(Home) Channel ferry (Sp+)

Hello all, can i pick your brains for the cheapest way to take me and my 4 kids aged 7 to 14 to france on the ferries . i am ashamed to admit i have never been abroad before so its all completely new to me .
whats the best place too cross from?
do i have to have a cabin ?
any advice much appreciated
Yours jim
ps was reading somewhere its best to book a day return each way and not use the return part .is this true ? - (#2613) J ADGO, 31 Mar 02

There is absolutely no "shame" in not having been abroad. IMHO too many people miss the delights of our islands, just to achieve the dubious "thrill" of visting another Country. But, a first visit is always delightful and the children will love it.
You don't say if you are taking a car ? If you are, there are some very good "package" deals on offer. Try www.ferryoffers.co.uk. The Dover/Calais crossing is very good, only about 1 1/2 hours so, no cabin required. Lots to do and see on board. Have a good trip. - (#2615) John Davis, 1 Apr 02

Hello Jim,
I have been traveling to France for about 5 years now and I'm due to go again late June. Can I make a few suggestions? If you haven,t been before it is a good idea to go with somebody like Eurocamp or Canvas Hols who do an all in one package which includes ferry crossings. As for crossing, it depends on where you will be staying as to the best crossing route. I am going to the Vendee, so to save time, I'm crossing Portsmouth to Cherbourg. One other thing, I believe you have a Liteace like myself, the ferry companies will charge you an "over height" fee, currently about £10 each way because the old Liteace is over 1.8 mtr high!
HTH. - (#2617) Eagleneil, 1 Apr 02

As Eagleneil has suggested, it depends on where you depart from and are going to. Your options as far as I know are P&O Ferries, Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries and Sea France and they leave from a variety of ports. Check out their Web sites for a Quote on your options based on your travel dates. (A Google search should easily find the sites for you.) If your camping or intend to stay at a caravan site then booking the package through Eurocamp or French Freedom Holidays or other provider, can result in a significantly cheaper ferry package. Also different ferries have different height penalties.
Also I hear the AA do a rental package on all thats needed in way of vehicle accessories for a French visit. Worth checking out!
P.S. Eagleneil I'm due to arrive St Jean de Mont end June if your in the area. - (#2644) stephen Judge, 4 Apr 02

It is not possible to book two day return tickets & only use one way. I used to work in Holland & I looked at all the ways to get cheap return crossings. As the tickets are computer logged they know if you don't return, you will get a bill for a full price single crossing if the return part is not used, look at the 'terms & conditions of issue' on the tickets. You can't get a day return bought from a ferry port in mainland Europe if you are traveling in a car with a UK registration number either! There is a very unfair way of charging the return fares, for a return ticket that would be over 5 days abroad I was being charged around £320! for me & my car, day trips with a coupon from some newspapers were on offer for £10 for a car & up to 5 people! so you can see why I was getting wound up, bearing in mind I was in Holland working for 3 weeks & back in UK for a week so just work out how much I was paying per year! Beware of height restrictions, my Space cruiser was ok for the CH tunnel but the Townace was just over the height limit therefore cost more as It had to go in the coach trains.
Cheers
Geoff (without Townace) Bristol
PS. DON'T take radar snoopers with you if you go to France, It will be conficated & you face an instant fine of anything up to £500 Beware!!!

- (#2736) Geoff Waldorf, 20 Apr 02

As if you would have a radar snooper in a Townace! Why in case you get pulled for speeding? - I wish!

- (#2748) Ian Dunse, 22 Apr 02

I don't understand why some people are saying that the ferries charge extra because of the height of the townie?

I took my family to Disney in Paris via P&O ferries, Dover to Calais. I was not charged any extra.

Is this a recent thing? I went last august.

Steve..

- (#3043) Steve Lewis, 21 May 02

i have travelled to both Eire and France with the townie, and have never been charged for being overheight

they just need to know that you are this height so they don't put you in the wrong part of the ship (mine is 1.98m)

it's classed as a car (not a van) - even my logbook says estate, because they didn't want to put MPV

- (#3045) skippy, 21 May 02

We're going over to the Isle of Wight next month, nothing extra to pay, but you do have to declare that your vehicle is overheight, this is because the deck lifts up, to become a double decker, so they have to make sure you go on the lower deck, otherwise the vehicle ends up a foot lower than when you entered the ferry.....ouch!!!!!

- (#3047) Rob Drinkwater, 21 May 02