 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well I've given the UK Press office a go (didn't question their commercial practice at this stage) and will post when (if?) I get an outcome.
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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 eventually were sheduled for a train at 02:50 after arriving at the back of the queue at 21:56 for out 22:50 crossing. After a wait of 4 hours we eventually got home at 05:00 in the morning. After many similar delays in the past (3.5 hours delay for "operational reasons" appears to be the norm) I vowed never to use the tunnel again 5 years agoo so on my first tiime returning to them the same thing happens yet again. Never again will I use the tunnel. They are far too unrelaible
What really annoyed me is that if we as customers are over 2 hours late for our booking we are supposed to compensate them, but if they mess up the do not compensate us.
John
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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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The only real problem we had was two years ago, just after the Eurostar breakdown fiasco. They transferred us to a ferry but told us lies about the timings. I got voucher to use for our next trip. I didn't complain to the press office, I complained to customer services.
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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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Ive just had a reply from the press office forwarding me to Customer service. Lets see what happens.
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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 was caught up in that too in Dec 09. I also went after customer services and they never did get around to refunding the outward leg - I gave up. They were so shonky and quite straighforwardly lied to us, so I have since been using DFDS (Norfolk Line) to Dunkirk and hard to fault. Last night at Dunkirk it was a bit chaotic because some had switched from the tunnel but my 22:00 sailing still left only about 10 mins late. Might not be as quick but what's the hurry?
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Bode Swiller, in my case because we've already had a long drive from Durham and we have to leave dog in the car during the crossing. Much easier for pet owners on Eurotunnel too, as there is a proper exercise area (there's just a poo-poo filled cage under the flyover at Dover). We tried Dover-Dunkerque in April 2010 (ash cloud), and it seemed to make the journey last forever.
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I guess today shows the one thing the tunnel has in its favour, given that travel news has just mentioned various cancelled ferries due to high winds
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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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We never use Eurotunnel When we drive - always use the ferry. We buy a season ticket (min 6 crossings and think they are £30 a pop). We then pay a £6 upgrade fee for priority boarding. The season ticket is sort of transferable (ie they don't ask too many awkward questions if it's being used on another car)
Customer helpline is first class - friendly, helpful and knowledgable. Often ring up on the way up to say we are early/late so they move the crossing.
They are now very well organised and hence not sure it actually takes any longer than tunnel. Tend to have breakfast/dinner on the boat to reduce stopping time.
I'm normaly a real moan monster about service so for me to give the thumbs up is unusual.
Clearly the French ferries not immune from strikes so I go P&O.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Its not Eurotunnel at fault, its the UK Customs, once clear of that last night we drove straight onto the train and were moving within 5 minutes. When using the ferries at this time of year in the past we have spent longer in the queue for the jobs worths at UK customs than the crossing its self.
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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 can just see them preparing the lubricated gloves for your next trip 
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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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Colin B, Boris, 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Colin B, Boris,
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
Its not Eurotunnel at fault, its the UK Customs, once clear of that last night we drove straight onto the train and were moving within 5 minutes.
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We did not see any customs people at all. As far as I could see I could smuggle anyting in to the UK that night. There were queues at immigration (could someone say why UK did not join Shengen?), but these were tiny and fast moving compared to massive queue for checkin. Eurotunnel were saying that the problems were caused by the unexpected number of people crossing (I beleive that they ae responisble for telling the UK border agency how many staff to deploy). But since eurotunnel take the bookings I cannot see how the number would be unexpected. When I booked in November some trains were already fully booked.
As I see it my contract was with Eurotunnel and they breached their part of the contract. Trying to blame other organisations is their problem; it has nothing to do with me. I will not be using them again.
John
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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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| Quote: |
ut since eurotunnel take the bookings I cannot see how the number would be unexpected
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because you can just turn up and pay at the desk
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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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IME, the French side is worse every time. A French person in a uniform seems to transform into a jobsworth and takes forever. Admittedly we're normally travelling at peak times (Feb HT / Easter) and Feb HT second Saturday especially can be a nightmare - we never seem to get the train we are booked on, even when arriving early.
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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 never had any probs with the French all our queuing has been done at uk border agency. Why , what , how many , where have you bEen and where did you stay etc etc. not polite small talk either
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Got to the tunnel just after 11.20 this morning for our 12.20 crossing. Checked in the dog in a couple of minutes. No queue at check-in, and we were waved straight through French security. UK border agency had two desks open. Although it was quiet, it took at least 15 minutes to get to the window,as there were at least 10 cars in front of us, but passports were then checked quickly. Letter had already been called by the time we got through, so straight to boarding queue.
I had a missed call on my mobile this morning while driving, appeared to be Eurotunnel when I checked the number, but no indication why they phoned.
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I had a bit of a moan (as charmingly as I could manage) following the performance on Mon 2nd. Press office forwarded to customer service.
Result a credit for the return leg. That'll help the summer trip a bit!
Interestingly they don't duck their responsibility but clearly identify the issue as UKBA and the requirement to check 100% of passports due to decisions made by Home Office ministers.
No complaints about how my correspondence was handled and I'll be dropping them a line to commend them on that.
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DJL, agree entirely.
We had a problem in December 2010 when we arrived, queued to check in for half an hour and then told the trains were not running and to take a ferry. Bit of a bummer as we had already faffed about at Cite Europe for a couple of hours as too early. BUT we got a ferry quickly and then Eurotunnel refunded the ferry fare and gave us a voucher for a free single trip which we used another time.
I think as someone else suggested earlier that in the future we might take the tunnel for UK to France and use the ferries for France back to UK which seems to suit us best.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Sat 7-01-12 11:37; edited 1 time in total
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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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DJL, they were fine when I had cause to complain.
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The following has happened the last 4 times at eurotunnel Calais.
Arrived at eurotunnel Calais today for our 11.50 @ 10.05. Got to self service ticket and it said everything was full and next available was the 11.50. Thought that a bit strange as we were only car at any check in point. Standing joke now with wife now that I go to information desk at Calais and ask/complain why we have to wait when there are 6 cars in the car park and terminal is nearly empty. Always met by shrugging of shoulders and mention of a train had broken down and back up of people. I always for a laugh ask where the backed people as there is no one here. More shrugging of shoulders.
We have been told previously that you can go out and queue once the train in front of you i.e. in our case the 11.20 has been called. The basis being if the train before yours isn't full they send you on. We got out and are put in a separate queue and wait 4 mins before we are sent on the 11.20. We are in a Discovery so go in the over size carriages. We are the last car on and once we set of we check and there are 8 empty carriages behind our car.
I get the feeling the British side they fill every train and that if they do not offer you an earlier slot then the trains are full. Sorry to go all Francophobe but as the above has happened the last 4 times, I think on the French side they couldn't give a poo-poo. Motto is if the terminal looks empty and you aren't offered an earlier slot, head out anyway.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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After reading this thread about the nightmares on Eurotunnel we used the ferry last week for the first time in 7 years. P&O Dover-Calais was cheap, clean and pretty good. Our sailing was cancelled leaving us with an hours wait. It all took a lot longer than the tunnel - but the last time we used that, in September 2011, it was efficient but the toilets were foul and it was more than double the price of the boat.
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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 the train? It's only 35 minutes. I've crossed umpteen times and never been near the loos yet.
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
on the train? It's only 35 minutes. I've crossed umpteen times and never been near the loos yet. |
Sometimes you have to go to them, especially with a child, if you have flogged it all the way on the motorway to get there and then have checked in and been called through immediately then your next loo option is on the train 
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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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we've only got on too fast to stop for a pee a couple of time, then I've been OK to wait. Yes, with little kids it might be different - but unless it's the middle of the night your "next train" option, instead of driving through immediately, isn't much of a delay - a small price to pay for having a civilised loo stop and a bit of a walk around - especially with kids.
Several times, offered a choice of immediately or 30 minutes later, we've deliberately chosen the later one, so as also to be able to pick up a cup of coffee and not be in a breathless rush.
Some drivers get a bit between their teeth and are reluctant to stop for anything. My dad was like that. I remember once, driving through Spain many, many, years ago asking him to stop because I needed a pee. It was 100 miles before he stopped - and that wasn't in the days of motorways! In the end he only stopped because I told him I would be peeing on his leather upholstery unless he did. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, If you go in the over size carriages there are only toilets at either end of the train, as we nearly had the whole train to ourselves today we went for a walk down the train to the toilets and they were rank. Boy/man manageable, a lady would need to hover and take a deep breath. The lack of toilets on the over size can be a real issue as well if there are lots of coaches.
Been a while since we have been in a standard train but if memory serves me right there are toilets at regular intervals upstairs and downstairs?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We are normally in an oversize carriage - so those reports make me even more determined not to get on the train needing a pee.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The toilets on euro tunnel are a disgrace.........absolutely reek of urine and crap.........unacceptable really
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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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stefoy4me, Been on many a ferry and most have smelt of vomit. You makes your choices...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Came through last night at 6ish. No problems, although only 2 of 8 uk customs desks open, so some hanging around!
As for loos, with 3 kids we always use the ones in the. At park prior to boarding, as we are always in over height carriage. They're not great but ok on train and I speak as someone who often took daughter along
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we're off on the eurotunnel for the first time in march...... fingers crossed! we are travelling late afternoon on a saturday though so we are hoping we don't have too long a wait, half the point of going on the tunnel was to get over quicker!............
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We must have been lucky as I don't think that I have ever had to reject a loo on the train - mind you we don't use it as often as some and when we do its always the early morning ones as we generally prefer to take the ferry back to UK.
Now that the cars don't seem to need to be filled up as often as in the past (diesel something to do with that?) there are less stops on the journey - unless I am desperate. We did have a stroke of luck once when we turned up at Ikea at Reims to pick up something that just had to be bought and could not be bought in UK - found it wasn't open but they were serving coffee in the foyer and the loos were open there too. Have a feeling that when we got up to lighting whatever it was that was needed was also out of stock there too.
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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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Pamski, if I need something from IKea, I am often checking stock online for weeks before , so that I can see which one is best to stop at. We pass Reims, Lyon and Grenoble.
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Hells Bells, yes, I do that - and there had been stock when we left home! I must say the Reims one is so easy to stop at - somehow more convenient than us toddling along the M27 to Southampton!
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FAQ
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