I've read through these posts with interest and have to admit I'm none the wiser. Is there really any great saving when using camping cheques? I've never camped abroad (yet) so know absolutely nothing about them and understand even less, but the concept intrigues me. As far as I can make out you have to buy these things in the first place - at what cost? - just to get cheaper site fees, but surely when you add the cost of the cheques to the discounted site fees it won't be any cheaper anyway. Will someone explain in words of one syllable please?!
------------- Tigermouse
I have a very temperamental personality - 50% temper and 50% mental
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You buy the cheques in advance for EUR15 each I think this year, when you arrive at a site that accepts them, you inform reception and at the end of your stay you give them the required number of cheques, so for example EUR45 for 3 nights, and that's it, apart from a small amount say EUR1 per night for tourist tax. Some sites give even more discount, such as 7 nights for the price of 6, or 14 nights for the price of 11 cheques. The cheques are normally accepted before the end of June of after the end of August, but dates vary.
A Camping Cheque costs £13.95 each. Sites which accept them accept 1 cheque per night, that includes 1 pitch, 2 people, electric hook-up, 1 dog (if you have one!) and 1 shower per day per person (if the site charges extra for showers).
All you pay is 1 cheque for each night you stay at the site, the only extra is tourist tax, which is NOT included in the price of the cheque. You do not pay site fees on top of a cheque.
Some sites can charge twice or more of the cost of a Camping Cheque, so savings can be very good.
Of course the big disadvantage is that you have to buy them up front, therefore, depending on how many you buy quite a lot of money.
I think both the "Camping Cheque" and "ACSI Card" are a good idea, especialy if you are a campsite owner, as the marketing will potentialy heard the smaller number of out of season campers towards your site, the campsite owner will pay to be a member of the scheme, so it must be worthwhile, otherwise you would just advertise your own lower prices, Val mentioned that a number of the "Camping Cheque" sites had migrated to the "ACSI Card" scheme, which I think is a better option as you only need to buy the Card/Book for £10, to get the benifit of the cheap prices. looking at the Camping Cheque NorfolkLine return ferry crossing offer that includes 3 Camping Cheques" all for £99, not the best deal in the world when Norfolk Line were doing £40 return crossing deals for this summer in anycase.
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Quote: Originally posted by Tigermouse on 18/2/2010
I've read through these posts with interest and have to admit I'm none the wiser. Is there really any great saving when using camping cheques? I've never camped abroad (yet) so know absolutely nothing about them and understand even less, but the concept intrigues me. As far as I can make out you have to buy these things in the first place - at what cost? - just to get cheaper site fees, but surely when you add the cost of the cheques to the discounted site fees it won't be any cheaper anyway. Will someone explain in words of one syllable please?!
Perhaps an example might make it clearer. Domaine de Champs Blancs charges for a pitch for two people, car and caravan, (tent or whatever) and including electricity, are as follows: (copied from their website)
Season
Low Med Peak1 Peak2 Med Low
05/04 > 19/06 2010
20/06 > 03/07 2010
04/07 > 31/07 2010
01/08 > 22/08 2010
23/08 > 26/08 2010
27/08 > 30/09 2010
Ce tarif comprend 2 personne(s)
16
30
42
44
30
16
You buy a Camping Cheque for £13.95 (say 15 euros) - and this pays for a pitch for two people, car and caravan, awning and electricity. Suppose you want to go to Champs Blanc which takes Camping Cheques up until the 13th July. If you bought some Camping Cheques, at 15 euros each, and went there before19th June you'd only save 1 euro per night compared to the normal site tariff of 16. Between the 20th June and the 3rd July you'd save 15 euros per night compared to the normal site tariff of 30 euros, and between the 4th July and 13th (when it stops accepting Camping Cheques) you'd say 27 euros per night compared to the normal site tariff!!! You don't pay the difference, as Ina says. You buy the Camping Cheque in advace and this pays for your night on site instead of paying in cash.
We have not used Camping Cheques but do buy an ACSI Camping Card. You do need to cheque the site fees of places you are likely to visit because it is true that at some sites the difference in the 11/13/15 euro price and their actual pitch price can be very similar. Especially for us as we do not have EHU which reduces our pitch fees. On the other hand we save 11 euro a night when we stay a Prairies del la Mer near Saint Tropez which is a lovely site which we have used for more than 30 years. And last year we saved loads of money over 5 days at a gorgeous site in Spain where we would have paid 34 euro rather than the ACSI 15. I think you need to do your research.
Latecamper
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Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Camping Cheques - I don`t get it
