 Poster: A snowHead
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As per title really...
We don't use Tesco enough to earn Club cards points these days, so from a purely 'out of pocket' cost, is there a best time to book Eurotunnel?
We are going 1st week of the Easter hols, but I'll be taking the Friday off too, so will look at middayish Friday 31/3 to leave with an overnight booked at Beaune already, then will probably over night on the way back also, so Sunday 8/4 for the return.
It's around £280-300 at the mo, which isn't terrible, but wondered if they have sales in the same way that BA etc do.
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Does it have to be Eurotunnel?
I've just been looking for a crossing and the pricing (Defender, trailer & dog, one way!) was Eurotunnel £283, P&O £204, DFDS €213 which overnight changed to €245. I was going to opt for DFDS but instead chose P&O.
Back in May DFDS was nothing special in terms of customer service - OH wanted a gin & tonic but they had no tonic in any of the bars! Also loading at Dover was a bit random.
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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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@Nemisis, Pretty much the Eurotunnel, yes.
The flex on timing and crossings etc make it a lot easier. I would consider Poole-Cherbourg, but the crossing don't restart until a day after I need them too, sadly....
Having said that, Tunnel out and ferry back could be a winner...?
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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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@SHAP, my searching was for minimum flexibilty (overmight in Lille, then to Calais). There are two points with which ET does't appeal - firstly, there's not many options when I want to get up and stretch my legs, secondly with ET all the cafes etc are in the terminal buildings!
About 15 years ago I was working for a big tour operator and our ET account manager was quite clear that our rates with them were conditional on our selling ET at a higher rate than any of the ferries (especially on those odd occaisions when the ferry rates were higher than ET's). ET regarded itself as THE premium service and if we did not fit in they would pull our contract.......
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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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@Nemisis, Further searching has made the tunnel out and ferry back a real option.
Planning to ski much of the 2nd Saturday anyway, so a return to Beaune for the night is fine, then a similar length drive from there to Cherbourg as it would be to Calais, but the huge benefit, is that I'm around 30 mins from Poole, so the final UK bit would be very easy, rather than fighting the M20, M25, M3 etc. Same price, pretty much, as a return tunnel.
Certainly worth thinking about.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Are you a Brittany Ferries member? If not send me a message and will gladly give you my membership number which will get you 10% off any of their crossings
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Essentially the answer afaik is no.
Frequent Traveller rate was an option for some but I believe it's not available at the minute. That option didn't work well for us anyhow.
We do use Tesco clubcard points although our accumulation isn't what it was and prices have gone up so paying more and more in cash.
Prices have crept up in general and don't vary massively. Tend to get a tad more expensive nearer the date. Obviously peak days and times are a bit more from the outset.
We just go Standard rather than flexi as our departure times aren't that variable and there is a bit of flexibility as standard.
We done ferry occasionally in the past but really just find Tunnel a bit quicker/slicker. And we don't really need the break at that point of the journey.
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Can I ask, how are you getting ferry price quotes for 2023?
I've been trying to price up a trip going out late Dec 22 and returning early Jan 23 but the website won't quote (says dates not available).
I emailed P&O and they said 2023 bookings and prices would be released end of this month.
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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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| DeuxBieres wrote: |
Can I ask, how are you getting ferry price quotes for 2023?
I've been trying to price up a trip going out late Dec 22 and returning early Jan 23 but the website won't quote (says dates not available).
I emailed P&O and they said 2023 bookings and prices would be released end of this month. |
I'm looking on the Brittany ferry website, and it's bookable into next year.
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| DeuxBieres wrote: |
Can I ask, how are you getting ferry price quotes for 2023?
I've been trying to price up a trip going out late Dec 22 and returning early Jan 23 but the website won't quote (says dates not available).
I emailed P&O and they said 2023 bookings and prices would be released end of this month. |
Brittany Ferries have allowed bookings into 2023 for several months but it does depend on the route you are looking for as they have cut some routes back to the minimum. For anybody who is not a member am happy to provide my membership number which give you 10% off
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just booked mine very similar times to yours — full of warnings how it’s a peak/busy day so unlikely to get a good deal I suspect? We usually go flexi and it’s jumped at least £100 since the summer 
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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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On principle I have no intention of ever using P & O again after the appalling way they treated their staff. For Eurotunnel, it's a shame they are not at present reintroducing the Frequent Traveller rates, albeit when I had them I don't think I ever used all 10 crossings, though it still worked out as being worthwhile. Tesco vouchers work fine for me, although admittedly being now retired I'm not tied to peak days and can take a more leisurely drive down.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Sat 17-09-22 10:09; edited 1 time in total
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We take the Friday off too when driving down. However cross on the tunnel Thursday night (usually much cheaper), drive an hour and stop overnight.
Yes that does mean 2 overnight stops. However a) I get a really cheap room (about 50 euros for family of 4) and what I save on the tunnel by not going during the day Friday goes on this b) you've shaved an hour off your Friday journey so can drive and stop closer to resort making Saturday driving very simple c) you're on French time already on the Thurs night.
Works for us! We do it with one overnight stop on the way back and it's a real slog in comparison.
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You know it makes sense.
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@SHAP, we have the Tesco credit card which gives us points for our normal credit card spending as well as extra clubcard points when I do shop in Tesco. If you think in future you may want to collect their vouchers for this.
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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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Handy for price comparisons is directferries.co.uk. Apparently you can earn Avios too.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| andmelffion wrote: |
| Are you a Brittany Ferries member? If not send me a message and will gladly give you my membership number which will get you 10% off any of their crossings |
That's very kind. Is the discount not just for you? I wouldn't want to compromise your future bookings...
Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@SHAP…no discount is able to be passed on, just send a private message
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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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We used Eurotunnel yesterday
Was talking to the guy who walks round telling you when to go
Said it’s been the busiest he’d known it and that’s why recently we haven’t ever been put on an earlier train!!
Certainly not since May
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 20-09-22 12:25; edited 2 times in total
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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We had frequent traveller tickets and used them all and ET were flexible when it came to extending the period due to covid.
The prices being charged by ET are horrid unless you travel very very early or late which makes the trip in our out poor and sometimes an overnight on the way down around Troyes at the B&B was needed.
However, we have had some horrid delays with ET in the last year inc one in July where we were on the M20 for 12 hours due to traffic going to the tunnel. ET only had 4 check in points open for long periods which is poor when they know the numbers of cars due to arrive as its a pre booked service.
That then ripples through to the passport checks.
We live in Nottingham and the delays coming home at Dartford easily add 45-60 minds to a trip plus there is usually another delay on the M25.
We have started to take the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen which is about ET prices though not as frequent and its a much easier and shorter drive in the UK. We do an overnight crossing which means we arrive fresh.
The drive to Les Arcs is the same time as the drive from Calais
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Irish Ferries were much cheaper than the other operators for my two Dover-Calais returns earlier in the year. Significant saving over Eurotunnel to make the extra journey time worth it
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Just driven down from Scotland to Eurotunnel, 8.5 hrs including a stop. Through check in, pet passport, UK and then French passport control in 15 mins and the nice lady in Pet Reception put us on a train 2 hrs early. 
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A little mention for @andmelffion, he kindly pinged me a discount code, and it's saved a few quid on the ferry - very kind of you!
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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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No worries your welcome
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Oh to be able to holiday in school term time, only 5 more years  until then I am resigned to extortionate charges for crossing the channel, be it ferry or ET.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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No
Stay in your own continent. 
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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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I hear the skiing in scotland is improving every year.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Duly signed. ET prices are too expensive so have purchased a P & O season ticket for 5 return crossings this year. I also complained to ET and got a nonsense response from an uncaring customer support rep.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
We do an overnight crossing which means we arrive fresh.
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If you can sleep for the short interval between getting into bed and being woken stupid early by the man bashing on the door, you can "arrive fresh". But I've never slept well on the ferry in those narrow berths, usually stuffy, and noisy. I live ten minutes drive from Portsmouth ferry port and we used to use P&O when they did the eastern Channel crossing and we could use Tesco vouchers, but we also found none of the ferries were particularly well timed for getting past Paris.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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DFDS offer multi tickets and are excellent.
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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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I was €85 each way booked within 12 hours of travel (early jan/mid march) with Irish ferries. They where both early hour crossing approx 2am. Ferries was shite but v cheap.
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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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| Hurdy wrote: |
| DFDS offer multi tickets and are excellent. |
They are £63 to £69 per one way but for peak times there is a £50 supplement. For this Friday (peak) I paid £125. So it seems like it wouldn't be much cheaper. Did I miss somert?
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FAQ
