Club Arnage

OK - So I have/may/might  have my camping tickets. The next question is the ferry crossing - who, best and more important - who is the cheapest.

                       
Want to go the shortest route   - South Coast to Cherbourg area - but looking to be away over 5 days (so price goes up)

Anybody out there can give me some pointers- checked web sites for a few companies and rate vary from £350 - £500 . at this rate I'll be drinking water!

Shortest journey once in France is from Caen. That said, Brittany have jumped their prices this year by about £100!!!!   >:( >:( >:(

I know the cheapest way to Le mans is via Dover, but as I'm traveling down from Liverpool, I do not want to do the 5 -6 hour drive the other way.

Especially with a bad head after the event.........

Hi to you Nopanic,
We are doing Portsmouth- Caen ,out on Sunday (6th)morning about 9am homeward on Monday afternoon 14th Volvo estate towing car trailer , 4 passengers with cabin bothways total 520GBP.  Anyway where in Liverpool are you, I am in Knotty Ash may be we could meet for a sherbet or two I am sure the rest of the crew can be persuaded if theres drink on offer
   Ian

There will four of us, One from Formby, 2 x from around Liverpool and I'm from over the sea's and far a way - the Wirral. ;D

when I tell people the Wirral they always say "Where?"

Anyway - how long R U going for ? If I remember you stayed at MasonB camp site about 2 years ago, I think you had a Volvo with loads of Michelin stickers on it.

Good idea to meet up before, as we r not due out till the Wednesday night ferry, and we can bring anything left behind over.

I'll put by email on my profile.

Nopanic, yes that was us with the Volvo all decalled up, that was 2002, we will be on MB from the Sunday we hope, give Ian an e mail and I am sure we can arrange a meet and have a few pints discussing this years tactics.
Brian.

I'll certainly be up for a beer beforehand if it gets organised

Portsmouth To Le Havre Tue 08 June 2004 at 1500
Cherbourg To Portsmouth Mon 14 June 2004 at 0630

£154...  Think it has gone up now to around £180

Booked thru P&O web site

The trip Caen-Le Mans is far easier, but couldnt resist a bargain this year

i dont think it will make much difference what ferry route you try at this time, they are all capitalising on the LM event.
i myself thought it was cheep for a motorbike but even now i have got to get what i can, just like you dreamracers going out to leharve and returning cherbourg, and it still cost a whopping £130.
good luck to all in getting a booking, whatever the cost, you wanna go you gotta pay!!! ???

Portsmouth - Cherbourg. P&O

Thursday 10th late sailing - Monday 14th evening sailing
£245

Portsmouth to Le Havre out Weds night back Monday night

Cabins each way car +2 and a caravan sized trailer = FOC ( hurrah )

Finaaly got a sponsor  ;D

Try P&O but Wednesday night is THE busiest and the companies from Portsmouth can fill them boats 2 or 3 times over. Demand is that High.

Forgot to add that P&O are doing a Vommit Commit to Caen this year and there are offers to fill it up so prices should be good, worth a look. Are you in any clubs , Caravanning , AA / RAC they all get discounted rates. even travel agents get better rates.

This is very true I have a bargain plus you can go out on Wednesday morning getting to france at 1110 with a 1 hour fast drive then coming back at 2030 on Monday. this is perfect as it keeps you within the 5 day return and you get the best value. Airtrack offer this route and MB for £380 for a car and 4.

P & O Fastcraft Portsmouth to Cherbourg, Wed afternoon, Volvo estate + trailer tent, 4 people returning Monday evening via fastcraft - total £259 - £7 cheaper than last year.  

Advice is NOT to rely on PO's web site.  It originally quoted me £333 for the above ferries, but spoke to reservations and they quoted me the above.

On the other hand, I am going back over in July, car + caravan + 2 people for a fortnight - web site quoted me £306 and reservations quoted me £500+.  Guess which one I booked.

I know a lot of weak-bellied CA members don't like the 'vomit special', but I have never had any problems in 4 years, including the return trip where one's metabolism is more delicate.

DB

I spoke to mr co- driver the other day reagrding this nre boat.

Apparetnyl there will be a decent sized open deck are on the boat , like the first P&O fast craft - The Superstar express ( Now the Jonathan Swift to Dublin - Irish Ferries ).

It gives fresh air into the cabin and helps when its a little rough .

Basically shouldnt be too much of the Super Ship Vommit this year.
The one to cherbourg is the same as last year. - Puke City Man

I hope it's choppy, I really do!

Call me Mr Uncharitable if you like, but what fun to see people getting off the other end with faces the colour of gangrene. :P

Like I said before, never ever again. Ever.

I hope it doesn't get choppy because the Fast Craft Seacat are the first boats to recieve a cancellation. If this happenens I will miss the Wednesday night Qualifying

Vomit Comet!
Oh sh*t, I've just booked it for Tuesday. I better get those incontinence pants rinsed out and ready.
Although there is a certain amount of entertainment to be had watching people empty their stomachs before your very eyes, it wears a bit thin pretty quickly, unless there's some novelty action involved as well.
An open deck for 'fresh air' sounds like fun, don't those things do about 30 knots? More than fast enough for some reverse blow back action. Just watching someone puke might be funny enough, but if they're actually being chased around the deck by the remains of their breakfast, and there are others doing the same on the same deck, then I'll be packing my speedo goggles as well!
I've gone a bit green and blotchy.
H

You're not the only one  :-X

Wrong the price goes down.   I normaly go the Portsmouth Caen crossing with Britany Ferries.  But this year they want a wacking great £450 to go on Tues night and return Monday morning.  So I'm going Tue afternoon and returning the following Tuesday Morning.  Thus Saving £242.   I'm sad to be missing the Booze up on the boat on the Overnight Crossing but it's not worth £200.

Tom.

We are out Monday morning and back Sunday  night (Cabin both ways) with Brittany, Portsmouth / Caen and it was a whopping £399.  I'm thinking that next year will be Dover/Calais because the difference in price really only amounts to about 3 hours extra driving each way. (If you get what I mean)

Stu

Early booking price on Sea France, Dover/Calais was £110, car,  2 people plus roof mounted bike rack( 3m height limit), out 2200 Tuesday, Monday 1645 back.
Thats an awful lot of beer money saved even after adding extra petrol and tolls. :) :)

I had an early deal through P&O Audi estate and 16' caravan.

Travelling tuesday afternoon 1500 Port -Le Harve
Return Monday 0630 from Cherbourg - Port

A whopping great £210 - Whoops not a bad deal after all and dream racer cashed in at the same time on the same route.

To cap it all I even got my 2 sites on the Houx site as well

Ahhhh Luxury and I have my own shower and sh**ter

'Yes' - roll on June

Pete

That's cheap for the long crossing...I paid a little more than that for Dover Calais, but for 8 day crossing. Mind you the day crossings work out quite a bit cheaper on the long routes cos you don't have to pay for accommodation...

Pete mate, can I book the shower thingy for Thursday, Stu Friday and the rest of the CA gang will have to get in line on Sat.
Shower cubicle what next.
REAL MEN SMELL FOE A WHOLE WEEK.

Says the man who takes a kitchen sink!!!  ;)

It has to be said, rigging up a 12V shower last year was very easy and saved a hell of a lot of queueing!

Hoverspeed have an offer till the 2nd March,

Dover-Calais 5 day return just £88 on the seacat, No lorries and only 1 hour crossing.

Or the Newhaven - Deippe, 5 day crossing £109, may be hard to get a booking on this though.

If anyone is interested......we have a booking going spare!!!

Portsmouth-Cherbourg on the wednesday night ferry and return on the monday same route.

The ticket also includes an inside 4 berth cabin .....all for a mere £338

We should be able to change names on the ticket witout too many probs

PM me if anybody is interested


Wishy

Scuse me JP, we had two last year both with running water, ask Chris C and the lovely Red Lilly or Ginger snaps to her mates. ;) ;)

If you can't get the Hoverspeed Seacat from Newhaven to Dieppe theres always the ferry operated by Transmanche.  Takes 4 hours, but looking at the ship it should be cheap!  Its mainly a freight boat but takes cars too.

Sorry Brian, I was obviously ill informed!!!   :)

Looking forward to meeting you and the Liverpool Boys this year!!

Taske Care,   Mark
 

 :-*

Hmmph (Ginger Snaps!!!)

I can vouch for the 2 kitchen sinks - one for shaving and one for dishes.

This year we will be mostly en-suite in the Liverpool Boys Camp (well I hope so anyway

RS2 Babe :-* :-*

 Bri,  Somebody has got the hump with you mentioning Red Lilly

Poole - Cherbourg
Out 12:30 June 9 - Back 11:30 June 14

£198

Strangely, this is a Brittany Ferries service, but the never put the price up.

Steve TTTD

Thats because Brittany have serious competition this year and  are a little under booked

Serious competition indeed. We have booked on the P&O Fast Craft and have saved a packet in money and time! Smiles all around for our lot!

---

Found a new company doing cheap crossings.

Newhaven - Dieppe

www.transmancheferries.com

£68.25!!!

Car, 2 people, 10th - 14th June.

It's bring your own oars....

 :-\

Just looked at that site, and got a price of £80 return, at this rate I think you may need more than your oars.

Are we sure is not an inflatable Ferry ?

Oh by the way - how long is the journey from Dieppe to Le Mans and what is the road like?

Anybody know or done the route.

Come to think about has anybody been on Transmanche before?

The "Dieppe" looks like one of the freight ferries that used to operate from Felixstowe.
Also the name "Sardinia Vera" suggests this vessel is on charter from the Mediterranean.

Or they could have come from the Philippines  :-\

Just dug this up about the "Sardinia Vera"


So this ones 29 years old.

..and the "Dieppe"


So 23 years old.

Who mentioned oars ?

            (http://www.transmancheferries.com/ima/general/visuel_vie_bord.jpg)       OK .  Who's nicked the oars?

Stunning bit of research there Steve.  At those ages they must be pretty knackered by now.

Most of the tankers and bulkers I was on when I was at sea were that age and, believe me, they were seriously knackered  :-\

That ferry is actually newer than the recent  P&O Portsmouth to Cherbourg ones - Pride of Cherbourg/Le Havre. My family aptly named that the  "The Rusty Bucket"!

I will giving the Transmanche line a 'test' run in April to visit my parents.

The road from Dieppe to Le Mans is good, you basically take the road to Caen and then onwards to the Sarthe....

The Tunnel is becoming more alluring by the minute  :o

(http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Transmanche/Dieppe01.jpg)


amazing what a lick of paint can do!

 ;)

If this ferry is going forward through the water, why does the smoke from the Funnel seem to go forward as well, and faster.

Makes you wonder.

The run down from dieppe is very good, you can detour round rouen and go the back roads via Yvetot over a large toll bridge at Claudebecquet.

I have used Transmanche before, its a bit basic and would try the seacat,  Bookings do become available so its worth ringing from time to time.

How old are the Pride Of Cherbourg and Portsmouth. I have sworn never to sail this route again. We were on a night crossing and it scared the s**t out of me.

Any idea if P&O Caen fast craft is new or and old hoverspeed one??

Pride of Cherbourg


30 years old - happy birthday

Pride of Portsmouth


15 year old - a whipper snapper

how do you go about making a ferry longer:o?

must have a pretty serious welder.

In March 1986, Viking Valiant was lengthened, a new deck for cars was added. After that, Viking Valiant operated only between Le Havre and Portsmouth.

Portsmouth Express (Caen fast ferry)


41 knots - caps on back to front chaps - and bring a sick bag  :-X

I was thinking exactly the same thing Nordic. I've got visions of them getting hold of two ferries , one that has bow damage and one with stern damage and joining the goods bits together like they do with cars!!  ;D

There's a proper word for this - jumboisation.  They put the ship in dry dock, cut it in half, pull the two parts apart and drop in a new premade section.  Then out with the welding set.

Here's a scan of a Naval Architecture book I have showing the concept.



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Righty ho lets get this all right. As a once employee of this fine! company , and friends still working there i must correct you all ( except Steve )

The Pride of Cherbourg and Hampshire are now working in Israel and were sold for a lot of dosh. P&O couldnt keep them going as new legislation meant they would be spending millions of pounds per year keeping them running. They havent been on this route for over a year now .
The new P&O Pride of Cherbourg was built in 1995 for Irish Ferries and is very nice, with lots of space and good cabins.  This now runs the route all year round a with a little help from the fast ferry in the summer.

The old Jumbo's ( Super Vikings ) ran from Portsmouth and Southampton to Le Havre and Cherbourg. They were nearly  identical to the Pride of Kent which ran Dover Calais until recently. They were chopped in 3 bits, the front and back off then the upper decks , adding a "top deck " of about 200 car spaces and a cabin deck, plus a bit of structural strengthening to the main deck and the bulbuos look was complete.
These were THE most profitable boats in the P&O Ferry fleet !!

The fast craft Portsmouth Express was built in 1998 by Incat , australia and goes to cherbourg, runs on Diesel, goes fast. makes puke etc etc.

The Pride of portsmouth / Le havre are nearly identicable to Britaany ferries Val De LOIRE which runs to Spain.

These ships are the safest ships ont the channel as are certified for Deep Sea sailings to Spain.

The Transmacnhe line is a Freight service who offer cheap passenger fares to fill up the boat. Most other companies offer passenger sailings with freight to fill up the boats.

Steve you are slightly wrong as NO definate ship has been highlighted offficalilly for the Caen route although its excatly the same apart from it runs on Gas Turbines at 75% power as apposed to 95% power for the Cherbourg express. Should help to keep it running on time. Max speed is around 45 / 50 knots FULLY LADEN and i am led to believe its coming from another South American firm like the Birqabus heap they have now .

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Here's a proper ship.
I did 5 months on this baby in 1985.


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Hello sailor

That's spooky it looks like the one that went down with total loss of life, named, The Derbyshire. What company was this one owned by,on closer inspection she look's like a tanker not a bulk carrier, Ex MN, also.
Brian.

 :o

So has Ferry been cut in half and had a new bit welded in ?

This could be worrying, as you are always told to be careful about cars that had been cut and joined together again - cut and shunt jobs I think there called.

BUT A FERRY - THATS BIG.........

But thinking about it, don’t they do this with some cars to make stretched limos?

That’s a thought a stretched limo ferry…………… ;D…

2nd Engineer to you boy  ;D

2nd Engineer? Is he the one responsible for polishing the Golden Rivet? :o :(

The I. D. Sinclair - Canadian Pacific (or CP Ships) - a 250,000 tonne VLCC or very large crude carrier - with a 35,000 hp engine

Golden rivet? Is that the one that fits in the brass eye?
H

This is more like it!
In one 'recent posts' page we have:

Golden rivets
sequinned merkins
crude carriers
and a sound underneath...

oooh, I've gone all Friday
H

...I also seem to remember a pink dolphin and something to do with "your turn in the barrel"  ???

There is a fourm just for all you all sea dogs & ferry lovers  ;D

http://users.boardnation.com/~will/index.php

check the latest crossing news and discuss your fave boats

Nordic, I just can't believe there are so many sad, inadequate bast ards who would post such inane drivel on a single issue forum....  

Erm.... oh....  I think I got it wrong again Dad. :-[

Your so right Mr Zarse, there are a many more interesting things that fourms should be used for, like
erh............Commer vans, Guided buses, T-shirts, camping tips, WIFFY things on computers,20 year old photos, and trailers.

These people need a dam good smacking, I shall join the p&o fourm saturday and tell them.

My may also get a few tips re European driving and a discount on my next Aurn jumper.

I was told of this site a while ago by an old mate who works at P&O , my shock horror when i see his name on the user board , and he's a spotter..

"My favourite ship.......... Prode of Humpshire, when i worked .... blah blah blah.. "

Next time i see him......

advice will be via Brians Black n Decker.

Hmmm are me& my partner the only ones going via the Channel  Islands (Condor Ferries) ?


Makes for a long day but you get a chance to wander around St Peterport on the way out & have a mealin St Helier on the way back and not too much driving either side (Starting in Devon) :)