Caravan Club - A Warning

[John H]

This may seem an odd post for a wildcamping forum but I know that many of you, like us, use caravan sites from time to time and if you are thinking of booking a European site this winter DON'T use the Caravan Club's "Winter Escapes" brochure. To cut a very long story short, the prices I have checked against campsites own websites/brochures result in an undeclared SURCHARGE (Not, as you might suppose, a discount!) imposed by the Caravan Club of anything between 5% and a whopping 35% (yes, 35% - on Orbitur sites in Portugal). On top of that, if you're not careful you will find yourself saddled with a £25 booking fee as well! Not only that but they will ignore your e-mails pointing all this out.

While I'm on the subject, I looked up the cost of ferries from Calais to Dover for next March. P&O were charging £56 for something that the Caravan Club wanted £76 for!!!!! Once again, the Club did not respond to my e-mail but the next day their price had fallen to £52.

Be very careful when dealing with a Club that is supposed to lobby for the interests of its members but is actually nothing more than a business set up to exploit them. Why do I remain a member, then? Becuase we use CLs extensively and these would be shut off to us if we were not members - they have you by the short and curlies.

Happy travels and keep your wits about you.

 

[Firefox]

Many of the CL's don't seem to care if you are members of the CC or not. If you have the contact details it's always worth a try. I went on another one last week that didn't care even though I offered my membership number.

Generally I'm not impressed with the CC but do prefer them over the C and CC as they have twice the number of sites for the same membership cost.

Another thing I have found about the CC proper sites is they always seem to be booked months in advance even during winter. They don't represent very good value anyway, but they certainly seem to be able to justify charging premium rates judging by the bookings. I tried to get on Baltic Wharf CC site last weekend near Bristol Marina. I checked on the website and it was booked solid even through November and December! Luckily I know someone at the Marina proper and they let me stay in their car park for a few nights instead.

 

[John H]

Totally agree that the CC sites in the UK are mostly very expensive - especially when you compare them with private (and therefore run-for-profit) sites nearby. And I also agree that many CL owners don't care about your membership card but they do get inspected from time to time and if the inspector asks you for your card and you can't show it then the owner gets reprimanded (and can have his/her licence withdrawn). I don't want to cause decent CL owners problems.

 

[maingate]

I am letting my CC membership lapse next time it is due for renewal. I have not used a CC site since I stopped working away from home (and using the sites as a base).

They might have more sites but I found their Temporary Holiday Sites were no use to us in the Summer. The C&CC ones were much more widespread, we were spoiled for choice. For a few quid per night, they are a good option on a long trip.

The prices of their CL`s have gone up a lot this year as well.

 

[Tco]

The problem mentioned here:

Another thing I have found about the CC proper sites is they always seem to be booked months in advance even during winter.

Is a manifestation of the booking system they use. You can book multiple sites for a given period and then just turn up (or not) at the one you fancy, leaving the unfulfilled bookings hanging.

This was brought home to me when I tried to book a site (for that night) at the CC's Uttoxeter site. "We can't tell if we have any room at the moment as the computer is down" came the reply. My suggesttion that the warden looked out of the window of his hut and see if were any spaces was not taken seriously. In the event we just turned up anyway and the site was less than half full. The warden explained (after the computer came back on) that he was fully booked but as there was clearly space he would let us in.

Therefore many members had booked a pitch there and not turned up, robbing the club of revenue. Members are not required to pay a deposit when booking a pitch. Unlike the CCC where a deposit is almost always taken, therefore maximising site useage.

 

[Wild Sprinter]

Gib it in a car park

Not sure what set up you've got but stick two fingers up to the caravan club sites - Right wing, fascists.

 

[Leltel]

Thanks for the warning, we are ccc members but use mainly independent sites if we need one. We were going to join the cc for their cls but won't be now!

 

[Deleted member 967]

Thanks for the warning, we are ccc members but use mainly independent sites if we need one. We were going to join the cc for their cls but won't be now!

The CLs are the only reason we keep our membership of the CC and C&CC. We use both regularly.

We were members of the MCC. We will not be renewing. 1. They only seem interested in social events and rallies. 2. They do have CLs but after trying one, we said never again. 3. They totally ignore members emails. 4. Its structure means it is totally fragmented and only serves those who like to congregate together and then go home to wash and polish their outfit for the next get together. It does nothing for the majority of motorhomers. You do not need to be a members to use the Nightstops they are setting up in conjunction with Practical Motorhome. I believe the initiative is coming from the magazine not the MCC

 

[dreamers]

Caravan Club a Warning

We so agree with your MCC comments. We've just let our one years membership lapse for your reasons. The Club recruits at all the big shows on a massive scale, once joined they are downright rude unless your part of one of the various little groups. Obviously not all but the vast majority. They also have just under half a million pound banked according to this years accounts which we and others couldn't see a reason for.