Calais - Dover ferry: how to find best price crossings

[Ridgeway]

Yes we are booking late, yes it's that time of year and yes our set up isn't small (7.3m plus trailer x 3.2m high) but the prices i just looked at were very high....

We always take the tunnel but happy to take a boat if it's cheaper although £500 return isn't particularly cheap (£700 for Eurotunnel though).

Anyone know any good websites for searching for the best prices ? we have some flexibility on the dates (although not much) and we can take any time of day.

Think we paid €400 for the tunnel last year but that was without the trailer.

Help

 

[olley]

DFDS booked a week ago £129 one way, midday sailing 3rd of September.

 

[tacr2man]

You are finding that not booking ahead can be very expensive !

try midweek and unsociable hours to get the fare down

 

[chaser]

Yes we are booking late, yes it's that time of year and yes our set up isn't small (7.3m plus trailer x 3.2m high) but the prices i just looked at were very high....

We always take the tunnel but happy to take a boat if it's cheaper although £500 return isn't particularly cheap (£700 for Eurotunnel though).

Anyone know any good websites for searching for the best prices ? we have some flexibility on the dates (although not much) and we can take any time of day.

Think we paid €400 for the tunnel last year but that was without the trailer.

Help

Bloody ell, we went for £160 return a fortnight ago , admitted we hadn't got a trailer and it was only two days, but what's the difference really, something wrong somewhere.

 

[Southdowners]

Eurotunnel is around £400 return, with trailer. Are you booking flexiplus rate?

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[namwaldog]

Is it worth considering sharing a frequent traveller account.?

I think a trailer counts as one crossing?

If you could manage to get a 5/5 share, it would cost you
5×£46 = £230
plus 2× £12 motorhome supplements =£24
total £254
Cheaper still if you got a 4/6 share.

 

[Ridgeway]

Eurotunnel is around £400 return, with trailer. Are you booking flexiplus rate?

Standard booking, not flexi

 

[Ridgeway]

Is it worth considering sharing a frequent traveller account.?

If you could manage to get a 5/5 share, it would cost you
5×£46 = £230
plus 2× £12 motorhome supplements =£24
total £254
Cheaper still if you got a 4/6 share.

Too many variables i think, if we were 2 persons with lots of flexibility then it could be a very nice solution.

 

[Ridgeway]

You are finding that not booking ahead can be very expensive !

try midweek and unsociable hours to get the fare down

will play around with the dates, times etc and see how low i can get it but at a first glance it didn't change that much.

 

[namwaldog]

When the the £ was stronger against the €, you were able to save a little by booking on the French sites rather than the UK sites but I think those days are gone?

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[Ridgeway]

When the the £ was stronger against the €, you were able to save a little by booking on the French sites rather than the UK sites but I think those days are gone?

yes i suppose i forgot that my CHF now buys me about 20% more £ vs last year

Marks and Spencer here i come.

 

[Capitanjohn]

Discounts through Camping and caravan and the other one, I always book with them and get a discount.

 

[chaser]

I presume you are in Switzerland by your avatar so no use to you but for anyone who shops at Tesco ,using their vouchers makes a big difference, we always use them on our annual big trip.

 

[Ridgeway]

Can get the tunnel down to €660 ( about £6m with today's FOREX) and that's with mid-week and early crossings.

How far is it to swim and how much Sikafix would i need to seal up the van.....

 

[Ridgeway]

I presume you are in Switzerland by your avatar so no use to you but for anyone who shops at Tesco ,using their vouchers makes a big difference, we always use them on our annual big trip.

yup, will be at Tesco though once we're back to stock up and some British beef and bangers !

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[Ridgeway]

What sites to people use for the ferry crossings ? any good ones other than the obvious DFDS or P&O ?

 

[chaser]

What sites to people use for the ferry crossings ? any good ones other than the obvious DFDS or P&O ?

Just a thought, you are going to the official Eurotunnel site not a ticket place. Usually a big difference

 

[Ridgeway]

Just a thought, you are going to the official Eurotunnel site not a ticket place. Usually a big difference

yes i'm using the Eurotunnel site

just looking at Direct Ferries

 

[Southdowners]

Standard booking, not flexi

I don't understand why you're picking up prices £200 more than the one I just looked at which was for a return this Wednesday for a campervan with trailer which was around £400.

 

[Ridgeway]

I don't understand why you're picking up prices £200 more than the one I just looked at which was for a return this Wednesday for a campervan with trailer which was around £400.

Think i just worked it out: 2 dogs add €100 return (sorry i forget to mention the woofers) and £400 plus this €100 or so is practically the prices i'm seeing (€660 at best).

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[Southdowners]

Are you quoting your prices in Sterling or Euros?

I booked our dog the other day and he was £19 (one way only)... your prices are still way out compared to the test booking I did which was £400 return this Wednesday. When did you get the best rate Euro660?

 

[Ridgeway]

Are you quoting your prices in Sterling or Euros?

I booked our dog the other day and he was £19 (one way only)... your prices are still way out compared to the test booking I did which was £400 return this Wednesday. When did you get the best rate Euro660?

If i search for this Weds then the best price is €338 (that's to the UK) the return is a similar price and hence the €660ish

 

[PhilG]

Just booked DFDS Dover_Dunkirk ( which is always cheaper) , £175 return , out on Thursday night, back Sunday night .

 

[Ridgeway]

Same crossing details (i screwed up the date but it's the same result, just checked) but in £ gives £242

£242 at say €/£ at 1.1 = €266 roughly, vs the €338 so that's another €150 difference for a return.

 

[peterc10]

We always take the tunnel but happy to take a boat if it's cheaper although £500 return isn't particularly cheap (£700 for Eurotunnel though).

At £700 for Eurotunnel it would be cheaper buying their yearly 10 ticket frequent traveller package at £460. Add to that £12 each way supplement for a campervan and £46 each way supplement for the trailer and it comes in at £576. And you would have another 4 return trips to take in the next 12 months at little additional costs! Even cheaper if you can find somebody to share the deal with you.

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[tacr2man]

Before you go search again , delete your cookies , I have been told that this can help get better prices , as they cant then see you are a return . Maybe some one computer savy can say if OWT .

 

[Ridgeway]

Before you go search again , delete your cookies , I have been told that this can help get better prices , as they cant then see you are a return . Maybe some one computer savy can say if OWT .

Yes i do that and i hide my IP address, that's how i got the last prices in £ but some times when you go to check out it can be a problem as companies often insist on a UK registered credit card, otherwise you get the € prices.

 

[WESTY66]

Harwich to hook of Holland, end August return mid sept, cabin and breakfasts for two on way out, day sailing coming back, 7.4m Moho and sub 4m trailer £360 all in return???

 

[GWAYGWAY]

I will be signing up for frequent traveller again soon and tyhis time might keep it all myself. years worth at 55quid is worth it per trip. One return at peak can be the same cost as all of them.

 

[Easyliving]

Discounts through Camping and caravan and the other one, I always book with them and get a discount.

We booked with C&CC a few weeks ago for mid August out / back end of September. We paid £156 - less than direct with p&o, worth getting a quote.

Paul

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