# Ferry Ticket confusion..



## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

I have just spend a ridiculous amount of time researching ferry ticket prices for my trip to France in August and I thought it would be useful to post a few thoughts on the subject.

Firstly, I don't really understand why the price of a ticket (M/H+ 2 adults + 2 children to Calais for 2 weeks) should cost up to 10 times more if you travel for a 4 week holiday when compared to travelling just for one day. Surely, the service is the same no matter what duration of holiday.

Secondly, it has taken me ages to trawl through the plethora of ferry booking sites to check prices and I am frankly amazed at the huge variation in price between different web sites for various different operators, periods, timings etc. Best quote for my particular journey was £159 and the worst was... £346! A saving of £189!!!!

For what it is worth, the very best booking engine I found for checking the price of all ferry operators (including Eurotunnel) was from a company called Leisure Direction. They appear to provide booking facilities for a number of sites (and, believe me, I looked at just about every site on the web!) so check out... www.eurodrive.co.uk , www.ferryprice.co.uk , www.book-a-ferry.co.uk , www.ferrysmart.co.uk , www.cross-channel-ferry-tickets.co.uk , www.intoferries.co.uk & www.leisuredirection.co.uk .

These sites show comparative prices (in price order) for all ferry operators to suit your own particular requirements in just one search. All other engines are either clumsy or they require a seperate search for each price... very boring!

I also found a wealth of information and booking facilities on www.intofrance.co.uk.

I hope this is of use to anyone else trying to make sense out of ferry ticket prices. M&D


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## 90954 (May 1, 2005)

*Ferry ticket confusion*

Hi all,

Before you all give up searching, just give these people a try www.mstdirect.com

They can arrange up to 40% off the prices across the board.

Another thing is that they understand larger vehicles including motorhomes.

I've used them a few times and they have always beten the compitition.

Happy hunting.

Duncan family


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Hi M&D, the sites that you list all appear to be operated by the same company. I tried to use some of them to get a quote and found that I couldn't find how to enter a height of more than 2.5m. Many vans are taller than this, especially with a top box fitted. My M/H is not a large one but its nominal height is 2.75m or 3m with the box on. I sent an email to the company asking how one is supposed to enter a height greater than 2.5m as I know that most ferry companies accept up to 3m without a surcharge and also accept higher vehicles if you pay a small supplement. If they reply I will post their answer.
Phil.


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## kerenza (May 14, 2005)

Thanks for the info M&D, I have not tried them yet, but the links make a terrific database on my favorites. Thanks for sharing the fruits of your labours, I hope it's going to save me hours, and £'s.


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## musicbus (May 1, 2005)

M&D

I use sea france mostly because they are consistently good on price and dont appear to punish you for staying for longer periods like some comanies do. You can book for 2 weeks or two months and the price is the same as long as you travel on those dates. If you are prepared to travel late at night sometimes the deals are even better. prices for our hymer 640 have varied between 129 and 144. Two adults no kids.

cheers

barry


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

Thanx Barry, 
Our 'van's 8.2m long, we tend to travel in unsociable hours in order to keep the cost down.

Then we find that staying for longer periods usually fetches the penalties back in!, often wondered if it's a cheaper alternative to just book one way (outward) and then buy a ticket Dockside on the way home.

The trouble then is we can only go abroad in school holiday periods, not always guaranteed a ride home during busy times as these  

M&D


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## Musea (Jun 1, 2005)

*Ferries*

Hi M&D
Have just booked through Leisure Directions for May and August 2005,
Norfolk Line,£88.00 per return trip. £175 total.
This is for a Autosleepers Exec and 2 passengers,got to be a good deal!
Harry


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## GuidoON7CI (May 1, 2005)

*Speedferries*

We just returned (21/11/04) from the UK via Dover-Boulogne. The round trip costed 132 euro (88 pound) for 2 persons in our MAESSS motorhome 6.7 m long, 2.8 m high and 2.10 m wide (too wide for the summer season but OK in the Winter). The price is fixed, whatever the length of stay.
Travel time 50 minutes. Travel speed about 40 Knots. Exceptionally good service (we required a wheel chair as my wife sprained her ankle causing us to shorten our stay and having to pay 15 euro for the ammendment).
Guido ON7CI


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Welcome to MHF, Guido.

Do you operate from your MAESS? If so what is your setup?

Presumably Speedferries. I thought they were 2.0m wide limit regardless. If not, what is the winter width limit and the span of the winter season? 

73

Dave G4WIZ


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## GuidoON7CI (May 1, 2005)

Hi Dave,
Thx for the welcome mat.
Yes, I do operate from the MAESSS ( 3 x S!): 2 meter and 70 cm while driving (stand-by on 145.500 MHz). Echolink (not too popular yet in the UK) via EL repeaters and APRS on 144.800 MHz while standing still. No HF YET. Incidently, we started a "radio amateur motorhomers group" (the RAMs!) in Flanders.
The 2 meter width is strictly enforced during the summer. So they told us both at departure and at the return Speedferries gate. How long summer lasts? I do not know and did not ask as we don't travel in the summer. The reason is that when there are not many cars on the Catamaran, there is ample room to stand with 2 cars and 1 MH abreast in the middle of the ship. I was not requested to fold the mirrors as they stood ABOVE the car left and the car right. Three MHs next to each other would not work.
The only negative with Speedferries is that it costs more (for us foreigners) to call them than the amendment fee. I waited 30 minutes on the phone until I could ask to amend the schedule. They are severely understaffed. But they are certainly very helpful.
73 de Guido ON7CI


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## 89564 (May 28, 2005)

Thanks for the link my mates in the Machzone.

Booking with Cross Channel Ferry Tickets in the morning.
Usual problem dog,over 2.5mtrs high,will be newer motorhome by time i go so no registration etc.etc
Most helpfull on phone and none of this seems to be a cause for extra costs.
Saved £90.00 EACH on three trips over CaravanClub and travelling out Dover/Calais 14.40pm so tons of time to get a Pizza at Auchan and then round to see Gaby at Manoir de Senleques.Bite?Me? is already looking forward to giving his ducks and chickens a good chase.

Again thanks....


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

No problem Moondog, will PM you with home adress for 'un bouteille du vin rouge' on your return from the Auchan Hypermarket! :lol: :wink: 

Dave


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## 89564 (May 28, 2005)

With that sort of saving i will bring u back a whole carton of France Poison Passion.

That reminds me i must send my renewal off to FP in Carpentras.


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## hymerB644 (May 1, 2005)

*Ferry fares*

I just tried the LeisureDirection and IntoFrance ferry quotation sites. They seem to use the same search software and neither have heard of a motorhome longer than 6.5m nor higher than 2.5m so we don't fit! P&O seem to have the only website capable of handling our size unless there's some more good advice out there . . .

hymerB644


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## 89564 (May 28, 2005)

*Leisure Direction*

Hymer 644

I had to use the phone number because of Bite?Me?.
The web site does not cover dogs.

They seemed reasonably efficient on the phone and offered to call back whilst they checked with P&O about the dog.

I am sub 6mtrs. but of course am over 2.5mtrs.high. I also have no registration number but they claimed it was not a problem.
I only use P&O Dover and apart, perhaps ,in high season when they might use the hanging deck i cant see that height should be a problem.

Company based in Tottenham London and confirmation of booking sent by post.


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## hymerB644 (May 1, 2005)

*Success*

I went direct to the Norfolk Line booking process and no problem. Return fare is £88 plus an over length fee of £6 return - compare that with P&O!

Cheers - see you all 'over there'.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Thanks for those links, M&D. Have had a quick furtle, looking for ferry to Dublin in high season OUCH started at £358. Have managed to get down to £303 if we don't go quite when I wanted to. Will have to keep working on it I think.
What's the problem with Bite! Me! ? They don't ask about dogs but Jazz won't be a problem he'll just go to sleep in the van like he normally does - don't they allow this & if not does he come up on deck with us or what? Help - never exported canine before. :?


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