C C Bookings 2013

[Wendyanne]

I can remember back in the good old days 1980's onwards when we had a trailer tent we would decide on our summer holidays around March time and once we decided where we were going in the country would make up our plans of where we wanted to walk,explore etc. ...

 

When the time duly arrived {usually June or July}we would set off on say a Friday evening and travel up,down or across the country stopping off in a service station for a quick kip before continuing our journey which was quiet early on the Saturday morning. On arrival at said site the first thing we did was to check out the shower block plus the loos because if they were nice and clean we knew the holiday would be ok and we wouldn't have to spend the next two weeks with a jelly belly. We found no problem with getting booked in even though we had arrived on spec so to speak so never had any worries of sitting on the phone for hours on end or getting a numb thumb by continually having to try and book through the net.

 

Perhaps the CC club and others could put forms into their sites guides so that everyone on a certain date had to send off their forms with all the sites listed on the forms and the dates of when they would be arriving and then send them off by snail mail,and so the staff at the head office of the CC inbetween having their Christmas parties etc could go through the post and alacate {spelling} the pitches to members on a first come first served bases and not allow members to block book all the weekends throughout the year but to limit them to say three or four weekends and the next year give someone else a chance to have weekends away and not just a certain few.

 

Quiet a few times on a Thursday i have said to hubby it would be nice to go away this weekdend,but looking through the sites on the CC website,see that either a Saturday is free,or a Sunday or the whole weekend is booked. Well as we can't see the point in dragging the van all the way to somewhere just to stay there for one night so we don't go but stay at home.

 

We used a CL site for the first time this year and although it was nice we wouldn't want to spend the whole of a week or two weeks on one and we have also found that all the popular ones have already been block booked for the whole year.

 

I just don't know what the answer is as we love our van and have met some really nice folk over the years but don't want to have to start using hotels,B&B's,cottages etc as they are too expensive and besides,we don't want to sleep in someone elses bed especially if their kids have head pets lol. ...{no offense meant to kids with head pets}

[IainM1970]

Those who have been members of the CC for a while will know that they did take deposits until fairly recently . .. look back through En Route magazines from that time and people were still complaining about block bookers and no shows. This suggests to me that taking deposits makes not one iota of difference.

 

I have used CC sites since I was born in 1970 and have personally been a member for 25 years . .. I have yet to meet these mysterious block bookers.

 

I think the system we have works well, certainly made my bookings yesterday after school with no fuss at all.

[bigbawmcgraw]

I am enjoying this thread for once :-) sit back relax no worries anymore

 

Now you're just showing off :lol:

[simon645]

Quite right Wendy, it is the weekend block bookers that are the biggest problem, they are a menace, as has been said earlier, how can it be right to allow a member to block book every single weekend for a year and providing they cancel prior to 72 hours i think it is, absolutely no penalty!! utterley ludicrous.

 

 

Phil.

quite right, phil

[jonbev]

There are lots of us who join because there is no deposit system.

If you want deposits then join the C&CC!

[bigbawmcgraw]

quite right, phil

 

Quite right Simon, I agree too

[chrispidgeon]

Your right phil, they so out of touch with the proper caravaneers. If people are serious about booking a deposit should be required. Stop all the greedy timewasters.

 

Not being funny but what the hell is a proper caravanner? Of anything it is this forum that is losing touch with. ..reality?

[Paul_B]

Those who have been members of the CC for a while will know that they did take deposits until fairly recently . .. look back through En Route magazines from that time and people were still complaining about block bookers and no shows. This suggests to me that taking deposits makes not one iota of difference.

 

I have used CC sites since I was born in 1970 and have personally been a member for 25 years . .. I have yet to meet these mysterious block bookers.

 

I think the system we have works well, certainly made my bookings yesterday after school with no fuss at all.

 

I remember it well, we've had to pay deposits in the past too.

 

I appreciate the club treat us as adults with the no deposit system and rightly so, but the people who don't honor their booking on a regular basis should be charged a non returnable £50 deposit for each booking

[pagan]

well I was on the CC site yesterday and book my planned weeks and fortnights away for the year. I had no problems and had finished in 20 mins. I was only allowed to book 1 at a time and was then returned to the waiting area. so I cannot see how people have block booked all the weekends unless they kept going back in after each 1. which would have been a long and tiresome excercise. I made approx 7 bookings and as I said that took me about 20 mins. This year it has worked much better.

[Griff]

. ......This suggests to me that taking deposits makes not one iota of difference. ......

 

Surely depends on the size of the deposit?

 

Can't imagine many forking out say a non refundable £10 per night deposit (see my post 75) maybe knowing full well that they might turn up on the day if they feel like it.

[MalH]

I remember it well, we've had to pay deposits in the past too.

 

I appreciate the club treat us as adults with the no deposit system and rightly so, but the people who don't honor their booking on a regular basis should be charged a non returnable £50 deposit for each booking

 

 

:goodpost:

[Surf01]

Just do what I now do. Stop booking with the CC. Its become a joke. Last new year we stasyed at the C&CC site at Blackmore and the site was full because everyone had paid a deposit and turned up. We had a fantastic New Years Eve party in the recreation hall. Next door it was like a funeral parlour "DEAD" at midnight. But although the site had been fully booked it seems that 26 people chose not to turn up.

The answer has got to be to take a deposit to stop all of this stupid booking of every weekend etc.

 

We shall join the real people again this year for New Year at the C&CC site at Blackmore

 

Merry Christmas everyone

 

Probably because the CC site was closed!

[Surf01]

Here is a definition of what a club is. Probably one of many but the purpose and objective of a club must in the best interests of the community, whether a club is incorporated or not. Does the club fall into this category?

We are also in the group that do not bother with the December feeding frenzy! We do find it annoying when we want to book 10 days on a site, but find that the weekend is booked up. Unfortunately we are not in a position to be able to book months ahead.

[phil1041]

OK so deposits are not the answer, then surely some kind of restriction on the number of weekends booked, or time period in advance, or some kind of rolling sytem as previously mentioned, to restrict the block bookers must surely be feesable?.

 

As Surf01 says, the biggest problem i find is that you cannot, in a lot of cases, book a 10 day stay on a site because of these blessed weekend block bookers, is is a problem that the CC simply have to address.

 

 

Phil.

[poppyman]

Just do what I now do. Stop booking with the CC. Its become a joke. Last new year we stasyed at the C&CC site at Blackmore and the site was full because everyone had paid a deposit and turned up. We had a fantastic New Years Eve party in the recreation hall. Next door it was like a funeral parlour "DEAD" at midnight. But although the site had been fully booked it seems that 26 people chose not to turn up.

The answer has got to be to take a deposit to stop all of this stupid booking of every weekend etc.

 

We shall join the real people again this year for New Year at the C&CC site at Blackmore

 

Merry Christmas everyone

We were at Blackmore C&CC as well last year, GREAT, see you there again this year.

[Surf01]

We were at Blackmore C&CC as well last year, GREAT, see you there again this year.

 

If we rejoin and go, hopefully there will have been a change of wardens as in March they had some real nasty type wardens working there.

[Bill Lord]

 

 

Surely depends on the size of the deposit?

 

Can't imagine many forking out say a non refundable £10 per night deposit (see my post 75) maybe knowing full well that they might turn up on the day if they feel like it.

Whether you can see it or not the CC's published experience when they stopped taking deposits was that bookings increased, site usage increased, and the number of no shows went down. So from their point of view not taking deposits is a no brainer, their members get a better deal and they make more money.

The simple fact of the matter is that there are more people seeking pitches in some places than the supply of pitches can keep up with, for example there are only 102 pitches at Rowntree park and they fill as soon as they become available, this would be the case whether hefty deposits were asked for or not the only difference would be that a different group of people would be shouting about it. This is not about supply and demand in York, the other York site is usually bookable most of the year, it is about supply in one particular location something that cannot be changed. The only way to create availability at Rowntree park is to increase that site price to the point that most people are not prepared to pay the price, much as house prices in some parts of the country have risen to the stupid levels that they are today. I would hate to see this happen as it creates a very unfair system.

[Entwood]

Whether you can see it or not the CC's published experience when they stopped taking deposits was that bookings increased, site usage increased, and the number of no shows went down. So from their point of view not taking deposits is a no brainer, their members get a better deal and they make more money.

The simple fact of the matter is that there are more people seeking pitches in some places than the supply of pitches can keep up with, for example there are only 102 pitches at Rowntree park and they fill as soon as they become available, this would be the case whether hefty deposits were asked for or not the only difference would be that a different group of people would be shouting about it. This is not about supply and demand in York, the other York site is usually bookable most of the year, it is about supply in one particular location something that cannot be changed. The only way to create availability at Rowntree park is to increase that site price to the point that most people are not prepared to pay the price, much as house prices in some parts of the country have risen to the stupid levels that they are today. I would hate to see this happen as it creates a very unfair system.

 

Well said . ...

 

and of course, the only people moaning are those that haven't got EXACTLY what THEY wanted . . as it would appear they believe the CC exists purely to suit THEM . .. I'll bet that those that have booked successfully are quite happy with the system thankyou . .

 

and BTW I have in the past month booked 22 weekends away, 2 bank holidays, and 2 weeks in France, without touching the Club Site at all . .. all are Rallies . .. does that make me a "blessed weekend block booker", or a part of the "feeding frenzy" . .. or simply someone who plans ahead ???

 

I sometimes wonder why some folks are members as all they do is moan about the Club . ....

[diploma]

Never book well in advance, just make our mind up the week before we want to go, pick 3 sites in a area we want and phone them, the first with a vacancy we book, never fails

[Guest jks]

Never book well in advance, just make our mind up the week before we want to go, pick 3 sites in a area we want and phone them, the first with a vacancy we book, never fails

So do we. We go were there is an available pitch or use a CL. Some people just like throwing their toys out of the pram on this subject every year.

Edited December 7, 2012 by jks

[jonbev]

So do we. We go were there is an available pitch or use a CL. Some people just like throwing their toys out of the pram on this subject every year.

 

yep same every year, it gets boring reading the same moans. so what you cant get on a particular site when you want, not the end of the world really is it ? go to another site, sure isnt rocket science is it ? :ph34r:

[Smax Jonny]

OK so deposits are not the answer, then surely some kind of restriction on the number of weekends booked, or time period in advance, or some kind of rolling sytem as previously mentioned, to restrict the block bookers must surely be feesable?.

 

As Surf01 says, the biggest problem i find is that you cannot, in a lot of cases, book a 10 day stay on a site because of these blessed weekend block bookers, is is a problem that the CC simply have to address.

 

 

Phil.

Or you can't get a weekend pitch because of the blessed weekeers !!!

Works both ways matey boy. Why are those that book weekends classed as block bookers but those that book 10 day stints aren't - just a thought ?

It is only a problem,as has been said, for those who can't get onto a site when it suits them. Everybody else says "oh well - lets try somewhere else"

[Surf01]

Or you can't get a weekend pitch because of the blessed weekeers !!!

Works both ways matey boy. Why are those that book weekends classed as block bookers but those that book 10 day stints aren't - just a thought ?

It is only a problem,as has been said, for those who can't get onto a site when it suits them. Everybody else says "oh well - lets try somewhere else"

 

Highly unlikely that someone will book 10 day stints one after the other.

[phil1041]

Highly unlikely that someone will book 10 day stints one after the other.

 

Precisely matey boy!

 

 

Phil.

[CommanderDave]

OK so deposits are not the answer, then surely some kind of restriction on the number of weekends booked, or time period in advance, or some kind of rolling sytem as previously mentioned, to restrict the block bookers must surely be feesable?.

 

As Surf01 says, the biggest problem i find is that you cannot, in a lot of cases, book a 10 day stay on a site because of these blessed weekend block bookers, is is a problem that the CC simply have to address.

 

 

Phil.

 

 

The CC website quotes booking is on a loop and you need to enter the loop again to start at the beginning .

 

Last year a member said he had all the computers in the house ( 5 ) online for booking .

 

Totally agree weekenders block the pitches for the week and the pitch lies empty then for the rest of the week . They should limit the number of pitches used for weekenders as once the weekends are booked it stops anyone wanting to stay longer than 4-5 days midweek. i like to stay for more than 5 days after driving 10hrs to get to a site .

 

 

Dave

Edited December 7, 2012 by CommanderDave