# Ferry or Tunnel open return?



## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

We are starting to plan (very loosely) our 2-3 month trip for later this year. We can pin point our departure date but at this stage don't want to be tied to a specific return date.

I have searched the ferries (P&O and Sea France) and Eurotunnel sites for some kind of open return ticket but failed. I have tried phoning Eurotunnel and was on hold for 5 mins before I gave up. So I'm trying all you experts out there.

What is the best way to get to and from France when you don't really know when you might come back, well to within a given week anyway?

Thanks

Keith


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## boringfrog (Sep 22, 2006)

*One way*

One way............. 8O


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Amendments*

Hi

My advice is to book a return. You can then amend it as required. Each operator has different rules regarding amendments and this may also vary according to ticket type.

In the past, I have amended with P&O and paid a £10 amendment fee plus the difference in fare between the original ticket and the cost of the new crossing.

I have amended Eurotunnel crossings in the past and have not been charged an amendment fee, just the difference in fares.

Your other option is to book a single and puchase your return when required. However, try to do this at least a few days before travel rather than "on the day". You could do this in an internet cafe if you do not have your own 'net access overseas.

Russell


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

On seafrance you used to be able to choose an amendable fare for a small amount more. Then you can call them up & change your return date with no penalty


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## flyingpig (Jan 14, 2009)

I asked this question some time ago (using Eurotunnel).
The stock answer seemed to be to book a return for your EXPECTED return date, if return is then later, phone up or call in BEFORE your booked date and change the date with Eurotunnel. This can be done Calais end (not much extra in cost apparently).
Hope this makes sense and is correct (I'm doing it!)

Ken


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

Hi maxautotrail,

On P&O if you book through C&CC carefree you get a discount and automatically upgraded free of charge to a ticket which can be amended without a fee. You would of course have to pay any difference in price.

Book much further into the future than you think then you only need to amend it once.

All the best,

Davy


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

flyingpig said:


> I asked this question some time ago (using Eurotunnel).
> The stock answer seemed to be to book a return for your EXPECTED return date, if return is then later, phone up or call in BEFORE your booked date and change the date with Eurotunnel. This can be done Calais end (not much extra in cost apparently).
> Hope this makes sense and is correct (I'm doing it!)
> 
> Ken


yes, they will do it, at a price... We got back to Calais in October last year a day early and it was cold & rainy, so we called up to see if we could go on that day, but it was very pricey, so stayed and had a nice meal and did some more shopping! But if you do it at longer notice there shouldn't be too much of an extra charge - as long as you don;t want to do a busy weekend at peak time.


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## Bob45 (Jan 22, 2007)

We always use the Tunnel.
This year I booked middle May out and middle July back. We can't go now as I have just had a heart attack. I contacted them and I can re-arrange the dates for later in the year providing I do it before the first date.
There may be an admin fee and the price may have changed up but by booking well in advance you can always call them to re-arrange the date when you want to travel.
Simples!

Bob


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Don't do it with DFDS aka Norfolkline from Dunkerque !

We had a return booked for next Friday (4th March) at 10am. We phoned them last week, from France, to ask if we could change the booking to the previous Friday (25th Feb) also at 10am. We'd paid 34 euros for the original ( single) crossing which I booked in December.

The cheapest they could offer for the changed booking was an additional 37.50 euros. To add injury to insult the mobile phone call from France cost almost £6 because of all the advertising messages, holding and button pressing.

When we got to Dunkerque there were freephones in the ticket office suggesting that you could change your booking there and then. Had I known we could have changed our booking on arrival and, since the boat was half empty, probably done it for only the £10 ammendment charge.

In the early days of Norfolkline- when we were loyal customers- you simply turned up and got on the next boat no matter when your booking, for no charge.

Never again....!

G


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

Just book one way. You will often get 2 way way bookings for less than the cost of a return,also you can now ammend standard bookings online up to 24hrs in advance for no charge.


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

BrianJP said:


> Just book one way. You will often get 2 way way bookings for less than the cost of a return,also you can now ammend standard bookings online up to 24hrs in advance for no charge.[/quote
> 
> Sorry I should have said when using Eurotunnel.


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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

*Re: One way*



boringfrog said:


> One way............. 8O


Ha HHa HHHHAAAAA


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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

Bob45 said:


> We always use the Tunnel.
> This year I booked middle May out and middle July back. We can't go now as I have just had a heart attack. I contacted them and I can re-arrange the dates for later in the year providing I do it before the first date.
> There may be an admin fee and the price may have changed up but by booking well in advance you can always call them to re-arrange the date when you want to travel.
> Simples!
> ...


Thanks Bob, I wish you a quick recovery and a safe journey for later in the year.

Keith


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## metblue (Oct 9, 2006)

*eurotunnel*

Book a return ticket with approx date of return and before you do return go online to change/amend date/time and you will only be charged any difference caused by date change.
Do not just turn up at the gate to try and board as they will try to charge you full fare.
Last November we were going to come back a couple of days early and the guy at the check-in desk wanted £232 to change !!
He then asked if i had a laptop and when i said yes he told me to make the change online i would save money.We parked in the area next to the office went online change to 10 am next morning and it only cost "17 to change !!
So we had a drink,a good sleep and caught the train in the morning. Sorted.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

*Re: eurotunnel*



metblue said:


> Book a return ticket with approx date of return and before you do return go online to change/amend date/time and you will only be charged any difference caused by date change.
> .


But -see my earlier post- don't assume this with Norfolkline/DFDS.

I've just had this reply to my query about our changed booking with them ( sailing pre-booked for today, changed, via expensive phone call 2 days before actual sailing which we did this time last week- ie one week exactly earlier than booked):

_Unfortunately, at the present time we are only able to amend bookings over the telephone, which is costly. However, we will hopefully have the facility available in the near future to enable customers to do this themselves online, thus saving cost for us and for our customers. The minimum amendment fee is £20.00/€25.00 along with any increase in the fare for the sailing you are amending to. We always recommend you carry our any changes in advance as this is less expensive than changing your booking at the port.

If you turn up at the Port earlier than your scheduled departure without prior notification you should be charged the difference in fare, based on our turn up and go price on the day, which is charged at a significantly higher rate. The website fares would not apply unless the change has been carried out 24hours in advance. We do have free telephone at the port of Dunkerque which dial through to our call centre in Dover, however they are only operational during office hours which is between 0800hrs and 2000hrs.

_

She also adds that _

Norfolkline have never operated a system where customers can just turn up at the port on a different date or time than booked, and travel at no extra cost._.

which is certainly not so. We often turned up a day or so early and never, ever paid any amendment fee. I don't think we've ever travellled back at the booked time ! Perhaps it was not a "system" but only the check-in staff using their common sense ?

We shan't use DFDS again.

G


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## Bryansdad (Aug 24, 2010)

I am planning to book a one way fare on Eurotunnel. We will do the same for the return journey once we know exactly when we want to travel. This will be our first trip on le shuttle so any comments from experienced tunnelers welcomed.
Cheers


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Bryansdad said:


> I am planning to book a one way fare on Eurotunnel. We will do the same for the return journey once we know exactly when we want to travel. This will be our first trip on le shuttle so any comments from experienced tunnelers welcomed.
> Cheers


It's a doddle, you hardly notice you're moving. We brew up in the car park before going through customs, and then have a cuppa on the train with a snack (you are not allowed to use the gas - obviously :roll: ).


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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

Bryansdad said:


> I am planning to book a one way fare on Eurotunnel. We will do the same for the return journey once we know exactly when we want to travel. This will be our first trip on le shuttle so any comments from experienced tunnelers welcomed.
> Cheers


Its quite pain free using the Eurotunnel. We used it for the first time last year. Very easy to drive on and you stay in the motorhome. They load you onto a train that is soley for high vehicles. We didn't even notice when it started. You do have to prove that you have turned off your gas supply before boarding.

I had a laugh as when we were about half way we started to get drips of water on the windscreen. Sue's face was a picture, she thought the sea was coming in. I had to explain that there was an air con unit in the room above us and it was dripping.

Keith


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