# Camping Cheques or ACSI



## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

Last year we noticed that any location in France which accepted Camping Cheques( which we have )also accepted the ACSI Card ( which we don't have) but not necessarily the other way around, so was thinking of opting out of the former in favour of the latter.
Can others confirm that this would be a good move. Also is it the same trend in other European countries ?


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

ACSI card (for the price) is absolutely worthwhile - it will pay for itself using it just once - and it'll save you quite a bit on site fee's but be aware that it's not valid for "high season"


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

And there are not many sites open all year

joe


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I doubt whether the site would be allowed to do both. we were at a site a couple of years back, and they were in CChqs, and had a sign up saying they would not be any more because they had agreed to take the ACSI discount card, so CChqs had dumped them! The site may have a sign on their window with ACSI on it, but it is probably just an ACSI "listed" site i.e. inspected and listed in their guide, NOT in the discount scheme!

listings:-
http://www.eurocampings.co.uk/en/europe/ 
ACSI discount card:-
http://www.campingcard.co.uk/gb/en/europe/


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## jedi (Nov 22, 2007)

joedenise said:


> And there are not many sites open all year
> 
> joe


High season generally seems to cover about 6 weeks in July and August. I used it in Italy visiting places like Florence and Venice into July. For example, in Florence without card €45.00 per night; with card €15.00. Cost more than saved in one night 

Most camp sites are open for more than 6 weeks. Definitely a good purchase. I have no experience of Camping Cheques.

Low season doesn't mean winter :roll: Mostly it's school holidays - good time to avoid anyway.

For the price you can't go wrong.

Jed


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

Jed 

i was just saying there are not many sites open all year only 52 in all of france September is ok but what about someone going now?

joe


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Gretchibald said:


> . . . any location in France which accepted Camping Cheques also accepted the ACSI Card . . .


You sure about that? They may have accepted the ACSI card as proof of identity, or as suggested earlier they may have been ACSI Inspected which is not the same at all. I very much doubt if they were *participating *members of both schemes. For information however, if it helps with a decision . . .

With Camping Cheques you have to buy the cheques before you go, or if you need them while on holiday you must contact Head Office in Britain to buy more. This can be quite a hassle!

This means you have to invest quite a few quid up front, so you will tend to look for Camping Cheques sites, even if they are not quite where you wanted to be. The cheques have a limited life of only 2 years, but this is calculated as Calendar years I think - NOT from the date you bought them, so if you buy some on 1st December they are a year old after a month . . . as it were!

You also have to pay an Admin fee of £7.50 whether you buy one cheque or a bundle. If you only want three or four this adds significantly to the cost, and is obviously a ploy to persuade you to buy a lot at the same time. Bloody nuisance if you are at the end of a holiday and just fancy an extra day or two on a site, but have run out of cheques. There are *627* participating sites throughout Europe.

With ACSI on the other hand, you pay your £11.99 from Vicarious Books and that's the end of the hassle. You get a discount card which you present at a participating site, and your fees will be either €12, €14 or €16. There are *2504* of these throughout Europe. _(N.B. The sites don't often ask for your passport - the ACSI card is usually sufficient.)_

There are a number of other options with Camping Cheques, but basically it is as outlined above. If it helps anyone decide, we . . .

*a).* . . . would not think of crossing the Channel without our ACSI card. _(N.B. Two books - the card is in one of them. Remove the card first and put it in your wallet - so you don't take the wrong book and leave the card at home!)_

*b).* . . . have a (free) Camping Cheques Silver Card and keep one or two cheques on it. Then if we really want to stay on a CC site for a while, and the discount will be worth it, we either phone or go on the Internet and buy more cheques. Bit of a chore though, so we don't often bother . . . there's usually an ACSI site anyway, so we just hand over the card.

Personal opinion. You must have concluded by now which system we prefer!!

Hope this helps

Dave


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

We use both. As others have suggested most sites are ACSI inspected and approved but not all take the card.
As a general rule we have found that Camping Cheque sites may be in the main possibly marginally better.

Steve


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

We are always looking out for naturist campsites. ACSI and Camping Cheques both have some in their respective schemes.

We've used the ACSI discount card for a couple of years and stayed at most of the naturist sites they include However, the number has reduced for 2013 - don't know why?  

On the other hand, Camping Cheques have significantly expanded the choice of naturist places this year. 8) 

I agree with all the observations that have been made in earlier threads, but we will probably stick to Camping Cheques this year, even if they are rather more hassle and less flexible.

Horses for courses I guess.

Mike


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

A lot of very informative and helpful replies, thank you. All things considered , I think since we already have the Camping Cheque gold card we will also acquire an ACSI card and then all bets are covered.
Also have All the Aires, MHF Stick, Internet the French Passion book and widow sticker, oh and a Motorhome - surely that's enough , or is there something else ? ( joke)
Naturist sites- the jury's still out for me on that one.


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

Gretchibald said:


> Naturist sites- the jury's still out for me on that one.


Give it a try... you seriously won't regret it. :lol:

Mike


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## seanoo (Mar 31, 2007)

hi , camping cheques very easy to get online. i have a silver card and only takes a few clicks to top it up. i dont keep any on the card just get them as i need them . the admin fee is a bit annoying but if you are staying for a week then its only an extra euro a night.


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## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

mikebeaches said:


> Gretchibald said:
> 
> 
> > Naturist sites- the jury's still out for me on that one.
> ...


New to this way of live and white skin all over? - If its too cold everything will shrivel off with cold and if its too hot you will burn all over.


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

oldun said:


> mikebeaches said:
> 
> 
> > Gretchibald said:
> ...


You could check out these threads for inspiration -

Naturist Beaches:
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftoptitle-96027-naturist-beaches.html

UK Naturist sites: 
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftoptitle-96093-uk-naturist-sites.html

Naturist sites - France:
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftoptitle-102866-naturist-sites-france.html

Mike


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## Cyclewalkbob (Oct 18, 2011)

We use both Asci and CC.

The CC seem to be the bigger sites, possibly more suited to a family rather than a couple.

However we use whichever campsite is available in the area we are at the time.

Just remember that you need a gold card so that any unused C Cheques are carried over to the next year ( not sure if you can do this on a silver card)

We carried over 5 nights to use this year


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## Melly (Jul 5, 2007)

I have a gold card which runs out this month and will not be renewing as they seem to put the price up when the euro gets stronger but last year when it was 1.24 to the £ we are paying a lot more per cheque than euro countries and I hate getting ripped off.
Even emailed them on this subject and still no reply 8 months later.
At least with ACSI we all pay the same.


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## Boardman (Apr 5, 2012)

Hi Mike Beaches,
I have just sent for this years ACSI with a view to using it here http://www.lebetulle.org/index.php/en/. I hope they still take it.
After reading your comments I will have a look at Camping Cheques for their improved Naturist coverage.
A by the way is that we again went to Jandia in Fuerteventura this year (all of February) to find even the main beaches were very tollerant of nudity. Possibly 30% Naturist in busy areas and 80% naturist in the quieter places.
Regards Terry & Val


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## SNandJA (Aug 22, 2008)

Camping Cheques are valid for 2 years when used with the Silver card or the new Alan Rogers Travel Card. Both these cards are free. The Gold Card which costs for initial purchase has the advantage of making it easier to transfer unused "cheques" and often gets offers like 7 nights for 6 cheques and 14 nights for 11 cheques. You build bonus points which can offset or even make the renewal fee free (Gold card valid 3 years but cheques are valid for 4 years) See second link below for the Gold Card advantages but you do really need to use it a lot to benefit. Main benefit is building enough loyalty points to get free renewal after 3 years of the card. Gold Card members can also reserve and book online for free.

Camping Cheque FAQs

Camping Cheque Gold and Silver Compared

Camping Cheques ideal for two adults but my son and his 3 children get advantages as a number of CC sites offer low season rates from 2nd week of August so there are savings there. Camping Cheque traditionally recruited 3 star sites and above.

I think there is a good case for carrying both ACSI and CC in some form or other.

Steve


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## charlieivan (Apr 25, 2006)

Just jumping on this thread here with a queston about cheques. Can they be used even in high season unlike acsi which has specific dates it can be used?


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

charlieivan said:


> Just jumping on this thread here with a queston about cheques. Can they be used even in high season unlike acsi which has specific dates it can be used?


No - almost identical system.

The discounts are often, *but not always*, quite substantial but only at specified low season times.

It is also worth asking how much the standard (non Camping Cheques) rate is, because sometimes you are saving only pennies . . . and it costs a rather steep £7.50 admin charge every time you buy more cheques.

Silly to use a cheque to no real advantage when it costs so much to replace it. _(The £7.50 admin charge is obviously a not-very-subtle way of trying to persuade you to buy a lot of cheques all at once. Then of course, you end up searching out Camping Cheques sites in order to use them - whether or not they are in the situation you would have chosen to stay!)_

Dave


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## seanoo (Mar 31, 2007)

quite a few campsites are in both schemes , just stayed at la manga and the new marjal which accept both acsi and cc to name two. cheers sean


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

funny you should say that Seanoo, we're currently on Los Escullos in the Cabbo de Gata park, and they also take both - so maybe it's not set in stone that they get chucked out of one if they use the other....

btw ACSI 2167 and C/Chqs 641. Pleasant site out in the sticks, so you need to be able to get out & about in the van to see the area. Had a pleasant walk to the beach this morning - lovely sunshine but a gusty north wind; siesta time now 8)


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*give us a wave Bognor!*

Give us a wave Bogner as i have a great view of the cape from Almeria, had a few hours on the sun lounger this afternoon, might crack open a beer and light the BBQ soon

anyone mention snow?

Sue and Andrew

Oh and acsi card every time , we full time ( 6 years) and have saved a fortune


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

are you on the site at La Garrofal? possibly heading that way at the end of the week....


and to stay on topic, we travel with a number of camping cheques on our gold card, and have the ACSI books as well 8)


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## kenp (Sep 8, 2006)

I was just looking up Bognormike's site Los Escullos in both ACSI and Camping Cheques books and it reminded me that CCs seem to be accepted for more weeks of the year.

For example at Los Escullos:

ACSI 1/1 - 26/3; 1/4 - 20/6; 1/9 - 31/12.

CC 1/1 - 30/6; 1/9 - 29/12.

Kenp


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*la garroffa*

yep , been here a while, stayed b4 as its direct onto the beach(waves breaking 5 meters from van as its a high tide)
smallish site with good mix of nations facs a bit run down but what a location, dont leave it too late to arrive as limited space, if you dont like any pitches available when you arrive ask to stay on beach overnight and drop onto any better pitches next day

were in the CI luton on the other side of the dry river bed
link is to the vid i took of the campsite last week


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