# Advise on Ferries, Please!



## merctoby (Jan 18, 2007)

HELLO ALL!
I have read lot,s of helpful advise here with all our comment,s .
But can i ask you if you could help us out , We are traveling in june to europe as most of you all here enjoy very much. 
But again , I am stuck we usally travel p&o or last year DFDS. this year we can get a return for ,£78. all in the dog and me and the wife . This year we would like to travel to holland and take in the site,s We had been here before but flew in many years ago loved it very much, How ever you cannot see all the site,s , doing it this way . Now we are in the motorhome we can look with liesure and see all the site s but not from the air .

The costing element ! , 
I know surely that this forum will have no doubt have some body that has travelled both route,s

Dover - Calais return, 7 m x3m Motorhome £78.00. DFDS.
Harwich - Hook of Holland return :£304. 00. Stenaline 
Harwich - Hook of Holland single ; £164.00. Stenaline

Would it, or is it. Cheaper to travel by road in the motorhome from Calais to Amsterdam .

Your thoughts please , Any tips would be helpful . 
denton, 
Have Fun Always Please.


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

For you to drive via Dover, you will drive 330 miles further than via Harwich. This will equate to rather more than 10 gallons of diesel @ around £6 a gallon or more or £60.

Unless you hate driving; go via Dover!
Alan


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

rosalan said:


> For you to drive via Dover, you will drive 330 miles further than via Harwich. This will equate to rather more than 10 gallons of diesel @ around £6 a gallon or more or £60.
> 
> Unless you hate driving; go via Dover!
> Alan


That would be Dover - Dukerque rather than Dover - Calais as in the OP's post?


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## slippers (Mar 12, 2009)

Dover, Dunkerque, definately cheaper for you.

Take care 
Mr Slip


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

the dog is cheaper on P&O 15E on the return trip

Dfds and theTunnel 30E on the return trip

As we don't book return trips we usually come back with P&O

Aldra


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

The extra cost of driving is far more than just the cost of the extra diesel.

Driving up from France will also take you the best part of a day each way and you won't feel the same after an all day drive as you will after a trip on the boat from Harwich. 
It probably isn't much different for you, but Dover is nearly 200miles return extra for me over Harwich + the extra mileage on the other side as well.

If I were planning to go only to the Netherlands I'd think about using the overnight boat and save a day travelling each way.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Stena*

Stena accept Tesco Vouchers. There was a deal on whereby you get 4 x voucher deal, but you have missed that as it ended 33 mins ago.

So if you shop at Tesco or have a Teco Credit Card, that is the best way.

We used to pay in full inc meals with Stena, sadly you are now limited to £105 each way but that includes the £10 booking fee.

TM


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## merctoby (Jan 18, 2007)

*Great replies !!*

Hello and thanks !

Great replies . 8) 
I have to say this . so your thoughts are accepted gratefully . 
We are going via Holland , for the wife loves the flowers so tulips is the answer , To see what she has missed over the time gone by, ten years . So it is Holland then to Berlin , We would like to visit the camp auschfitz . Then down to Bavaria see the sights of the old ways , Then through Switzerland . Down to Rome see how far we can travel if their is still enough time . which way to do this is still in the debating chamber , :lol: But your views and thoughts would be stimulating to say the least , maybe you have done this your self and I, or we really would be glad of your input. How you might go about this adventure .

And by the way cannot find P&O ferry Dover to dunqurke , Tried but failed .

Take care and thank you .  
denton.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Re: Great replies !!*



merctoby said:


> Hello and thanks !
> 
> Great replies . 8)
> I have to say this . so your thoughts are accepted gratefully .
> ...


Because it is http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/


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## merctoby (Jan 18, 2007)

*Thats new*

HI, !!

Did not know that DFDS and P&O are the same Goup , I thought that P&O were british, And DFDS were some other ferry servise not connected to each other. Maybe french or some thing . but that make,s thing easier i suppose . thanks , TM.

denton.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

*Re: Thats new*



merctoby said:


> Did not know that DFDS and P&O are the same Goup ,


They aren't, that is why DFDS sail the Dover - Dunkerque route and P&O don't, but both companies sail Dover - Calais.


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## merctoby (Jan 18, 2007)

*thank you !!*

Thanks for the !!
 
update , What you dont know you will soon find out, ! 

denton.

Tank cake all .

Have Fun . Lots of it ,


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

When it comes to ferries (and a lot of other things) there is the adage

You can save time or money, never both !


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Ferries*



Mrplodd said:


> When it comes to ferries (and a lot of other things) there is the adage
> 
> You can save time or money, never both !


I managed, despite being a BF Member to do both.

I saved time and money by not driving back from Normandy to get the Tunnel with Tesco deals and pay LD Lines £80 to get back to Porstmouth instead of Brittany Ferries £240.

TM


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## merctoby (Jan 18, 2007)

*Lucky for some !!*

TM !  MRPLODD/STANNER .

Is it always wise to book ahead , I presume you did not book a ferry back 
, Is this why you stayed at normandy , savings can be made . But you know your way around this sort of thing as most of you seem to be travelling a lot looking at some of your exploits in here . 
If i new half as much this, I would not be a begging issue for me , :lol:

denton


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## hymertastic (Jun 18, 2010)

Try looking at www.aferry.co.uk - you can compare all the crossings available and all the operators.If you get as far as Rome on your adventure, stay on the shores of Lake Bracciano - lovely calm swimming and train from the town to Rome.


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## selstrom (May 23, 2005)

It is only 50 miles from Dunkerque to Holland.


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## vince43 (Sep 13, 2010)

Don't want to highjack this thread but i am interested to know what members do. My van is 6mtrs long but with 2 bikes on the rack it measures 6.5mtrs.
When booking a ferry do you include the bike rack or just state the makers van length? Do they actually measure the vans or just guess.
Thanks
Vince


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## chasper (Apr 20, 2008)

I always give the van length, bike racks are usually high up and out of the way, in my opinion.


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## merctoby (Jan 18, 2007)

*Is that all !!*

It is only 50 miles from Dunkerque to Holland.
 
Do you know some time"s listening to your mate"s is daft , 
If calais is only 50 mile or so from dunkerque how the heck can it be 300 from calais to holland , 
I have never checked out what he was telling me , i am going to have a great laugh with him , He always know,s" you know" . 
Some mothers do have em! dont they :lol: me . 
you
have given me knowledge , it would seem . 

denton .  
thanks conk!


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

*Re: Is that all !!*



merctoby said:


> It is only 50 miles from Dunkerque to Holland.
> 
> Do you know some time"s listening to your mate"s is daft ,
> If calais is only 50 mile or so from dunkerque how the heck can it be 300 from calais to holland ,
> ...


Well it might depend on which part of the Netherlands one is talking about. There is a part south of the Westersceldt estuary which part of the Netherlands but cut off from the rest by the river, so if one drove there one could not get to the main part of the country without going through Belgium.

Of course 'Holland' is only the region in the North-East of the Netherlands.

Geoff


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Stanner said:


> The extra cost of driving is far more than just the cost of the extra diesel.
> 
> Driving up from France will also take you the best part of a day each way and you won't feel the same after an all day drive as you will after a trip on the boat from Harwich.
> It probably isn't much different for you, but Dover is nearly 200miles return extra for me over Harwich + the extra mileage on the other side as well.
> ...


Completely agree.

We have to go by ferry as the Discovery is LPG-fuelled, but the new Stena super-ferries really are a new ball-game on the crossings, and although the night ferry is more expensive, you do get more time to yourself and arrive refreshed.

We've done it 5 years running, next trip is 15th May on the night boat again.

Booked as a 4X4 over 2m high and 8m trailer.

Peter


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

*Re: Is that all !!*



nicholsong said:


> Of course 'Holland' is only the region in the North-East of the Netherlands.
> 
> Geoff


Very true - despite the "Netherlands" Tourist Board annoyingly using the slogan "Visit Holland" to invite visitor to the "Netherlands".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland

IF the Tourist Board can't or won't get the name right what hope is there for the rest of us?

http://www.visitholland.nl/ :roll:

http://www.holland.com/uk/tourism.htm

Their map gets it right though.... :wink: 
http://www.visitholland.nl/index.php/Geography/physical-map-holland-only.html


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