CAMC retention

[SpeedyDux]

I think I have caught the CAMC out telling porkies.

When I was looking at sites to break my journey home, I was surprised that the Hurn Lane site had low availability, even midweek, so booked a night there and then just in case.

Curious, I looked at Looe where I have just come from. That is also indicating low availability. When I was there, there must have been well over 100 empty pitches.

Is this to encourage people to panic book, I wonder?

The previous site booking system had little calendar charts for every Club site, indicating exactly how many available pitches there were in each category on the precise dates I was looking at. The new booking system is a massive leap backwards. No detail at all. Terrible.

In 2022, after we had pitched up, by the end of the afternoon the number of empty pitches I saw was minimal, so that disproved the necessity for deposits to deter last-minute cancellations and no-shows. The previous "3 strikes and you get all your bookings cancelled" sanction was enough.

 

[nickq]

Did they ever enforce the 3 strikes and you're out policy?
I read many posts about people who booked multiple sites for the SAME dates when they became released and then cancelled the ones they didn't want last minute. This is abuse and ruins it for everyone else and for this reason I always felt there should be no deposit, just pay in full ON BOOKING like most independents anyway.
Yet again a minority spoiling it for all.

 

[Gellyneck]

I read many posts about people who booked multiple sites for the SAME dates when they became released and then cancelled the ones they didn't want last minute.

This wasn't possible unless you used multiple memberships, eg husband and wife, etc.
One booking per member on a specific date.

 

[nickq]

This wasn't possible unless you used multiple memberships, eg husband and wife, etc.
One booking per member on a specific date.

Interesting, I guess they were trolls then.
Pesonally I never tried it

 

[Langtoftlad]

Did they ever enforce the 3 strikes and you're out policy?
I read many posts about people who booked multiple sites for the SAME dates when they became released and then cancelled the ones they didn't want last minute. This is abuse and ruins it for everyone else and for this reason I always felt there should be no deposit, just pay in full ON BOOKING like most independents anyway.
Yet again a minority spoiling it for all.

I think that is an apocryphal story - repeated so often it becomes an accepted "truth"
When I used to book CAMC sites, you could only book one site for any one period. Try to book another site for the same period, the website wouldn't allow it.

Nothing to stop one booking the same site for every weekend but booking different sites for the same weekend wasn't possible.

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[nickq]

I think that is an apocryphal story - repeated so often it becomes an accepted "truth"
When I used to book CAMC sites, you could only book one site for any one period. Try to book another site for the same period, the website wouldn't allow it.

Nothing to stop one booking the same site for every weekend but booking different sites for the same weekend wasn't possible.

People booking every weekend over the summer and then last minute cancelling the ones they don't want I'm sure was a thing though. This although allowed was very bad for others trying to find space.
So I'm all for a deposit if not paying in full to stop this selfish behaviour.
Would be interesting to know from CAMC on stats for cancellations, I bet the deposit system will have a massive effect on the number.

 

[Janine]

People booking every weekend over the summer and then last minute cancelling the ones they don't want I'm sure was a thing though. This although allowed was very bad for others trying to find space.
So I'm all for a deposit if not paying in full to stop this selfish behaviour.
Would be interesting to know from CAMC on stats for cancellations, I bet the deposit system will have a massive effect on the number.

I bet the deposit system will have a massive effect on bookings too

 

[Gellyneck]

So I'm all for a deposit if not paying in full to stop this selfish behaviour.

and penalising those who booked up to a year in advance and didn't "no show".
A better solution would have been to hold members credit card details, as they do now, and build into the t&c's that bookers had to accept they would be billed for the full first night cost if cancelled within 21 days.
Bookers who subsequently "cancelled" their card details get "xxx" strikes and are out!

 

[Gellyneck]

I bet the deposit system will have a massive effect on bookings too

We're down by c60% this year. Only ever missed one booking resulting from medical emergency.

 

[nickq]

and penalising those who booked up to a year in advance and didn't "no show".
A better solution would have been to hold members credit card details, as they do now, and build into the t&c's that bookers had to accept they would be billed for the full first night cost if cancelled within 21 days.
Bookers who subsequently "cancelled" their card details get "xxx" strikes and are out!

But those people aren't penalised because their price will be lower from booking in advance. So yes your few pence of interest you may have earned of the deposit is lost, but then you probably pay £20 less per night vs. me booking last minute.

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[nickq]

Incidentally I booked an independent, £83 for 2 nights, couple days before wife got covid so couldn't go. No refund, all they offered were moving the dates but this was no good to me as we only booked it as we were in the area. (this was also clear at the time of booking)
You could argue that's on me for not having travel insurance when in the UK.
Genuine cancellations are hopefully rare for us all.

 

[seasideBill]

Sou

I think I have caught the CAMC out telling porkies.

When I was looking at sites to break my journey home, I was surprised that the Hurn Lane site had low availability, even midweek, so booked a night there and then just in case.

Curious, I looked at Looe where I have just come from. That is also indicating low availability. When I was there, there must have been well over 100 empty pitches.

Is this to encourage people to panic book, I wonder?

Sounds like easyJet or Booking.Con …… last few seats available.
Wouldn’t it be nice if they just operated like a club with respect and honesty towards paying members.

 

[Gellyneck]

But those people aren't penalised because their price will be lower from booking in advance. So yes your few pence of interest you may have earned of the deposit is lost, but then you probably pay £20 less per night vs. me booking last minute.

but hundreds of pounds worth of cash tied up in deposits.
Pricing is not necessarily lower if you book in advance. Sometimes it's cheaper to book later when the Club runs Spring \ Summer sales, etc.

 

[Gellyneck]

You could argue that's on me for not having travel insurance when in the UK.
Genuine cancellations are hopefully rare for us all.

Agreed. If we book a holiday with restricted refund policies (and it's a serious amount of money) we'd take out travel insurance.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Gave membership a try this year and won't be renewing - dreadful app and prices.
Example:

End of June (low season in the eyes of most commercial sites) and comparing equivalent pitches.

Hunters Moon, Wareham £268.10 for 7 nights.

Shrubbery, Lyme Regis £126 for 7 nights (low season offer) plus a deposit of £70 for electricity - unused units refunded.

I can understand prices CMHC being higher in winter when electricity usage is going to high but in summer?

Something is wrong at the top of this organisation to get this so wrong.

Re. Electric costing the same all year round maybe there are doing the same as the power companies when setting up your d/d. In fairness CAMC probably need to budget across the 12 months and set the charge accordingly. I maybe wrong and still think they really need to offer non EHU pitches a a fair price to.

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[Otter Spotter]

I think that is an apocryphal story - repeated so often it becomes an accepted "truth"
When I used to book CAMC sites, you could only book one site for any one period. Try to book another site for the same period, the website wouldn't allow it.

Nothing to stop one booking the same site for every weekend but booking different sites for the same weekend wasn't possible.

I don’t think people were booking multiple site for the same dates, it was booking consecutive sites on consecutive dates as though on a trip, but then not turning up to all the sites on the route. This is what one of my acquaintances used to do and after 3 years he was asked to stop or else !
I personally think CAMC have forgotten that many Motorhomes do like to be flexible with their travel plans shortening visits to one whilst extending visits to other sites or even going of plan to other sites or even wild camp for a few nights so having to pay deposits and much worse cancellation fees is counter to a Motorhomers way of travel. You should at least be able to transfer booking/deposits to another date/site because at the end of the day, if your booking and rebooking online it’s not costing the club (sic) anything, Oh, I forgot, the website is not fit for purpose and probably wouldn’t lend itself to adaptation for the benefit of its members

 

[Lenny HB]

This booking lark for Motorhomes just seems crazy to me, defeats the object of Motorhome travel. We rarely know where we are going to be each night so not possible to book.

 

[Gellyneck]

You should at least be able to transfer booking/deposits to another date/site because at the end of the day, if your booking and rebooking online it’s not costing the club (sic) anything,

Believe you can do that on the new system, even within the 21 day limit.

 

[nickq]

Just because they added Motorhome to the name doesn't make it a motorhome club.
The ONLY thing they've done for motorhomes as far as I know, is installed some drive over drains.

 

[Folkranger]

How much would site fees be for a 78 night trip in the UK?

Take it down to a nightly cost, assume in a week you spend 3 nights in a free aire, 4 nights in a paid Aire at ave €10 a night and then every 3 or 4 weeks a few days holiday in a camp site, full facilities at the CampingCard rate of €22 a night. A tank of diesel a week and 2 refills of lpg.

I couldn’t afford this trip in the UK.

Then there’s the Boulageries, chateaus, vineyards (had a very nice tour and free tasting the other day, 4 samples of wines costing €25, €45, €120 and €170. Etc. Bliss.

We stayed on a free pitch at a vinyard in Fleurie. Next day they asked if we wanted to taste their wines. "OK I'll buy six." said I. She said, "Six cases?", I said "No, 6 bottles". She started to look less friendly after that.

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[Folkranger]

Just because they added Motorhome to the name doesn't make it a motorhome club.
The ONLY thing they've done for motorhomes as far as I know, is installed some drive over drains.

Problem is, motorhoming is a completely different ethos from most caravanning. It's much more about freedom and sponteneity and they can't simply fix this within their club simply by including motorhomes in the name to cater for members who have made the change.

 

[hja]

Problem is, motorhoming is a completely different ethos from most caravanning. It's much more about freedom and sponteneity and they can't simply fix this within their club simply by including motorhomes in the name to cater for members who have made the change.

Their recent magazine included the info thet they have garnered themselves about motorhomers being at least half their membership and surprise, surprise, they tend to have shorter stays on a site as they move around. So having got the info the big question is what are they going to do about it? The recent Council report talked about breakout sessions discussing providing what members want, but we are given no ideas about what they may be considering.

 

[Gellyneck]

Problem is, motorhoming is a completely different ethos from most caravanning. It's much more about freedom and sponteneity and they can't simply fix this within their club simply by including motorhomes in the name to cater for members who have made the change.

Virtually all the C&MC sites we've been on over the past 5-6 years the mix of unit type (motorhomes \ campervans vs caravan) has been in favour of the former.
We've even been on a site where the mix was around 80 \ 20.

Their recent magazine included the info thet they have garnered themselves about motorhomers being at least half their membership and surprise, surprise, they tend to have shorter stays on a site as they move around.

Looks to support the above.

So having got the info the big question is what are they going to do about it? The recent Council report talked about breakout sessions discussing providing what members want, but we are given no ideas about what they may be considering.

They are currently trialling Smart Metering (PAYG electricity) at one site with a second coming on in a couple of months. Probably one of the more frequent complaints against the Club so they may be listening.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Virtually all the C&MC sites we've been on over the past 5-6 years the mix of unit type (motorhomes \ campervans vs caravan) has been in favour of the former.
We've even been on a site where the mix was around 80 \ 20.

Looks to support the above.

They are currently trialling Smart Metering (PAYG electricity) at one site with a second coming on in a couple of months. Probably one of the more frequent complaints against the Club so they may be listening.

80/20 in favour of MHs at Moffat in March.

 

[David and Sally]

Didn’t we have some CMC wardens on this site? Wonder what light they can shed on all this?

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[philann]

A number of times we’ve just turned up with no booking and got a pitch, we tend to stay on site for 2 or 3 nights to explore the area. Never had a problem with wardens. The last one, Brecon, had the ‘new’ two peg system- you can go in forwards or reverse as long as you are between the pegs.

 

[MichaelT]

This booking lark for Motorhomes just seems crazy to me, defeats the object of Motorhome travel. We rarely know where we are going to be each night so not possible to book.

But when you had a caravan you did,

 

[Lenny HB]

But when you had a caravan you did,

Nope, might ring up a CS on the day before never booked anything abroad.
Used to go to the New Forest at Easter never booked.

But travelling in a Motorhome is totally different it tends to be spontaneous we often book a ferry and don't even know what country we are heading for.

Our first trip in our own Motorhome we were heading for the baltic, weather looked crap turned right at Belgium ended up in Slovenia.

 

[hja]

They are currently trialling Smart Metering (PAYG electricity) at one site with a second coming on in a couple of months. Probably one of the more frequent complaints against the Club so they may be listening.

Yes, but reduction in price for non electric is negligible and they couldnt have come up with a more complicated payment system if they had tried. the results of the trial will be really interesting.

 

[Sue26]

We stayed at wyatts covert for 3 nights last weekend. They are trialing the smart meter scheme where, for June, pitch fees were reduced by £2 per night. Our electricity cost us just over £6 so it was about break even. We felt it was a little expensive as we were out all day and the days were long and the weather was hot so it was mainly for some tv in the evenings and the kettle for a few brews morning and evening.

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