Clubs and Memberships, Cards and Dicounts (1 Viewer)

[OddSocks]

I have been looking at all the various clubs and memberships available.

I don't like to join up too many clubs as I forget with whom I have signed and who does what and why..... and any way it's always more money to spend.

I am thinking of joining the Camping and Caravan Club. It has been mentioned on forums here before. Do people actually benefit from membership though? If one can just turn up and camp wherever, any old time...... what is the benefit?

Then I found ACSI - they have two cards.

Club ID which means ID and insurance on their affiliated camp sites. Anyone done this?
Camping Card ACSI - which seems to be a low season discount card accepted at a small percentage of those sites - Anyone got one?

There is also, as you know, the caravan club and a dozen other such clubs.

They all have varying pros and cons, like discounted ferry to Europe or discounted camp sites. But is there any real saving here? I read that many aires in France are free..... why then pay for a camp site?

So I don't know if it is worth joining any, all or some of these places.

Background: We have no kids, self employed and plan to travel where we want when we want across Europe. We will avoid the overtly 'Family' oriented sites, and don't care about booking for school holidays etc. We are happy camping rough, or wild camping I think you call it. But we would also like to have a power supply now and again and internet access as much as possible!!

Anyone with experience or advice of the ACSI membership who would like to share that would be great! Any other advice is, as always, happily received!

 

[Inthezone]

Clubs

WE are members of the CC&C which provide us sites, temporary holiday sites and CL sites

I have also used the booking service twice for tunnel tickets and so far have saved the price of membership

When I went to France last weekend I used the ACSI card and paid €18 a night instead of €38

So I would say its worked for us:thumb:

 

[Bailey58]

Members of both CC and C&CC, gives us options if we want to visit a particular city etc where one club has a site within walking distance, York for instance, not all except non-members. ACSI gives considerable discounts on hundreds of campsites across Europe and Scandinavia in the low season which I think is all but July and August. Their ID confirms your status and does away with leaving them your passport supposedly, yes, works for us too.

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[yorkieman]

We're in Caravan Club and have saved quite a bit on ferries and have stayed on some excellent CCL sites like farms, etc. And the magazine is pretty good too.

I've thought about ACSI as well, so it is interesting to read what others put regarding the VFM of an ACSI card.

 

[makems]

We belong to the CC&C. We never use clubs sites as they are expensive (very good though) , but make extensive use of their temporary holiday sites in Summer.
We have an ACSI card which we use in winter/spring when we are travelling in sPain/Portugal and can't find a free camping spot (or need to use facilities to fill up/empty out)
Also a member of Brittany Ferries Club Voyage as we use their ships to go to Sapin and back every year. Anybody want a 10% discount on their routes just send me a Private Message and I can sort you out.
We get good value from all the above but wouldn't join any other clubs as with all the Fun rallies we go to on top of our other travels we just wouldn't have time to make use of their facilities

 

[Viennese]

It's worth pointing out that ACSI doesn't have many discounts for UK sites, you won't find many in the book. Excellent for France, Spain & Germany though.

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[New Dawn]

We to got the ACSI card. Are members of the C&cc. As you, we were undecided on which or who were the best. Then looked at other options. "Britstops", which gives you the same info as the France Passion. Ie, "free overnight stops". Wild Camping. There are quite a few. But it all comes down to costs. In the end we looked at, Where did we want to tour. Mainly Europe. So joined "France Passion". Got the book. "All the Aires in France". So with the club sites & the additional info, we can pick & choose. We're off touring Scotland in a few days, Then France from mid July. :thumb::thumb::thumb:

 

[RS_rob]

our 1st port of call was the owners club & I cant see us making many of there meets as they are all up north,
Next up was the c&cc & we have yet to see the benifit of membership there, we probably saved a few pounds on our 2nd visit but not really noticable.
Easter we headed out & didnt like our planned destination so the next nearest pitch was a c&cc one so no booking pointed out we were members & the responce was "it doesnt matter or make any difference"

I will run these memberships for 1 year & review them then.

 

[daisy mae]

In the CC just joined this month, will see how that one goes, and the C&CC have been members for 25 years, the latter I get cheaper RAC cover as well as recovery on sites and rallies which most others do not do, also am covered in any vehicle I am in. It is the pricing structure of the C&CC that is a problem this year as they have altered it, will see how that one pans out, sites are excellent, £7 cheaper per night if a member, £10 cheaper in the CC if a member, also a member of Britstops, haven`t used them yet. Do not go on the Continent now , did do for decades. now only the UK and Eire.

Municipal sites in France found them very good, didn`t book anywhere, and not expensive , at that time was in a caravan.

Enjoy,
Margaret

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[Wombles]

Thought I read somewhere that one of the European discount cards allow a discount on either CC or C & C UK sites but can't find details on the web now! Does anyone know anything about this please?

 

[joner8888]

I was a member of the C CC but everywhere I went I could just pay and book in with or without it.
In France I noticed one site was a member and I asked for a discount with my card,
No difference she said , so what`s the point of it

 

[berni109]

HI,
last year i had both ACSI cards because we went touring n/spain and portugal out of high season. deff worth the money for the discount card but not much use in the uk as so few sites offering the scheme. their club membership card was on special offer and was excepted in a few places instead of passports and i even got an additional discount on one site because of it.
my wife rates the quality of the services on CC sites and we have been members for yrs but unless u are going to use them why bother.
hth
bern

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[OddSocks]

... So joined "France Passion". Got the book. "All the Aires in France". So with the club sites & the additional info, we can pick & choose.

Thanks for that - very useful! :thumb:

Is there an equivalent for Spain. We will be travelling through France but will mainly be staying in Spain this year....

 

[Abacist]

Caravan Club & Camping & Caravanning Club

We have belonged to both for years and prefer their sites to commercial sites which have bars, entertainment and all the related noise and everything that goes with them.

We have used certificated locations which are otherwise not known without the CC book.

We have not been on any organised rallies etc.

When we were newbies there was lots of technical data and advice available in pre internet days and holiday insurance, ferry bookings etc.

Some club sites are for members only and I have never found a club site which has not had first class toilet blocks, spotlessly clean.

Some wardens can be a bit jobs worth in terms with site rules. There are some moans about not allowing motor homers not being allowed freedom on how to park on their pitch.

Their overseas insurance package now looks dear and I am looking elsewhere.

I don't see the costs as significant for the annual site directories and periodic updates, monthly magazines and available advice and guidance even though we might not make use of all of their offerings.

The C&CC have a variety of clubs within the main organisation for special interest groups like photography, boating, caravans etc.

The CC club have local groups with rallies for local get togethers.

 

[Percy52]

We are members of the C&CC and have been for years. We do go to their sites in winter when the smaller sites are waterlogged, but we do use their smaller certificated sites regularly which are very cheap.
We are also a member of the folk dance and song group which can be fun.

Good magazine and reduced ferries etc.

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