Posted on 11/07/2021 15:56
Please note arrival time has changed for Ferry Meadows. We are due to stay there in a few days and checked our booking which said arrival time 13:00 not 12:00 . We have noticed a few sites have changed booking in times, so best to check before setting off, as the wardens will not let you in earlier.
Posted on 30/07/2021 09:30 by JVB66I think on all our bookings for FM ,it states on the booking page when you are expected to arrive and I think on most if not all it states the times , I have not noted that any I have booked it is earlier than 1200-1400 and FM is 1300-1500
Posted on 30/07/2021 08:13 by peedeeI don't recall seeing an email quite like in your picture but there would be no harm in displaying arrival and departure times on both the booking confirmation and the pre arrival email shot. It would serve to emphasise times even more and if ever penalties were introduced they can be no excuses unless you are a real ludite and don't have email. I wonder how many that would apply to?
peedee
Posted on 30/07/2021 09:52
Over the years I've checked my average mph on long journeys which probably take in motorways, dual carriageways and A roads. The number of times the average has come out at 44mph makes it possible to judge reasonably well how long it will take travelling and we know, again through experience, how long we usually stop for breaks. The leaving time from home can then be adjusted accordingly for the journey ahead. Yes, we might get hold-ups but that will not make us early at a site.
If we want an early start to avoid known traffic black-spots we will factor in a longer refreshment stop about an hour from our eventual destination. Simple planning means that we don't arrive early at a site. Getting to a site dead on the earliest arrival time might give us an extra hour on site but then again we may have to queue at reception behind all those others that have arrived early or dead on time. Life is not too short to worry about losing an hour of the holiday - even at our age.
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Posted on 30/07/2021 09:38 by peedeeWould you set off for a ferry you had booked a year or several months before without glancing at the companies web site for any variations that might not have been communicated to you? I know we don’t.
Probably, I would tend to rely on the travel company keeping me informed. I certainly cannot recall ever doing this but I haven't used the ferries for years and web would have been in its infancy at the time. I certainly don't check on tunnel, cruise or flight departures, of more concern is likely to be traffic conditions to the place of departure.
peedee
Posted on 30/07/2021 09:54
That is the problem these days no one it seems is able or sensible enough to do things for themselves , and it is not in human nature in any scenario to not make a mistake when collating in formation, to others
Even with modern technology whe the push of a button is at times all that is needed, at some point the information has had to have human intervention 
Posted on 30/07/2021 09:27 by SteveLThe Club must accept responsiblity for early arrivals
Might be just me PD but I think that folk should take on some of the responsibility themselves. It’s hardly difficult or onerous for most to check the web site for any recent changes. Both time and access problems. OK there will be a few on tour without any means of checking the internet but that number is getting fewer and fewer. I agree they could be more consistent in how they communicate and mistakes do happen. Which is why it’s important to check.Would you set off for a ferry you had booked a year or several months before without glancing at the companies web site for any variations that might not have been communicated to you? I know we don’t.
Posted on 30/07/2021 09:52 by JohnM20Over the years I've checked my average mph on long journeys which probably take in motorways, dual carriageways and A roads. The number of times the average has come out at 44mph makes it possible to judge reasonably well how long it will take travelling and we know, again through experience, how long we usually stop for breaks. The leaving time from home can then be adjusted accordingly for the journey ahead. Yes, we might get hold-ups but that will not make us early at a site.
If we want an early start to avoid known traffic black-spots we will factor in a longer refreshment stop about an hour from our eventual destination. Simple planning means that we don't arrive early at a site. Getting to a site dead on the earliest arrival time might give us an extra hour on site but then again we may have to queue at reception behind all those others that have arrived early or dead on time. Life is not too short to worry about losing an hour of the holiday - even at our age.
Posted on 30/07/2021 10:05
Good post, my personal average speed that I've used for almost as many years as I've been caravanning is 40 mph and just like you that makes it very easy to work out arrivals times. I usually throw in one hour extra for any unexpected events if it's an late afternoon/evening arrival. I like to arrive after one if it's a 'midday' arrival.
Also sat nav and/or google maps now will pin point any traffic holdups.
Posted on 30/07/2021 10:01 byI cant say I ever checked a ferry company website before Covid Steve and when there have been major changes I have been informed by the company.
Posted on 30/07/2021 10:14
We were glad we did once many years ago, before the internet, so the checking was by phone. It was at a time of lots of problems with the French blockading the ports. Phoned up BF the day before our night crossing only to be told it was cancelled. However, if you can get here for tonight we have a space. We just made it.😀 It was at a time when we only went for two weeks, so wouldn’t have wanted to have lost any of it.
Posted on 30/07/2021 09:54 by JVB66That is the problem these days no one it seems is able or sensible enough to do things for themselves , and it is not in human nature in any scenario to not make a mistake when collating in formation, to others
Even with modern technology whe the push of a button is at times all that is needed, at some point the information has had to have human intervention
Posted on 30/07/2021 11:15 byToday with modern technology i.e smart phones and email contact details built into ones booking I would think the last thing a ferry company needs now is booked passengers ringing up on a regular basis tying up call center staff to ask "is everything all right". If ones ferry is cancelled or otherwise changed as as been the case in recent times its much easier all round for them to advise, leaving the call staff to deal with real problems. I have found BF particularly good in this respect.
Posted on 30/07/2021 11:30
As I said in my post technology still relies in the most part for fallible. human input ,(CT is a prime example) it is and I expect. It to be still in the future , to always if important to give the "we are experiancing an exceptionally busy call rate today) under manned call centres a ring
charlie25
Caravanner