Cancellation Policy My Thoughts

I thought I would start a new thread, and sorry for any repeats of anything that has been said before.

As many members know weekend availability continues to be a concern to many members.

Every weekend seems to be a peak period no matter what time of year, and there are various theories of why the availability is so poor, i.e. not enough pitches, block bookers, cancellations, and no shows.

Many members have suggested different solutions, like deposits, some members like the idea, and a lot do not.  I do not want this thread to be about deposits as another thread is looking at that.  To discuss deposits please look at this thread... http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/community/discussions/club-talk/club-membership/Is-it-time-to-bring-back-deposits/rt/301338/?p=14#index4

I would like other members thoughts on the cancellation policy.

The club has supplied us with some figures to say there were 52000 cancellations in 2012, which equates on average 1000 per week, and there is still 5 weeks to go.  This seems a lot to me.  People cancel for many reasons, personal circumstances, vehicle breakdown, but some are probably cancelling due to the weather, which other members don't feel that is fair as they don't mind going out in a bit of wind and rain.

Obviously severe weather it would be sensible to cancel or the club should advise not to travel when the weather is that bad, so no black marks are incurred.

I propose that the 72 hours limit of cancellations be increased to 21 days prior to your trip.  This would stop people getting the 7 day forecast and cancelling there and then, because these people can cancel at no penalty, and although the pitch becomes available, it is probably to late for many to make use of it.  A cancellation within 21 days means there would be clear visibility of pitches that had become available, and chance for members to book them.

If the just straight forward 21 days is a bit much, then the marks against people that chancel could be..

Cancel between 21 days to 7 days prior to arrival you get an amber mark.

Cancel between 7 days and 3 days you get a red mark.

Same as now cancel within 3 day you get a black mark.

3 amber marks = 1 red mark.

3 red marks = 1 black mark.

3 black marks and the club can do whatever it is they do now.

For all the one night tourers that are thinking one trip across many sites would have them with loads of marks against them, I would say any stays at club sites that are consecutive would count as one trip / booking.  I would also suggest that you could have up to a 2 nights not on a club site to keep the consecutive booking as maybe if you are touring you have to stay on a non club site.