I did a comparison of crossings on the same dates in July and return in October (our likely plans in 2023) for a solo car, two adults, and a pet - and then the same journey with a caravan and these are the results:
Irish Ferries £172 (*£432 with caravan)
P&O £203 (*£462.50 with caravan).
Eurotunnel £218 (*£481 with caravan)
DFDS Newhaven to Dieppe £124 (*£288 with caravan, with cabin each way)**
That's two adults, same dates, approx same times (except DFDS), one pet, standard car. *Price in brackets are including a caravan. All journeys are selecting the cheapest option for a particular time.
**Now that has got to be a bargain! But the same trip can be had for £150 with caravan if you choose not to have a cabin
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Did a similar exercise for car vs MH a few months back for June 2023, the price variations were alarming, and ET just couldn't hack it any way I tried!
For us the BF PO-Caen overnight crossing came out the most convenient on timings (as it always does), and even factoring in the high cost, it wasn't the most outrageous crossing bill when you factored in need for a hotels/campsites at some point on all other crossings.
DFDS was the cheapest by far, but not the most convenient in the grander scheme of the whole journey, but a worthy contender. If they did slower overnight crossings where we got a decent few hours sleep, they'd get our business, the 4 hours(ish) as is, is just not enough sleep, we've done it once and it left us too tired and it took days to recover. When you factor in the over 60's discount, DFDS fares are unbelievably cheap.
Done the overnight PO-Caen crossings a few times without a cabin when none available (using the enforced couch alternative) and it was grim. Best thing we did was this year we crashed on a bench seat in the bar instead of occupying our paid for couch, far quieter, far more comfortable, almost a decent nights sleep.
I posted a similar message last year but I did a comparison between motorhomes and car and caravans. I queried the price with the Caravan Club and was told that the ferries now have a different system of pricing. Instead of charging a price for the car and caravan they now charge for the car and caravan separately. Even though the connected car/caravan is the same length as a motorhome, the price for a car/caravan is a lot more expensive than the motorhome. I appreciate that like us motorists the ferry companies must be paying a lot more for their fuel but, in my opinion like a lot of companies they are trying to recuperate the money they lost during Covid.
We normally go Dover Calais but this year we are going Newhaven Dieppe, I have saved on ferry fares plus I have saved 200 miles on return mileage to Spain. With the cheaper ferry plus less mileage I will save about £200.00 and that is travelling around midday both ways.
I compared a few for August (5.5m car plus 7.6m caravan for 2 adults and 1 child) BF (Poole - Cherbourg) and P&O (Dover - Calais) were both similar costs, which I've found BF usually quite a bit more expensive, I also don't usually like Poole - Cherbourg as the family are always affected by motion sickness on that route (but not Dover - Calais).
The biggest reasons I've chosen Cherbourg is the travel to our first site (Pontorson) is only around 100 miles away and the confusion and queues that I think EES will cause at Dover
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Quote: Originally posted by roy gallafant on 10/12/2022
I posted a similar message last year but I did a comparison between motorhomes and car and caravans. I queried the price with the Caravan Club and was told that the ferries now have a different system of pricing. Instead of charging a price for the car and caravan they now charge for the car and caravan separately. Even though the connected car/caravan is the same length as a motorhome, the price for a car/caravan is a lot more expensive than the motorhome. I appreciate that like us motorists the ferry companies must be paying a lot more for their fuel but, in my opinion like a lot of companies they are trying to recuperate the money they lost during Covid.
We normally go Dover Calais but this year we are going Newhaven Dieppe, I have saved on ferry fares plus I have saved 200 miles on return mileage to Spain. With the cheaper ferry plus less mileage I will save about £200.00 and that is travelling around midday both ways.
Whilst the end result is the same-a higher price-fares for BF via the caravan club were often on a 'caravan goes free' rate.
If I was heading for Pontorson I would consider the route to Caen-overnight to avoid the mal de mer and daytime to avoid the higher price!
i have been looking at the ferries for next summer.
travel costs, for the school holidays, in 2023 are absolutely extortionate.
we often fly to spain in the May holidays with the likes of easyjet and ryanair. usually the price for 2 adults and 2 children to fly to gibraltar as around £1200. if we were to fly saturday to sunday during the school holidays the flights would cost £2400 and using Jet 2 birmingham to malaga was £3200. thats a flight only. interestingly a jet 2 package holiday to gran canaria could be had for £1200 for the same week.
anyway, to get the fare anywhere near reasonable at £1400 we are returning 2 days later so my children will miss 2 days of school.
anyway back to ferries. right now portsmouth-caen return in august is looking like £950, cabin one way daytime crossing back. i think this is a lot for a ferry crossing. for the same outfit and crossings, in the summer holidays, i paid under £700 in the past.
obviously for those of you who can travel outside of the school holidays its very much cheaper.
i am still unsure what my family want to in august 2023. i quite fancy going to the rhone alps or even Holland,germany or switzerland but i am not sure if they would appreciate mountains instead of sea or less than optimal weather. the ferry route is dependant on where we would go.
------------- First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara
The thing I find worst about it is that I get 25% discount on P&O through ATOC, never had a problem getting the discount until last year but this year is the same, the discount just isn't available on summer holiday ferries, hence another reason not to use them, also checked prices with Eurotunnel (as they are now available), again it came out at around £600
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I think the problem is the costs of crossings during school holidays. You don’t seem to see any discussion about the high prices of crossings on FB groups but most of the contributors don’t have school age children. My sister is a teacher in a private school and often her holiday ls are out of sync with the state schools so she can travel mid week to mid week and can usually save hundreds on flights but this may she is stuck with Saturday to Sunday and the flight prices are crazy.
I was looking at going to Holland with the caravan instead of Spain in may but the tunnel was a crazy price. It was more expensive than the western crossings. Similarly the dover Calais ferries were really expensive. Newhaven dieppe is cheap but for me it’s a real pain to get to new haven. I remember going new haven to dieppe in the early 80s with my parents, they had a mini estate, from the Midlands it must have been an epic journey.
------------- First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara
Quote: Originally posted by Baileyjake on 18/12/2022
I think the problem is the costs of crossings during school holidays. You don’t seem to see any discussion about the high prices of crossings on FB groups but most of the contributors don’t have school age children. My sister is a teacher in a private school and often her holiday ls are out of sync with the state schools so she can travel mid week to mid week and can usually save hundreds on flights but this may she is stuck with Saturday to Sunday and the flight prices are crazy.
I was looking at going to Holland with the caravan instead of Spain in may but the tunnel was a crazy price. It was more expensive than the western crossings. Similarly the dover Calais ferries were really expensive. Newhaven dieppe is cheap but for me it’s a real pain to get to new haven. I remember going new haven to dieppe in the early 80s with my parents, they had a mini estate, from the Midlands it must have been an epic journey.
Have a look at Harwich-Hook. This year it was much cheaper than others, except maybe Newhaven, as it was when we use£ it previously.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Crossing comparisons - July/October
via mobile 12/12/2022 at 9:29am
