Cheaper ferry crossing

ScreenName28B954A007
ScreenName28B954A007 Forum Participant Posts: 1
edited September 2023 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

I phoned the club booking office yesterday to book a crossing from Poole to Cherbourg as the clubs website doesnt give the option of adding a rear mounted bike rack (something that is an added cost with the ferry company) to the booking if I tried to make an online booking.

Miles was very helpful on the phone but the one way crossing was still more expensive using our club than to go direct to Brittany Ferries (£300 with the club, £290 with Brittany Ferries).

I appreciate £10 cheaper is not a huge amount but shouldn't the cost be more favourable for club members?

Moderator Comment - Moved from Story Section, questions should be asked in the Discussion Area. 

 

Comments

  • AlnShaz67
    AlnShaz67 Club Member Posts: 6 ✭
    Photogenic
    edited September 2023 #2

    I found the same thing when I looked at a crossing from Portsmouth to Caen in June next year. Brittany ferries direct we’re £112 cheaper than the club.

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2023 #3

    It’s also much easier to amend a booking directly with Brittany Ferries than with the Club.  
    With the Cub you have to phone the booking line to make any amendments to dates, vehicle details etc. When they are open, of course.

    With BF just log on to your account with your crossing reference number and amend anything on line. As many times as required. Done it many times, easily.

    🙂

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,381 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2023 #4

    It might depend on the crossing and who owns the ships. I found the Club cheaper using Le Shuttle but as pointed out above a little more inconvenient than booking direct. I have only ever had to change a booking once and that was for the homeward journey. At the time it turned out cheaper to do it via the Club rather than pay the excess demanded by the ferry company.

    peedee

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Forum Participant Posts: 2,401
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2023 #5

    Our experience has been different-buying a combined fare with site vouchers and a BF Pymouth to Roscoff ferry has made the club significantly cheaper.

    If you need to book singles, travel on different ferry lines etc then direct may be better, especially on BF with a CV friends & family code giving 10% discount.

    The size of the savings are not as great as pre Covid, but are still there in the right circumstances.

  • Lukeledge
    Lukeledge Forum Participant Posts: 84
    edited September 2023 #6

    We saved a significant amount on our Newcastle to Ijmuiden return crossing through the club next week.

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited September 2023 #7

    We have been caravaning in France since 1999, I think. 

    We have generally found a club booking matches or slightly undercuts the advertised prices of an operator if you had dealt directly. 

    We have also experienced the greater ease of altering a booking if we have dealt direct with the operator. 

    Some curve balls do arise. Special short term offers, 20% discount with DFDS on Newhaven-Dieppe crossing for over 60's go under the Club radar.

    There is no simple answer to which is the cheapest.. 

    You have to look at every possible combination and option, which might take a good few hours but could end up saving you more than a few days pitch fees.

    Colin

  • GTrimmer
    GTrimmer Club Member Posts: 169 ✭
    100 Comments Name Dropper
    edited September 2023 #8

     I have just checked on line prices for Newhaven - Dieppe next June. Booking direct with DFDS is around £60 cheaper than the Club quote!

    And that's before the 20% discount they (DFDS) offer for over 60s !!

    If it wasn't for CLs I'd stop my membership .

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