Irish ferries Dover calais

[tonka]

I see Irish ferries now run Dover to Calais. Anyone used them ??
Ditching P&O..

Seem cheap Vs DFDS.

 

[scousebird]

And you can use Tesco vouchers towards the cost.

We've not used them but a friend has and she was quite impressed.

 

[orridge]

Yes used them a couple of weeks ago very pleasant but catering onboard was a bit expensive. Major problems getting to Dover though and nearly 3 hours to get through Passport control and check-in so leave plenty of time.

 

[dunnah01]

Used them last week. Cheapest out there due to old boats but for 90mins very tolerable. Had a coffee on board and had to queue for 20 mins as the stroppy guy serving struggled to give a f

 

[Tombola]

stroppy guy serving struggled to give a f

I hate this attitude

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[dazandandrea]

I noticed the irish ferries in Dover on our return from Dunkirk.
I would definitely compare prices for next time as you are hardly on long enough for it to matter.
Having said that, we do like Dfds.

 

[InvictaMoto]

Thought about them but actually more expensive than DFDS for the dates we wanted to go. Not forgetting they did the "P&O Trick" a few years ago.....

 

[tonka]

Thanks on input. Maybe looking at a quick week early July to take grandson to the Normandy beeches.
Eurotunnel. £400 ish
DFDS. £300 ish
Irish. £200 ish

Don't mind the crossing time or an old boat. Aware of Newhaven as another option but fancy some wine shopping in Calais.

 

[stevewagner]

Thanks on input. Maybe looking at a quick week early July to take grandson to the Normandy beeches.
Eurotunnel. £400 ish
DFDS. £300 ish
Irish. £200 ish

Don't mind the crossing time or an old boat. Aware of Newhaven as another option but fancy some wine shopping in Calais.

You can get cheap wine anywhere in France. Just bought a lovely Merlot for 2:10

 

[scousebird]

fancy some wine shopping in Calais.

Many of the wine warehouses have gone. Even Pidou at Calais has been "temporarily closed" for months.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[tonka]

Many of the wine warehouses have gone. Even Pidou at Calais has been "temporarily closed" for months.

I was aware many were gone.
Was mainly thinking of Pidou, their Facebook page has posts from a few days ago so assuming they are open. Sure I could find other suppliers

 

[scousebird]

I was aware many were gone.
Was mainly thinking of Pidou, their Facebook page has posts from a few days ago so assuming they are open. Sure I could find other suppliers

Pidou at Transmarch is open, that's where we went a few weeks ago.

 

[Tighchris]

Irish Ferries adopted a "low price model" when they came onto the route and firms like P&O and DFDS are trying to compete with this. My daughter travelled with Irish Ferries last week and said that the "old" ship Isle of Inisheer is truly awful. No soap in any of the toilets and no one bothered when they asked. Cramped with a general air of dirt and not being bothered. Couldn't help reminding her that it is the youngest boat on the Irish Ferries Dover Calais fleet and that she used to love travelling on the DFDS Northern Merchant from Dover to Dunkerque a previous name for the ship. I guess it will be cramped if more than a few people on board as it has a much smaller passenger capacity than the other ships. Makes me sad for the loss of Trans Europe Ferries from Ramsgate to Ostend. They were old ferries but spotlessly clean, with great crew and amazing food despite the "low price model" of operation.

 

[OutTheOffice]

If you are not using P&O because of the way they treated their staff, you should not use Irish ferries either. They did exactly the same thing, but a few years ago.

 

[gus-lopez]

I would definitely compare prices for next time as you are hardly on long enough for it to matter.

I just did .dfds £8/€ cheaper

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Barryh]

We’ve just crossed from Dover to Calais using the Irish Ferries ship Isle of Inishmore. P&O and DFDS eat your heart out, this is a quality ship. Proper fixtures and fittings; windows that don’t sound like they are about to fall out; huge enclosed observation decks at the back; a couple of decks with cabins. We didn’t use the restaurant or see the prices but it looked good. All in all a nice hour and half experience on a proper ship (or boat). Passports stamped and Covid pass checked by the French at Dover.

I posted this on another thread.

 

[carolyn]

No soap in the toilets, good practice for everywhere you go in France. I knew those little travel shampoos and shower gels that I just can’t help myself taking when I stay in Hotels would come in useful. That’s what I’ve been keeping in my handbag or bumbag if we’re on our bikes since we’ve been away. Plus hand sanitiser.

 

[Johnen]

Pidou at Transmarch is open, that's where we went a few weeks ago.

Pidou is also still open in Dunkerque. We use that one, as it is on a secure compound

 

[PaulOH]

catering onboard was a bit expensive.

Imagine then being on the overnighter Cork-Roscoff or Rosslare-Cherbourg/Le Havre!! 22 hours more or less! Plain (droopy) croissant €4.50 plus your coffee after that, main meals coming in at about €12:50 per head...

That crossing is a completely different animal where you're forced to book a seat or cabin on top of the cost of the journey - but I survived it several times by basically bringing a picnic bag. This has only ever been by myself though - if you have a family, then it's tough. I could suggest bringing a kettle and water in a carry-on bag to the cabin and everyone could have noodles or instant potato, but maybe the levels of scrimping could be starting to get a bit silly... mind you...

For the short crossing, it's the same as the plane - buy nothing onboard and at the very least bring your bottle of water or what have you from the shop airside - aka. van fridge!

 

[cyberyacht]

The Wine Supermarket at Calais has reopened. We stocked up a week ago.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[orridge]

The Wine Supermarket at Calais has reopened. We stocked up a week ago.

Which one Calais Wines ? As Majestic have closed their two shops completely.

 

[cyberyacht]

The Calais Wine superstore. Across the road from the old Majestic store. Pidou is just up the road too.

 

[Johnen]

Pidou in Calais has been closed for a while, their other two shops are still open. Don’t know when, or even if it will re open, they had a lot of problems with migrants breaking into customers vehicles, the last time we were there they had security staff patrolling the car park..

 

[Kups]

The Calais Wine superstore. Across the road from the old Majestic store. Pidou is just up the road too.

Great news but I cannot open their website which is a bit worrying.

Cheap Wine Deals from £1.99 a Bottle - The Calais Wine Superstore

Save £4 a bottle on UK prices. Visit Calais Wine Superstore for Huge Savings on Favourite Wine Brands

www.calaiswine.co.uk

 

[Sheddy]

On the ferry now, got an early sailing about half full. Only checks were French Passport and check in.
Not splashing out the £12-£14 for a breakfast reserving my capacity for a pain aux raisin on the other side.
Left turn off the boat heading into Belgium towards Luxembourg.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}