New booking system with deposits
I haven't seen any confirmation or otherwise regarding this but have just read it on Faceache with a date of 25th June being, allegedly, given by a member of site staff for implementation.
UP TO DATE INFORMATION ON BOOKINGS
We are normally able to book for next June from today.
However this isn’t possible as the website is moving over to deposits in the next couple of weeks.
So at this time we cannot book anything for next June until the system is live.
Comments
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Afternoon all,
I had a live chat about an hour ago with the call centre, was told the same thing. Training for call centre staff will be completed by the 25th and the new system will go live. Just hope the web site can cope, history tells us it won't.
Enjoy the weekend.
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That will be interesting. The end of May was partway through the half term week. We have booked part of a stay. It will be interesting to see wether we have to book an additional stay, or can add days to our current one and pay a deposit to cover all of it. I would think it will apply to a fair number of bookings, it really would have been more sensible to include the whole of that week in the May release.
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Steve. You are lucky to get an email, I signed up for emails in my preferences via "my profile" and after receiving one email I have received nothing else. If this fault is the same for other members I doubt whether many will get updates!
I did read on here that JK, a site manager, was learning the ropes of the new system so it's obviously imminent.
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Evening
Must be true if it's on facebook?!
Training is going well. Looking forward to next weeks training when we get to use the system in real time.
JK
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I’ve got half a week booked for next Spring bank holiday too. I thought it was pretty stupid not to release dates up to the Sunday at the end of that week. So do these comments mean we can’t book June next year until after 25th June this year?
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Afternoon
Yes.
JK
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Evening
It's not just club sites Arch. All the sites in this area (Ilfracombe/ Woolacombe) are the same. I've spoken to friends who work for the other club and on commercial sites in various regions and they are experiencing similar.
Saying that, we're seeing a bit of a trend this year with lots (way more than usual) of last minute bookings and outfits just turning up on spec (motorhomes and caravans). We were due 20 arrivals today leaving ten spaces. As of 8pm this evening we're full and turned away five vans.
It's been a long but great day so I'm off for a large one (or two)
JK
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Same here Brue and TG. We have never received any Club emails either!! Good job we have CT. I’m not a fan of a deposit system it’s a shame they are coming in. I do hope anything paid will be transferable between sites, we have changed (due to hospital appointments and family commitments) about half a dozen sites already this year!
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I get them around 1 per wk, odd time 2.
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We had two weeks at York rowntree park in may, except for Fridays and Saturdays there we empty spaces every day.
we book this site a year ahead, this is the first time there were empty spaces
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We just had a short stopover at Baltic Wharf Bristol, £47 per night for caravan and 2 persons, Rowntree similar priced. Could that be the reason empty spaces?
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Sad to see the introduction of this, although I do understand some of the reasons behind it.
We seldom book more than a week in advance but this year have had to cancel twice for medical reasons. The first because I spent a day on the Emergency care unit with heart rhythm problems, the second was this weekend when I tested positive for Covid on Friday and we had to cancel our weekend at Burrs.
Both trips were only 2 nights so I doubt any insurance policy would have paid out but it would have been a considerable financial loss for us.
Can see us being even more reluctant to book in future
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AnnB
"Can see us being even more reluctant to book in future"
I have already made the decision to not use club sites any more. We are not in a position to go away as regular as we do and pay club prices. We are at present away on a 5 week tour, average nightly price is £19 25 probably half that of club sites.
It's a shame after 37 years but needs must.
Incidentally the cl's we've used have all been good.
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If it stops speculative bookings then I’m in favour. A couple of weeks ago I thought I’d book the site at Berwick for 4 nights middle of June. Not possible, so I booked a CS with the other Club.
Last night I had another look via Late Availability and guess what my 4 nights were now available. Had another look tonight and now I could have 5 nights. Maybe tomorrow I will be able to book a full week - not that I will.
“Just say’n” as they say.
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Now the decision has been made I just wish they would get on with it so we all know where we are.
As we have a motorhome location is important for us as we like to be near things, not stuck out in the middle of the countryside, I appreciate others will have the opposite view. If the new system improves availability it will be an improvement. Funnily enough, this year we are using quite a few commercial sites. All of them seem to be a similar price to what the CMC charge. The major difference is that all of them not only require a deposit but also require full payment at least a month before arrival on site. This makes the CMC offer seem quite reasonable?
David
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There seems to be quite a change in how quite a few are booking(or not) since the cost of living is affecting families, ,,two families in our area(not a hard up residents) have told me they are now holding back on booking sites as often , just to try and work out what they will be able to afford ,compared to a few months ago and one has curtailed a UK tour they were going to do during the summer holidays
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Put a thread on recently re a conversation I had with a warden re deposits not being refundable, and cmc recommendation to seek money back from your insurance policy. This seems to have been quickly blocked so must be sensitive or something, another reason why this will probably be my last membership year.
Add the massive increase in site fees, wifi cost and membership not a lot going for what was when I first joined in the 1980s a customer oriented members at heart club.
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I just wish there was more information. I don't seem to get many emails and have checked my settings which says I should get them. I've seen nothing, except on here, to say June 2023 bookings wouldn't be available to book until later this month. I've half a week booked as it falls in the Spring Bank Holiday week and would like to try and get the other half booked. It's a members club yet the members seem to be the last to find out!
Deposits don't bother me assuming they can be transferred to another booking or ultimately refundable. You would have to pay a deposit for any other type of holiday but sites are getting very expensive.
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I seem to recall that this was originally a topic of discussion earlier this year, and there were some informative links around how it might operate, but as with much on this website, that discussion, and more importantly, those links are very difficult to find. They will be there somewhere, but blowed if I can find the centre of the maze🤷♀️
I have located the centre of the maze😁 It’s in FAQS, at the top right of the page, then click on new booking system, which gives drop down boxes to a variety of questions. I will try and post a link
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/faqs/uk-booking-experience#general
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I think it will take more than £1 off to convince many that grass pitches are a value for money alternative. We like them in Summer, and some Club Sites have very nice, still sound grass pitches, even after a bit of rain.
I think it’s an indication of the Club’s lack of understanding in terms of the growing MH ownership. Few MH owners, particularly those with big heavy outfits, are going to opt for grass as first choice at the front or back of touring seasons, when the weather might be less predictable (if it ever is in UK) £1 per night is no incentive whatsoever. Different if you book a few days in advance, but months ahead? We wouldn’t, but we might swop to grass on arrival if weather is good. But I’d want to save more than £1 per night.
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Had a conversation yesterday with friends who are staying at a site the site manager told them the new system was starting at the end of the month, strange it wasn't mentioned in any shape or form in this months club magazine I wonder how we will be informed of the start date and thd actual facts of the system.
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I’d start conversations with site managers. . .They know stuff👍🏻
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Thanks TDA. Oh dear, it shouldn't be hidden away like this it ought to be right out there in the site bookings section, this will be so confusing for many and should take priority on the sites booking page. Some of us have never received any communications about this, I hope it will go out to all asap! Just imagine new members trying to work round this information.
The magazine has carried some details but they won't be up to date.
(I only read the details previously when David Klyne posted on another thread.) I would like to thank members for the updates but we really should be hearing it from the club even if the launch date hasn't been decided it's obviously on the horizon now.
There will be people who want to book ahead and it would surely be helpful if they have an update.
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There’s certainly more information there than I can last remember brue. Including opting in or out in terms of having final payment taken day before arrival electronically. Mind, you still have to go into reception by the sound of it to get pitch information, then traipse back to disclose pitch number and be allocated a security card.🙄
Reading further on, they have covered those who don’t use electronic payments, or indeed those who don’t have a Bank account. They can call in and pay at Site if it’s local🤣
Making payments
How do members without internet access place a booking in the new system?
The vast majority of bookings take place on the Club’s website or booking app. However, some bookings still do take place within the contact centre and also over the phone or in-person directly at one of our Club campsites. For those members without website access, they will still be able to book in the same manner, however, they will be asked to pay a deposit by card.
How do members without a credit or debit card pay a deposit?
For members without a credit or debit card (or those without a traditional bank account) there are many ‘pre-payment card’ solutions available to them within the UK. These solutions are designed specifically for customers without bank accounts and therefore without access to traditional credit and debit cards.Alternatively, for members living nearby one of our Club campsites, they will be able to directly visit the campsite and pay a deposit in cash.
Having tried numerous times to contact a Club Site direct over last year, good luck to those who try to get a response from busy onsite staff.
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