Vehicle Length on Ferry

[ElliesBoss]

I've tried researching prices to travel on ferries both direct and through third parties. Some just give you overall length bands to select. Others do this then ask in addition if you have a bike rack etc. I'm a bit confused. Do they charge extra even if you are still within the selected length or is there some other reason they want to know about the bike racks?

 

[two]

On the tunnel, they ask you to put hard lights on if you have a bike carrier to alert those loading the carriages that there is more than can they might see sticking out behind.

 

[busby]

I've tried researching prices to travel on ferries both direct and through third parties. Some just give you overall length bands to select. Others do this then ask in addition if you have a bike rack etc. I'm a bit confused. Do they charge extra even if you are still within the selected length or is there some other reason they want to know about the bike racks?

My van is 5.1 mtrs plus bike rack so on Brittany i state 5 mtrs plus cycle rack,,Done it with this van for over 3 years now. BUSBY,,

 

[vin0114]

I always quote the van length and tick the box for the bike rack - usually an extra charge of £8.00.

 

[2657]

On Brittany Ferries it is usually cheaper to state the correct length of motorhome and add bike rack, an exception to this may be where the length band is a full metre and the actual length falls half way ie 7.5m van in length band up to 8m I would not include bike rack.

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[Lucky]

The cynic in me says the question about whether you have a bike rack is entirely down to revenue raising and nothing to do with size of your vehicle. Rather like

Q Will you have dogs in your vehicle?

A Yes, two. Quite small, named Archie & Jess.

Q That'll be £36 each way, how would you like to pay?

A But, but, they don't take any space on the train.

Q By card, sir?

 

[Lucky]

So, if it was me, I'd probably tick the box that said 'no rack'. I am, if nothing else, quite careless when it comes to online form filling.

And realistically, what's the worse they are likely to do if you get caught out, ask you to pay?

 

[Emmit]

If you physically have a rack and it does not get used,(and don't try to be smarty with them if you use it to hold a box) then there is no charge.
If you are using the rack for any purpose, regardless that you have included it in the overall length then don't be surprised if they charge you.

 

[tacr2man]

When I had RV (12mtr) + scooter carrier , was told to book longest vehicle listed and add trailer to get to total length . They said just interested in total length for loading .

 

[mike mcglynn]

When I was at the booth to get my boarding papers for the ferry to France two young ladies came out and measured the van with a surveyors tape . So they do check now and then .

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[Spriddler]

At Newhaven they have white lines on the ground at the check-in although I don't think any notice is taken of them by the staff but I've never understated my length. I can't remember which but at one (Santander?) the length was displayed in the check-in kiosk from a discrete arrangement of overhead laser beams.
They need to know exact length because the bike racks on seven or eight m/hs could take up the space for another m/h.

 

[7735]

I have been on dozens of ferries, never been measured. They don’t have time to muck about worrying about centimetres.
Spongy

 

[Spriddler]

I have been on dozens of ferries, never been measured. They don’t have time to muck about worrying about centimetres.
Spongy

Yebbut, do you understate your length?
If the ferry is fully booked and too many understate their length it could be you and perhaps others left behind on the quay.

 

[Reallyretired]

On the tunnel there is no charge for length only for a trailer. They now ask your length but thats just to assist efficient loading.

 

[grasscutter]

Maybe I’m lucky. Only once declared the bike rack. After that I’ve never bothered and never been questioned about it on the ferries.

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[Spriddler]

Maybe I’m lucky. Only once declared the bike rack. After that I’ve never bothered and never been questioned about it on the ferries.

It may depend upon how heavily booked is the ferry.
When I went online to make a booking this week for the Newhaven ferry I was surprised that the size bands were quite broad; up to 7m was one rate and the next was up to 10m. For as long as I can remember (certainly ever since online booking was available) you used to have to enter your exact length. I didn't complete the booking so maybe there's a finer requirement later in the booking process.

 

[bobandjanie]

Always make sure your height is right, for the first time ever, when we came over a couple of weeks ago, they sent us up the top, even though our van is only 2.6m I still looked at the height marker on the ramp.
We always put 6m + bike rack, I remember years ago someone in front of us removing his roof box, because he wouldn't pay any extra. Bob.

 

[vin0114]

So, if it was me, I'd probably tick the box that said 'no rack'. I am, if nothing else, quite careless when it comes to online form filling.

And realistically, what's the worse they are likely to do if you get caught out, ask you to pay?

When some years ago I included the van length including the bike rack and was visited by the ferry staff who said I had not ticked the bike rack box. I argued that the total length fell below the 8m length booked and they said next time tick the box. So now I state the van length and tick the box and get the £8 extra charge.

 

[Off da Grid]

Best to mention the bike rack,I include it in the length.
Ours is above the height of the average car bonnet so they sometimes cram a car up close behind on the tunnel.
The low down or towball type obviously need to be declared.

 

[vin0114]

Always make sure your height is right, for the first time ever, when we came over a couple of weeks ago, they sent us up the top, even though our van is only 2.6m I still looked at the height marker on the ramp.
We always put 6m + bike rack, I remember years ago someone in front of us removing his roof box, because he wouldn't pay any extra. Bob.

My van has a flexible 12 inch TV antenna fixed to the roof that takes the height above the 3m barrier so I will tie it back to the bike rack when sailing.

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[dipsie]

Two years ago booking in at Brittany Ferries Portsmouth one of the boarding officers said the height I had booked for our V Line was incorrect.
I had booked under 2 .6 mtrs. Apparently my registration indicated the van was a V Line 635 and the published height is 2 .68. Ah, I said it was but I have taken off the stupid tv aerial that had a spike on it that was fitted as part of the SE spec, the spike bit alone was 8 .5cms. I offered to pull over and let him check it but the offer was declined. We nearly had an argument as I do’nt think he believed me but he backed off in the end.

For years we used to travel out from Poole mainly and always managed to loose the odd half metre but we stopped doing that a few years ago as one of our friends got too gready and understated his m/home by a full metre and when they checked it they told him the boat was fully booked and he would have to pay the extra and go the next day. Our friends had no way to check if the boat was actually full, lesson learnt.

BernieT

 

[tonyidle]

The cynic in me says the question about whether you have a bike rack is entirely down to revenue raising and nothing to do with size of your vehicle. Rather like

Q Will you have dogs in your vehicle?

A Yes, two. Quite small, named Archie & Jess.

Q That'll be £36 each way, how would you like to pay?

A But, but, they don't take any space on the train.

Q By card, sir?

The ferry companies operate Pet Passport checks on behalf of the Government hence the charge.

 

[gus-lopez]

Yebbut, do you understate your length?
If the ferry is fully booked and too many understate their length it could be you and perhaps others left behind on the quay.

It must be win, win with me then,4,9m length but having to book in as "up to 7m" & no they ask do you have bikes so I always answered honestly ,No. there was a rack though. still less than 5,5m

 

[sallylillian]

Allegedly they now check your registration or the computer does, with the DVLA records to confirm length.

 

[Littlewheels]

Why try and short change them! When you go to the Supermarket you don’t expect to pay for everything but the Frozen Chicken if you do it’s called Shoplifting it’s theft. It’s no difference they sell space.

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[Spriddler]

Always make sure your height is right, for the first time ever, when we came over a couple of weeks ago, they sent us up the top, even though our van is only 2.6m I still looked at the height marker on the ramp.

When they send you up a deck level via the ramp on board the Newhaven ferries the clearance reduces considerably from each of the deck ceiling heights so if you've understated your height there'll be some unpleasantness..

 

[2657]

Why try and short change them! When you go to the Supermarket you don’t expect to pay for everything but the Frozen Chicken if you do it’s called Shoplifting it’s theft. It’s no difference they sell space.

Good point but it also works the other way.

If the range is 7 to 8m and a motorhome is 7.5m and with a bike rack is still within that range I would not expect to pay extra for the bike rack, I would have already bought 8m of space

 

[Littlewheels]

Good point but it also works the other way.

If the range is 7 to 8m and a motorhome is 7.5m and with a bike rack is still within that range I would not expect to pay extra for the bike rack, I would have already bought 8m of space

This is true,however, you agree to their T&C’s when choosing to Travel with them and though it’s one sided it’s clear when booking.

 

[2657]

This is true,however, you agree to their T&C’s when choosing to Travel with them and though it’s one sided it’s clear when booking.

Never looked at the T&C's........but I will

 

[Lucky]

The ferry companies operate Pet Passport checks on behalf of the Government hence the charge.

I don't think that's the whole story because DFDS charge less than half what Eurotunnel do. I understand the need for a business to cover costs and make a profit, I'm just saying it's commonplace for some firms to charge what they can get away with and pricing may be based on little more than that.

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