# Ferry Fares



## lesbro (May 1, 2005)

*This is a warning about high return charges from the continent. We had to return early due to health problems and arrived at Dunkirk DFDS departures to be told that the return fare for a motorhome was £95 but that they would reduce this by half the return fare already paid.We had paid £68 so they reduced it by £34. When I said the price on the internet was only £29 for the same crossing I was told that was only if booked in advance. They do have a computer terminal in the booking office and if you book even the day before the price is dramatically reduced, 55euros for the following day.
I don't know if this is the case with other ferry companies so wait to hear from anybody else.
Last year we used Stena and we were able to pay an extra £10 at time of booking to cover any possible change. This was not an offer with DFDS. Guess who I will be travelling with in future.  *


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Instead of going to another company, why not take advantage of the DFDS bargain fares by booking in advance, even by one day.

I too recently had to return unexpectedly but still got the internet price by booking the night before I returned.

Why not claim the extra expense from your travel insurance.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I love these types of complaints.

Look at it from the operators point of view.
You made a contract to travel on certain dates. These were agreed by the operator.

You wanted to break the contract and travel on a different day. That is not the fault of the operator.

Now they have you by the short and curlies.

Pay up to travel now or wait until your date of original booking.

The booking staff get comission on what they charge you.

I never had a problem with early arrival for good old Sea France crossings. £10 was the most they charged me to change.

Sorry to be blunt but thats how the operators see it.

Dave p


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## Phil42 (Apr 4, 2006)

'Twas ever thus. We paid £60 once to come home early for same reason. Maybe you saved a bit of money by coming home early, e.g, campsite fees, restaurant meals?

Phil


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

The warning not to "just turn up" at the check-in early has been posted on here many times. As has the advice given by the DFDS rep at the NEC show to go to the terminal building instead of check-in and use the freephone there to call the customer service office in Dover.
They have access to more than just the next crossing on the computer system and can often (but not always) sort out a cheaper alternative, even if it may mean a short wait. I did this last year and had to pay nothing extra in return for a 2 hour wait.

However if you really MUST have the next crossing, then unfortunately you have to pay the next crossing price.


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## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

I returned 24 hours early only last week with DFDS and did not have to pay any extra .Although going out they had cancelled our ferry and shipped us to Dunkirk instead of Calias,so i used that as a bargaining tool.
The boat coming home was empty ,some of the areas on the decks were roped off,so there was no need to clean them.

Les


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