"Peter Grange" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:
[email protected]...
> The EBE brochure for 2008 went up on their web site a couple of days
> ago. Yesterday I tried to book one ticket on the Atlantic service on
> 11th June, only to be told the entire bus has been booked by CTC
> tours, before we mere CTC members even get to see the brochure. What's
> the point in the CTC publicising this service, offering a discount to
> members then denying said members use of the service by booking all
> the seats?
> I have emailed the CTC with the same question, if the answer is
> interesting I'll post that here too.
>
> Pete
>
> --
>
> Peter Grange
I find that a very interesting comment. By chance I saw a post on here a
couple of weeks ago which seemed to indicate that even before the next seasons
brochure was published bookings were being taken.
I emailed the new ( this years season) company to make a booking -- my first
dates were already not available and my amended dates request resulted in this
mail from EBE
"
Hello Trevor,
I am waiting for the CTC tours to confirm. I will be back to you tomorrow.
Regards
XXXX XXXXX ( intentional deletion) "
In fact it took 7 days before I received this response
"Hello Trevor,
This is all booked for you now. I apologise for the delay. The brochure should
be with you in the next two weeks, so just complete the booking form and send
the deposit to us.
Regards
XXXXX
"
Which shows that CTC tours are wholesale booking with the new company before
the new schedules are being published
I have another interesting anecdote from my 2007 tour!
I travelled to Nemours by EBE and then cycled gently to Narbonne where I was
duly collected a month later on a Sunday afternoon. The bus even rang me on my
mobile a couple of hours before the pick up time which was nice confirmation
of my return journey.
No problem and about 4 cyclists joined the coach with me in Narbonne.
At the next pick up point in Montpellier the coach was inundated by a "CTC
tour booking" and an obnoxious woman ( tour leader) tried to oust me from my
seat -- clearly double booked!
She accused me of being on the wrong bus and being admitted at Montpellier by
mistake despite the fact that my documentation ( easily to hand) clearly
indicated my seat -- and that I had already been on the bus for over 100
kms -- and the fact that the coach had contacted me by my mobile to confirm
my position at the Narbonne pick up point!
It made my return journey an uncomfortable one -- especially since this woman
was very outspoken and obtrusive for the rest of the return trip!
There is clearly a new aspect with the relationship with the new EBE company
with CTC which, I believe is also obtrusive. My booking for 2008 will be the
fifth year that I have travelled with EBE and I believe that, if any priority
is given to anyone ( a doubtful premise) then it should be given to a regular
individual traveller.
If CTC is being given total priority over others before the new season
brochure is even available then it smacks of "Something rotten in the state of
Denmark" ( to misquote an ancient playwright).
Very sad and it seems ( IMHO only) typical of CTC's current corporate
mage -- which is one of the reasons I left that organisation at the end of
October this year
Having looked at the new brochure on line it seems that CTC is doing a
re-takeover bid!
Hmmmmm!
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
www.tapan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk