nowtelse2do Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 There will still be three options to choose from if they go under and are not taken over, so still competition, but I think there will be a big price rise. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 sooty10 - 2011-10-25 4:22 PM I am with Tracker on this one. It's not that we can't afford the Costa Fortune or even Megabucks, just don't think it value for money. We have bought meals on board in the past but decided the price charged and quality of food do not match up. Only on board for a couple of hours so we do as Tracker does. Sooty Me too. Usually pop into Tesco at Ashford on route to Dover and buy a couple of pastries and then make a flask of coffee after checking in. As with low cost airlines, it's those who pay silly prices for on board catering that subsidise the low prices the rest of us pay. Long may they continue to do so!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 We always stop at Ted's diner on the A20 lay-by, always found it value for money, and only had a bad bout of e-coli poisioning twice,and Salmonella once,but I just put that down to bad luck. :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 rolandrat - 2011-10-25 5:02 PM It doesn't seem all that long ago when Townson Thoronson was on the Dover Zeebrugge run and one of the ships sank whilst leaving the port. They were orange and green in colour. Doesn't seem it but I think you'll find it was a long time ago-1987 if my memory serves me correctly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Ted should give you a discount for the positive publicity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Am I that old? 1987. I used to be on the Anisaldehyde run to Liege in those days. Fortunately I wasn't on the ill fated ferry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 rolandrat - 2011-10-25 5:33 PM Am I that old? 1987. I used to be on the Anisaldehyde run to Liege in those days. Fortunately I wasn't on the ill fated ferry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 LordThornber - 2011-10-25 2:46 PM The clue Rich is there in the sentence, van facilities. You may use all your own cooking facilities whilst on holiday - but we don't. We eat out and in. I'm not in the van whilst on a boat, I don't want to be making and carrying refreshments, be them large, small or just bottles of water. We are not people who "manage" or "make do" , we have what we want. When we want it too. As for substandard refreshments and silly prices, I didn't have you down as a Costa Coffee user at all. You must have had a bad experience as mine have always been positive, you (usually) get what you pay for. I've used our new outlet in town today, as ever, superb quality coffee in a lovely comfortable setting. Costa is an excellent brand producing excellent coffee, that's why we patronise them. The price is irrelevant to me if I enjoy it and is value for money. Martyn Some interesting points Martyn. Whether at home or away we too will eat in or out depending on our whim and circumstances at the time. Sometimes at home we would like to eat out but it is easier to eat in and sometimes vice versa and so it is with the van and we, like many others it seems, find it easier to avoid variable food and poncy coffee on ferries! Unlike you we don't rave about Costalot Coffee which does not mean we are just 'managing'. We too are not budget bound and I will ignore your uncalled for jibe about 'making do'. We just don't see Costalot coffe as that wonderful in the grand scheme of things and we 'manage' our time and budget very well - but to suit our needs. We too expect vfm and we too place this above actual costs, but on this occasion and whilst I grant you that these poncy coffee shops do seem to be a money maker for their franchisees, I suspect that it has more to do with perceived fashion by the brand worshippers than the quality of the refreshments. I really can't say that I regard a coffee on a ferry as a gastronomical treat in superb surroundings as I see it of more of a boredom reliever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted October 25, 2011 Author Share Posted October 25, 2011 derek500 - 2011-10-25 5:06 PM Usually pop into Tesco at Ashford on route to Dover and buy a couple of pastries and then make a flask of coffee after checking in. As with low cost airlines, it's those who pay silly prices for on board catering that subsidise the low prices the rest of us pay. Long may they continue to do so!! Absolutely, at least we have the opportunity to sit away from folk with, I can hardly believe I'm typing this, flasks. Flasks. Priceless. I can just picture it, getting the Tesco bag out with a couple of plastic cups inside to pour the Tesco instant into. Please let me be able to continue to pay for overpriced coffee as long as I can. Flasks. Noooooooooooooooo, just plain wrong, ok up mountains but not in 2011 on a modern ship. Oh well usual rules applies, each to their own zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Good post Rich, I think Martyn must live on a different planet to the rest of us!! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antony1969 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Is there a Poundland on board Martyn ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 How very odd that some people can come out with indignation at the mention of a flask, but presumably have no issue doing as we all do,emptying our plastic boxes of s**t. Or perhaps they are too high and mighty for that either. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 We Like the Ferry Crossing,s we like the relaxing time on board, have sailed on all three Dover carriers. This year in May were went with DFDS as the price was so low, were retired so not in a hurry to go anywhere, the 2 hour crossing was very Pleasant , queue for Lunch was not too long , Dunkirk port exit doesn't seem such a race track as Calais , on our Return a month Later we arrived Early as it had been really windy the night before, but no hassle from DFDS staff they put us on the earlier crossing, we did have as did others a full interior/external check for unwanted travelers, not a long wait in the restaurant on the return crossing, No problems in the shop either, perhaps it was the early in the Season crossing that did it, will go DFDS again, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryW Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 I have just booked our Ferry for 2012 and chose to pay twice the amount that I could have crossed for with DFDS. The reason is quite simple, trying to return last July 4th we were told that all ferries were full and that "as a motorhome we would displace a freight" we had to wait 3 days until our original booking. Ok that is what we booked and that is what we got but next year I am traveling with a Ferry with more flexibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ChrisB Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 terryW - 2011-10-26 10:30 AM I have just booked our Ferry for 2012 and chose to pay twice the amount that I could have crossed for with DFDS. The reason is quite simple, trying to return last July 4th we were told that all ferries were full and that "as a motorhome we would displace a freight" we had to wait 3 days until our original booking. Ok that is what we booked and that is what we got but next year I am traveling with a Ferry with more flexibility. Had a similar experience - found DFDS most unhelpful. Had to return to the UK 3 days early - happy to pay any supplements - so telephoned (en route in France) to be told there were no free spaces until the day after my booked crossing - very helpful. Tried again the next day (in Calais) in case there were any cancellations - same story. Turned up anyway and went into the booking office in Dunkerque - no problem. Paid supplement and went straight on board. The crossing I had been told twice was full was barely half full. No explanation sought nor offered. Have reverted back to the Chunnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaggy Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Lord Thornber Not wishing to sound patronising, but owning and travelling around in a motorhome especially in Europe, things seldom go exactly to plan ( ie ferry crossings), and part of the experience is overcoming problems, accepting situations and dealing with them. This all all part of the lifestyle / holiday. If having to queue for coffee is the worst thing that you have had to deal with then you are very lucky. Also if you don't use your facilities on you van for cooking or no doubt washing and you only use campsite facilities, and by the sound of it like the finer things in life, would it not be better to travel by car staying in hotels etc. It's rather a lot of money to tie up in something you only half use. Motor homing involves meeting others and sharing experiences with all sorts including the Thermos flask brigade. There is no intended insult in any of the above only trying to understand how you use you van. Shaggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Must confess I thought the same, as was my reply to Martyn below after he posted this, on the camp site pet hates thread.But I must confess I am only driven to do it as that is all I can afford, I mean what is nice about some of the rituals especially the bog emptying ! ............... LordThornber - 2011-10-24 9:08 AM Yapping dogs and owners who think that everyone likes dogs, newsflash - some of us don't. Folk passing my pitch who think I want to answer their questions about bike racks/sat navs/awnings Blokes playing radios in showers/shaving areas, ever heard of ear phones? Folk letting heaters run in awnings even whilst they're out Those who think it's acceptable to walk across site in their night attire, would they do it at home? Martyn Martyn I don't really think your cut out for this camping motor-home malarky, you even find it objectionable for folk to take a flask of coffee on the ferry. Perhaps an exec jet and a detached villa in 5 acres of grounds would be more the thing, don't get me wrong,that describes me as well,trouble is I can't afford it. But I do go to extra lengths to avoid as far as possible the rest of the human race which involves a lot of "wild" camping, and especially the what seems to be in vogue, multiple dog owners, why isn't one enough ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Maybe life would become easier for you if you had one of these Martyn! - http://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/products/handpresso/handpresso-handheld-portable-espresso-machine/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Nowt much to do with ferries, but as Costa Coffee came up. Disgusting toilets seem to be a trade mark of Costa Franchises The toilets in Costa Cffee in St Albans were so bad, that I reported the shop to ST Albans Council Enviromental Services Dept (Was Public Health !) Belive me, it takes a lot to turn my stomach ! Rgds (Sorry to lower the tone of the conversation) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted October 26, 2011 Author Share Posted October 26, 2011 shaggy - 2011-10-26 12:08 PM Lord Thornber Not wishing to sound patronising, but owning and travelling around in a motorhome especially in Europe, things seldom go exactly to plan ( ie ferry crossings), and part of the experience is overcoming problems, accepting situations and dealing with them. This all all part of the lifestyle / holiday. If having to queue for coffee is the worst thing that you have had to deal with then you are very lucky. Also if you don't use your facilities on you van for cooking or no doubt washing and you only use campsite facilities, and by the sound of it like the finer things in life, would it not be better to travel by car staying in hotels etc. It's rather a lot of money to tie up in something you only half use. Motor homing involves meeting others and sharing experiences with all sorts including the Thermos flask brigade. There is no intended insult in any of the above only trying to understand how you use you van. Shaggy Hi Shaggy, no insult received. A little about us, we've been camping for over 30 years, motorhoming for the last 12. We've interspersed the camping with worldwide travel, and still do. Sometimes, in my view anyway, it helps to "know" how someone posts. My post was DFDS, our experience and that's what I posted about. As we found those 2 crossings at that time. We've crossed from numerous locations to numerous locations and have had very few problems on the whole. I posted about our experience because this is a Forum, a Forum regularly viewed by folk who use ferries/tunnel crossings regularly. I only posted what we actually experienced at the time. The coffee queueing wasn't the end of the world, it was the knock on effects that the queueing caused, i.e. the missed duty free and having to rush our breakfast choices. Now that's unacceptable to me - if it's not to you that's fine. Maybe it's something to do with having to provide high levels of customer service througout my working life. We do indeed use our facilities for cooking, washing up and showering, even though we use sites 99% of the time - personal choice. We eat out like anyone else does who has the choice - whenever we want. The finer things in life? Gosh, I genuinely have never thought buying a coffee and buying breakfast would/could be seen as such. Honestly. As for tieing money up in a vehicle, well of course that's no one business but ours. Sharing experiences, again fine - if that's your scene. We are very private people and see no reason or link between owning a lifestyle choice (a motorhome) and having to share our time with others. We would be neither ignorant or rude to anyone on site, but certainly will not suffer anyone who we perceive as taking our time up. So, to sum up. We average about 70 nights a year away in the van, (my Wife works full time still), use it and enjoy it as we choose to. Richard, thankyou for the link but we've beaten you to it. This is a real bargain, (so you'll like it :)), http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/kitchen/reviews/coffee-machines/delonghi-ec330-coffee-maker/review/ Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 LordThornber - 2011-10-26 7:56 PM Richard, thankyou for the link but we've beaten you to it. This is a real bargain, (so you'll like it :)), http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/kitchen/reviews/coffee-machines/delonghi-ec330-coffee-maker/review/ Martyn Thanks for your thoughtfulness Martyn - but as we don't use sites or EHU for two reasons, 1] - we don't need to as in a modern motorhome everything we need works of gas / 12v / diesel - and 2] - I'm too tight to pay for it (I put that in just to please you!), it would not be any use to us - apart from which it's something else to carry / store / clean / and generally be inconvenienced by! It's probably easier and quicker to queue on a ferry for a Costalot Coffee - but many thanks anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted October 26, 2011 Author Share Posted October 26, 2011 Sorry 1foot, i'd forgot you. I don't quite understand the thinking that buying a motorhome stops you from going on package holidays. Why does having the financial ability to have choice mean we cannot own a motorhome and equally importantly - use it how we choose? Stuart Ripley, an ex Blackburn Rovers Premiership footballer, (and presumably reasonably affluent), is an avid caravanner, should he not be taking his holidays all the time on PhI Phi island with his own plunge pool and butler? (very nice too by the way since you ask) Of course it doesn't. Money aside, (obviously), there's nothing stopping anyone who owns a motorhome going on a holiday to Spain, Cuba, Greece, wherever, 1 star, or 5 star. Now if you're the type that just has to use the van to get their moneys worth or feels obliged to use it, fine, no skin off my hooter and more importantly none of my business. Which brings me round to us going wherever we want and in whatever style we choose, it's our business. I merely commented on the service we received on the crossings. If some folk choose to perceive we're very affluent because we drink coffee, buy our breakfast onboard, and have little or no desire to mix with those dreadful people with flasks, that's their business. By the way the dreadful comment was a joke. Geddit? Good :D Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 I never thought I would ever admit it but I agree with Martyn on holiday variety as we too have a variety of holidays ranging from hotel, self catering, cruise ship, boat on the inland waterways as it is good to have a change now and again - but I must add that of all the holidays we have I much prefer the meandering driving site seeing motorhome holidays in the sunshine to any of the others! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Ah yes, high standards of customer care, to be honest I thought that was about as dead as a dodo. We too like Martyn used to be involved in a service that attempted to provide high standards of customer care, but I say again,employ people then pay them minimum wage is hardly a recipe that it's going to happen. Or as the old saying goes pay peanuts and you get monkeys ( no offence to Monkeys) I'm sure getting staffing levels right on a Ferry be it P&O, DFDS, or Sea France must be a logistical nightmare, either too many, or not enough, depending on passenger numbers, time of day etc. A nice home made flask would I think on balance negate that issue,something oddly we have never thought of, and you could always keep it for later for that first lay-by pull up if Costa coffee isn't rammed, or short staffed......................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 LordThornber - 2011-10-26 8:15 PM Sorry 1foot, i'd forgot you. I don't quite understand the thinking that buying a motorhome stops you from going on package holidays. Why does having the financial ability to have choice mean we cannot own a motorhome and equally importantly - use it how we choose? Stuart Ripley, an ex Blackburn Rovers Premiership footballer, (and presumably reasonably affluent), is an avid caravanner, should he not be taking his holidays all the time on PhI Phi island with his own plunge pool and butler? (very nice too by the way since you ask) Of course it doesn't. Money aside, (obviously), there's nothing stopping anyone who owns a motorhome going on a holiday to Spain, Cuba, Greece, wherever, 1 star, or 5 star. Now if you're the type that just has to use the van to get their moneys worth or feels obliged to use it, fine, no skin off my hooter and more importantly none of my business Martyn Not quite sure that I said that,of course you can do both, but we use our van because after doing package holidays for many years and like your experience with costa coffee invariably found them lacking so gave up on it. Love the fact that with a van an initial disappointment with location can be remedied with just the turn of the ignition key in the van, and no hassle of lugging around cases, and airport check-ins, and some kid making faces at you on the flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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