# Cancellation Piracy?!



## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

So, I just pull out my paperwork to call a campground and cancel a reservation. I looked up the cancellation policy to see if I'd have to forfeit a night's stay or what... and was SHOCKED to see "$25 charge on all cancellations. No refunds if canceled within 30 days of arrival date."

What the???

So, I'm thinking... aren't they encouraging me to just not show up? That's not a cancellation is it? I read all the rules and policies (that I agreed to when I submitted the reservation request) and I don't see anywhere that I'm contractually obligated to either cancel or pay the balance.

So they'll just end up with a no-show from me and get the deposit (1/2 the fee) instead of getting to rent it out for the same time. (I'm assuming that these popular campgrounds would have a pretty steady stream of people looking for a site with short notice, but maybe I'm wrong.)

Here's the beauty of it ... I used my checking debit card when I made the reservation and my bank has since issued me a new card (with new #) because of suspicious activity or something, so even if they tried to pull a fast one and bill me for something additional it wouldn't go through.


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

By the way, the campground is Silver Creek RV Resort in Silver Lake, Michigan.

I just called and verified they enforce the policy.

I didn't mention in the other message that the reservation deposit is 1/2 the total. So if you booked 7 days and wanted to cancel 25 days before your stay you'd lose $150.









Guess where I will never stay while in Silver Lake.


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## MJRey (Jan 21, 2005)

I've noticed over the years that cancellation or change policies vary tremendously between campgrounds, both public and private. About 6 or 7 years ago we were going to go to Yosemite NP for a weekend in May and they had a big snowstorm predicted for the weekend. We decided not to go on Wednesday and when I went to cancel our reservation I found out that there was a cancellation fee and a one night charge since we were cancelling with less than 7 days notice. We were only going to be there for two nights so the cancellation fee and the one night charge was basically the same as what I had already paid for the two nights. We just ended up being no shows.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

I decided a long time ago that the cancellation policy was one of the main 'features' to look for in an RV Park/Campground. We were very carefull last year to make sure we were quite clear about the policy before we made reservations (there are a LOT of things that can cause a person to miss a reservation!)

I'm sorry to hear that you got caught in such a fashion - it pretty much only happens once (yup, that's why we are so careful!)


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## campmg (Dec 24, 2005)

I agree it stinks. You have to book so early to get good spots and a lot of things can change before your trip dates.

Personally, I think one night fee is acceptable with no extra cancel penalty. It's hard if you only have the 2 days planned but not too bad if you booked a full week.

With 30 days notice it should be fully refundable.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

All the sites I have resered to date, have been through Reserve America. The one time I had to cancel a trip it was a flat $6 cancellation fee (seems perfectly reasonable to me). I had already paid in full with my VISA, and the full refund (less the $6) was on my next statement.









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## jt-mt-21rs (Jun 17, 2006)

The problem is people book a block of 3 weeks then cancel 1 or 2 of them depending on which week(s) they decide to use. Then the next guy that would have liked to book a site has to go somewhere else because the campground looks booked. Not too many people can rely on a late cancellation at a popular park to plan a family summer vacation / camping trip. I've noticed the cancellation policies have increased the fees closer to the actual date in our area. I personally like it and have noticed a lot less empty sites once you get there. With the old system you would book a site at a campground that looked full when first booked only to find it half empty when you get there. You can't cancel a plane ticket or get a refund to a concert at the last minute because you had a change of plans. Why should a campground be any different? 
My 2 cents...


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Just go where they don't take reservations...


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

jt-mt-21rs said:


> The problem is people book a block of 3 weeks then cancel 1 or 2 of them depending on which week(s) they decide to use. Then the next guy that would have liked to book a site has to go somewhere else because the campground looks booked. Not too many people can rely on a late cancellation at a popular park to plan a family summer vacation / camping trip. I've noticed the cancellation policies have increased the fees closer to the actual date in our area. I personally like it and have noticed a lot less empty sites once you get there. With the old system you would book a site at a campground that looked full when first booked only to find it half empty when you get there. You can't cancel a plane ticket or get a refund to a concert at the last minute because you had a change of plans. Why should a campground be any different?
> My 2 cents...


I think I understand and appreciate their point of view. I guess it's a catch-22 they've created. You _have_ to book 6 months early in order to even get in the campground, but then that very fact increases the chances your plans will change.

Personally, what I think I've sensed from a little experience now is that the campgrounds seem to have a financial budget, right or wrong, based on a big bunch of revenue in the first couple of months of the year. Just theororizing, but once you experienced receiving 1/2 of the total year's income by March 1st I can see how you'd have motivation to encourage that and discourage having to give a bunch of it back later in the year.

I'm kind of surprised by something you wrote - You'd rather have somebody in all the sites around you than have them empty?









Campgrounds to airlines or concerts is apples and oranges. It's more realistic to compare to motels, and in that case such a cancellation policy would put them out of business. I'm not ticked off today as much as I am finding this interesting how this industry has evolved itself into a condition where such a policy is even possible without going out of business.

Anyway, lesson learned for me and I'll never stay at a campground with that kind of policy.


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## jt-mt-21rs (Jun 17, 2006)

Yes, the RV industry has certainly taken off in the last few years and it is a catch-22. The problem with no reservations is there is usually a reason why you don't need a reservation at that campground. 
There are a lot more empty hotels and motels around then there are decent campgrounds. It's supply and demand - not similar services - that dictate customer policy adjustments.

Anyways, I didn't mean I wanted people around me. Just that you remember looking at the campground on-line 6 months ago and most of the sites were booked. When you arrive in July, the place looks half empty. Eventually February reservations fill the park then people book elsewhere. It's lost revenue for the park that ultimately trigger increased rates to cover expenses.


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

Hmmm. Yes, good points.

Which perhaps leads to another angle. Once a campground is popular enough to get away with that kind of cancellation policy it will probably have a tendency to decrease the quality of service that made them so popular. I'm talking about the attititude of the owners when they know they don't really need your business because there's a line behind you.

I had an experience like that last year when a campground called me back and told me they cancelled my reservation and didn't want my business after all because I had too many people with me (which was just my family and my mom).


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## luv2rv (Jun 21, 2004)

Jt is referring specifically to our Provincial Parks system which has been notorious for people abusing the system over the years.

The reservation window used to be about 6months out max. Campers would book a site for say a week or more at the earliest date possible and then week after week change the reservation out by a week until they reached their desired dates for little or no cost.

The window was revised to 5 months with no changes permitted for 30 days. This way you are blocked from playing the roll game. The closer you get to your dates the higher the cancellation fee to a max of 50% once you are inside a 30 day window.

Problem was as JT stated, the sites would all look booked up because of this.

The new policy is much better and more equitable. Being government run facilities the service level has not changed no matter how popular the parks have become.

Wayne


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## nynethead (Sep 23, 2005)

The campgrounds have to protect themselves. Business is business and they need to pay saleries and make a living. If everyone booked then canceled without a penalty, they would make no money and have an empty park. I always wonder when you make a last minute reservation like I did yesterday for the weekend and they say YES we have a spot for you. Now I wonder "how bad is this campground going to be" because they actually have a spot for me. I will find out tomorrow afternoon when I arrive









No matter what, it's only 90 minutes from home, it's my trailer, it's near the beach, so it can't be that bad for 3 nights.


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