Camping Cheques and Italy

[MichaelPeter_Derbyshire]

We have toured extensively in France and Germany for five years since we purchased our first caravan when we retired.
During this time we have either booked sites through the Caravan Club or found them from the internet. This does mean that we have had to stick to a rigid itinerary.
Next Year, in May/June, we are planning to do an eight week tour travelling as far as Naples in Italy and, because we would like to have more flexibility about the length of stay on a site, we are considering buying Camping Cheques. Are there any pro's and con's that we should be aware of with them? Is there a protocol not mentioned in the information book which is expected of the user? Is there any advice that caravanners can give us about campsites and the use of the cheques in Italy.
Nothing is fixed yet, we are only in the planning stage, but we will be using the Hull-Zeebrigge ferry and have decided to travel through Austria on the way. Perhaps staying at Innesbruck outbound and Saltzburg on the return (or maybe vice-versa).
Any help would be much apreciated.

Michael-Derbyshire

 

[ValA.]

Camping Cheques have quite a few sites in Italy - and there's nothing really that you need to know except that you must mention when checking in before finding a pitch, that you're paying with Camping Cheques. Of course you have to buy them in advance - or buy a Silver Card and top up whilst you're away. We've never found any 'Cons' - except buying in advance and we've been using Camping Cheques since they first became available. We've never experienced lesser quality pitches, or not being able to find a pitch when we wanted. Of course you have to check 'acceptance dates' for each site - and make sure the sites you want to stay on accept Camping Cheques for the duration of your stay. It is possible to combine 'normal' rates for some dates with Camping Cheque rates for others (for example on 'shoulder' seasons just before and just after peak season).
These days we also use an ACSI card - which offers similar discounts (offering sites at between 11 and 15 euros for a pitch for two, car and caravan, awning, and electricity). This comes in the form of a book detailing around 2,000 campsites throughout Europe, and which contains a press-out card. You use the card to show on site - and then get the 'ACSI rate) at any of the sites in the book.

Going outside peak season means that you can use your caravan as a proper 'tourer' and stay or go as the mood, the weather, or boredom takes you!

 

[DianneT]

I think you would be better with getting an ACSI Camping card they will have 2,000 sites take it there are quite a few in Italy and Austria at either 15, 13 or 11 euro's per night 2 persons caravan, car free showers and electricity, though some sites do give you an amount free per day and then charge for extra on a meter. If you care to look on my website as address in my signature you will find sites in Germany, Austria and Italy. Good 5 star site at Innsbruck in our 2008 trip on website. Hope this helps. There is also all the info on ACSI which as more than double the sites of Camping Cheques and you don't have to buy anything ahead. You can book the sites ahead but really no need to at the time of year you are going which is same as we usually go.

Sorry I have rather repeated what Val has said in her post which was not on there when I started doing this one.

 

[MichaelPeter_Derbyshire]

Many thanks for the information. As I said we are still in the planning stage and haven't made any firm decisions yet.
We are seeking more flexibility with our holiday arrangements than previously. This is mainly because we were on a site in the Charente this last June and it rained quite a bit. We were stuck because we were booked there for six days and so couldn't move on to find better weather elsewhere. I hope that in May and June we will experience better conditions in Italy than on the West coast of France at the same time.
Anyway thanks once again.
Michael-Derbyshire