Which is best? Caravan Club or Camping and Caravan Club?

[chuckie]

Hi everyone, getting geared up for the next season of camping, can't wait!! This is the second year of having a van, loved it last year but as we were relocating didn't use it as much as we wanted!! I am intending on getting out as much as possible!!

I'm considering joining one of the clubs to try and reduce my insurance and take advantage of discounts you can get. I'm just wondering if anyone can recommend which one is best for campervanners? The Caravan Club or Camping and Caravan Club.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Deleted member 2636]

Right, leaving aside that this is a "wildcamping" forum , this is only a personal view
I found the CC to be very much up themselves and they did tend to look down on anyone who hadn't the latest van, tent or mobile shed etc
Having said that; Red Pennant recovery for Europe which is operated through the CC is supposed to be the very best. Expensive but very good
The C&CC tends to be a bit more informal although over the last couple of years I have met some of the worst site wardens, as in rude and off-hand, on C&CC sites.
As regards the discounts I got a quote off a ferry company and the C&CC beat it... by £1 so yes, it's a discount but is the club worth joining? It certainly cannot be for the club magazine which is good example of how not to save trees.
The other discounts can be obtained by getting stuck in with the Insurance companies and/or suppliers
There is also the Motor Caravanners Club and they do seem to be more laid back. I have used a couple of their sites and found them to be a pleasant enough crowd.

Both the clubs must be doing something right as their membership seem to grow year on year
Plenty of the Wildcamping people are members and I'm sure that they may be able to offer some other comments

 

[Nosha]

As the last chap said, the CC is slightly more stuck-up; but C&CC can sometimes be a bit more noisey as tents don't contain sound like a van does - however on a summers evening half the caravaners are sat outside in their awnings making just as much noise!

The C&CC IS the friendlier club, but the CC has far more CL's, discounts are similar, when looking for European motorhome cover last year for a 3wk trip thro' France and on to friends at Lake Como the RAC wanted £60 on top of the £70 we already pay, CC wanted £96 for a month, C&CC wanted £86 and Britannia Rescue (via the CSMA) wanted £97 a year for our UK recovery with a month EU inc! (£157 if not in the CSMA), so as others have said discounts are NOT the be all/end all!

This year we have dropped the C&CC ONLY because friends and workmates are in the CC (something you may wish to consider) otherwise it would be the CC we dropped!

Hope that's of use!

 

[Canalsman]

I belong to both, but I will probably not renew my Caravan Club subs next time.

I joined CC to benefit from site vouchers obtained through spending on their credit card. But I am about to retire and my spending is going to reduce, so this is no longer a great reason to join. (I've got about 6 free nights from this - so it probably offsets the subs, just.)

The Camping & Caravanning Club I joined so I could extend my existing RAC membership to cover the 'van - the RAC has weight and dimension limits (3.5 tonnes/5.5 metres). My van is 6 metres long.

I now have cover through the RAC for any size of 'van.

I also obtained a discount on future years RAC membership, so all in all I think it was well worth doing.

I don't plan to use formal sites very often, needing to trim expenses, but it offers an option.

I agree the magazines are of questionnable value - I think the Clubs should have an opt out policy. But that would probably hit their advertising income too hard.

 

[John H]

We belong to the CC but ONLY because of the CL network. Their "discounts" on ferries are not worth having, their insurance is more expensive than the same offered by, for example, Safeguard, their "Winter Escapes" brochure charges a mark-up of up to 30% on campsite fees rather than the discount you are fooled in to thinking you are getting and their campsites in the UK are much more expensive than commercial sites nearby. They are a bunch of stuck-up ****ers and I resent having to pay them money to use their 5 van sites. The C&CC is supposed to be slightly better but their 5 van network is not as extensive. Not that I'm bitter or anything.......

 

[Tbear]

Found the CC a bit anal but was only a member for a year. Been a member of C&CC for 13years. We like the five van sites, DA meets and temp hol sites. Got a bargain on Ferry tickets to France. On the downside we find their main sites expensive and a bit regimented.

 

[BrianG]

C & CC knocks spots off the CC

I completely agree with Tbear. I've used quite a few of the C&CC certificated sites and they can be very good. Try the one at Thame for example. All of us on this forum are mainly wild campers but sometimes it's good to get the chairs and tables out in a more civilised fashion.

 

[blondieandi]

I belong to both clubs as some of my favourite sites are part of each club, Stockton, keswick. York, Windermere!! I only go to club sites with my caravan though, I wild it in my campervan best of both worlds!

 

[maingate]

I am dropping my CC membership. I have not been on one of their sites for 3 years.

I have also found that when planning a trip, I can usually find a C&CC Temp Holiday site. Never can with a CC one.

The CC CL's are not cheap anymore and as I get an age related discount with the C&CC, I am just as well off using their club sites. The trouble is, I hate being on a site of any description.

 

[Northerner]

I tried both and eventually cancelled my C&CC membership. I found the CC far better and to a standard that's unequalled anywhere I've been. The sites are always immaculate, with superb facilities but none of the things that make many commercial sites unpleasant, such as clubs and bars etc.

I am totally at a loss as to these claims that the CC is snobbish or 'up itself' whatever that means. In over thirty years of using their sites I have never encountered an unpleasant warden or one that was less than helpful. I have been pleased to see that motor-homes are now a big part of the CC with many wardens using them and if one goes on a CC site off season, there are more motor-homes than caravans.

The CC's additional facilities are brilliant: Its massive CL network, its Europe sites books, which even those who moan about the CC always seem to use and I have found its insurance services to be fine. This year it got me the best deal on my motorhome and I now insure it with them.

I think that the best thing about both the clubs, is that they are run by the members. They may have executives, but these are told what policies to adopt by committees of members and they are both mutuals with no shareholders and all profits being ploughed back into more sites and better facilities.

I'm not a rabid wild camper. I love wild camping when circumstances permit but I will not go on a car park or hide behind the gasworks just to avoid paying for a site. If there is nowhere nice and quiet to wild camp I will use the CC sites or even better, the brilliant CL network.

Finally, if wardens are approached in a friendly manner the will also react in the same vein. They have a difficult job with long hours and like anyone else if they're talked to by someone who obviously has a grudge against the club, they'll react like any normal person would. I've been appalled sometimes by the attitudes of both caravanners and motor-homers who adopt an 'I know my rights' attitude and talk to wardens like they're a lower form of life.

Finally, my last CL cost £6 for a superb spot by a canal. There were two of us on a huge field miles from anywhere and we had water and chemical WC emptying facilities. It's worth being in the clubs just for these!

 

[kenjones]

I belong to C&CC. Only occasionaly use club sites with my age related discount.
My membership is mainly to allow me to use temporary holiday sites. Availble to members only and advertised in the club magazine which is posted free to members.
These sites usually cost around £5-6 per unit night. All have basic facilities (fresh water and waste disposal) and some are well equipped with showers and licenced club on rugby clubs etc sites.
These sites are run by enthusiastic members and I always feel very welcome on them.
When compared to commercial site fees it is easy to justify the £33 annual membership fee.
Yes I do still enjoy wilding but sometimes it's nice to have a choice.

 

[Tigatigatiger]

We are members of CC. One of the reasons is because my sister is and we meetup on sites. We mostly use the 5 van CL's or CC sites with no loo's etc as they are very quiet.

We mix wilding, campsites etc. when we go away.

However some CC members are a bit stuckup, and how we (me, hubby, sister and her hubby) have never been asked to leave the CC is amazing. As we like to have fun. We have fingers pointed at us in the past-aftering playing on the Wii outside on summers evenings. We always keep the noise down.

At new year we were on the CC site at Brighton, on the site was a self conversion tranny with cool brick effect paint job and a caravan towed by a bentley-so good cross section of people.

In the summer keep away from big sites with loos-horrible places!! And never go to the Black Hole-which also know as Park Coppice (CC site at Coniston).

 

[Dezi]

Hi, When I first started out in motorhomes around 1980 something ? I joined the MCC because its a club for motorhomes & run by members who use motorhomes. Been with them ever since. cl sites all over the place - if you need them.

Dezi

 

[John H]

I am totally at a loss as to these claims that the CC is snobbish or 'up itself' whatever that means. In over thirty years of using their sites I have never encountered an unpleasant warden or one that was less than helpful.

I can't speak for others but the reason why I think it is "up itself" is not to do with the wardens but with the membership (who seem to want to ban anything that might smack of enjoying yourselves) and with the people employed to run the Club who clam up and can get quite aggressive when you point out that thier "bargains" are actually more expensive than the alternative. Incidentally, the (cheaper) commercial campsites we use in preference to the CC are just as well-equipped and do not have massive bars and enforced entertainment. I do agree with you, however, about the CLs - they are the only reason we belong.

 

[Guernsey Donkey]

Hi - we are members of the CCC and have been made very welcome at all sites. Most CC sites seem to look down on us because we only have a T25 VW in good condition I might. The CCC overall very friendly club.

 

[snowbirds]

camping clubs

Hi everyone, getting geared up for the next season of camping, can't wait!! This is the second year of having a van, loved it last year but as we were relocating didn't use it as much as we wanted!! I am intending on getting out as much as possible!!

I'm considering joining one of the clubs to try and reduce my insurance and take advantage of discounts you can get. I'm just wondering if anyone can recommend which one is best for campervanners? The Caravan Club or Camping and Caravan Club.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Chuckie

We joined the cc&c about five years ago and used them a few times for main camping holidays in england in our old 1974 bedford Dormobile, but as we showed our van in
england it was not untill last year we used cc&c for other things when we booked ferry
crossing and camping sites in france. It was so easy,we worked out roughly were we were going rang cc%c bookings and went through our planned trip.the paper work arrived after a few days and as it only seemed typed on CC&C headed paper i was a little worried if this was ok .So june came we went off to dover first letter to Ferry operator no problems and the same at the three sites we stayed at on our tour. Great service from CC&C This june we are off for three months cheers Snowbirds

 

[Firefox]

The CC is better for one reason only. They have twice as many CL's as the C&CC have CS's.

I wouldn't really want to bother with the Club sites on any regular basis (far too expensive) or indeed club meetings. For that reason it doesn't really matter which is the "friendly club" or which isn't. If it's small sites (dissociated with the clubs apart from the licence) that you are after then there's only one choice.

 

[jann]

Caravan Club

Both clubs have their plus points.Most of our stops in Britain are wild camping.

CC are not snobbish. This is our third self conversion, never any problems. People are interested in our van and admire the fact that we have a motorhome for a fraction of the price.

The CC sites are slightly better on average, but that doesn't mean the CCC sites are not good.

CCC have temporary sites which are good value

Both sites have a good selection of CL/CS sites.

The Red pennant insurance is excellent( I know it is not cheap,) We unfortunately had to make use of it,but no problems at all.

If unsure which to go for,try one, one year and swop to the other the following year

 

[barryd]

Im in the CC but personally I would rather stick hot needles in my eyes than stay on one of their "club" sites. I do however use their CL's. If you choose wisely you can get some great CL sites for as little as £3.50 to £5. These are just like wild camping as they are just fields with no hookup but waste and water. Last Sept/Oct we toured all of the coast in Devon and Cornwall, north and south on CL's. avg cost £5 a night and there were some blinders!

I have stayed on a few C&CC CS sites but I am not a member, you dont seem to have to be, they are supposed to ask you to join but they dont bother.

So on that basis join the CC and just blag your way into the C&CC CS sites but avoid the club sites and mix the 5 van sites with wilding!

 

[Firefox]

Barry has got it right. Though you are supposed to be a member of the respective organisation for both CL's and CS's, it's just that some sites are desperate for business so you can blag your way on sometimes depending on the site. The Club sites are expensive and best not bothered with. But I've taken my self build on CC sites a few times and never had any problems even though it wasn't 100% finished inside.

If one had to make a sweeping generalisation, I'd guess a lot of caravan club members are Tory voters and camping club ones are Labour voters. Don't bother telling me you are an exception, I know there must be loads of exceptions, but go on a CC site and there tend to be a lot of flash outfits with 4x4 Mercs. There's a certain type of person who tends to be a CC member although the club itself has broadened from its policies in the 50's and 60's, the roots are still there. The CC wardens tend to be prim and proper with an eye for regulations as well, but stay out of their way and they'll generally leave you alone.

The Camping club bills itself as the "friendly club" and no matter if they say otherwise I think that's a bit of a shot at the CC and its origins. But stay on the CL's and you don't have to worry about any of that