2020 Ferry Cost Comparison
Comments
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Hi TG, AD, BB,Harry, The price for my likely June trip, booking the ferry only, with the club is £650-exactly the same as booking direct.
Taking 4 site vouchers reduces the price by £418.
One reason is the van goes free and taking a MH clearly doesn’t qualify for this, unless also taking a van!
If you take a MH, on a BF crossing then I can see the Irritation but other companies, such as DFDS, do offer discounts ,and lower prices for MH. All the discounts available are at;https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/overseas-holidays/book-a-crossing/ferry-offers/
Re height of the towing vehicle, BF advise that you should state the standard 1.8m so long as the car,and anything on the roof, are lower than the towed vehicle for which you have paid a supplement.
I seem to recall someone posting that they were refunded for vouchers after a site refused to accept them?0 -
BB, info re vouchers includes;
Enjoy flexible and laidback touring with the Club’s own Overseas Site Night Vouchers. Better still, purchase these vouchers and you'll gain access to the Club’s unbeatable Eurotunnel and package ferry rates. We guarantee to be the same or lower than booking with the operators direct. If you do receive a cheaper fare from an operator, we’ll match or beat it.
Seems you won’t ever be worse off.
Re different prices I got two quotes with over £200 difference for same details on same day.0 -
Re height of the towing vehicle, BF advise that you should state the standard 1.8m so long as the car,and anything on the roof, are lower than the towed vehicle for which you have paid a supplement.
Thanks you for this information I have never seen it on the BF site guess it must be hidden away somewhere.
The thing is though unless I use a 'friends' code, I will always use the C&MC booking page for BF crossings especially if I get an ITX fare and on that page there certainly isn't anything saying the above, which means if you fill in your height truthfully (if over 1.8 m) then you will as I stated be charged £30 - 50 more. I wonder how many folk have been caught out with that one.
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Just done a comparison using A&J's dates of 2/4/20 - 19/4/20 for the Plymouth to Roscoff crossing on the Pont Aven both ways.
Without vouchers £514.00 incl. 2 bunk inside cabin. (we always have the 4 berth outer)
With 4 vouchers £325.00 same cabin.
So take £87.80 off for the vouchers that reduces the ferry cost to £237.20 I make that a saving of £276.80 off the ferry crossing
For this quote I used our outfit sizes. Car 1.8m x 4.5m, Caravan 6.5m x 2.6m
We have used Plymouth out before and Caen back and made a good saving on that route to.
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Hi TG, in my post above,at 1901 yesterday, I was referring to my June costings, and not to the April one I originally posted about. The savings are at the same level as this year at £400 plus.
Re the height issue I was originally made aware by the club when booking.
I always get the price on line but make the booking over the phone, and was told this many years ago when booking,and have had this confirmed in an email from BF, but, as you say, it isn't loud and clear on either the BF or club sites.
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Checked Stena prices for our proposed trip April/May, via the club, and it appears the rates are slightly lower than last year, so all good there then
PS judging from the number of posts on here it seems that a number of people are planning trips for 2020 so why was Freddy's thread disappear into the ether
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A&J, thanks for confirming the details about the height, nice to know BF have confirmed it too.
AD yes we got the Hull ITX earlier this year and a decent difference it made too. Still have to use the vouchers but we've got until the end of next year to do so. We are also wondering about the 90 day limit as with 3 weeks beginning of March in Lanzarote we will have to play about with dates for going with the caravan. Hoping we either get a deal and no limit or they have a visa that you can get for longer stays.
OP, Stena do have some good prices on some of their crossings unfortunately for us Harwich - Hook its just not in the right place. Used to use it many years ago though coming from North Germany.
We now like the Plymouth to Roscoff route if heading to Western France, across to the med or down to Spain. Portsmouth to Caen is good for pretty much most of France. Hull to Zeebrugge/Rotterdam for Northeren France or rest of Europe. We always look to the overnight crossings which gives us more time to get down from Scotland.
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had a response from the club
informative and enlightening, just no easy way of finding the lowest routes/dates
heres the goss....
"Sadly there is no way of telling which routes will have the package deal and it would be a case of checking each one you are interested in.
If you are unsure it may be best to contact us at head office on 01342316101 Monday Friday 08.45 - 17.30 as we may be able to search quicker on our system.
All the routes on Brittany ferries offer the package deals - including Poole/Cherboug.
You can also get the deal if you are going to be booking an overseas site for 4 nights or more. You can either have the vouchers or the site bookings for the discounts.
If you are searching for the crossings online it will bring up the cheapest price first and advise if you need vouchers/site for the discount. "
so now i know
earlier in the exchange i asked about the caravan goes free and this is true and a MH can go as cheaply as long as its as short as a car
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earlier in the exchange i asked about the caravan goes free and this is true and a MH can go as cheaply as long as its as short as a car
That would have to be a very small MH, we have a big car but it still comes in under 5m in length.
Just tried dates out for a crossing and the club just won't give me the dates that I know are available according to BF
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thanks david...its the 'suck it and see' thing i dont get...why make customers browse and browse before they hit the discounted route?
the CC lady did suggest calling the centre and they should know, by recent experience, which routes attract the discounts.
once ive found them, i can compare with the BF ones minus 'DD discount'
ps and OT....DD and i both liked the Hobby caravans...
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ha, yes i did mention that.....hence my
....ill start kicking them about soon, we will be away early Jan.
good luck with the search.
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Will check that out tomorrow, thanks.
We've been discussing what we are going to do.
I think if we don't go back to Spain before Christmas then we will go in the Spring and attempt it again. Had thought about Germany, Austria etc with Spain at the back end of the year again but seems to be fated
Oh well we will go somewhere, doing something, at some stage.0 -
Hi David, Is the Portsmouth crossing a return?
When I look at ferry only prices the club and BF are the same, for a single or a return, but add on the vouchers to a return and the price drops massively for the Plymouth and Portsmouth crossings I have looked at.0 -
Hi David,I thought it might be looking at the prices!
Have been looking at club info since BB posted and there is quite a bit there but, as said, its not that easy to find, about what routes attract what discount.
I looked at Stena Line info to compare and you can instantly see that caravans go free except in high season.
The info is here.
Then click one of the FIND OUT MORE buttons.The info re BF says;
Get the best savings with Brittany Ferries on the following crossings:
Portsmouth to Caen at 2.45pm and Caen to Portsmouth at 8.30am
Poole to Cherbourg at 8.30am and Cherbourg to Poole at 6:30pm
St Malo to Portsmouth at 10.30am Monday to Friday
Plymouth Roscoff all departures excluding Friday and Saturday, and Roscoff to Plymouth any time (excluding high season)So as we and others have found no discounts on your, or other, Spain routes.
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Allan, thansk for that....i wonder why the travel consultant couldnt point me there?
our issue has always been we dont book a return as we dont know when we will come home....we have a rough date in mind and then look at the return fares to find the best deal...
perhaps we should book a return, make a killing and then cha ge the date nearer the time if not convenient..
no doubt the price will change and an admin charge?
anyway, thanks again, useful stuff.
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BB we used to do the same thing, book going out but not a return until we were happy about coming back.
However when going through our holiday insurance it states quite clearly that a 'return' booked date should be in place before departure.
No one goes on holiday thinking they will have to use the insurance but if we did have to, that clause could cost one dearly.
Sometimes an amendment fee would be preferable.
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Just been browsing the BF site for ferries next Spring and as our return date is after the 22 April 2020 they are not allowing a return booking to be made you have to do 2 singles. A return can be made with C&MC.
Their new system of fares and T&C's appears to take affect on the 22/4/20.
On comparing BF to C&MC the prices for our crossing dates and times, are the same as the 'new' economy level with BF. If you go to the next level its £10 more and the top level is another £10. I wonder how this will affect prices and T&C's with the C&MC.
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Hi TG, When looking at the BF site you start by choosing a return or single. If you choose return it then displays the legs separately and shows all the crossing each way on the days you have selected.
I have only done it so far as the point at which you pay!
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Hi TG, Having tried, and failing, to find the email that confirmed you don't pay two supplements I mailed BF, in italics, to ask them to confirm about the height supplements and have now got a reply, in bold;
Hi, I travel regularly with BF and take a car and caravan.
Many years ago I was told by BF that when towing a vehicle, the caravan, for which you have paid a height supplement you should quote the standard height for the car unless it is higher than the towed vehicle and this was to avoid being charged two height supplements.
Can you please confirm that this is the case?
Good afternoon
Thank you for your email.
I can confirm that this is still the case with the car and caravans. I would advise for you to call 0330 159 7000 to make the booking so they can over write this for you.
Yours sincerely
Julie
Passenger Services
As I always make the actual booking on the phone maybe two height supplements would have been picked but looks like if you book online, with either the club or BF, then it may not be but its good to have it in writing!
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