Need some insight on APC (Aviation Professionals club) UAE
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Join Date: Oct 2012
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Need some insight on APC (Aviation Professionals club) UAE
Hey everyone,
I'm looking to join one of the pilot clubs in dubai mainly to get unlimited gym access and discounts at bars and clubs.
APC said they don't have a list of offers and I can only find out what I'm paying for after I get the membership. They recommended to ask other colleagues so I'm hoping a few of you can share your experiences with me.
Platinum card isn't an option for me as I am not with EK.
The other option is ClubExec at 1300AED/ Year. With access to about 5 good gyms.
Can someone please tell me the healthclubs included, how often can you use them and do you ever get denied entry? I will be visiting everyday of the week except fridays.
Also how are the nightlife offers? Clubexec is offering 40% off at The dubliners which seems attractive to me.
Thank you in advance!
I'm looking to join one of the pilot clubs in dubai mainly to get unlimited gym access and discounts at bars and clubs.
APC said they don't have a list of offers and I can only find out what I'm paying for after I get the membership. They recommended to ask other colleagues so I'm hoping a few of you can share your experiences with me.
Platinum card isn't an option for me as I am not with EK.
The other option is ClubExec at 1300AED/ Year. With access to about 5 good gyms.
Can someone please tell me the healthclubs included, how often can you use them and do you ever get denied entry? I will be visiting everyday of the week except fridays.
Also how are the nightlife offers? Clubexec is offering 40% off at The dubliners which seems attractive to me.
Thank you in advance!
Join Date: Sep 2013
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I use them for beach club access, but it has the same issue as gym access - you have to get in early in the morning as the allocations are limited. That aside, it seems to work quite well.
The deals they do on shops and restaurants are utterly useless to me, far too expensive for what I can manage with a family.
It may be coincidence, but for the first few months in DXB I had no spam at all, but within a couple of weeks of joining APC, I started getting daily text and email spam and phone calls from Jakarta and Tunisia based "investment firms" (the Jakarta company said they got my details, including family and employment details, from APC).
The deals they do on shops and restaurants are utterly useless to me, far too expensive for what I can manage with a family.
It may be coincidence, but for the first few months in DXB I had no spam at all, but within a couple of weeks of joining APC, I started getting daily text and email spam and phone calls from Jakarta and Tunisia based "investment firms" (the Jakarta company said they got my details, including family and employment details, from APC).
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Fitness clubs
Fitness Clubs:
Fitness First Al Manzil Downtown
Emirates Golf Club
Dubai Creek Golf Club
Fit Republik - Power to the People
Go Fit - Silicon Oasis
The Stables Fitness Centre
Engine Fitness in Jumeirah.
Handy Manny Fitness Centre
Optimal Fitness
Fitness 4 Life
Plus some hotels which we have beach club access to.
To be fair, I've had cold-calling too, but never linked to APC. I think that's just a common problem in the UAE.
Fitness First Al Manzil Downtown
Emirates Golf Club
Dubai Creek Golf Club
Fit Republik - Power to the People
Go Fit - Silicon Oasis
The Stables Fitness Centre
Engine Fitness in Jumeirah.
Handy Manny Fitness Centre
Optimal Fitness
Fitness 4 Life
Plus some hotels which we have beach club access to.
To be fair, I've had cold-calling too, but never linked to APC. I think that's just a common problem in the UAE.
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: The sand pit
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Fitness Clubs:
Fitness First Al Manzil Downtown
Emirates Golf Club
Dubai Creek Golf Club
Fit Republik - Power to the People
Go Fit - Silicon Oasis
The Stables Fitness Centre
Engine Fitness in Jumeirah.
Handy Manny Fitness Centre
Optimal Fitness
Fitness 4 Life
Plus some hotels which we have beach club access to.
To be fair, I've had cold-calling too, but never linked to APC. I think that's just a common problem in the UAE.
Fitness First Al Manzil Downtown
Emirates Golf Club
Dubai Creek Golf Club
Fit Republik - Power to the People
Go Fit - Silicon Oasis
The Stables Fitness Centre
Engine Fitness in Jumeirah.
Handy Manny Fitness Centre
Optimal Fitness
Fitness 4 Life
Plus some hotels which we have beach club access to.
To be fair, I've had cold-calling too, but never linked to APC. I think that's just a common problem in the UAE.
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Thank you all for your replies. I've heard only negative things about APC in the recent past. The guys at clubexec seemed extremely professional, and its not too expensive. I am going to give them a try.
cheers
cheers
Join Date: Nov 2011
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Not worth the money
Everybody is different when it comes to the APC. Some guys are hanging out in the bars all the time and get good savings. Others are working their ass off while the family is sitting on the beach enjoying the free access. Both these cases will make the APC worth it. But for someone like myself, it isn't. I have been a member for 6 months and have gone to the clubs twice. I was told the same thing as you, "sorry you have to be a member to see the deals". This should be the biggest hint. There is no good reason why you shouldn't have access at least at the office to see if it's worth it for you. Fly Dubai has a card for 20 dirhams per month and offers actually good deals as oppose to just Booze and Beach. But if that's what you are after, then you are set.
Join Date: Apr 2003
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"Booze and Beach" pretty much sums up APC benefits these days. For anything else Platinum is much better. I only have Platinum now and the cost is covered by my monthly coffee shop savings. I also appear to be getting fewer calls (and spam emails) from dodgy financial advisers.
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Couldn't have lived without APC in Dubai !!!
Rather like choosing to live and work in Dubai. Choosing the APC is each to their own.
For us The APC was one of the reasons we stayed so long. We use the card almost daily and saved shed loads of cash by being members. Never ever had an issue getting into a gym and got turned away at the beach maybe twice in 4 years.
So perhaps the naysayers are all going to different gyms, going to the beach at the same time or simply not using the deals that are on offer. We used the polo club more than 3 times a week, the children basically had a nice safe environment, the staff knew and welcomed us, familiar faces all around, the gym was never full, there were also numerous other gyms which you could use if you got bored of going to the same one.
For those quoting booze and beach again, I call you naysayers, we used to use it to eat more than 2 times a week. Almost everywhere we ate took APC discount and to boot even if you use none of the many many facilities available you had the 4x APC dos (SIDs & STARs) minimum every year of which we went to each and every one! I think we may have missed one once due to work but usually I bid to be off to make sure I could go. Free social life!!
Those people saying it isn't worth it are the sort of people who make comments like, "I don't like socialising with people from work." or "I don't just want to hang about with pilots and their families."
That is fine as that is their choice; from Mrs VT and my perspective the reasons for joining were simple it gave us a life similar to the officers mess where we did spend our social life with those we work with as that is part of the reason for choosing the life style that is living in Dubai. We didn't yearn for home due social life and the APC card was one of the reasons that we stayed in Dubai for as long as we did!
I genuinely find it hard to understand why pilots would want to be in airlines like EK, FZ and not be part of a scene bringing us all together. However each to their own and if people want to see flying as a job rather than a lifestyle/vocation then that is their choice and good luck to them with it.
My tuppence worth is if you work with people you do not want to see outside of work you are likely in the wrong firm or wrong job.
For us The APC was one of the reasons we stayed so long. We use the card almost daily and saved shed loads of cash by being members. Never ever had an issue getting into a gym and got turned away at the beach maybe twice in 4 years.
So perhaps the naysayers are all going to different gyms, going to the beach at the same time or simply not using the deals that are on offer. We used the polo club more than 3 times a week, the children basically had a nice safe environment, the staff knew and welcomed us, familiar faces all around, the gym was never full, there were also numerous other gyms which you could use if you got bored of going to the same one.
For those quoting booze and beach again, I call you naysayers, we used to use it to eat more than 2 times a week. Almost everywhere we ate took APC discount and to boot even if you use none of the many many facilities available you had the 4x APC dos (SIDs & STARs) minimum every year of which we went to each and every one! I think we may have missed one once due to work but usually I bid to be off to make sure I could go. Free social life!!
Those people saying it isn't worth it are the sort of people who make comments like, "I don't like socialising with people from work." or "I don't just want to hang about with pilots and their families."
That is fine as that is their choice; from Mrs VT and my perspective the reasons for joining were simple it gave us a life similar to the officers mess where we did spend our social life with those we work with as that is part of the reason for choosing the life style that is living in Dubai. We didn't yearn for home due social life and the APC card was one of the reasons that we stayed in Dubai for as long as we did!
I genuinely find it hard to understand why pilots would want to be in airlines like EK, FZ and not be part of a scene bringing us all together. However each to their own and if people want to see flying as a job rather than a lifestyle/vocation then that is their choice and good luck to them with it.
My tuppence worth is if you work with people you do not want to see outside of work you are likely in the wrong firm or wrong job.
Join Date: Oct 2010
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Agree with the others, APC has gone downhill in the last few years, especially as they lost the fact they were EK pilots for EK pilots. For me the final straw was how they handled the LIPS fiasco and how they went about treating their company colleagues who run LIPS. Their communication was crap and sounded like EK fleet management had written the emails.
It used to be 'Emirates' pilots club for a reason, now anyone who has seen an aeroplane can join. Even the fuelling company managers can join!
Then there's the discount, got fed up being told that platinum was the same or better, can't think of an example where APC is better. Discounts being reduced everywhere.
Beach hotel access was ok for some people but those who lived near Jumeirah beach hotel, got turned away by 10AM as everyone had used the gym etc etc. Switched to Platinum premium last year, half the price, more and better beach clubs and no issues getting in.
Same here, no desire to socialise with work while outside of work, but if that's your thing it may be worth it for 1 or 2 free drinks sessions a year where they will try to sell you financial products and then resell your contact info from the sign in sheet..
It used to be 'Emirates' pilots club for a reason, now anyone who has seen an aeroplane can join. Even the fuelling company managers can join!
Then there's the discount, got fed up being told that platinum was the same or better, can't think of an example where APC is better. Discounts being reduced everywhere.
Beach hotel access was ok for some people but those who lived near Jumeirah beach hotel, got turned away by 10AM as everyone had used the gym etc etc. Switched to Platinum premium last year, half the price, more and better beach clubs and no issues getting in.
Same here, no desire to socialise with work while outside of work, but if that's your thing it may be worth it for 1 or 2 free drinks sessions a year where they will try to sell you financial products and then resell your contact info from the sign in sheet..
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Jeez transport jock not sure where you are from but eating out in Dubai is a) cheaper than shopping for food and cooking it yourself and b) way cheaper than UK!
The biggest hits we have seen in budget since moving back home have been petrol and food compared to Dubai which is basically cheaper than anywhere I have ever lived other than South Africa! The APC discount was just the cherry on top for us at what was already cheap.
Guess it really is dependant on where you are from.
The biggest hits we have seen in budget since moving back home have been petrol and food compared to Dubai which is basically cheaper than anywhere I have ever lived other than South Africa! The APC discount was just the cherry on top for us at what was already cheap.
Guess it really is dependant on where you are from.
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Eating out in Dubai is a) cheaper than shopping for food and cooking it yourself and b) way cheaper than UK!
Next time you pay AED 300 - 400 for a £5 bottle of plonk come tell us how much cheaper it here than in the UK!
The cost of living in this town is out of control.
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Are you new here? I've never met anyone that thought that. Dubai is ridiculously expensive to eat out. Even the 40% platinum discount in some places only serves to bring it down towards higher end UK prices. Unless you're eating at KFC or Eat and Drink, a normal meal with some wine will set you back 500dhs for two. Not to mention about 6 poorly paid and trained staff fussing over refilling your overpriced water every time you take a sip. A fillet steak alone in The Meat Company is 500Dhs! Food is poor quality, not fresh and lacking in taste in most places anyway so it's not even worth the high price. Not to mention groceries and why most of us fill up our suitcase on layovers - complete rip off in Dubai!
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If you want to compare cost of living: Cost of Living Comparison Between Two Countries
Is the APC as good as it used to be? Probably not, but personally I feel that if I use it only once in a month, I have recovered the cost already.
Is the APC as good as it used to be? Probably not, but personally I feel that if I use it only once in a month, I have recovered the cost already.