Charles Chodkowski Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 We have allways used Norfolk Line for our Channel crossings but the prices for 2010 seemed to have doubled since last year. For 2009 we booked late 2008 via the Caravan Club website but as yet the Caravan Club have no special offers for Norfolk Line in 2010. We thouight we might try the Euro Tunnel and use some of our Tesco Vouchers. Can anyone explain how we go about doing this and can we do it over the internet? We normally travel down to Dover arriving about 8.30pm overnight by the Marina and catch the 8.00am ferry the next morning, is there any where that one can overnight by Euro Tunnel ready for a moring crossing or is it better to cross and overnight on the otherside? HAPPY NEW YEAR To all readers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 You can overnight on the eurotunnel car park which you will have to pass once you have passed their check in kiosks, It is very safe and fairly quiet. On eurotunnel you can catch a train at whatever time you get there even if you arrive early or late, they are very laid back about this. Dont know anything about the Tesco vouchers though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickt Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 Re Tesco vouchers go www.tesco.com/clubcard and follow instructions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 Syd - 2009-12-27 5:43 PM You can overnight on the eurotunnel car park which you will have to pass once you have passed their check in kiosks, It is very safe and fairly quiet. On eurotunnel you can catch a train at whatever time you get there even if you arrive early or late, they are very laid back about this. Dont know anything about the Tesco vouchers though. How long have you been able to do this, last time I tried would not let in unless train left within next two hours, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 Mr Mod - Any chance of making this a 'sticky' as this question comes up time and time again. Charles - the following is an 'edited' version of what I posted a few weeks ago - to find out the full gen you need go to the Tesco website: http://www.tesco.com/clubcard/deals/browse.aspx?N=4294967191 Basically: A: You CANNOT book the crossing on line. B: If you have a dog/cat who you want to take with you on Eurotunnel etc, you can't use the vouchers to cover the cost for their crossing, you have to pay for them normally I'm afraid. C: You can only use your OWN Clubcard vouchers as they now come with your name on so you can't 'buy' some from somewhere else (like eBay) and use those, same goes for the Eurotunnel voucers. Other than that, it's fairly straightforward: For example, for a Eurotunnel crossing this is what happens (from memory - it's been a while since I did any!): 1) You go on line to Eurotunnel and see how much a crossing would cost you for when you want it. 2) You then go to the Tesco site and find the Eurotunnel page and put in the details of the Clubcard vouchers which you wish to redeem (in multiples of £2.50). 3) You will then receive through the post a few days later the Eurotunnel vouchers. 4) You then go back onto the Eurotunnel site and check the cost then you RING Eurotunnel and make the booking direct and tell them that you are wanting to use your Clubcard vouchers - you CANNOT do the booking on line. 5) They'll then ask you for the unique ID numbers of each one of your Eurotunnel vouchers, and once you've done that you'll have to pay any outstanding amount with your credit or debit card (it's never exact!), they'll also give you your 'partial' booking reference (usually with 3 or 4 digits missing). 6) As soon as you've done this you have to send in your vouchers to Eurotunnel so that they receive them within 5 days I believe. It's best to do this by special delivery so that you can insure them at their 'exchange' value, ie 4 times the face value, don't use recorded delivery it's not the same and doesn't have the same cover. 7) Once they have received your vouchers, you then eventually get an email to confirm your bookings with your full booking number on which you must keep safe as you'll need it when booking in (both outward and return journeys). You don't have to use all of your vouchers in one go though, if you have, say a couple of vouchers for £20.00 which equal £160 in Eurotunnel vouchers, but the trip will only cost £120, you can exchange your Clubcard vouchers for Eurotunnel vouchers up the value you need, the remaining voucher value is then credited back to your Tesco Clubcard account so you can use them in the future. This is a good way of actually extending the 'life' of your Clubcard vouchers. We recently converted a load of Clubcard vouchers for Eurotunnel vouchers and, despite having the right denominations to do a pretty exact price exchange value, we also had 2 vouchers for a higher value but which were due to expire soonest, so we used them and the extra value (£20) has been put back into our account. We haven't used them against a Eurotunnel booking yet as we're not sure when we'll be going but you have 6 months before you have to redeem your Eurotunnel vouchers from initially getting them so there's plenty of time. Also, if you find that you need more Eurotunnel vouchers than you've already got, you can soon get more by redeeming more Clubcard vouchers on the Tesco site as they send them out in the post free of charge. You can also book more than one trip with Eurotunnel at a time so that you can save on the postage cost of sending in the Eurotunnel vounchers - just make sure that the post insurance limit covers the 4x face value of the vouchers. If you have any questions, feel free to ask or PM me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 rupert123 - 2009-12-27 6:17 PM Syd - 2009-12-27 5:43 PM You can overnight on the eurotunnel car park which you will have to pass once you have passed their check in kiosks, It is very safe and fairly quiet. On eurotunnel you can catch a train at whatever time you get there even if you arrive early or late, they are very laid back about this. Dont know anything about the Tesco vouchers though. How long have you been able to do this, last time I tried would not let in unless train left within next two hours, Hi Rupert We have always done this so it must be at least two years, this last time, November 23rd, we were about 12 hours early, straight through no problem. Is this unusual, are we just lucky ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 Syd - 2009-12-27 6:42 PM rupert123 - 2009-12-27 6:17 PM Syd - 2009-12-27 5:43 PM You can overnight on the eurotunnel car park which you will have to pass once you have passed their check in kiosks, It is very safe and fairly quiet. On eurotunnel you can catch a train at whatever time you get there even if you arrive early or late, they are very laid back about this. Dont know anything about the Tesco vouchers though. How long have you been able to do this, last time I tried would not let in unless train left within next two hours, Hi Rupert We have always done this so it must be at least two years, this last time, November 23rd, we were about 12 hours early, straight through no problem. Is this unusual, are we just lucky ?? Sorry Syd did not make myself clear. I was refering to the bit about staying overnight in the carpark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Hi. On our last return journey, we left Dinan at about 21.00 hours, having decided that we were too up-tight to get any sleep before leaving, so better to kip in the car, in tunnel car-park. We stopped for fuel mid way. Pumps were open, cafe wasn't. We had no change for vending machines. Actually, we didn't need to stop, but the car (Discovery + trailer) was new to us, and the fuel guage wasn't working. It still isn't, but we have since found by brimming the tank, and resetting the odometer, we are OK for 400 miles at least. I am not aware of exceeding any speed limits. We arrived in Calais at about 3.30 hours. went to check-in the dog. It took about 20 minutes for the vet (?) to appear. Looked a bit bleary eyed. Another dog arrived as she was processing ours. You cannot get into the terminal until your dog has been checked in, so your first stop is the vets car-park. I didn't see anybody counting the cars in that carpark (hint?) Then we went for a cup of coffee. Bloke behind counter (manager?) said we were only allowed to park in car-park for two hours. Car park is dark and empty. We saw a security car driving around, but they came nowhere near us, nor any of the other cars parked there. Maybe we were travelling out of season, so no problems with parking spaces? Anyway, we dozed in the car until various lights told us it was time to move. We caught the first train of the day, and hit the M25 before it got busy. Our next problem was how to waste time, so that we didn't arrive at our daughter's house (Milton Keynes) too early, and thus make her late for work. All in all, a very smooth and relaxed journey, with scarcely another car seen in about 300 miles thru France. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philjp Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I travel through the euro tunnel regular. I have been booked on earlier trains if space available. During peak hours and seasons they will offer you an earlier booking at an extra cost, as to overnight stop in carpark we have been told No. We have asked why because it as been stated on the web that people have stayed overnight. THe Answer, it should not Happen as it against regulations.So i usally stop around Ashford or omn the marina in Dover When taking the motor home. If i am driving My car then we make sure we arrive within the alloted time 2 hours before departure .See the booking terms for your ticket. I travel through the tunnel at least 20 times a year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I have never overnighted in their car park but have talked to people who have, We have stopped for a meal and a good nap, say 4 hours, before going through for a train. I have never seen anyone checking on cars, motorhomes or busses The tunnel documentation clearly states that they know that you cannot always judge your arrival times easilly and hence they have ALWAYS let us through. We travel out and back with them at three times a year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 We usually book our tunnel crossing for about 7.00pm in the evening, and leave Tees-side 9ish stopping at Peterborough for a break and something to eat, then make for the Tunnel you are excepted to cross a couple of hours either way without charges, so we take the next available train and get to the other side in plenty of time to find somewhere to stop, last year it was Le-Porter!! (I think that was it) but there is plenty of choice the other side, much better than shelling out £12+ at the C.C. site just to park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 We have also travelled regularly from Cleveland to the Tunnel and sometimes stay overnight at the Canterbury Park and Ride which has facilities for motorhomes - £2.50 per night with fresh/waste water facilities and travel for up to six passengers into Canterbury thrown in! See this page for more details: http://www.motorhomeparking.co.uk/ken.htm#cant David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter lambert Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 We were told that you cannot overnight in the car-park at the Tunnel. Last year, we found a nice pub with restaurant a few miles from the Tunnel which was happy for us to stay the night in their car-park as long as we had a meal. It was a nice way to start a holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ina Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Syd - 2009-12-27 5:43 PM You can overnight on the eurotunnel car park which you will have to pass once you have passed their check in kiosks, It is very safe and fairly quiet. On eurotunnel you can catch a train at whatever time you get there even if you arrive early or late, they are very laid back about this. Not our experience, we've travelled with them for the last 4 years, at least twice a year. Last time we went from Folkestone, we were booked at 16.20, arrived just after 13.00, were offered an earlier crossing for £134, and refused that. We then HAD to leave, the machine printed a hanger for on the windscreen, and we were told via the intercom which way the exit was, there was no option of checking in for a later crossing and going onto the car park. Don't understand how it all works, is it due to whoever is in control at the time? However, when we have arrived within 2 hours of the booked departure time, we have always got on an earlier train. Ina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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