Return Ferry

[Iain Strachan]

We set sail for retirement Tour Two on the 21st August, we don't have a return ferry booked. When we decide to come back, is it better (cheaper) to book a crossing Dover Calais or just turn up? Wise words appreciated. Cheers Iain

[terryW]

I would also like to hear what folk have to say on this matter.

 

Interesting side issue I have just checked the following single Eurotunnel prices:

 

10 Jan 2013

 

0920 £75 Eurotunnel direct

 

0920 £70.8 Caravan Club (members)

 

0920 £78.75 Camping and Caravan Club (members)

[Mel B]

Hi Ian

 

I think the general consensus tends to be that if you pre-book you get a much better price than jut turning up and buying a ticket direct from the ticket office. Just going on-line and booking a crossing, even as late as the day before you want to travel, will still work out cheaper as far as I'm aware.

[PJay]

terryW - 2012-08-12 3:13 PM

 

I would also like to hear what folk have to say on this matter.

 

Interesting side issue I have just checked the following single Eurotunnel prices:

 

10 Jan 2013

 

0920 £75 Eurotunnel direct

 

0920 £70.8 Caravan Club (members)

 

0920 £78.75 Camping and Caravan Club (members)

 

Even better deal, if you use Tesco vouchers, three times the value. Did a crossing for £30.00 tesco vouchers in April

[PJay]

Mel B - 2012-08-12 9:44 PM

 

Hi Ian

 

I think the general consensus tends to be that if you pre-book you get a much better price than jut turning up and buying a ticket direct from the ticket office. Just going on-line and booking a crossing, even as late as the day before you want to travel, will still work out cheaper as far as I'm aware.

 

Have to agree with Mel, we don't book our return until a day or two before returning. This gives you the option to come back when you are ready. Once had to change return time and cost £10.00 . You don't save by getting a return ticket. Book on line though as will cost more by just turning up (well Norfolk line used too)

PJay

[kelly58]

Although I do not use the ferry to cross the channel we prefer Eurotunnel a motorhomer told me at Calais , because of the high cost of a return only to the UK was very expensive he had just booked a return day trip to the UK from France for a fraction of the price and will not do the return to France leg of the ticket , but other forum contributors may have heard of penalties for doing so and will no doubt comment.

[mike 202]

Just booked with P & O for Dover Calais return. They have introduced a new scheme which for an extra £10 you can turn up 4hrs either side of your booked time and change the Outward/Return crossing at no extra cost.

 

A bit of carefull looking at crossing costs can give this extra at no cost.

 

I normally travel 0930 from Dover, the cost was £80 return----with cost to change and no boarding window. Then I looked at the 0830 sailing and it was £10 cheaper, so I booked the 0830 at £70 + £10 option = original £80 and will go on the 0930 as planned,but I get the +/- 4hr window and free to change on my return.

 

Hope this helps someone out there to get flexability.

 

Mike

[mike 202]

Kelly 58,

 

Normally the small print says that you agree to pay the full price for the outward journey if you do not use the Day Trip return part.

 

And if you use the same ferry company to return at a later date, remember that they will always have your details logged. With return tickets in the low season around £70/80 is is in my opinion not worth the bother of trying to outwit the ferry/rail companies who have seen it all before.

 

Mike

[kelly58]

mike 202 - 2012-08-13 10:45 AMKelly 58,Normally the small print says that you agree to pay the full price for the outward journey if you do not use the Day Trip return part.And if you use the same ferry company to return at a later date, remember that they will always have your details logged. With return tickets in the low season around £70/80 is is in my opinion not worth the bother of trying to outwit the ferry/rail companies who have seen it all before.Mike

I totally agree with your reply its an action I would not dare try myself I was only stating what a motorhomer from the Isle of Man told me he had done whilst we were chatting on the aire parking at City Europe.

[Iain Strachan]

Mel, Thanks, I will look to book when when we decide to return, this really depends on how far we get, but we are both looking forward to not having to come back to go to work on Monday. We retired after 48 years of various "salt mines" in March and still have not quite got used to it. We think this trip will do it though!

Cheers Iain

[Iain Strachan]

PJAY, Yes we had looked at using the pile of Tesco Vouchers we have, for the tunnel, but they will not allow, one way travel. We have used the voucher scheme successfully before 2 years ago when we had to plan to come back. It worked very well, even putting us on an earlier train than we had booked.

Cheers Iain

[Bulletguy]

Iain Strachan - 2012-08-12 2:48 PM

 

We set sail for retirement Tour Two on the 21st August, we don't have a return ferry booked. When we decide to come back, is it better (cheaper) to book a crossing Dover Calais or just turn up? Wise words appreciated. Cheers Iain

 

Just turning up is a bit of a chance. You may have to wait hours....then again you could be straight on the next ferry. Personally i'd book.

 

I booked a return with DFDS as it gave me a better choice of sailing times than booking one way. As it's turned out i've amended the return booking to a week later. Cost nothing apart from the phone call.

[peejay]

Iain Strachan - 2012-08-13 1:39 PM

 

Yes we had looked at using the pile of Tesco Vouchers we have, for the tunnel, but they will not allow, one way travel.

 

You cannot book a single from France - UK with vouchers but you can UK - France.

 

Quote from T&C's...

 

"Reward Tokens can only be used for travel originating from Folkestone, including single journeys.

Tokens cannot be used for trips originating from Calais."

 

http://www.tesco.com/CLUBCARD/DEALS/PRODUCTINFOSHEETS/S6018.PDF

 

Pete

[Champstar]

we used vouchers to book our outward travel but have left return to be booked just before we come back and will pay the full cost but the freedom is what we are going away for.

[mondo]

Iain we did exactly that a couple of years ago.. we sloped off to France with just a one way ticket..booked via Dover Eurochange http://www.dovereurochange.co.uk then a couple of days before we were ready to return to the UK just phoned them told them the times (local) we wanted to cross and got a good crossing...Give them a try

 

(USUAL DISCLAIMER)

[Cliffy]

Mel B - 2012-08-12 9:44 PMHi Ian

 Snip. Just going on-line and booking a crossing, even as late as the day before you want to travel, will still work out cheaper as far as I'm aware.

I was going to do this year but was conserned that I did not have printer onboard to print the ticket so I have booked a return. 

Do you not need proof of booking to give in at the terminal?

[Mel B]

peejay - 2012-08-13 2:09 PM

 

Iain Strachan - 2012-08-13 1:39 PM

 

Yes we had looked at using the pile of Tesco Vouchers we have, for the tunnel, but they will not allow, one way travel.

 

You cannot book a single from France - UK with vouchers but you can UK - France.

 

Quote from T&C's...

 

"Reward Tokens can only be used for travel originating from Folkestone, including single journeys.

Tokens cannot be used for trips originating from Calais."

 

http://www.tesco.com/CLUBCARD/DEALS/PRODUCTINFOSHEETS/S6018.PDF

 

Pete

 

For various reasons I've had to change our Eurotunnel crossings before today and they do not make a charge unless the new crossing time/date is dearer than the original one which was booked and paid for (although the last time I did it, it should have been an extra £2 but I wasn't asked for it!).

 

There's nothing to stop you booking a return crossing with Eurotunnel using your Tesco vouchers and then ringing them to change the date of the return as they do not make any admin charge at all if you do this unlike some companies. So you could still book a return and just amend the return date/time when you know you want to come back - if you check on line first you can see what the price would be for your new date/time - obviously the more into the future you do this then the cheaper it would be.

[PJay]

Iain Strachan - 2012-08-13 1:39 PM

 

PJAY, Yes we had looked at using the pile of Tesco Vouchers we have, for the tunnel, but they will not allow, one way travel. We have used the voucher scheme successfully before 2 years ago when we had to plan to come back. It worked very well, even putting us on an earlier train than we had booked.

Cheers Iain

 

Iain.

I would use your Tesco Vouchers outbound, as you say you have loads. Then when ready to return book on line for whatever crossing you decide on.(NOT Tunnel) This gives you a choice of crossing, as you live in Scotland, you don;t have to return via Dover, there is always Portsmouth/Poole/Plymouth.

Don't forget you are RETIRED NOW , so no rush to get home

PJay

[Iain Strachan]

Thank you all for your wise words. I'm sorry that my original post was rather unclear, in that I did not say that we are leaving from Hull, and intending to return Calais/Dover whenever.

I wish you all good travels for as long as you can!

Cheers Iain

P.S. for Cliffy, I have turned up for a P&O ferry with just the reference number written down, it was booked and payed for over the phone.

[snowie]

Cliffy - 2012-08-13 9:46 PM

Mel B - 2012-08-12 9:44 PMHi Ian

 Snip. Just going on-line and booking a crossing, even as late as the day before you want to travel, will still work out cheaper as far as I'm aware.[/quote. 

Do you not need proof of booking to give in at the terminal?

Don't worry Cliffy;the last couple of times out of Dover and Calais, they've had our booking on screen before we wound the window down; Numberplate recognition; useful technology!enjoyregardsalan b

[Cliffy]

snowie - 2012-08-15 9:41 PM

Cliffy - 2012-08-13 9:46 PM

Mel B - 2012-08-12 9:44 PMHi Ian

 Snip. Just going on-line and booking a crossing, even as late as the day before you want to travel, will still work out cheaper as far as I'm aware.[/quote. 

Do you not need proof of booking to give in at the terminal?

Don't worry Cliffy;the last couple of times out of Dover and Calais, they've had our booking on screen before we wound the window down; Numberplate recognition; useful technology!enjoyregardsalan b

Sneaky eh.

When we go next week I will not offer the booking confirmation and see what happens. 

Cheers

Cliffy

[gwyn]

Only just seen this post DO NOT get ticket at ferry port, we are 6m x2m x3m and were charged €150, i was told that if we had booked online just the previous day it would not cost anything like this amount I said I would inform the rest of my family not to be so inconsiderate as to die without giving us notice, they seemed a little uncomfortable with my comment!!!!

[terryW]

This year we changed a return booking with 2 weeks notice via CC. The new crossing was the same price as the one we were changing to but because the crossing was booked very early the cost of that crossing had risen by £40 + CC admin, in total it cost us £60. Stupid to book via CC I know but with our original Seafrace booking going "glug" it appeared to be the safest thing to do. Never again though.

[Wills Wagon]

I don't know for sure the time limits but I understand with P&O you can book a return with a fixed date and time for leaving Dover with an "open return" from Calais. You will need to check the conditions as to the time scales.

[takeaflight]

Last year we turned up at euro tunnel France 24hrs late by mistake, that I am still reminded off by good lady. At the booth return ticket 560 euros (van and trailer) did a 180 and went to one of the hotels by the pet check in, using their computer booked a ticket within 2 hrs return for 180 pounds.

 

Plenty of people paying at the booth, probably through the nose.

 

Roy