Marina prices - not advertised, "request quote"

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nagstevens

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I'm trying to plot a coastal route east to the Solent, the boat will be left for periods of 2 - 4 weeks in marinas or moorings on route.

Is it too much to ask providers to publish their prices? I'm having to submit 'request a quote' forms to these marina monopolists each time, which makes it much harder to do some sensible price comparisons and exercise my consumer rights. Never mind the typically extortionate visitors rates that get applied whether its a night or three weeks!

I thought businesses were required to transparently advertise their prices?? Is this something the RYA would look into and enforce, if others even agree it's a frustration?
 
Hate to disagree, but Ive found most boatyards and marinas advertise their rates openly(apart from the largest). Going further, Ive often found it quite amusing when people moan about how much it is for a night in some of the best locations in the country, you only get electric hook up, fab showers, not pushed out the next day early and good food. Oh and wifi, all for up to £30. Really its cheap as chips. where else could you stay for such a small sum.

However trying to leave a boat for a few weeks without using the facilities can be expensive, Perhaps marinas could offer a better deal for this.

Steveeasy
 
steveeasy said:
Hate to disagree, but Ive found most boatyards and marinas advertise their rates openly(apart from the largest). Going further, Ive often found it quite amusing when people moan about how much it is for a night in some of the best locations in the country, you only get electric hook up, fab showers, not pushed out the next day early and good food. Oh and wifi, all for up to £30. Really its cheap as chips. where else could you stay for such a small sum.

However trying to leave a boat for a few weeks without using the facilities can be expensive, Perhaps marinas could offer a better deal for this.

Steveeasy
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Well the last four marinas I've visited are copying the modern model of no maily, no pricee.

Email is not always an easy thing either......
 
nagstevens said:
I'm trying to plot a coastal route east to the Solent, the boat will be left for periods of 2 - 4 weeks in marinas or moorings on route.

Is it too much to ask providers to publish their prices? I'm having to submit 'request a quote' forms to these marina monopolists each time, which makes it much harder to do some sensible price comparisons and exercise my consumer rights.
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Well... I think this is to avoid their neighbouring yard under cutting and then creating a price war...

Never mind the typically extortionate visitors rates that get applied whether its a night or three weeks!
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I wonder if your use is a bit different from the average boater? Perhaps a well worded email (saved so you can just copy it into the contact form) explaining that you wont need use of their showers, wifi etc might actually get a "special" rate - rather than an off the shelf price for 4 weeks...

nagstevens said:
I thought businesses were required to transparently advertise their prices?? Is this something the RYA would look into and enforce, if others even agree it's a frustration?
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Are they?
If they are displayed they can't charge higher. If you go to a hotel they WILL display a room rate. But many hotels only charge that if you walk in the door and book there and then. Do marina's do similar?

steveeasy said:
Hate to disagree, but Ive found most boatyards and marinas advertise their rates openly(apart from the largest). Going further, Ive often found it quite amusing when people moan about how much it is for a night in some of the best locations in the country, you only get electric hook up, fab showers, not pushed out the next day early and good food. Oh and wifi, all for up to £30. Really its cheap as chips. where else could you stay for such a small sum.
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Well - its effectively a caravan site. Most caravan sites are not that pricey. Most don't park you 5 deep and make people climb over other's caravans to get to the loo. You stay in the bed you brought with you...

But the OP isn't wanting a caravan site he can stay at for 4 weeks. He wants a carpark to park his van in for a month.

However trying to leave a boat for a few weeks without using the facilities can be expensive, Perhaps marinas could offer a better deal for this.
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I'm hoping to go round the UK like this. Sailing from place to place, leaving boat for a few weeks before returning. I'm **REALLY** hopeful that I can find places offering a deal for just that!
 
nagstevens said:
I'm trying to plot a coastal route east to the Solent, the boat will be left for periods of 2 - 4 weeks in marinas or moorings on route.

Is it too much to ask providers to publish their prices? I'm having to submit 'request a quote' forms to these marina monopolists each time, which makes it much harder to do some sensible price comparisons and exercise my consumer rights. Never mind the typically extortionate visitors rates that get applied whether its a night or three weeks!

I thought businesses were required to transparently advertise their prices?? Is this something the RYA would look into and enforce, if others even agree it's a frustration?
Click to expand...

I don't know the legal position but I agree with your frustration. What's wrong with offering a service with tranparent pricing? When I was looking for a marina on the Orwell only one of the four that interested me did not publicise their fees. I did ask for a quote from Woolverstone and it was more expensive than the other three who quoted their prices online. It is also the most exposed to wind and tide. I didn't choose that marina.
 
steveeasy said:
Hate to disagree, but Ive found most boatyards and marinas advertise their rates openly(apart from the largest). Going further, Ive often found it quite amusing when people moan about how much it is for a night in some of the best locations in the country, you only get electric hook up, fab showers, not pushed out the next day early and good food. Oh and wifi, all for up to £30.
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There are marinas which include food for thirty quid a night?
 
capnsensible said:
At sea.......:)
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Well if you're out of range of email then you're definitely out of range of the Web, so them putting their prices online wouldn't help much, would it? :p

capnsensible said:
Oh yeah and in the marinas that are supposed to have wifi......
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Can't be that many marinas without phone signal (no need to tell me about the two that probably exist in darkest Scotland...) so their wifi's not necessary. And since it's often fairly useless anyway, it's tending towards an irrelevant anachronism - like the landline telephone shore plug found on some US mobos ;). I often don't bother with it even when the office have handed me a code as I paid for the berth.

Pete
 
Elessar said:
Err it’s a boating forum. I spend time at sea. Difficult?
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Well yes. Not impossible but somewhat restricting.

At the end of January I left Lanzarote. During a brief unscheduled pit stop in Gran Canaria, I tried to find prices for Mindelo Marina. Gave up and arrived 8 days later. Tried to find prices for Rodney Bay Marina but gave up and arrived 16 days later. Both places had rubbish Marina wifi.

However we had a Garmin Inreach on board so I was able to text Mrs Sensible with our etas to book berths. But I still couldn't tell the owner the cost.

Then we left and went to Shelter Bay Panama. Nine days, same routine for Mrs S including booking our canal transit. Getting that price was easy....

Last stop after a night at Balboa Yacht Club ( no wifi) was Vista Mar Marina. Mrs S onboard. But finally got prices by phone using whatsapp. Marina has rubbish wifi.

So I've no idea about what sort of sea time you do, but in my world, Internet is often difficult. But I am patient......
 
prv said:
Well if you're out of range of email then you're definitely out of range of the Web, so them putting their prices online wouldn't help much, would it? :p



Can't be that many marinas without phone signal (no need to tell me about the two that probably exist in darkest Scotland...) so their wifi's not necessary. And since it's often fairly useless anyway, it's tending towards an irrelevant anachronism - like the landline telephone shore plug found on some US mobos ;). I often don't bother with it even when the office have handed me a code as I paid for the berth.

Pete
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Visiting Marinas in Panama with a Spanish mobile phone is costly........

I would like to know the prices online before I set off. But it's a pain. Good for you if you found otherwise.
 
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correct me if im wrong but on the south coast you can stay for a night, on a newish pontoon, with electric hook up, good showers, access to wifi and with access to good restaurants sometimes on site on an 8 mtr boat for less than £30. now if thats not reasonable we need a reality check. Equestrian show venues charge £70 for two nights access to a blue electric plug only. they have already paid 100s of pounds in entry fees.


If marinas dont publish their charges name them. Ive looked recently at lots of places in the solent and the majority publish their rates, with exception are the 2or3 large corporate marinas.

Steveeasy
 
If email/ applying online is too onerous (and some can be slow in replying), why not just call them? - In my experience they're happy to quote over the phone.
 
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