Pampam Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Which do you consider the best way to cross channel ,the tunnel or ferry? I fancy the tunnel but wondered what more experienced travellers thought ? Pp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Tunnel... based simply on speed and convenience,.but increasingly using the ferries as much cheaper when you can get an offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendav Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 TUNNEL especially if you have pets, other pluses, no delays due to bad weather, good deals to be had regarding prices if times and dates are not a problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 P&O ferries £47 return our last fare deal, even though buying a lovely cooked breakfast pushed that up somewhat, what's not too like, and for us a part of the whole experience, apart from that sinking feeling I always get on the return leg knowing that soon I'll be back to reality, apologies for the pun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 We prefer the ferries usually cheaper, this year did one crossing for £62 return & have another booked for £58 return. Also sometimes the pressure differential in the tunnel sometimes gives me bad earache. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigal Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 We have a rescue dog that we don't like to leave in kennels because she had a bad life before we got her and would probably think she had been abandoned again, she is also very nervous due to previous experiences. When I enquired at the ferry terminal I was told that she would have to stay below decks in the vehicle during the crossing so we decided to use the tunnel where she can stay with us. Although we are very close to a ferry port we travel down to Folkestone and count this journey as part of the holiday. The tunnel is quick and convenient and suits us although everyone will have their own opinion according to their preferences. B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 After a run down from the North Manchester area the ferry gives me a good rest break plus a meal.. Using the tunnel gives me an extra one and a half hours driving time on the other side. So both have their good point's. Bad points are the ferry in rough weather. The tunnel......I tend to press on when getting to the other side.......O/H has to insist I stop so she can have a pee. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 This is my view on both options (assuming crossing to/from Calais) Tunnel: For = only 35 min crossing; no need to leave pets alone; stay in your own camper so can chill out :-D ; able to arrive 2 hours early and get on an earlier crossing with no extra cost; no admin fee for changing crossing dates/times*; up to 24 hours to amend booking after your original departure time if you have missed it at no cost*; (* subject to paying extra cost for the crossing itself if more expensive); can use Tesco deals vouchers to pay for the crossings so only costs 1/3 of the price in real terms!!! :-> Against = can be expensive; can't see the fishes through the windows :D ! Ferry: For = cheaper; can give more of a feeling of being at the 'start' of a trip; can go on deck (weather permitting!); can get meals/drinks if wanted (at a price!); able to shop on board to pass the time! Against = takes up to 2 hours to cross; can be disrupted by bad weather and/or strike action; sea-sickness; have to leave pets in vehicle on own; 'wacky races' when you disembark and try to get out of the port! *-) ; have to join the mad scramble to get a seat ... and 'mix' with PEOPLE!!! 8-) ; may have to pay an admin fee to change booking plus the extra cost fro the crossing if more expensive; not usually able to change booking once your original crossing time has passed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Mel B - 2013-07-02 10:30 PM Against = can be expensive; can't see the fishes through the windows :D ! And if you could, then you're in trouble. :-( It can also get rather warm on occasions >:-) Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Ferry for us. Just got back to-night 3 hours from Cherburg to home. Takes us 3 hours to drive to the tunnel, and then have to drive back on the other side. Yes the Ferry is dearer, when you can use Tesco tokens on the Tunnel. Now free wi-fi on Brittany ferries, while you travel, can't do that on /in the tunnel PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 On price, the Tunnel can cost zero if using Tesco tokens, or only a very few pounds. The tokens are not usable for ferries. As others have said, quicker, more flexible, and generally more reliable. Just not quite so much fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 But at tesco and the like your paying approx 15-30% more for the shopping, so these tunnel crossings are far from free. Another way is to use their credit card according to Mel. But when you can get a high season return on DFDS from a NEC show offer for £50 there is no comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Its the convenience and flexibility of the tunnel for me every time we just do not like queuing for smelly ferries as e frequent travellers just over £100 return seems worth it to be in France in 35 minutes and only having to book 24hrs in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I would think it is why you are crossing the channel and from previous post if you are dominated by a pet. I am in no rush, or limited by the time I have in the continent, so really enjoy the break the ferry gives and excluding Tesco vouchers find it a good bit cheaper. Having used the tunnel it is quicker and for those that cannot part from their pet a boon. Read a report recently that indicated the tunnel was very inefficiently run and could drastically cut fares if efficiency improved so why should I pay an inflated price to cover this up. Its everybody to their own choice and some will find their own peculiar reasons why one is better than the other but the fun starts once you are over either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 The tunnel runs well under capacity and the cost high because of what they have to pay to use the track.....all about to change hopefully! http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/eurotunnel-must-reduce-excessive-channel-tunnel-charges-within-two-months-says-european-commission-8667140.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Read it again Eddie, it says Eurostar are paying too much and Eurotunnel are using the money to subsidise their car shuttles which are not charged. So if they reduce the charges to Eurostar they could put the car shuttle charges up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-07-03 6:48 AM But at tesco and the like your paying approx 15-30% more for the shopping, so these tunnel crossings are far from free. Another way is to use their credit card according to Mel. But when you can get a high season return on DFDS from a NEC show offer for £50 there is no comparison. Not sure what your Tesco prices are but round these 'er parts they're one of the cheaper supermarkets to go to. As we generally stock up with stuff on special offers / reduced prices etc we don't pay any premium for using Tesco so the vouchers we get from them are a real bonus ... free money in reality! The fact that we can then use them to get 3 times their value off our holiday travel, and other stuff some of which you get up to 4 times the value against, makes us quids in as opposed to having to use our own money to pay! £45 in Tesco vouchers = £135 in Eurotunnel vouchers or: £50 of your own money Even if you argue that I could have spent the £45 in store, I've still got a £5 better deal than you! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I'm curious to know even assuming we had a Tesco near us how much I would have to spend to get my £47 return P&O fare, and I must say considering presumably you folks are going on holiday, is the gain of about half an hour by using the tunnel such a big deal, where are you in such a rush too. :-S. I'm not sure where some of you folks get your timings from using the ferry from, Dover - Calais, you're no sooner on, than your off again, the fastest time we noted with one of the Sea France ships was exactly an hour, then directly on to the motorway from the terminal. As for one persons comments about "smelly" ferries I'm not exactly sure that the air quality is in a tunnel for 45 minutes is exactly wholesome, and I've yet to encounter a Dover-Calais ferry that stinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Oh come on...... for working people with limited holidays tunnel makes sense..I will; be 2 hrs down the road and yo will just be getting on boat along with all the turks and other riff raff. last year coming back on a weekend we could just about find a seat, it was an awful crossing! You pays for what you gets I guess *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwyn Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Ferry every time...its cheaper..I don't shop at Tesco's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 got our crossing on MyFerryLink for £19.50 on the way out. On the way back, went from Caen to Portsmouth daytime for £170 and this saved us 3hrs on the drive to Calais and another 2 1/2 on the English side back to Somerset. No tunnels on this route. How do you get a £100 return on the tunnel, all the prices I have seen are between £70 and £110 ish for a single depending on if you want to travel at 3 in the morning...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 if you buy the 5 return package it works out at approx £100 a trip... Used to do it when working but now as forcibly retired due to health have to endure the £50 bucket...with PA announcements in Polish and Somali :D you need to get the NEC, DFDS show offers twice a year when code comes out...you can change crossings at no charge up until July. I have changed one 3 times and @ £50 each crossing, (one is July/August weekend peak) dont think you can beat them to be honest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 We paid £63 each way making a total £126 for which I used £40 of Tesco vouchers at 3 times value making £120 and paid £6 cash, the travel dates/times were as follows: Outwards: Wed 15 May 2013 16.20 Inwards: Sun 30 June 2013 08.50 For us it makes sense as we have 3 dogs, one of which is absolutely terrified of ferries (bad experience on one) so whilst we can use the tunnel we will. We're going to Ireland next month so have no choice but to use the ferry but we'll be taking her up into the lounge area with us in a dog carrier so at least she will be with us. I've just remembered one other benefit of using the tunnel - it doesn't make any extra charges for vehicle length, so those with longer motorhomes aren't charged any more - not applicable to us as we've only got a 6m van, but obviously saves cash for others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cattwg Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 From our point of view the comparison is something like this Advantages of Tunnel over Ferry: Tesco vouches can be used. We had a late evening crossing valued at £150 for £50 worth of vouchers. If you arrive early an earlier train an often be taken, at no extra cost. Only 35 minutes crossing – actually takes nearer an hour taking loading/unloading into account. Can eat own food en route. Time en route to affix ‘beam benders’. A later crossing can be booked as the transit time is short – allows us to leave home later or have a longer break en route. No risk of sea sickness! No risk of cancellations because of adverse weather. Advantages of Ferry over Tunnel: Usually much cheaper if Tesco vouchers cannot be used for the tunnel. More time to relax after (long?) the journey from home to Dover. Hot and cold food available on board. Shops on board. Currency exchange on board if required. Somehow feels more like “going on holiday” – but of course that’s a very subjective view. Others may be able to add to my lists. For example we don't have pets so their welfare does not enter thinking. Overall we tend to prefer the tunnel simply because it’s quicker. Cattwg :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Sorry, a 6 metre van and three dogs, sounds like heaven. Another very good reason to stick with the ferries. :-S And I'm still curious about why you folks think a saving of at best half an hour is such a big plus point, any offers................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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