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Original poster

Center Parcs swim sessions

101 replies

WhichShoes · 04/06/2022 08:35

Does it seem like pre-booking swim sessions at Center Parcs is another pandemic measure that will stay? For us, swimming is the main reason we went and booking one three-hour slot per day is no good to us. Given that Friday evenings are 'turn up and swim', it doesn't seem like the booked sessions are there for covid-safety reasons (unless covid takes Friday evenings off..?)

I assume it's worked out nicely for CP as everyone will spend more money on activities if they can only use the pool morning or afternoon during their stay. It's already such an expensive break that I am incredibly irritated by them limiting the one 'free' activity like this and using covid as a convenient excuse.

Does anyone think it's likely they'll go back to free access to swimming or is that it now? I am sure some people prefer it as it will make the pool less busy which must be nice, but if I'm already spending so much, I want the freedom to swim whenever!

OP posts:
RiverFlowers · 04/06/2022 08:39

We haven't been back to CP since covid and the introduction of bookable swimming slots. I have found the prices have risen too much and the fact we cannot go swimming as and when we like is off-putting. We have two young children and spend most of the time swimming as they are at the age that there isn't that many bookable activities for their age group.

I think they will keep the bookable slots - as you said, they want you to spend money on booking other activities. Swimming is basically the only free activity so they seem to want to limit it these days

justasking111 · 04/06/2022 08:42

OH I wouldn't be booking that with the weather in the UK being so unreliable

LittleBearPad · 04/06/2022 08:44

Sounds much more flexible than it was - it was 2 1 hour slots a weekend which was very restrictive.

3 hours every day would be plenty!

Classicblunder · 04/06/2022 08:45

It is annoying. They also have stopped the free shuttle bus from the station to Woburn "because of covid" and similarly won't keep your luggage if you arrive by train. It's fine apparently to go swimming with 500 other people, do all kinds of activities but anything that makes arriving by train easier is not possible because of covid

Classicblunder · 04/06/2022 08:46

LittleBearPad · 04/06/2022 08:44

Sounds much more flexible than it was - it was 2 1 hour slots a weekend which was very restrictive.

3 hours every day would be plenty!

It's less the 3 hours thing for me and more that you have to book it in advance and can't decide when to go.

ChandlersDad · 04/06/2022 08:49

I took a second job (just a sideline but £2-£3k pa) to treat the kids to an annual CP holiday but now I’m refusing to go because of the ridiculous swimming rules!

Also still no early check in ‘because of covid’

LittleBearPad · 04/06/2022 08:52

Classicblunder · 04/06/2022 08:46

It's less the 3 hours thing for me and more that you have to book it in advance and can't decide when to go.

Show quote history

Fair point.

DysmalRadius · 04/06/2022 08:52

3 hours is nowhere near enough for my kids so we're not going to book again until/unless they revert to open swimming.

boymum9 · 04/06/2022 08:52

It's putting me off booking again since covid because swimming is the main activity my dc want to do, and we enjoyed being able to go for a bit in the morning and then maybe going for a bit before dinner and having that flexibility!

emerald1981 · 04/06/2022 08:53

I've been put off by the swimming booking too. Before it was nice that you could turn up as and when. Timed activities with a toddler does not make for a relaxing time! I was worried that it would be a covid measure that would stay....

babyboyHarrison · 04/06/2022 08:54

We've just been to Sherwood, 4 night break so 4x3hr slots. However on the last day we went to
Customer services and managed to book an extra slot and you don't need a booking to go after 6. The bit that annoyed me more was the convenience shop in the Jardin de sport had gone so you ended up paying more for drinks in the bar or starbucks. The restaurant's inside the pool complex didn't suit our kids ( basically cake and crisps/sandwiches - one kid won't eat crisps or sandwiches and didn't want to give him a lunch of cake!). The clothes shop in the centre is now a starbucks and the fast food place has gone and the clothes shop in the jardin is now a joules, can't remember what it was before but much preferred it. Just in general a few small changes that just make you spend more money and the shops were a disappointment. I was ok with the swimming though and we did have a great family holiday.

HDready · 04/06/2022 08:55

Its open swimming every evening after six I believe. But I agree, does seem designed entirely to make you spend more money elsewhere on the site.

Squishymallow · 04/06/2022 08:58

When we went it was a three hour slot per night then after 6 any day you could just turn up. Overall it was enough hours but I hated being tied to the timetable. We already had a couple of activities booked and meals booked so it just felt like we were waiting round for the next activity rather than just going swimming when we were ready. Didn’t want to book stuff too close together in case we over ran etc.
I won’t be returning unless swimming goes back to how it was.

Somebodyelsestrain · 04/06/2022 08:59

CP in the Netherlands is back to normal - no booking required. And, as always, a third of the price of the UK. Even factoring in travel it's still much cheaper, especially in the school holidays. There's no way I would go to UK CP now.

Original poster
WhichShoes · 04/06/2022 09:02

I think like everyone says, even if three hours is enough in total the problem is being tied to one slot. Clearly plenty of us don't like it but it must have been pretty successful for CP or they would ditch it. It's so annoying as we used to have such nice breaks there but I feel like we can go abroad (with unrestricted pool access and better weather!) for the same amount of money so this has just tipped the balance for me and I don't think we will go back unless they change it.

OP posts:
Original poster
WhichShoes · 04/06/2022 09:03

Somebodyelsestrain · 04/06/2022 08:59

CP in the Netherlands is back to normal - no booking required. And, as always, a third of the price of the UK. Even factoring in travel it's still much cheaper, especially in the school holidays. There's no way I would go to UK CP now.

That's good to know! I wonder about the French ones too...

OP posts:
FruitToast · 04/06/2022 09:10

Belgium CP is also back to normal (I believe France is too). We've just returned from a lovely break at Erperheide. No restrictions and a quarter of the price of Whinfell for the half term week as there is no break in May for Belgium or the surrounding countries. It meant it was lovely and quiet too!

PiffleWiffleWoozle · 04/06/2022 09:12

We chose to go on Forest Holidays this year instead due to the having to book swimming now at CP. Makes it not worth the £££ at CP now for us.

Irisbouquet · 04/06/2022 09:44

We've not booked for this year due to this too. Everything else is on a timetable at CP we enjoyed this element being more spontaneous.

millymae · 04/06/2022 10:02

We've just come back from Center Parcs - I'm a fan of the bootable sessions but perhaps that's because when we go to the pool we never want to stay more than a couple of hours so don't feel shortchanged.
It may be that we weren't still in the pool when our three hour slots ended but I'm not sure how they actually police how long people stay in there - we were given specific coloured wristbands when we arrived at the pool which we just placed in a bin when we left, but no one checked that we were wearing the right coloured band when we were in there so based on this unless they make sure people leave at the end of every session you could probably stay much longer if you wanted to.
Every time we went to the pool it was comfortably busy but not overcrowded apart from one day when they abandoned all the sessions as the pool had been closed for a short time in the morning due to a leak in the changing area. It was noticeably busier when we went that day in the afternoon - there were queues for all the slides and when the waves were turned on everyone was really squashed together. I would hate it if every time you went to the pool it was like this.

bumpytrumpy · 04/06/2022 10:08

If it's free after 6pm can you book for 3pm and then stay as long as you like?

pinkchampagne1 · 04/06/2022 10:09

We have visited CP a few times since the swim slots have been introduced and the pool is as busy as ever so I am not sure what they are achieving.

All the European parks have returned to normal with the swimming pools and ditched the slots months ago. They can also work out a third of the price in half terms and at the very end of August. Might be worth looking into.

Moana123 · 04/06/2022 10:10

We just got back from centre parcs, booked all our swim slots, but we turned up early for all of them and were let in no problem - also overstayed our 3 hours on one day and no-one is policing the time limit… I almost feel like the time limit is there just for show… still hoping it goes back to pre-Covid at some point soon though!

Glitterspy · 04/06/2022 10:13

Maybe fewer people catch sick bugs if they’re only in that revolting germ-ridden environment for under 3 hours!!

NancyDrooo · 04/06/2022 10:19

There is nothing stopping you staying longer than 3 hours, and, as others have said, it is walk-in after 6pm. So you can still go twice a day (or for one long session if you book for 2/3pm).

We’ve been for a weekend recently and some of the kids went swimming 6 times. Plenty!