# Ripped off by Norfolkline



## 04HBG

Beware if you turn up at Norfolkline hoping to get an earlier ferry back you might get stung.
Having booked 2 trips with them for this year we went out 10 days ago planning to be away for 17 days but unfortunately had to return earlier than expected yesterday.
We had booked for a 10pm return on 21st but turned up at the ferry at 5pm last night hoping to get on the 10pm for last night and were told sorry you can pay 100 euros extra and go on the 6pm or pay 65 euros extra and go on the 8pm.
Can we go on the 10pm or 2am ? no sorry we are very busy and full up and we are not taking any more bookings this weekend and there is just a small space left on the 6pm or 8pm.

So pay up we did reluctantly FEELING VERY RIPPED OFF and sailed on the 8pm which was ONLY HALF FULL
I shall be booking elsewhere in future

RD


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## DTPCHEMICALS

I have some sympathy for your situation.
But, you broke the contract that you had with Norfolkline.
You wanted to travel on a different day.
Had Norfolkline informed you on the correct day of departure that they had moved your slot on a couple of days you would have been more anoyed.

Before anyone criticies these companies look at both sides of the situation.
I may sound a little harsh but thats the way life is.


dave p


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## Stanner

The moral of the story is don't book inflexible tickets if you think you may well need to be flexible and if you do need to change for any reason try to do it online or by phone before you get to the port - you may well find that is cheaper than trying to do it at check-in.


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## Antonia

Norfolk line is still the best value for money.
You want something else you pay for it.
And too, you will pay if you use another line thats for sure, a lot more.

Antonia


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## MicknPat

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> I have some sympathy for your situation.
> But, you broke the contract that you had with Norfolkline.
> You wanted to travel on a different day.
> Had Norfolkline informed you on the correct day of departure that they had moved your slot on a couple of days you would have been more anoyed.
> 
> Before anyone criticies these companies look at both sides of the situation.
> I may sound a little harsh but thats the way life is.
> 
> dave p


Dave, I am 100% with you, however, it really sucks when the company want MORE money and you board the ferry to find it only half full.............or is that half empty :lol:

Mick


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## ob1

Yes, you were ripped-off, contract or not. 

We now have a season ticket with P&O which avoids all this hassle and is a lot cheaper into the bargain. However, we used P&O for years, hardly ever returned on the scheduled day, sometimes weeks late, and never once were charged extra. If one can do it.....

Ron


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## sideways

Two sailings either side of your booked one and then its a minimum of 60 euros. We only paid £69 return so you cant really complain its dirt cheap to start with.


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## bigbazza

MicknPat, these avatars are getting a bit naughty, which one is Mick 8O


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## Koppersbeat

We have flexible bookings with Norfolkline this year thanks to the member who gave us the code that was valid only for the duration of the NEC show.

We needed to return 24 hrs earlier last month so I e-mailed the day before we wanted to travel asking to change to the 10am boat on the Wednesday instead of the Thursday.Within an hour they replied that the 10am was full but we could change to 8am or 12pm,free of charge of course.

We agreed the 8am sailing and when we saw the huge number of lorries just on standby for the next available crossing we realised why they say they are full.


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## DTPCHEMICALS

MicknPat said:


> DTPCHEMICALS said:
> 
> 
> 
> dave p
> 
> 
> 
> Dave, I am 100% with you, however, it really sucks when the company want MORE money and you board the ferry to find it only half full.............or is that half empty :lol:
> 
> Mick
Click to expand...

Thats why I use SF.
Never had to pay any extra , I just try to look humble and tell the receptionist how long i have been a customer :lol: :lol:

Dave p


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## Jented

Hi.
We are governed by the pet passport hours coming back,but going out have often gone on an earlier ferry at no extra cost on N/line.
However, we came out on mon 10th may N/Line,and the breakfast has gone self service,ie,each item priced,so gone are the "generous" b/fasts they used to serve at a "price". So to all the other food hoovers,you have been warned.
A slimmer Ted!.


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## Rapide561

*Ferries*

Hi

I appreciate there is the need on occasion to return much earlier than planned. In this instance, I suggest logging on to the net asap and checking fares. It may be cheaper to rebook with a different operator.

Equally, a phone call to the operator you are scheduled to travel with might be advantageous, at least the day before travel if possible.

Russell


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## teemyob

*Cost*

I am not a fan of Nofolkine and do see Dave P's point.

However, I would have told them to stick there vessel where the sun don't shine and driven to Calais where even last minute you can get a crossing one way for between £37-£60

TM


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## tonyt

While Norfolk Line continue to get me and my campervan from Dover to Dunkerque, and back, for £39 (June 7/28 ), I shall continue to use them and have saved enough over the years to easily cover any short-notice change I may have to make at sometime.


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## aguilas389

*Norfolk Line*


Providing you have the money up front the best way to book is at the shows with Norfolk line. You know you are crossing "sometime" during the year so all we did was buy 2 crossings and you are allowed to change them as many times (within reason I would think) as you wish to whatever dates and times. Swanning around Belgium the weather is not too good so for the 3rd time we altered our crossing yesterday and catching the midday ferry this morning all for the original £39 return booked last NEC show. Can't fault them.
Marion and Mike


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## sallytrafic

The people who really dip out are those without the savvy to know about the deals etc, who essentially pay full fare and subsidise the rest of us. 

I try and get the best deal and accept the consequences of the action but as others have said if you have to change the worst place to change is at the check in. Even phoning a few minutes before will probably get you a better deal. I think its partly the fact that the check in staff have no discretion available and also the commercial realisation that you are there, so in a way you are committed. If you phone or email you seem to be be fairly relaxed about the change and ready to 'walk away from the deal'. 

I made a mistake when booking the midnight Dunkirk to Dover crossing online I got the wrong day and realised it just 5 mins later (Doh!) but a phone call to Norfolkline and a very sympathetic chap changed a non-flexible booking for free. 

BTW I like their ships on that route, very nicely fitted out, but agree buying your breakfast bean by bean makes for a very small breakfast. If you are late at night at Dunkirk don't expect too much from the shoreside catering.


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## IrishMike

*Norfolk line*

I have to say I am a fan of Norfolk Line and always travel with them with the car and some times with the Van.
I have not had a real problem when changing times and often had to change but always on line or by phone. 
I did not use them so much last year when the introduced the extra charge for the length which at one point had the effect of doubling the price. That seems to have been changed or reduced last time I booked.
I used SF last year a lot as they were always the cheapest but this year seem to have put up all the prices and so with the car I have been on Norfolk line for about 5 trips this year.

One question is I often see people say P&O are the cheapest but every time I have tried them they are much more expensive than the others and almost on a par with the tunnel which is very expensive for anything more than an overnight. The Last time I travelled on P&O was when there were problems on the tunnel I was diverted by the police as the queues for the tunnel were back to J11. P&O charged me more than £200 for a single crossing with a car and they were not full. Luckily I managed to get this refunded by the tunnel as the police had diverted me not just done it off my own back.
So the question is how to get better price on P&O?

TX Mike


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## Rapide561

*P&O*

Hi

P&O are often a lot cheaper for larger motorhomes. Example....based on my own motorhome, declared as 8.50m long.

1) P&O, Do-Ca, 5th July, 19:45 on board the Pride of Kent, £31.25.

2) NorfolkLine, same date, Do-Du, 20:00 departure, £29.00 plus £15 for my extra length (sorry) and then a £6.50 fuel surcharge, total £50.50

3) SeaFrance, same date, depart 20:00, on board the SeaFrance Rodin, best fare is £53, but you can remove £2 of this - something to do with marine conservation.

4) Tunnel. same date, my booking cost £66 but paid for with Tesco tackle.

Russell


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## IrishMike

Thanks Russel,
I guess it is the time I am looking. 
I have just tried again as a test an can find cheap prices for later in the evening crossings. 
That is not much of a problem as long as it is not too late but it looks like I need to also book far in advance to get those prices.

I guess I need to plan longer term.

M


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## Vinnythehat

Hi All, 
We had to change our return crossing with Norfolkline due to a family problem at home..we were booked to return on 25th June and had only limited Internet access from the site in Germany we were on, so we asked Sue's sister in Blighty to ring up and arrange another crossing for us, unfortunately she contacted the Caravan Club, (with whom we had booked through) and sorted it with them no problems apart from being charged £10 admin fee(standard for them, which we didn't mind really because of the circs!), we were booked on the 10pm sailing on Tues 8th June, arrived at the port early and simply asked the young man at checkin if we could get on the 8pm sailing..no problems he said, and we sailed at 8pm,prompt, on a half empty ship...so CHEERS to Norfolklinefor being VERY flexible. 
Vinny & Sue


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## teemyob

*Norfolkline*

Norfolkline are Crap


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## artona

Does SF = Seafrance?

stew


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## Carl_n_Flo

*Re: Norfolkline*



teemyob said:


> Norfolkline are Crap


And your reason being??????

Have travelled predominantly with NL, sometimes with P&O, never with SF and tunnel either only for convenience (car) or necessity (ferries fully booked when we want to travel - very rare).

Cannot trust SF not to go on strike....
P&O was like travelling 'cattle class' on the 4 occasions we used them - bloody noisy, crowded and dirty (evening crossings).....
NL always quiet, mostly empty, comfortable places to sit, plenty of space on vehicle decks and decent grub in the restaurant (not cafe downstairs) - a chance to relax before the haul down to Provence....

NL for us always!!!!
C&F


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## Grizzly

Koppersbeat said:


> m,free of charge of course.
> l.


Not sure about the " of course"...

I booked flexible tickets with Seafrance . We were booked for the 10am sailing on Wednesday morning but, the weather being terrible and not fancying a night at Calais aire, we went straight to the port and asked to go on the next boat - 12 noon Tuesday. We had to pay £22 for admin charges ! Since we paid up and drove straight onto the boat I don't think anyone had time to do any admin.

Now- one week later- SeaFrance have sent me an e-mail offering me, exclusively- a return ticket for £28 as I am "a favoured customer"

Not any longer I think !

G


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## Zozzer

In 2008, we arrived at Dunkerque and were charged £25 to sail on 14:00 ferry as opposed to 20:00 in the evening.

In Aug 2009, we were booked on 14:00 sailing from Dover - Dunkerque, but managed to sail on the 08:00am ferry WITHOUT any charges being added. At the time we were a little miffed at the double standards.

In Nov 2009 we booked a flexi with SF cheaper than NF
In Jan 2010 we again booked a flexi SF because NF simply could not compete on price. A couple of weeks ago we changed our sailing from Friday evening to Friday morning and SF gave us a refund.

I do like Norfolkline as we predmoninantly head for Germany.
But until they pull there socks up I'll still Seafrance until things change for the better.

And I agree, 100€ addon is a rip off. Time to vote with your feet.


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## IrishMike

An update for me is I have both praise and complaint.
But eh complaint is not so beig as it is in the conditions.
I was over in the car twice in May. NL was by far any away the cheapest crossing. 
But my youngest Joe was ill and as he was running a high temp for a few days we decided to head back a day early rather than queuing at a casualty for half a da. So I rang to change the ticket. I was hit for 60 Euro to change the ticket. I had to take it but though this was more expensive than the total price of the original crossing I decided to check out the others also to see if I could get a cheaper single or deal but actually at such a later hour I could not.
The 60 Euro was made up in two parts. First a fee to change the ticket which is in the T&C and then the difference in the price of the crossing. Being a bit of a skinflint I did check and to be honest I cannot complain. It was accurate. But the good news is I have been over twice more since then and both times I have arrived early and was just put straight on the next sailing without charge (by the check-in staff)

Even last week my wife had to go over for a funeral and she went NL as it was the cheapest (less than half the price of the tunnel for a 3 day) so overall you pay you money (little of it ) and take your chances. Spending less than some bus fares to travel across the channel is in my mind a bargin any time and an ocosional inconvinence of actually have to pay for the service is acceptable.
\


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## hymerowner

Tesco tunnel is the only way!


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## b16duv

I have used Norfolkline on several occasions, never at the booked time, and never charged for an earlier sailing. 

Only once did I have to wait for booked sailing and that's when the French were on strike at Calais, Dunkerque was full of trucks and we had to leave the port and return for the booked ship - and guaranteed a place on it.

Food on Seafrance is a joke! thought the French could cook! 

Used the tunnel once and was charged £30 for a train 2 hours before booking, and the one we got was nearly empty!

For me, it's Norfokline every time!

David


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## bobandjane

Hi, we did use Sea France and if we tried to get on an earlier boat they charged, but we now use Norfolkline if we are going from Dover, because we prefer to overnight at Dunkerque now and not Calais.   Bob.

See This:

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftoptitle-87597-norfolkline-get-the-thumbs-up.html


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