Ralph Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 After agreeing that we woudm't be going abroad this year SWMBO has changed my mind and we will be off in September. But alas! the ACSI book is sold out! Help!! Anybody know where I can get my grubbies on one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Ralph - 2009-06-29 7:03 PM After agreeing that we woudm't be going abroad this year SWMBO has changed my mind and we will be off in September. But alas! the ACSI book is sold out! Help!! Anybody know where I can get my grubbies on one? I believe only the British version is sold out. Go to the ACSI site and try another language/country. First one I looked at France/Belgium is still available!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo3090 Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 It's not just the book, you'll need the card too don't forget. It's the card that gets you the discounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klyne Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Tomo3090 - 2009-06-29 10:40 PM It's not just the book, you'll need the card too don't forget. It's the card that gets you the discounts. But surely thats included in the fly cover of the site directory! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 Klyne - 2009-06-30 12:06 AM But surely thats included in the fly cover of the site directory! David It certainly is!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berti Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 hi derek can you post the contact info for acsi to get the french/belgian version only the vicarious books info is coming up for me on a search cheers berti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 You need to go to the ACSI site. http://www.campingcard.co.uk/gb/en/home/uc33-l2-n253/ At the top right of the page you get an option to change country/language. Here's the French version. http://www.campingcard.fr/fr/fr/accueil/uc10-l3-n253/ Just folllow the links 'commander CampingCard' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armstrongpiper Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 we've just returned from a trip to France, during which we stayed on a beautiful small campiong at La Ferriere d'Allevard, near Grenoble. The owner told us that ACSI is steadily killing small sites across Europe. The site operator has to pay ACSI several hundred Euros to get into the book and then give larrge discounts to users of the site. They simply cannot afford to make the investment and the result is that the Dutch (who are the main travellers/campers) use the larger discounted places. While we were at the site, there was one other visitor in the five days we were there (and for one night only). Three years ago it was quite busy later in June, but now it is deathly quiet. ACSI discounts are attractive, but watch the smaller sites disappear. Neil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 It's a difficult one. We rarely pre-book and use aires as a first choice and ACSI/Camping Cheque if there isn't an aire or we need location/facilities. We have stayed at a few ACSI/Camping Cheque sites and I wouldn't want to pay more than 15€ for a campsite. It must pay for the ACSI/Camping Cheque sites as they have always been pretty busy. I don't know how many hundreds of Euros they have to pay to be in the scheme, but even if was a thousand, surely it would be worthwhile? We only carry the Aires/Sostas/Stellplatze books in the MH along with the ACSI and Camping Cheque books, so our choice is limited to those. I hate going into a site on spec and asking the price and then leaving again!! Surely it's worth a camp site joining the scheme just to get a listing? If the camp site you stayed at was very quiet, there must be a reason. It's either overpriced or no one knows about it, or both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Ralph, I have the 2009 English edition ACSI book with card and map (unused as we used Aires) and as we will not be needing again this year it I can post it to you if it helps? I filled in my name etc on the card but no doubt you can oversticker or snowpaque it and write your own details. It'll be free to you but if you wish to send me a donation I won't object - or you can simply post it back when you have done with it? PM me your name and address details and it'll be on it's way drekkly. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klyne Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 From memory campsites pay €500 to be in the ACSI Card book but there after keep any money they take from campers. With Camping Cheques the sites only get a percentage of the headline cost of the cheque. Perhaps why the ACSI scheme is growing faster than CC's. Its interesting what has been said about small campsites loosing out. The contrast I wouldmake is two sites we stayed at in Italy. The one on Lake Maggiore is quite well known and accepts ACSI and was about a third full, early May. The next site on Lake Como cost between €25/30 a night and was virtually empty for several days of our stay. I would have thought getting another 10 units on site at €15 each was better than trying to charge rates which few people want. If sites are loosing out they need to look at their marketing policy. The major downside for campers is that the campsites in these schemes can get very busy. So I suppose you pays your money! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 Tracker - 2009-07-02 10:25 AM Ralph, I have the 2009 English edition ACSI book with card and map (unused as we used Aires) and as we will not be needing again this year it I can post it to you if it helps? Many thanks for your kind offer but I've managed to get one now thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 derek500 - 2009-07-02 10:02 AM We rarely pre-book and use aires as a first choice and ACSI/Camping Cheque if there isn't an aire or we need location/facilities. We have stayed at a few ACSI/Camping Cheque sites and I wouldn't want to pay more than 15€ for a campsite. We only carry the Aires/Sostas/Stellplatze books in the MH along with the ACSI and Camping Cheque books, so our choice is limited to those. I hate going into a site on spec and asking the price and then leaving again!! This is pretty much my way too. When heading for a location I usually look for an aire and if there isn't one, or it is no good, then I use the ACSI book. We like to get on a "proper" site every now and again to get the use of washing machines etc. and charge everything up. I find ACSI better than Camping cheques because you don't need to predict in advance how many non-aire nights you'll need. But your last point (above) is the most important one for me. I like to know in advance how much it will cost. I recently looked in the Alan Rogers guide and the prices were far too vague. With the ACSI book, or with Camping Cheques, you always know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ned Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Hi Guys, Just a note here. Whats all this about not wanting to find out about prices at campsites. All campsites are required to publish their tarrifs outside the site before you enter. Er indoors will actually go in, walk around the site, inspect the loos and showers as well as he quality of the pitches before getting bedded down. She has been known to demand a change of pitch if people rub her up the wrong way during our stay. She wont take prisoners and I must say we very rarely experience any hard feelings from the campsite and we nearly always use Acsi or Municipal sites. Cheers Ned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 All campsites are required to publish their tarrifs outside the site before you enter. That's news to me. Is that Europe wide or just UK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel wood Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Display of prices in the U.K. is unheard of outside the site. In Europe it is most unusual for the price not to be displayed outside even on tiny municipal sites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Steady, folks!! I think it is a requirement in France that campsites have their tariffs visible before you book in. Sometimes they are on a board at the entrance, sometimes in a notice box on the office wall usually - but not invariably - outside.Europe, on the other hand, is quite a big place, and the same convention does not apply in all states. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Just back from a 3 monthe trip to France. Every site we visited displayed their prices outside. I reckon the ACSi card save me around 450 euros. A couple were not that great but the vast majority were excellent and it was always easy to find an alternative ACSI site or Aire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 There is just one thing to bear in mind: the ACSI scheme is Dutch, and is extensively patronised by the Dutch. It also happens that a number of the sites are also Dutch owned, and one or two, from experience, are overtly run by the Dutch, for the Dutch, and seek to create little Dutch enclaves in whatever country they happen to be located. This can result in a certain element among the campers becoming a little dismissive of non-Dutch visitors, but in too many cases, in my opinion, destroys the "native" feel of the site. I freely accept that without the wandering tendencies of the Dutch many sites across Europe would close but, when in France (Italy, Spain, etc) I do like to be on a site that sounds, smells, and feels French (Italian, Spanish, etc), and not like a suburb of Amsterdam! It isn't that I don't like the Dutch, generally I do: I just don't like them exporting Dutchness all over Europe. I should have just the same reaction to heavily British or German dominated sites.In fact, many of the French municipals are little more expensive than ACSI discount sites, (now up to 15 Euros per night plus tourist tax), are often better equipped, cleaned, and run, and above all, look, smell, and feel French. On our recent 10 week wander round France only nine out of 39 sites visited were ACSI, and only six of the non-ACSI sites charged more than ACSI plus tourist tax. The other 24 were all at, or below, the ACSI plus tourist tax rate.So yes you can save with ACSI but, as ever, it is not a free lunch, and there is still better value elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 ned - 2009-07-03 6:29 PM Hi Guys, Just a note here. Whats all this about not wanting to find out about prices at campsites. All campsites are required to publish their tarrifs outside the site before you enter. Quite true, but you need to actually be there to read it which means finding the site, only to decide it's too expensive. I like to know how much it's going to cost before even deciding on a town, never mind which site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 I gave up using non ACSI sites when I arrived one night at Camping Pavillion Royal in Biarritz. It was late, I was tired and the local Aire was full. It cost 29 euros a night, but in August the price increased to 86 euros. Although the site had direct access to a beach, swimming was banned due to excess pollution. It was an absolute rip off! Its solely ACSI for me from now on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Ralph - 2009-07-05 7:10 PM Quite true, but you need to actually be there to read it which means finding the site, only to decide it's too expensive. I like to know how much it's going to cost before even deciding on a town, never mind which site. You sound just like me!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 We used ACSI almost exclusively in our recent six weeks in France, only paid 15 euro once most 11 or 13 euro. We also used three municiples all around 12 euro, the acsi sites do not all charge tourist tax as an extra. Personally I do not give a damn who runs it, what it smells like, not sure what Brian means by that or who is on it. My wife and I do not feel the need to wander around talking to all and sundry, we care less who is next door. All we ask is that the facilities are clean, water is hot, site is well kept and no noisy kids or some bloke burning sausages on a barbecue next door. If people speak to us we are friendly and try to be helpful if needed, if no-one speaks that is just fine. I say ACSI keep up the good work, pity the CC does not get a similar scheme up and running in Europe. As an aside we also find their book and map the easiest to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porky Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I have not yet used ACSI in anger, later this year we hope, but whilst researching I notice that there are a number (quite a few it seems) of sites for Portugal on the web site which do not appear in my book. Seems strange to me. Is this true of other countries anyone know? Porky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ina Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Porky - 2009-07-07 3:10 PM notice that there are a number (quite a few it seems) of sites for Portugal on the web site which do not appear in my book. Seems strange to me. Is this true of other countries anyone know? Porky There is a difference between sites which accept the ACSI card, and sites which have been inspected by ACSI, but do not accept the ACSI card. On the ACSI website there are lots of sites which have been inspected by the ACSI team, but if they don't accept the ACSI card then you will not find those in your book. Only the sites which accept the card appear in the book. There is a separate part of the ACSI website which only lists the sites which accept the card. Ina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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