We don’t take bookings in advance

DennisF

DennisF

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Planning a 6 day cruise over the Jubilee period, and cognisant that a lot of others will be doing likewise, I prudently tried to book visitor berths at a few places, only to be told by Brightlingsea, Ramsgate and Bradwell “We don’t take bookings in advance”. Is this a new thing? It seems a bit odd to travel all day with no idea whether there will any room at the inn when you get there…..
 
DennisF said:
Planning a 6 day cruise over the Jubilee period, and cognisant that a lot of others will be doing likewise, I prudently tried to book visitor berths at a few places, only to be told by Brightlingsea, Ramsgate and Bradwell “We don’t take bookings in advance”. Is this a new thing? It seems a bit odd to travel all day with no idea whether there will any room at the inn when you get there…..
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When do they take bookings ?
 
Standard in the West Country these days.

Marinas won't take bookings until they know which resident boats are away. So around lunchtime on the day of your passage.

Used to be one of the nice things about cruising, never having to book. Enjoy!
 
25931 said:
When do they take bookings ?
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When you arrive :oops:
If it is any help, Ramsgate claim to never turn anyone away. Brightlingsea are pretty accomodating & do take bookings, We often book our club cruises there for the smaller boats the week before. You can always anchor nearby for a night. Bradwell can get full though & I have heard of boats being refused entry. If you cannot get in at Bradwell I might suggest going over to Mersea & seeing if there are any spare moorings you can borrow for the night.
 
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We encountered the no booking in advance last year in West Country for first time but managed to find space in Dartmouth and Brixham. It seems the way down there but the Solent maintains booking but variable rules per marina. I think marina could reward bertholders more to advise of leaving berths though or having more dedicated exchange systems of spaces.
 
We don’t usually book ahead, though we might phone somewhere like the Haven an hour or so before arriving to save awkwardness later. I would imagine that the marinas who say they didn’t take bookings will still take bookings for groups or clubs.
 
I have never "booked" a place in a marina; after all, plans change and I might well find that either I can't make the place I was heading for, or that the weather favours going elsewhere. A couple of times where it was important to get into a particular place, I've rung ahead to check that there wasn't likely to be a problem, but otherwise I've never seen any need to do so. Usually a call on the VHF when approaching the marina or harbour has been quite sufficient - and when I have rung ahead, that's what I've been advised to do. I can see that in the exceptionally crowded waters of the Solent it might be different, but most places it simply isn't necessary.
 
You will be pretty certain of getting an overnight berth in Brightlingsea! We went back in yesterday (yes, I know that the season is half over, I have been busy!) and there are a lot of empty berths on the pontoons and a lot of empty swinging and fore and aft moorings. So, dependant on your draught you shouldn't have any problems...besides which, Brightlingsea Harbour never turn visitors away! Enjoy your cruise!
 
I just love the insanely bizarre concept of "booking in advance". How else do you book something? Only cops can do that after the event, but it isn't the same meaning of 'booking'.
It's rather like taxis showing signs saying "pre booked only". How the digamma does one do that? "Hello, ABC taxis? Oh! yes! I'd like to make an appointment to book a taxi please..." ???? "...well, that's what your sign says I have to do..."
I magine you'd then be asked "Do you have a credit card at all". How do you answer that? There are degrees of owning a credit card? You can partly have one? What does one say to answer such a bizarre question correctly? "Yes" is incorrect. "Slightly" is better but still nonsensical.
Try it at a supermarket checkout sometime!
 
Slowboat35 said:
I just love the insanely bizarre concept of "booking in advance". How else do you book something? Only cops can do that after the event, but it isn't the same meaning of 'booking'.
It's rather like taxis showing signs saying "pre booked only". How the digamma does one do that? "Hello, ABC taxis? Oh! yes! I'd like to make an appointment to book a taxi please..." ???? "...well, that's what your sign says I have to do..."
I magine you'd then be asked "Do you have a credit card at all". How do you answer that? There are degrees of owning a credit card? You can partly have one? What does one say to answer such a bizarre question correctly? "Yes" is incorrect. "Slightly" is better but still nonsensical.
Try it at a supermarket checkout sometime!
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Calm down dear. Worse things happen at sea.
 
I always took the precaution of booking at Southwold, my favourite place when I was on the east coast far enough for a decent sail and weekend and a pleasant welcoming place. First time like all the popular east coast rivers and pilot descriptions was nerve wracking especially the thought of turning a recalcitrant long keel boat against the tide with a bridge or the putty awaiting you if you failed.
 
In Queenborough last weekend the place was fully booked due to the Queens Pageant.
Any vessel turning up on spec and/or running for cover was simply told ,Welcome, run up , find any empty bouy and call for the trot boat if you need it.
 
Slowboat35 said:
It's rather like taxis showing signs saying "pre booked only". How the digamma does one do that? "Hello, ABC taxis? Oh! yes! I'd like to make an appointment to book a taxi please..." ???? "...well, that's what your sign says I have to do..."
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Private hire (or 'mini cabs' in London) vehicles do require booking before you can use them. Hence the term pre-booked.
It's a matter of licencing - such vehicles cannot be (legally) hailed or flagged down on the street.
They are not, in fact, taxis.
/pedant
 
Greemble said:
Private hire (or 'mini cabs' in London) vehicles do require booking before you can use them. Hence the term pre-booked.
It's a matter of licencing - such vehicles cannot be (legally) hailed or flagged down on the street.
They are not, in fact, taxis.
/pedant
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No mate. You've not got the point. Booking means reserving something in advance. Everyone understands that. But what the effineck is 'pre'-booking? Clearly something you do before booking...but what?
I know, it's a complete nonsense, so why does anyone use such a daft expression?
 
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