I would love to do this crossing again, back in the 60's it was a 8 hour crossing, and I can still remember my Dad's A30, being slung into the hold by a crane, no Ro'Ro back in those days.
Today though it's a 4 hour crossing, and would save me 250 miles overall, instead of going Dover, although in my car that is only a £30 saving, and no time saved.
But it's the cost, Car+Trailer is £280 return in July, compared to the £68 return I pay with DFDS (NorfolkLine) for a Dover - Dunkerque crossing.
Do Transmarch ever do offers, or is it a case, that they just have the monopoly, and the Newhaven - Dieppe crossing, of which there are only 2 per day in any case?.
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Dover will always be the cheapest crossing ...
You have to trade off what value you put on the extra driving time ...
Fuel alone won't make up the difference ... even adding some 'wear and tear' depreciation and proportion of insurance / road tax is unlikely to put you near the actual crossing cost.
Also depends on where you are heading after landing in France ... if going 'left' to Holland/Belgium/Germany/East France ... then the Dover crossing starts to look like very good value ...
If you are heading south-west ... then Dieppe comes into its own.
Horses for courses?
Newhaven - Dieppe, would suit me for getting down to the Southern Ardeche, or even the Tarn.
Of course using Newhaven - Dieppe, would place me well, for using the almost none Toll route, as advised by Val on here.
The none Toll route, would suit me, as we do 2 overnights in France, on our journey South, so allowing for that saving, some £100 and the fuel, would make the Newhaven crossing, £150, still more than double, what I am used to paying for a ferry crossing, but worth considering.
We used to use Newhaven/Dieppe too - and it seemed no sooner were you off the boat than you were going through Rouen.
Sadly, these days, it seems that only DFDS do seriously good offers. At one time (when there were four operators from Dover) P and O also had some reasonably cheap deals - but none of the longer crossings can offer anything like the savings. I suppose that when you're only paying £58 - even a half price offer on a £280 return seems expensive!
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I'm going Rosslare/Cherbourg this year with Celtic Link. Got that for 386 euros return ... as it's an overnight (16 hour) crossing, that's not bad.
The alternative is ferry to UK (Cairnryan/Liverpool/Holyhead/Fishguard) and then drive to Dover for another ferry.
That is a lot of driving and ferry costs of at least £252.
Has the catamaran from Newhaven gone completely then. I vaguely remember seeing an ad for it in a local rag - ran in the summer only and much faster and cheaper than the ferry. Despite Newhaven only being about 20 minutes from here it is the cost and the time that has stopped me using it so far.
------------- pork
Remember a good wife always helps her husband with the dishes.
Plans have recently been submitted for a substantial redevelopment of the harbour at Newhaven. One of the reasons given for the application is to encourage extra traffic on the Newhaven - Dieppe route.
Hopefully that may lead to a decision to re-introduce the catamaran.
Weve used the Newhaven Dieppe route on several occasions. It reduces the M25 run and gets you off to a flyer rather than the remoteness of Calais to much of France. Were using this route in May and there are decent deals to be had - £169 return for car/passengers. The Transmanche seven sisters Ferry is handsome too.
Francais, I see you're also from the north west. Dont forget to add in your mileage savings in the UK - probably 60 odd in total. On balance we will continue to use this route due to the extra convenience. It may be though that the price difference is less with cars/campers than with caravans.
Post last edited on 10/01/2012 20:32:01
------------- John
May/June.....France
Aug.......somewhere else in France
That's the rub, the Trailer takes the cost to £280 return in July, so no way can that compete with DFDS £68 even alowing for any mileage saving.
Even going the non Toll road route in France, does not offer up enough saving for the Newhaven - Dieppe crossing to be worthwhile, I am not ruling it out though, as it would save me doing the M25 and Dartford crossing bit.
At the end of the day, if I was to do Newhaven, it would be more for nostalgic reasons, than for financial.
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: Newhaven - Dieppe
