You must have tried this before but will I get caught ? (1 Viewer)

[barwik]

Hi all , Just booked our first trip abroad in our Hymer B544 - ( excited already ) - Catching the ferry to Dunkirk etc .
Now .... I've booked it as 6,5m but to be exact my van is 6.6m so I'm telling a little white lie - others must have tried it on I'm sure - did it work ? did you save a few quid ? ( I'm a yorkshireman )

 

[Minxy]

Thanks for that, didn't realise, but it won't change our minds.
However a question will be asked next time I book a tunnel crossing!

Same here as we have a dog that is terrified of ferries. Good luck ref the cost ... I've mentioned it to them but they won't budge, I also emailed about reducing the cost for each additional pet but no joy there either.

 

[barwik]

Thanks for opinions - some have given me a laugh but regarding ferry or chunnel costs I can only put in what vehicle I have , the time were crossing and were taking a dog - I don't have vouchers and cant get it for free somehow - its approx. £120 more expensive to use the tunnel - I may try that in the future who know's.
OR am I missing a trick ?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

Thanks for opinions - some have given me a laugh but regarding ferry or chunnel costs I can only put in what vehicle I have , the time were crossing and were taking a dog - I don't have vouchers and cant get it for free somehow - its approx. £120 more expensive to use the tunnel - I may try that in the future who know's.
OR am I missing a trick ?

When did you travel and how far in advance did you book it?

 

[Kevan]

Thanks for opinions - some have given me a laugh but regarding ferry or chunnel costs I can only put in what vehicle I have , the time were crossing and were taking a dog - I don't have vouchers and cant get it for free somehow - its approx. £120 more expensive to use the tunnel - I may try that in the future who know's.
OR am I missing a trick ?

Now now, you know Barlicks not in Yorkshire any more so you must be a red rose man. when i lived in Earby and worked at Rolls Royce, in Barlick then it was in Yorkshire, Ha memories.

 

[robnchris]

I love it anywhere from 30k to 250k for a motorhome and people are worried about a few quid difference on a channel crossing.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Bailey58]

Go on the tunnel, doesn't matter how long you are on there

It matters to me, any longer than 40 minutes and I start feeling claustrophobic.

 

[trophychap]

Tha didna get the 50k stashed by wastin tha dosh!

 

[Lot lover]

but I couldn't imagine stealing from anyone

Wow, you may well be the first person that I have met that is not a thief.

Personal mail in the "post" tray at work
pens, pencils,post-it notes taken home
personal phone calls at work
not paying the correct fare on planes, boats trains or buses etc
padding mileage and other expense claims by only a little bit

WW if you have not committed any of the above or anything similar I apologise for maligning you

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Kingham]

Wow, you may well be the first person that I have met that is not a thief.

Personal mail in the "post" tray at work
pens, pencils,post-it notes taken home
personal phone calls at work
not paying the correct fare on planes, boats trains or buses etc
padding mileage and other expense claims by only a little bit

WW if you have not committed any of the above or anything similar I apologise for maligning you

Apology accepted and none taken

 

[gus-lopez]

Myth.

I sometimes cross check when I book the tunnel and more often than not it's close enough to the equivalent ferry price as makes no difference.

I've found, and posted, examples in the past where the tunnel is actually cheaper than a Dover - Calais ferry for a crossing at the same time.

Plus if you use vouchers it makes the tunnel even cheaper.

Even if it was actually noticeably more expensive it's worth paying a premium for the sheer convenience, flexibility and speed. It's beats every other possible channel crossing hands down on all three of those things.

Even booking months in advance I have never managed to get the tunnel within double of a ferry crossing . & I'm paying extra for a flexible croosing as well so another 25quid could be saved. You also can't use vouchers the 'wrong way' around. from Eu to UK.

Thanks for opinions - some have given me a laugh but regarding ferry or chunnel costs I can only put in what vehicle I have , the time were crossing and were taking a dog - I don't have vouchers and cant get it for free somehow - its approx. £120 more expensive to use the tunnel - I may try that in the future who know's.
OR am I missing a trick ?

I must be missing it as well.

I love it anywhere from 30k to 250k for a motorhome and people are worried about a few quid difference on a channel crossing.

We wish. It all counts when you have no income

DFDS operate height gauges automatically at Dover. When there used to be 2 heights available if you'd booked on wrong one They'd get right funny. Staff in the office were ok but on the check in the woman I got was obnoxious.
Yet at Dunkirk they aren't interested .

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Even booking months in advance I have never managed to get the tunnel within double of a ferry crossing . & I'm paying extra for a flexible croosing as well so another 25quid could be saved. You also can't use vouchers the 'wrong way' around. from Eu to UK.

I've done it both ways - well in advance and short notice - and whenever I've checked the tunnel has never been more than about £30 ish more expensive than the Dover - Calais ferry. That's before any vouchers are applied.

I never bother with flexible crossing, just the normal booking is plenty flexible enough for me.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Pia]

How much extra do you folks add on for the satellite dish and an omnidirectional aerial. Our height is 2.65m not sure how much to add to that when booking the tunnel. Hate ferries...MOH has to lie down for the whole sea journey,and I wander the ship alone...soooooooo boring....whatever extra it costs to go by tunnel it's worth every cent

 

[Lot lover]

We prefer to use the Tunnel for various reasons (not in order of importance)

1. I have inherited Nelson's seasickness gene
2. We prefer to be with our dog(s)
3. Shorter journey time
4. Avoid Dover
5. Ferry time is soooo boring

Yes, it costs more but it's not as if it is our money we're spending, it would only go to our heirs.

 

[Kevan]

How much extra do you folks add on for the satellite dish and an omnidirectional aerial. Our height is 2.65m not sure how much to add to that when booking the tunnel. Hate ferries...MOH has to lie down for the whole sea journey,and I wander the ship alone...soooooooo boring....whatever extra it costs to go by tunnel it's worth every cent

sat dish usually 40cm so would put you just over 3 meters high

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TheBig1]

sat dish usually 40cm so would put you just over 3 meters high

more like 20cm when closed

 

[Kevan]

more like 20cm when closed

Whoops mines a dome, and just got up, so when i think satellite i think dome

 

[gus-lopez]

I've done it both ways - well in advance and short notice - and whenever I've checked the tunnel has never been more than about £30 ish more expensive than the Dover - Calais ferry. That's before any vouchers are applied.

I never bother with flexible crossing, just the normal booking is plenty flexible enough for me.

I always go for a flexible ferry fare from Dunkirk on dfds as that allows me to use any ferry 3 days either side of what I've booked at no extra cost whatsoever , subject to space available. As I'm travelling such a distance & with the fixed time period for the dog , who has his paperwork done here, it is ideal for me.
I always compare the ferry / tunnel & in the past would have used them if price wasn't so different, Even allowing for the possible illegal aggro.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Reallyretired]

What!!! Put the dogs on the ferry!
Tunnel for us every time.

 

[scotzsue]

We once booked a ferry through the CC and they put the wrong size down for our van , we didn't realise until we arrived at the port were pulled over and had to pay extra and as it was busy nearly missed the ferry!
Needless to say we check and double check and always give the correct height and length( including bike rack and bikes!)

Snap

 

[Kingham]

How much extra do you folks add on for the satellite dish and an omnidirectional aerial. Our height is 2.65m not sure how much to add to that when booking the tunnel. Hate ferries...MOH has to lie down for the whole sea journey,and I wander the ship alone...soooooooo boring....whatever extra it costs to go by tunnel it's worth every cent

Fairly easy to measure without any guesswork. Length of straight 4" x 4" laid across highest point (use spirit level if rounded, such as sat dome) then tape measure to ground.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[MAUBRI]

Just hope you are not the last vehicle up the ramp ...... you may find your back ent hanging over the stern!

I had a Hymer towing a Smart car on an A frame, crossing from Lymington to IOW. All booked on Line and I under measured for obvious reasons. On arriving on a busy August Saturday, I was pulled out of the queue as I was a LONG vehicle and had to go on last in the centre lane, the chap doing the marshaling didn't query the length but as I went on he drove me right up to the overhead deck leaving 1/2 inch and when they closed up the rear ramp I started to panic but luckily it stopped just short of the rear of the car again about 1/2 inch, that was the last time that I fibbed.

 

[Emmit]

How much extra do you folks add on for the satellite dish and an omnidirectional aerial. Our height is 2.65m not sure how much to add to that when booking the tunnel. Hate ferries...MOH has to lie down for the whole sea journey,and I wander the ship alone...soooooooo boring....whatever extra it costs to go by tunnel it's worth every cent

You don't have to tell them you've got a satellite dish on the roof. In fact, it doesn't ask you how high the van is, except for asking if you have a roofbox or bikes with you. (You don't watch "The Box" on the roof do you)

 

[Kingham]

You don't have to tell them you've got a satellite dish on the roof. In fact, it doesn't ask you how high the van is, except for asking if you have a roofbox or bikes with you. (You don't watch "The Box" on the roof do you)

The boss lady used to do our ferry bookings, but I'm sure I recollect there being height categories with some of the companies, where we had to state which height limit we were under ?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Emmit]

The boss lady used to do our ferry bookings, but I'm sure I recollect there being height categories with some of the companies, where we had to state which height limit we were under ?

I do apologise. From reading your input I thought you were talking about the Tunnel.
Brittany ferries have a 'Below 2.6 Mtrs''Below 3 Mtrs' and another even taller but as ours sneaks in at 2.95mts I don't read any further.

 

[Kingham]

No, I apologise

The OP was referring to ferries and that thought stuck, but on re-reading Pia's post, it states "tunnel", so your response was correct and mine wasn't

 

[HymerB544]

We have a 544 too and although it is 6.65m I have always booked it as up to 6.5m and even though BF have usually measured we have never been asked to pay more. Now that could be because I have always declared the bike rack, even when it is not carrying bikes, because even when folded it adds another foot onto the length and when down adds a yard. I won't be changing my strategy anytime soon! Gary

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[suavecarve]

We have been measured but 100 mm is not a lot so it depends how good the measurers are.

Martin

I need you to speak to my wife.....100 mm is about average i told her !

 

[maison]

tunnels very expensive I think - I've paid 160 return for the ferry inc the daft dog

Use the tunnel, free, four times a year, courtesy of Mr Tesco and his travel vouchers.

 

[Pia]

Thanks folks..for all your helpful responses....we'll continue to use the tunnel where height is not an issue.....though from time to time we do sail from/to Santander so the height is then an issue.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Khizzie]

I have booked several times through BF and always stated that van was 6m ..anyway thought I would measure it for once .and horrors its 6.1 m rang BF and told them .they told me not to worry even though its a foot longer than I have put on my latest booking in June. .so will wait and see ..