Sea France v P&O

[Mel E]

Returned from our Norway trip (back via Finland, Baltic States, Poland, etc,) to Calais. We hadn't booked anything as our return plans were not set when we set off. Went to P&O first. For our 5.9metre Renault Master, they quoted €130. So went next door to Sea France who wanted €180. Went back to P&O who said we were a van and the cost would be €117. This is about £80 one way and seems a lot (SF's £125 seems even more!). Is there a trick to this one-way from the Continent that has escaped me?

[Bill Ord]

My last P&Oticket cost £65 return Dover Calais. Out at 23.00 April 19 and return at 16.40 May 24. Last September it cost £55. What I do and it may not suit everybody is to phone P&O and ask for the cheapest ticket they can give me and say I'm totally flexible just mention Norfolk Line being cheaper, it seems to help. Also within reason P&O don't hold you to the exact times and as they have more sailings than everyone else they usually oblige and put you on the next boat. I'm also a stockholder in P&O and it's been cheaper for years now to book an ordinary ticket rather than a stockholder ticket. When I go away in Early September I'll try P&O again and check them against the oposition but they usually come out near enough to make me travel with them as the frequency of sailings will be what makes the difference for me. At the end of the day you pay your money etc. but the competition is so strong now that I've never had ferry tickets so cheap. Bill Ord

[Brian Kirby]

Mel

I think you have to do two things.  First, I'm afraid, is to do a bit of internet research on routes and prices before you book.  To do that you seem just to have to go to the various operators websites and play around a bit.  They all charge more at certain times/days that at others but the general rule seems to be to avoid weekends if at all possible, remembering that Friday p.m is a weekend outbound (but probably not homebound) and Sunday p.m is weekend homebound (but probably not outbound).  Equally, avoid morning crossings outbound and afternoon crossings homebound.  Middle of the night is usually cheap either way so, if you're an insomniac, life gets cheap!  Otherwise, keeping a sharp eye on the school holidays, go for late morning/early afternoon (or later) outward crossings Mon - Thurs and ditto (or earlier) return crossings Sun - Fri.

Then, if you can, book a return, with the return date set for the latest conceivable date at which you might come back (ideally on a Friday).  Then, if you want to come back earlier, turn up at the port the day before you actually need to travel, smile sweetly (or the best you can manage!) and ask about travelling back at the booked time, but tomorrow.  My experience to date is that they will try to accommodate you if thay can, and won't exercise their (reserved) right to charge the admin fee for the change. 

That, at least, was the advice I got from Seafrance, and have fllowed (so far) successfully.  The caveat was to be sure to return within the period originally booked since that seems to be accepted as forming a contracted time period for your total journey.  Once the time period has expired, they warned that they may not be quite so flexible.  However, flexibility will, I guess, always depend upon available space.  If the next sailing is full you'll probably be out of luck, although you may be offered the queue of vehicles to be carried "first come first served" if no shows or clever stacking have created the extra space.  If the next sailing is half empty, I dont think they'll be perverse enough to refuse you - just to teach you who's boss!

Please do also remember Newhaven - Dieppe is now up and running and, depending on where you live, although more expensive that most Dover - Calais routes, not that much more.  So, if you're travelling from the West in UK, or towards the SW in France, there can be quite a saving in the road journey times/costs - coupled with which Dieppe is quite a pleasant town compared to poor old Calais. 

One of the new boats is already in service and the next due around the end of the month.  (Very nice they are too, all shiny and new and straight from the shipyard at Vigo is Spain.  Food is also quite good and reasonably priced.) 

We had booked one way only, for 18:00n last Thursday, but turned up instead on Tuesday at about 12:30 and tried our luck for that day.  We were accepted with a smile for the 18:00 Tuesday so, on that basis, the advice works on Transmanche Ferries as well!

Hope this helps.