# Good deal with Norfolk Lines PLUS Info required re Dunkerque



## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

Hi,

I have just booked our ferry tickets online and found the best web deal at the moment, for the dates we are wanting to cross, have come up best with Norfolk Lines. For departure on 31st Oct and returning on the 20th Dec with a 9 metre motorhome plus Smart car on A frame, 2 adults PLUS 2 dogs the total cost was £178.00 return. Bearing in mind the dogs fare alone is £60 I thought £178.00 was quite reasonable. The departure times are both daytime departures too which means we will depart and arrive both inward and outwards during daylight hours which is always my preference if possible. I booked directly through their website as it was cheaper that way than going through either the CC Club or the C & CC Club which again is quite unusual as I generally find my club discount gives a better price.

For a smaller Motorhome, not travelling with pets or towing a car the price with Norfolk Lines was very cheap indeed (less than a £100) and loads cheaper than P & O, Seafrance or the tunnel were quoting for the same dates.

We have never travelled with Norfolk Line before or visited Dunkerque but looking at the online videos both the one about the Norfolk Line Ferry service plus the video about Dunkerque itself made Dunkerque sound quite an interesting place and after watching both the 2 videos I am feeling quite excited about travelling with them now.  Here is a link to the videos http://www.norfolkline.com/EN/Onboard/Ferry_pics/

I would be interested to hear from anyone who has spent any time in Dunkerque and if so what did they think to it and would you say it is worth spending a night there or are we better off getting off on our travels and getting on with our journey?

Oooh ...... can't wait to set off on our travels now that it's all booked, so will be counting the days now! 

Sue


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Sue

Dunkerque is not unpleasant, but if you want a quick overnight stop the large car park in the centre of Bray Dunes is very close and convenient - just a few minutes up the coast.

There are plenty of other places, but that's the one we use if we are late off the ferry and just want a few hours sleep before moving on.


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## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

Zebedee said:


> Hi Sue
> 
> Dunkerque is not unpleasant, but if you want a quick overnight stop the large car park in the centre of Bray Dunes is very close and convenient - just a few minutes up the coast.
> 
> There are plenty of other places, but that's the one we use if we are late off the ferry and just want a few hours sleep before moving on.


Thanks Zebedee, 

Would the car park be ok for our Smart car and A frame or are we best to unhitch it and park it in a seperate parking bay?

Sue

PS What do you think to Norfolk Lines? Is it a nice ferry company and are the facilities onboard good? I know its only a 2hr crossing but I love looking around the shops onboard and we usually have a bite to eat too, I mean let's face it once onbard the ferry its the start to our holiday isn't it?


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Sue



Sonesta said:


> Would the car park be ok for our Smart car and A frame or are we best to unhitch it and park it in a seperate parking bay?


Assuming you don't arrive the night before market day (don't know, before you ask) there will be no problem and it will most likely be empty. There's plenty of room to drive in and round so you can park out of the way at the back.



Sonesta said:


> What do you think to Norfolk Lines? Is it a nice ferry company and are the facilities onboard good? I know its only a 2hr crossing but I love looking around the shops onboard and we usually have a bite to eat too, I mean let's face it once onbard the ferry its the start to our holiday isn't it?


It is primarily a truck line and the facilities are not as posh as on the more passenger orientated lines. They are OK however, and the shop is not bad.

The seating is not as comfy as other lines either, though for less than two hours (and usually cheaper than the others) it's a problem we can easily live with. There is plenty of seating, and a "superior" lounge for an extra payment but we have never bothered so can't report.

The main restaurant is very good, but it may not be open late at night. There is a second one which is more of a cross between a snack bar and a restaurant, and that's also quite OK.

In spite of having outlined some of the less good aspects, we use them all the time and have no complaints.

No coaches are carried so you don't have to put up with over-excited kids rampaging around.

Loading and unloading is usually pretty quick, since the lorries go on like clockwork and there are often not very many cars, caravans and motorhomes.

Escaping from Dunkerque port is very easy as it is on a scruffy and rather desolate industrial site, so the roads lead straight out and on your way with no traffic bottlenecks.

Hope this helps


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Sue

Should have added.

Escaping from Dunkerque port is dead easy.

On your return however, if you are early and want to park up and use the port facilities, be careful at the final roundabout before you enter the port itself.

Keep as far to the *right * as you can, or you will find yourself in the Check-in lane with no escape. The signing is very bad, so follow the sign for "No pre-booked crossing" or whatever it says. That will take you to the Office and other facilities.

If you are *very *early, go to the port facilities first and ask if there's any chance of getting on an earlier boat. (Don't go to the Check-in booth as they are not authorised to make changes.) They may want to charge a fee for changing your booking, but we were lucky last time and it was quite literally a rubber stamp on our ticket printout (from the email confirmation) and they were glad to get us out of the way.


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## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

Aw thanks Dave .......... you are a star. Thanks also for the tip regarding the night before market day parking - it's a good job you mentioned it as we are travelling over on a Friday. I have discovered that they hold a street a market on a Wednesday and a Saturday in the centre of Dunkerque so I guess we would have woken up to a load of stalls and angry french stall holders if you hadn't warned me?

Where else would you suggest we could park for the night - is there somewhere else you could reccomend? Also, as we have the 2 dogs with us do you know of any english speaking vets in the Dunkerque area that we can visit on our return journey back to the UK?

Thanks again.

Sue


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Glad to see Norfolkline's prices are coming down a bit. We'd go back to them as they do what they say on the tin and don't attempt to be a cruise liner. That said, the new ships are comfortable and well-designed and, as said above, Dunkirk is easy to get to and from.

There's a very useful Auchan hypermarket just on the RN 40 and off the autoroute going north, at Grande Synthe, a suburb of Dunkirk. They are open from about 8.30am to 10 pm every day except Sunday- when they are closed. They do allow overnighting if you are discreet I understand.

Auchan

G


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

I believe there's also an Aire at Gravelines - also only a few minutes down the coast toward Calais.

We haven't used it so can't report, but I gather it's at one end of the town overlooking a harbour.


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## hymerowner (Sep 10, 2006)

Aire at Graveline is great - there are pictures of it on a forum somehwhere. Would recommend Auchan for shopping - much better than Calais. Petrol station automatic pumps work on our cards. Personally, I'd avoid Dunkerque itself - quite busy and difficult to negociate at times. We've travelled with Norfolk Line a few times but now regard the extra half hour on the boat as a bit of a waste of time - it virtually sails to Calais and then turns up the coast. Very easy get away from port. Good for going to Belgium, Holland, Germany


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

I've been using Norfolk Lines for a while now ever since P&O charged me more than the original (return) ticket cost to take an earlier return crossing - and this was on the Harley which can slot in anywhere *and* the boat wasn't full anyway Grrr :evil:

Norfolk on the other hand were most amenable when we rolled up at Dunkerque 20 hours early last Friday.

I popped out and chatted to the young lady in the booth - told her who I was and that we had a reservation for the next day but could we go early please - she checked availability - no problem - no charge - sorted. 

The price, for 2 adults with a sub 12metre motorhome and trailer combo (had the bike in the trailer) mid day crossing Saturday outwards and Saturday (amended to Friday) return, was £96. :lol:

Cheers

Dave


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Interesting Dave

The chap in the booth said he couldn't change our booking (only last month)and sent us out again to go to the Office.

This was not easy in our small van, which is why I went to town advising Sonesta - as they might find it very awkward to negitiate a very small roundabout and immediately into a narrow gateway.

Otherwise experiences as yourself. Most helpful and no extra charge.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Sonesta said:


> Aw thanks Dave .......... you are a star. Thanks also for the tip regarding the night before market day parking - it's a good job you mentioned it as we are travelling over on a Friday. I have discovered that they hold a street a market on a Wednesday and a Saturday in the centre of Dunkerque so I guess we would have woken up to a load of stalls and angry french stall holders if you hadn't warned me?
> 
> Where else would you suggest we could park for the night - is there somewhere else you could reccomend? Also, as we have the 2 dogs with us do you know of any english speaking vets in the Dunkerque area that we can visit on our return journey back to the UK?
> 
> ...


 Hi Sue just out of interest why would you want to have a vet in Dunkerque itself as that would mean you would actually in that area a good 24 hours before you sail back :?:


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## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

Briarose said:


> Hi Sue just out of interest why would you want to have a vet in Dunkerque itself as that would mean you would actually in that area a good 24 hours before you sail back :?:


Well just thought if other members came back and said that Dunkerque was worth a visit it might be worth heading there on the way back home to the UK? We are booked to return on the 20th December and if the area was reasonably interesting to visit, I thought maybe we could couple it up with doing a spot of Xmas shopping too (wine, beer, french cheeses etc) Therefore, if we were to head towards Dunkerque, it might be an idea to stay the day before and get our dogs treated by a vet there? Not saying we will - just a thought at the moment and we may do something completely different yet lol.  That's the beauty of owning a motorhome isnt it you can more or less do whatever takes your fancy or seems a good idea at the time can't you? However, so far nobody's really given their opinions on Dunkerque - so not sure at this moment if its worth a visit or not?



Grizzly said:


> Glad to see Norfolkline's prices are coming down a bit. We'd go back to them as they do what they say on the tin and don't attempt to be a cruise liner. That said, the new ships are comfortable and well-designed and, as said above, Dunkirk is easy to get to and from.
> 
> There's a very useful Auchan hypermarket just on the RN 40 and off the autoroute going north, at Grande Synthe, a suburb of Dunkirk. They are open from about 8.30am to 10 pm every day except Sunday- when they are closed. They do allow overnighting if you are discreet I understand.
> 
> ...


Thanks Grizzly,

Your info has been very helpful. 

Sue


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Sonesta said:


> Briarose said:
> 
> 
> > Hi Sue just out of interest why would you want to have a vet in Dunkerque itself as that would mean you would actually in that area a good 24 hours before you sail back :?:
> ...


 The only thing I can tell you about the area.........is that Dad was there at some point during the the war :wink: I remember hearing about it many times and about the beaches so would imagine that there would be plenty of war history. I know when we were in France seeing the word Dunkirk or is it Dunkerque :?: brought to mind many of the tales that he used to talk about.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We have stayed near Dunkerque and find it very easy to access motorway system for onward journey. Have used Norfolk line and found them very helpful and reasonable c/w P&O etc. We stayed in a site North of town but it is shut from end of September so no use to you.

Town is OK, fairly typical N France seaside town with lots of summer tourist traps, there does not seem much to recommend for a stay at that time of the year, also agree that Auchan is good place for shopping.

Can't advise re vets - we have no dog so no need! You could try;

http://www.enjoyfrance.com/directory/Tourism/18-0-Dunkerque.html

for information or contacts.


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