Booking ferries without a vehicle registration number?

[magicsurfbus]

It always pays to book ferries as early as you can - lower prices, better availability.

But what if you're changing vehicles before the trip and don't yet know what the next vehicle's registration number is?

Having queried this today with P&O and DFDS, both companies will allow you to enter gobbledygook in the Registration Number box on their booking webpages, provided that you amend the details in sufficient time for their boarding records to be up to date when you arrive at the port.

There is no extra charge for this as long as the vehicle class and dimensions remain the same.

 

[tonyidle]

It always pays to book ferries as early as you can - lower prices, better availability.

But what if you're changing vehicles before the trip and don't yet know what the next vehicle's registration number is?

Having queried this today with P&O and DFDS, both companies will allow you to enter gobbledygook in the Registration Number box on their booking webpages, provided that you amend the details in sufficient time for their boarding records to be up to date when you arrive at the port.

There is no extra charge for this as long as the vehicle class and dimensions remain the same.

Are there other words we can use? I don't think that will fit the box on the form.

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

For those of a certain age who can remember when football teams only had 11 players at the kick off (no subs) and the manager wasn't sure if a player would be fit, the programme would carry the name A.N.Other in his position. Could try that.

 

[busby]

For those of a certain age who can remember when football teams only had 11 players at the kick off (no subs) and the manager wasn't sure if a player would be fit, the programme would carry the name A.N.Other in his position. Could try that.

Put any no in,,,it won't matter,,

 

[GBS]

Reg no TBA. (To be advised)

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[magicsurfbus]

As a follow up, with DFDS I notice that <=7m length is critical for calculating the cost. When I inadvertently selected above 7m my quote for a one way crossing increased by £50.

In theory that could be around an extra £100 per return journey just for adding a bike rack to a 7m MH. Glad we opted for a large boot

 

[busby]

As a follow up, with DFDS I notice that <=7m length is critical for calculating the cost. When I inadvertently selected above 7m my quote for a one way crossing increased by £50.

In theory that could be around an extra £100 per return journey just for adding a bike rack to a 7m MH. Glad we opted for a large boot

On Brittany you just declare cycle rack and your length without it..They then charge for that length plus £18 for cycle rack,,BUSBY,,

 

[Emmit]

Good job I never tell them about our cycle rack then, (and they've never quibbled)

 

[TJBi]

Why not just give them your current vehicle's registration and update to the new one when available?

 

[The Dudess]

But what if you're changing vehicles before the trip and don't yet know what the next vehicle's registration number is?

No problem on the ferries/tunnel, however don't pay your Dartford toll until you have the correct reg. I paid mine (single payment) and then we changed the van and had to pay again as there is no system for changing the reg number.

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[Lenny HB]

Both times we have imported booked DFDS without putting a reg number in. No problems. I think i put " unknown" on the last one. Last time was 2014 Dunkirk didn't have number plate recognition cameras.
Will find out if it's a problem now in March.

 

[magicsurfbus]

Why not just give them your current vehicle's registration and update to the new one when available?

We're no longer its legal owner, and I didn't know if they did some sort of security checks based on the registration numbers, which is why I queried it. Apparently they don't at the booking stage, but I didn't want to complicate things by using someone else's registration number. I was told TBC or TBA was sufficient.

 

[TJBi]

We're no longer its legal owner <snip>

Yes, with that new information I can see that there's a potential problem!

 

[Khizzie]

Interesting to note , my paperwork for my stargazer states 6m long but when I measure it its on fact 6.1 m ... Soo. Ring bf and explain that I had booked a crossing stating 6m but in fact wad 6.1 m .told not to worry as their info on my registration number was 5.95 m . .she said I would have no issues at port .. Roy

 

[DLT]

N/A

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