Europe here we come

[Zac70]

Just wondering which is the most economical way to take my camper, Mrs and Springer to Europe. First time arranging this sort of thing and it's been a long time since I've been near channel tunnel or ferries, any help appreciated.

 

[The Dudess]

Ferry usually cheaper. Chunnel better for your dog. We always use Chunnel.

 

[glenn2926]

What they said ^ .

 

[Reallyretired]

Chunnel for us with the dogs. Usually ferry for booze cruise but last time tunnel was cheaper (special offer day trip)

 

[Two on Tour]

We use Tesco club card point to pay for most of the tunnel fair. Booked for next June return fair at £185 has cost us a fiver by using club card points.

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[Two on Tour]

We don't buy much from Tesco, but have Tesco credit cards that we use most of the time to build up points.

 

[SpeedyDux]

We don't buy much from Tesco, but have Tesco credit cards that we use most of the time to build up points.

It's satisfying to get both Tesco points and Nectar points on the groceries. Nectar points can be redeemed for Sainsbugs diesel. A win-win.

Booking the ferry or chunnel through one of the Clubs can get you a discounted fare.

 

[Nirvanauk]

Hull to Zeebrugge ferry. Not cheap but if you factor in your location and then fuel costs etc to Dover then it will balance out a bit.

 

[WESTY66]

Hull to Zeebrugge ferry. Not cheap but if you factor in your location and then fuel costs etc to Dover then it will balance out a bit.

In my experience, living in Yorkshire not by much, I've done the costings on the dates I go away, my preferred crossing of choice for my dates next year is Stena Harwich-Hook of holland £207 in June and £263 in September with motorcycle trailer on. I think the Hull ferry was £800 on that occasion.

 

[Zac70]

Two on Tour
How many points?

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[Wagoneer]

We use Tesco club card point to pay for most of the tunnel fair. Booked for next June return fair at £185 has cost us a fiver by using club card points.

Think you're forgetting the face value of the club card vouchers which you could have spent elsewhere or redeemed against your shopping bill.

Real cost for eurotunnel = £60 in club card vouchers + £5 = £65. Still good value though

 

[Two on Tour]

Two on Tour
How many points?

60 points, but you get 3 x the value for the tunnel tickets which equals £180 so it ended up costing us a fiver.

We use Tesco points to pay for our tunnel crossing at least once a year.

 

[rosalan]

Without doubt, the ferry if pre-booked is the cheapest way to the continent. Some companies discount rates finish at the end of January I believe.
Tunnel is around 1/3 more.

 

[BreweryDave]

Che cheap cheap.
Why does everything has to be the cheapest.
You get what you pay for and it costs what it costs if it suits you

 

[Tigertom]

Che cheap cheap.
Why does everything has to be the cheapest.
You get what you pay for and it costs what it costs if it suits you

That’s a very Saturday night post............well it’s the sort of thing I’d post after a load of beer. And yes I’ve just got back from the pub

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[WESTY66]

That’s a very Saturday night post............well it’s the sort of thing I’d post after a load of beer. And yes I’ve just got back from the pub

I think @BreweryDave has a valid point, only been motorhoming since June (Harley davidsons for nearly 20 yrs before) and one thing I’ve noticed is a lot of people spending 50, 75, 100+k on motorhomes and always looking for cheapest crossing, pitch, diesel, Moho accessories, trying to dodge foreign countries tariffs on roads eg tolls, go box’s etc, but strangely enough not in the cheapest moho’s. Sometimes I can see the logic but some of it just beggars belief!!
BTW I’m not having a pop at free camping etc as you can’t pick where the god placed the best scenery.

 

[Clarky]

I guess it all depends on the dog.
If he/she is happy to stay in the van alone and won't get upset by the strange surroundings, people going past, clanging and banging, then Dover/Calais is probably as cheap as anything.
If the dog is likely to be a bit nervous then it has to be the tunnel. Book off peak times, late afternoon/evening out, morning before 2pm home. Stay at Cite Europe or somewhere close to the tunnel when you get to the other side (usually for free) and get an early start the next day.
Most important..........enjoy.

Richard.

 

[Tigertom]

I think @BreweryDave has a valid point, only been motorhoming since June (Harley davidsons for nearly 20 yrs before) and one thing I’ve noticed is a lot of people spending 50, 75, 100+k on motorhomes and always looking for cheapest crossing, pitch, diesel, Moho accessories, trying to dodge foreign countries tariffs on roads eg tolls, go box’s etc, but strangely enough not in the cheapest moho’s. Sometimes I can see the logic but some of it just beggars belief!!
BTW I’m not having a pop at free camping etc as you can’t pick where the god placed the best scenery.

Haha, maybe they’ve spent all the money on an expensive moho n there’s nothing left in the pot !

 

[Two on Tour]

I think @BreweryDave has a valid point, only been motorhoming since June (Harley davidsons for nearly 20 yrs before) and one thing I’ve noticed is a lot of people spending 50, 75, 100+k on motorhomes and always looking for cheapest crossing, pitch, diesel, Moho accessories, trying to dodge foreign countries tariffs on roads eg tolls, go box’s etc, but strangely enough not in the cheapest moho’s. Sometimes I can see the logic but some of it just beggars belief!!
BTW I’m not having a pop at free camping etc as you can’t pick where the god placed the best scenery.

Choice and value, they each mean different thing to different people.

You go to buy something, same item, several prices from different vendors, does the highest price make it any better or does the lowest price make it cheap or is the lowest price just better value ?

Toll roads, if you want to get from A to B on a boring strip of concrete and pay royally for it, fine, it's once again choice.
It may be you need to from A to B fast or you don't like roundabouts or you feel it saves fuel but again it's choice.

We choose to use a lot of back roads because for us, seeing the countryside and small scenic villages is part of the enjoyment and holiday that we choose. We save on tolls but we pay with time and extra fuel. Again choice, my choice and my perceived value.

Best not to try and understand other peoples choices and values as we all have different ideas and you will only be worrying about something you have no control over other than your own choices and values.

There endith the sermon for today.

 

[tacr2man]

I think its more down to not "wasting" money that you dont have to
JMHO

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[Larby]

Being careful is not a sin! Why pay more than you have to?
Here goes, when are you likely to travel, are you prepared to travel on a night crossing? what size is your MH ?
I find P&O cheaper than DFDS due to length of MH as DFDS tends to put 7.9m in the biggest category. Travelling out of holiday periods is cheaper. MY dog travels well so ferry as Shuttle is always dearer. Night crossings are cheaper.
Last year we went on midnight ferry in early July, they had offers one of which was free dog travel so for the total it was £46.60 one way !
At the end of July on a Saturday you could triple that easily.
You have a MH, it has a bed, go at night, go to Cite Europe, sleep, get up, walk dog, into Carrefour across the road to stock up and hit those French roads.

Ask @Clarky, he'll agree.

ps Don't forget arrangements for the dog but that currently is a thorny subject and is a thread on its own

 

[WESTY66]

Choice and value, they each mean different thing to different people.

You go to buy something, same item, several prices from different vendors, does the highest price make it any better or does the lowest price make it cheap or is the lowest price just better value ?

Toll roads, if you want to get from A to B on a boring strip of concrete and pay royally for it, fine, it's once again choice.
It may be you need to from A to B fast or you don't like roundabouts or you feel it saves fuel but again it's choice.

We choose to use a lot of back roads because for us, seeing the countryside and small scenic villages is part of the enjoyment and holiday that we choose. We save on tolls but we pay with time and extra fuel. Again choice, my choice and my perceived value.

Best not to try and understand other peoples choices and values as we all have different ideas and you will only be worrying about something you have no control over other than your own choices and values.

There endith the sermon for today.

No arguments here, but you are NOT trying to buck the system.

 

[Two on Tour]

No arguments here, but you are NOT trying to buck the system.

What system would that be ?

 

[busby]

Che cheap cheap.
Why does everything has to be the cheapest.
You get what you pay for and it costs what it costs if it suits you

It has to be cheap to be able to purchase these £90000 Gin Palaces,,BUSBY

 

[BreweryDave]

Lol, I admit it was a Saturday night rant after a few beers, but my point is, there does seem to be an obsession with ‘cheap’.
I’m not knocking a deal or a bargain, god knows we all love em, but my point is, if you want something, at a time and date or location of your choosing, then it is neccesary to pay the cost. By all means look for a deal, we all do, but sometimes it is neccesary to bite the bullet and pay. After all, any business is in business to make money, to pay the wages, to feed the kids etc.
I choose to pay, for example, a few quid extra for sausages from the local butcher, rather than what’s on special at the supermarket. Partly because I prefer them, but also because I am a firm believer in supporting small businesses. Admittedly, ferry company’s are a different kettle of fish ( or sausages) but if you want to go from A to B at a certain time, it costs what it costs. If you don’t want to pay that, then look around and find one at 4am to a port up the coast! It won’t neccesarily be what you want, but you might save a few quid. I’d rather have what I want, and be willing to pay for the privilege. ( .......and I’m not a wealthy man, 2 of us living on 1 pension) but you pays ya money and makes ya choice.

..........I couldn’t have written that last night

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[rosalan]

May I defend my comment about cheapest travel. The OP asked for the most economical way to get where he wanted to go and I should add that I too look for the best value in most things I buy. This has nothing to do about the original cost of the vehicle.
I put it down to being frugal as I was born during the war and cannot get out of the habit.

 

[WESTY66]

May I defend my comment about cheapest travel. The OP asked for the most economical way to get where he wanted to go and I should add that I too look for the best value in most things I buy. This has nothing to do about the original cost of the vehicle.
I put it down to being frugal as I was born during the war and cannot get out of the habit.

I don’t think you have any reason to defend yourself, you are spot on, without looking I don’t know where the op is based without looking and sometimes the cheapest crossing just doesn’t work in my circumstances, the cheapest crossing will usually be Dover -France but if you’re travelling from Newcastle, is Dover France the cheapest crossing?? I use harwich-hook so I don’t have to use the dartford crossing, I know eurotunnel is possibly cheaper as is Dover, but I DONT go France!! Your other comment in looking for best value is spot on, value isn’t always cheap and cheap isn’t always value!!