Portsmouth CC sites and ferry

Surfer
Surfer Club Member Posts: 1,303
500 Comments 100 Likes

If staying on one of the sites near Portsmouh before catching the ferry, you have to leave the site at 12pm which is fair enough.

However if your ferry is only in the evening and if you want to stay at the site for a few extra hours, but leave by 4pm, why can't you pay a bit extra to stay the few hours and move onto a ferry pitch instead of paying for a full night adding another £25
or more for 4 hours?

Surely we are not the only ones that do not want to spend hours trundling around Portsmouth with a caravan in tow especially if the site has low occupancy anyway?

Next year we are proposing to leave home early in the morning to catch the ferry in the evening.  As a result the CC lose out on site occupancy.

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited November 2016 #2
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #3

    Can't you just vacate the pitch and park say in the car park/LNA or other area for a few hours, no EHU but everything runs off gas anyway?  I can understand why they want to charge as unless they do it means a pitch is tied up until 4pm so you could have lots of vans waiting to get onto a pitch.  I guess in low season its OK when they are low occupancy but in high season I would not be too chuffed having to wait till 4pm with you paying a little bit extra but me paying the whole £25Yell

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #4

    There are a couple of good CLs near Fareham, Carefree Nurseries and Arden. Both have hardstanding pitches and electrics. 

    This was posted previously when someone asked about ferry sites near Portsmouth, CL's are usually more helpful.

    MichealT, the problem with the CC sites is they are no even open in the low season, winter travellers have to find alternative stop overs.

  • tigerfish
    tigerfish Forum Participant Posts: 1,362
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #5

    I use the C&CC site at Chichester ( Actually at Southbourne) Its literally a direct & easy 15 minutes to the Portsmouth Ferry terminal.  Using the 2.00pm departure its simple but if using a late evening pay for the extra day and depart at about 8.00pm for
    the terminal.

    TF

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #6

    the ferry port allows early arrivals in the checkin lanes...even overnighting if the previous ferry has unloaded...

    check with the ferry office for the definitive version...

    we have stayed at Newhaven, Poole and Portsmouth prior to departure....

  • mazvw42
    mazvw42 Forum Participant Posts: 24
    edited November 2016 #7

    Rookesbury Park near Fareham is my local site and it's excellent,  it has ferry pitches outside the main site area.  i would never use them so have no detailed knowledge, but  they are set up for late arrivals and early departing

  • Surfer
    Surfer Club Member Posts: 1,303
    500 Comments 100 Likes
    edited November 2016 #8

    Rookesbury Park near Fareham is my local site and it's excellent,  it has ferry pitches outside the main site area.  i would never use them so have no detailed knowledge, but  they are set up for late arrivals and early departing

    It was Rookesbury that wanted to charge us the full whack i.e. a night's over stay for two adults for the few hours even if we used a ferry pitch.   I don't think Morn Hill has dedicated ferry pitches. BTW we did check and neither site was full on the Monday. 
    We wanted to stay late on a Sunday afternoon.

    This year we did stayed on a CL nearby in Fareham and although we had confirmed in writing we wanted to stay late and pay £7 extra and owner agreed, on the Sunday he was chasing us off at 1pm!  As him and his wife were very rude about it and upset my wife,
    we would not stay there and we have written a review about his attitude.

    Our problem is a wide and long outfit down country lanes so we need to be careful.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #9

    Surfer, Worcester (are you near there...?) is only 2.5hrs from Portsmouth....could you not just leave home (say) in time to catch the ferry without using a stopover, or even a bit earlier and have a short stay for a cuppa on the docks to chill a bit prior
    to departure.

    i certainly wouldnt be entertaining two nights fees when i didnt really need any.....Happy

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #10

    Rookesbury Park site is always busy. We quite often stay overnight there, before, and after a ferry crossing, and it's  pretty full most of the time.

    We've also stayed at Morn Hill, and at Warwick racecourse, depending on the departure time, and at various CLs. Plenty to choose from.

    But as BB suggests, why not just drive from home?

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #11

    There are a couple of good CLs near Fareham, Carefree Nurseries and Arden. Both have hardstanding pitches and electrics. 

    This was posted previously when someone asked about ferry sites near Portsmouth, CL's are usually more helpful.

    MichealT, the problem with the CC sites is they are no even open in the low season, winter travellers have to find alternative stop overs.

    Write your comments here...But th eOP was not complaining about them being open just being charged an extra night to stay on site till late afternoon/early evening to get the ferry.

  • Surfer
    Surfer Club Member Posts: 1,303
    500 Comments 100 Likes
    edited November 2016 #12

    Surfer, Worcester (are you near there...?) is only 2.5hrs from Portsmouth....could you not just leave home (say) in time to catch the ferry without using a stopover, or even a bit earlier and have a short stay for a cuppa on the docks to chill a bit prior
    to departure.

    i certainly wouldnt be entertaining two nights fees when i didnt really need any.....Happy

    We normally stop over to visit my auntie in Christchurch and take her out for a meal which has been the reason for stopovers in the past.  Problem is when you return all you want to do is get home so would not see her.

    However it would be nice if you could stay the few extra hours on a ferry pitch at the CC site at a reasonable cost if your ferry is leaving in the evening i.e St Malo ferry.   Even a place to park up would help as you could go out and about for the few
    hours to help pass time.  Laughing

  • Stevesie
    Stevesie Forum Participant Posts: 73
    edited November 2016 #13

    If staying on one of the sites near Portsmouh before catching the ferry, you have to leave the site at 12pm which is fair enough.

    However if your ferry is only in the evening and if you want to stay at the site for a few extra hours, but leave by 4pm, why can't you pay a bit extra to stay the few hours and move onto a ferry pitch instead of paying for a full night adding another £25 or more for 4 hours?

    Surely we are not the only ones that do not want to spend hours trundling around Portsmouth with a caravan in tow especially if the site has low occupancy anyway?

    Next year we are proposing to leave home early in the morning to catch the ferry in the evening.  As a result the CC lose out on site occupancy.

    Unless I have missed something obvious, why not drive down on the afternoon?  We caught the 2200 ferry back in September.  Left Nottingham at about 1500, stopped for a bite and break in the van on the way down, filled up at the Shell station outside the port and arrived at BF check-in for 2000.  Journey time from Worcester must be similar, or slightly shorter than that from Nottingham. 

    BTW: Morn Hill made for a great stop over after and afternoon homeward crossing.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #14

    Surfer a little clearer now...Happy

    "However it would be nice if you could stay the few extra hours on a ferry pitch at the CC site at a reasonable cost if your ferry is leaving in the evening i.e St Malo ferry.   Even a place to park up would help as you could go out and about
    for the few hours to help pass time.  
    Laughing"

    now this is the tricky bit.....CC and flexible in the same thought...Undecided

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited November 2016 #15
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #16

    As I have posted before, there is always Lock View and Lock Approach and Marina Keep at Port Solent. The former requiring a fiddly bit of turning round if towing and the latter two a couple of anti-social sleeping policemen.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #17

    There are a couple of good CLs near Fareham, Carefree Nurseries and Arden. Both have hardstanding pitches and electrics. 

    This was posted previously when someone asked about ferry sites near Portsmouth, CL's are usually more helpful.

    MichealT, the problem with the CC sites is they are no even open in the low season, winter travellers have to find alternative stop overs.

    Write your comments here...But th eOP was not complaining about them being open just being charged an extra night to stay on site till late afternoon/early evening to get the ferry.

     

    Sorry just to clarify my post, I was replying to where you posted

     I guess in low season its OK when they are low occupancy 

    I find it strange that there is not a CC site open near Portsmouth in the off season, given the number of ferry bookings the club must take from the snowbirds, its not just the outgoing ferries but the timings of some of the incoming ones can be awkward
    depending on where you live. M/H's generally don't have a problem but those with caravans do.

    I know its been discussed many times on CT but a smallish site with hardstandings no facilities needed, just somewhere to spend the night or day for a set fee. Oh I think i've just described an AireWink

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited November 2016 #18
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #19

    TG  add long parking bays so no need to uncouple to that spec and EHU as they would certainly be charging site pricesSmile

    Doesn't have to be CC Wink 

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #20

    absolutely, TG and AD....Happy

    the club obviously realise the need for ferry users to find a spot to park as they have 'ferry pitches' at some sites...

    however, what they dont seem to have realised is that most transients just want a parking place.....not a lot more than what you might get in a coach park area....after all, its just for the night and often customers are away early in the morning.

    i would have thought they could provide twice the number of pitches at half the price.....surely its down to understanding the market...untim this sort of facility becomes available, ill stay happily on the dock at the port....

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #21

    BB, A lot of people do the same at Plymouth ferry port - just form an orderly queue overnight at the Brittany Ferries check ins and walk across to The Dock bar restaurant alongside- upstairs in the marina building. Open till late and last food orders at 10 pm. at weekends. The ferry company sends a knocker-up down the line in the morning. 

  • tigerfish
    tigerfish Forum Participant Posts: 1,362
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #22

    As I said earlier, try the C&CC site at Southborne (Its Called the Chichester site) Its literally 15 minutes from the ferry port and most of the route is on the motorway. They are quite used to catering for ferry users. - None members accepted, and  if you are member, you may also benifit from their "Seniors rate" if applicable.

    TF

  • tigerfish
    tigerfish Forum Participant Posts: 1,362
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #23

    Eurotraveller, I must admit that I do like the sound of the Plymouth experience. I think that I'll give it a whirl on my next trip to Brittany.

    TF

  • VolvoV70
    VolvoV70 Forum Participant Posts: 78
    edited November 2016 #24

    Surely an extended stop-over at say, Rookesbury Park is easily possible. People (like us) use the ferry pitches for an early ferry and leave at around 6.30 am.

    For a late arriving ferry, we have often been the first arrival at aound 9.00 pm.

    We have also used the site for "normal" stays and never seen any occupants on the ferry pitces from around 10.00 am until 8-9.00 pm. So, why can't extended stays for later ferries use the empty pitches for a small additional fee?

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #25

    agreed......however, .....

    CC, flexibility.....oxymoronUndecided