Channel Tunnel or Ferry?

[Peter48]

Just thought I would throw this out and see what the favourite option is in regard to price, ease of access onto ferry / Train., good or bad experiences.

 

[sdc77]

We are almost always on limited time so the tunnel is a no brainer.
Its also very easy and taking the dog is stress free for us and him. Its also good to sit in your van.. watch TV or listen to music... have a cuppa.. Then you're there.

 

[gus-lopez]

The difference is that you have time to have your lunch either before or after if you want if you use the Tunnel and therefore don't have to pay extortionate prices for it on the ferry and queue for ages either!

You must be eating in the motorhome then as extortionate isn't the word for the tunnel centre!

 

[mjltigger]

I genuinely want to use the channel tunnel. We are pushed for time and need to get from our house in Wiltshire to as close as possible to where we want to be on the Saturday before sleeping Friday night (this week we have taken Friday off so same applies to Thursday night)

The tunnel saves us 2-3 hours..

We can be in Dover or folkestone by 9.30 if the kids get picked up on time and there are no traffic delays and we were ready the night before. That only leaves 20 minutes margin for error for the earliest sailing we can get and with a low price ticket we can't miss it or the charges are very high. So we have to book the midnight ferry.. meaning we aren't unloaded in Calais until 3am.

The same journey by tunnel, we arrive at 9.30pm and get on the 10.20 ish train.. time for a wee and a coffee before we board and we are unloaded in Calais before midnight.

That's probably over 100 miles extra range on the Friday night... Makes a big difference.

Still comes back to the price at double or more the ferry being too high for us.

 

[chrisboyo]

Tesco tunnel for us
Turn up, get on, go, simples.
Out 18 Jan - in 26 March, £160 minus teaso vouchers = £80 total

Happy Beni Daze Ahead

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[canopus]

We paid £90 for a one way on the tunnel on Jan 6th early evening crossing - buckshee courtesy of £30 Tesco Clubcard Points. However, it cost £16 for the dog. Not sure on a return date but will have to pay full price as you can't use vouchers from t'other side on return journeys, apart from which, we don't have enough left.

 

[Forestboy]

Just done a quick reckie on the ferry and Eurotunnel websites for a 7m MH and at the times/dates you've given it came up as:

Eurotunnel £107 out, £103 back = £210
DFDS ferry (cheapest I can find in a quick look) £76 out, £84 back = £160​

So nothing like the amount of difference you're suggesting, assuming I've read the web pages correctly.

Well I just put the same dates in Myferry and quote £101 so difference is over £100 for yours and nearly £200 for mine, think you must have picked the most expensive ferry you could find I used same dates same times.

https://www.myferrylink.com/cs/book...843897&bookingStep=2&localeName=en_GB&lang=en

Anyway I'll bow out know and let you guys carry on. For us until tunnel prices come back down it'll be ferry everytime.

 

[Minxy]

Ferry for us.
Not had occasion yet to use the tunnel, also don't shop at Tesco.

We like the idea of a decent break, travel in the open and the facility to have a meal (full English if available) whilst watching the world sail by through panoramic windows.

That wins for us over travelling in artificial light with a packed lunch and flask of coffee.

Tunnel if you want a quick crossing, ferry if you want a travel experience in the open air.

Nothing wrong with either.
Each to his own.

Well I just put the same dates in Myferry and quote £101 so difference is over £100 for yours and nearly £200 for mine, think you must have picked the most expensive ferry you could find I used same dates same times.

https://www.myferrylink.com/cs/book...843897&bookingStep=2&localeName=en_GB&lang=en

Anyway I'll bow out know and let you guys carry on. For us until tunnel prices come back down it'll be ferry everytime.

You'd better NOT bow out until you give me an apology as I certainly did NOT pick the most expensive one I could find and I object to you saying I did!

I did say that I had done a QUICK RECKIE not a comprehensive one ... I went straight to the ferry companies themselves - not to a 'comparison' one ... and the DFDS came up cheaper than the others, perhaps 'fluid pricing'? I don't know, but I did NOT rig the result and am offended that you think I would stoop that low!!!

 

[johnp10]

Minx,
Not clear why you quoted my post but did nothing with it?

 

[Judge Mental]

rant:

last time I used DFDS. turned up in morning after a mad dash up from Spain, to be faced with 3.5 hr delay due to cancellation. Err...I have a phone? email? etc..what the f****..... Never again!

and summer crossings from dunkerque horrendous! By the time motorhome load every available seat and space taken up by east europeans and screaming kids with their bed rolls out settled down for a kip! This on day time crossings! then there is the food UCH!

rant over

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[busby]

I genuinely want to use the channel tunnel. We are pushed for time and need to get from our house in Wiltshire to as close as possible to where we want to be on the Saturday before sleeping Friday night (this week we have taken Friday off so same applies to Thursday night)

The tunnel saves us 2-3 hours..

We can be in Dover or folkestone by 9.30 if the kids get picked up on time and there are no traffic delays and we were ready the night before. That only leaves 20 minutes margin for error for the earliest sailing we can get and with a low price ticket we can't miss it or the charges are very high. So we have to book the midnight ferry.. meaning we aren't unloaded in Calais until 3am.

The same journey by tunnel, we arrive at 9.30pm and get on the 10.20 ish train.. time for a wee and a coffee before we board and we are unloaded in Calais before midnight.

That's probably over 100 miles extra range on the Friday night... Makes a big difference.

Still comes back to the price at double or more the ferry being too high for us.

 

[busby]

If you go Newhaven Dieppe its closer to your home and by docking at Dieppe you save the long drive from Calais to Rouen. The elevenish night ferry gets you in very early morning and usually if i am heading for Spain i can be crossing The Loire by 9 am. 20% off if you are over 60. BUSBY

 

[Dazzlin]

Booked wed crossing today on p & o. €50.56 =£40!
Always arrive early, always had earlier crossing.
Ferry for us.

 

[chaser]

Well I just put the same dates in Myferry and quote £101 so difference is over £100 for yours and nearly £200 for mine, think you must have picked the most expensive ferry you could find I used same dates same times.

https://www.myferrylink.com/cs/book...843897&bookingStep=2&localeName=en_GB&lang=en

Anyway I'll bow out know and let you guys carry on. For us until tunnel prices come back down it'll be ferry everytime.

Well according to the mail this morning, it won't be much longer, up 30% next year, but you can bet the tunnel will follow suit even though it doesn't affect them

 

[Jaws]

9 metre van with smartie on a trailer £59.99 one way booked through CCC..
Chunnel wanted £190 !!! Now THAT is a no brainer for me LOL !!

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[chaser]

9 metre van with smartie on a trailer £59.99 one way booked through CCC..
Chunnel wanted £190 !!! Now THAT is a no brainer for me LOL !!

Well they reckon it's going to be £200 return next year

 

[Jaws]

Who does Chaser ?

 

[busby]

Well according to the mail this morning, it won't be much longer, up 30% next year, but you can bet the tunnel will follow suit even though it doesn't affect them

We will have to wait and see because the only two bits of truth in The Mail are the price and the date...BUSBY...

 

[chaser]

Who does Chaser ?

Ferry companies

 

[chaser]

We will have to wait and see because the only two bits of truth in The Mail are the price and the date...BUSBY...

Yes it's the first of jan 2015

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[gus-lopez]

+road fuel will rise also as there is not enough refinery capacity to supply road vehicles & shipping with low sulphur fuel.

 

[Jaws]

Ah but it is in the maily dawl !! Not saying it will not happen but def will take it with a pinch of salt same as everything else that pathetic rag publishes...

Read it again.. willing to bet pounds to pennies it does not STATE anything but suggests it will happen or something similar.
Yes, I can see a raise is on the cards but no where near the sort of level their innuendoes will have someone believe

 

[chaser]

Ah but it is in the maily dawl !! Not saying it will not happen but def will take it with a pinch of salt same as everything else that pathetic rag publishes...

Read it again.. willing to bet pounds to pennies it does not STATE anything but suggests it will happen or something similar.
Yes, I can see a raise is on the cards but no where near the sort of level their innuendoes will have someone believe

Have you read it? It's a euro rule that's coming in 1 jan, whatever they have got to install costs more than a new ferry, already caused one ferry to close, just because it's in the mail doesn't mean it's not right.

 

[johnp10]

The difference is that you have time to have your lunch either before or after if you want if you use the Tunnel and therefore don't have to pay extortionate prices for it on the ferry and queue for ages either!

Food on the ferry is optional.
Scrimp on a packed lunch if that's what you want.
You can do that on the ferry also.
We LIKE eating whilst watching the world sail by.

The last statement in my post was:

"Nothing wrong with either.
Each to his own"

Reasonable?

 

[Peter48]

Thanks for all your comments, all very interesting!, we intend next year to visit the WW1 Somme area, Normandy Beaches, and a visit to the SPA Grand Prix (not on the same holiday), also enjoying the lovely French Wines! (and Beer)....so will keep an keen eye on the prices. thanks again.Peter

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[Jaws]

Well they reckon it's going to be £200 return next year

Ok.. I have now read it..
So question goes right back your way.. Did you read it ?

At the bottom in typical Maul methodology / style is the important bit.. tucked away where most folk will not read it..

‘All shipping companies will be affected – but our biggest rival, the Channel Tunnel, will not be affected. Peak-time sailings might cost 30 per cent more than people paid last year.’

See that magic word ? MIGHT
And notice the 30% not the 50 or 100% ?
And P & O are not going to quote any sort of deal price, only the top price ( such as a family of four ? You are allowed up 4 people in a car at no extra cost.. so it would be 30% of the cost of a car trip which is no where NEAR £160 at the moment )

Well 30% of £60 ( what I paid ) is £20.. Still a nasty jump no denying, but I am afraid the Maul will publish nothing unless it can scare monger and sensationalise
They always quote the absolute worst possible scenario

 

[gus-lopez]

I read it as the price quoted for a family of 4 was as foot passengers , which the photo of people buying tickets would seem to indicate ? Seemed a bit peculiar to me .

 

[chaser]

I have no wish to argue about this, I was just passing on the info, I had seen it before, I think it may have been on here in another thread, but whatever the figures are, it means ferry fares are going to rise, that's all.

 

[Jaws]

No worries Chaser.. just being devils advocate here mate ... No harm intended

 

[hilldweller]

. just being devils advocate here mate ...

If you've got it flaunt it.

You little devil.

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[2425andy]

Tunnel all the time its just so easy. Going on the 29th return April through the CCC £118 return, good deal, no meals to buy and well into France before the first stop.