And it’s not like P&O are paying British wages any more either.
Having looked at my emails 10 years ago we paid £99 return for a car and trailer. That has gradually crept up but last year was extortionate. So much so that we’ve done the calcs and it’s about the same to go Portsmouth to Caen overnight and save a lot of driving / fuel. Only works if you’re heading down the west coast though.
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We've swapped back to Portsmouth - Caen (Cherbourg on the way back) this year. Costs were similar to shuttle plus tolls, fuel and stopovers, but as we're heading to the Dordogne eventually this time (via St Nazaire, ile d'oleron and Bordeaux) we will have plenty of long days' travelling ahead anyway, so wanted to cut out the big drive that we normally get on our second day.
With a caravan, it's also worth bearing in mind that one night stopovers are more effort (setting up etc) than a moho, so getting into Caen and being closer to a destination can be preferable.
We've done the car-only trip using hotels for stopovers and then a week in a nice static on a campsite but found we were spending a lot of money on eating out, plus other than the campsite week, it wasn't particularly relaxing. There's nothing like sitting out in a nice spot, with your fridge, bed and bathroom 6ft away from you !
We have not used Dover since 2021, which is the year we really noticed the price increase, we generally do Poole - Cherbourg, which isn't that much more than Dover to Calais but with the added advantage of avoiding the tolls and also taking a fair bit of driving (and diesel) off the trip, it also gives you the choice of sleeping in the lanes at Poole, which suits us as we have to drive to/from Stoke on Trent.
Since retiring from Hampshire to Scotland, I find that travel to Europe is doubly expensive. It's not only the cost of the ferry, but even getting to the port and then the cost of a tin box cabin for the overnight crossing. I could stay in a good hotel, breakfast included, for a lot less.
I've given up European travel with my van and instead, I fly and rent an apartment or stay in a hotel. This June, we're planning to go to Mainz for Johannesfest. It's along weekend of music, food, wine and fun to celebrate
Johannes Gutenberg, a German inventor and craftsman who invented the movable-type printing press.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
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Quote: Originally posted by Capt Lightning on 14/2/2025
Since retiring from Hampshire to Scotland, I find that travel to Europe is doubly expensive. It's not only the cost of the ferry, but even getting to the port and then the cost of a tin box cabin for the overnight crossing..
But adding a good 550 miles plus to your journey to the ferry was never going to come cheap assuming still using Portsmouth.
Even going Newcastle - Rotterdam your adding well over 200 miles to the port.
Moving to Scotland was never going to come cheap if you want to take motorhome to Europe compared to living in Hampshire,
Quote: Originally posted by Netherton on 11/2/2025
With the fare to Dieppe at £127 it hardly seems a price fixing monopoly to me,
It has been mentioned that the cost of the Newhaven/Dieppe route for tourist traffic is subsidised by the Dieppe/Normandie Tourist Office, which is also why they offer this additional 20% discount for over 60s and why you have to phone a French number to benefit.
Quote: Originally posted by Netherton on 11/2/2025
With the fare to Dieppe at £127 it hardly seems a price fixing monopoly to me,
It has been mentioned that the cost of the Newhaven/Dieppe route for tourist traffic is subsidised by the Dieppe/Normandie Tourist Office, which is also why they offer this additional 20% discount for over 60s and why you have to phone a French number to benefit.
AI says it isn't but who believes AI anyway?
I have heard that too. I hope that sufficient numbers of people who use that route stay and spend locally. I'm afraid that we just beetle on through...
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
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Quote: Originally posted by longcol on 15/2/2025
But adding a good 550 miles plus to your journey to the ferry was never going to come cheap assuming still using Portsmouth.
Even going Newcastle - Rotterdam your adding well over 200 miles to the port.
Moving to Scotland was never going to come cheap if you want to take motorhome to Europe compared to living in Hampshire,
Post last edited on 15/02/2025 01:02:52
I was always fully aware of that, and I've made the crossing from both Newcastle and Hull in the past. I never used the Portsmouth crossing, always preferring the Dunkirk route.
On the other hand, travelling through Scotland and N.England is a lot easier.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
I always factor in the road miles(fuel costs)/drive time when looking at channel crossings. I might save on a Dover crossing over a Portsmouth crossing fare, but that's near wiped out by additional fuel/food/stopover costs, and the hours of extra driving time are a big disincentive too!
Balancing TOTAL crossing costs is more complex than simply opting for cheapest ferry fare.
Newhaven-Dieppe fares are very appealing, and not a lot of difference in road miles for me, BUT sailing times don't work as well as Portsmouth times for me.
Nobody I know pays cross channel ferry fares for car and caravan these days. Every one of my family, friends, colleagues and neighbours uses a budget airline if they are going overseas these days. They fly and rent. Every one of them.
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the ferries probably are not good for people happy to go for two or even three weeks and are happy to be in one place, where the ferries win is for those who wish to tour and spend maybe 10 or 12 weeks as the saying goes horses for courses
Not many 'Budget' airlines are cheap or fly to places you might like to go, but for short / medium breaks flying can be a good way to go.
In recent months we've flown to Norway from our nearest airport at Aberdeen with the Norwegian carrier, Wideroe. Their service is first class. On our last flight, we were sitting near the rear of the aircraft and I could hear a clicking noise behind me. Looking round, I was surprised to see the two flight attendants sitting knitting. That's the first time that's happened.
I don't think there are direct sea routes to Norway.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
Do they really? Do none of them want to tour then? We don't take the caravan abroad any more, but when we did, the whole purpose was to see as much of different areas as possible.
Quote: Originally posted by Netherton on 15/2/2025
Nobody I know pays cross channel ferry fares for car and caravan these days. Every one of my family, friends, colleagues and neighbours uses a budget airline if they are going overseas these days. They fly and rent. Every one of them.
Yet to actually take my caravan to France, but every year we (a crowd of friends) look at our options (for camping - Hotels/renting are totally out of the question for our destination of Le mans 24 Hour motor race! - you'd have to book 2-3 years, or more, in advance to find a vacancy within reasonable distance of the circuit, we did it many years ago and DON'T want to do it again!), and see if the caravan makes sense (both financial and accommodation wise). It makes some sense with shower, toilet and full kitchen on board, but inevitably the costs don't work out well compared with a tent! We also look at hiring a MH and taking that.
So YES, taking the caravan to France is a possibility! If I were going with a partner on an ordinary holiday, as opposed to a group of mates to a motor race, I wouldn't think twice about doing it, and the cost would be less of an obstacle!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Ferry / Tunnel costs
via mobile 12/2/2025 at 12:47pm
