Caravan and Camping Club?? Newbie Question

[Lost Boy]

Does anyone recommend becoming a member and what sort of discount does it get you at sites? Struggling to understand from their website what exactly it actually delivers.
Anything else anyone would recommend joining?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

 

[MattBW]

It's really a matter of how often you camp and what kind of camping you want too?

As someone in full time work, I would say I don't get my money's worth with regards to discounts against membership.

I personally like the club and have stayed on some amazing sites and some great certified sites.

How often do you go away?

 

[2into1]

I hope this is correct..........
You basically get your BASIC pitch for free. You still pay for an electric pitch (£4ish) or fully serviced pitch.
I think you generally save around £8 per night, so pay-off the membership after about 5 nights.

 

[MattBW]

Sadly that hasn't been my experience :-( maybe I need to ready my handbook more carefully. Some sites like Eskdale seem to charge members exactly the same.

The £8 a night places tend to be small 5 van size places, often on farms or land attached to property. Some of those are great if you prefer a less busy campsite.

http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/ukcampsites/smallsites/

 

[MattBW]

They do also have these discounts http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/membership/benefits/shop-offers/discounts/

 

[2into1]

I should have said that the discount applies to their club sites, who's prices are built on a pitch fee then per person. The smaller Certified Sites (5 unit types), tend to be a flat price per pitch - and are supposed to be ONLY available to members.
I've generally found it good value for money, but their marketing and website is run by 5 year olds....and if you try and engage them in a conversation to improve things, you soon give-up!
I've just (for a test) tried to book 3 nights at the West Runton Norfolk Club site and it's showing me £53 for 2 adults for 3 nights (grass no elec). For non members it is £71.45.
Member's saving is £18.45. Membership starts at £38? so 6.4 nights would see your membership recouped.

By non-club standards, the quality of the sites is very high, but don't suit everyone. (Lots of caravans, a few rules, but clean hot spacious showers etc).

 

[Meoncoast]

IF you use M6 toll you get car rate rather than pay the van rate. (that is with Caravan Club)

I would say look at both Camping and Caravan Club and Caravan Club. We tend to use their small site's rather than the large club owned sites. No all have toilets with caravan club. (almost paid for wild camping !) Also consider Britstop's

 

[MattBW]

I should have said that the discount applies to their club sites, who's prices are built on a pitch fee then per person.

Yes sorry if I confused things there. We stayed on a CC&C site at a place in Monkton Wyld, the site was beautiful, very well kept.

We tend to go to a place and look for a site rather than book a site then head there. This often means we end up on the small certified sites and may be why my experience is different. The official club sites I've stayed on have been beautiful.

 

[aileron346]

I like the CCC. Generally the facilities are really good but at the same time they feel much more natural than many Caravan Club sites and independent commercial sites. Sure there are a few rules but mainly just ones most would appreciate for annoyance free camping. I also like it that the CCC support tent camping and still seem quite pro cycling and walking. The grass to stones ratio makes most of the sites nice and green though some say even the CCC are moving too much in the direction of campsites that look like car parks. Generally, for me, it's the best network of sites and the clincher is the excellent network of small CS sites...many with showers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SimonB]

The CCC supply "Your Big Sites Book" which is laid out by OS Map number and lists all their certified sites on that map. They have the facilities listed on there as well as contact details and directions. We tend to pick an area to go to first and then find a site on that page in the book.
We tend to look for minimal facilities, hot showers and toilets only, with good views. When the children came with us we would look for more facilities so they would be entertained.
We have stayed in some fabulous sites that we would never have found otherwise. As there are tents on site as well there are generally people that like to mix, over the washing up or whatever, and will give you pointers to other sites they have found.
We have been to areas on Bank Holiday Weekends and found superb sites with spaces when all the well known sites are full.
The RAC give a discount to CCC members and will come onto the site to fix problems, should you ever need it.

 

[Aidy P]

I have saved a fortune in shops such as Cotswold and Mountain Warehouse with the discount you get with the C&CC Club. I also got a discount with my van insurance and a discount on a new leisure battery locally. So this has paid for the membership.

As for the sites...some I've found can be a bit too rule focused and not so child friendly (though this would be a benefit to those without kids?) I prefer quite laid back camping. But then clubs such as Eskdale where a meet is being planned were excellent.

There's also a useful online booking feature which is helpful when planning a trip as some independent sites can sometimes take a few days to come back to you via email.

In summary it's been worth it for the wider discounts you can get.

 

[MattBW]

They have a good app as well, if you put your membership number it gives you access to all sites on an interactive map. We also updated our membership and saved about a fiver to not receive the magazine in paper form.