Is That Why It's Called Économie? (1 Viewer)

Aug 19, 2013
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We had a very choppy crossing from Le Havre. Walking was like you'd had too much to drink. I'd not had a crossing like it since the 70's. Then the thought occurred to me, what about the stabilisers? Are there any, or is it the economy version of them? Is that what they mean by economy? We'd been bumped off the previous outward sailing because the ferry was in dry dock to have stabiliser repairs. Perhaps there were none at all on this ship.

Our van was the last of the line, and on the outside deck. It was filthy, encrusted in white shiny salt. I've a good mind to send them the cleaning bill. Mind you, the crossing was very cheap.

Ahh well, it is the sea I suppose. Now, where's those Tesco vouchers?
 
Last edited:
Nov 28, 2007
423
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Did that crossing way back in 1972, we should have docked at 10pm but were hove too until 8am next morning. Three lorries broke the chains holding them down and tipped over on their sides and a brand new car was crushed. There was flotsam of all sorts up around the funnel in the morning.
 
Dec 24, 2009
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bedworth warks
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2009 previously a tugger for thirty years
We did a much shorter crossing the other year from Calais or Dunquerke to Dover, we were right out at the front of the boat and when we docked we could not see out of any of the windows at all.

I cleaned all the windows and mirrors before we got off the boat. But when we were on the motorway home it started to rain and the side windows and mirrors were as bad as before I cleaned them.

I think you need copious amounts of water to get rid of the salt.

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Dorwyn
Aug 19, 2013
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I think you need copious amounts of water to get rid of the salt.
The next day I took it around to the Polish hand wash boys, and copious describes the amount of water they used. It only took them a few minutes, and it is now gleaming. All for only £12 (it's a campervan, not a full size MH).

As regards the tunnel, we shop at Tesco much less nowadays, so don't get enough vouchers to tip the balance to persuade us to use it. We live in the south west, and usually travel to the south west of France, so Portsmouth works better for us, saves a good few hours of driving and consequent diesel, cheaper though it now is.
 

bhs

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Apr 16, 2015
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Used the Économie crossing last week, was great for me, parked on the same deck as the cabin was situated, 30 feet from door to door, never even ventured further in to the ship! £75 for the crossing and £75 for outside 3 berth cabin, all clean and tidy, was still sat in cabin 10 minutes before leaving ferry, smooth crossing but that may have been due to the weather.
This is a new route for Brittany ferries, LD lines have previously offered a cheap crossing from Portsmouth to Le Havre but now they only run from New Haven or Dover under the guise of DFDS.

Return crossing from Caen cost me double the outbound
 

Theonlysue

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Sep 14, 2009
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Not long enough!
Did cherbourg to Poole, with van, super fast and £160.

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Dorwyn
Aug 19, 2013
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Used the Économie crossing last week, was great for me, parked on the same deck as the cabin was situated, 30 feet from door to door, never even ventured further in to the ship! £75 for the crossing and £75 for outside 3 berth cabin, all clean and tidy, was still sat in cabin 10 minutes before leaving ferry, smooth crossing but that may have been due to the weather.
This is a new route for Brittany ferries, LD lines have previously offered a cheap crossing from Portsmouth to Le Havre but now they only run from New Haven or Dover under the guise of DFDS.

Return crossing from Caen cost me double the outbound
Wow, when did you book, and who through? And yes, it was the weather!
 

bhs

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Apr 16, 2015
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Was a last minute thing, booked direct with BF online, have members discount so it was less than the £75 what I didn't say is that I was in my car!! Sorry.

Taking MH over in july but using tunnel, going in wee small hours, cost is £95
 
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Dorwyn
Aug 19, 2013
2,915
4,213
Wells, Somerset
Funster No
27,611
MH
Elddis 115
Exp
since 2004
Was a last minute thing, booked direct with BF online, have members discount so it was less than the £75 what I didn't say is that I was in my car!! Sorry.

Taking MH over in july but using tunnel, going in wee small hours, cost is £95
With some ferry operators (e.g. DFDS), booking last thing is the worst thing you can do, they really escalate the charges on the day, presumably thinking that you must really need it. I therefore often book at least 3 days before. I'm surprised and pleased to hear that BF do not do this. It seems odd to me that DFDS do escalate charges so on the day, since assuming they have availability it's an additional vehicle onboard that would otherwise not be there, leaving more space on the ferry you would have been on. I was once charged 3 times the amount to go a day early on a nearly empty ferry. It still rankles, so I won't use ever DFDS.

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bhs

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Apr 16, 2015
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One very windy night a couple of years ago when Dieppe/Newhaven ferry was cancelled I drove on to Caais and the tunnel, 3 am crossing on very empty train cost me €600, I still have to sit down when I remember that Night!
 
Oct 1, 2013
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Come on. It's only 21 miles to France. I've found a cure for seasickness :)

Evel13.jpg
 

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