 Poster: A snowHead
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I am finding more and more difficult to book a FT crossing for my preferred time despite there being lots of availability on the cheap non-FT fare which isn’t much more once the peak surcharges are included. The situation is worse with a high vehicle. For Feb 2020 half term we tried to book in June and forced to book a normal ticket in order to obtain the same time crossing as my non FT friend who are following us. It seems they are shrinking availability to either phase out FT or encourage Flexi. I am on my 4th batch of FT tickets and don’t think I will be renewing as i normally book the 8:20 am crossing which is always available and I then have the option of booking Flexi for the return journey on a very busy and chaotic travel day.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've never had a problem in probably 5 years but not over height.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Claude B wrote: |
| I've never had a problem in probably 5 years but not over height. |
I only started noticing it from early summer for normal height cars during busy days. Perhaps we’ve just been unlucky but having to book outside of our pre-paid FT tickets is hard to swallow and negates the savings.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Although what is described in the last few posts is one of the problems, it's exasperated by the fact that you the year starts on purchase date, not on first booking date. So even if you can plan ahead, and book many months in advance the scheme screws you.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I've never had a problem with the winter bookings, but this one was mid-September. Check-in was busy as it happened, but trains were departing on time, and the delay was the usual border checks rather than full up trains. We left 10 minutes before our booked time. As you say @Layne, I may need to buy the tickets now, but not use them until mid-January, to be sure of an available ticket.That means will expire at end of September again. I lost the ticket above as we only had another 2 weeks to use it. When I ring to use Clubcard vouchers (which I did with an outbound trip in August), I am always being told about frequent traveller tickets.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Hells Bells, I reckon one off tickets booked now for January should not be much more than the min £92 (+ peak surcharge if applicable) you would have to prepay for FT and not lose 4 months on the annual time limit. What benefits do club points provide as was not aware?
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We booked (admittedly not FT) last week for half term (late afternoon of Fri 14th) and there were no higher vehicle places left unless you paid flexiplus fares. Fortunately, I pride myself on tetris like packing ability of a Golf and we don't need a roof box but it surprised me as I thought I was being organised and early and was curious what the roof box price difference would be.
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| Ozboy wrote: |
| What benefits do club points provide as was not aware? |
3 x the value of the voucher. So if you have £30 worth of clubcard vouchers you can trade them for £90 voucher for the tunnel.
We don't shop at Tesco very much but have a Tesco Mastercard and buy fuel with it so rack up a reasonable amount of points that way.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Ozboy, showing as £84 single fare.
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@Hells Bells, depending on time or day the FT may have £20 to £30 in surcharges but worse case £46 vs £84 or upto £76 vs £84. The former makes FT attractive but the issue having to pay the annual amount way before the actual booking. It’s tricky but going forward I am just going to pay the higher rate and not worry about when to use the tickets so none are left over or having to remind the nominated sharer to book what they said they would use. Also means can mix normal and Flexi passes on one trip.
Will look into getting Tesco points as we don’t use Tesco and our general fuel consumption is very low living in central London - 5000 miles max a year excluding trips to the alps.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Ozboy, the other options are a) to look at the tunnel cost in the overall context of the cost of the whole holiday... I have in the past calculated my cost per skiing day... and in that sense it's not a deal breaker or b) take the ferry and enjoy the extra relaxation time on the upper deck.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Layne, yes agree and this is why I am giving up on the ‘perceived’ savings of FT. How much extra does the ferry add to the overall crossing from checkin to off loading? I reckon a smooth 8:20am eurotunnel crossing takes about 1:30 to 1:45 hours from checkin to driving off the train in France.
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We can be through check in and in France in just over an hour if we're lucky, but agree it is usually about 1.30 . Ferry about 1.30 but add in check in, loading and unloading and it is just adding too much onto a long day for us. Relaxation time is all well and good, but we have dogs in the car too, and have to leave them in the car during the crossing. Not good if dog is then sea sick.
I don't know if it has improved at all, but the only exercise area at the ferry terminal was a scruffy piece of poo-poo covered grass under the flyover. Our dog was terrified of the noise of the lorries overhead.
Eurotunnel is so much more dog-friendly, with fenced exercise areas and even pet friendly areas in the terminal building now.
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You know it makes sense.
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I've just checked our dates on P&O Ferries for January. £204 so not really that much in it.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Ozboy wrote: |
| @Layne, yes agree and this is why I am giving up on the ‘perceived’ savings of FT. How much extra does the ferry add to the overall crossing from checkin to off loading? I reckon a smooth 8:20am eurotunnel crossing takes about 1:30 to 1:45 hours from checkin to driving off the train in France. |
IME very little difference in check in and on/off loading time. It's just an hour, maybe slightly more, on the journey time. Kind of feels worse mentally. Definitely better if you have a long drive to get there. Definitely worse if you have dogs, are on a tight schedule or just a little impatient.
Cost wise it can be a fair bit cheaper but again whether that is a big deal in the context of the whole holiday is open for debate.
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