Hello
I need to travel over to Europe on Wednesday April 1st, leaving about 8AM and returning Sunday April 5th about 8PM.
I've used Eurotunnel several times before and found both price and service excellent, but just checked now and for the times I want to go the cheapest option is coming out at £125!
By comparison, similar times with SeaFrance are coming back at £67.
For that price difference I don't mind the extra time the ferry takes.
Has anyone had experience, good or bad, with SeaFrance? It'll be the first time I've taken my car with them.
Thanks, Chris.
Edited by Chris White on 27/01/2009 at 12:43
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We were bundled onto Sea France by Eurotunnel as a result of the fire in September (we were returning the day after the fire broke out!)
No problems at all.
Cheers
DP
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Norfolk Line are advertising £19 each way at the moment.
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I haven't travelled with Sea France but if I was looking for a ferry they would be top of my list; there is a feeling that they are a good experience and the holiday starts as you board. I recently booked the Tunnel for £102 return but I guess they are cashing in on the rising demand. Norfolk Line is fine if you want to finish up East of Calais ie off to Belgium/Netherlands/Germany
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Ah so that's why Eurotunnel revenues are reported as being down, flippin' price hikes!
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More to do with that fire, I suspect...
I was looking at the fares myself yesterday and they seem to be just the same as they were this time last year for a June/July crossing... As half my family are not good sailors and I prefer the convenience and lack of hassle I'll stick with the tunnel I think!
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I have no facts to back this up, however it was suggested to me very recently that SeaFrance days may well be numbered! OK travelling at shortnotice, but I would be very wary of buying longterm tickests.
I have just Googled and found this......
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7839180.stm
I am a regular user of Norfolk Lines. As long as you dont mind a slightly longer crossing, and Dunkirk is not as convenient if you wish to head to the West of Paris. It can also be slow leaving the port area at Dunkirk, if there are lorries ahead of you. But very good VFM. no hassle on booking the equivqlent of an open return (ie long dated). I have never been charged on return trip.
p
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As ever, book with a credit card but I think the bill has to be over £100 to be eligible for refund.
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Ring Dover Eurochange - 01304 210949 and book through them - that way if SF go belly-up your contract is with the agent, not the ferry co.
DE are always very good for prices, and excellent service - also good for currency. About 3 mins from the port.
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Have travelled the short Channel route many times. To summarise; Norfolk Lines are the cheapest, and also the most basic, but still ok; SeaFrance are fine and often well priced, never any problems, and good quality food on board; P & O are a last resort though, only to be used if all else is booked!
Just watch your time of arrival at port as some operators are strict on this, and can bump you to the next crossing.
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We have used Sea France for the last 4 or 5 years for our summer trips and would agree with paulvm's summary. However, the last couple of occasions it has taken 40 mins to get off the boat and another hour to get out of Dover - almost as long as the crossing! One benefit, I suppose of P&O, was the priority boarding.
Admittedly this was during peak summer evenings but for this reason we are reluctant to use Dover again and will give the train a try - £60 more for a potential 2 hour time saving seems worth it to me.
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Thanks for the advice.
OK, I've booked with Norfolk Lines. I'm driving to Frankfurt, so being a little further along the coast will be good. The extra time on the crossing shouldn't make a huge difference because of where we land as well.
I know, I could fly Gatwick to Frankfurt for the price of the crossing and petrol, but driving is more of an adventure, and I can drive around while I'm there and stop off at places on the way there and back.
Final price £67, so a saving of £58 on the Eurotunnel price.
I've booked with Eurotunnel several times, at different times of the year, midweek and weekend and always got the price for the return crossing for well under £100, so not sure what's happened this time.
The saving will pay for the petrol!
Thanks again, Chris.
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Just booked a crossing with Norfolk Lines for Feb,£67 return all in.Are they basic as in Ryanair,can i get something to eat onboard?I only booked them because it was fair bit cheaper than Eurotunnel and i'm going to Netherlands.
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www.norfolkline.com/EN/Onboard/Restaurants/Cross-c.../
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I always tend to use P&O simply because they have more crossings than the others, so doesnt matter what time you turn up, there probably wont be too long a wait. However now I collect Tesco vouchers its "free" Eurotunnel crossings for me.
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I did about 20 crossings (well forty, since I came back each time..) last year. SF every time. No problems, except one time when the weather had really fouled up the schedule. The SF food can be a bit dull/tasteless, but I'm not sure P&O would be any better.
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Norfolk Lines are not as basic as Ryanair. Food is OK-ish, but choice can be limited. Cleanliness of toilets sometimes leaves a lot to be desired; facilities are sometimes closed.
However, the vessels are large and comfortable and the ride smooth, even in less than ideal conditions.
Overall, I feel they offer excellent value for money.
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I used Speed Ferries once and was pleased with the price and service.
Of course, this company has disappeared but their database has been sold to LD Lines who operate from Dover to Boulogne.
They emailed me today and, out of interest, I looked at their prices which seem to be £30 return for your travel dates, so quite competitive.
I know nothing else about them but have no vested interest in the company, just suggesting yet another alternative to the tunnel, who seem to have become ridiculously expensive.
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I like Norfolk Lines... I used them last year, and am using them again this year.
The menu was pretty good, the helpfulness of staff at Dunkirk was brilliant (It seems that the Dunkirk spirit is still there... get another Tommy on the boat to England!!!) as we'd turned up at 15mins before the ferry was due to leave... and we still got on it (it was a couple of hours earlier than we'd booked onto)
I find that the crossing time is quite good, as I get a bit of time to eat and then a bit of time to sleep
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Ditto what DoctorChris said. I used to use Speedferries regularly and have just received
the e-mail with the LD ferry info.
Looks like they have a large boat, so probably won't be as fast as Speed One, but well worth a look.
Fight The Pirates!
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 29/01/2009 at 01:05
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