# Stena Line Britannica / Hollandica



## teemyob

Hello,

Just Returned from Europe with Stena on the New Britannica.

Have to say the new boat is superb. In addition all of the staff and crew were extremely helpful, friendly and a happy bunch.

I am surprised that there are so few mentions of Stena's Harwhich - Hook Of Holland on here (given so many of the members live that way or south).

We paid for the trip with Tesco Deals, including cabins and meals (a la carte). The pre-pay price is £19, €26 on-board.

Only down sides were lots of very rude and abrupt German Passengers and the long drive North.

TM


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## FoweyBoy

Glad to hear good report. We are using that route to get to Norway in June. Harwich is only an hour away from home. We also used Tesco Rewards. We are using the daytime trip which helps to keep the cost down.


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## teemyob

*Route*

I understand you can use the Tesco Deals for the Norway Route too!?


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## Rapide561

*Stena*

I think I have mentioned this route in the past and despite first appearances, some distances and travelling times are the same as from Calais, for example, Milan is pretty much the same mile for mile.

I would use the route UK bound, but not outbound when the fridge and freezer are full!

Russell


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## teemyob

*Route*

Thanks Russel,

For me it takes 130 - 150 miles off trips to Rudesheim, Germany and Arcen in Holland, as examples. That is £90-£100 IN FUEL alone both ways.

For me to get to Folkestone or Dover takes 5-10 hours dependent on Traffic and times. By which time I am Bill Hooxed. Especially after negotiating my way down to and around the London routes.

For me the trip over the pennines and down the east side is a bit less monotonous and when I get to Harwich I can get some sleep for at least 6 hours and pay for the crossing, meals and cabin with Tesco.

Just a pity they don't go from Hull which is as littles as 90 mins from me!. That is the route we choose if we are paying.

TM


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## teemyob

*Booked*

Well we like it so much, we have already booked another trip. Now showing as SOLD OUT.

We Pushed the boat out!

*Comfort class Window Cabins with Mini Bar/Fruit/Snacks and Brewing up gear.
*3 Course Dinner

Paid for 90% With Tesco Vouchers !

Bargain

TM


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## Rapide561

*Stena*

Can you get a pic of the exterior of the ferry please!!!!

And every little helps!

Russell


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## EJB

With Tesco vouchers we tend to use the overnight boat to the Hook.
It's often not too full and electric hook ups are available.
It gets us to Bremen after a sensible drive the following day.

New Stena Ferries.


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## joedenise

40 minutes to the Channel Tunnel, taking it easy, Don't know how long to Harwich. Easy decision.

Joe


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## teemyob

*North*



joedenise said:


> 40 minutes to the Channel Tunnel, taking it easy, Don't know how long to Harwich. Easy decision.
> 
> Joe


But we live up North

Our First Stop is Arcen, Netherlands 125 miles from Hook 
From Calais it is 218 miles.

Harwich is a bit shorter and a lot easier for us than Dover/Folkestone.

If we lived in Kent, I would be in France at least once a month as we have lots of Tesco Vouchers. I would have to earn them on Fuel mind as no doubt most of our weekly shops would be in Bologne!.

You are so so lucky. Day trips from £27 on Eurotunnel! How many of you nip over for the day in the car to shop or for "Le Weekend"?

TM


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## FoweyBoy

ELB mentioned electric hook ups. Does that mean we can run our fridge while on the Stena ferry?


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## Rapide561

*Stena*

I am hoping for an answer to the same question.

If EHU is provided, then Harwich - Hoek van Holland becomes the crossing of choice for me!

Russell


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## EJB

I take the hint :wink: 

The EHUs are obviously for the refrigerated HGVs etc. There seem to be two types of connector.....one being the standard MH lead.
We travel in April/May on the overnight to The Hook.
The vehicle decks are normally quite empty and plenty of EHUs are not used. A quick word with the nearest crew member and I get plugged in.  

If they were not available it wouldn't be a problem with a very full 'fridge.

It's always worth looking on any ferry.


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## FoweyBoy

Thanks for the info. We travel out on June 2 daytime so will see if we can plug in. We were intending to have a full fridge with some frozen milk etc in door, as well as frozen stuff in the freezer bit and hope for the best.


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## FoweyBoy

I asked at checkin if we could plug into mains electricity. Answer: only if you book one in advance.

New ferries are excellent. Very comfortable trip.

Getting off at Hook of Holland very conjested on dockside. Keep to outside lane to avoid height barrier. Long slow traffic jam getting past first mile.

Coming back very little room to park while waiting for checkin to open up (2 hrs before departure). Only one lane (righthand) for higher vehicles (height barrier) which soon filled up causing chaos as motorhomes went into wrong lanes.

Stena needs to improve dock facilities in HoH. Harwich knocks spots off HoH.

Mind you none of this compared with the 3 hour queues for the Rodyhaven to Puttgarden ferry on a Saturday afternoon at beginning of July.


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## peejay

FoweyBoy said:


> Mind you none of this compared with the 3 hour queues for the Rodyhaven to Puttgarden ferry on a Saturday afternoon at beginning of July.


Sorry for wandering off topic slightly. FoweyBoy, could you tell me how much you paid for the Puttgarden ferry please and did you just turn up or book in advance?

Pete


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## Pard

Spare a thought for those of us in the far south west of Britain with the choice of £600 Brittany Ferries return fares or a 670-mile round trip for a fair fare from Dover... [or 720 to Harwich]

Stena was for some years a favourite company of mine, but since they opted out of south coast ports, and choices have substantially diminished, I console myself that I live in the best part of the GB!!

Terry


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## teemyob

*HOH*

Hello,

We have only ever had problems with Harwich dock!. In fact, when we qued the other week, it was a free for all as they opened the booths. Some drivers were quite happy to almost mow the cyclists down, just get to in-front.

Despite being told not to by Mrs T, I complained to the Lady on the desk. Pointing out that all it need was one bod in a special yellow jacket to oversee the situation and why not allow cyclists priority rather than have them choke on motor fumes. Reply was, not our problem, that is port authority's area.

Always found Hoek side free of traffic and never had a problem booking in or unloading. But, we do tend to arrive early.

With regards, to hook-up. I asked when loading and the guy just smiled, then laughed. When we had parked up, he came back over to me and said 'Oh right, you mean for your fridge and stuff". He then told me for EHU, we would have to be loaded on the other side and needed to advise prior to loading.

But as the Tesco Deals vouchers have now been limited to £100 each way. Might look to pay for travelling from Hull on the old girls in-future.

TM


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## teemyob

*Re: Stena*



Rapide561 said:


> Can you get a pic of the exterior of the ferry please!!!!
> 
> And every little helps!
> 
> Russell


Metropolitan Bar And restaurant


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## FoweyBoy

Peejay. We bought a combined ticket at the Helsingborg Scanlines check in for £116 for Helsingborg and Roddyhaven ferries. We just turned up at Helsingborg and were on the next ferry in 5 minutes. At Rodyhaven, as I said we queued for 3 hours!

In the Scanline leaflets on the ferry we noticed its cheaper if you buy your tickets online - presumably open tickets so you don't have to commit to time/date. Having tickets in advance did not seem to help you fast-track the Rodyhaven queues, though there was a "VIP" lane, but no idea how you become a VIP, and it might be just for cars - can't remember about height barriers there. Try to take the Rodyhaven or Puttgarden ferries on a weekday - there might be less traffic.


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## FoweyBoy

Noticed spelling errors too late to edit. Should be:

Rodbyhavn
Scandlines


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## duxdeluxe

Just travelled back on the (new) Hollandica on Friday. I was in my car but had a nice chat with a couple of motorhomes with their Rapidos, one of whom had a marvellous trailer for their scooter, made in Loughborough. Having used this route for years I find it astonishing that motorhomes and other high vehicles get in the wrong lane at check in - it is pretty obvious. I always turn up at Harwich after the check in has opened to avoid the chaos of people barging in to the booth. 

Bginning to hate the overnight return ferry from Holland as it always seems to full of drunken noisy Dutch/Germans, one of whom threatened me when I complained to the Purser. Had to discretely move cabins........ Stena staff are excellent and it always amuses the Filipinos when I greet them in Tagalog. The new ships are superb.

Talking to the Purser on Friday, she said thatbit had been so windy that the last four berthings they had to use tugs as the thrusters couldn't cope. Oh, and the Brittanica had a stabiliser failure - I am so glad I wasn't on that one! With such a small GM, these things roll on wet grass.


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## teemyob

*GM*

GM Explained


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## duxdeluxe

Sorry! 

Wrote that without thinking......... Thanks for the explanation

Particularly, note the bit about free surface effect - an inch of water on the car deck can destroy stability, which is why they have longitudinal bulkheads on ferries nowadays. To put it into real life, try carrying a bucket full of water to the brim. You might spill a bit. Now try carrying a washing up bowl also full to the brim and see how much you spill. Free surface effect... 

A ship with a very large GM (reserve of stability) is very uncomfortable, with the ship almost whiplashing as she rolls, which can cause structural damage. That is why large bulk carriers carrying heavy ores only load every other hold - to pile it higher.

On passenger vessels, There is a small Metacentric height and there are always good stabilisation systems which reduce movement to a minimum, but it can be pretty uncomfortable if the system doesn't work, with slow rolls, corkscrewing movements...... and I feel sick just thinking about it.


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## teemyob

*Lucky*

I must have been lucky duxdeluxe.

I have travelled on the Stena Hook route many time and always been like a millpond. Even on the old ships.

North Sea to Norway, that is a different tale, a couple of force 10's.

TM


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## duxdeluxe

Had to wedge myself in once on the earliest ferry a few years ago (when they were still officially freight but took a few cars). Don't travel the route as frequently now, but was ideal when I had business in Antwerp or Rotterdam - two of our biggest offices - as I could be in Antwerp by 0900, do the whole day and then get back for the overnight ferry.

I really like the new ships and the food is pretty good as well. TV on board and free internerd (albeit a bit slow) is a bonus


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