# Totally a beginners question about acsi and camping cheques.



## Scooby1973 (Feb 16, 2011)

As i have never used either and i am travelling on the 29th august and not planning on booking anything, how do you do it, do i just turn up at the site without booking and show my card or cheques or do i ring/email, how much notice should i give.

I planning on trying the aires but not every night. 

Sorry for the nooby question but if ya dont ask ya will never know eh till you find out later.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

no problem. 
just turn up - out of season, show your ACSI card or say you are using that system Then you settle up at the end, either with Camping cheques or pay the specified rate on ACSI


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## jedi (Nov 22, 2007)

I have been travelling Europe for 14 years visiting France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary.

I never book anywhere in advance because I don't know where I'm going :lol: 

I use ACSI, campsites, aires, stellplatze, sostas and camp wild.

This year I will be away 5 months. Heading for Morocco first. I'll get off the boat and take it from there.

Armed with various books, apps such as mobil life and downloaded POI I will always find somewhere to stop.

Don't book, just go and enjoy the freedom  

Jed


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

What Mike said, but ACSI is arguably better in several ways.

There are a lot more ACSI sites than Camping Cheques.

No need to pay in advance with ACSI, so you don't find yourself looking for sites in order to use up your pre-bought Camping Cheques.

You don't run out of cheques on holiday and have to phone the UK (or go online) to buy more *AND *pay the £7.50 admin charge on top of the cost of the cheques, every time you buy more!!

With ACSI you buy your discount card for £12.50 or so, and that's the end of it. Campsites often accept the card instead of your passport too, which is another bonus.

If it's of interest, we have a (free) Camping Cheques Silver Card and we keep a couple of cheques on it - just in case. We also have ACSI of course. This way we have the best of both. Very little outlay on cheques but the facility to use them and buy more if we want to - plus the simplicity and more numerous sites with ACSI.

Hope this helps

Dave


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

the problem with camping cheques is that you have to buy them in advance, Acsi you join for a yearly membership of around £12.but the discounts are for off season. so check when you travel as to when the discounts are in operation. as to booking, have never needed to, unless you go during the national holiday weeks in France.but even then one can find somewhere.

cabby


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## Scooby1973 (Feb 16, 2011)

Thx for that, the wife was a little worried we would end up sleeping at the side of the road when the say they have no spaces lol.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Scooby1973 said:


> Thx for that, the wife was a little worried we would end up sleeping at the side of the road when the say they have no spaces lol.


You may well choose to do that anyway - on an Aire!

Have you got the "All the Aires" book from Vicarious?

Dave


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## Scooby1973 (Feb 16, 2011)

Yes got the aires


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Dear wife of Scooby

Have no fears about sleeping on the side of the road!!!

I understand your trepidation regarding where you can have secure confidence in spending the night. How you feel that unless you book in advance you will not get onto a site. This is rather more than unlikely.
First off you will be travelling out of the peak season, so both camps and Aires should not be full.
If an Aire is full and I have not encountered that yet (there has always been a place to squeeze me in), you can always go to the next site which will not be far away.
Why book a campsite? If for some reason you should arrive late and the gates are closed, invariably there will be a free space outside to park and you will have your home with you.
The ACSI book will show when you can use the card (at the bottom in blue usually). Just turn up and show your card, they always have an ACSI poster on show, and they want your custom.
Once you have been to an Aire and campsite, you will see how it all falls into place.
The longer I tour around, the more I favour using Aires, after many years camping. They are not all perfect but most have been a lot more interesting than a campsite.
Good Luck!

Alan


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## Gary1944 (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi Scooby, remember also that many of the Aires are in or near the centre of towns giving you the option of eating out or having a stroll around without having to use some form of local transport. We always look for an Aire (or ACSI Site) that is within walking distance of a town etc. as we don't have bikes or towed car with us. It gives us the freedom we want from m/homing. Try out both types and see what you think.

By the way, you will possibly feel a bit crowded on some of the Aires, especially the popular ones. But don't despair, we have found people using them to be much more respectful of others than on many sites. They tend to quieten down by about 10pm and we have never had a disturbed nights sleep due to our neighbours yet.

Have fun,

Gary.


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