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Ferry deals to France - Summer 2015

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 7,988 ✭✭✭Stone Deaf 4evr


    BenThere wrote: »
    Plus time! How many extra hours would people be prepared to detour via the UK to save (for example) €200???? The hassle of all the extra driving, staying in a $h1thole motorway/cheap hotel etc Vs spending that time at your destination is a complete false economy unless there is a major saving.

    Exactly. I always say to friends who are planning a ferry trip for the first time to add up exactly what it'll cost in both time and money to get from doorstep to doorstep. Eg, I could probably get a cheaper ferry from rosslare, but the fact I'm living 20 mins from cork port rules that out unless I was saving crazy money


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,432 ✭✭✭September1


    BenThere wrote: »
    Plus time! How many extra hours would people be prepared to detour via the UK to save (for example) €200???? The hassle of all the extra driving, staying in a $h1thole motorway/cheap hotel etc Vs spending that time at your destination is a complete false economy unless there is a major saving.

    I took land bridge once from Cherbourg and it took me at least 7 hours less to arrive home - so I'm not sure about extra time. However I agree at extra driving, costs and hassle.


  • Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭J@yK@y


    Over the years we have meet plenty of families from the North of England (Manchester/Liverpool) that drove to the south of France. Many have complained about the drive in the UK taking longer than the drive from north to south of France due to traffic congestion on English motorways etc.

    However, this can probaly be avoided by avoiding peak times, public holidays etc. It is worth considering if planning a landbridge option.

    With small children it may be easier to spend 16-22 hours on a ferry as opposed to 8-10 hours driving and 4-6 hours on a ferry.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭BenEadir


    September1 wrote: »
    I took land bridge once from Cherbourg and it took me at least 7 hours less to arrive home - so I'm not sure about extra time. However I agree at extra driving, costs and hassle.

    That's interesting but I'm not sure I understand. So you go Cherbourg -> Poole/Portsmouth by Ferry then drive to Fishguard/Holyhead and then a ferry to Rosslare/Dublin? And that was 7 hours quicker than a straight ferry from Cherbourg to Rosslare? I'm a bit confused as the Cherbourg -> Rosslare ferry is circa 16/18 hours so to beat that by 7 hours means Cherbourg -> UK -> Drive -> Ferry to Rosslare is only 11 hours??

    :confused:

    Ben


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,432 ✭✭✭September1


    BenThere wrote: »
    That's interesting but I'm not sure I understand. So you go Cherbourg -> Poole/Portsmouth by Ferry then drive to Fishguard/Holyhead and then a ferry to Rosslare/Dublin? And that was 7 hours quicker than a straight ferry from Cherbourg to Rosslare? I'm a bit confused as the Cherbourg -> Rosslare ferry is circa 16/18 hours so to beat that by 7 hours means Cherbourg -> UK -> Drive -> Ferry to Rosslare is only 11 hours??

    :confused:

    Ben

    My route is Cherbourg to Galway, so let's go through steps for Irish ferries:
    Check in: 5 pm
    Departure: 6 pm
    Arrival to Rosslare: 11.30am
    Disembarkation from OW: 12.30am
    Arrival to Galway: 4pm (fastest route by google maps without traffic)
    Total: 24 hours (as one hour time difference)
    You lose a lot of time as IF is pretty slow on unloading Oscar Wilde

    Going via UK:
    Check in: 4.15pm
    Departure: 5 pm
    Arrival: 7pm
    Disembarkation from BF fast ferry is really quick, they use some system without tieing ship and at 7.20pm I was out of port however that is not so important because you have 5 hour drive between Porstmouth Harbour and Holyhead and Ulyssess departs at 2.40pm with checking not later than 2am. You would only need to depart Porstmouth at 9pm. However we did some stops on a way and still had to wait quite long in Holyhead.

    Check in: 2.10am
    Arrival to Dublin: 5.55am
    Departing Dublin port: 6.30 am
    Arriving Galway: 8.37am
    Total time: 17h 22m

    Difference 6 hours 38 minutes

    I must admit you caught me cheating sir. Although I recall being before 8.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭BenEadir


    September1 wrote: »
    My route is Cherbourg to Galway, so let's go through steps for Irish ferries:
    Check in: 5 pm
    Departure: 6 pm
    Arrival to Rosslare: 11.30am
    Disembarkation from OW: 12.30am
    Arrival to Galway: 4pm (fastest route by google maps without traffic)
    Total: 24 hours (as one hour time difference)
    You lose a lot of time as IF is pretty slow on unloading Oscar Wilde

    Going via UK:
    Check in: 4.15pm
    Departure: 5 pm
    Arrival: 7pm
    Disembarkation from BF fast ferry is really quick, they use some system without tieing ship and at 7.20pm I was out of port however that is not so important because you have 5 hour drive between Porstmouth Harbour and Holyhead and Ulyssess departs at 2.40pm with checking not later than 2am. You would only need to depart Porstmouth at 9pm. However we did some stops on a way and still had to wait quite long in Holyhead.

    Check in: 2.10am
    Arrival to Dublin: 5.55am
    Departing Dublin port: 6.30 am
    Arriving Galway: 8.37am
    Total time: 17h 22m

    Difference 6 hours 38 minutes

    I must admit you caught me cheating sir. Although I recall being before 8.

    Fair play Sept1, if 7 hours (I'll give you the extra 25 minutes for effort!!) were that inportant to me or I had an appointment in Galway at 9am I'd jump through those hoops but man it's a lot of hassle compared to relaxing on board with the kids, having a few beers, playing cards/watching movies/reading etc plus getting a full nights sleep.

    The landbridge saves 7 hours and may be less expensive (ferry + fuel + ferry) Vs IF but for that amount of hassle I would have to be saving at least €300 each way and the 7 hours I'd gain would be immediately lost as I crashed for 8 hours on arrival in Galway!!!!

    Ben


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,432 ✭✭✭September1


    BenThere wrote: »
    Fair play Sept1, if 7 hours (I'll give you the extra 25 minutes for effort!!) were that inportant to me or I had an appointment in Galway at 9am I'd jump through those hoops but man it's a lot of hassle compared to relaxing on board with the kids, having a few beers, playing cards/watching movies/reading etc plus getting a full nights sleep.

    The landbridge saves 7 hours and may be less expensive (ferry + fuel + ferry) Vs IF but for that amount of hassle I would have to be saving at least €300 each way and the 7 hours I'd gain would be immediately lost as I crashed for 8 hours on arrival in Galway!!!!

    Ben

    I do not think it is less expensive - landbridge prices in this thread were based on going to Calais which is much more east and requires passing London. Route I took would cost a family around 400E each way plus fuel costs. That is not so far from regular prices, well above LD pricing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭BenEadir


    September1 wrote: »
    Route I took would cost a family around 400E each way plus fuel costs. That is not so far from regular prices, well above LD pricing.
    I'm guessing 2 X 5 hour drives through the UK would cost circa €200 in fuel (total guess on my part based on my own driving experience) which makes the entire Home -> Cherbourg return trip via landbridge €1,000 or so. That's higher than the €980 best price I've been able to get with IF for next year and less than the €1,200 or so Brittany ferries want both of which are without any discounts which will hopefully come along pre/post Xmas.

    I guess if you like driving.......

    Ben


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,074 ✭✭✭paddydriver


    Confirmed that LD Lines not doing the St Nazaire route next year.

    http://afloat.ie/port-news/ferry-news/item/26520-ld-lines-to-cease-ireland-france-spain-services

    Tempted by land bridge but likes others said I would need to be making big savings to justify it! I currently can get Stena from Rosslare > Cherbourg for €1050 for end of June. Anyone know how to get comparable with IF or do I need to wait for them to issue schedules and prices etc?

    Do the end of June sailings fill up fast or will there be any better offers over coming months?

    Thanks


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭BenEadir


    Do the end of June sailings fill up fast or will there be any better offers over coming months?

    Thanks

    My experience is there is a lull in between returning holiday makers keen to lock in their ferry dates for next years holiday (either because they always travel on certain dates or they have already booked their accommodation) who tend to book between now and the end of September and the new year when a lot of people traditionally book their summer holidays - in days gone by you'd always see loads of package holidays advertised from St Stephens day onwards.

    IIRC special offers, if there will be any this year given the reduced capacity between Ireland and France if the LD Lines Rosslare - St Nazaire route isn't replicated or replaced with another Ireland - France service, are usually promoted in the pre Xmas spending period when ferry companies would like to boost their cashflow.

    I paid less than €600 this year going over on LD and back on IF from Roscoff so I for one won't be doing anything in terms of booking a ferry until I see some proper deals i.e. €700 - €800 return for MPV + roof box and bike rack for 2 adults and 2 kids with a 4 berth outside cabin.

    Ben


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,074 ✭✭✭paddydriver


    Thanks Ben, I was on LD Lines too this year for our first trip to France so anything more than that is expensive to me.. Can't imagine I will get anything much less than €1k for next year. We would be same with potentially few bikes and roof box. Even Stena is near €100 more now than when I looked last week.. but hoping that's just cause kids back to school and more parents deciding on next year holidays.


  • Registered Users Posts: 72 ✭✭MelachiT


    *subscrisbes*

    Going to keep an eye on this thread. Will be looking out for Summer bargains myself. Missed the LD lines bargain this year.
    We travelled with IF on the Dublin - Cherbourg route. Travelled out 12th July and back 10th August. Cost was €832, 2 + 1 & a 4 berth cabin out and back. After using my Tesco tokens we paid only €430.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,083 ✭✭✭juneg


    I see that the sailing prices for Late August are much cheaper than late June and I suppose the weather should be better by that time. We could still have the kids back to school in time. I've priced the ferry leaving on 16th Aug for 10 nights at €651

    However the campsites seem to be more expensive and might well be more packed with people.

    Is it worth waiting until August to holiday in France?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,737 ✭✭✭MidlandsM


    Subscribed!


    I was on the ld lines super deal this year....safe to say will never see the likes again.

    However, ahoy there me harties.....there is light on the horizon......i checked stena there and a ferry mid june to early july 15' is coming in around €651.

    Might be an idea to book early?

    Thoughts?


  • Registered Users Posts: 72 ✭✭MelachiT


    juneg wrote: »
    I see that the sailing prices for Late August are much cheaper than late June and I suppose the weather should be better by that time. We could still have the kids back to school in time. I've priced the ferry leaving on 16th Aug for 10 nights at €651

    However the campsites seem to be more expensive and might well be more packed with people.

    Is it worth waiting until August to holiday in France?

    August is traditionally the month the French take holidays... that probably explains the higher campsite rates then. The roads can also be much busier in August also.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭BenEadir


    MelachiT wrote: »
    Travelled out 12th July and back 10th August. Cost was €832, 2 + 1 & a 4 berth cabin out and back. After using my Tesco tokens we paid only €430.

    How many Tesco vouchers did you need to make that kind of sailing? We do about 20% of our shopping in Tesco but if I knew we needed €x value in vouchers I'm sure we'd switch a bit more from Dunnes or wherever to Tesco.

    Cheers,

    Ben


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,074 ✭✭✭paddydriver


    MidlandsM wrote: »
    i checked stena there and a ferry mid june to early july 15' is coming in around €651.

    Might be an idea to book early?

    Thoughts?

    We have 3 in primary school now so not keen on taking them all out. The other thing we noticed too was that all the campsite activities only kicked off 1st July - so not sure kids clubs etc would be happening.

    If we had been with a Eurocamp or Kelair etc then I think they had their own clubs catering for Ireland and UK booked families but when going direct to campsite's we could only get on their's.

    That said, €400 cheaper ferry tickets would pay for a lots of kids entertainment!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,668 ✭✭✭jay0109


    BenThere wrote: »
    How many Tesco vouchers did you need to make that kind of sailing? We do about 20% of our shopping in Tesco but if I knew we needed €x value in vouchers I'm sure we'd switch a bit more from Dunnes or wherever to Tesco.

    Cheers,

    Ben

    You don't need to shop in Tesco....everything you put on your card earns points though shopping in Tesco gets higher points


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭BenEadir


    jay0109 wrote: »
    You don't need to shop in Tesco....everything you put on your card earns points though shopping in Tesco gets higher points

    Apologies if I'm being a thicko but exactly what card are you referring to?

    Ben


  • Registered Users Posts: 244 ✭✭DUBLIN_person


    BenThere wrote: »
    Apologies if I'm being a thicko but exactly what card are you referring to?

    Ben

    Think they are referring to the Tesco credit card


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭BenEadir


    Think they are referring to the Tesco credit card

    Gotcha, thanks.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,737 ✭✭✭MidlandsM


    We have 3 in primary school now so not keen on taking them all out. The other thing we noticed too was that all the campsite activities only kicked off 1st July - so not sure kids clubs etc would be happening.

    If we had been with a Eurocamp or Kelair etc then I think they had their own clubs catering for Ireland and UK booked families but when going direct to campsite's we could only get on their's.

    That said, €400 cheaper ferry tickets would pay for a lots of kids entertainment!

    We took our kids the last school week in june last paddy. They missed 3 days of term, 3 days that arguably they do little in terms of being educated, just wrapping up etc. The rest of their attendance throughout the year was 100%. Lotsof people get a bee in their bonnet re taking kids of out school, but overall if planned well, educational disruption is minimal and the saving are massive allowing us to have a foreign holiday, and not a wet week in a caravan in kerry...lol


  • Registered Users Posts: 72 ✭✭MelachiT


    BenThere wrote: »
    How many Tesco vouchers did you need to make that kind of sailing? We do about 20% of our shopping in Tesco but if I knew we needed €x value in vouchers I'm sure we'd switch a bit more from Dunnes or wherever to Tesco.

    Cheers,

    Ben

    I do most of my shop at Tesco and I opted to save my points and receive vouchers once a year at Christmas. So that was a years worth of vouchers. It's one of the best ways to use tesco vouchers as you get 4x the value for them.

    Another way to get extra Tesco points is to do their Shopper Thoughts surveys - every little helps. ;)

    I'm talking about the Tesco Clubcard - the one you earn points on.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,088 ✭✭✭Johnny_Fontane


    regarding using tesco points for irish ferries, its a complete scam. you have to use a 'special' link and the prices are higher than the prices on the website, thus negating any savings you would make from using the tesco vouchers.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,802 ✭✭✭billie1b


    regarding using tesco points for irish ferries, its a complete scam. you have to use a 'special' link and the prices are higher than the prices on the website, thus negating any savings you would make from using the tesco vouchers.

    +1 on this advice, I offered it before but got shot down by certain, lets call them Irish Ferries staff/fanatics, with my tesco vouchers it still worked out €50 cheaper to book normally, its crazy


  • Registered Users Posts: 72 ✭✭MelachiT


    regarding using tesco points for irish ferries, its a complete scam. you have to use a 'special' link and the prices are higher than the prices on the website, thus negating any savings you would make from using the tesco vouchers.


    We got the same quote when we initially looked at IF as when we went through the link. And we also used two computers to check the prices. Same prices each time.

    It would be difficult to negate €400 of a saving.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,668 ✭✭✭jay0109


    billie1b wrote: »
    +1 on this advice, I offered it before but got shot down by certain, lets call them Irish Ferries staff/fanatics, with my tesco vouchers it still worked out €50 cheaper to book normally, its crazy

    surely it depends on how much vouchers you have. If the ferry costs 1k cash or 1.2k with vouchers...and you have say, 0.5k in vouchers...then you save 0.3k v's the cash price


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,802 ✭✭✭billie1b


    jay0109 wrote: »
    surely it depends on how much vouchers you have. If the ferry costs 1k cash or 1.2k with vouchers...and you have say, 0.5k in vouchers...then you save 0.3k v's the cash price

    I had €350 in vouchers, it cost me €550 odd euro to book on the normal website, through the vouchers link after including the voucher discount it was €605, thats why they ask you the value of your vouchers before booking


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,261 ✭✭✭webpal


    regarding using tesco points for irish ferries, its a complete scam. you have to use a 'special' link and the prices are higher than the prices on the website, thus negating any savings you would make from using the tesco vouchers.

    First of all it's not a scam. Second of all, for us it was only a 20 euro admin fee which you read about in the small print.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 589 ✭✭✭MorganIRL


    regarding using tesco points for irish ferries, its a complete scam. you have to use a 'special' link and the prices are higher than the prices on the website, thus negating any savings you would make from using the tesco vouchers.

    I agree with that statement, I went to book last yr with the tesco vouchers. I could save nothing with booking with the vouchers. Even €20 I would have used them but nothing. I booked this yr through eurocamp early June cost us €864 10 days, 2 adults 2kids (3&1) Irish ferries. I thought it was great value.


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