Camping cheques versus ACSI

[Poppy]

We have used ACSI before and liked it but wondered if the camping cheques scheme along with the ACSI would give us a wider choice.Some areas are quite sparse with the ACSI.I note that Alan Rogers camping cheques are valid for four years so we should be able to use them at some time.

[rapidoman]

we have used camping cheques for about 6 years. there are some great sites and a few which dont come up to there description. most sites will only charge local tax on top of cheques we always check campsite prices at reception and have always found camping cheques to be below normal site prices. have stayed on castell sites for the price of camping cheque face value when site fees have been 2 or 3 times higher. many sites in the book close from mid sept but the site book and map supplied are very imformative. we would personaly recomend them for out of season, they are obtainable direct with ferry crossings or from the caravan club.

[rupert123]

We always use ACSI where possible, they to do usually charge local tax on top. Camping cheques we have stopped as when you add on the amount for the first purchase I feel they have got a little expensive. They would certainly give you a wider choice though.

[rapidoman]

normally if you buy direct with ferry booking they offer a few free ones, and have never been charged extra by cc. i think if you use their gold card then there is a charge but we always buy paper cheques with no problems.

[enodreven]

Hi,

 

I don't think they are really comparable other than they, in vastly different ways, provide a level of discount site fees, one is a discount scheme with no up-front fees and the other is a discount scheme where you pay all of your fees before you go.

 

Having said the above they each have their own merits, if you don't mind paying up-front fees and are confident that you will use all of the cheques before their time limits run out, then having both would certainly give you a far wider choice of sites you can use.

 

However I think in reality if I had paid for Camping Cheques I would probably favour the camping cheque sites over the ACSI for no other reason than I had already paid for it.

 

I personally will stick with the ACSI Camping Card as the financial outlay is far less.

 

 

[Clive]

ASCI You don,t pay up front for pitches.

 

C.

 

[Brian Kirby]

Not sure where the greater choice for Camping Cheques comes in.  Camping Cheques claim 591 sites across Europe: ACSI claim 1,891.

Cost for Camping Cheques is quoted at £48.35 for three (£16.12 per night.), falling to £425 for 30 (£14.17 per night.), all "up front".

ACSI has three bands: 11, 13, or 15 Euros per night (with the Euro at 1.20/£1, that is £9.16, £10.83, or £12.50 per night), and you pay only for the book + card (£11.95 UK price), and then nothing else until you check out of the site.

Most sites take cards so, with a decent card, you'll get near the commercial exchange rate as opposed to the tourist rate, so the above price comparison seems about right to me. 

If you want large, commercial, campsites, the savings can be good but, in reality, many municipals, and many smaller private sites, that don't generally "do" either scheme, charge in the same region out of season even without discounts (except frequently 5% off for having a Camping Carnet at municipals). 

The ACSI guide book provides an approximate guide to site quality.  Better still on that score is the ACSI DVD (8,600 sites across Europe, of which only the above 1,891 take the card), which gives quite a good indication of what to expect, including things like WiFi.  But, best of the lot, are the two Caravan Club guides (Caravan Europe 1 & 2) with member submitted reviews of about 8,100 sites across Europe.  These, coupled with ACSI card and disk, really give you a great information resource.

[BGD]

ACSI every time for us.

 

We use it loads, all over Spain and Portugal, and it's saved us a LOT of money.

 

 

[Klyne]

Poppy - 2010-08-07 10:18 AM

 

We have used ACSI before and liked it but wondered if the camping cheques scheme along with the ACSI would give us a wider choice.Some areas are quite sparse with the ACSI.I note that Alan Rogers camping cheques are valid for four years so we should be able to use them at some time.

 

Poppy

 

Paper Camping Cheques are only valid for 2 years, you have the buy the Gold Card for them to be valid for 4 years. The Gold Card cost the equivalent of 3 Cheques so quite costly. We use both Camping Cheques and the ACSI Card although now tending towards the latter. Several reasons like having to pay upfront and also ther are surcharges if you don't buy them with a ferry crossing either direct with Camping Cheques or the Caravan Club. This tends to make them worse value than the ACSI Card. However if there is a campsite you really want to visit and they take Camping Cheques then you can make quite a big saving.

 

David

[Poppy]

Probably stick to the ACSI.I agree with Brian, the caravan guides are the best on the market.May find some nice little municiples as well.

[maggyd]

Has anyone else noticed that with the ASCI card you are only offered an inferior pitch???

 

We only used three sites that used the card the first two were not up to scratch, we were told where we could park NO choice! and the second one when I went back and complained asking if we could go on the site next to it as it didnt have the electric shack on it ! was told yes but that would be 2 euro extra :-S that was 19Euro. We wont be bothering with the book next year.

 

We have never used the Camping cheque,s so cant make a comparison .

[Brian Kirby]

No Maggy, never!  Always been told to pitch ourselves, except at La Bien Assise (Guines), which is always organised chaos.  Where on earth were you?

[roger s]

Unlikely we will use avail again after this year, one site said they could charge what they liked to others as well as us, three other sites the descriptions were anything but accurate. Two I would say were as described in the directory

 

 

[rupert123]

maggyd - 2010-08-07 5:38 PM

 

Has anyone else noticed that with the ASCI card you are only offered an inferior pitch???

 

We only used three sites that used the card the first two were not up to scratch, we were told where we could park NO choice! and the second one when I went back and complained asking if we could go on the site next to it as it didnt have the electric shack on it ! was told yes but that would be 2 euro extra :-S that was 19Euro. We wont be bothering with the book next year.

 

We have never used the Camping cheque,s so cant make a comparison .

 

No never, nearly always told to find a pitch. few have allocated a pitch but have never had a problem if we wanted to move. Why not tell us all the names so we can avoid.

[BGD]

maggyd - 2010-08-07 5:38 PM

 

Has anyone else noticed that with the ASCI card you are only offered an inferior pitch???

 

We only used three sites that used the card the first two were not up to scratch, we were told where we could park NO choice! and the second one when I went back and complained asking if we could go on the site next to it as it didnt have the electric shack on it ! was told yes but that would be 2 euro extra :-S that was 19Euro. We wont be bothering with the book next year.

 

We have never used the Camping cheque,s so cant make a comparison .

 

 

 

Hi Maggy -

 

Something doesn't sound quite right.

 

I thought all ACSI sites in Euroland charge 11, 13 or 15 euros per night (motorhome plus two people) with electric hookup during their ACSI card acceptance preiods of the year (2010 rates)

 

Can't understand why you were asked to pay more than that?

 

 

[Brian Kirby]

Some sites charge a premium for lakeside, or beach-side, pitches - so may direct ACSI users to their cheaper pitches, and add the premium if they choose otherwise, which I guess would be reasonable.  However, I have never encountered this so it is just theory.  Maggy'll just have to tell us.

[PJay]

Used ACSI extensively for the last two years, in Spain/Portugal and France

Always told to find pitch and let them know the number. Sometimes asked if you want sun or shade. Only advised where to go re electric hook up, as some sites do not have electric on all the pitches. Saved a bomb, on one site we paid 15e, and met brits in a tent, no electic, paying 20e, they had never heard of ACSI (so we enlightened them, by showing the book )

Defineatley Acsi for us, plus the CC Guides.(Which also give good value for money)

PJay

[maggyd]

Brian Kirby - 2010-08-07 6:46 PM

 

No Maggy, never!  Always been told to pitch ourselves, except at La Bien Assise (Guines), which is always organised chaos.  Where on earth were you?

 

 

 

 

We were in Germany Brian, the first place was Europe Camping Willstatt-Sand the next was Gruntensee on our way to Fussen, we stayed at a site at Burgen on the Mosel that wa s Asci that was fine but the other two I certainly wouldnt visit again.

 

The one Gruntensee Camping is at Wertach page 260 no 613 in no way resembles the photograph we thought! nice and flat with a view of the lake!! we were on a rough ledge on rough stones that it was a wonder I never twisted my ankle and that was the second one the first was worse and I was told 2 Euro more which we paid just to get off the first one.

 

And the Europa site 616 where we were put, that is not on the photo either and walking around the site, it was like a shanty town with all sorts of static outfits/tin shacks connected to caravans.

 

I tell you dont look at the pretty pictures they Do Lie.!! :-S

[maggyd]

BGD - 2010-08-08 1:47 AM

 

maggyd - 2010-08-07 5:38 PM

 

Has anyone else noticed that with the ASCI card you are only offered an inferior pitch???

 

We only used three sites that used the card the first two were not up to scratch, we were told where we could park NO choice! and the second one when I went back and complained asking if we could go on the site next to it as it didnt have the electric shack on it ! was told yes but that would be 2 euro extra :-S that was 19Euro. We wont be bothering with the book next year.

 

We have never used the Camping cheque,s so cant make a comparison .

 

 

 

Hi Maggy -

 

Something doesn't sound quite right.

 

I thought all ACSI sites in Euroland charge 11, 13 or 15 euros per night (motorhome plus two people) with electric hookup during their ACSI card acceptance preiods of the year (2010 rates)

 

Can't understand why you were asked to pay more than that?

 

 

Hi , that only applies until 30th June after that it goes up.

[Brian Kirby]

maggyd - 2010-08-08 5:28 PM

Brian Kirby - 2010-08-07 6:46 PM No Maggy, never!  Always been told to pitch ourselves, except at La Bien Assise (Guines), which is always organised chaos.  Where on earth were you?

We were in Germany Brian, the first place was Europe Camping Willstatt-Sand the next was Gruntensee on our way to Fussen, we stayed at a site at Burgen on the Mosel that wa s Asci that was fine but the other two I certainly wouldnt visit again. The one Gruntensee Camping is at Wertach page 260 no 613 in no way resembles the photograph we thought! nice and flat with a view of the lake!! we were on a rough ledge on rough stones that it was a wonder I never twisted my ankle and that was the second one the first was worse and I was told 2 Euro more which we paid just to get off the first one. And the Europa site 616 where we were put, that is not on the photo either and walking around the site, it was like a shanty town with all sorts of static outfits/tin shacks connected to caravans. I tell you dont look at the pretty pictures they Do Lie.!! :-S

Oh dear!  We'll be stopping at Waldesruh, next site to Gruntensee early Sept, so hope thats better!  Still, only one night, so as long as the showers are warm and clean, and the toilets clean, I guess we'll survive!  :-)  Lots of the German sites do have vans in shacks, and/or shacks next to vans.  It's the winter camping thing to keep the snow off.  We also stayed at Wertacher Hof where someone had erected a large Dutch barn and perked their Hymer under it.  Looked a bit odd on a campsite, but I guess if folk will camp in the snow - of which we had limited experience at Wertacher Hof four years back - they need to keep the stuff in its place.  I think you were unlucky with those two sites.  I can only say we have never experienced anything similar.  Weren't doing John Cleese "don't mention the war" impersonations were you?  :-D

Re the dates the card is accepted, you do have to watch them, because each site sets its own and they can vary quite a lot, even in the same locality.

[maggyd]

Oh Hey we were the only English at Fussen when the England versus Germany was played 8-) and again at Trauchenlingen when the Germans beat Holland (lol) the first game we exited the van after watching it tail between legs but they where very sympathetic and said the German team were much younger, the last one with horns blaring after the match the German lady called Hannah who I had made friends with invited me to share a small bottle of champas with her and I toasted Good Luck for their next match!! I was secretly glad when they lost LOL (lol)

 

I had to tell my better half to turn the sound down when he was watching Documentaries on the War >:-) he was forgetting who was next door. :-D