Cheap ferry crossings ... are those days gone? (1 Viewer)

bernardfeay

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It used to be possible to get season tickets for Dover/Calais but I don't spot the bargains anymore for motorhomes. Am I missing something, or are there bargains to be had?
 

DBK

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It used to be possible to get season tickets for Dover/Calais but I don't spot the bargains anymore for motorhomes. Am I missing something, or are there bargains to be had?
The frequent flyer thing for the Tunnel is a good deal if it suits you. Some folk share it.
 

suavecarve

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Best I have got is 44 quid one way on DFDS and that was the cheapest again this year for very unsocial travelling.
Not doing ferry any more. Tunnel all the way for us now and share the enjoyment of saving shed loads
 
Aug 18, 2011
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When i think back in the early 2000 s car and caravan was £150 Dover Calais todays prices are very reasonable,,BUSBY..
 

magicsurfbus

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I've not noticed much change in the prices for weekday early morning sailings between Dover and Calais/Dunkirk on P&O and DFDS. Still getting each way for about £58 for a 7m MH. A two way trip has been in the £110-120 region for some years for us.

I check the company website prices versus CCC offers then usually go with CCC for P&O. CCC don't offer the % discount they claim to, as they don't discount the cheapest rates, but they are cheaper on the day. You also have to factor in the cost of annual membership, unless you use their sites a few times in the year.

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Oct 9, 2017
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We are thinking of trying the Tunnel via the Frequent Traveller method next. Our favourite used to be SeaFrance. Six crossings (three returns) for, I think £195! Book the first one and just turn up after that. Always got put onto the next ferry. Had two crossings left when they went bust. Rang them and they refunded me.
David.
 

Easyliving

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I have been looking at cheapest way to get to Europe in the van this Summer. We like the Stena Harwich - Hook of Holland service. Going out on 21st August and coming back on 20th September (both daytime sailings) comes to £235.

There is the opportunity to use Tesco vouchers plus with the saving on diesel and the free overnight parking at Harwich it might be worth it.

Paul
 
Aug 18, 2011
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I have been looking at cheapest way to get to Europe in the van this Summer. We like the Stena Harwich - Hook of Holland service. Going out on 21st August and coming back on 20th September (both daytime sailings) comes to £235.

There is the opportunity to use Tesco vouchers plus with the saving on diesel and the free overnight parking at Harwich it might be worth it.

Paul

You live in Norfolk though...Its a similar distance to me to use Harwich,,Dover,,Newhaven or Portsmouth...Have used them all but stick with Portsmouth now,,,better boats,,easier journey and i can do Spain direct if i choose,,BUSBY.
 
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Used the ferries , usually DFDS up until about 3 years ago. They had deals which required using codes at time of booking. Codes obtained at motorhome shows etc . Prices around £50 return. However if I remember correctly there were restrictions on travel times , sometimes requiring travel at stupid o"clock . Might be wrong , but I dont think they issue those savings codes in that way anymore. Anyway we were actually going off ferry travel for a number of reasons , what finally nailed it for us was :

One time we were caught in some unknown cause traffic holdup on the M25 and it became obvious we were going to miss the booking in time for our sailing. This was despite allowing a few hours extra on our road travel journey. We contacted DFDS enroute and told them of the traffic problems. They advised us to tell the staff on arrival that we had phoned and it would be on record . They would then let us through on next sailing....Arrived at Dover and instead of letting us through on next sailing ( or indeed any sailing) they requested a £25 re booking fee....... Now I accept that companies cannot be held responsible for road traffic holdups , but they are certainly responsible for telling customers the truth and not misleading them .

Fast forward to tunnel frequent traveller option , decided to give it a try .Ended up using the scheme for 2 years. The entire process is just so much easier for embarking/disembarking , along with shorter journey time , also no penalty if arriving a bit late . The "non peak" hours are fair and suit us just fine. No more stupid o"clock to save a few shillings . Also been offered earlier trains on the occasions we booked in early.

Work commitments wouldnt have allowed us to use the frequent traveller scheme to its 10 journey minimum in the past year , so didnt renew ....,,,,,,,.However am keeping an eye on the threads here ref the frequent traveller sharing . I think its an excellent option and as someone has already suggested on here , it could be worth a forum section of its own for interested parties to make contact and arrange .
 
Last edited:
Oct 21, 2017
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7x3 Hymer on frequent traveller, basic £44 + £11.
If you plan to do less than ten trips ask someone to share them.
 

Lenny HB

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When i think back in the early 2000 s car and caravan was £150 Dover Calais todays prices are very reasonable,,BUSBY..
Yes in real terms dispitethe increases very cheap.
Back in the 90's we were paying £120-£150 with a P&O shareholder discount full price was more than double that, also remember paying £340 Newhaven Dieppie.

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Jan 28, 2008
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Screenshot_2018-01-23-11-04-00.png
 
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It used to be possible to get season tickets for Dover/Calais but I don't spot the bargains anymore for motorhomes. Am I missing something, or are there bargains to be had?
P&O used to do frequent traveller for a minimum of 3 returns per year but cancelled it for motorcaravans about 2 years ago.
They still it for cars though, very odd !!!
 

Minxy

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How did you get it that cheap I can never find it less than £80
The only way to get the £55 crossing price is to be part of the Frequent Traveller scheme where you have to buy 10 crossings @ £44 each which is for a car then when you book your crossings you pay an extra £11 supplement for MH for each one making £55 each, if you don't want 10 (minimum number) crossings you can share the FT account with someone else which is what a lot of us do now.

You can't see the FT prices until you are a member of the scheme.

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Jan 28, 2008
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The only way to get the £55 crossing price is to be part of the Frequent Traveller scheme where you have to buy 10 crossings @ £44 each which is for a car then when you book your crossings you pay an extra £11 supplement for MH for each one making £55 each, if you don't want 10 (minimum number) crossings you can share the FT account with someone else which is what a lot of us do now.

You can't see the FT prices until you are a member of the scheme.
That wasn't what the op said I think we all know about the benifits of bulk buying from ferry crossings to toilet rolls the op was suggesting he had purchased one crossing for that amount
@Tigertom
 
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I have been looking at cheapest way to get to Europe in the van this Summer. We like the Stena Harwich - Hook of Holland service. Going out on 21st August and coming back on 20th September (both daytime sailings) comes to £235.

There is the opportunity to use Tesco vouchers plus with the saving on diesel and the free overnight parking at Harwich it might be worth it.

Paul

As posted previously by someone else, if you book Stena before Jan31st, you can get 50% of ALL sailings (I was looking at March & September, and it worked). (y)(y)

Our 6m van + 2 passengers came in at £40-50 basic or upto £90 each way if we included Premium, which gives priority embarkation and disembarkatioin, access to Stena Lounge, with "free" refreshments etc AND totally flexible rebooking/refunding possibilities. :D

Gordon
 

Minxy

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That wasn't what the op said I think we all know about the benifits of bulk buying from ferry crossings to toilet rolls the op was suggesting he had purchased one crossing for that amount
@Tigertom
No what he said was ...
Eurotunnel booked for Thursday afternoon £55, well I think it’s a bargain!
He didn't say he'd actually BOUGHT one ticket, but just that he'd BOOKED it for Thursday afternoon ... as the £55 figure matches what you would pay for a FT crossing I suspect that's what he's used ... perhaps the @Tigertom could elaborate.
 

Minxy

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If you look back at what Mitzi was showing it was a general 'page' on the website giving the price form £79 for a car ... you can of course read the info on the links you've given but you then have to work out when it applies - if you want to check the cost for a specific day and time they won't show up on a booking enquiry unless you are an FT member when, once you've logged in, all the crossings will show the FT prices so makes it much easier.

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Easyliving

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As posted previously by someone else, if you book Stena before Jan31st, you can get 50% of ALL sailings (I was looking at March & September, and it worked). (y)(y)

Our 6m van + 2 passengers came in at £40-50 basic or upto £90 each way if we included Premium, which gives priority embarkation and disembarkatioin, access to Stena Lounge, with "free" refreshments etc AND totally flexible rebooking/refunding possibilities. :D

Gordon


Thanks very much for that Gordon

Just booked and paid only £131.25 return and that's for flexi tickets so we can change dates if we want.

Don't know if it was mentioned on the other post you quoted but you have to type the word 'SALE' in the offer code box to get the discount. A real bargain!

Thanks again

Paul
 
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I just looked and saw the mentioned £11 supplement for motorhome , is there no size(length height) restriction ?
 
Mar 21, 2010
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Euro Tunnel Frequent Traveller=

Minimum purchase 10 crossings (5 returns) Can be shared with on other person

Off peak times= Folkestone/Calais 16.00 to 05.59 Calais/ Folkestone 00.00 to 13.59

£55 each way

NO length restrictions. (extra for towing and animals)

Crossings can be altered up about 24 hours before depart, No supplements.

colyboy

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Aug 18, 2011
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As posted previously by someone else, if you book Stena before Jan31st, you can get 50% of ALL sailings (I was looking at March & September, and it worked). (y)(y)

Our 6m van + 2 passengers came in at £40-50 basic or upto £90 each way if we included Premium, which gives priority embarkation and disembarkatioin, access to Stena Lounge, with "free" refreshments etc AND totally flexible rebooking/refunding possibilities. :D

Gordon

How do you get that 50% BUSBY,,
 
Jul 18, 2009
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I have been looking at cheapest way to get to Europe in the van this Summer. We like the Stena Harwich - Hook of Holland service. Going out on 21st August and coming back on 20th September (both daytime sailings) comes to £235.

There is the opportunity to use Tesco vouchers plus with the saving on diesel and the free overnight parking at Harwich it might be worth it.

Paul

I like that route for Beneluxe
 

Blue Knight

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I was checking out the UK-Spain routes yesterday and the cost of a return cruise with a basic 2-berth cabin was in excess of £1,000.

I wonder if I could start a Just Giving Page.:(

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