Nigh on impossible to book late UK holiday
OK now I'll admit that I am not very organised regarding booking a holiday with plenty of notice, but as I am retired, dates can be very flexible. I also understand that we are in unprecedented times. However, my beef is that as of now, it is nigh on impossible to book a holiday of a week or more in popular destinations, due in the main to the weekends being fully booked. I worked with a chap once who had a villa in Spain, and, before the ferry companies required fees upfront, would book three or four crossings intending to cancel the unused nearer the time and when he was sure of his holiday dates. With our super online booking system, are there any safeguards against this activity, bearing in mind that we can book up to a year in advance and cancel within 72 hours? Although it would not prevent the above, would it be possible to retain say 30% of pitches on popular sites in the main season for bookings of one week or more only. Releasing any unused pitches through the late availability notice as they approach the time?
I have been a club member for over 25 years, and one of the main enjoyments of using the club sites was the flexibility of touring. I fear that we have now lost this important facet of our membership.
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Well this has all been discussed before.
I would argue against, we all pay the same membership fee why should one part of the club site users, those wanting longer stays, be given special treatment to the detriment of others, to those wanting weekends. You say you are retired so it could be asked why should you, or one in that position, be given special arrangements to those (poor souls) who still have to work and use the sites at weekends (perhaps on a shift pattern and have to book their weekends months in advance) to enjoy themselves, why should they be denied a pitch?
There is nothing to stop multiple bookings up to a year in advance, nothing wrong with this and I do it myself, I think you're suggesting they might not be taken up? Well there is no hard evidence for this, and why change a system that appears to work (ie full club sites and less no shows) just so you, or one, can get your pitch?
The only answer is book early, you are retired make full use of that and count your self lucky?
First come first served is in my view the fairest way to book a pitch.
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We have just booked a couple of sites for a trip away in October. Not because we wanted to go there, but because one of those sites had available pitches over the week end and the other tied in to the route. Many others we looked at did not.
There is a huge shortage of pitches at the moment for a number of reasons. Everyone seems to be squeezing their trips in to the last half of the year as they couldn't go earlier. Many sites which are normally available are shut for the whole of 2020. Many who go abroad are staying in the UK. Many have decided that buying a caravan would now be a good thing to do. The camping club website isn't behaving either at the moment which is probably resulting a drift towards bookings with this club, including ourselves. Many who are able to book lots of sites months in advance do so, because they can.
It is making for a difficult year, but I still think the system as is stands is ok as it is and you just have to make the best of it.
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First come first served is in my view the fairest way to book a pitch
couldnt agree more, only last week booked a pitch for the whole of September on a lovely commercial site in Devon, even got an OAP discount. My touring will be done in our car covering a radius of approx 1 hrs drive from the site, cant be doing with this lifting sticks every 5-7 days and dragging the caravan around.
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Hmmm, another “ I can’t get what I want, so let’s change the Club’s booking system” thread. 🤔
My top tips for a very different pandemic year are:
Try being organised
Try some Site flexibility, possibly a CL, or even, a private Site
Realise that sitting on a Site for a week isn’t “touring”. It’s akin to booking a cottage in one area but with dodgier plumbing. Nothing wrong with this, and it’s cheaper.
😁
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Without getting in to the rights and wrongs of the booking system I have a lot of sympathy for the OP. When the FCO imposed a 14 day quarantine and the increase in Covid in the countries we planned to visit, we cancelled our overseas holiday for Sep and looked at UK sights. Most we looked at where booked for weekends but some had free dates Monday to Thursday we were looking for a couple of sites with 10 days in each. We have managed to book sites, one a Club site (Affiliated) and the other a commercial site, both asked for payment up front which I was quite happy to do. If there is a problem with late cancellations (and surely the Club has records of this) then surely a deposit is not unreasonable. These are difficult times with an abnormal demand on sites. I would ask any members who have no intention of using their booking to cancel at the earliest opportunity.
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I think Corners has covered it all. Well said.
The answer IJ, is to book earlier, especially this year, and get in there before the pesky working folk grab the weekends. How dare they want weekends away after toiling all week!😋
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Realise that sitting on a Site for a week isn’t “touring”. It’s akin to booking a cottage in one area but with dodgier plumbing. Nothing wrong with this, and it’s cheaper.
Hey!!!nothing wrong with our plumbing, hard standing , serviced pitch, EHU in with the price, swimming pool, on site shop and bakery, fantastic dog walk, now one way only as a result of SD, only inconvenience is the toilet cassette, but i have a wee trolly to carry that around and i know the CDP is well up to standard, all we need is some decent weather.
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I think you've said it yourself. You're not very well organised and feel aggrieved that others have booked the pitches you now want and feel that the club should make special arrangements to accommodate you.
Unlike families with people who have to fit holidays in with work commitments, you're retired and could make bookings for the future without such limitations.
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With our super online booking system, are there any safeguards against this activity, bearing in mind that we can book up to a year in advance and cancel within 72 hours? Although it would not prevent the above, would it be possible to retain say 30% of pitches on popular sites in the main season for bookings of one week or more only. Releasing any unused pitches through the late availability notice as they approach the time?
I book 5 nights and then move on. No vacancies on a CMC site where and when I want when booking that location I look for another site or CL nearby. I don't look for last minute as I want a planned route stopping where required. I use a mixture of sites normally but if a CMC is in the right area it is normally first choice.
I think this year I will do a long stay at Ourgate.
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Many of the private sites here in our area are still closed to tourers and campers, only the statics in use. so availability is generally low. Last time I passed the CMC site at Llanbrynmair was also closed. I did notice that Haven- Hafan y Mor have extended their season to end November. They have a super touring site.
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Whether one does one's touring around in the caravan, or the tow vehicle, or even on bike or foot, one still has to pitch the caravan somewhere at weekends. [ This may go some way to explain the number of motor caravans parked in laybys, passing places, common land, etc - they have not been able to get onto a site at the weekend. ]
I feel sorry for the people who have come to caravanning this year as an alternative to their former style of holiday and who now find themselves up against this week-end availability problem. I do hope it does not put them off - although, of course, they are part of the cause.
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Well, I didn't want to get into a bunfight with the workers, as I was one of those once. I just wanted to raise two points. Cornersteady states that there is no evidence for prebooked pitches not being taken up. In my experience in the past few years, weekend pitches suddenly become available on Wednesday/Thursday when I have been onsite and needing one. Also regarding multiple bookings, why has the question of paying fees upfront been raised in the past if others have not had similar experiences? Secondly, if the weekends have all been booked in advance, is the club losing revenue from those wishing longer stays who cannot get in? Perhaps the club could publish some stats on pitch bookings and takeups, particularly regarding weekends?
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Looking at a lot of the popular destinations, as regards getting 7 / 10 days weekends don't really come into it, they are also showing fully booked on many weekdays during September. It's just very busy this year. I think most of us who wanted to holiday here realised that and booked early. It was certainly easy to book back in April when we decided we weren't going to France this September / October. Having said that, if you are prepared to go for the less popular destinations, there are still sites where you can get one or two week stays during September.
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I have sympathy for the OP in not being able to get weeks on a site. This is not something new for this year though it's happens most years. We also tend to tour on a whim, even though being retired we could go whenever we liked we do not book sites months in advance.
We also were booked to go to France, now off the table, so have looked around to see what we could get. Unlike the OP we don't do weeks, getting a few days here and there we have put a tour together. Only 1camc site though. Being a member doesn't stop you from using others sites.
Maybe the OP should consider joining the other club.
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This may go some way to explain the number of motor caravans parked in laybys, passing places, common land, etc - they have not been able to get onto a site at the weekend
Only some of the way....like a lot of areas we are plagued by a heavy influx of Mh's/campervans doing as you state, and yet within 5 minutes of our beach we have a campsite suitable for these vehicles that looks to have plenty of spare pitches when i cycle past and i do most days, it might not be up to the standard of the CAMC, but it has to be better than a lay-by, but of course you have to pay
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The reasons for sites being booked up are obvious, and have been summed up already in earlier posts.
So: have a look at either CLs or commercial sites, spread the net a little wider perhaps.
IMHO retaining a percentage of pitches for bookings of a week or more would be totally unfair; we're retired too, but still don't think it'd be fair on those who do work and want a weekend away.
And perhaps try to be a bit more organised from now on, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em
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The Club initially introduced the 72 hour rule because late cancellations were causing serious problems. To me short of going to a deposit system this seemed a pretty fair way of doing things. I am sure the the Club do keep this question under regular review and it was hinted that there would be changes to the UK booking system some time ago. Since then we have had COVID and it wouldn't make sense to base future changes on what is currently a strange and different situation.
You can of course use the system to your advantage, its something I do quite frequently but you have to be a bit patient about it. I have just done it for a booking for Seacroft successfully. If your trip away is say three weeks away just book the days that are available and keep coming back to check availability. I have rarely failed to complete a booking for my required length of stay that way. You clearly are a fairly free agent in terms of time so the more flexible you can be the better.
David
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I have been a club member for over 25 years, and one of the main enjoyments of using the club sites was the flexibility of touring. I fear that we have now lost this important facet of our membership.
Surely putting aside a percentage of the pitches, as you suggest, would make it more difficult for those who want to book a tour and could lead to the CAMC loosing out. We and many others, only stay for a few days and always plan / book ahead. If the CAMC site didn't have any availability because they were holding it back for full weeks, I would just book elsewhere. A net loss to the CC.
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Almost finished putting together an itinerary for a 30 day or so UK trip next month - 16 sites so far. My experience is CMC are full much of the time, don’t even bother looking at weekends!
Commercial sites are much easier to book and rates not hugely different from CMC member rates. CCC have slightly better availability and ACR means some real bargains out there. Scotland is difficult in places and some sites in the far north remain closed blaming confused Government policy. 2020 is the year when you probably won’t get value from your CMC membership and, if all these new members I keep hearing about, stay longer term, they’ll continue to be a scramble for Club places until (if) the old normal returns.
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"...why has the question of paying fees upfront been raised in the past if others have not had similar experiences?"
I suspect, IJ, it’s because the few who wish to moan about not getting what they want come here to do so while the many who are perfectly happy with the system which gives them a fair choice see no point in posting.
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I’d be interested in seeing some data on wasted capacity arising from last minute cancellations. Instinctively I support a deposit system, particularly in the current circumstances. However, it’s not the magic bullet and how much to charge must a big factor. A warden on a popular CCC site recently told me they’re 100% booked in August & September but still expect at least 10% ‘no shows’ with a £25 deposit scheme. They turn people away every day. Between 50% and full cost would be typical for a commercial site.
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It's fair as it stands and weekends are just like any other day to me.
Have done two Club sites so far, both in August and one (Baltic Wharf) included a weekend. It pays to revisit sites regularly for updates, failing that ringing the site can bring good news.
I have Clumber park booked the second week in September for 3 weekdays, all weekends were booked. I kept looking in and last week the Friday, Saturday and Sunday ending that week became free, obviously they where cancelled for whatever reason but fitted in with me fine so extended my stay.
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We have just returned from a week away on two club sites 4 nights and 3 nights both very busy (full) all week
And theories put foward by site staff
Most bookings sat to sat or sunday to sunday blowing the weekenders block booking theory
Staycations and quite a few new members
The recent voucher offer
The 12.5% vat reduction on top of the vouchers
And no sign of it getting less busy with many stil on Furlough
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OK it looks as though I'm in the minority here, so after my 5 minutes of 'fame' I shall step down. Many thanks for your replies. I would still like to see some stats though, which may go some way to putting to rest my conspiracy theories.
BTW it looks like I shall be doing for the next few years what I have done for the past few years, i.e. find a site, book Monday to Thursday and Monday to Thursday, go into the site office on Wednesday and book the in between weekend slot which has just become available, as it invariably will.....
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The Club knows it’s core market. It knows that there is large % who will cancel if the weather turns nasty, it knows that it has a large percentage who are in the 55+ age group with all the underlying health issues that might require cancelling a holiday at relatively short notice.
The current arrangement of no deposit, cancel up to 72 hours before arrival, advertise LA works fine for the majority of its UK touring core Members, particularly those who are well organised and like to plan ahead, and use Club Sites as their primary choice.
Busy, but good planning and a bit of pandemic compromise will keep most folks happy.
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Cornersteady states that there is no evidence for prebooked pitches not being taken up. In my experience in the past few years, weekend pitches suddenly become available on Wednesday/Thursday when I have been onsite and needing one.
I actually did't say that, I said there was no hard evidence, I would say that your own experience doesn't really count as that?
Regrading your up front fees? I really can't recall anyone (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong) ever bringing up the idea of paying your fees upfront. Deposits maybe but upfront?
No the club isn't losing money by having weekends booked up, how can it? Full sites at weekends means max income over that weekend and must be a huge boost, why would the club risk that on a whim that the rest of the week will be as equally full or enough to balance out the weekly income.
The club will know what the midweek occupancy rates are and maybe they have looked into this? Also what about the 'weekenders' they'll go somewhere else and can you guarantee that the longer stays will will up the weekends to the same degree, all to get you your week long stay?
The current system means sites get full, people will snap up late availability and so full sites at weekends which equals more money. It works all you have to do is, as said by a few posters is book earlier.
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The Club knows it’s mid week occupancy rates as you hint CS. Otherwise, why give MWD at certain Sites? Basic research, basic marketing.
As for divulging business statistics and information to disgruntled Members Tom, Dick or Harry.................I don’t think so. It provides Members with an overall round up of information via the Club Magazine, online, and at the AGM. Anyone wanting more could of course apply for a FOI, not sure it would help though.
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IJ
I hope you enjoyed your brief moment of fame, but the answers you’ve received from the ‘dyed in the wool’ perspective about the need to plan and be organised proves your initial point... “one of the main enjoyments of using the club sites was the flexibility of touring. I fear that we have now lost this important facet of our membership”
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Another point (if you still reading this thread) is that what you are doing would be impossible, or significantly more unlikely, if people paid a deposit or upfront fees.
When the club take deposits if someone didn't feel like taking up that booking they did just that and told no one, they simply just didn't turn up. The site then couldn't offer up that pitch till the Saturday morning if then and that was no good to anyone, a wasted empty pitch, and lost income.
When the club introduced the 72 hour rule what they found is that the number of no shows went down, people cancelled in advanced either online or by phone. The club could then let that pitch be re-booked just as you perhaps described. The system works in your favour then, and now you want to change it? Why not try other non club sites where you'll find plenty of pitches, or at least there used to be?
All the club is perhaps interested in is maximising income, no bad thing? more money more sites, more refurbishments...
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SB said -
"A warden on a popular CCC site recently told me they’re 100% booked in August & September but still expect at least 10% ‘no shows’ with a £25 deposit scheme."
Isn't this what CAMC found? When deposits were in place, they got no shows as people had to forfeit their deposits so didn’t bother to inform the club they were cancelling. Now there are no deposits, no shows have almost vanished because people are able to cancel with 72hrs notice and no penalty meaning others can book those days.
Whoops, we cross posted, Corners. Same point.
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