Leaving club
thinking of leaving cub since booking system change to year in advance the sites we like are booked up for next year i am still working so need weekends now its impossible to get them . i know people who are making several bookings then picking which to cancel near the time .the system is flawed i am leaving have been a member a lot years
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People making several bookings is allowed, jcal. What the system won't permit is more than one booking for the same date.
Why not take advantage of a system that allows you to book and then cancel (subject to the 72hr rule) without penalty? It's the club's USP and you're missing out by not booking earlier.
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jcal
It looks as though there could be some changes on the way to the booking system if you have a copy of the latest magazine see page 19 and the little box headed up as "Next Steps" I quote, "We are also working on the three most common subjects brought up by members when discussing the booking system: Block Bookings, Cancellations and Deposits" It would seem you are not alone in being concerned. It is a subject that has been discussed in this forum many times but without any definitive conclusions, perhaps those conclusions will soon be with us so it might be to your advantage to hold fire on any decision?
David
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On a similar level I was talking to one of the volunteers at Chirk Castle who was taking our name from the pre booking roll. I asked her how many cancellations she had and it touched a sore point.
She told me that she could go down her sheet for the week on a Monday and see many members names who book each single day as there is no penalty or charge for doing so and then just choose which one of the days they wanted to visit. Even when arriving early in the week they were enough inconsiderate ones who didn't cancel their bookings for later in the week.
So it's not just the CAMC that sees block bookings that cause concern for some members.
Fortunately I don't use club sites very much and have sufficient time on my hands to be flexible if I do need to stay at one. Not every one is as fortunate but it hasn't changed a great deal since we've been members. 20+ years ago we had to ring each site and ask the overworked wardens if there was a pitch for the weekend. Sometimes we were disappointed and went elsewhere. Computers merely make it easier to book far in advance and for multiple locations without the hassle.
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I hope so or there will be more like the OP. On my last site when I arrived at reception the warden said I could change my booking as there was now a better choice from the awning pitches which had become available! My neighbours on this site were also fed up with the system. Today I tried booking another Club site, the commercial one I usually go to was full. I had forgotten it was late bank hoiliday weekend. I wanted four nights but could only get the first three so I said I would accept those and hope for a cancellation. The warden's comment "Wise decission" Says it all.
The flexibility is nice to have but its very frustrating and on balance I would sooner see deposits.
peedee
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I was about to say the same, CL's are our first choice and you are £'s in already. Add in Mayday if you need it, along with any foreign holiday offering cheaper crossing and Red Pennant and it really is value for money.
Colin
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The network of club sites is the "least" important aspect of membership for me, as well.
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Another vote for CLs from me too. Since the pandemic we've only used CLs, adult only ones at that, because we felt we would be safer, rightly or wrongly, but we've felt totally safe on them.
There are many CLs in lovely areas, with the added bonus of being half the price of a main site in many cases!
If the OP hasn't tried a CL, then before leaving the club, I think it would be a good idea to try one.
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On Breakfast TV this morning the hospitality industry was featured as having a problem with cancellations and no shows so why should the Club be any different. The discussion revolved around the introduction of deposits for table reservations.
peedee
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Exactly why do some of the membership continually knock the booking system that is available to every single one of us to use how it was designed to be used.
You book a site , then you have the ability to cancel or rearrange your dates accordingly with the extremely generous 72hour rule if & when you need too.
Again it's another case of members who don't get what they want, when they want... blaming the club system.
We are members of the C&CC too, I wish their terms & conditions for booking were so flexible & changeable on line.
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Completely agree, Compass. The people who want changes are probably the ones who aren't proactive in their booking habits and don't appreciate the flexibility we have. Those who want to change the system to something like the C&CC one should be very careful what they wish for.
It's the ease of booking and amending that makes CAMC the club of choice for me. If the booking arrangements were the same, I’d use C&CC more and get the old folks discount. In fact, I’d probably bin this club.
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+1
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So you are one of those 'weekenders' that's stopping me including a weekend in my 7 day trips, just look at it from the other side of the coin 'jcal'. As yet there is not a system to please all, but CAMCs is the better option in fairness by giving everyone the option to book their preferences or needs early, and at the same time.
I'm not sure by leaving exactly where you are going that has an improved fair for all system, or is it sour grapes by not getting what you want, when indeed you could have.
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A good compromise might be to charge deposits for all bookings made say more than a month in advance??????? Would that not give those that for what ever reason cannot make positive commitments way in advance a better chance of obtaining bookings.???? It would obviously depend on how much of a damper a deposit system puts on advanced bookings.
peedee
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There are a few people suggesting using CLs, which are often reasonably priced when there is more than one person but for single people, they tend to work out more expensive than a Club Site, for fewer facilities and (what is important to me, no dog walk). For the odd night or for visiting an area where I have a specific reason for visiting, they can be very useful, but from an economical veiwpoint, I would prefer to stay at a Club Site.
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Once upon a time people on here complained about the booking day (early December was it?) and how it would be great to have a rolling booking system for the year ahead. When the system changed I remember posting how long would it be before there were complaints about that.
Now we have the OP saying it is this rolling system that is causing the 'problem'. However the same weekenders issue and not getting a pitch were there even under the old system. The real 'problem' (as stated by the club) is that club sites are popular and continue to be so, perhaps even more under the current situation.
The OP should perhaps use the system as it is now and book early.
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That would only discourage the serial bookers/cancellers if the deposits were non-refundable.
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Well it would have to be a system where it wasn't easy to get your deposits back CY otherwise it would be worthless and only lead the Club into worthless admin.
I don't think the rolling system solved anything to do with speculative bookings and at the time it was being muted I pointed out a deposit system would be necessary. I still beiieve that to be the case.
peedee
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It will be interesting to see what comes out of the review which is obviously going on currently. I think it is the first time I have heard the Club not ruling out deposits. The present system, which is very generous to members, does rather discourage those that are not in a position to book a long time ahead. I have just tried to book two sites in early July, that is my definition of booking a long time in advance!!! I have managed to book 2 days out of 3 for one site and 4 days out of 7 for the second site. I will try my normal wait and see approach but if I can't get the extra days I will just have to cancel and think again. If there were a deposit system I am not sure it would help me and it would certainly end the idea of booking the days available in the hope the rest would also become available. 2021 is likely to be a strange year for UK occupancy because many will have given up on going abroad. Perhaps it will return to more normal times next year?
David
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Booking in May for July is leaving it pretty late to my mind, David, and I'm surprised you got as many days as you did. Still, that shows things aren't as fully booked as we might be led to believe.
If the club changes anything, I hope they don't do it until we've had at least one full normal year. Any changes made based on 2020/21 will be a knee jerk reaction to these very unusual times and it might come back to bite them.
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Agree Tinny. We are actually booking and using more Club Sites this year, purely because of the ease of booking, no deposits up front, and should something happen, knowing we can cancel within four days of being due on a Site. I don’t actually mind if they extend that cancel period to say a week, but at the moment, I will not be happy paying deposits. I haven’t had to pay a deposit on a cottage holiday worth four figures, so I won’t do it for Club Site. This is going to be a year like no other. More outfits on the UK roads, staying at home, more outfits that might not be going overseas, it could all change next year🤷♀️
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TW
Never too late! I can only go by the availability shown on the website and both sites are showing odd days. I have already managed to bag one extra day and this is only day two of my quest!!! When I checked after my booking that day was now not available so it appears only odd days available rather than multiple nights for the same day if that makes sense.
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The problems existed before COVID, perhaps not quite so bad? All COVID has done is amplify them. The Club has already lost a weeks booking from me at Sandringham, I simply switched to the C&CC's site. I will be very surprised if the 3 June days I couldn't get don't become available nearer the time.
peedee
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Apologies everyone. We have and have had a number of hols booked this year. We have had to cancel one, and are hanging on to see/hoping that hubby is fit enough to do the next one in 15 days time. Had a big op in March and now unexpectedly having to undergo more treatment..... We are praying for a few weeks away this year, so are really grateful that we can cancel a week or so in advance if he isn't fit enough....
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One of the important points of the current system is that people can pick up cancellations nearer the time and the club sells the pitches and so keep the income up. income.
Another is that when people did pay a deposit and they didn't want show up for whatever reason they usually did not let the club site know (I've paid a deposit so what does it matter) and hence lost income. When the club got rid of deposits the number of no shows went down significantly as perhaps people were more likely to let the club know and those pitches could be sold to those who have more flexibility.
Introduce a deposit and this might change again? would the club want to risk that?
I suspect those people that usually want a deposit system are those want to book club site and due to lack of foresight or early booking can't get their own way as sites are so popular and think a deposit will make everything right. I'm not so sure.
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The only time I book months ahead is when I know there is an event I particularly want to be at, otherwise I very much book as the mood and destination takes me and am not at all bothered if there are no pitches available on Club sites. Nine times out of ten I will book elsewhere. Even with the 4 night booking I mentioned early when I accepted just the three nights I have a motorhome stopover contingency in place for the 4th night just a few miles away just in case.
peedee
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TDA wrote "I don’t actually mind if they extend that cancel period to say a week"
I've always thought 72 hours was too short. A week is far more realistic to dissuade speculative bookers.
I've mapped out an itinerary for about a months tour to Scotland although I have, as yet, booked nothing because I'm uncertain at the moment of my departure date. The itinerary is a bit fluid and I'm uncertain even when the departure date becomes certain where I'll be a any given point. That makes it difficult to book ahead unless I blanket booked numerous alternatives, cancelling unrequired ones as the journey progressed. Would such a course of action, although 'rule compliant' be fair on others?
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