# Portsmouth to Caen Ferry



## Ebby (Dec 20, 2007)

Thought of doing Portsmouth to Caen next June.instead of Dover Calais. I checked price with Caravan Club it came out at 322.00. That does not work out much dearer than the drive from Calais with the savings on fuel and tolls.The thing l dont understand is its about 4hrs outbound and 8hrs return. I'm sure there's someone on here that knows. Ebby


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

Overnight back? may be sell you a cabin and save fuel going slower


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## dalspa (Jul 1, 2008)

Without looking at the ferry sailing times etc, I would think that the 12 hour round trip is so as to syncronise with the 24 hour day. With the short Dover/Calais crossing they are back and forwards all day, so duration tends to be the same. Not so easy on long trips to keep on schedules. They probably have to pay docking charges (only guessing at this - so stand to be corrected) so cheaper to do one leg at 8 hours rather than 4 hour in port and 4 hours at sea using more fuel. It's a long time since we did this route, but I seem to remember that it was 8 hours out overnight and 4 hours back during day.

DavidL


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Ebby said:


> Thought of doing Portsmouth to Caen next June.instead of Dover Calais. I checked price with Caravan Club it came out at 322.00. That does not work out much dearer than the drive from Calais with the savings on fuel and tolls.The thing l dont understand is its about 4hrs outbound and 8hrs return. I'm sure there's someone on here that knows. Ebby


Are you taking into account the 1 hours time difference?

Typical local times on BF website are:
Portsmouth to Caen depart 0815 arrive 1500 approx 6 hours
Caen to Portsmouth depart 0830 arrive 1315 approx 6 hours

overnight
Portsmouth to Caen depart 2245 arrive 0645 approx 7 hours
Caen to Portsmouth depart 2300 arrive 0645 approx 9 hours

These time are similar to when I used the Poole to Cherbourg route and neither Poole or Cherbourg councils wanted ships arriving very early in the morning so the overnights cruised slower.


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

depends on dates but that loos to me to be fast craft out taking 3 hours (but looks like 4 due to time difference) and conventional craft back taking 9 hours overnight ( but looks like one hour less due to time difference the other way)

so two different effects coming into play?


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

I think you're all missing the obvious - it's all downhill on the outbound leg but all uphill on the return - obvious really


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I used the Portsmouth - Caen crossing for many years, while I was trucking, week in and week out, and it was usually about 6 hours each way.
A night crossing can be a little longer as the boat goes a little slower so that it leaves and docks at sensible times.
However, I was once on it for over 24 hours  It was too rough for it to dock in Caen (Ouistreham) and eventually, it docked at Cherbourg :lol:


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## Ebby (Dec 20, 2007)

Thanks all for your replies l went on the Brittany Ferries time table and sure enough you were right ,the ferry goes slower on night sailings. I presume so it gets into port at a decent time. Thanks Ebby


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## Ebby (Dec 20, 2007)

Thanks all for your replies l went on the Brittany Ferries time table and sure enough you were right ,the ferry goes slower on night sailings. I presume so it gets into port at a decent time. Thanks Ebby


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