Au Revoir

[Folkranger]

We don't usually book the ferry until nearer the time but as we haven't bothered touring abroad during covid I just thought I'd like to feel more optimistic and nail my colours to the proverbial mast. (if car ferrys have masts) So we've booked for next July, Newcastle to Ijmuiden.
We have two new electric folders on order which will replace the full size e-bikes which my wife was finding too heavy. We love Holland for cycling and following a suitable stay may make our way down the Rhine to Lake Constance, or possibly take the north Germany route through beautiful Dresden and across to Czechia.

At least I won't be subject to anyFrench port blockades. (tongue in cheek)

 

[pagey]

Me too booked the tunnel for a 60 day trip next year don't know where we are going we will make our mind up on the train

 

[Folkranger]

Me too booked the tunnel for a 60 day trip next year don't know where we are going we will make our mind up on the train

We only booked sites on my first trip abroad 50 years ago. No, we much prefer the freedom to roam and not get tied to sites that we may not like. This also gives some opportunity to follow the weather, and not just to follow the sun. Once in fleurie we just couldn't survive the heat so headed for the hills at Grenoble where the temperature allowed us to enjoy our stay in a beautiful city. But mainly we just get off the ferry and say "right or left?"
We never book a return trip either as it looms over your thinking when you're mile from the ferry and time is running out.

 

[gpat]

Can anyone give a view on which they like best, DFDS Newcastle to Amsterdam or P&O Hull to Rotterdam. We used to love the Hull to Zeebruge but thats gone now. We get the Ferry from IOM to Heysham but I never realised that Newcastle was nearer than Hull.

Whats the food and rink like of DFDS. We were always impressed with the Pride of Bruge/Pride of Hull

 

[teddybear]

Under the new regulations for testing do you have to show when you are returning?

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[Folkranger]

Can anyone give a view on which they like best, DFDS Newcastle to Amsterdam or P&O Hull to Rotterdam. We used to love the Hull to Zeebruge but thats gone now. We get the Ferry from IOM to Heysham but I never realised that Newcastle was nearer than Hull.

Whats the food and rink like of DFDS. We were always impressed with the Pride of Bruge/Pride of Hull

We've used both Hull and Newcastle ferries quite a bit. I much prefer the P&O Hull ferry. We used to always book the full dinner service and felt pampered on P&O but for quite a few years now its been as cheap or cheaper to go from our home town (Newcastle). I have to say I've never liked the DFDS food, too much based on Scandinavian seafood with smaller portions and none of the traditional pampering that we used to get on the Hull ferry. As it's probably about 7 years since we did Hull, things may have changed there, also lots of people I'm sure would like the Scandinavian snack seafood served by DFDS, just giving my preferences.

 

[gpat]

That's interesting. The P&O offering was not as good 3 years ago as it was 7 years ago, but it was still pretty good the last time we travelled. Basically an all you can eat buffet with a variety of international tastes (Indian/Traditional/Thai/Chinese). No big bowls full of prawns on ice like the old days but still ok and with reasonable bar/wine prices and choices. I can definitely say we always have enjoyed them and is the first and last day of the holiday rather than the dismal chore that is the Heysham to IOM ferry

Might give DFDS a go just for the experience. We are thinking of a similar route to yours in September

 

[busby]

Under the new regulations for testing do you have to show when you are returning?

No,BUSBY.

 

[pagey]

We only booked sites on my first trip abroad 50 years ago. No, we much prefer the freedom to roam and not get tied to sites that we may not like. This also gives some opportunity to follow the weather, and not just to follow the sun. Once in fleurie we just couldn't survive the heat so headed for the hills at Grenoble where the temperature allowed us to enjoy our stay in a beautiful city. But mainly we just get off the ferry and say "right or left?"
We never book a return trip either as it looms over your thinking when you're mile from the ferry and time is running out.

exactly what we do if the weather is bad over Belgium and germany we turn right and head towards spain

 

[IRHP]

we took the fri evening ferry from Newcastle a few years ago. Mid Stag/hen doo season. That was entertaining. !!

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[Folkranger]

That's interesting. The P&O offering was not as good 3 years ago as it was 7 years ago, but it was still pretty good the last time we travelled. Basically an all you can eat buffet with a variety of international tastes (Indian/Traditional/Thai/Chinese). No big bowls full of prawns on ice like the old days but still ok and with reasonable bar/wine prices and choices. I can definitely say we always have enjoyed them and is the first and last day of the holiday rather than the dismal chore that is the Heysham to IOM ferry

Might give DFDS a go just for the experience. We are thinking of a similar route to yours in September

Truth is, on the dfds route we take our own food and tipple, get an outside cabin and dine in the cabin.

 

[Folkranger]

we took the fri evening ferry from Newcastle a few years ago. Mid Stag/hen doo season. That was entertaining. !!

There's as many going the other way on that route to stag/hen in Newcastle. Prague also is a beautiful city but let down by the same attractions.

 

[mapman]

Truth is, on the dfds route we take our own food and tipple, get an outside cabin and dine in the cabin.

We have done that on Hull to Zeebrugge ferrries for last few years. Doesn’t cost much more for a 4 birth outside. Ignore the upper bunks, you have a window, and plenty of room to picnic. In the morning a tea or coffee from the cafe then ready for coffee and croissants at first services on autoroute. Just hoping can do the same on Hull Rotterdam now H-Z finished.

 

[Orion]

Has anyone else used the DFDS commercial ro-ro on the Gothenburg/Immingham route?

Only twelve cabins available IIRC but we found it a very relaxing voyage compared to the hustle and bustle of many passenger ships. Used it twice coming back from circular trips around the Scandinavian countries with the Harwich to Hook crossing on the outgoing leg.

 

[Folkranger]

We have done that on Hull to Zeebrugge ferrries for last few years. Doesn’t cost much more for a 4 birth outside. Ignore the upper bunks, you have a window, and plenty of room to picnic. In the morning a tea or coffee from the cafe then ready for coffee and croissants at first services on autoroute. Just hoping can do the same on Hull Rotterdam now H-Z finished.

When you do Hull-Rotterdam, stop off at Gouda. There's a Motorhome stopover in the centre of the town. We Like Gouda and used to do the local campsite there until they turned it over to housing a few years back but the stopover is good.

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[Folkranger]

Has anyone else used the DFDS commercial ro-ro on the Gothenburg/Immingham route?

Only twelve cabins available IIRC but we found it a very relaxing voyage compared to the hustle and bustle of many passenger ships. Used it twice coming back from circular trips around the Scandinavian countries with the Harwich to Hook crossing on the outgoing leg.

If they brought back the Newcastle to Scandinavian routes we'd do do it in a flash.

 

[Orion]

If they brought back the Newcastle to Scandinavian routes we'd do do it in a flash.

Only drawback was having to input the code we’d been given for opening the freight terminal security gates into the machine - which was situated at the correct height for artic drivers to simply lean out of their cab windows to operate!

Jumping down from the thoughtfully provided step ladder, running round to the ‘wrong’ door of the vehicle, and getting started and moving before the gates began to swing back was fun.

 

[G-RMPS]

Folkranger said:
If they brought back the Newcastle to Scandinavian routes we'd do do it in a flash

We would too! We also bemoan the loss of the Rosyth ferry (Edinburgh). You could get a really nice cabin with breakfast served in the room. Dinner was also good.

 

[Ingwe]

We did the Rotterdam to Hull trip yesterday. We often took the Hull-Zeebrugge ferry. The Rotterdam boat was pretty good; we had a club cabin which although smaller than its equivalent on the Zeebrugge one, was still pretty comfortable. We had dinner in the World something diner similar to the Zeebrugge with all you can eat buffet (including lots of prawns on ice). Great night’s sleep but it was like a mill-pond!

 

[nicholsong]

Has anyone else used the DFDS commercial ro-ro on the Gothenburg/Immingham route?

Only twelve cabins available IIRC but we found it a very relaxing voyage compared to the hustle and bustle of many passenger ships. Used it twice coming back from circular trips around the Scandinavian countries with the Harwich to Hook crossing on the outgoing leg.

Orion

Help please.

That Gothenburg route could be useful for us coming from Poland to Scotland.

The DFDS website says that Immingham will not now accept private leisure passengers.

How long ago did you do it and how did you book it,

I wonder if we could pose as antique or art dealers in the MH, thus commercial?

Geoff

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[ManTheVan]

We never book a return trip either as it looms over your thinking when you're mile from the ferry and time is running out.

That's an interesting idea Folkranger. I like the idea of no stress getting back to a ferry port. Have you found it OK arriving at the port and booking a return crossing then? Can you usually stay in the MH overnight in the port waiting area? Has there usually been availability with a MH during holiday seasons? Do you pay a penalty in higher fares as not booked in advance?

Others may also be able to comment! This would be for a BF crossing back from France, prob in August.

 

[Folkranger]

ManTheVan
We've never had to stay over at the return port. We once turned up and the ticket master wanted something like three times the original outgoing cost. We said but we're in the caravan club, made no difference to him so we walked out to the van, phoned the caravan club and booked for near our outgoing cost. I delighted in going back in to show him our ticket. That was at Dunkirk.

 

[Orion]

Orion

Help please.

That Gothenburg route could be useful for us coming from Poland to Scotland.

The DFDS website says that Immingham will not now accept private leisure passengers.

How long ago did you do it and how did you book it,

I wonder if we could pose as antique or art dealers in the MH, thus commercial?

Geoff

Hi Geoff,

We did the Gothenburg to Immingham crossing three years running 2015-17 and never booked via the DFDS website but through Direct Ferries Ltd.

IIRC I had to ring them as the route wasn’t listed on their website and it wasn’t one that DFDS wanted promoted due to the very limited availability of accommodation and facilities, plus the ‘hassle’ of having to deal with non-commercial vehicles and people on a working ship. We were driving our pickup truck setup for camping with awnings and under slung tent ‘room’ attached (no declaration of being anything other than private individuals on holiday) but there was a MoHo onboard with us. I hope it is still available, even just for that routing, as it’s a great way to get back to the U.K. from a circular trip around the Baltic and Scandinavian countries.