Hi Duztee,

That does sound odd, we haven't used ACSI personally so don't know the ins and outs of it, did they offer an explanation?

Technical and legal reasons.
Which actually explains nothing.

Yet another reason why the EU as it is doesnt work as it should.

I have never used the ACSI either but from what I understand the whole thing is borderline discriminatory same as most campsites are anyway.

It entitles you for 'reduced rates' but because I have kids at school, it doesnt apply when I would need it too.
At the same time most campsites tripple the charges because its school holidays.

And then they wonder why I dont use them in the holidays

This is why forums are good, you read all the blurb and think Wow! must have. then ask on a forum and learn what real people think.

Lots of things look good on paper.
Best to try what you think is good and see if its good for you, if not move on to the next idea and so on.

Hi Dutzee
Did you try to order this via Vicarious Books? They say they will deliver in Europe. ACSI is really only useful between Autumn and Spring i.e low season and probably best used in countries where camping is normally expensive. You can usually get good deals in Portugal and Spain for longer winter stays anyway.

Hi ,we use ACSI. & save. the annual fee often on our first visit to a ACSI site.
Yes its a off season thing. good for some but not everyone.
Does seem odd been discriminated. against living in Hungry.
Cya Bill

The OP was referring to the ACSI ID card and not the 'off season' discount card.

Chris

Yet another reason why the EU as it is doesnt work as it should.

I have never used the ACSI either but from what I understand the whole thing is borderline discriminatory same as most campsites are anyway.

It entitles you for 'reduced rates' but because I have kids at school, it doesnt apply when I would need it too.
At the same time most campsites tripple the charges because its school holidays.

And then they wonder why I dont use them in the holidays

`Hardy discriminatory, ACSI is intended to be used as a discount card for out of season use and campsites hike prices for everyone at high season whether they have kids or not. If you use ACSI when you are permitted to you will pay the same as anyone else.

By my previous comment I simply ment the ACSI card only applies off season, well at least that is my understanding of it anyway.
So for me its pointless.
Its in high season I am unable to use sites because of the cost of them.
Off season many of them are reasonably priced anyway!
As I have kids which tie me to school holidays it makes ACSI not inclusive for me personally.

Mind you not that we use many sites anyway either on or off season.

I too feel aggrieved that sites hike prices, sometimes greatly in the school holidays so families are far better off o aires as you say. I find it hard to haver any loyalty to sites under those circumstances when they know they have you where the want you , or where they want your wallet.

I agree but they don't have my wallet where they want it!

I know this is starting to get slightly off topic but I simply couldn't afford go away often if I had to pay the sites fees regularly.
But for me more than that its the freedom that I want, with many sites, in season, especially here in the UK need to be booked months in advance, we regularly go away with less than a days notice, or cancel going for that matter too.

For example we are doing 4 weeks in the South West here in the UK ,starting either on the 23rd or 29th of July but as yet I don't know when I will be finished work and able to go.
So we will be spending the whole 4 weeks probably without using any campsites at all because booking in advance is almost impossible for me.

The cost of four Uk weeks on campsites for me woul be much more than my usual eight weeks in the EU even after taking in to account ferry or Eurotunnel. I like the freedom of Aires/ stellplats. I usually travel outside main season so I do use ACSI sites occasionally but I never book anywhere.

I agree again and I never book either.
I wont be using any sites for my 4 weeks here.
I have already emailed and asked pub stops if they will let me empty my loo cassette and fill up with water and I have had a positive response from all but 1 pub!
So I will be using a pub stop every 4th night or so, the other nights will be car parks etc, of which there are loads that allow overnight in Devon and Cornwall.

I had a ferry booked for France portsmouth to caen but it was £649!
I cancelled it when I realised my work diary might over run by a week.
The money I got back will pay for my Diesel, parking and even for the pub meals.
So for me with the ferry I booked its much cheaper to stay here in the UK.

I know there are cheaper ferries but my kids will only travel for and hour and a half before moaning and my wife has made it clear she does not want to go to calais or anywhere near due to the migrants.
I know its ok but she doesnt want to risk anything.

When I started out I too bought things that didn't work out for me, my big mistake was buying camping cheques, they became invalid before I had a chance to use them all! Now I use the ACSI camping book and discount card which are in my opinion very good if you can camp off season.

Their ID card however is just a poor copy of the better, worldwide card, The Camping Card International. This card is accepted on any campsite as a form of identification meaning you don't have to leave your passport with them and gives 3rd party insurances on the site.

http://campingcardinternational.com/about-cci/camping-card-international-cci/

It is available from two organisations in Hungary.

Hungary
http://www.mccc.hu – Magyar Camping Es Caravanning Club
http://www.makeos.hu – Magyar Kemping Egyesuletek

I don't know the price there but in the UK it is about £6.50.


Sent from my iPad

A further note, ACSI is a 'camping business' and as such can dictate how and where their products can be issued and used. They are solely there to make money.

The Camping Card International is issued by the FICC - the international federation of camping which started in 1934 to promote camping round the world.

Hi, well I'm British but I live in Italy and for the first couple of years of motorhome activity I bought my ACSI through Pleinair in Italy but now always buy it in English directly from the Netherlands and have never had any problems. Perhaps you could try there http://www.acsi.eu. I use my off season card through Spain France and Italy and some campsites accept it even up to 15.07 so I find it's good value.

We returned from a 13 week trip to France & Roses Bay in Spain 3 weeks ago. we travelled down to Nice & worked along coast into Spain using the ACSI discount card & ID Card which we ordered direct from acsi.eu. We stayed at 19 sites non of which were pre-booked, we just turned up saying we may stay for a couple of nights. We had no problems, they all accepted the ID card some holding onto it until we checked out. Only in Spain did they want to see & scan our passports. The scheme is designed for "low season" and for us worked without a hitch. Using the books or in our case the "app" we knew what were paying per night, you do have to add the TAX roughly €0.60 per night each. when looking at the normal site fee , we were saving a considerable amount each night.
Like all things "its horses for courses"

Firstly let me say I think the "school holiday" price hikes are unfair but sadly it will be put down to supply and demand. As for the ACSI scheme, can't understand the refusal. Personally I use the scheme whenever I can, saves quite a lot on site fees in early or late season. There are quite a few discount schemes in Europe including camping cheque but I think they are all designed to attract campers out of the main season.

This is from the ACSi website:

For whom?
ACSI Club ID can be used by campers with the following nationalities: Dutch, Belgian, French, German, Austrian, Swiss, British (English, Northern Irish, Welsh, Scottish), Irish, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and Danish.

Take note! Campers with the above nationalities but who are not resident in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Spain or Italy cannot request the ACSI Club ID for technical reasons.

At the moment we will therefore have to disappoint some campers. We are however working on extending other nationalities and countries in due course.

I would suggest registering from an address in an 'allowed' country (ask a friend in the UK perhaps) and then you can use the card as you would normally.

I,ve just sent off for a new card and app.Just got me wondering if the uk will be off their list when we are out of the EU.
Not unduly worried as I only used it once last year on a site in Benidorm.
Funny thing is this year its gone up to 18 euros and the site lists its prices as 18 euros so no real difference.
Arena Blanca benidorm
One site which we stopped at gives discount for acsi but also gives a better discount If you show your camping and caravanning card.
Camping Tauro

Lots going on here, as I don't actually know the reasons these are just my opinions, hopefully reasoned, and not just "keyboard warrior" ranting.
The ACSI was brought out whilst the cold war was still going on and the arrangements were made in the light of that, and of course not all other countries are as secure as the ones listed, bugger I can feel the arrows flying already; and yes I am aware of levels of corruption in quite a number of countries. There should be no reason why our leaving the EU should affect the current arrangements as countries like Switzerland are not members of the EU, all this is dependent on certain wavering waffling politicians don't get it wrong,again, This is an edit, odd how things turn out, CCI is available from one of our illustrious camping organisations whilst ACSI is available from the other. Commerce again eh. Chuckling whilst I reread the start of this, but, will let it stand.