DFDS cheaper direct booking
Hi
Just booked car and caravan for next April 2025 until end June Newhaven Dieppe. Cost £243.60 
. This was with an over 60's discount that you have to phone up and do direct. 20% off car and caravan after they take off the £11 ETS surcharge they have pay for each crossing. No discount for pets. So I saved £44.40.
Club price for the same crossing was £252.40 + the pet cost they would let you know later. DFDS told me the pet would have cost £20 each way so a total cost £292.40 instead of the £243.60 I paid.
Crossing cost
Newhaven Dieppe £39.20 + £11 ETS + £20 dog
Dieppe Newhaven £142.40 + £11 ETS + £20 dog
Yes my furry friend is expensive but at least I know where to get a AHC (Animal Health Certificate) for £100 and this time we might get a EU pet passport in Spain to save even more money
There are discounts for other people and I think young people get it up to the age of 30 but I cannot find discount info now on their web page.Call 0800 917 1201 or 03305878787 and select 2 for English.
Comments
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Thank you for the detail. It’s very far ahead to be making a ferry reservation seven months in advance, which is not something everyone would do. So can you please say whether your tickets are flexible and can be amended or altered, or even if necessary refunded?
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Booked early as so cheap and fills up later. Easy to amend particularly if using their app. About £20 i believe to change. Both retired so we can go when we want and these dates give good ASCI camp price discounts.
We went for similar period this year (66 days) and regretted not booking early with the cheap crossings offered. Worst comes to the worst we decided we would just loose them. Having the right insurance cover will cover medical / family problems should you have to cancel. Oh, we do not book campsites so there would be no lose there and plenty at 140 euro a week available.
Suggest you look at forward costs now when you can chose the cheapest day and then as time goes on compare. Sunday crossings can be cheap going out until late but supermarkets close at 12.15 when you get there in France.
REf the Spanish crossing with pets - there is a huge problem getting a booking. However as we go for so long and in the past I used to drive down to Santander for work this would not be a problem for us. Plenty of time to take in the countries having a relaxing holiday - not your motorhome user belting down the roads as fast as possible!
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I booked DFDS, Newhaven -Dieppe last December for August this year via the club (£253) & it was cheaper than what I paid in May last year direct....
The week before travelling, the same return dates/times the fare was £660, so it definitely pays to book well in advance....
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I think it's a mindset thing when it comes to booking in advance, and I've always done it. Firstly this was through to necessity and the habit set in. I can definitely confirm it pays to book when the crossings/prices are first out. We booked a 2023 summer Dieppe-Newhaven DFDS crossing a year in advance, paying just over £100. That summer I met somebody on the campsite who was paying over £300 for the same crossing back, having booked only a few weeks earlier.
I know with Eurotunnel it is also a no brainer, with fares frequently doubling over the year.
Colin
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Booking early is a risk but may pay off. The ferries use dynamic pricing so come next year the price will have changed up or down, depending on how bookings go. I would suggest up is the usual way though. Not sure why the club cost more, but I suspect the need for a phone call is not available to them and other agents.
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