[Paul B]

Right, well we screwed up and didn't book a ferry ages ago when they were nice and cheap. Basically now they're a f*cking fortune and I was hoping someone would have some beta on using day returns (anyone been charged extra?) or have some other wisdom (which doesn't consist of telling me that I'll never do it again).
I'm guessing we could sit it out until the day before but I really really don't like that plan.
Thanks.
On a positive note I SHOULD be in Font from the 20th until the 3rd, even if it is going to cost me an arm and a leg!

[dave]

look for a cheap flight to CDG and hire a motor?

[neil h]

scab a lift, you know who is coming, they are bringing 3 cars between 8 of them

 

[Paul B]

look for a cheap flight to CDG and hire a motor?

still too young to avoid that extra premium...

[Jim]

even with norfolk lines?

[lagerstarfish]

Fuck me  even the Dunkirk ferry will set you back at least £250 return on those dates.

[slackline]

Eurotunnel works out about £280 (going on those exact dates and the cheapest available options). 

[neil h]

if you come out on the thursday late night the prices are still around the 50 quid mark, after friday morning its xmas holidays,


the gite is available if you wanaa come a day early

[Drew]

How about National Express? 75 quids ish Shef to Paris, then a cheap train to Font, and a friendly lift from the station?

[jamscoz]

Both times that Ive been to font, Ive taken the Dover/Calais ferry. Both times I have missed my boat.  An hour after my ferry time will cost me £10 but last time I slept too long in the ferry port car park, this cost me £60. Which sucked.
 If you get to the port early its worth going through check in, on the way back we got on a ferry 3 hours before our boat was due.  If you've never driven through France before, buy a small pencil case, stick all your Euro coins and cents in it, makes the tolls so much easier.   

[slackline]

If you've never driven through France before, buy a small pencil case, stick all your Euro coins and cents in it, makes the tolls so much easier.  

...and pack your hazard sign, spare bulbs (possibly fuses too), high viz jacket, stickers for your headlights so you don't blind on coming motorists, don't get too close to the car in front etc. etc.

There are tons of minor rules and the police will rape you if they decide to stop you, no get out, see the end of the article about the guy who slept in his car by the side of the road for three weeks 

[Paul B]

stickers = duct tape and plenty of it!

[tomtom]

Here's a wildcard option, but what about the ferry from Hull?
I'm biased (as I live there!) but it leaves 6pm, arrives 8am in Rotterdam, its < 5 hours from Rotterdam to Font....
£240 for car, 2 passengers and 1 cabin. It may add an extra day to the journey, but if you're in the North of England, 'ulls only a hour from Sheff or Leeds... and its a tight call if doing it the normal way is 5-6 hours to Dover/channel port then 3 hours  to font...
Couple of people at work often have to drive to barcelona (have to take equipment in an estate) and they always go that way rather than schlep down to Dover....

http://www.poferries.com/tourist/index.html

[lagerstarfish]

  here, but...
I had an ace rope job on those Hull/Rotterdam ferries about 15 years ago. The work itself was the usual dull window cleaning shit, but the benefits were amazing. The car deck and the seating areas were always littered with lumps of hash, bags of grass and the odd pill that passangers had dumped rather than risk getting caught coming through English customs - we didn't go through customs as we didn't leave port. We only worked every other day when the boat was in Hull, so got to come home every night and have a day of getting wasted in between work days (the jouney home was always interesting too). We also got a good lunch cooked for us every day. Nice work 

[Fiend]

Here's a wildcard option, but what about the ferry from Hull?
I'm biased (as I live there!) but it leaves 6pm, arrives 8am in Rotterdam, its < 5 hours from Rotterdam to Font....
£240 for car, 2 passengers and 1 cabin. It may add an extra day to the journey, but if you're in the North of England, 'ulls only a hour from Sheff or Leeds... and its a tight call if doing it the normal way is 5-6 hours to Dover/channel port then 3 hours  to font...
Couple of people at work often have to drive to barcelona (have to take equipment in an estate) and they always go that way rather than schlep down to Dover....

http://www.poferries.com/tourist/index.html

Useful beta that.

[Sloper]

Very useful gen.

I think that the way forward might be to let the train take the strain.  Shef to Paris in about 5 and a half hours then car hire at the other end, for those with kids this makes a lot of sense esp when a return is available for £59

http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/latest_deals/200k_seats.jsp

[Jaspersharpe]

Sounds like that might be a plan except I can't get that website to work at all. 

[Sloper]

Sea France may be in the pooh so be careful if you're looking for an advance booking.

[Jaspersharpe]

They're owned by SNCF no? What've you heard? 

[slackline]

They're owned by SNCF no? What've you heard?  

They're likely to go under

P.S. - Shouldn't this be in abroad, or does it qualify for UK & Eire because the ferrys depart from the UK 

[Jaspersharpe]

Interesting. Assume this'll be the same as other travel companies going bust (if it happens) and those who paid by credit card will be ok (not that this affect me personally) but others will be screwed?

P.S. - Shouldn't this be in abroad, or does it qualify for UK & Eire because the ferrys depart from the UK 

You're not going to wrestle SA Chris' "king of pedantry" crown from him that easily slackers. 

[nik at work]

If by "OK" you mean get their money back on the cheap early booking they made several months ago and then have to buy a last minute ticket on another ferry at vastly inflated cost...

Just checked and we have a Sea France booking for Easter, arse. Time to dig out the travel insurance documents methinks....

Happy new year.

[slackline]

P.S. - Shouldn't this be in abroad, or does it qualify for UK & Eire because the ferrys depart from the UK  

You're not going to wrestle SA Chris' "king of pedantry" crown from him that easily slackers.  

No chance of that happening 

[Jaspersharpe]

If by "OK" you mean get their money back on the cheap early booking they made several months ago and then have to buy a last minute ticket on another ferry at vastly inflated cost...

Just checked and we have a Sea France booking for Easter, arse. Time to dig out the travel insurance documents methinks....

Happy new year.

Go Dover - Dunkirk. Generally way cheaper anyway.

[priscilla wimbush]

Just had this dropping the inbox.
I've not read any small print or clicked yet, though it may prove worthy for some? norfolkline




Low Season £19
High Season £29

Car 4 people, each way fares, for any length of stay:
The Travel Market has teamed up with ferry operator Norfolkline to bring Speedferries customers this exclusive, fully flexible deal on all Dover-Dunkirk sailings up to 17/12/09.
 
There are just two fares to choose from: High season (03/04-19/04 inclusive and 17/07-06/09 inclusive), or Low season (all other times excluding High season), and the price you see is the price you pay whether you choose a day, night, peak or non peak sailing within a season. There are no amendment fees so you can change your booking, subject to availability as many times as you like, but you must book your crossings by 18 February 2009.