choose it at point of booking. That’s not possible with CAMC.
I havnt used the CAMC booking site for a few years so it may have changed.
As it happens my eldest is a big noise in software design and development does large project for gov.uk, large employers all legal compliance stuff.
So I'm on the CC website making a booking, eldest wanders by, takes a look and asks if I'm going caravanning to the 1970's!
When I explained it belonged to the largest UK if not world wide caravan site operator, she asked if I was joking!
Compare that with private sites that have interactive plans that allow you to pick a pitch, when I was a member of the CC I found the whole booking system an embarrassment, even more so when the CC announced they had 70 software developers who hoped to sell their booking system to outside parks, as far as I know that plan never happened, cant think why.
Deluded.
As it happens my eldest is a big noise in software design and development does large project for gov.uk, large employers all legal compliance stuff.
So I'm on the CC website making a booking, eldest wanders by, takes a look and asks if I'm going caravanning to the 1970's!
When I explained it belonged to the largest UK if not world wide caravan site operator, she asked if I was joking!
Compare that with private sites that have interactive plans that allow you to pick a pitch, when I was a member of the CC I found the whole booking system an embarrassment, even more so when the CC announced they had 70 software developers who hoped to sell their booking system to outside parks, as far as I know that plan never happened, cant think why.
Deluded.
Is it just mainly private sites then that you can actually reserve/book a specific pitch?.
It would certainly help when studying the site plan and working out where the toilets,playground,dog walk is.
Also,maybe study where the sun rises/sets within the site.
It would certainly help when studying the site plan and working out where the toilets,playground,dog walk is.
Also,maybe study where the sun rises/sets within the site.
Thank you Buckman.
We stayed at Warcombe Farm,Woolacombe last year and booked online (whilst studying the site map and ariel view),then choosing the exact pitch we wanted.
Paid deposit and balance on arrival.
Perfect.🤗
We stayed at Warcombe Farm,Woolacombe last year and booked online (whilst studying the site map and ariel view),then choosing the exact pitch we wanted.
Paid deposit and balance on arrival.
Perfect.🤗
I think the idea of booking a specific pitch does lose income. If people book these, then the pitches will have gaps when they are not being use, even though the site could have been fully booked otherwise. This is not good for the site and those wanting to book later may they find pitches available for the booking period but means having a day on one and the next on another and so on. Getting a pitch from free ones on arrival means all pitches can be fully utilised when the site is full, so is better for the customer.
Completely not true
Dates are entered
Pitchs that are available shown
Its no different to being there at the time
As for losing money why would any site use it then?
The key point is you enter a date first.
From memory CC was exactly that.
Date entered, check for availability.
Duration entered, check for availability,
difference being rather than sinking a battleship which is what the CC booking reminded me of, then on arrival scampering round the site picking the best pitch, health and safety springs to mind, or the wife stands on the preferred pitch while hubby books in, you do it virtually.
If your arguement is vacant gaps then thats true of any booking system, whether computer or on one site we used regular flip boards on a wall.
Have a look a Pentewan Sands Cornwall pretend to book
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The Caravan Club is only introducing the choice of standard pitch type. Subject to availability, you will be able to book a hard standing or a grass pitch. Assuming you don't opt out of auto-paying the day before arrival, you will stay in your vehicle and will be directed through the barrier to chose your pitch from those available of the type you have booked. Only those opting out of auto-paying, will have to queue for check in and payment.
No. You cannot select and book a standard hardstanding or grass pitch, just a standard pitch and then select from what is available when you arrive. If you want a hard standing, and they are occupied leaving only grass, then that is all you can select. I should add that in practice it doesn't quite work like that as some site managers reserve pitches for motor caravans arriving on spec' and may tell a caravanner there are no hard standings available. This has happened to us. This is why I am in favour of being able to book a specific standard pitch type., so that we all have the same choices.
Ern,
I have no wish to be pedantic but it is not quite true depending which CAMC site you choose. A lot now offer and more will do so next year more pitch choice at point of booking but not a specific numbered pitch.
You will see
Premium pitch with awning
Multi-surface pitch
Super pitches
All available with hardstanding
I suspect a lot of this arises from the MH brigade requirements.
Additionally some sites are now offering tent pitches!
I have no wish to be pedantic but it is not quite true depending which CAMC site you choose. A lot now offer and more will do so next year more pitch choice at point of booking but not a specific numbered pitch.
You will see
Premium pitch with awning
Multi-surface pitch
Super pitches
All available with hardstanding
I suspect a lot of this arises from the MH brigade requirements.
Additionally some sites are now offering tent pitches!
Perhaps what Ern meant is that you cannot select a specific pitch when doing a CAMC booking i.e. pitch 32 even if you phone in. Many commercials where possible will allow you to book a specific pitch. Obviously they work around other bookings to accommodate you and if they cannot offer the specific pitch you want, then quite often they will give you options of others.
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