Guide to continental ferry travel

The price of crossings will be based – as with most things – on demand. When demand is high, fares increase, 

sometimes in the space of just a few days, especially at peak-times like school and bank holidays.

Price also depends on the amount of freight traffic; in periods when there are fewer lorries, space on a ferry is, of course, cheaper. Because of this, booking early morning ferries tends to save you a bit of money, but you’ve really got to weigh this against the cost and feasibility of either getting to the port early in the morning or staying nearby overnight.

Before you book a ferry, make sure you have all pertinent details to hand; the length and height of your motorhome will be important factors in deciding how much you pay. Don’t forget too, if you have a bike rack or similar you’ll have to factor that in.


The Channel Tunnel

As a child I remember being very disappointed when travelling on the ‘Chunnel’ as I couldn’t see the fish. As an adult though I realise that was probably for the best.

You can turn up and book on the day at the Tunnel, but it almost definitely won’t be cheaper. The upside to the Channel Tunnel is the speed. You can realistically go from check-in to driving on French soil in an hour-and-a-half. Now the hovercraft is out of action, you can’t get that kind of speed anywhere else.


Ways to save

With what’s likely the first big spend of your trip abroad, why wouldn’t you like to save a bit of money? Here are a few simple hints to take on board (excuse the pun).

• The MMM Subscriber Club is a great way to get discounts. By becoming a member you’ll receive discounts on selected crossings from Condor Ferries, DFDS Seaways, Wightlink and P&O Ferries.      
                                                             

• Save on Eurotunnel crossings with Tesco clubcard vouchers. For every £10 of vouchers you trade in you’ll receive £30 toward your ticket.

• Cross early in the morning or late at night and be flexible.

• There’s now a ferry price comparison site at www.ferrysavers.co.uk  It’s not perfect, but it WILL give you a price to start at when you begin shopping around.

I’ll leave you on a quote from an MMM Twitter follower @robertjkinnear. “If you want to decorate your drive, buy a gnome, not a motorhome”.

So get out there and explore!

This article is an exerpt from the full ferry guide in November 2013 MMM, featuring information on pet passports and an in depth chart looking at every crossing, including the prices. To purchase your copy, click here.