We have just travelled on Speedferries and won't be doing so again! The crossing (on 2nd July) was very rough and both adults and children were being seasick and it wasn't possible to walk across the vessel without holding on to tables etc. This was despite the vessel supposedly running on reduced power as one engine was out of action. We have two small children (2 and 4) and there is only a very tiny children's play space on board - they'd exhausted the possibilities of this before we even left Dover. Oh, and it was an hour late leaving, although the Speedferries check-in staff didn't warn us of this when we arrived - try spending 90 minutes with two young children on the dock side! Cars are packed in so close that passengers have to get off before you park, or you can't open the car doors - again, difficult with young children. In all, it was the crossing from hell. We returned P&O Calais to Dover and certainly will not be using catamarans again!
Quote: Originally posted by Andy R on 20/07/2005
We have just travelled on Speedferries and won't be doing so again! The crossing (on 2nd July) was very rough and both adults and children were being seasick and it wasn't possible to walk across the vessel without holding on to tables etc. This was despite the vessel supposedly running on reduced power as one engine was out of action. We have two small children (2 and 4) and there is only a very tiny children's play space on board - they'd exhausted the possibilities of this before we even left Dover. Oh, and it was an hour late leaving, although the Speedferries check-in staff didn't warn us of this when we arrived - try spending 90 minutes with two young children on the dock side! Cars are packed in so close that passengers have to get off before you park, or you can't open the car doors - again, difficult with young children. In all, it was the crossing from hell. We returned P&O Calais to Dover and certainly will not be using catamarans again!
There's another thread going on here about these fast craft - and I have to say that I agree with you. As I said on there, once was enough - and I wouldn't risk taking my kids on one, particularly the long crossings. Unfortunately I went Portsmouth to Cherbourg (I think! It was a while ago) with some friends and it was a dreadful trip both ways, even though the weather was not bad.
There's no way that we would book such a crossing with the kids ...... so, it has to be overnight on the ferries, so the kids sleep through the crossing, or the tunnel for us.
The problem is the corkscrewing motion as the vessel get chucked around in high seas (whereas conventional ships just hammer through the waves). In calm weather the're great, in rough I'd avoid them. At this time of the year the odds are with you!
oh, and by the way, I think you'll find they've opened a shop service now
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Thems the breaks with fastcrafts. We took a P+O one last year and were directed to the general seating by mistake ( we'd booked club class both ways after being led to believe we had to by eurocamp independent)£100 extra!!!( £10 each each way)
BUT if I was going on a fastcraft and could afford it i would book club class again becuase we sat in it on the way back and there was loads of room for the kids to move about. If It was just myself and hubby going then I;ld definitely book club class again. I wouldnt go general seating on a fastcraft again though. It wasnt a nice experience. top deck( general seats) were rough as they felt the pitch and roll more and we were seated right next to a catering place doing bacon( not great when you have a seasick child)
For me if its a choice it will be club class fastcraft or general ferry or eurotunnel. fastcraft was good but not in the general seating no room to move, you cant really 'escape' anywhere for air etc
Nicky1, I'm not sure if it's too late for you but I did exactly the same as you have done, booked with Speedferries months ago and then realised that for my June trip I was going to have to take a roof box to get everything in. I spent three days trying to ring SpeedFerries and spent hours on hold before having other things to do.
Ultimately we turned up on the Saturday morning with the roof box on and they checked us in with it no probs at all and the same coming back 10 days later.
Hopefully you should get the same treatment - i guess the problem is that they can only put "higher" vehicles in certain places on the vessel and this time of year there are now so many cars with roof boxes and bikes that it might be more difficult then when we travelled in June.
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: Speedferries -no "duty free"
)£100 extra!!!( £10 each each way)
