Ferry Advice

JamBur

Lads and lassies,
I'm planning a driving expedition in January. It will involve ferries from Rosslare to Fishguard, and Dover to Dunkirk.

The Rosslare ferry leaves at 9am and arrives at 12.30, the Dover ferry leaves at 20.00 or 22.00. I would need to be there an hour early for whichever I use. I'd prefer to get the earlier one but am unsure as to whether I would make it.

*Routeplanners put the drive from Fishguard to Dover at 5hrs40mins, is that accurate?
*How long does it take to disembark at Fishguard ie. if it arrives at 12.30 then how soon could I expect to be on the road
*How are ferries in relation to a missed departure? Would they put you on the next available, or do you have to buy a new ticket?

Thanks folks

scudzilla

Maybe a silly question but have ya considered goin from Rosslare to Cherbourg/Roscoff?
Would save all the arsing about

JamBur

scudzilla wrote: »

Maybe a silly question but have ya considered goin from Rosslare to Cherbourg/Roscoff?
Would save all the arsing about

Its a long time on the ferry, and more importantly, the prices are exhorbitant.

Edit: I just checked and remembered that the irregular sailing schedule on those routes doesnt fit us either.

Dinkie

I would say that the journey is 5hrs 40 on a good day! And that was avoiding the M25!

I would say that you may be cutting it tight to make teh 20:00 sailing. I have never changed a sailing, but according to another forum, they are quite good at changing your sailing (for free I think) if you miss one... and the sailings are so frequent, you don't have to wait too long.

Disembarking at fishguard usually takes about 30mins. Somehow I always end up behind a pile of lorries leaving fishguard and the road isn't that good for overtaking!

Bicycle

Couple of questions...

1. Do you have to leave from Rosslare?

Reason I ask is that the sea around there is often rougher than further up the Irish sea and you are more likely to have ferry cancellations there than from Dublin to Holyhead. Furthermore there are more and bigger ferries on the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire route.

2. Do you have to go to Dunkirque? P and O have very regular sailings from Dover to CALAIS and to be honest, its like a bus station in Dover with P&O. Miss one ferry and you just sit it out to the next.

In terms of driving down, its much of a muchness between Fishguard and Holyhead to Dover except that the roads are much better on the Holyhead route. It will take about 6.5 hours.

Furthermore, it takes longer to get out and on to the A16 from Dunkirque than it does Calais.

JamBur

Bicycle wrote: »

Couple of questions...

1. Do you have to leave from Rosslare?

Reason I ask is that the sea around there is often rougher than further up the Irish sea and you are more likely to have ferry cancellations there than from Dublin to Holyhead. Furthermore there are more and bigger ferries on the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire route.

2. Do you have to go to Dunkirque? P and O have very regular sailings from Dover to CALAIS and to be honest, its like a bus station in Dover with P&O. Miss one ferry and you just sit it out to the next.

In terms of driving down, its much of a muchness between Fishguard and Holyhead to Dover except that the roads are much better on the Holyhead route. It will take about 6.5 hours.

Furthermore, it takes longer to get out and on to the A16 from Dunkirque than it does Calais.

Thats all good advice, will check these options now.

I dont have to leave from Rosslare, It just seemed to be my only option. Dunkirk isn't important either. My only priority is getting to the continent cheaply on the 05th of August

Bicycle

P&O are usually the cheapest and their fares vary depending on time of day. http://www.poferries.com/

You should be able to cross for something between €45 and €55 for two adults and one car.

Also, if you want to cut back costs, you can redeem your Tesco vouchers at 4x face value against your ferry crossings on the Irish sea if you use Stena or Irish Ferries.