ACSI Camping cards

[Keith T]

not sure whether this is the best section of Forums to post this question?

 

In the bumpf with this months MMM was a card advertising ACSI Cards.

Have heard of these previously but know very little about them and how they compare to the Alan Rogers Camping Cards which I have used in the past.

Whilst I have done some research on the internet site stated on the leaflet, I cannot find what periods they would cover - other than 'low season', and wonder how useful/ comparable they are with Alan Rogers version? I have also found from regular travelling to France early or late season that some very good offers are already available at many campsites.

I guess lots of you have experience of both cards (maybe there are others also?) and would be glad of any feedback from contributors, to help me decide which one/ if/ whether to go ahead with one of these

Thanks

[Ina]

I assume when you say Alan Rogers card, you mean Camping Cheques? AFAIK, they do not have a card like ACSI.

 

Further info on ACSI: http://www.campingcard.co.uk/gb/en/home/uc33-l2-n641/

 

Further down the page you can search for ACSI sites which accept the card, and with each site there is full info on when it is accepted, cost etc (cost varies, either 11, 13 or 15 Euros per night).

 

Warning: the website also contains details of sites which don't accept the ACSI card, but are inspected by ACSI, so when you search, make sure you don't confuse the 2.

 

Personally I prefer the ACSI scheme, as there is no big outlay up front, as with Camping Cheques, but we always take some CC's in addition to ACSI, as there are a few CC sites we like.

 

Ina.

[Keith T]

Hi, and thanks. Yes the other scheme is in fact Camping Cheques, as you say, and yes the downside is the need for outlay of a given number of cheques in advance, and to try and calculate how many nof these you may use in generally a period of up to 2 years.....

this is why I am wondering how the two schemes compare in value and which is more flexible and useful?

[Ina]

Yes, the problem with CC's is that it is difficult to predict how many you think you'll need, also each time you buy them, whether it is paper cheques, or via the Silver Card, there is quite a hefty admin charge (I believe with the Gold Card the fee is less or non-existent, but unsure on this).

 

I think if I had to choose which to go for and could only have 1, I would choose ACSI, no big initial outlay, there are more sites and also, some sites are quite cheap at 11 Euros, which is less than the 15 Euros CC charge. But of course some ACSI sites also charge 15 Euros.

 

As I said, because there are a few CC sites we like, we do also take some CC's with us, but not that many, as if you don't end up using them, you lose them (unless you can sell them), or you end up using them just to use them, and end up going somewhere you didn't really particularly wanted to go.

[Klyne]

We have used the ACSI Card for several years now, often in conjunction with Camping Cheques. Quite a few CC sites have swapped over to the ASCI stable. The beauty of the ACSI scheme is the modest initial outlay of around £12 for the directory and card so even if you don't use it you have not wasted a fortune and the book is useful in itself as a campsite guide. Camping Cheques are also at a set price of €15 where as they range from €11 tp €15 for ACSI. Some of the sites at the lower end are perfectly acceptable and some very good. For 2011 we have decided to buy a Camping Cheque Silver Card onto which I will put a small number of cheques and that will allow me to top up as I tour if that is necessary but I suspect in the main I will use the ACSI Card.

 

David

[Cattwg]

Hi,

We have used the ACSI Camping Card for a few years now and have just ordered this year’s. The catalogue costs about £12.50 from Vicarious Books. It contains over 2000 campsites across Europe priced at €11, €13, or €15. These are the prices for 2 adults, their unit and electricity for one night. Depending on the standard tariffs at the campsites you will save upto several €’s a night. In Germany last year on one site we saved €6 per night. The advantage of the ACSI Card is that once the catalogue is bought there is no other up-front cost.

Have not heard of the Alan Rogers ‘card’ – I suspect you mean Camping Cheques. These give the same entitlement but have to be bought in advance – they are currently about £14 each (I think), so there can be quite an up-front cost and they charge an admin fee of about £7 if you don’t book your ferry through them. There are also Touring Cheques – the same as Camping Cheques – just a different company.

With all of these schemes the overriding factor is that they have to be used out of season, this generally means they cannot be used in July and August. But the dates vary slightly from site to site.

If you put ACSI, Camping Cheque or Touring Cheque into Google you an see all the information.

Cattwg :-D

[Hawcara]

You can get a 'deal' through the Caravan Club who will include so many cheques with the ferry cost.

There seems to be more camping cheque sites in France than there are in Germany.

We have no experience of using the silver card, but last year in Noirmontier the site 'operator' there seemed to have problems with some Germans who had that card and they then had to pay the full cost of the site.

As others have said Asci have no up front cost. Sites are generally the same and we also use both.

[mondo]

We used the ACSI card a couple of years ago..Not had one for around 12 months as we are resident in Tenerife for the time being..We found it good to use... In total I think we used it on 4/5 sites so it sort of paid for it's cost....It came in useful as even in high season it's a good source as a directory for the out of the way sites...IMHO a really useful tool

[Mel B]

We've use the ACSI card for many years now, when we want a campsite, simply because we don't always need too, preferring on the whole to use aires etc. Apart from the cost of the ACSI book the only other cost is the site fee - on one site a few years ago we saved over17 euros a night - the chap in front of us didn't have the ACSI card and paid through the nose.

 

We have looked at Camping Cheques but they don't appear to be accepted as widely as the ACSI card.

[kelly58]

Last year we used the ASCI scheme and the campsite outside Paris was 30e for 2 nights + local taxes and the Dutch Caravanner without the ASCI card paid 58e for 2 nights inc local taxes so for the initial outlay of between £10.50 / £12 its well worth it we have not stopped on a bad site listed in the guide yet in the past 4 years, and are looking forward to this years travels , roll on spring / summer.

[Basil]

ACSI is useful, we have used it for the past four or five years, but contrary to some comments there ARE some dodgy sites in the book that charge full rate and defy the description contained within the book. One site we visited last year appeared to be a run down residential site with a number of the statics in a state of collapse, we have reported it to ACSI but it is still described the same in this years book, perhaps they were in lay up for print before our comments were submitted.

Also very often local Municipals can be just as inexpensive with as good facilities but cheaper, so it is not the be all and end all just another tool to be used.

If the Paris site just mentioned was the one we stopped on last year, yes the savings are great and it was a good site. (Was it Maisons-Laffitte)

 

Bas

[elamessa]

Can anyone tell me how long it takes the ACSI card/book to be delivered,

I oredered the subscription from the ACSI webshop on the 1/1/11 and I am still waiting.

We live in France but don't suppose that should make a difference with delivery.

Thanks in advance

STeve

[starvin marvin]

It all depends on your style of camping. I've had an ACSI card for the last two years and used it once, which was this year, in Spain although it was a 2010 card the site accepted it and I paid 15 euros. Was the site value for money, yes the alternative was at least 19 euro's and I know is a much worst winter halt on the long haul home

 

Value for money overall, no, but it gives you an alternative should you need a site, we generally free camp.

[kelly58]

Basil - 2011-01-16 4:48 PM . If the Paris site just mentioned was the one we stopped on last year, yes the savings are great and it was a good site. (Was it Maisons-Laffitte) Bas

Yes we have used it many times its great for the train into the centre of Paris and not too expensive its a pity there is not an ASCI site near London , butstill what do you expect with "rip off britain " ??