# Staying in the m/home while crossing



## eribiste (May 1, 2005)

This is possibly a bit unusual as info requests go, but one of the reasons my wife and I enjoy crossing the ditch between La belle France and England by train is that you stay in the vehicle for the trip under the waves. Unfortunately us motorhomers with our dreadful high vehicles pay rather dearly for the privilege of being out of gauge on Le Shuttle.

Are there any short(ish) surface routes (that are cheaper) where one can stay in the motorhome for the duration of the crossing?

Happy Holidays

Eribiste


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi Eribiste;

Short answer to that one is 'no'.

pete


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Can confirm that. the answer on any ferry is a definate NO.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Further to my last post...

AFAIK the only ferries where you can stay in your Van for the crossing (Camping on Board) are the Italy to Greece ones (Minoan, Anek and Superfast).

pete


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## 103625 (Mar 28, 2007)

for reasons of safety ferry operators won't let you stay in your vehicle if the ship goes down you will be the last to know about it if you below deck
greeks don't put safety to the fore


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

winniebagotony said:


> if the ship goes down you will be the last to know about it if you below deck


Well, you will probably be the *first* to know... 8O 
But it won't help you anymore once you realize that the water is rushing onto the car deck.

Fact is: Maritime safety standards require that all passengers leave their vehicles on car ferries. That some of the ferries on the Med allow "Camping on Board", has however nothing to do with certain nationalities attitudes toward safety. The ferry operators that allow this have obtained a special permission. Which comes with quite some restrictions: Only a limited amount of units, only on open car decks well above the waterline, and if the weather becomes too bad then you have to leave your vehicle nevertheless.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

peejay said:


> Further to my last post...
> 
> AFAIK the only ferries where you can stay in your Van for the crossing (Camping on Board) are the Italy to Greece ones (Minoan, Anek and Superfast).
> 
> pete


My Way Ferries, Ventouris Ferries and the Agoudimos Lines all allow Camping on Board.

Those three will allow you to stay in your van even in winter.

Don


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

eribiste said:


> Are there any short(ish) surface routes (that are cheaper) where one can stay in the motorhome for the duration of the crossing?


Yes. Buy a Seagull Outboard & attach it to the rear bumper, then drive down the ramp at Dover. It's guaranteed you'll stay in the motorhome for the duration of the crossing, and it's also guaranteed to be the shortest crossing.

=D>

Why, thank you very much......


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

....or you could get yourself either one of these , one of these , or - for the ultimate, one of these 8)

pete


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## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

Or you could shop at Tesco's, we have just booked 4 return crossings on the Tunnel and it has cost us around £7. Thats only because they send the vouchers in set amounts so like yesterday it was costing me £61 each way and I could only make up £120 in vouchers so you pay the extra £2 on credit card. That crossing is for van over 7mtrs, in the middle of August in the middle of day too, didn't I do well??

Lots on Tesco vouchers threads else where so won't bore you with anymore facts, just to say it saves us a fortune in time and money.

Mandy


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## krull (Jul 22, 2006)

I have a good mind to crash out in the back on my next crossing, just make sure you can't be seen by staff. 

Better than the trying to kip in a reclining chair with school kids and drunks running riot.

The chance of the ferry going down is so negligible it's not worth worrying about. There are also fire exits from the deck that cannot be locked for staff use.

Lets face it, 10,000 asylum seekers a year do it!


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## kijana (May 1, 2005)

Eribiste, you have p.m.


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## 101405 (Oct 15, 2006)

*staying in hold*

WHY would any sane person want to stay locked in a Car Ferry hold.?
and put someone else at risk in event of an emergency . are they just plain lazy or thick!!


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## rickwiggans (May 10, 2006)

I used to travel fairly regularly on cross channel ferries with horses, to international equestrian events. Usually, the captain would authorise one or other of the team to stay below deck, with the horses. Trust me - it is not a place you'd want to be voluntarily for any length of time. It is very hot and very noisy!!


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## krull (Jul 22, 2006)

*Re: staying in hold*



silversurfa said:


> WHY would any sane person want to stay locked in a Car Ferry hold.?
> and put someone else at risk in event of an emergency . are they just plain lazy or thick!!


Disagreeing with someone else's point of view does not give you right to to insult them by calling them lazy or thick. Personally I like to assess a situation rather than assuming an automatic school ma'am stance.

Fact 1:Naval architure means of escape in case of fire requires adequate means of escape from the car deck at all times, useable without a key. Just because the main passenger route is locked to enter the deck, it does not mean it is locked from the deck side or other exits are not available. It is unlikely that a member of crew is not on the deck at any one time.

Fact 2:I travel with dogs. It is better for them if i am with them. If I take a negligable risk then that is my choice. No-one elses life is at risk because of my actions. It is certainly safer than the risk I take every time I jump on my motorbike.

Fact 3:Car decks are sprinklered and subdivided by side across fire/flood bulkheads

People are welcome to live conservative, cautious lives by all means. All well and good. But please don't kid yourself that car decks are unoccupied during passage.

In life, you stop to consider a risk and then decide.


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## smokingdragon (Apr 27, 2006)

Back to the original topic............

The cheapest way of staying in your MH and crossing the Channel is via the Tunnel and using Tesco Club Card Vouchers or be a shareholder of of the Tunnel.

I've stayed on the lower decks during a crossing and it was rough so the car decks must be worse!!

Simon


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## Duadua (Feb 16, 2006)

I am sure you can on the Sulawesi, Gorontalo - Pagaimana overnight ferry.

All of the lorry drivers and their mates were sleeping in their cabs. Didn't see a motorhome though!

Or, alternatively you will no doubt be approached by a crew member offering his cabin, for a modest sum ...... on the car deck, cabin complete with torn out magazine pictures of smiling amorous ladies wearing a little, but only a little, taped to the rusting bulkheads.


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## WingPete (Jan 29, 2006)

*Ferry where passengers ride in vehicle*

Woolwich Ferry has no problems in carrying passengers in their vehicles :wink:


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