Discounts from caravaning clubs

[Llamapup]

Hello

I'm planning a short stay on the Isle of Wight in June. I just had a look at prices for the ferry crossing on the internet and after entering all my travel details it came back with a price of £95 return (3 adults 1 infant in a car up to 6 m long and up to 2.5 m high). £95!!! That sounds like a lot of money.

So I had a look on the Camping and Caravanning club website. See below.

http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co ... nkferries/

It appears that if I took out a membership I would get a return trip for £58.60 (offer four)


So membership plus ferry with discount would cost me £106.80. Thats £11 more than just the ferry on its own.

The question is ..... is it worth taking out a membership with the Camping and Caravanning club? Will I ever get a discount anywhere else?

Thanks

Llamapup

[Madwitch]

The C&CC have a network of 5 van sites which usually cost about a fiver a night. Many of these have (basic) facilities and are brill if you are a bit concerned about wild camping on your own. They are only open to members. Their insurance is also quite reasonable (we pay about £230 fully comp for a T4) and they do discounts for breakdown etc.

They also have temporary holiday sites, some of which are brill for kids. We used to take our two to Beadnell every year and it cost us £1.50 per night plus the petrol to get there and the gas we used! They had entertainment for the kids too. Again only open to members, and though I believe the costs may have gone up a bit still good value for a family holiday, even if you are paying £5 per night.

You also get a Big Sites Book and many sites offer discounts to club members.

So yes, I would say it's worth joining.

[Llamapup]

I'm fairly new to camping in a campervan having previously preferred wild tent camping. My dream camping trip would probably involve hiking with a rucksack, eating meagre rations and staying in a tiny tent in the woods. I like to think of my Westfalia as an elaborate mobile basecamp from which to explore the wilderness rather than a holiday in its own right. I'm not a big fan of holiday parks at all. I probably would only stay in a site with "entertainment" in an absolute emergency.

So is it worth joining the club if I'm just looking for rustic campsites in the middle of the wilderness?

Can I get discounts in little independant tent campsites or is it just big ones suited to motorhomes?

Thanks

[Steve T]

I agree with madwitch, the Certified Sites (CSs) are for club members only and it is easy to get your money back when compared to sites close to these, OK you don't get club houses, shops or any thing fancy but if you've got a camper you've got all you need, A guy I work with has a caravan and has saved a lot of money by joining, which prompted me top join, so will look on it as a challenge to get my money back, and with a little homework I am sure it will. The "Your Big Sites Book" you get when joining is a valuable source of sites around the UK. also Forest holidays offer discounts to Club members of the Camping and Caravan club, there are sites all over England, Scotland & Wales. They vary in what they have, some with electric hookup some very basic. check out the CC club site andd Forest holidays. Hope the links work. Also if you decide to join you could get an existing member a gift from CC for joining, (I think it was a £5 voucher for camping) wont cost you anything, all you need is their membership number. And looks like Madwitch has first dibs on this.

http://www.forestholidays.co.uk/camping ... nning.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Steve

[Madwitch]

PM me if you want the membership No!

[windysurfer]

I keep meaning to join a club but can never decide which one, Caravan Club or Caravan and Camping Club.
Both offer discounts and both have certified sites

[vdubstar]

My experince was slightly difernt I have to say not that I want to put you off just check the small print... My parents have been happy with them for years and after wanting to join them on a holiday that was members only i joined (as well as the discounts!). However that sight and many more I wanted to vist last year were either Full or not availble or being done up. So i thought i'd take advantage of the insurance NOPE Turns out only over 35's can take advantage of this (im just approaching 30!) Same with the brakedown....House insurance and every other leaflet thru the door! The monthly magazines are intresting to read (more for new caravans and information) but usefull, and yes from years of going with my parents the small sights are always reccommmend, (if you can get in alot only alow a V.small amount of vans found one that only 5 fit on! So my renual is fast approaching and i have not been able to use ANY of the rewards or actualy visited a site! Seems I have wasted £36 Needless to say i won't renue this year or next but in about 5 n bit years time I may consider it again! If i can save bit on the discounts then!

What ever you decide, enjoy,

[kooldubs]

we have been members for a number of years now, and what a god send.
durring the summer months , you try and book in to a camp site at the last minute and you will have no chance of getting on the site, as soon as you mention that your a member they will 99% of the time ...find you a pitch..and on most sites its the cleanest and best kept part of the site..and the quietest...since joining we have renewed every year....

[jamesc76]

I keep meaning to join a club but can never decide which one, Caravan Club or Caravan and Camping Club.
Both offer discounts and both have certified sites

I been thinking this too!!!!

[kevtherev]

why not join CC for a year .. get the bible and then join C &CC next year and get their bible.

[jamesc76]

why not join CC for a year .. get the bible and then join C &CC next year and get their bible.

which you in Kev?

[kevtherev]

Caravan club ... just for the CLs and the campsite locations in really exclusive spots.
frinstance, we wanted to camp on the beach in south wales, Caravan club had a place that was just perfect, would have cost Joe public £28 to a member it was £18.
we even booked it on their website

never got round to the camping club james

[Madwitch]

We've tried both in the past but there was a definite sniffyness about the CC if your rig cost less than a lot. Also we found on a couple of sites there they were a bit funny about the kids running round too.

The C&CC is what it says on the tin - "The Friendly Club". We've met some good friends and had some fabulous cheap holidays when the kids were little.

[Jeanie]

We are members of both CC and C&CC. I much prefere the C&CC they are not as stuck up as the other lot. They have always without exception been very welcoming where sometimes I feel the CC have looked down their nose at us. Our very first trip out in our van we went to a CC site. As luck would have it we developed a fuel leak, being two girlies and never had a van before we paniced. I ran down to the office for help they said call the AA and I hope there is no fuel on the pitch!! Not one other person asked if we were ok. The C& CC also do a loyalty card that you get stamped each time you go and you get free nights.
I keep my CC membership cause sometimes their sites are just where I want to go. We now have fun putting up our flag poles and putting out our holiday gnomes as yet no one has told us to take them down You see the caravaners looking out in disgust.

Jeanie

[Steve T]

Wonder how many 80-90 members are in the Camping & Caravanning Club (C&CC) or prospective joiners, if there were enough in numbers, perhaps the higher echilons of 80-90 could negotiate a discount from C&CC or get some sites normaly closed (out of season) to allow 80-90 members to camp either individualy or as a group, and responsible for ensuring it is left as found, which is not difficult. Everybody wins. Geting the numbers could be awkward but if it was added to members signature or profile (if members wanted to do so) it may be eaisier for admin to count, or some other easier way that admin would know of to total up ? ONLY a thought that could be developed perhaps!

Steve