P and O ferries 20% off - for caravans/motorhomes

ValDa
ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004
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From another Forum:

Just had an email from P&O offering a 20% discount for cars and caravans next year but you must book by 14th November.

"Want to get away next year? Pack up your caravan or motorhome and turn your trip into an adventure with P&O Ferries.

Save 20%* when you book a return trip over 5 days from Dover to Calais. Book by 14th November 2018 using promo code CARAVAN2019. The best part is you can travel from 1st January all the way until 13th December 2019!"

I heard a spokeperson from Brittany Ferries on Radio 5 saying that bookings for next year have fallen considerably as a result of the uncertainty from B*******. I guess P&O maybe need some money in from advance bookings as well!

A worthwhile discount, especially for motorhomes which never seem to be offered discounts!

Comments

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2018 #2

    Booked one of our crossings yesterday with the club as BF wanted £370 for the trip and the club did it for £200.

    I think BF and P&O's bookings are down by at least 5% according to an article I read last week.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2018 #3

    Same here WN. 

    We booked yesterday via the club, P&O wanted £688.50 surprised got it through the club for £441.69 (cabin upgrade) and that included £87.80 worth of vouchers so total for ferry = £353.89 smile more than happy with that as its less than we paid this year.  

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2018 #4

    I think with Brexit both operators are expecting a big downturn, at least for 2019. Just hope that they don't start doing what airlines do and cancel if not enough bookings. Really depends on how trade goes.

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004
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    edited November 2018 #5

    The return fare from Dover to Calais, using this offer, works out at £233.40 for peak weekends in July.  Other dates are even cheaper.  And absolutely no worries about cancellations as there are crossings approximately every hour and a half.  If you miss one you go on the next, and if you're early then (sometimes) you go on the next!  

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004
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    edited November 2018 #6

    Was that using the P and O discount code, and which route? 

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2018 #7

    ValDa it was Hull to Zeebrugge. 

    Just added 4 vouchers to the booking and it reduced it down from £446.55 to £441.69 which included the vouchers.

    Not sure which code you mean, in your post above I understood that was only for Dover - Calais. I'm not aware of any other code.

  • Cherokee2015
    Cherokee2015 Forum Participant Posts: 392
    edited November 2018 #8

    I got the same price on Friday when I booked for next June.   The price had dropped since I first looked a month ago.   Prob won't use vouchers as no sites in area we're visiting but they will save.   Did you manage to book meals as I wasn't. Need to ring back.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2018 #9

    We don't book meals on board with P&O, tend to eat before boarding or we take something on board with us that we can eat later on.

    We don't find the meals that good and certainly not VFM, Brittany Ferries are much better meal wise.

    Breakfast we leave until we get off the boat, but will grab a cuppa on board.

    Edit:  I thought the price was a good one, worked out cheaper than we paid this year so happy with that. As we are not sure on our final destination I'm sure we will find a site to use the vouchers on at some point, they are valid for 2 years so shouldn't be a problem.

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Forum Participant Posts: 2,401
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    edited November 2018 #10

    Hi Val, posted the report below, relating to the new BF ships,  in another thread. Local reports say that the drop in advance bookings recently reported is almost exactly the same as the rise from 2017 to 2018.

    Spain is by far the most popular foreign destination for UK holidaymakers, and we have seen significant growth in demand. Post-Brexit, we expect this to continue and today’s announcement is a clear statement of intent. As well as passenger traffic, we believe that an increase in freight capacity will open the door to more hauliers seeking direct access between Britain and the Iberian peninsula,” Jean-Marc Roué, Brittany Ferries’ president, commented.

    Did a check for my holiday dates/times for 2019 using the code for P&O and price is £224. Club ITX price, for the ferry-minus the 4 vouchers-with BF is £266 Plymouth Roscoff and £197 using Portsmouth outbound.

    Obviously for us with a caravan and in Cornwall with BF crossing wins but think it may be the same for many who may not consider BF routes usually but as you say will have appeal to MHers who miss out on then free vans offers.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2018 #11

    A worthwhile discount, especially for motorhomes which never seem to be offered discounts!

    Apart from it being easier, that is one reason I use the tunnel the other being it does not matter what size the motorhome is the price is the same. Anything over 6 meters on the ferries usually costs an arm and a leg.

    I cannot see a 20 percent discount influencing my preference but thanks for the information.

    peedee

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited November 2018 #12

     We always find the ferry is less than half price of the tunnel (we do not use tesco vouchers) and our van is 7.5m and have not noticed any difference in price though for a longer one maybe. We did use the tunnel recently and yes the actual crossing was about 35 minutes faster and unloading was also faster we would rather save £160 for the sake of an extra hour plus the ferry is more relaxing and allows time to have a walk around before setting off again.  We will use tunnel again but the price will have to be near to the ferry or if we are only doing a short break like recently.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2018 #13

    Just done a quick check for my 8m van on the Dover Calais route for a standard return. It came to £188. I can do the Tunnel for much the same. Any other route is an absolute no,no. pricewise. There are also height restrictions on the ferries but not on the Tunnel which restricts my choice of sailings.

    peedee

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited November 2018 #14

    PD No height restrictions on ferries as you go in with the lorries and coaches.  We have never found a tunnel crossing that cheap, its always over £300 in mid summer on a weekend, no doubt off peak and at odd times maybe?

    FYI I just did a check to compare an 8m van v my 7.5m on same crossings out 29th June @ 16:40 return 20th July at 09:50 and they were both the same at £135.36 with the discount above so not sure when you were looking to travel or on what route, mine was Dover/Calais.  I will bet when tunnel is available it will be near or over £300 for standard fare without Tesco vouchers.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2018 #15

    When I put in my height into the P&O ferry crossings it said I was restricted to certain ships and sailings and I am nowhere as high as a coach or truck! I did not apply a 20 percent discount to the cost it gave me and I used a like for like Tuesday day time crossing. I have never paid more than £220 return on the Tunnel and that was for crossings in August about three years ago. Typically I pay £90 each way for a standard weekday early afternoon out and mid morning return.

    peedee

  • 41rochester
    41rochester Forum Participant Posts: 16
    edited November 2018 #16

    Use the club booking service just got a great deal including 4site vouchers for £233 on p&o from Dover in june.

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited November 2018 #17

    Hardly a bargain in my mind I only paid £135 direct without vouchers but as we rarely use sites let alone ones that take vouchers it was not viable.  I would say those 4 vouchers cost you £100 so £25 a night whereas you can probably get a decent site in June for €15-20 and choose whatever one you want rather than a dwindling list of sites that do take vouchers..

    I did call the club to see if their price match guarantee would be applied and they said as it was an email sent to individuals rather than an offer open to the public in general they could not match it, so I booked direct and C&MC lost out this year.  

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2018 #18

    Use the club booking service just got a great deal including 4site vouchers for £233 on p&o from Dover in June.

    I guess it would depend on what time of day the ferry was at. The vouchers are £87.80 for 4 and have a life of 2 years, accepted on lots of sites. The other difference is that you are a MH while 41rochester is a caravanner, caravans are dearer on Dover/Calais. If the fare of £233 is inclusive of the 4 vouchers I would say it was a very good rate.

    I've just booked a P&O ferry from Hull - Zeebrugge in early May, the fare was cheaper if I included 4 vouchers, than if I didn't, so in my case it made sense to add them, even if I don't use them (I will) 

  • Cherokee2015
    Cherokee2015 Forum Participant Posts: 392
    edited November 2018 #19

    Us too although probably won't use vouchers this year as no sites in the area we're visiting frown.    Always next year!

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited November 2018 #20

    TG Sorry yes you are right I forgot the cost of caravans is higher so yes even if you do not use the vouchers still could be a good saving...