Beware 1-800-Navy-Bed!

I just had a rude experience while making a reservation at Cheathum Annex, Yorktown. The Navy portion of the website www.dodlodging.net wasn't working correctly...which is the norm lately. I called the 1-800-navy-bed telephone reservation system to get a spot for the 4th of July weekend...success! Interesting that they asked if I wanted a 30 foot or 40 foot spot...but they could tell me what spots were where...That should have been my hint. About 30 minutes later I receive a call from Cheathum Annex manager saying they cannot honor my reservation because they will be full for that weekend!! Wait a minute! I just made a reservation on YOUR reservation phone line!? WTH! She explained that the reservation system doesn't know if they are full or not...wait, what? That doesn't make ANY sense! She was very apologetic and said they have been telling the upper echelon about this problem "for some time" with little success. She said she would honor my reservation for any other weekend...but I declined.
The best plan to get into these campgrounds is to call them directly! That's my plan from now on.

Thanks for the information. I'll try to remember that for future reservations.

Awwww man, I should have read this post first, because yesterday I made (3) reservations using the DOD website and confirmed for 40' PAD at each location. I will heed for the next set of reservations.

I thank you for the heads-up and would have been frustrated as well.

I've had good and bad experiences with the Navy's reservation system. But I think it needs improvements.

Hoping you have the good experience.

I am here at Ocean Pines RV Park. I had a conversation with the park manager/host about reservation online and calling 800 number versus calling them directly.

The military RV parks have ran into multiple occasions where the online/800 # will:
- allow over booking, putting the camp host in a bind to deal with disgruntle customers.
- not see vacancies from late cancellations.
- not update the computer system the camp host uses to manage sites.

Here they not only use the computer, but also use the old school white board. They are real thorough and track Souls On Board by adults and children.

So after learning more over a camp fire. I will only call the camp grounds directly from now on.

Just got back from my summer trip and I ran into the same thing with the Navy. Seems that the folks at the 800 number have no idea what's going on at the campgrounds. They had NO available spots at Seabreeze, but I called Seal Beach directly and found out that the 800 number couldn't really "see" the reservation computer at Seabreeze. Made the reservation over the phone with them and had no problems. I guess until the Navy gets their computer systems to talk to each other, my advice would be to call the campground directly.