ACSI card, is it worth buying? (1 Viewer)

[seasideBill]

I’ve used ACSI for quite a few years, but I’ve noticed this year that I find somewhere on ‘searchforsites’ only to discover its not part of the ACSI discount arrangement. Seems to me the network is shrinking as demand increases?

 

[Solwaybuggier]

The ACSI rate always includes electricity.

Yes, but some sites, at least in Germany, only include a certain no of kilowatt hours and you have to pay extra for power usage over that.

 

[Lenny HB]

We have never been charged separately for EHU in the years we’ve had the card. I understand some of the sites that people winter at do charge.

I never said that, what I said was if you don't want EHU it was cheaper not to use ACSI

 

[Simon Meadwell]

Camping la plage in Port Grimaud offer fantastic discounts for acsi. And free electric only problem they are on the other side from beach in the woods not a preferred site.

 

[Lenny HB]

Yes, but some sites, at least in Germany, only include a certain no of kilowatt hours and you have to pay extra for power usage over that.

Stayed at one in Germany some years ago extra for EHU and showers cheaper to pay standard rate.
You really need to check when booking in.
But generally it is good value I still buy a card even though we hardly ever use sites.

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[HKF]

The dates are shown in the handbook which differ from site to site.

I don't know what you mean by a handbook. The only things I received were two really thick books with tiny, tiny German print and an ACSI card.

 

[Kups]

I don't know what you mean by a handbook. The only things I received were two really thick books with tiny, tiny German print and an ACSI card.

The English language font size isn't much bigger! Easier to read the online version.

 

[missmollie]

Oh that's disappointing to hear....I've bookmarked that site for a potential 5 night stay in September (we need somewhere we can work from for a few days). I may have to look for an alternative.

Kiko Park do offer a discount on their standard pitches if you have ACSI, I don't think they have any actual ACSI pitches nowadays apart from the ones in the camper area which we don't mind.

 

[Emmit]

It;s definitely worth having. On our recent trip to Spain, you got EHU included in the ACSI price on some sites

The ACSI rate includes 4kw per day.

If you go to a modern campsite, ie Imperium @Villajoyosa, their computer knows how much electricity your pitch has used, but that cannot be accessed if there isn't a connection between the office and the pitch.

 

[carolyn]

I don't know what you mean by a handbook. The only things I received were two really thick books with tiny, tiny German print and an ACSI card.

The two books that you received printed in German are what we and the ACSIpeople all call the handbooks!

Harvey we’ve been using it in France and Spain for years. Used it for long winter stays in Spain (6weeks) . This would have been Oct/Nov/beg Dec and also once Jan/Feb/beg March. We have only once been told to use use special ACSI pitches once and that was in the UK and the site is no longer in the book, there aren’t many anyway. I think it’s very different in some other countries. I’ve never bothered with the app as I find the books straight firward but I’m sure you’ll want the app too

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[Reallyretired]

We have booked a site in Spain for a couple of weeks as we wanted a particular pitch. On ACSI it is only 15euro so comparable to some aires, ehu is metered but because of ACSI we get 4AH free, which is more than we usually use anyway.

 

[HKF]

The two books that you received printed in German are what we and the ACSIpeople all call the handbooks!

Harvey we’ve been using it in France and Spain for years. Used it for long winter stays in Spain (6weeks) . This would have been Oct/Nov/beg Dec and also once Jan/Feb/beg March. We have only once been told to use use special ACSI pitches once and that was in the UK and the site is no longer in the book, there aren’t many anyway. I think it’s very different in some other countries. I’ve never bothered with the app as I find the books straight firward but I’m sure you’ll want the app too

I definitely don't want the app, as I don't have a smartphone. How on earth do you read the books?! The text is so incredibly small. I had to squint really bad to see it and my vision has been corrected by laser!! Did you use a magnifying glass

 

[carolyn]

I definitely don't want the app, as I don't have a smartphone. How on earth do you read the books?! The text is so incredibly small. I had to squint really bad to see it and my vision has been corrected by laser!! Did you use a magnifying glass

You need reading glasses.
Laser surgery is quite good at correcting distance vision but as you age you’re likely to end up needing reading glasses anyway. wino is very good at explaining it. Even when I was working eyes were not one of my areas of particular interest.
I wear varifocals so have no trouble seeing at all!

I love my smartphone, couldn’t survive without it. Online banking, buying stuff. Life is going to get very difficult without one. Keeping in contact with family, son in Far East at the moment, he ended up in hospital. That would have been a nightmare without smartphones. Bad enough with one mind.

 

[HKF]

You need reading glasses.
Laser surgery is quite good at correcting distance vision but as you age you’re likely to end up needing reading glasses anyway. wino is very good at explaining it. Even when I was working eyes were not one of my areas of particular interest.
I wear varifocals so have no trouble seeing at all!

I love my smartphone, couldn’t survive without it. Online banking, buying stuff. Life is going to get very difficult without one. Keeping in contact with family, son in Far East at the moment, he ended up in hospital. That would have been a nightmare without smartphones. Bad enough with one mind.

My eyes were corrected 2 years ago and for 'normal' sized text I'm fine. The text in those ACSI books is ludicrously small.

I've no intention of having a smartphone. I have no need for one

 

[seasideBill]

I've no intention of having a smartphone. I have no need for one

Each to his own, but can’t help thinking you’re making life much more complicated than it needs to be. Whether we’re talking navigation, research, payments, bookings & reservations or just photos and data storage, apart from the MH it’s the single most useful bit of kit I take touring!

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[VXman]

We are currently at a site in the Loire Valley. Isle Vert in Montsoreau. We found it in the ACSI book. I checked the non ACSI price on their website and it was a fair bit more. However, on paying the 19 euro price went up quite a lot after tourist tax and a 10 euro booking fee!!! The booking fee is a one off charge so the longer you stay the more cost effective it is but if you stay 2 nights that's an additional 5 euros a night. Booking fees!!!

I hadn't realised about the electric included. We don't need electric. Perhaps if I'd asked for a non electric pitch it would be better.

I need to swap with the guy next door no clearly need power. Started his engine 3 times for 20 mins each time between 9pm and 12 am last night and first thing this morning!!!!

 

[Reallyretired]

We are currently at a site in the Loire Valley. Isle Vert in Montsoreau. We found it in the ACSI book. I checked the non ACSI price on their website and it was a fair bit more. However, on paying the 19 euro price went up quite a lot after tourist tax and a 10 euro booking fee!!! The booking fee is a one off charge so the longer you stay the more cost effective it is but if you stay 2 nights that's an additional 5 euros a night. Booking fees!!!

I hadn't realised about the electric included. We don't need electric. Perhaps if I'd asked for a non electric pitch it would be better.

I need to swap with the guy next door no clearly need power. Started his engine 3 times for 20 mins each time between 9pm and 12 am last night and first thing this morning!!!!

The tourist tax is everywhere and has been going for years. Surely the answer to the booking fee is not to book, we've never found it necessary, it also ties you down to time and place, you may not even like it when you get there. I've had a few sites over the years where I've driven in and straight out again.

 

[VXman]

The tourist tax is everywhere and has been going for years. Surely the answer to the booking fee is not to book, we've never found it necessary, it also ties you down to time and place, you may not even like it when you get there. I've had a few sites over the years where I've driven in and straight out again.

Totally agree. We are not bookers or even campsite people generally. It was only a day in advance. We really rang up to see it there was space. We were only an hour away but didnt want to drive there if it was likley to be full. I am not sure whether the booking fee was because we phoned when we could have done it online (website was confusing though so we thought it better to speak to someone). I think booking fee would have applied had we walked into reception. After all it is no differetnt to talking on the phone. Should have questioned them more throroughly on the phone. Anyway - we stayed 4 nights in the end so that make the 10 euro booking fee only 2.50 per night and it was a lovely site.

 

[peterc10]

Been using ACSI discount cards for 10 years now. Always paid for itself when we were on our continental jaunts. The only exception was the card I bought in 2020 just before lockdown.

 

[seasideBill]

Things have definitely changed this year. We tour Europe for about 8 weeks at this time every year. Without exception every location we’ve visited has been much busier than previous years. ACSI registered sites are fewer and more are less inclined to offer any discount than previously. Seems they don’t need to offer discounts so the scheme is diminishing? That said we’ve had a few decent reductions this year which still make it worthwhile, but not the great savings of yesteryear. C’est la vie!

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[Beltie]

Tha

Things have definitely changed this year. We tour Europe for about 8 weeks at this time every year. Without exception every location we’ve visited has been much busier than previous years. ACSI registered sites are fewer and more are less inclined to offer any discount than previously. Seems they don’t need to offer discounts so the scheme is diminishing. C’est la vie!

That wasn't our experience. We've just returned from eight weeks in Portugal and northern Spain. I agree, most places were quite busy, but we had no difficulty finding ACSI sites and no problems with acceptance. We had one €15 site and several €19 sites. On more than one occasion we were asked if we had an ACSI card.
Still works for us!

 

[jumar]

I'm currently in France where I find ACSI and CCP to be good value and quiet too.
Most ACSI campsites in Iberia are charging the Max 23€ which I prefer not to pay...
There are an increasing number of good value for money Camperstops that are half that price even in high season..that's my choice...

 

[seasideBill]

Tha

That wasn't our experience. We've just returned from eight weeks in Portugal and northern Spain. I agree, most places were quite busy, but we had no difficulty finding ACSI sites and no problems with acceptance. We had one €15 site and several €19 sites. On more than one occasion we were asked if we had an ACSI card.
Still works for us!

Spain & Portugal weren’t on our itinerary this year so maybe a more positive situation there? Hope so, although interesting to note you experienced busy sites as well. Time was sites were half empty this time of the year, now you need to book if you really want to stay at a particular location. Times are a changin!

 

[seasideBill]

I'm currently in France where I find ACSI and CCP to be good value and quiet too.
Most ACSI campsites in Iberia are charging the Max 23€ which I prefer not to pay...
There are an increasing number of good value for money Camperstops that are half that price even in high season..that's my choice...

€23 would be nice. In some cases I’ve had to pay between €30 & €50 this year to get on specific sites.

 

[jumar]

€23 would be nice. In some cases I’ve had to pay between €30 & €50 this year to get on specific sites.

Not ACSI Discount sites I presume.....I do find ACSI to be good value off season ..like now..but in 50 years of Tenting. Caravanning and Motorhoming I've never paid what you've experienced.....

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[seasideBill]

Not ACSI Discount sites I presume.....I do find ACSI to be good value off season ..like now..but in 50 years of Tenting. Caravanning and Motorhoming I've never paid what you've experienced.....

Me neither, until 2023. Croatia and Germany were the most expensive sites. I’ve been on 22 sites/aires in 8 weeks and have some ACSI discounts paying less than about €18. However, in previous years I more-or-less planned all my stays using the ACSI App, but this year in quite a few places the sites have just not been there. Municipal sites in France continue the be very good value.

 

[Beltie]

I'm currently in France where I find ACSI and CCP to be good value and quiet too.
Most ACSI campsites in Iberia are charging the Max 23€ which I prefer not to pay...
There are an increasing number of good value for money Camperstops that are half that price even in high season..that's my choice...

We found that ACSI sites in Portugal were generally more expensive than in Spain. The - not very good - Orbitur sites for example were all €23 and with a much shorter acceptance period. I'm with you on Camperstops, there are some excellent ones around.

 

[Fragle]

As of tonight it’s worth it.
North west Spain = to £14.78 near beach swimming pool and entertainment with electric. WiFi. Dog included.
Might just have a few nights here

 

[Beltie]

Which site is that?

 

[Fragle]

Which site is that?

Acsi Valdovino.
Small site. Not bad so far. Short walk to beach

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