[Three Nine]

Hi all,

i'm going Font in February for a week, and want to avoid any potential delays if any shit kicks off in Calais. Is Dover - Dunkirk a good bet? Am I being absurdly paranoid? Should I try and avoid Dover too?

I'd appreciate any thoughts. I get abroad very rarely at the moment, and really dont want to waste any time with travel fuck ups.

Cheers!

[T_B]

The classic thing to do when arriving in Dunkirk is get lost.

Dunno what the latest is with delays, but I would have thought all the other non-Dover ferry options would be tres expensive. In Feb it'd probably be cheaper to fly to CDG?

[roddersm]

We traveled Dover - Calais and back in August without any delay at all on either side.

Plan to head this way again in March/April.

[rodma]

Hi all,

i'm going Font in February for a week, and want to avoid any potential delays if any shit kicks off in Calais. Is Dover - Dunkirk a good bet? Am I being absurdly paranoid? Should I try and avoid Dover too?

I'd appreciate any thoughts. I get abroad very rarely at the moment, and really dont want to waste any time with travel fuck ups.

Cheers!

the dunkerque crossing is fine, it just adds a bit of time on the boat and a bit of time on the road at the other end (circa 1 hour total extra)

the only risk getting the ferry from Calais is that of industrial action, the 3 mile long prison style razor wire fence on the road into the ferry terminal keeps the migrants away from the traffic. the tunnel is not similarly protected as far as I'm aware.

[Fultonius]

Am I being absurdly paranoid?

Yes. We came through Calais literally in the middle of the HUGE STORM OF MIGRANTS and didn't see a soul, no delays.

Yes, shit might kick off but I doubt it's worth trying to avoid Calais as it was the M20 to Dover that had the worst delays. Calais was fine.

[twoshoes]

Dunkerque's fine, although it's a tiny port and it'll get snarled up big time if there's a problem at Calais. We drove up to Dunkerque from the Alps in the summer to find 6-hour-plus queues and people sleeping in their cars, all because of a strike at Calais. Basically, you could hit problems if there's a strike no matter where you go, so I'd just pick the cheapest option.

(The ferry people even sent us a text telling us to arrive two hours early as there were delays. We ignored that and got there four hours early. Still got bumped back a couple of ferries.)

[bigtuboflard]

We traveled Dover - Calais and back in August without any delay at all on either side.

Plan to head this way again in March/April.

same here. Was back in August too but no delays whatsoever.


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[rginns]

I travel through Calais around 6 times a year with work, last time about 3 wks ago and yes, you're being paranoid.
Even at the height of the media frenzy this summer I travelled through without too much delay a couple of times.
In other words it's all bollocks for the UKIP brigade to get excited about.

I really wouldn't worry, especially in February, it's much much more likely you'll be stuck on the M25 if you have to go round London than you are on the cross channel.

If money isn't an issue though, go for the tunnel, it is more expensive, but you only lose an hour 35 mins (including time shift) and it makes a big difference for the pull down to Font.

You may still get stuck in a go slow on the motorway, usually initiated by angry farmers, but the only way to avoid this is to go to Italy instead.

[Three Nine]

Cheers all, that's extremely helpful!! 

[lagerstarfish]

If money isn't an issue though, go for the tunnel, it is more expensive, but you only lose an hour 35 mins (including time shift) and it makes a big difference for the pull down to Font.

on the way back you get to the UK before you set off from France   

[Johnny Brown]

Went on the tunnel this year, first time bar the eurostar last year. It saves at least an hour over the ferry to Calais and maybe a couple over Dunkirk. Didn't see any problems but we were a bit slow leaving Calais and then did an emergency stop halfway through the tunnel, the lights went out and all you could smell was brake dust. In a car, in a a train, in a tunnel under the sea. I'm not prone to panic attacks but I will confess to a rising claustrophobia at this point.

[rodma]

In the last year the tunnel has been a higher risk than the ferry. One of our clients moved perishable goods to and from Britain so the quicker the crossing the better, but they were regularly stuck last year (due to the desperate migrants ) and one of their drivers even had their arm broken in an altercation with one when they tried to stop a migrant getting on their wagon.

They're are good deals on the tunnel, but we're sticking with the regular short crossing

[tomtom]

If you're in the north consider the Hull <> Rotterdam/zebrugge ferry.. You spend the time you'd be driving down to london and cursing the M25 having a beer and a nights kip.

[lagerstarfish]

when I last checked that route it was well spenny

[tomtom]

Yes - and its cheap at other times.. School hols :-/ who knows.. It's a very pleasant way to cross the channel though..

[roddersm]

How long does that crossing take?

[dave]

Bout 7hrs innit. Just looked for our potential trip. One overnight crossing a day, £120 each way.

[rginns]

How long does that crossing take?

I do the Hull-rotterdam/zeebrugge run if I need to be in the Netherlands or Belgium (3ish times a year) and it's actually pretty good, in a chintzy 1990s decor kinda way. Crossing is normally 11-12 hours, board around 6pm and they chuck you off about 8am.
If you're going with kids and you live within 2hrs of hull it's a great option, kids can be excited about a big boat, you can have a beer and a good nights sleep. it's normally not too rough either

[tomtom]

Aye.. Leave at 6 arrive at 7-8am. Always been really well run in recent years. Twice had a cabin near the 'loud' entertainment and asked to move somewhere quieter - both times no problems.

It costs more but you can factor in having a bed/cabin for two nights within that price.

Booze is reasonable price on board - but food is a little pricey and a bit limited. Thiugh they do pizza at one of the cheaper coffee bars. Think either truckers fare or posh restraunt - at motorway services prices. I normally take my evening meal with me (decent salad from supermarket etc..) and then have a couple of drinks upstairs.

Cabins have always been clean and comfy.

[tomtom]

(To add) every now and then I have meetings in the NL and get the ferry instead of flying. More relaxing and I get some undistirbed time to work/relax.

[lagerstarfish]

(To add) every now and then I have meetings in the NL and get the ferry instead of flying. More relaxing and I get to go to the on-board disco 

[tomtom]

(To add) every now and then I have meetings in the NL and get the ferry instead of flying. More relaxing and I get to go to the on-board disco 

I prefer the piano bar nowadays...

[rginns]

I think you mean the moonight lounge Tomtom

[tomtom]

I think you mean the moonight lounge Tomtom

That's how I roll....

(On ferries anyway!)

[webbo]

I would do Hull Rotterdam/ Zeebrugge every time given the choice. From leaving home to being on holiday in less than an hour.
On recent trips we tend to eat in the Brasserie rather than the self service resturant more expensive but you get the table for the evening if your trying to avoid the likes of TomTom on a booze cruise