Community Forums

Freddy · 09-24-2005, 12:34 PM

Just wondering what the general opinion is about campgrounds refusing to refund payment when trips are cut short by emergency.

What about non-emergency type early departures?

For the record, I can understand the small owner who might get a drop in now and again, but it seems unconscionable to me for a major campground to withhold repayment, esp. when an emergency requires the camper to cut short his trip to return home.

By major campground, I mean the kind that has people in a holding area waiting for vacancies, or in a major entertainment area where there is no chance a spot will be vacant for more than half a day or so.

Freddy · 09-24-2005, 12:34 PM

Just wondering what the general opinion is about campgrounds refusing to refund payment when trips are cut short by emergency.

What about non-emergency type early departures?

For the record, I can understand the small owner who might get a drop in now and again, but it seems unconscionable to me for a major campground to withhold repayment, esp. when an emergency requires the camper to cut short his trip to return home.

By major campground, I mean the kind that has people in a holding area waiting for vacancies, or in a major entertainment area where there is no chance a spot will be vacant for more than half a day or so.

abarkl · 09-24-2005, 03:14 PM

Was their no refund policy made clear upon checkin. If you signed and accepted their no refund policy and are dissatisfied, don't stay there again.

Freddy · 09-24-2005, 10:39 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by abarkl:
Was their no refund policy made clear upon checkin. If you signed and accepted their no refund policy and are dissatisfied, don't stay there again. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I understand that! My question was specific.

Would the policy hold if the campground lost the ability to accomodate the traveller?

There are all sorts of possibilities. My question doesn't pertain to policy; it pertains to fairness, and doing what's right.

rhandley · 09-25-2005, 03:02 AM

If you understood their no-refund policy prior to arrival, then no refund if it falls within the policy. You should receive a refund upon arrival and they can not accomodate your reservation. If your stay is cut short, due to an emergency, the park should accomodate you if it is not a holiday weekend, spring break, ect. Otherwise, I have always thought that your next customer is the person this guest will tell about their positive experience.

Texas Bubba · 09-25-2005, 03:08 AM

Explain what was the emergency? How did you document it to the campground?

Gary RVRoamer · 09-25-2005, 07:21 AM

I've worked in campgrounds with strict no-refund policies - they seem to be most common in the Northeast. Seems a bit harsh, but there's another side of the story. You can't believe how many people have hospitalized mothers, home disasters (water leaks are popular), and business/financial emergencies, etc. when the weather forecast for the weekend gets dismal. Everybody has a story and who is to say which are legit and which can only be handled by the presence of a particular person? After a little experience with such excuses, the choice quickly becomes either refunds for any/all or a strict "no refund" policy.

In fairness, the place we worked at with the strict "no refunds within 5 days of arrival" policy would usually grant a refund anyway if the person wrote (not called) the owners with substantiation of a real problem and the site was indeed rented to someone else.

Tom N · 09-25-2005, 12:15 PM

If they state "no refunds" in their literature I feel there is nothing wrong with it. Put yourself in the owners shoes.

Freddy · 09-25-2005, 03:13 PM

Some seem to think that I'm writing about a personal experience. I'm merely asking for opinions.

Texas Bubba · 09-25-2005, 04:14 PM

Since this is a rhetorical question, I go along with the others in that if it is published policy, then they are within their right to enforce it. Sounds good to say "I wouldn't do it", but the fact is, they need to make a living too.

Freddy · 09-26-2005, 12:58 AM

It seems to me it's a bit like highway robbery.

If you check into a hotel/motel and have to leave a day or two early, there's no question that you'll get refunded for those days.

What makes an RV park different, esp. these days? It's my understanding that since 9/11 RV travel has increased expotentially.

Freddy · 09-26-2005, 06:56 AM

Left out one important point: I agree that deposits to guarantee a site should not be refundable if the camper doesn't show up.

Retrieving deposits for failing to show up should be possible if the camper had an accident enroute, and can show a police report.

Tom N · 09-26-2005, 07:09 AM

To protect your investment in prepayments I suggest trip insurance.

09-26-2005, 08:04 AM

Why not a split. I think that if the camper wanted to cancel his reservations close to the arrival date then the owner should get to keep 50% of the deposit. Most parks I see advertised state that Full refund if canceled within xx days, or No refund if cancelled within xx hrs (days) of arrival. Now if there is some sort of disaster or large emergency then I feel that the campground should return $$ on un-used days.

Derek