Ferry booking

[skipstar]

Hello, does anyone know if there are any benefits to booking early apart from increased availability that is! Is it cheaper if you book early? We're planning to go to France next summer with the intention of sailing from Weymouth or thereabouts. Just got the hound her pet passport so she's ready to roll, just the rest of it to sort now. Any tips would be fantastico!!

Cheers!!

[roberts-t25]

I'm probaby wrong but I don't even think you can book crossings this early?? I heard recently that if you are a member of the camping and caravanning club you get discounts on crossings to France but it may have just been on the tunnel.
Sorry it's not much help, you are much more organised than me! We haven't done anything for our hols next year yet

[Ian Hulley]

We usually book the ferry for next august in nov/dec .... don't know if it saves anything but it's sure nice to look forward to the holiday over the long winter months AND it's paid for out of the way

[Madwitch]

We booked our return ferry with Norfolk Line in November last year and paid £156 for a trip this last August. For various reasons we ended up changing the return crossing and then ended up 24 hours late. Fortunately they didn't charge us any more. However, once I realised we had missed our original ferry, I had a look at booking online in case we had to buy a new ticket. The cost of a ticket for the following day was £49 - much cheaper. I know if we go next year I shall only book a single and then book the return the day before we want to come home. Incidentally, a single ticket for 6 August 2011 for the Dover/Dunquerque route is currently £33.50 for a motorhome up to 2.4m.

[Ralf85]

I have stuck with Norfolk line, Dover to Dunkirk over the past few years since speedferries went bust. It is consistently much cheaper than the rest. I normally book up in December and last year it cost £50 return for my van plus four people in August. At the moment with fuel surcharge they are quoting £78 return for August next year. It will still be the cheapest I am sure and their ships are the most modern and comfortable. Highly recommended.
Patrick

[anaconda]

Hi

As a general rule the later you book the more expensive it can be. However you should be ok until the new year when prices often creep up. The western french port routes are obviously more expensive than the Dover - Calais/Dunkirk ferries, however depending on your end destination you can save hundreds of miles and quite a bit of time/hassle by going via the western ports. Its simply a question of preference/budget.

Condor ferries run out of Weymouth via the Chanel islands to France. They use a Catamaran high speed ferry which is quick but is known as the Vomet Comet for good reason. This came as quite a surprise...uuurgh! Its also fairly cheap for a western Port crossing (Cheaper than Brittany ferries). Condor havnt got their prices out for peak season 2011 yet but they should do soon. Also take a look at LD Lines who go from Portsmouth and Newhaven to Dieppe and Le Havre. Some of their prices are out for 2011, not Dieppeyet which we used last year and got a good deal.

If your going during summer school holidays then prices will be higher. If youre off peak you should google 'Camping Cheques' and the 'ACSI card' both of which give you a discount on pitch prices, well worth a peek. Norfolk line have offers on at present to Dunkirk and theres a code around on line giving the discount (i'll post it later). If you have a Tesco card you can use points on Eurotunnel, its double value too so I believe.

Id suggest once you decide where you want to go you can look at your budget along with the ferry options and make a decision over the next month or two. Peruse the ferry websites as things can move fairly quickly, its not unusual for prices to change significantly literally overnight, they can be unpredictable, esp into the new year. Also take a look at ukcampsite.co.uk it has a busy camping abroad section with tons of rlevant info.

You cant beat camping in France, Were mad keen to take the van over there next year, at least once, hopefully more.

[Plasticman]

Wish I was going, we do ireland and do being the operative word, I might just email the robbers and ask them if they would like me to assume the position on boarding
M

[dearjohn]

Hi Metal Micky,
You can assume the position right now if you want to travel Cork/Roscoff, on Brittany Feries. only 1133 euro for a t25 hitop, two adults and one kid.
Irish Ferries not taking bookings till mid November.
Nigel in Cavan

[Plasticman]

Position assuming being practised as we speak got a £50 discount code from stick-up stenna, got to decipher their terms and conditions which will probably be more detail on how vigerouse i have to assume the ...... its almost as bad as going to the IOM on the steam racket.
Seems like I shall have to make a list of all you lot in Ireland to visit next year
mike

[Ralf85]

I have stuck with Norfolk line, Dover to Dunkirk over the past few years since speedferries went bust. It is consistently much cheaper than the rest. I normally book up in December and last year it cost £50 return for my van plus four people in August. At the moment with fuel surcharge they are quoting £78 return for August next year. It will still be the cheapest I am sure and their ships are the most modern and comfortable. Highly recommended.
Patrick

Interesting to note that Norfolk Line's latest quote has now gone up to £115 return since last month for my trip. That is a huge increase. It is still the cheapest but the gap is closing. That is soooo disappointing. I guess they can charge more because the competition LD Lines have stopped their cheap Dover to Boulogne crossing.
Patrick

[dearjohn]

Hi Mike,
Come on over, the weather is lovely.................
Last year the Ferry prices never came down at all, even at the end of the season. I think it was because of that bloody volcano in Iceland. Everyone booked the ferry rather than take a risk getting stuck in an airport, and the companies didnt need to reduce prices to fill the boats.
Nigel in Cavan