Caravan club

[zak2442]

Hi Guys,

Thinking of joining a Caravan Club,Any advice on which one is best between The Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravan Club.

Regards

Keith.

[Tracker]

Depends on what you like.

 

CC seems to have the better sites and better locations and possibly more CLs

 

CCC seems to have a more flexible approach to weekend meets and a lot more THSs with no pre booking needed

 

There is also the MCC which also has quite a lot of weekend meets but no sites and many fewer CLs

[Muswell]

The CC sites tend to be a bit more sedate because the C and CC, especially in school holidays, can have young families with tents. I'm not saying one is better than the other but if you are averse to children on bikes etc. best stick to the CC.

[Colin Leake]

You meet a better class of people like us on the CC sites.

[ips]

Depends what you like

 

cc more regimented pitches IMO but you get to drive round and pick one then go back and tell them were you are.

 

ccc bit more informal but warden takes you to your designated pitch and you better have a good reason not to want it. More kids.

 

Both have excellent cl - cs network.

 

If you have kids or grand kids i would go ccc

Otherwise cc unless you like watching folk putting tents up like we do LOL then ccc

[mel wood]

Hi zak,

I don't think there is any definite answer as to which club is "best". In my experience, over 20 years with CCC and 10 years with CC (since we bought a camper van) we have found that there are very positive points and a few negatives about both clubs. The advantages far outweigh the negative points in my opinion.

There is much about the clubs already on this site - if you type these into the search facility you will be able to access the information:

CC or CCC

Finding campsites

Which club to join.

 

Please be aware that on all the threads there are some comments from contributors who dislike one or other - or even both - of the clubs.

 

I stand by the comments I made on those threads. We certainly gain much, include monetary savings, by being in both clubs and know that the approx £40 to each club which we pay in annual subscriptions is more than recouped in various savings and benefits each year.

 

 

[dipstick0_0]

I agree with Mel we belong to both and both have plus and minus points

Try the one you fancy most and if your not happy then join the other next year and compare

What suits you may not suit me so just give it a go both are friendly clubs

good luck

[Cliffy]

 

I once saw on a CC site a couple of caravaners who every night they would "dress for dinner"?

 

May be they had fallen on hard times and could not afford to go to hotels but still wanted to keep up the tradition.

 

The choice between the two clubs is each to there own I suppose. We prefer the more relaxed atmosphere and mix of campers at C&CC clubs. We prefer the quality and maintenance of the CC facilities.

 

[malc d]

If you are over 55 you can get reduced rates in low season with C&CC.

 

 

:-|

[Brian Kirby]

zak2442 - 2013-08-10 12:03 PM

 

Hi Guys,

Thinking of joining a Caravan Club,Any advice on which one is best between The Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravan Club.

Regards

Keith.

Try before you buy! Both clubs admit non-members to the majority of their sites. You'll pay a bit more as a non-member, but if you pick a few from each and try them out you'll soon get a sense of which, if either, you prefer. You can easily find which of the sites you can visit this way from their websites. If you want full facilities, just check what is offered before you book, as a few of (I think) both clubs sites have only basic water and waste disposal facilities, with no toilets/showers/washing-up facilities. I believe you can also join at any site, and I think there are even a few inducements to do so. Sound llike a plan?

[Ipetchey]

A lot depends on the area. We are members of both. So far this year we have used:-

Caravan Club x 20 sites

Camping Caravan Club x 10 sites

Private sites x 6 sites

CLs x 4 sites

 

If Same area has CC, CCC and private we would likely choose CC, as the wardens normally let you choose your own pitch. CCC can be annoying when wardens pick your pitch. I asked one time why we could not have 'the pitch opposite', warden said it was reserved. We were there 3 nights, pitch never used!!. Also CC toilets blocks tend to be nicer, more modern.... But not always.

[mikebeaches]

We are members of C&CC. In addition to very good reductions for over 55s in low and mid-season, they have lots and lots of Temporary Holiday Sites (THS), which you can just turn up at, no need to book - and mostly at very low cost even in July / August - from around £6 per night. Stay one night or a week (or more) - very easy going.

 

Mike

[mel wood]

Brian Kirby - 2013-08-10 8:03 PM

 

zak2442 - 2013-08-10 12:03 PM

 

Hi Guys,

Thinking of joining a Caravan Club,Any advice on which one is best between The Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravan Club.

Regards

Keith.

Try before you buy! Both clubs admit non-members to the majority of their sites. You'll pay a bit more as a non-member, but if you pick a few from each and try them out you'll soon get a sense of which, if either, you prefer. .......... Sound llike a plan?

 

Brian, I'm not sure if you are a member of either club or what you consider to be "a bit more".

The extra fee for non-members at CCC sites is £7.20 a night - at CC sites it is £10 per night.

 

Picking "a few from each" could soon add up to more in non-members' fees that a year's membership!

 

[Gwendolyn]

Muswell - 2013-08-10 12:37 PM

 

The CC sites tend to be a bit more sedate because the C and CC, especially in school holidays, can have young families with tents. I'm not saying one is better than the other but if you are averse to children on bikes etc. best stick to the CC.

 

Sorry, hadn't seen this thread. So I began another Club Site thread.

See my OP on the "Club site: high season; no hassle!" thread for another view.

 

Cheers

Gwen

[Brian Kirby]

mel wood - 2013-08-11 6:23 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-08-10 8:03 PM

 

zak2442 - 2013-08-10 12:03 PM

 

Hi Guys,

Thinking of joining a Caravan Club,Any advice on which one is best between The Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravan Club.

Regards

Keith.

Try before you buy! Both clubs admit non-members to the majority of their sites. You'll pay a bit more as a non-member, but if you pick a few from each and try them out you'll soon get a sense of which, if either, you prefer. .......... Sound llike a plan?

 

Brian, I'm not sure if you are a member of either club or what you consider to be "a bit more".

The extra fee for non-members at CCC sites is £7.20 a night - at CC sites it is £10 per night.

 

Picking "a few from each" could soon add up to more in non-members' fees that a year's membership!

Hi Mel.

 

Yes, true, and we are long-standing members of both. However, joining both would cost about £80, and my suggestion was to try both to see which appeals. So, less than £40 for 4 nights, which should help the decision-making process, and still cheaper than joining one, and then finding you'd have preferred the other? But, only a suggestion, and no obligation to accept it.

[snowie]

zak2442 - 2013-08-10 12:03 PM

 

Hi Guys,

Thinking of joining a Caravan Club,Any advice on which one is best between The Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravan Club.

Regards

Keith.

Hi Keith,

you've had a range of opinions, and suggestions on how to proceed. I've read them, and I'm a member of both; and I don't know how I would have chosen one over the other. Even now I'm not sure!

My suggestion would be to choose one, and join for a year, and then join the other one for a year. Then make a decision.

At the same time you could just choose independent commercial sites and see how they compare.

By the end of the second year you would be well prepared to make a decision!

Good luck

alan b

[Rayjsj]

Hi,

Both Clubs have their 'Champions' on this Forum, I can only give my experiences over the last 25 years with Frame tents, caravans and now Motorhomes, belonged to the C &C C for 10 years or so, when tenting and then caravanning, got a motorhome and Joined Both (for more choice of stopping places) had a few bad experiences with the C & CC, funnily enough only in the last 10 years or so, 'site managers' 'strutting their stuff' and giving us no choice of Pitches (this will bring 'untrue' claims from some, BUT it happened,several times on C & CC sites) with a Motorhome . The final straw with the C& CC came at Ayr at the Culzean Castle Site . Not a peak time and many pitches were free, but the manager INSISTED we parked down a dark 'Alley' with the other 'campervans', we asked for a differant pitch and were told ,no others available and the Grass ones were for caravans. (his words not mine !).

The whole stay was spoiled by the 'Spat' with the manager, Although it's a lovely site, and watching the Pipe band play in the Castle was magical. BUT this incident was enough for me,added to a few others. We decided to stick with The Caravan Club only, and we have not been dissapointed, yes there are more 'Rules', but they can be re-assuring, as well as 'restricting for some. For us Being able to Choose for yourself, from the available pitches is the foremost reason for sticking with them, if ever that policy got changed, then we might re-consider. 'You pays your money and you takes your choice'. Ray

[PJay]

One point no one seems to have mentioned, is that IMO if you intend to go abroad , the CC has better connections

PJay

[Ipetchey]

As a member of both clubs, I agree with Rays point completely. The C&CC do have some sites in great locations, thus we use them.

Another point of possible consideration, in my opinion the CC monthly magazine is much better than the C&CC mag. Not as good as MMM, but a good mag..... The C&CC mag often goes into the bin without being opened.

[Brock]

Been a CC member for 23 years as caravanner and motorhomer. I have stayed on a small number of C&CC sites in my time.

 

CC sites are full of caravanners with the odd smattering of motorhomers and very rare tents. C&CC is a mix of everything including limited glamping [glamorous camping]. My limited experience suggest the C&CC experience has its ups and down whereas the CC is a more consistent experience. The latter suits me because I have limited time away.

 

Most of the CCs have excellent motorhome service points and others are being upgraded.Never had a problem with CC wardens but some people have reported altercations.

 

Watch the fees in the CC if you are a sole camper. They charge a pitch fee and a fee per person. I've just stayed at Ferry Meadows [working dow in Peterborough] and it was £17.10 per night for me, an extra adult was £7.70 and children £2.60 depending in age. At a CL recently, I paid £12 irrespective of how many adults.

 

There are alternatives to joining either club such as overnight stops in locations, commercial sites, and rallies.

[Gwendolyn]

I am sure that many members of both Clubs can relate tales of spats with grumpy wardens on sites belonging to both Clubs. I could, but I won’t. Just forget it. I cannot be doing with all the huffing and puffing because Warden X gave me a hard time so we left the Club. They are campsites for heaven's sake, the wardens have little impact on one’s life. I cannot understand why people get so heated and make these grand gestures, “We resigned because….” Does it matter that much????

 

Cannot understand why people get so partisan either. We have been members of one Club for 28 years; of the other for just a little fewer. I wouldn’t be without either membership.

 

And could I add a corrective to the often trotted out “you can’t choose your pitch on a C&CC site”.

 

You can. It’s true that a certain amount of allocation of pitches happens. That is because:

- you can book a hard standing or a grass pitch; an electric or non electric pitch

- the wardens have to balance the needs of tent campers too

- pitches on C&CC sites are not as uniform as pitches on CC sites and if members were allowed free choice of any pitch they may well be taking a type of pitch which has been booked

- wardens on C&CC sites regard escorting members to a pitch as part of the service.

 

Last week, having booked a grass pitch with EHU on a C&CC site, we were offered a choice of 3 which were available to us.

 

If ever we have been shown to pitch which was not to our liking, a request to move has NEVER been refused. There are ways of asking! Nicely!

 

And, if I’m honest, sometimes the C&CC approach is preferable to the mad scramble and free for all that happens on CC sites. I’ve even seen people dash out of cars and stand on a pitch to ‘reserve it’ until the driver has booked in. Or run and plonk a chair on the pitch.

 

Occasionally, when we are on a site, my OH will say, “Which mob is this one with?” Hard to tell the difference sometimes!

 

Cheers

Gwen [contented, mostly, long time member of both Clubs]

 

 

 

 

[ips]

I don't have a problem with wardens of either of the clubs as I refuse to do any of the booking in malarkey, I let mrs ips deal with all that :-D

[Muswell]

Gwendolyn - 2013-08-12 10:50 AM

 

I am sure that many members of both Clubs can relate tales of spats with grumpy wardens on sites belonging to both Clubs. I could, but I won’t. Just forget it. I cannot be doing with all the huffing and puffing because Warden X gave me a hard time so we left the Club. They are campsites for heaven's sake, the wardens have little impact on one’s life. I cannot understand why people get so heated and make these grand gestures, “We resigned because….” Does it matter that much????

 

Cannot understand why people get so partisan either. We have been members of one Club for 28 years; of the other for just a little fewer. I wouldn’t be without either membership.

 

And could I add a corrective to the often trotted out “you can’t choose your pitch on a C&CC site”.

 

You can. It’s true that a certain amount of allocation of pitches happens. That is because:

- you can book a hard standing or a grass pitch; an electric or non electric pitch

- the wardens have to balance the needs of tent campers too

- pitches on C&CC sites are not as uniform as pitches on CC sites and if members were allowed free choice of any pitch they may well be taking a type of pitch which has been booked

- wardens on C&CC sites regard escorting members to a pitch as part of the service.

 

Last week, having booked a grass pitch with EHU on a C&CC site, we were offered a choice of 3 which were available to us.

 

If ever we have been shown to pitch which was not to our liking, a request to move has NEVER been refused. There are ways of asking! Nicely!

 

And, if I’m honest, sometimes the C&CC approach is preferable to the mad scramble and free for all that happens on CC sites. I’ve even seen people dash out of cars and stand on a pitch to ‘reserve it’ until the driver has booked in. Or run and plonk a chair on the pitch.

 

Occasionally, when we are on a site, my OH will say, “Which mob is this one with?” Hard to tell the difference sometimes!

 

Cheers

Gwen [contented, mostly, long time member of both Clubs]

 

 

 

Me too. A few years ago we had been on the Garlieston site a couple of days and the warden came to our van and told us that a van with a waterfront pitch would be leaving later that day and asked if would we like to take that pitch. It always pays to be nice to the wardens.

 

 

[Rayjsj]

Never been involved in a 'Mad scramble' for a pitch, but then I don't 'queue up' at exactly 12.00 o'clock,

I usually make sure I arrive at about 2 or 3, drive around, pick a pitch, put 'Motorhome using this pitch' sign on it, then I go to fill the fresh water Tank whilst the missus goes and tells the wardens which pitch we are on, easy peasy.

I did once see a 'Caravanners Wife' nearly get 'Squidged' , she was obviously trying to save a pitch while her (dawdling) Husband slowly drove around, In the meantime the Van, who had been in front of them in the 'queue' , arrived at the aforsaid pitch, the driver was on his own (Missus in Loo I suppose) and he obviously didn't see the 'caravanner's wife' standing on the pitch, because he proceeded to back his Van straight onto it, quite 'briskly', The 'Caravanner's Wife' gamely 'stood her ground, but she obviously didn't drive, because she stood resolutely in his 'Blind side' waving her arms....... as I said 'Nearly Squidged'. The Outcome.... a bit of a row, but the 1st (in the queue) 'Caravanners wife' registered the pitch first, because they stayed the pitch for the rest of the week.

Funny what you see when you have your feet up relaxing with a Malt Scotch. Ray

[pepe63xnotuse]

Rayjsj - 2013-08-13 11:06 AM

 

...I did once see a 'Caravanners Wife' nearly get 'Squigded' , she was obviously trying to save a pitch while her (dawdling) Husband slowly drove around...

 

Although no "squidging" involved, we've witnessed something similar at Baltic Wharf.Whilst her hubby was waiting behind us to book on, this woman scurried off to grab a pitch(..so this was before they were booked in and with their MH still on the outside of the closed barrier!).

 

Unfortunately when we drove around, the pitch she was "reserving" wasn't the side where we wanted to aim for(..a pity, as it could've made an "interesting" start to weekend >:-) )

 

I recall reading a lively thread on another forum(ukcampsite?)some time ago,about Trewethett Farm, Tintagel. Where some had witnessed people who ,having arrived just before 12:00(or what ever their booking in time is),would walk onto the site and "reserve" their pitch by leaving a chair/water carrier on it... *-)

Although I dare say the warden would only be accused of being a "little Hitler" if he had stopped 'em! *-)