# Annual caravan club scramble!



## chasper (Apr 20, 2008)

Have you all set your alarms for tomorrows annual Caravan Club scramble to book as many of the best sites for the best weekends of the new season? Me i shall be at work so will not be participating.


----------



## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

chasper said:


> Have you all set your alarms for tomorrows annual Caravan Club scramble to book as many of the best sites for the best weekends of the new season? Me i shall be at work so will not be participating.


I wouldn't lower myself.

Pre-booking campsites for all your holidays so far in advance is like booking a package tour with a high street travel agent.

Now that is NOT motorhome touring in my book.


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

It is a very unfair practice and I just dont know why its allowed. :evil:


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

The answer is a resounding NO - like Mavis I detest such a system as fundamentally flawed and like Zozzer do not think that is the way I would want to use our MH.

But then we have only been on two CC sites this year - Start Point and Tiverton. If we can't get on where we want we go somewhere else! :lol: 

Dave


----------



## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

locovan said:


> It is a very unfair practice and I just dont know why its allowed. :evil:


I've often wondered if a certain number of pitches are held in reserve for a short period to cater for those who store their van at the site and wish to book multiple weekends.

A bit like a FIFA funny handshake.


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Zozzer said:
 

> locovan said:
> 
> 
> > It is a very unfair practice and I just dont know why its allowed. :evil:
> ...


As far as I am aware if you have booked a "seasonal or storage" pitch a space is kept for you every weekend - that is one of my criticisms of the system in that it favours those who pay for all year and do not use while blocking those who want to use the spaces. The number of such pitches is in the thousands ! :evil:

Dave


----------



## dally1 (Jul 1, 2010)

I'm not going to bother this year. We always like to go to Uttoxeter racecourse for the first bank holiday in May, a very busy meeting but after trying all day to book last year, I just can't be bothered with the stress.

I'll try at the weekend and if there's room all good and well. I'll go.


----------



## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

Of course the worst part is those that book often dont have definate plans to go. They just think theres a likkle possibility that they may wake up one day and decide to go and as its been booked for 8 months its no problem.

If they decide they dont fancy it never mind, they can always cancel it. No one in the CC will say anything. in fact they will thank you for letting them know.

No penalty either.

Thats why if i fancy say a weekend at Rowtree Farm i will ring up a few days in advance when a lot of them have cancelled and sometimes you can get in. Not always but sometimes you can

When i first joined the caravan club it was in June and I tried to book a site the weekend after i joined and couldn,t . I wondered what had happened. Had i joined a club with 200,000 members and only enough pitched for half of them... no just one where the selfish can take advantage of the unselfish.

Why they dont take a deposit is beyond me. the other clud does it and if you genuinly have to cancel they hold your deposit for 12 months allowing you to use it again.

Phill


----------



## Jennifer (Mar 24, 2009)

Having read all the negativity about booking through the CC, I shall be one of those "unfortunates" who will be trying to book sites today. For me, planning a four week trip to Scotland, next year, and wishing to use CC sites, it is imperative that I know exactly where I can stay. I cannot and would not just go and hope at the last minute that I could find a site, too much stress, and not my idea of touring my beloved UK. So I will be one of those at 9 am this morning logging on to book.

Jenny


----------



## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

The present CC system is daft. Members should be restricted to a certain amount of pre-bookings, ie 3. As for the lady who wants to visit Scotland, unless you are coming during our school holidays, you will always manage to get booked.

Dave


----------



## rowley (May 14, 2005)

I can't get on to book for this weekend!


----------



## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

Yes its a real pain but I really wanted to go to the Southport Airshow and the RAC classic car rally at Chatsworth next year. Its taken me just over an hour to book them both 8O 8O 8O 



Trevor


----------



## Alfa_Scud (Sep 27, 2006)

Well unfortunately, much as I hate to do it, I have been one of those, not that I'm going to apologize!!! 

I fully agree with what people say & don't like it myself, but Sandra's doing the London Marathon next year, so it was either get in early & book Abbey Wood for that weekend, or be faced with a £300+ bill for a hotel stay (some Premier Inns are wanting up to £450 - yes for 3 nights!!). So that's what I've done. 

I've also booked Park Coppice at Coniston as that's the weekend of a 17 mile race that I'm doing, & I want to be near for the pub after etc!

And I've also booked the Invercauld, because we're going to the Braemar gathering & I'm doing the fell race.

So as I say I'm not going to apologize, but I do feel that it makes the booking process a bit fraught having to go down this route


----------



## blongs (Jan 12, 2009)

You would have nothing to apolgise for anyway Alfa_Scud as you have specific dates you want to be at a site and chances are you will attend.

The main issues as I understand it is that people book every weekend throughout the year as it costs nothing and then decide on the last min whether to go.

I saw that the CC have implemented a 72hour cancellation rule for this year with membership suspensions handed out for consistant rule breakers.

So a Friday afternoon arrival for the weekend would need to be cancelled by Tuesday afternoon making the pitch free for the last minute section of the website.

It still hasn't convinced me to join that club though.

Ben


----------



## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

I've heard that from July next year all newly enrolled members of the Caravan Club will have to remove the wheels from their caravans.

The reason being given is that the club no longer caters for touring units.

Their latest Caravan of the Year is to be built of bricks and have a new power system using the old fart technology.


----------



## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Very annoying it is too! Although am stuck with school hols so have a vague idea when we want to go - managed to get on and book ones I wanted hope I remember which ones have booked. 8O (I know I can look in review bookings).

Beats paying annoying deposit though for Caravan and Camping Club. I still can't make up my mind which I like best some years I use Caravan club most then other times C&CC - choices choices are killing me.

Think with all the staycations these sites will be as popular as ever.

Greenie


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

greenasthegrass said:


> Beats paying annoying deposit though for Caravan and Camping Club. Greenie


Why is that annoying Greenie? :?

Surely it's no problem at all if you fully intend to make use of the booking.

It can be annoying only to those selfish "speculators" who have been mentioned many times already.

Dave


----------



## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Cos if I had to pay out the deposit for the times I have booked I would need a bank loan - sometimes the deposit is more than the stay itself. 

Greenie


----------



## ICDSUN (Oct 10, 2006)

A typical example was relayed to me last year by the warden, 1 individual books every weekend just the Sat night, he works shifts and knows his shift pattern will exclude some days but then cancels them as close to the date when the weather is going to be poor, this has happened for the last 3 years but nothing is done about it as he still takes about 50% of his bookings, so probably deemed to be a good member, but he can block a lot of people who want to visit for the weekend. 

I have no problem with paying a deposit and it would stop a lot of this happening, if you look at sites they are 30-50% Mon-Thur but full every weekend so anyone working has very little choice but try and pre book, a simple idea woud be to have 2 tiered membership Mon Thur access at reduced yearly fee and full access at a higher cost, it works with Golf clubs, or is that too simple to adapt

Chris


----------



## keith_c (Feb 8, 2010)

Just booked what I wanted to - a lot in school holidays because that's when we have to go! I already decided this year I'd try it and see what happened and if I couldn't book then no problem - we'd find CL's or something else in the general location we wanted.

If the Caravan Club want to change things in future and want a deposit (or even the full amount) that'd be fine with me as - unless some unforeseen disaster happens - we'll be at the booked sites on the booked dates and we'll have to pay then so I wouldn't mind paying now.

I did the same sort of thing last year and we have honoured all bookings made. This year the Caravan Club website seems to me to have worked far, far better.


----------



## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Well it was quite easy doing it perhaps everyone got fed up early on. Actually for the sites I have booked I would have paid a deposit but will definitely be going - just having to think so far in advance is a headache.

Greenie


----------



## Caggsie (Aug 19, 2008)

Weeeell York was booked up for new year next year and Easter within an hour of bookings opening. Took me an hour to access anything, then kept bombing out, very frustrating. Got easier as time went on. Braithwaite fold booked for all bank hols next year.

Managed to get booked on essentials such as southport for the fireworks weekend and flower show, oh and York for half term in oct! A few in between too.


----------



## Jennifer (Mar 24, 2009)

Well I have been sat on the caravan club site web since 8.30 this am (having had comfort breaks in between) and at about 10.15 I managed to make my first booking, albeit I could only book one at a time, as it kept blocking me out. Anyway, 12 sites booked through web, one booked via telephone and the remaining 3 are not picking up their phones. Only had to pay one £10 deposit so far. So you could say, I am quite a happy bunnykins at the moment, just hoping my last three sites do not mean I will have to change my route.

Jenny


----------



## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Just remembered the bookings opened today so I risked trying the CC website for Morn Hill next May just before our Portsmouth Ferry Crossing the next day. Easy Peasy :lol: :lol: Still in a state of shock - nothing crashed, no hold-ups, seemed even quicker than a run of the mill booking at any other time of year. Wouldn't like to try it when everyone gets home from work though.

Sue


----------



## dally1 (Jul 1, 2010)

My mate has had 2 phones going all morning and when he finally got through (11.30 I believe) his booking for one site, for one weekend was fully booked. He is not a happy bunny.


----------



## geordie01 (Apr 20, 2006)

got everything we wanted no probs including york 'edinburgh and gibson park for new year
just got to think about france for easter and the summer


----------



## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

Booked all mine 4.30, no problems, much better than last year and amazed that some sites still available in school holidays. Perhaps early starters gave up! Much better than last year.

Although I agree with all comments about this isn't what Motorhoming is about I still work for a living and want to spend some weekends where I want to be not where I can get in. :roll:


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

For the last 5 years or so I have seriously considered cancelling my cc membership of 25 years or more because of the booking system .
If a £10 non refundable deposit were mandatory maybe things would be better for all.But as in many walks of life the selfish jump in with the weekends.
We had to book monday to thursday this june as th site we wanted to visit was fully booked for all the summer weekends.
dave p


----------



## stephenpug (Sep 18, 2008)

just got of cc website booked 3 sites (school holls and bank holls) no problem much better than last year,and yes we will show on all the sites we booked just wish we could have paid a deposit to deter the chancers


----------



## jud (Aug 15, 2009)

*C.C*

:roll: only use c.l's nice and quite that's how we like it :lol: being retired we mainly go m/homing abroad weather mostly cr*p here. :wink:


----------



## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

Just read this else where and just wonder how people can afford the time and the money to warrant so many bookings, no wonder alot don't want the deposit system to come in. ----

I started at 10.00 and by 12.00 had made 31 bookings. The only one I could not get all the days I wanted was Bladon Chains at Woodstock due to some do being on there over the weekend. Next year I'll check for this and if necessary book that one first. It was slow going at first but got quicker as the morning went on.

The secret is to log on to the site at 7.00 which you are allowed to do then when the first hour of booking has gone just sit there and keep pressing the button to hit the instant when there is an opening. Waiting for minutes between each attempt will get you no where.

I liked the fact that after the first booking it retains your details so you don't have to go on putting them in. Also if like us you are due to change motorhome all you need to do is go into the site and change your details once and it will change them on all the wardens daily listings.

Right now back to book October and November dates when approved by number one wife. ----------


Not a member myself and never booked any site since we had the van. 

Mandy


----------



## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

Just logged on to book all the favourites - and it opened yesterday 8O 8O Bugger

Can't believe I waited all year and then got the day wrong.


----------

