Ferries and fuel

[mikebeaches]

Just booked October Plymouth Santander one way 7.6m mh plus bike rack, I can make do with a recliner being a one night crossing, £300 with club voyage discount I was quite happy with that.

Although I wouldn't want to be without a cabin on an overnight to Spain, £300 sounds very reasonable even with the CV discount!

But BF do gouge you for the cabins... suppose because that can.

 

[csd4t]

Are you a member with Brittany? Depends how many times you’re travelling. If not I can give you my code which will get you 10% off unless they’ve changed the rules.? Afternoon crossings tend to be cheaper and Tuesday was always the cheapest.

Yes a member

 

[Fragle]

Although I wouldn't want to be without a cabin on an overnight to Spain, £300 sounds very reasonable even with the CV discount!

But BF do gouge you for the cabins... suppose because that can.

Our cabins are for day crossing 4 berth outside cabin £6 each way.

I know sod the expense you only live once

 

[mikebeaches]

Our cabins are for day crossing 4 berth outside cabin £6 each way.

I know sod the expense you only live once

Yeh, that's a no brainer isn't it.

 

[pagey]

just booked eurotunnel out 19/04 back 17/06 both good times £282 much of it down to tescos

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[Lenny HB]

Blimey, the prices you lot are paying I'll stick to Newhaven/Dieppe, does help living only 20 miles from Newhaven.

 

[pagey]

Blimey, the prices you lot are paying I'll stick to Newhaven/Dieppe, does help living only 20 miles from Newhaven.

I would as use Newhaven as well but tescos pays most for ours

 

[Bailey 15]

Well reading this you all got a bargain.
We’re going Plymouth - Santander end of May
Return trip, outside cabins each way
£988
We live in Plymouth so the cost to travel further up country to then travel back Down to Portugal would be more expensive

 

[Blaydon]

Blimey, the prices you lot are paying I'll stick to Newhaven/Dieppe, does help living only 20 miles from Newhaven.

Just checked Newhaven for the times we booked and it would cost twice what we paid for Dover Calais!

 

[BikerGraham]

Just checked Newhaven for the times we booked and it would cost twice what we paid for Dover Calais!

yep got to hand it to Lenny, he is the master at getting a bargain.

Just been checking Newcastle to Amsterdam for May and cheapest I can get is well over £600. Paid £370 last year. Looking like it will be the tunnel this time with the help of Tesco. £207. It's a canny long hike down there though for us.

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[Lenny HB]

Just checked Newhaven for the times we booked and it would cost twice what we paid for Dover Calais!

Last few years we have found it cheaper than Dover, and if going south west saves us 400 miles driving on a round trip

 

[Bobbydaisy]

yep got to hand it to Lenny, he is the master at getting a bargain.

Just been checking Newcastle to Amsterdam for May and cheapest I can get is well over £600. Paid £370 last year. Looking like it will be the tunnel this time with the help of Tesco. £207. It's a canny long hike down there though for us.

Aye like I said almost double what we payed last year on DFDS , hence Hull this time as the drive down south is not my first choice

 

[Peregrinator]

Not wishing to b harsh but like anything in life if you find you can’t afford it it maybe time to cut your cloth accordingly, motorhoming has never been a cheap hobby in my experience.

You might not believe it, but using a Motorhome when retired, used to be a cheap option to disappear for months on end, but in the UK since Brexit everything has doubled, once in Europe you can survive quite easy on your pension, just the cost of the ferry is the killer.

 

[Lenny HB]

You might not believe it, but using a Motorhome when retired, used to be a cheap option to disappear for months on end, but in the UK since Brexit everything has doubled, once in Europe you can survive quite easy on your pension, just the cost of the ferry is the killer.

Even with the cost of the ferry cheaper to spend a week in France than the UK unless you are good at finding wild stops.
We did manage to spend a week in the UK last November total cost of camping £5.

 

[suavecarve]

I have just booked Portsmouth Caen outside 4 berth cabin both ways 8 m motorhome 2 adults and the dog £465 return. So not that bad. Could go cheaper but spend more on fuel with extra miles.

Thats one of the best prices I have seen for that route

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[Smudger55]

Booked Eurotunnel today for our first trip abroad in MHome, taking dog so this was our only option, choice wise, from mid to end of April, £298+£44 for dog, less £75 Tesco vouchers =£267.

 

[suavecarve]

Just booked October Plymouth Santander one way 7.6m mh plus bike rack, I can make do with a recliner being a one night crossing, £300 with club voyage discount I was quite happy with that.

Thats impressive

 

[Blaydon]

Hi all. It’s been said before but worth repeating. The best crossing is found by adding time and fuel to UK port, plus cost of crossing minus enjoyment of crossing (some don’t like seas, others don’t like tunnels). Then add cost of fuel and time from Europe port to chosen area of holiday.
I guess some folks don’t do maths like others but I’ve always loved a spread sheet - is that bed sheet - one of the two.

 

[PaulOH]

I see lots of people getting the pullman chairs or cabins - is that now necessary? I did Rosslare-Cherbourg twice. First time Easter 20 years ago and wasn't required to get a cabin or a chair and kipped on the floor in a quiet landing not close to the bar. I heard that the singer doing the in-sail show paused to go off to barf and I remember hearing the groaning of the boat as I half-dreamt that it wasn't possible for a boat that big to be tossed around that much.
Second time, I had an overloaded panel van full of stuff and a very long drive France-side, so got a 2-berth cabin and it doubled the price for the trip, but I got it as I felt I needed the sleep. I'm not sure I benefited much from it as I stopped twice on the first day to kip roadside before reaching my overnight stop in Bordeaux.
I think I'd rather take my chances without a cabin and then park up after a short while and sleep 'in my own bed' as it were?

 

[Lenny HB]

Hi all. It’s been said before but worth repeating. The best crossing is found by adding time and fuel to UK port, plus cost of crossing minus enjoyment of crossing (some don’t like seas, others don’t like tunnels). Then add cost of fuel and time from Europe port to chosen area of holiday.
I guess some folks don’t do maths like others but I’ve always loved a spread sheet - is that bed sheet - one of the two.

That is why we mostly use Newhaven/Dieppe, not only is it the cheapest channel crossing if going to South West France or Spain it saves 400 miles on a round trip.

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[uzsnowdrop]

We have used the Newhaven - Dieppe crossing for more than 30 years. You have to leave the dog in the m/h and can only visit it briefly by special arrangement and accompanied by a crew member. You're not allowed to take the dog out of the vehicle.
20% discount on the cost for all passengers if the person named on the booking is over 60. You have to book by phone.

See this thread (with 76 replies!) from a couple of weeks ago which covers all details.......

Thanks to all who advised Newhaven ferry

We had never considered Newhaven as a crossing to France until a couple of earlier threads hinted at a few advantages. Anyway, we always used the tunnel or Dover. After finding their phone number which was not obvious and is in France, we settled our crossing without any problems. Being now very...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Can we all stop posting how good Newhaven to Dieppe is please. Its supposed to be a secret…

 

[nicholsong]

Reading this thread about ferry fares makes me glad that I am living in Poland and no longer have to take our once-UK registered MH to UK for MOT.

Although we use quite a lot of diesel to get to our beloved France for touring, but not so much to Ancona, for Greece.

Both of which we shall be doing this year.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

in the UK since Brexit everything has doubled

Funny that people are reporting large price increases in ferries to Greece also??

 

[Abgs]

Just paid £290 return Portsmouth - Caen, day crossings with Brittany Ferries. 6th March - 6th April. Cabins both way, 2 adults and a 6m PVC, fully flex so no charges to change crossings. In high summer this route is about £360.

Helps being a BF Club Voyage member - which costs 75£ a year, this gives a 30% discount on all French routes and free cabins on day crossings. More than pays for itself with one trip.

We always use day crossings as no point paying 70 - 120£ for an overnight cabin when you own a motorhome and can overnight near Caen or Portsmouth for free. Also the overnight Ports Caen ferry leaves at 11 pm and docks early in France so you only get about 6 hours cabin use for your money.

I think I’ve used Brittany Ferries about 150 times over the last 20 odd years so I’m pretty good and spotting the best value routes!

 

[Fragle]

Thats one of the best prices I have seen for that route

Excellent. Love a bargain

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[Peregrinator]

I think I got a bargain, Booked with C & M C, DFDS Newhaven - Dieppe Depart: 26 Mar 23 07:00 Arrive: 26 Mar 23 12:00 2 Adults Motorhome Up to : 7.50m / 3.00m Price: £95.40

And the return was a bit more, Booked direct this time with DFDS Dieppe-Newhaven: Depart: Fri 23 Jun 23 12:00, Arriving: Fri 23 Jun 23 15:00 2 Adults, Motorhome < 4m x < 10m Price: £114.50 Total: £209.90

 

[Lenny HB]

I think I got a bargain, Booked with C & M C, DFDS Newhaven - Dieppe Depart: 26 Mar 23 07:00 Arrive: 26 Mar 23 12:00 2 Adults Motorhome Up to : 7.50m / 3.00m Price: £95.40

And the return was a bit more, Booked direct this time with DFDS Dieppe-Newhaven: Depart: Fri 23 Jun 23 12:00, Arriving: Fri 23 Jun 23 15:00 2 Adults, Motorhome < 4m x < 10m Price: £114.50 Total: £209.90

Are you a younster as if over 60 booking direct would have given you 20% discount rather than the 10% the clubs give.

 

[Orion]

Newhaven - Dieppe out on 21/04/23 back 16/06/23. 2x60yrs + motorhome <4m x <10m £153.60 total booked direct by phone

Dieppe - Newhaven single fare for the above on 19/08/23 was only £60!

 

[nicholsong]

Are the local authorities at the French end providing a subsidy?

 

[Spriddler]

Are the local authorities at the French end providing a subsidy?

In brief (I was involved in several feasibility studies for that and the several ill-fated seajet services from Brighton Marina to Fecamp)
Back in the 50's when British Rail were about to stop running the N'n -Dieppe service the local East and West Sussex authorities and the Normandy Chambers of Commerce were concerned about the commercial effect it would have on their areas. It was taken on by Sealine (Sealink) and later other operators and although the port is now owned by the Department of Seine-Maritime it is managed by the Newhaven Port and Properties company who are responsible for the management and safety of the harbour. They enforce the original benefits stipulated by the Sussex local authorities and the Normandy Chamber of Commerce which were written in to the contract 50 (?) years ago, long before it was a thriving RoRo service.

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