Anyone else ever wonder why so many people book a cross channel ferry on the busiest weekend of the year and then moan when they are inevitably stuck in traffic for 4 or 5 hours?
It the same every year, they never learn, I dred to think what it will be like next year when the new EU visa requirements come in to force, I generally do not like the BF Poole to Cherbourg sailing but will take it every day of the week to avoid those queues at Dover 😂
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It has always puzzled me why someone books a holiday the first week of school holidays (I now some will have no choice) - - Dover is like this every school break.
Quote: Originally posted by Paul and Nikki on 29/7/2023
Anyone else ever wonder why so many people book a cross channel ferry on the busiest weekend of the year and then moan when they are inevitably stuck in traffic for 4 or 5 hours?
It the same every year, they never learn, I dred to think what it will be like next year when the new EU visa requirements come in to force, I generally do not like the BF Poole to Cherbourg sailing but will take it every day of the week to avoid those queues at Dover 😂
I have never, or ever will, travel from Dover. But what difference will the Visa, ETIAS, make?
We travelled over on Saturday 3June. Never seen it so quiet. We left Black Horse Farm early expecting holdups but none. Irish Ferries put us on an earlier ferry which was very quiet.
I expect the airports are busy now too.
We used to have to go at busier times as I worked in FE, no way now. School,holidays avoided at all cost. Our van is back in store until September.
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
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Quote: Originally posted by 664DaveS on 29/7/2023
We travelled over on Saturday 3June. Never seen it so quiet. We left Black Horse Farm early expecting holdups but none. Irish Ferries put us on an earlier ferry which was very quiet.
I expect the airports are busy now too.
We used to have to go at busier times as I worked in FE, no way now. School,holidays avoided at all cost. Our van is back in store until September.
We sailed last year in very early July on a Monday morning, stayed at Black Horse on the Sunday night and caught a ferry around 0935, this year we are going in around two weeks time and decided to get the BF Poole - Cherbourg ferry, the Mrs usually end up with motion sickness on this route though but I'm sure a couple of motion sickness tablets will take care of that, hopefully some nice fish and chips on the ferry and then a 90 minutes drive down to Camping Haliotis for a one night stopover
When I was a tenter, I avoided camping during school holidays as much as I could.
Since I got my van in 2021, I decided to go on holiday in August at adult-only sites booked well in advance in UK only.
I were to holiday in Europe, I would go in May between the two Bank Holidays, and via Eurotunnel.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
We tend to do May, then mid-June till the end of the first week in July, and then last week of August till mid-Sept. We have done that for a few years now and ferries and sites have always been fairly quiet.
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Wouldn't travel anywhere during school holidays if the travel companies paid me, bank holidays especially. Even when I was still working I used to try and work bank holidays whenever I could, as I got extra money for working them plus a day off that I could take whenever I wanted to.
We never book anything in August, so we just go for odd days out when we want, usually avoiding weekends. Once the schools go back in September we will go away again.
If you are stuck will school hols & 2 weeks with Saturday start summer hol for mum & dad then 4 hours delay on a Saturday morning gives you a longer holiday than leaving your start until Tuesday.
As for additional delays with ETIAS at Dover specifically the suggestion is that French immigration will hand drivers a tablet to book in with. So another layer of delay.
Quote: Originally posted by billy on 04/8/2023
As for additional delays with ETIAS at Dover specifically the suggestion is that French immigration will hand drivers a tablet to book in with. So another layer of delay.
Has the requirement for ETIAS actually started, as I read it has been further delayed until next year?
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by Rich73 on 04/8/2023
I work in retail and I am baffled as to why so many people go shopping on a Saturday afternoon.
This is the busiest day of the week.
Why don't they go on a Monday
Not us! We definitely avoid doing any shopping at any time over the weekends. However, we are retired so we have the luxury of choice, but many do not as they are working during the week. We even avoided shopping at weekends when I was working, as I worked shifts and often worked at weekends. I then had days off during the week.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Heavy traffic at the Port of Dover
via mobile 29/7/2023 at 3:39pm
