New Booking System
Comments
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We are having as little contact with anything CAMC run as possible this tour. Avoiding the bookings site, the App, the Live Chat, the Central booking system, the lot. We are using searchforsites and CL Bookings App, far less stressful and time consuming.
It’s the way forward. 👍
And still not paid a single penny up front👍👍
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There are lots of CLs on the CL Booking app which require deposits and full payments. It's a very good app but there's no guarantee of not paying up front on some CLs, personally it doesn't matter we choose on the basis of where we want to be. The same with CAMC sites. I found booking a CAMC stop over worked well, apart from the now sorted banking error. On the same trip I've had to pay upfront for a CL but it was important that we could use that particular one, we could even choose our pitch. Swings and roundabouts but some like us need to fix the places we want to be in advance. For others there are ways to lessen the financial impact by leaving everything till the last minute.
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I have a highly regarded and very popular farm based campsite nearby - now with 35 pitches it grew from a CS and their review scores are high.
Their terms are £50 on a bank card to make a booking, full payment taken from that card two weeks before arrival, no refunds or amendments after that date.
The CAMC terms on the other hand seem quite generous by comparison.
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Well, that sounds like one Cornish site to avoid!
As I've said before, most people aren't complaining about the booking T&C's but about the atrocious booking system.
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Agree Brue, a lot of the CL Bookings CLs have their own website and automated booking. It’s actually the first time we have used a site off here, (have used some of the CLs prior to its set up). Just dropped on one perfect for our meander home, but I did it the old fashioned way, via the phone. We could pay before arrival, but will hand over the cash instead. We don’t usually carry cash, but I got some in Orford for things like roadside jam and chutney, fruit and veg purchases. The churches around here are well organised, you can donate/buy things via a card machine😁
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There seems to be a mix of complaints, some are about using the booking site and some are about deposits, or both. I think the booking site has improved a little and also the main web site has updates (a pity they don't link) but there's not much that can be done about deposits except take up the suggestions about booking late etc. and read the T&Cs too.
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I had a read through the T&Cs via your link thanks Brue. I suspect there will be a number of elements that catch folks out if they haven’t read them, mainly around leaving early, and swopping pitch surface. Notice there is no refund if you initially book a HS, but then swop to grass, or at least that’s how I read it. The Club will add on a HS supplement though if you swop the other way, grass to HS. Plenty of we reserve the right to alter prices information as well.
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Been on this morning to try to book a week at Knaresborough. First of all told the Saturday was not available, when it quite clearly was. Next the ordeal of putting in the car length, d.o.b. etc. Some of this concerns me as a hacker will not only have your cc no. but other relevant useful details.
Then, just when you think its safe to go back in the water the confirmation comes, with a completely different car registration no. shown as ours. I may be in my dotage but even I don't completely mistype 7 digits! My husband looked on a website and it turns out to be someones motorhome.
Have e-mailed the club (again) and now they have 10 days to answer by which time I will have rocked up at the site, and wonder whether this is going to be an issue on arrival.
I would not pay whoever has designed it in washers.
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Thanks for this. It's clear that you can amend your stay more than 21 days in advance without incurring any loss...
- "We know plans sometimes do have to change, so if you cancel or amend your booking at least 21 days before arrival, your deposit will be fully refunded. "
However, inside of 21 days, the best I've found is [my bold]...
- "Q. How is my deposit calculated if I amend a stay within my booking?
A. The deposit value due is recalculated each time an amendment is made.
1) If you are adding or changing a component (eg: a campsite or crossing) - you could be asked to pay an additional deposit, in line with the minimum deposit amount required (eg: if extending the duration of a stay)
2) If you are removing a component - if the recalculated deposit is lower than the deposit that has already been collected, the balance due will be reduced (eg: if reducing the duration of a stay)"
So, while "could be asked" is open to interpretation, I'm hoping that you are correct that simply switching from one Club site to an alternative Club site inside 21 days won't incur any loss of deposits. That would be a sensible approach and time will tell.
Thanks for the pointer.
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Interesting, because I reported the same problem a few posts up this thread. I wonder if they've switched our two registrations? My motorhome booking has been assigned a car registration which belongs to a white Jaguar XF. That's not yours by any chance, is it?
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I have done my best to keep up with the over 900 post in this thread. I tend to agree that it is a mix of responses. The majority are about the actual system which is nowhere near as intuitive as the old, especially it seems on the App. Some of the complaints have been about what is seen as superfluous requirement for information. However quite a minority seem to have been taken unawares by the introduction of a deposit system which I am a bit surprised about? Couple that with the sudden dawning on some that they could lose money if, for some reason, they can't honour a booking. It is, of course, very disappointing that issues have not seen any answers or explanations from the Club management and I just wonder how long we will have to wait for communication or will they not bother in the hope the whole thing settles down?
David
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Sadly not. It is a german car (not saying any more). This just gets wiorse and worse.
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I strongly suspect the latter DK. Only seeing that Trustpilot rating tumble seems to be getting much of a response, albeit the same waffle glossing over things in the main, with the odd targeted response.
The DGs, Marketing Director, Sites Director, and the Chairman’s email addresses aren’t too hard to find though, if anyone can be bothered and wants to put their thoughts directly through to those who make the decisions. It’s way past time at least one of those on a six figure salary ought to have apologised for the situation, but it’s always been the Club’s way to keep quiet and let any kerfuffle roll on.
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Minds will be focused when profits plummet until then it’s a ‘let them eat cake’ situation from the supposed leadership🙁
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This was my workaround this afternoon:-
Navigate to "my bookings", "upcoming bookings", "view booking", then on the right hand edge of the webpage there's an "Amend Outfit" link.
From there I was able to amend the random incorrect registration/ make/ model details they had assigned me.
If nothing else, doing this might ensure a smoother booking in at the campsite.
It has resulted in them sending me a fresh email with the correct booking details now shown.
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It’s unreal, it really is. How come it’s down to members to sort these issues which should have been spotted and corrected long ago😫😣😖
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Is it me? I regard myself as reasonably intelligent, but I am really struggling with this wonderful new system!! As a consultant who, in my working days, helped design holiday booking systems for the major Tour Operators.
I really liked the old system as I generally book late having watched the weather forecast, I could search on a region using a start date and then make a choice from the displayed availability. Now, I'm completely bewildered.
I have just tried searching over Christmas with the same absolute failure. Again, the old system showed available dates and full dates, so I could start my holiday a day or so early or return a day or so later. Now, all I get is Not Available - and have to start again!!
What the heck is going on? Whose bright idea was it to make so much of a change. All that needed updating was the need to pay a deposit. Why I have to add my DoB and car type defeats me. It's about as bright as the "music in the toilet blocks" idea of some years ago. What a waste.
Sorry folks but I have just booked with the opposition
Clive Taylor
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Out of interest I've looked on CAMC FB and the posts about the new booking system have been tamped down however people are getting help when they ask (in amongst the ongoing complaints.)
For myself the late availability is still a mystery and I read the "help" for this but it only helps regarding one site at a time. eg choose a campsite, press the book now button, click on pitch types and dates. This is so cumbersome and quite frankly poor.
If I look on the C&CC efforts for late availability (and their web site is by no means brilliant) I can very easily pull up all the campsites on one page where it states high, low etc. It's so simple and all that most need to make a choice. See what's available generally and proceed.
Sadly no help on here for anyone except from other members and a big thank you from me to anyone who has come up with help and answers!! But I think we are lumbered with a less than easy to use system. And personally although I love maps I don't like them as booking tools, give me a straightforward list anytime and an address in the uk, not Devon, Canada!
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Ihave just spent an hour on mobile and then laptop trying to book nights away and it is to put it mildly a pain i booked it went to pay and it came up with an error ring the center tried that with the number it gave and it came to menu of ferry line or another option. and all our details vehicle ,van and who we are are on our profiles but to have to type them in talk about going around the bushes it was alot easier with the old set up so as someone else has said why change sommat that ain,t broken, come on guys use the old system and tag payment onto it
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A sign of the times :-
With the rolling year booking system in place and no deposits I would, by now , have about 5 bookings made for 2023 most of which with a few minor changes on date I would have fulfilled.
In the new deposit system - bookings for 2023 - one.
Just hoping for a lot of late availability next year.
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Reported, just to see if Ro, or someone else, gives you a reason for the wrong information being on your booking emali.
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We have been club members for coming up to 50 years and find the new booking system very frustrating and annoying. The old system was excellent even if it could be a little difficult at times booking a full week due to weekends being booked up etc especially during Covid.
I think this new system will prove to be very costly for the club. The attraction of being a member of the club was that you could book in advance but always had the flexibility when something untoward happened to postpone, rearrange or when necessary cancel without incurring any financial penalties. This is probably what set the club apart and one of the main reasons why we have always used club sites rather than private sites. We will now consider what private sites are available in the area we want to visit and will probably rely on last minute bookings rather than booking weeks in advance.
I think the club now risks loosing a considerable number of members and good will as well as loosing a large proportion of their bookings to private sites.
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Quite a few folk have said similar things, Dave, and threatened not to renew their membership. I wonder just how many will do that? Personally, I think CAMC has acted appallingly and the directors have clearly demonstrated their incompetence along with the fact that the mighty £ counts for more than the members do. They forget who funds the 'club'.
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We will now consider what private sites are available in the area we want to visit and will probably rely on last minute bookings rather than booking weeks in advance.
I think you will find the majority of private sites have far more onerous booking terms than the Club and if you are unable to make a commitment weeks in advance and will wait until you can, that is what the introduction of the deposit system is designed to do.
peedee
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Some are, some aren’t. Of the two we have used this tour, one didn’t want any on a £100 stay, just to be informed asap if we weren’t coming. The other was £10 on an £80 stay. Non returnable but reusable for another booking in the same year. The balance was required two days before. Both were chosen for location, not T&C’s, which for us will continue to be the case. Although I do draw the line at sites that want the full amount on booking, (however long before) non refundable / transferable with the suggestion you take out insurance. They just don’t get our business.
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I'm not sure they've acted appallingly but just brought themselves into line with the holiday sector generally. As I've said before, I've been an advocate of deposits since the new system was mentioned and I've already tied up almost £500 in deposits that wouldn't have happened previously. The Club's cancellation terms are still generous in that you will get your money back in full if you cancel outside of 21 days. There are not many other holiday companies that would do that. You would almost certainly lose your deposit and often more the closer you cancel to the date of arrival.
You can't compare Club sites with CLs either. The MO is completely different. I would imagine that the provision of pitches at a CL is not usually the man source of income.
What is appalling is the complete shambles of the way the new system operates. The testing of it has completely fallen down somewhere and it is completely unacceptable to us, as members, that no one from EG has come out and made a public statement that something is wrong. A few words from Rowena days ago, standard responses on Trustpilot and nothing in the latest magazine. Do they think it will go away?
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I'm not talking about the move to deposits, mbee, but of the shocking incompetence and lack of communication in the shambolic implementation of this booking system. Your last paragraph is exactly what I referred to by "acted appallingly". To ignore members in this way and launch a system that's far from user friendly, clearly without adequate testing, shows their disdain of paying customers.
I'd like to think members show their feelings by voting with their feet.
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