Me and my mate are booked onto Carp Arena at the end of May this year.
I've been Angling in France a few times but not for 20yrs - so not too familiar with the ferry bookings etc nowdays.
We are going Dover to Calais as the lake is only an hours drive from Calais.
Taking a standard transit van with 2 of us.
I've looked at P&O , DFDS and the tunnel - all coming in about £300 return.
Are these prices fixed throughout the year? is there anyway to get a deal?
Also - best option to book with a cancelation policy in place - just in case the carp are spawning and we need to cancel....(hopefully be done with that end of may but you never know)
Any other help / tips much appreciated lads - as we are keen to get the crossing booked.
I've been Angling in France a few times but not for 20yrs - so not too familiar with the ferry bookings etc nowdays.
We are going Dover to Calais as the lake is only an hours drive from Calais.
Taking a standard transit van with 2 of us.
I've looked at P&O , DFDS and the tunnel - all coming in about £300 return.
Are these prices fixed throughout the year? is there anyway to get a deal?
Also - best option to book with a cancelation policy in place - just in case the carp are spawning and we need to cancel....(hopefully be done with that end of may but you never know)
Any other help / tips much appreciated lads - as we are keen to get the crossing booked.
P&O doing a 15% early booking discount at present.
A car is over £200 so your van price sounds right. Ferries seem to have gone up a lot since covid
A car is over £200 so your van price sounds right. Ferries seem to have gone up a lot since covid
In reply to Post #2
I wouldn't use those unscrupulous scumbags if they paid me.
I wouldn't use those unscrupulous scumbags if they paid me.
In reply to Post #1
100% train all the way 👍
100% train all the way 👍
In reply to Post #1
Not quite as long as you, I haven't been for 6 years but things won't have changed that much.
I too now prefer the train, though I miss the ferry crossing as there's more time to relax.
IIRC from my last trip on the train a standard ticket allows you to change train within a few hours of your travel time (though sometimes they charge), but not for days, for that you need a different type of ticket. This is the different ticket page
LINKY POO™ https://www.leshuttle.com/uk-en/tickets-fares-add-ons/flexiplus
DFDS allow you to change 72 hours before or after travelling if available and foc, I can't see a anything beyond that, may be worth asking them, they, in my experience are very flexible.
LINKY POO™ https://www.dfds.com/en-gb/passenger-ferries/passenger-information/dover-france-ticket-types
Not quite as long as you, I haven't been for 6 years but things won't have changed that much.
I too now prefer the train, though I miss the ferry crossing as there's more time to relax.
IIRC from my last trip on the train a standard ticket allows you to change train within a few hours of your travel time (though sometimes they charge), but not for days, for that you need a different type of ticket. This is the different ticket page
LINKY POO™ https://www.leshuttle.com/uk-en/tickets-fares-add-ons/flexiplus
DFDS allow you to change 72 hours before or after travelling if available and foc, I can't see a anything beyond that, may be worth asking them, they, in my experience are very flexible.
LINKY POO™ https://www.dfds.com/en-gb/passenger-ferries/passenger-information/dover-france-ticket-types
Aferry.com. They are doing a 35% discount on certain crossings at the moment. Im out end of May and been quoted £184 for my Kuga with Irish Ferries.
In reply to Post #1
Hi,
If your a member of The Angling Trust the you can get discount on DFDS
LINKY POO™ https://www.dfds.com/en-gb/passenger-ferries/exclusive-offers/angling-trust
Hi,
If your a member of The Angling Trust the you can get discount on DFDS
LINKY POO™ https://www.dfds.com/en-gb/passenger-ferries/exclusive-offers/angling-trust
In reply to Post #7
P&O , people have short memories on them
P&O , people have short memories on them
In reply to Post #8
If you weren't using P&O at the time, or if you are new to fishing in Europe, you may not even know about the P&O sackings.
If you weren't using P&O at the time, or if you are new to fishing in Europe, you may not even know about the P&O sackings.
In reply to Post #5
Just for info, the cheapest non refundable train tickets are now restricted to 1 hour of your booked travel time.
You can change the times / dates before travel and will pay the difference in ticket price and now also a £20 administration fee, even if you make the amendment yourself online.
Even the refundable ticket can be changed dates significantly if amended before the travel date / time.
Just for info, the cheapest non refundable train tickets are now restricted to 1 hour of your booked travel time.
You can change the times / dates before travel and will pay the difference in ticket price and now also a £20 administration fee, even if you make the amendment yourself online.
Even the refundable ticket can be changed dates significantly if amended before the travel date / time.
In reply to Post #1
Have a look at fishing ferry. I use these all the time cheapest by far normally
Have a look at fishing ferry. I use these all the time cheapest by far normally
In reply to Post #1
Check out AP Crossings on Facebook, I save money using them every time and get upgraded tickets such as, fully flexible instead of standard and cheaper than booking direct.
I had to return home a day early last May on the Tunnel and it was no problem.
Just used them again for the ferry this coming April.
Check out AP Crossings on Facebook, I save money using them every time and get upgraded tickets such as, fully flexible instead of standard and cheaper than booking direct.
I had to return home a day early last May on the Tunnel and it was no problem.
Just used them again for the ferry this coming April.
Speak to Charlotte or Wendy at AP crossings. Just booked my 4 tunnel crossings in my van for this year's trips. Average 280 return fully flex incase I want to extend trips etc. Used AP exclusively for the last 20 or so crossings and they are great
In reply to Post #1
cheers lads!
some really helpfull info there....
Will look into it and make a booking!
is there any benefit from using the train apart from travel time?
cheers lads!
some really helpfull info there....
Will look into it and make a booking!
is there any benefit from using the train apart from travel time?
In reply to Post #14
Belgium is only about half hour away on the train so longer in bed lol
Probably more trains per hour than ferries
Ferry takes hours.
But at least you can get out on the ferry get some food to while away the monotony of the journey.
I haven't been for years so can only guess it's the same kind of set up.
Belgium is only about half hour away on the train so longer in bed lol
Probably more trains per hour than ferries
Ferry takes hours.
But at least you can get out on the ferry get some food to while away the monotony of the journey.
I haven't been for years so can only guess it's the same kind of set up.
In reply to Post #14
I love Le Shuttle. Quick, quiet, not impacted by weather, more accessible (for me anyway) and always smooth through the terminals on both sides.
I love Le Shuttle. Quick, quiet, not impacted by weather, more accessible (for me anyway) and always smooth through the terminals on both sides.
In reply to Post #16
From a nostalgic pov we used to love taking the ferry but from a time pov and getting older the tunnel wins hands down for me. We use the time saved to drive further into France and then stop at a service station.
From a nostalgic pov we used to love taking the ferry but from a time pov and getting older the tunnel wins hands down for me. We use the time saved to drive further into France and then stop at a service station.
I'm guessing it also depends where you live
If travelling from the midlands upwards then it's a 3hr+ journey so a ferry might be more suitable as having a proper break and down time.
I only live 30minutes from the tunnel so that's what I use as it suits me ðŸ‘
If travelling from the midlands upwards then it's a 3hr+ journey so a ferry might be more suitable as having a proper break and down time.
I only live 30minutes from the tunnel so that's what I use as it suits me ðŸ‘
In reply to Post #18
If travelling from the midlands upwards then it's a 3hr+ journey so a ferry might be more suitable as having a proper break and down time.
That's the way we saw it travelling from Manchester when younger but nowadays I'll do anything to shorten the journey
If travelling from the midlands upwards then it's a 3hr+ journey so a ferry might be more suitable as having a proper break and down time.
That's the way we saw it travelling from Manchester when younger but nowadays I'll do anything to shorten the journey
In reply to Post #14
If you miss a ferry its a long wait for the next one, my last trip i got stuck in traffic and was an hour late but as I book flexi I just got on the next train. I've missed ferries before and had to wait 6 hours.
If you miss a ferry its a long wait for the next one, my last trip i got stuck in traffic and was an hour late but as I book flexi I just got on the next train. I've missed ferries before and had to wait 6 hours.
In reply to Post #20
That's made me think, DFDS back in the day had some big gaps in ferries, 6hrs at night iirc, not sure if it's still the same but worth checking. That was Dover -Dunkirk.
That's made me think, DFDS back in the day had some big gaps in ferries, 6hrs at night iirc, not sure if it's still the same but worth checking. That was Dover -Dunkirk.
In reply to Post #19
Same as you Vossy the faster the better
I just have to get there
Came back from bounty lakes in one hit the only stop all the way to Liverpool was actually waiting to get on the train and managed it all on one full tank in a transporter
Same as you Vossy the faster the better
I just have to get there
Came back from bounty lakes in one hit the only stop all the way to Liverpool was actually waiting to get on the train and managed it all on one full tank in a transporter
A few years ago for work we had a job in Ibiza
The boss flew us out and back
When we had to go back to finish he said drive it
We took the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Santander
24 hour ferry trip
Stop overnight in South of Spain.
And then the ferry to Ibiza
We didn't book the return leg as we didn't know how long it was going to take.
We left finally Ibiza Friday evening
Ferry from Ibiza to Spain overnight
and then left at 6am drove back through Spain and France skirted Luxembourg or somewhere like that
Got the last train back that evening and I finally got to my door at 2AM Sunday morning
Was definitly quicker to drive door to door with the train.
Worked out 110 hours overtime I got from that little job and a use of the company O2 Arena box for my daughters favourite singer. ðŸ‘
The boss flew us out and back
When we had to go back to finish he said drive it
We took the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Santander
24 hour ferry trip
Stop overnight in South of Spain.
And then the ferry to Ibiza
We didn't book the return leg as we didn't know how long it was going to take.
We left finally Ibiza Friday evening
Ferry from Ibiza to Spain overnight
and then left at 6am drove back through Spain and France skirted Luxembourg or somewhere like that
Got the last train back that evening and I finally got to my door at 2AM Sunday morning
Was definitly quicker to drive door to door with the train.
Worked out 110 hours overtime I got from that little job and a use of the company O2 Arena box for my daughters favourite singer. ðŸ‘
I like the ferry cos i can usually get 2 bottles of Captain Morgans Spiced Rum for £22 
In reply to Post #13
I've used AP crossings too. They were cheaper, they reply quickly to messages and always happy to help.
I've used AP crossings too. They were cheaper, they reply quickly to messages and always happy to help.
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