Community Forums

twogypsies · 02-25-2023, 03:24 PM

This campground is full of fees and rules!

https://casiniranch.com/camping-rates

https://casiniranch.com/conditions-charges

https://casiniranch.com/rules

Bigceasar · 02-25-2023, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twogypsies

This campground is full of fees and rules!

https://casiniranch.com/camping-rates

https://casiniranch.com/conditions-charges

https://casiniranch.com/rules

Everything appears to be reasonable. Rates, fees and rules are clearly stated. Doesn’t appear to me there should be any surprises. I like it and don’t see any problems.

bizzerbiz · 02-25-2023, 04:11 PM

[QUOTE=davidceder;6431353]Most, if not all State Parks take the entire amount. We are big on SP's and need to make reservations a year in advance. Sometimes we have several thousands of dollars invested for 12 months out. For the most part I trust the SP's will be there when I get there. On the private side I see a mix, but lately more taking it all upfront for the reasons stated above. Just another part of all the risk of our little cult lifestyle.

Ditto on State and local parks. I already have a month paid for next year in AZ. Prepaying is the cost of securing a spot of your choice in these parks. Doesn't bother me to pay now. We all know life changes on a dime. Refunds have never been an issue.

propchef · 02-25-2023, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigceasar

Everything appears to be reasonable. Rates, fees and rules are clearly stated. Doesn’t appear to me there should be any surprises. I like it and don’t see any problems.

^^^^this.

Casini is local to us and we were just there in December. It's a very busy and popular campground and well worth the cost. They're no different from many others.

baraff · 02-25-2023, 05:59 PM

One solution to this problem might be if an RV park took a deposit of say, 20% and then 30 days or so prior to the stay require the remaining full amount to be paid.
The cruise lines do this, Princess for example requires a deposit and 75 days out requires full payment. Within that 75 day period, refunds are given with a penalty attached.
I can't imagine this would be too difficult to implement. I suspect greed plays a large part as to why not.

Todd727 · 03-02-2023, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pasdad1

How many products or services do you buy that you pay in advance 6 months or more, and get no use of that product or service for 6-12 months? When you buy a new car do you pay half when ordering and the other half 6-12 months later?

We now have paid about $5000 in deposits for 2023 alone.

This is a big change from one or two years ago. In 2022 we paid a deposit usually equal to one nights stay to hold a reservation.

Another big issue is many of the parks issue no refunds even in the event of forest fires, floods, or other events that would prevent me from using the park on my assigned dates.

Ok, airline tickets and train tickets, which is a better example when comparing vacation activities than buying a car. For those tickets, it's the full amount upfront.

Booking ski condos often requires a large deposit as does booking a cruise. Sometimes those condos require the full amount upfront.

Lexa · 03-02-2023, 04:52 PM

Aside from deposits, I am flabbergasted that some RV parks take your deposit on the following year, but won’t/can’t tell you the rates for the following year. So if you find out the rates have soared and you want to cancel, it costs you some or all of your deposit. This seems unfair to me.
I also resent “dynamic pricing” whereby the the price goes up the closer you book to you check in date.

RodH · 03-02-2023, 04:55 PM

I just made a reservation, at a county park in Oregon, for Thanksgiving.
Full payment was charged to my CC

Bonron · 03-02-2023, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

YEP....becoming more and more prevalent
Probably due to folks reserving sites then cancelling
CG has your money so one might think twice about just cancelling unless absolutely necessary to do so

Yes, sadly that seems to be the case everywhere. Booking 14 months out is not a good idea, life happens and if you can’t make it, you’re going to forfeit some cash.

Reevesfam · 03-02-2023, 05:44 PM

The reservations issue is regional in my experience. And certainly you can’t gauge the situation on what happens in California (I used to live there so pretty much understand it) We circulate now primarily in the SE US from March through November every year, make all of our reservations a year in advance and get what we want and where we want. Make your reservations for the next trip before you leave the spot you’re in!

RickMary · 03-02-2023, 06:30 PM

The only good thing is that when you are on your trips you already paid for the spot. It’s less of a financial hit at vacation time.

Bobby F · 03-02-2023, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reevesfam

Make your reservations for the next trip before you leave the spot you’re in!

Hardest part of that plan is breaking in for the first time. I want to do a Florida RV winter, but can't figure out which places to go and how to reserve without being there and looking, but I can't be there to look without reservations . . .

Bigceasar · 03-02-2023, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lexa

Aside from deposits, I am flabbergasted that some RV parks take your deposit on the following year, but won’t/can’t tell you the rates for the following year. So if you find out the rates have soared and you want to cancel, it costs you some or all of your deposit. This seems unfair to me.
I also resent “dynamic pricing” whereby the the price goes up the closer you book to you check in date.

Unfortunately most parks do not have crystal balls to tell them what costs they will be facing a year into the future. If someone who had secured a reservation objected to the new rate we would fully refund their deposit provided they cancelled within 30 days of them being notified of the new rate.
As for dynamic pricing, it has been done for decades by hotels, airlines, cruises etc. In reality it is just a further expansion of peak season, shoulder season and off season pricing parks have had for years.

Loanshark53 · 03-03-2023, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigceasar

Everything appears to be reasonable. Rates, fees and rules are clearly stated. Doesn’t appear to me there should be any surprises. I like it and don’t see any problems.

Gee thanks for posting links to their "Rates, Fees and Rules" which I did read when making my reservations. Unless I'm missing something, I don't see anywhere where they state that your full visit will be charged upon making your reservation. If that was the case, why did I also have to pay an extra $30 to hold the site that I reserved and pay the full fee in advance for.

It is not a reasonable policy for a company to have full use of your money at no cost for over a year while the customer bears the carrying cost of that money, whatever it is to them.

I know, if I don't like the policy, I can cancel my reservation in protest and go elsewhere and then pay their cancellation fees, however this is the campground that my daughters wanted to try. We've heard good things about it, but this policy is not a good one!