We're thinking of using Brittany Ferries for our September trip to France this year. Club Voyage seems like quite a good scheme, but is there any way to check availability before joining? Or are the discounts available on all crossings?
Brittany Ferries Club Voyage Availability?
- Thread starter DangerMousy
- Start date
Normally allowed on all crossings, although it's now quite expensive to join with a lot fewer bonus's than previously allowed....... can't be more specific as we joined 25yrs ago, just listening to a lot of comments on here, however, I always check with DFDS prices first ( depending where in Hants you are) and remember if you are getting on ( pensioner ), you also get a 20% discount
OP
OP
Newhaven-Dieppe doesn't work for us and we're a fair way off the pensioner discount - so I think if we were heading eastwards then we'd stick with the tunnel. But heading south, with the St Malo ferry we'll be able to drive down after work, get a good nights sleep, and then be at our first stop lunchtime the next day (a day ahead of where we'd be if we got the tunnel).
OP
OP
Thanks that really useful! I hadn't understood the full discount scheme correctly, so based on that chart it looks like its not worth us joining it then as we'd only be travelling in high and mid seasons.
Barclaybasher
Free Member
- Apr 13, 2012
- 6,110
- 21,300
- Funster No
- 20,541
- MH
- Mobilvetta Euroyacht
- Exp
- 1996, then break 'til 2011
Choosing which port to use isn't just about cost for me.
The timing of the drive to the port, time of departure and arrival and, for me,avoiding the M25 are important considerations.
My holiday starts from when I leave home....
The timing of the drive to the port, time of departure and arrival and, for me,avoiding the M25 are important considerations.
My holiday starts from when I leave home....
OP
OP
Same here....its actually around £50 cheaper to go via the tunnel (after factoring in tolls and fuel) but if we take the overnight ferry we gain a day....which is important when you only have 2 weeks!
Having said that, I do want to pay as little as possible, but it doesn't look like there are any discounts to be had on Brittany Ferries.
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
It’s funny how we see things differently.
My holiday starts as soon as I’m on foreign land (France in this case) so the quicker I can get there the better. The tunnel is the fastest. Finish work, rush to terminal, get on train, then off and 30 mins drive stop for night. Waking up holiday started.
Ferries like airports just delay the start of my holiday in my mind.
My holiday starts as soon as I’m on foreign land (France in this case) so the quicker I can get there the better. The tunnel is the fastest. Finish work, rush to terminal, get on train, then off and 30 mins drive stop for night. Waking up holiday started.
Ferries like airports just delay the start of my holiday in my mind.
OP
OP
That's how we've always done it in the past. But we gain an extra day in France if we take the ferry, which is why we're considering it.It’s funny how we see things differently.
My holiday starts as soon as I’m on foreign land (France in this case) so the quicker I can get there the better. The tunnel is the fastest. Finish work, rush to terminal, get on train, then off and 30 mins drive stop for night. Waking up holiday started.
Ferries like airports just delay the start of my holiday in my mind.
Boundless members can get a 5% discount off BF fares all year round. Membership currently costs £40 so for one return crossing to France it wouldn't be worth joining just for that. However it could be worthwhile for anyone doing several crossings a year.
OP
OP
So, update.......
We booked the ferry: £400 outbound Pompey - St Malo (with an inside cabin), and £221 return via Caen (early morning) with an outside cabin to lounge in and have a shower etc... about £50 more expensive than the tunnel (taking fuel and tolls into account).
But when we booked, it told us we'd save £116 if we joined Club Voyage (for £120) which actually seemed a fair deal assuming we use it again next year.
We booked the ferry: £400 outbound Pompey - St Malo (with an inside cabin), and £221 return via Caen (early morning) with an outside cabin to lounge in and have a shower etc... about £50 more expensive than the tunnel (taking fuel and tolls into account).
But when we booked, it told us we'd save £116 if we joined Club Voyage (for £120) which actually seemed a fair deal assuming we use it again next year.
OP
OP
Yep the on board credit is a nice bonus. I was quite surprised that we saved 19% on the outbound fare given that were sailing at the end of August.
Possibly the heavily discounted cost on the day cabin would account for the extra saving. Edit, just noticed it was the outbound sailing where you saved 19% so it's anybody's guess how they work it out.
After t
After trying various routes we now do the Portsmouth St Malo ferry every time. The trip down for us is hassle free and boarding has never caused any hassle with long queues etc. A meal followed by a good night’s sleep sets us up nicely for the trip south in the morning. The Club Voyage has been a no-brainer for us, one peak season crossing is a big saving compared to the price (although having been a member for a few years I think we may be getting a bigger discount than more recent members?)
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
Having just done BF both ways (into St Malo from Portsmouth & back from Cherbourg to Poole) I definitely prefer the tunnel. I get whiffs of airport about the ferry, and an airport is something I hope to never see again unless I go to Japan. I know I essentially gain a day, but even so ...
OP
OP
What time do you usually get on board for that crossing? Am thinking about whether to eat beforehand or not.
We're huge fans of the tunnel, but I have a new job which comes with a significantly smaller leave allowance than my old one, so a day saved it worth quite a lot!
Usually about 8pm. We drop the bags off in the cabin then go for a meal. Given the usual jobs needed before we get away there’s never been a problem sleeping after the meal!
I’m not sure about this “saved a day” thing.
You get on your ferry at 10pm Friday and sail through the night and get shoved off the boat at 6.30am Saturday.
I get on a train at 8pm Friday (as there are more crossings) off the train at 8.45pm. Drive 30-40 mins stay in aire. I’m in France first and could have if I wish wake up early Saturday and head off.
Where is the saved day?
We also have very limited time. Hence taking the quickest crossing, and the more reliable/frequent.
You get on your ferry at 10pm Friday and sail through the night and get shoved off the boat at 6.30am Saturday.
I get on a train at 8pm Friday (as there are more crossings) off the train at 8.45pm. Drive 30-40 mins stay in aire. I’m in France first and could have if I wish wake up early Saturday and head off.
Where is the saved day?
We also have very limited time. Hence taking the quickest crossing, and the more reliable/frequent.
OP
OP
For us it's a leisurely 1 hour drive after work to Pompey. The St Malo ferry leaves at 2015 and arrives at 0815 (local). We can be at the campsite on the Ile de Re by early afternoon of our first day.
If we take the tunnel we'd have to start early/work through lunch so we can finish at 4, after which it's a 2-3 hour drive to the tunnel. Heading south after an evening crossing we usually stop at Boulogne overnight. Then its about 9 hours driving to get to the Ile de Re - which (for us) is two days driving. Hence the saved day.
If we take the tunnel we'd have to start early/work through lunch so we can finish at 4, after which it's a 2-3 hour drive to the tunnel. Heading south after an evening crossing we usually stop at Boulogne overnight. Then its about 9 hours driving to get to the Ile de Re - which (for us) is two days driving. Hence the saved day.
The difference for me is two hours to tunnel and two hours to Pompey, both if M25 ok.
My parent (local to Pompey) do the Cean ferry which isn’t as nice times as yours. 10 pm ish on, and a 6 am ish kicked off the ferry. Never appealed to us, but your times sound better.
If you are 2 hrs to Pompey, have you considered the Newhaven option......... I keep banging on about Newhaven...... for me its value for money, as I'm a coffin dodger, I'm on no time schedule ( different when I was at work ) I just wish there was some competition to B.F. from Pompey or the South & S.West as there used to be ( P&O & Condor or Stena from Southampton)
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
stevewagner
LIFE MEMBER
Come across last Wednesday on Irish Ferries, Dover to Calais. At the moment they are offering 50% discount in the club lounge at £11 which included a cooked breakfast, cereals, fruit, toast, biscuits, cakes etc and unlimited tea, coffee and soft drinks. We were the only ones in there!
Have you considered getting a take-away and taking it on the ferry ( there is one just by the roundabout prior to the ferry ) ???? there are M/ Waves on there and I'm sure it will taste a lot better than the crap they serve up in the self-service
OP
OP
We quickly discounted the Caen ferry because the crossing is too short to give a proper nights sleep - doesn't appeal to us either. Whereas
Yes considered it a number of times, but it doesn't work for us at all: we are invariably leaving after work, and the night crossing is too short to get a good nights sleep. It also doesn't save enough time/miles if you're heading southwards to make it worth it.
Its more about the time really....if you're only on board 8ish, then its a bit late to have a full meal (for us anyway!). We'll just have a proper lunch at lunchtime and take a picnic for dinner (same as we do for the tunnel). Then we can head to the bar once we've set sail for a few drinks before bedtime.
Click on BF’s voyager club and it will give you all the info you need, for French one and Spanish one. The latest version is different from the original version in some ways.
Join us or log in to post a reply.
To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun
Join MotorhomeFun
Join us, it quick and easy!
Log in
Already a member? Log in here.
Forum posts reflect the views of individual users and not MotorhomeFun.
MotorhomeFun does not endorse or verify user-generated content.