# Cost of 'just turn up' tickets?



## DavidDredge (Oct 17, 2010)

Just wondered if any one has experience of just turning up at Calais (P&O). Are tickets silly prices? Or is there a way around?

Just want the flexibility

David


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

yep cost me about £40 each way just pay up frount for 6 to 10 returns.... and I do just that turn up when I feel like it and return when I feel like it, no planning no fuss.... cheaper with the other people but they dont have as many crossings yet.... hope that helps you..


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Try an online quote for tonight, should give you a rough idea..

Prices from £113 - £125 for 6m van and 2 adults, one way.

Pete


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We just turn up

suits our lifestyle

If you purchase a ticket after midnight it counts as a pre booking and is much cheaper

We are never in a hurry anyway

Aldra


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Prices*

I think a lot depends on loadings and given there are only two operators ex Dover at present.....

Russell


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

*Re: Prices*



Rapide561 said:


> I think a lot depends on loadings and given there are only two operators ex Dover at present.....
> 
> Russell


when are you off again Rus? sposed to be going to faro sometime next week


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## The-Cookies (Nov 28, 2010)

don't know if they still do but when just going in car we used to get ours from the bureau de change just near eh ferry terminal was really cheap, but that's ages ago.

john


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

The-Cookies said:


> don't know if they still do but when just going in car we used to get ours from the bureau de change just near eh ferry terminal was really cheap, but that's ages ago.
> 
> john


http://www.dovereurochange.co.uk/where.html


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Fares*



peejay said:


> Try an online quote for tonight, should give you a rough idea..
> 
> Prices from £113 - £125 for 6m van and 2 adults, one way.
> 
> Pete


See Here

Book Early for May and it can cost you as little as £148.

Leave it until last minute. You may be lucky to get on and if you do, expect to pay £300 or more.

TM


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Trev, that was a Stena quote in the link, this is p&o Calais.

I did an online quote for 2100 - 2200 tonight and the price was as I stated.

Pete


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Why not buy an open return ticket with P&O ?

It's only a little more expensive than a fixed date return but it means you do not have to fix your return sailing date and you do not have to pay the inflated cost of a last minute booking.

G


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Grizzly said:


> Why not buy an open return ticket with P&O ?
> 
> It's only a little more expensive than a fixed date return but it means you do not have to fix your return sailing date and you do not have to pay the inflated cost of a last minute booking.
> 
> G


Can you do this online?


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## 04HBG (Dec 9, 2007)

Back in November we came up from Portugal a week early and arrived in Calais on a Sunday evening, our booking was with DFDS out of Dunkirk booked through the Caravan Club.

We decided to ask both [email protected] Seafrance for a one way ticket any time of night, Seafrance wanted £140 and [email protected] wanted £138, we waited until Monday morning 9am and called the CC we were on the next ferry for £20 admin fee.

So yes just turning up at Calais you will pay silly money.

RD


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

teemyob said:


> Can you do this online?


We've always booked online. We've not gone P&O for some time as we've always found either Norfolkline/DFDS and SeaFrance cheaper. The one good thing about P&O was that they had Flexible Fares available and this was what we went for when we had no fixed return date.

G


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## DavidDredge (Oct 17, 2010)

Thanks All. Do you think an online quote is the same as just turning up? Certainly at this time of year the ferries are far from full.

David


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

DavidDredge said:


> Thanks All. Do you think an online quote is the same as just turning up? Certainly at this time of year the ferries are far from full.
> 
> David


I wouldn't bank on that David. In fact I'd assume not- even the ferry companies advise advance booking, even if only the day before.

We parted brass rags with DFDS recently as we phoned, exactly one week in advance of travelling back from Dunkirk, and the charge they made was more than double the price we'd already paid for the initial return part of the booking.

This was for an early March crossing, 8am, with us and the captain and crew aboard.

G


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Grizzly said:



> This was for an early March crossing, 8am, with us and the captain and crew aboard.
> 
> G


That's why then - they put a boat on specially for you, how about that for service? :wink:


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## tulsehillboys (Jul 22, 2010)

Eurotunnel frequent traveller service is good - book just one day ahead. Need to buy 10 tickets for use in a year but they say if you use 6 you should save...


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

I too am seeking a replacement for the excellent (just turn up) service I had with Sea France.

I have just checked out DFDS Dover Dunkirk and although they offer this for cars, it it limited on height up to 2.5m. Anything over has to book as they have less crossing and space for the extra height is usually booked quickly by the HGV's. So DFDS is a no go.

The other point to watch out for when comparing Carnet offers is when the 12month clock starts ticking to take all your trips by. P&O and Euro tunnel used to be from the moment of payment, wheras Sea France was from the 1st date of travel. 

They also allowed 1 of the 6 trips to be transferred to another party.


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

I have just had a reply from P&O requesting information on open return sailings.


"Thank you for your email.



We had a trial period for open return tickets and we are evaluating the trial period at this moment.

We do not provide these type of tickets at this moment.



We can only advise you to purchase a regular return ticket and amend the return date if necessary."


Seems like it's NO at the moment, but it sounds like it was a fairly recent trial.

Ian


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

icer said:


> We had a trial period for open return tickets and we are evaluating the trial period at this moment.


I wonder how many customers were asked if they like flexible return tickets? We were not and would have replied positively.

G


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

Grizzly,

As a matter of interest, how long ago did you use them, and what were they called then?

I was quite interested in the principal, and asked for more information, you saw their reply.

I assumed they were still current from your post.

I like the idea, and would prefer it, as an option.

Ian


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

icer said:


> Grizzly,
> 
> As a matter of interest, how long ago did you use them, and what were they called then?


The last time I costed them was about October last year to travel out from Dover on 5th January 2011 and return some time in March 2011 from Calais. In the end we decided to go with Brittany Ferries on the Portsmouth to Santander route and returned via DFDS from Dunkirk.

They were called Flexible fares at the time and cost a few pounds more to book - can't remember exactly how much more as I did a lot of costing various routes at the time. I'll see if I can find my file where I wrote it all down.

I've booked Eurotunnel via Tesco vouchers this year so have not checked P&O at all. I assumed they were still current. They were the only people who did them so I would have thought they were a selling point.

G

G


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

They're obviously still offering them on Irish Sea crossings. This is from the P&O terms and conditions small print and the bit that refers to flexible fares is in a different font and print size and now reads "Irish Sea ". It looks like it has been changed:

(See Section 3 Fares):

HERE

G

Edit: If you look further down- section 4 Amendments- It talks about flexible fares and makes no mention of them being Irish sea only.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

I hope they do start offering open returns on the Calais route, there must be a demand for this. 
I would certainly be interested for any future crossings.

Pete


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