Club Seasons worth £2950.00..

Missymac_2

Didn't like the "sniff sniff bovine" comment when I saw from another user but I'm over it !!!

Typed most of my first post during American Idol last night! Was shocked that I'd been taken as a plant.

I've been reading a whole lot more since coming back from Brunston yesterday and joining this forum. Can't help that no matter what the quality of the product Clubseasons have and whether or not it suits the individual, it's a dangerous flaw in the marketing to make people feel they have won something outright and then erode it when you talk about upgrades and maintenance fees. They are starting off by making a potential customer feel a little/lot silly and disappointed.

I read on another forum about a single parent telling her kids they'd won a holiday then having to back track when she found out about the fees and just how expensive it is out of the school holidays. That's rotten.

hrafndot

I don't think even the poster knew what he meant, I don't think "I smell cow" has much meaning.....

I agree with you that I cannot make out what Season are up to. What is their plan. Whoever dreamed up the "prize" plan needs shooting Whatever it is, now that people communicate so well, its going to be much harder to get away with.

Missymac_2

I took it as smelling "cowsh**" !!!!

When we were going into "Guest Relations" for the spiel about upgrading we were told they give away 40 of these freebies per week. Right away if you had any remaining thought that you were special in that you had won it has gone. I was determined I wouldn't buy so much as a Mars bar at reception. However the resort was nice and the accomodation very comfy and if we get a week in Cornwall out of it at this price then I'll be happy.

And I suppose at the end of the day we went.
So to that extent they roped us in as I'd never given this type of holiday a thought.
Their success is going to depend on the types of personality they attract and how easily they will sign up for an upgrade.

mpython

"Blessed are the peacemakers" - thanks hrafndot for your contribution, its probably as well I was out all day yesterday as I'd probably just got into a raging row.

Its been quite interesting to take a step back and look at this entire thread.

It started in July 06 and since then we've had contributions from Bubbles8, robw1byq & Penelope all newbies and saying its brilliant, go for it which other posters think were attempts by Clubseasons themselves to counterbalance the majority view that this is a con.

I must admit that I thought Littleholly's initial post was in a similar vein to those 3 but I warmed to her and was looking forward to finding out how her Aug holiday would be. I meant, nor intended any slight to Littleholly with my latest post. I was, however, and remain surprised by Missymac's post with its self-contradicting information but attempting to build on Littleholly's view.

I never accused anyone of lying so I'm amazed at how sensitive people's reactions have been (a quote from Hamet, Act 3, Sc2, springs to mind!). I don't recall saying anyone was sitting in a clubseason's office but its certainly an interesting picture put forward!

What I'm still waiting to hear is what the true lifetime cost of this timeshare/ holiday club/ whatever this thing is, is. Year 1 varies £165/£175/£250, but what is year 2, year 3 etc etc. My inlaws bought a 1 week out of school holidays in Feb in England, it started at £120 and is now over £500!! Its set annually by the company and goes up way above inflation every year.

Why can you not cancel your membership with a reasonable period of notice?

I'd also like to know why its marketed as a competition win but you have to pay to received your prize.

Finally, I'd like to see some independent research published on member's views.

In the absence of these answers I'm not going to be persuaded its a good idea to 'go along & try for yourself' however nice the accomodation is.

Having worked most of my life in marketing, I know what PR smells like.

Missymac_2

Mmmm......sniff....sniff....cat??.....sniff....dog ??.....sniff.....no....its.....bovine

A theme seems to be developing here.

Anybody else think its part of a PR campaign to persuade sceptical people to at least try it? How long before we get another new poster?

These were your first comments to my first post mpython. I'm surprised you think I'm sensitive to feel I want to address them!

I never accused anyone of lying so I'm amazed at how sensitive people's reactions have been (a quote from Hamet, Act 3, Sc2, springs to mind!). I don't recall saying anyone was sitting in a clubseason's office but its certainly an interesting picture put forward!

You may not have used the words "lie" or specify "clubseasons office" but the inference was obvious. So much so that littleholly posted a reply even before I. And as you say yourself you weren't targeting littleholly's comments.

I believe it's your tone and oblique comments that are off rather than anyone's sensitivities.
As is the "lady protests" reference. A bit undergraduate isn't it ?

I completely accept a point that was made to me by another member in that trust must be built up on these forums. I would have hoped anything that someone felt was contradictory in what I posted would have been addressed politely and directly.

mpython

I note you haven't responded to any of my questions.

What's your motivation behind your original post?

Missymac_2

I can't answer any of your questions re why can't you cancel after a certain time or by how much the maintenance fee may go up. If we decided to proceed after the free short break and weeks holiday then we'd have to go through the fine print with a tooth comb. And to be honest I have heard enough to say that we probably would be unlikely to do so.

We don't really do package holidays never mind this timeshare type of holiday . We'd rather organise a flight/time off work and then get accommodation around that, rather than have a weeks holiday around which we have to arrange transport.

You made some points that I didn't really take as questions in the first post. I don't know if that's what you mean by not answering them.

I stayed the full 4 nights although my husband couldn't.
I addressed already my view on travelling I and a half hours to get to
Glasgow
And my comment about £330 for a wet week in Wales. I just meant that Clubseasons are hoping you'll look at what the basic gives you and upgrade to sunshine and schoolholidays. That must be where their profit is. My point was that the basic out of season week/short break in the UK suits us.
We'd carry on doing our own thing in the summer.

My motivation for posting.
My husband got the letter in January and as I have said previously we thought we'd really "won" something. Then, when we decided we'd pay the £250 for the first year's breaks there is a part of you a bit resentful that it's not really free, but also hopeful that the least it will be is a bit of a bargain.
I came back Friday morning and posted Friday night in a genuine sincere attempt to find out what other people were thinking and experiencing. And also what the other resorts are like.
We are wondering if we can win out of this by just taking the basic package.

Can you opt for a cheap package and get a bargain with Clubseasons?
That's my interest.

I'm not trying to sell the resort I visited. I'm being honest about what I found there. The location was pretty and bungalows comfy. If it all turns out to be a con then that is still true and a seperate issue. I'd just have to take the view that it's not worth the price.

And I'd also wanted to hear about the Welsh Cornish Irish and English resorts. That was a big motivation to get in touch with others who had been too.

mpython

My guess is they cover their costs with these promotional holidays, their profit, is in tying people in for 10, 25, 50 years, to schemes to which consumers have no say what the future charges will be.

Your original post did not ask what the Welsh, Cornish or Irish or English resorts were like, so you were unlikely to get any feedback.

Your original post contained the following quote near the end (my emphasis)

"To sum up, we are happy but wary. As of now I would recommend it".

Please read Bubbles8, robw1byq & Penelope (all newbies) posts earlier in the thread and re-read yours in the light of that.

In subsequent posts, you appear to agree they use dubious marketing practices and say it was rotten of them to con a single mum who told her kid they'd won a holiday.

Knowing what you do now, can you honestly say that you still recommend them?

Missymac_2

I agree that was quite a lazy way to put what I meant. And considering that I can ramble on forever there's no excuse!

I don't unequivocally recommend Clubseasons or their prize/offer. There is an unpleasant after taste about the prize that wasn't a prize.

If our week in Cornwall is as enjoyable as the short break then I would recommend taking the £250 for a year deal. But I'm not recommending anything to anyone until we've been. And even after that I'm wondering what kind of follow up there will be in terms of phone calls/ letters etc.

I really expected that this thread would be just full of people and their experiences at the resorts. I didn't think to solicit exactly the info I wanted.
I've never joined a money based forum like this before. Clubseasons provoked that!

I realise now by the very nature of it being a money based forum there is bound to be a bit of scepticism about.

And if I'm honest I'd probably be a bit wary myself now of what is posted!

littleholly

mpython wrote:

Why can you not cancel your membership with a reasonable period of notice?

We were told that you CAN cancel after the 1st year without any hassle. In one of the numerous phonecalls I made to them before we decided to do this I asked them that question. I'm sure i've said this before. I asked if we would get hounded by letters and phonecalls demanding next years maintenance fee and she said 'no', you can forfeit your membership whenever you like. We would not have gone ahead this 'offer' if were unable to cancel whenever we wanted to. Whether she was telling the truth or not, only time will tell. We are looking forward to our week in August - especially our eldest child - as she usually gets shoved on a plane for numerous hours in search of the sun. As much as I am starting to hate this country it will be nice to spend summer at home. Hopefully the sun will be shining in Carmarthen.