Are the ferries too expensive ?

shaunandelly

Just had to book out for my Parents to come over from UK. Car plus 2 £350 sterling :eek: Have friends thinking of coming over and going down to West Cork,week end to week end and they are looking at similar prices. They are used to going to the Canaries 4star all inclusive for about the 1k mark. But with ferry and fuel prices half of that budget will have gone by the time they pick up an overpriced pinteen. Passport mess up means no flying !

gerrowadat

It's completely seasonal. If they're coming in June or July that's pretty normal. Remember they're transporting your car for you :-)

gandalf

As gerrowadat said it is seasonal. I am currently in France after travelling over by the ferry with my wife and kid. The crossing cost 400 euros, if I booked in July it would be around a grand. Nothing beats driving in a foreign country in your own car. I hate driving rentals. When you factor in flights and car rental the ferry is normally better value as well.

shaunandelly

Must be just me that's cheap then.

Imagine how many flights you'd have to take putting pieces of your car in the luggage to get your car over

We used to book in the holiday season and it'd be sky high, same for everything I suppose, supply and demand.

munchkin_utd

shaunandelly wrote: »

Just had to book out for my Parents to come over from UK. Car plus 2 £350 sterling :eek: Have friends thinking of coming over and going down to West Cork,week end to week end and they are looking at similar prices. They are used to going to the Canaries 4star all inclusive for about the 1k mark. But with ferry and fuel prices half of that budget will have gone by the time they pick up an overpriced pinteen. Passport mess up means no flying !

settle - the amount sounds large as its the TOTAL cost for TWO people.

broken down thats 177pounds each return or 88pounds per person each way.
Thats not all that much to be honest especially considering they have use of a car then when they are in Ireland which would cost 100s per week in rental fees, and they are saving on airport parking the other side too.

Marcusm

shaunandelly wrote: »

Just had to book out for my Parents to come over from UK. Car plus 2 £350 sterling :eek: Have friends thinking of coming over and going down to West Cork,week end to week end and they are looking at similar prices. They are used to going to the Canaries 4star all inclusive for about the 1k mark. But with ferry and fuel prices half of that budget will have gone by the time they pick up an overpriced pinteen. Passport mess up means no flying !

They could always go as foot passengers on the ferry and hire a car; would probably be a lot less. Alternatively if they gave driving licences or similar ID, they can take any plane other than Ryanair. As far as I know, EI still accepts work IDs.

munchkin_utd

Marcusm wrote: »

They could always go as foot passengers on the ferry and hire a car; would probably be a lot less. Alternatively if they gave driving licences or similar ID, they can take any plane other than Ryanair. As far as I know, EI still accepts work IDs.

nope.
to hire a car in the summer is a minimum of 30 euro a day with basic insurance so multiplying that by 7 days so thats 210 per week.

The basic insurance means you pay the first 1000 euro of damage out of your own pocket. Dont fancy the risk, then add up to 20euro a day so another 140euro over a week.

The normal car hire package only covers one driver. Fancy a pint and let the wife drive one of the evenings, again add about a tenner a day so another 70euro per week.

SO... for a week to have a car where damge isnt an issue and both people can drive (same as your own car if you brought it) you are looking at 420Euro per week for car hire.

Want to stay a fortnight, that'll be 840 Euro!!

I'm home for a month in the summer from germany and am bringing my own car as renting is so bleedin expensive at peak times.

hdowney

gandalf wrote: »

As gerrowadat said it is seasonal. I am currently in France after travelling over by the ferry with my wife and kid. The crossing cost 400 euros, if I booked in July it would be around a grand. Nothing beats driving in a foreign country in your own car. I hate driving rentals. When you factor in flights and car rental the ferry is normally better value as well.

Thats good value. I was looking at prices for 2 adults and car in June and got about 318 I think that is fantastic value, when you consider the costs of bringing luggage on a plane etc.

Marcusm wrote: »

They could always go as foot passengers on the ferry and hire a car; would probably be a lot less. Alternatively if they gave driving licences or similar ID, they can take any plane other than Ryanair. As far as I know, EI still accepts work IDs.

Nope no work ID or the like. Passport. When you consider you 'legally' don't have to have a passport it is a pisser alright

munchkin_utd

hdowney wrote: »

Nope no work ID or the like. Passport. When you consider you 'legally' don't have to have a passport it is a pisser alright

nope, the previous poster is 100% correct that work ID is valid to travel to the UK with EI aka Aer Lingus.

this is from their ID info page

Travel between Ireland and the UK or UK Domestic travel
Citizens of Ireland and the UK must carry some form of official photo identification. The following forms of photo identification are acceptable:

• Valid Passport
• Drivers licence with photo
• International student card
• National ID card / Government issued photo ID cards
• Health Insurance cards with photo / Social security cards with photo
• Bus pass with photo
• Work ID with photo

http://www.aerlingus.com/i18n/en/htmlPopups/passport_visa_information.html#irluk

hdowney

munchkin_utd wrote: »

nope, the previous poster is 100% correct that work ID is valid to travel to the UK with EI aka Aer Lingus.

this is from their ID info page

http://www.aerlingus.com/i18n/en/htmlPopups/passport_visa_information.html#irluk

and yet they point black refused me with ANY kind of ID than passport. I contacted them as I had misplaced mine, and wanted to know which other forms of ID were acceptable. I was told I would be refused boarding without a passport (going to the UK fyi). Thankfully the passport turned up

munchkin_utd

hdowney wrote: »

and yet they point black refused me with ANY kind of ID than passport. I contacted them as I had misplaced mine, and wanted to know which other forms of ID were acceptable. I was told I would be refused boarding without a passport (going to the UK fyi). Thankfully the passport turned up

Aer Lingus ?
Are you Irish or British?

hdowney

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Aer Lingus ?
Are you Irish or British?

aer lingus yup. irish.

gandalf

hdowney wrote: »

Thats good value. I was looking at prices for 2 adults and car in June and got about 318 I think that is fantastic value, when you consider the costs of bringing luggage on a plane etc.

We booked before they had the half price cabin sale so we could have gotten it cheaper!

The luggage is one of the main attractions. Two lovely cases of Bordeaux 2009 red bought already and we are here until Saturday before we drive up to the in laws in Normandy! (and we have to do the proper wine shopping yet!).

shaunandelly

Well.. they looked at holiday cottage sites and they were offering the ferry for about £250,which is more where I thought it would be.

hdowney

gandalf wrote: »

We booked before they had the half price cabin sale so we could have gotten it cheaper!

The luggage is one of the main attractions. Two lovely cases of Bordeaux 2009 red bought already and we are here until Saturday before we drive up to the in laws in Normandy! (and we have to do the proper wine shopping yet!).

I'll be over when you are home

Yea the luggage is a big draw for me. Paying either Aer Lingus (or worse Ryanair) for bringing luggage over would severely limit how much I bring with me (especially with relation to bringing stuff back!!) Car all the way.

galwayjohn89

munchkin_utd wrote: »

nope.
to hire a car in the summer is a minimum of 30 euro a day with basic insurance so multiplying that by 7 days so thats 210 per week.

The basic insurance means you pay the first 1000 euro of damage out of your own pocket. Dont fancy the risk, then add up to 20euro a day so another 140euro over a week.

The normal car hire package only covers one driver. Fancy a pint and let the wife drive one of the evenings, again add about a tenner a day so another 70euro per week.

SO... for a week to have a car where damge isnt an issue and both people can drive (same as your own car if you brought it) you are looking at 420Euro per week for car hire.

Want to stay a fortnight, that'll be 840 Euro!! .

Where are you renting cars from!?

Car hire excess insurance is €60 a year.
Rental is €120 a week if you book it in advance from Dublin Airport.
I have never paid more than a couple of euro a day for an extra driver.

hdowney

Vuzuggu wrote: »

Where are you renting cars from!?

Car hire excess insurance is €60 a year.
Rental is €120 a week if you book it in advance from Dublin Airport.
I have never paid more than a couple of euro a day for an extra driver.

I don't know what car hire company you are looking at but any I looked at were hitting over the thousand mark easy (now I will admit I was picking up in Italy and dropping in France) but still. It wouldn't have been cheap to pick and drop in the same location either

munchkin_utd

Vuzuggu wrote: »

Where are you renting cars from!?

Car hire excess insurance is €60 a year.
Rental is €120 a week if you book it in advance from Dublin Airport.
I have never paid more than a couple of euro a day for an extra driver.

try and get 120 a week in August! (and I actually mean have a look and laugh at the prices! Go On. Get me a quote of less than a grand for 1st or 2nd august to 2nd or 3rd september with pick up anywhere in Ireland)
I am home for 2 weddings in the summer so making a long spin of it of about 4 weeks in august and a couple of days in sept.

You are correct on the excess cover (on random insurance site dot com) but theres no way round the extra driver charge which really adds up over a long term rental. From just after checking their websites, with enterprise its between 7 and 10 euro depending on location. Hertz is 9.50. I could keep searching and listing them off but any I have ever seen are more than a couple (i.e. 2) euro and over a number of days it really adds up.

galwayjohn89

munchkin_utd wrote: »

try and get 120 a week in August! (and I actually mean have a look and laugh at the prices! Go On. Get me a quote of less than a grand for 1st or 2nd august to 2nd or 3rd september with pick up anywhere in Ireland)
I am home for 2 weddings in the summer so making a long spin of it of about 4 weeks in august and a couple of days in sept.

You are correct on the excess cover (on random insurance site dot com) but theres no way round the extra driver charge which really adds up over a long term rental. From just after checking their websites, with enterprise its between 7 and 10 euro depending on location. Hertz is 9.50. I could keep searching and listing them off but any I have ever seen are more than a couple (i.e. 2) euro and over a number of days it really adds up.

First one I checked. AutoEurope.ie

Picking up 1st August 2012 returning 1st September 2012.
Fiat Panada (or similar)

€560. (Extra driver is listed at €7 a day with MAX €49. Bit of bargaining and normally get that thrown in for free)

I'm sure I could find cheaper if I actually searched properly.

munchkin_utd

Vuzuggu wrote: »

First one I checked. AutoEurope.ie

Picking up 1st August 2012 returning 1st September 2012.
Fiat Panada (or similar)

€560. (Extra driver is listed at €7 a day with MAX €49. Bit of bargaining and normally get that thrown in for free)

I'm sure I could find cheaper if I actually searched properly.

you sure ????
on autoeurope.ie for those exact dates for Dublin airport I am seeing 1049euro.
And for a panda of all things.
Which isnt a car suitable for a family with a boot full of luggage and cots and child toys and whatnot. So I'd only consider a Golf class to be honest (if not insignia/ passat should the price be right)
Hertz and the likes dont do longer term rentals over 28days or so, but even if you split the difference and go 2 weeks at a time for a car like a golf (and through autoeurope) you are looking at 600 odd per fortnight - so 1300+ for the period Im needing a car for.

So in comparison, can get the car over on the ferries from the continent to ireland incl petrol and 4 people for 750 to 800 euro which is way cheaper than renting in Ireland at peak season (and you can bring all the crap of the day with you !)
Edit: And theres no 200euro per head flights either.

galwayjohn89

munchkin_utd wrote: »

you sure ????
on autoeurope.ie for those exact dates for Dublin airport I am seeing 1049euro.
And for a panda of all things.
Which isnt a car suitable for a family with a boot full of luggage and cots and child toys and whatnot. So I'd only consider a Golf class to be honest (if not insignia/ passat should the price be right)
Hertz and the likes dont do longer term rentals over 28days or so, but even if you split the difference and go 2 weeks at a time for a car like a golf (and through autoeurope) you are looking at 600 odd per fortnight - so 1300+ for the period Im needing a car for.

So in comparison, can get the car over on the ferries from the continent to ireland incl petrol and 4 people for 750 to 800 euro which is way cheaper than renting in Ireland at peak season (and you can bring all the crap of the day with you !)
Edit: And theres no 200euro per head flights either.

I'm not arguing that ferries can be better I'm just saying your paying way to much for car rental. If you booking it for a long term it be worth your while collecting it from an off airport location. In this case 50% cheaper. Even when you factor in a taxi rental and if you really wanted to splash out a hotel room for the others when you go to pick up the car.

shaunandelly

Well.I explained all that to them and they are now on their way to an all inclusive 4 star in Gran Canaria for a about 1k. Some people just won't listen eh.....

Caseywhale

Vuzuggu wrote: »

I'm not arguing that ferries can be better I'm just saying your paying way to much for car rental. If you booking it for a long term it be worth your while collecting it from an off airport location. In this case 50% cheaper. Even when you factor in a taxi rental and if you really wanted to splash out a hotel room for the others when you go to pick up the car.

Its amazing how many people dont know how to rent a car properly and end up overpaying.
my brother has been using this site in the uk.
im going to try it next time for the craic.

http://www.whipcar.com