I am hoping to take all the camping gear to France in a trailer next year (two young children have arrived since our last French camping trip!) and have been investigating ferry prices.
P&O Dover to Calais in July is currently quoted at £163 return for car only, but £475 for car and a small trailer. How on earth can they justify charging three times the fare for taking a trailer? It doesn't take up the space of three cars!
Does anyone have any recommendations for the most trailer friendly ferry operator, regarding price? I need to leave Dover around 8am and return from France about lunchtime so can't take advantage of the middle of the night offers.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
you can get trailer free if you go in the early hours of the morning , otherwise at the times you are wanting to go you will get mullered on the price im afraid.
try speedferries.com , believe they will take trailers next year..
In may we went with p&o dover to calais, car&trailer 5am sail we booked it at christmas and paid £164 got the free trailer offer cause of the early morning sail . the advantage of the early sail is when traveling down to dover the kids sleep and you have not got that constant question ARE WE THERE YET? our sail home was 12.30pm
wardy
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Thanks for your replies. I emailed P&O to ask how they justified this huge surcharge for a tiny trailer. I got no reply to this but they did point out that trailers are covered by their "caravans go free" offer. That's fine for the outward journey but not much good for the return.
I will try Speedferries - thanks for the tip. Their pricing policy seems very fair. Interesting to read the stuff on their website about their legal action against ferry operators and allegations of dirty tricks etc.
PS I've only just discovered this website. Can I say what a fantastic site it is. These message boards are so full of helpful, friendly people offering advice. I shall be a regular visitor from now on!
Hi just got back from France they charged me an extra 36 pounds sterling for the trailer and specified that it must be three metres or under including the tpw bar. I decided to risk mine at 3.4 metres and play igmorent if stopped but no probs. at no time did anyone ask about the trailer, They were so busy getting us all loaded in the short turn round time. (we went sea cat). We booked on line. I think you shouls shop around. It also made a big difference 'cause we were willing to travel at aukward times IE 7.30 out and16.30 home. but coming home we arived early and they shoved us straight on an earlier one. Great service too. they asked if we needed help with the wheelchairs and put us on first so that we could get off first, even fetched our drinks etc for us on board.
we also told them that two of the party were disabled (the reason for the trailer with two electric wheelcjhairs on) and they put us on priority in front of the first class passengers so that we were near to the stairs and first off at the other end.The even offered to supply wheelchairs and push us on and they would load our vehiucle if necessary. couldn't fault them or the loaDERS FOR THEIR SERVICE AND HELP
Just got a quote for my dates in July 2005 with Speedferries. £88 return! That beats P&O's £450 and it's an outward crossing at 0745 and return 1400. Speedferries told me that as long as the combined length is less than 7m, total height less than 2.9m and width less than 2m, then any car + trailer is OK. This would even include a roofbox or bikes on the roof.
I travelled Dover Calais in the peak time of July August this year. left Dover at 7.45am on 22nd July and returned 13th August on the 12.30pm from calais
Cost was so reasonable for a car and 6 metre caravan that I can't recall exactly what I paid. but it was about £135 on P&O.
The price you are quoting AndyR is the regular return fare. As others have suggested shop around on the internet and look out for cheap offers in the press. I checked the Internet and initially only got offered very early morning (a No! No! with v. young children) but then went via the caravan club who were able to offer me the cheap rate but at more reasonable times.
Hope this helps
john Henry
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
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: Price of trailers on ferries
