A bit of a long shot, is it possible to get reasonably priced crossing with a car to st malo from Portsmouth, in the peak of summer.
Cheapest I've seen is around £650 return.
Also I'd like to write a review of my 1st camping/euro trip from last year, where would be a good place to post this, total camping virgins so it would be a good read for 1st time campers
Thanks in advance
Ronnie.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Booked ours last year for the 19/07 outward crossing to St Malo, car, 2 adults, outside cabin, return via the fast boat Cherbourg to Portsmouth 03/08, £612.
Be interested to see your review. If it's generally about the holiday, I'd post it in the section relevant to your unit, tent, caravan etc. If it's a site review, post it in the site section.
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it
If you have some air miles, you may be able to use them to reduce the cost. I believe that Brittany Ferries accept Avios, although you will need to book through them
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Day time crossings to Caen are cheaper than the overnight to St Malo. We are paying £288 return late June out and back late July, but it zooms up for school holidays.
As to the eastern (cheaper) crossing versus St Malo, much depends on your starting point, need for overnighters, destination, attitude to driving, cost, and time.
If your preference is for a overnight western crossing - you can save with a reserved seat instead of a cabin.
Apparently, there's special prices on offer at various shows, if you're flexible. We never seem to see them, and in any case, have to tie in with the wife's work holidays.
If we were both retired, were caravanners and not tenters, and had the time, we'd probably go Dover-Calais and chase the sun. But we're not, so we don't.
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it
Prague May/Jun 2017
Lake Annecy Aug 2017
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
If you look at the Camping Cheques website you may be able to get a discounted crossing by buying some Camping Cheques. Sometimes this can save a substantial amount more than the additional cost of the Camping Cheques, and then you can either use the Camping Cheques towards your site fees if the site accepts them, or sell them on forums such as this one.
The Caravan Club offers the same discounts but only to members.
However, if you want a really cheap deal then DFDS and the Caravan Club make some really good offers for the short crossings from Dover around the time of the Caravan Shows in mid October and February.
"Our" crossing (Plymouth-Roscoff Out 31st May Back 30th June) has gone from £250 to £400 in recent weeks with no discount for buying Cheques at the same time via the Caravan Club.
I guess that means loads of you out there will be joining me as the season gets under way.
As Val indicates, the best time to buy ferry tickets is via the Shows in the dark days of winter.
As soon as the Co.s get a whiff of business in the Spring, whoooosh, up the prices go.
------------- How come when some people visit the fountain of knowledge, they only gargle!!!
For the past couple of years, I have been using the Poole Cherbourg crossing on the fast cat, which costs around £350 in school holidays. However, this year the fast cat is no longer in service and the other crossings on Brittany Ferries are around £600. I will be taking the Newhaven Dieppe crossing, which is around £300 return with a Trailer Tent.
It is not so convenient, as I prefer to drive down to Spain via the west coast of France - the roads are much less conjested and the drive more relaxing. However, Dieppe is far more convenient than Calais and Newhaven much more convienent than Dover, so although the crossing is an extra £150, it is worth it.
Much depends on where you start and where you finish, setting out from North Cheshire area makes little difference as to how we exit the country .. Ignoring the Hull Zeebrugge. Car and caravan and 4 out on a Sunday and return on a Sunday midday both August, 4 weeks apart, for £69.00, booked in gloomy November, is going to take me an awful lot of convincing to anything but Dover Calais except maybe Dover Dunkirk ..Yes the journey to and from Dover is not great but not sure it would be much better to Portsmouth. This year Dover was an easy choice particularly we are easy for Disney... Though every year for some inane reason when booking I always check the Malo and even the Spanish ports but always end up with that feeling the white cliffs are behind me...
------------- Mark
Uttoxeter (Race days)
Le Serignan Plage (clothed one) August and Scheveningen on way back
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
If you book with one of the DFDS show offers you'd have paid only £58.00 return for car and caravan in low season, and £78.00 in high season.
Just another thought to throw into the mix - if you've a long journey to Portsmouth you may need to factor in an overnight in order to make sure you catch the ferry. We nearly missed it - and so now we use Dover where 'there's another along in a minute'!
Look at Condor Portsmouth to Cherbourg and return Sunday only service. We got a cracking deal for the last week in June (£160 return with our motorhome)
Quote: Originally posted by emmitdb on 01/5/2013
Greetings,
"Our" crossing (Plymouth-Roscoff Out 31st May Back 30th June) has gone from £250 to £400 in recent weeks with no discount for buying Cheques at the same time via the Caravan Club.
I guess that means loads of you out there will be joining me as the season gets under way.
As Val indicates, the best time to buy ferry tickets is via the Shows in the dark days of winter.
As soon as the Co.s get a whiff of business in the Spring, whoooosh, up the prices go.
The above is what I said on 1st May.
What a difference three weeks makes!!!
Just been on line and the net price (taking off the 7 camping cheques) has reduced the return trip back down to a ball park £250.
It just shows, there are bargains to be had.j
------------- How come when some people visit the fountain of knowledge, they only gargle!!!
We live in Poole and have been shocked at the higher prices this year. We have previously taken the fast cat for around £450 Poole/Cherbourg but have shopped around this year as it was looking like £670 for the regular ferry when we want to go in August
Have managed to get BF Poole/Cherbourg ferry for £259 and DFDS Le Harvre/ Portsmouth for £179 total £438 .... Much more like it. It's worth shopping around for the different routes, out of Poole is much cheaper Monday to Thursday
Good Luck
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Topic: ferry crossings
