# Flexible ferry bookings?



## Phil42 (Apr 4, 2006)

Where can I find the best cross-channel _flexible_ fares? We've reached a point where my wife's health means that we need to have the ability to alter the departure and return dates if necessary.

Thanks,

Phil


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Don't buy a return, just buy a single out and then when you need to come back check online for the best price for another single back - that way you can use the cheapest way back, which may not be the same as going out.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

DFDS fares Dover/Calais or Dunkirk have a 2 tier system, Economy and Flexi.
The Flexi appears to be £20 more than the Economy fare (each way if booking a return fare) and states:

Flexi
Free amendments to your booking up until the the time of departure.
Full refund up to 48 hours before travel.
Flexibility to travel up to 72 hours either side of your crossing time, subject to availability. 

In effect, I suppose you are paying for insurance.

It wasn't easy to find this information.
I had to go through the booking procedure selecting the dates for outward and return and displaying the sailings without completing the booking!


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## Agilityman (Aug 17, 2009)

Phil,

I have the same problem with my wife.

When we tried to get flexible tickets last year, we were told that they have effectively been withdrawn. We were told the best thing to do was book a ferry for say a trip that was a week over our estimated maximum trip and alter the ticket on our way back at the ferry terminal. As the previous post has said, that amendment can be free or an extra fee as £10 for a DFDS economy ticket.

Also we have found out with DFDS that if you miss your initial outward bound sailing you have 24hrs to inform them that you have not sailed and make an amendment for the outbound sailing. If you miss that 24hr window your total booking will drop off the computer with total loss of your ticket.

Paul


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## Phil42 (Apr 4, 2006)

Thanks to all.

Particularly helpful to hear from Paul about losing the whole cost if you don't inform them within 24 hours!  

Several times we have had to pay £60 or so at the port to change a non-flex booking so any extra we pay now needs to be less than that to make it worthwhile.

Phil


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I'll take the chunnel, at least that's supposed to bend a bit


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I think that on the tunnel you can amend your ticket Phil

It the crossing you pick is more expensive you have to pay the difference

We came back over a week early this time and payed an extra 20

We phoned euro tunnel and changed the booking a couple of days before hand

The difference was payable at the point of crossing

I hate to have a deadline for the return journey

When I want to go home, I want to go home, full stop
:lol: :lol: 

Prior to our last trip we always booked single, but the last one worked out just fine and we will book return again

Sandra


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

The tunnel is completely flexible. You can change your booking at any time with a phone call (as many times as you want) and there are no administration charges - we've found them amazingly helpful in this respect.

You do have to pay whatever fare is available on your revised crossing, so it might mean a small extra charge added to the original fee paid. But we just research the prices carefully on their website immediately before calling to change the booking. With a motorhome it's fairly easy to travel at relatively unpopular times - so if we want to keep the price down at short notice, just choose a crossing early or late in the day (or even overnight). Cite Europe parking next to the tunnel in Calais means you can easily arrive or depart before or after a stopover, at any time.

Because there are so many trains (up to 4 per hour at peak times), the whole thing always feels very relaxed to us. No problem if you miss your train, catch the next one. Arrive a couple of hours early, cross sooner. And with the journey only taking 35 minutes, and staying with your vehicle, it all seems a lot less stressful to us.

Yes, it's usually a bit more expensive than the ferry in the first place, but a price worth paying we think.

Mike


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

What Mike just said. He is spot on and there's no contest in my opinion, even if it is a bit more expensive.

Further to his comments, your ticket remains valid for a year and can be amended and even "_put on hold_" if necessary at any time within that period at no extra charge. If your wife was ill and you had to (_effectively_) cancel your holiday for several months until she recovered, the Channel crossing would not be lost.

They also offer holiday insurance to include the cost of the crossing, and I think their rates are quite competitive.

Have you got a Tesco credit card? We don't much like Tesco, but their card is just like any other and can be used for purchases anywhere. It's surprising how the points mount up, and you get a "_three for one_" deal on the Chunnel so fifty quid's worth of points buys a £150 crossing.

Dave


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## Phil42 (Apr 4, 2006)

I'm tempted by the tunnel. But we went on it in the early days and Sue was 'spooked' by sitting in our van in the dark and only barely feeling the movement of the train - this was years before her dementia set in though she did have balance issues. Is it still the same? Of course, she might take it in her stride like she does with a lot of things which I think might distress her.

We do have £37 of unspent Tesco vouchers though and I can't think of a better way to spend them.

Phil

P.S. Sue fell out of bed at 3 a.m. this morning so I'm a bit dozy myself at the moment. She seems 'normal', thank God. Fortunately the bed in our La Strada Pronto is impossible to fall out of.  But consequently not that easy for her to get onto.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

> in the dark


 :?

They have always left the lights on when we've travelled.


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## Phil42 (Apr 4, 2006)

Perhaps it's my memory that's faulty - it was a long time ago now. But it did seem pretty dark to me.

Anyway as Sue now spends much of the time with her eyes closed (for reasons that are unclear) it probably won't be a major factor now. And it is all over very quickly.

Thanks,

Phil


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## emjaiuk (Jun 3, 2005)

The train is relativly brightly lit inside, but due to the position of the lights, the inside of MHs and vehicles are usually dim. At least i my experience

Malcolm


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

emjaiuk said:


> The train is relativly brightly lit inside, but due to the position of the lights, the inside of MHs and vehicles are usually dim. At least i my experience
> 
> Malcolm


We usually read while travelling through the tunnel and that is by the lighting in the train not our own so it must be reasonable bright.


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## alfredthegreat (Dec 12, 2005)

Why dont you try My Ferry, the old Sea France operator, Ifv you buy a carnet of 6 single crossings it costs about £41 per crossing.
There are surcharges on some peak times, but the advantage of just turning up and getting on the next crossing beats the other operators


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## Old_Adventurer (May 13, 2005)

We always use the tunnel, courtesy of Tesco points.
Two years ago my wife got shingles in Avignon and we had to come home 10 days early. We just tipped up un-announced at the tunnel and said my wife's ill, can we go early. The answer was interesting: if we wanted the next train, in 20 minutes time, then the cost would be 150 Euros. If we got the train after that then it was only 10 Euros. Guess which one we chose!


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