Brittany

[JT]

As my plans for the trip over are rarely finalised until the last minute ferry bookings can be a bit of a lottery. LD and Transmanche are normally pretty sensible as living in West Sussex the trip to Dover is a bit of a waste. Just for a laugh I thought I'd check on Brittany from Pompey to Caen or Cherbourg. To Caen, out at 23:15 on Wednesday with a reclining seat and back on Monday at 17:00, one person in a MX5, £642.84!  To Cherbourg on Thursday on the 08:00 fast ferry and back from Caen on the 17:00 on Monday - £687:69!
Starts to make the extra drive to Dover and from Calais look a bit more attractive.

[Lawnmower Man]

I looked at the Portsmouth Caen crossing earlier in the year and it was a lot less than that.  I've been using that crossing well Portsmouth/Southampton to Le Havre/Cherbourg/Caen crossings for 20 odd years.  It worked well
It made sense.  Shortest Driving distance for me.  Fun on the ferry.   It was marginally more expensive then the Dover Calais but for worth it IMO.

But this year I did wince at the Idea of £300+   I looked at some alternatives like going earlier and staying on an extra day and staying in a Cheap Hotel.  But even that is not economical any more.   So I checked out the Tunnel.   £50 each way £100 more in petrol and in fact a shorter Journey time.    Makes sense to me.

Depending on how I find the extra driving I'm pretty sure Brittany Ferries are going to have to  get very creative to win me back.

t.

[termietermite]

Tough to see how Britanny Ferries can continue to justify this when LD lines charge £150.00 Pompey-Le Harvre, isn't it?

[Lawnmower Man]

At just checked thier site and it  £283 for two adults.  But I'll bear them inmind next year.

T.

[termietermite]

Well, that's odd!  I put the LM dates in (all full this year after Monday) and £149.99 came up!  (Mind you that was for 2 passengers.)  Still, I suspect if you booked early for '08 it might be better.  Le Havre is certainly a very straightforward drive to here nowadays.

[Pilgrim]

Odd that Brittany Ferries are so expensive.

I'm booked with them as a foot passenger on the Plymouth to Roscoff route as I live in Plymouth (going on to Le Mans via train) and they still charged me £77 for a return ticket, even with a £10 website discount that still seems a bit much to me.

Of course, it is at the middle of the summer and in Le Mans race week which may account for their expensive prices. I have heard they tend to increase prices on the routes that dock nearest to Le Mans during race week, though.

[SteveB]

I too live in Plymouth , back in October  I started to check Ferry prices ,Brittany ferries wanted £350 for 2 travelling with a car... LD Ferries charged £146 , so we're going from Portsmouth. 

[JT]

To put it into some sort of perspective I've just booked with Transmanche - out on Wednesday at 19:00 and back at 00:30 on Tuesday morning. Now I know that these are not the most convenient of times and it's not the most luxurious boat but the total cost was £54:00. So, compared to Brittany, that leaves me around £600 better off. That should pay for a couple of beers then.

[IanS]

The key is too book early, Brittany only charge £25 for a deposit and on line amendments can then be made for free.  We always travel overnight Pompey St Malo out Caen Pompey back, and the laughable overnight entertainment is very much part of the trip as is the beer.  Car including cabin for 4 adults cost £441 which is not too bad when you consider that you are getting two nights accomodation thrown in.

[6 Euros - JD]

Just for reference I can confirm Brittany prices as we are using that route.

We booked in early February and paid £610. This is for the Monday (11th) overnight crossing from Pompey - Caen and the Monday (18th) overnight crossing on the way back.

This is for a long wheelbase landrover with 4 people, a roofrack full of camping gear and a fridge / freezer inside. We get a 4 berth cabin with shower and toilet on both crossings.

As we all live as far apart as Devon, Hertfordshire, London and Hampshire this is the best crossing for us as far as driving goes.

We can have a beer or two on the ferry and a kip (short) and then take a leisurely drive of a couple of hours down to Le Mans in the morning. The route down lets us stop for a cafe and baguette and look at the very nice cars as they overtake us!

The cabins work out cheaper than a Travelodge in Pompey and you are still travelling whileyou eat, drink and sleep.

It appears that the actual crossing price would be the same if there was only one occupant in the car so it can be a bit expensive for Billy Nomates.

Safe journey all and maybe see you there.

[Lawnmower Man]

Just for reference I can confirm Brittany prices as we are using that route.

We booked in early February and paid £610.
 
snip.....

It appears that the actual crossing price would be the same if there was only one occupant in the car so it can be a bit expensive for Billy Nomates.

Yes thats the case.  Of course the LWB and Roof rack bump up the price.   When you think that what you are really buying is space.  A car is the same size if it's just got a driver or if it's full with four or five occupants.   The same applies to a cabin. The question is do they make a profit on the crossings that are not popular?   If they do then IMO they are not really playing fair to Jack the prices up on the popular crossings.

I don't know but I've always thought that they top up the load on the Ferry with the unaccompanied trailers you see on the dock side.   So even the less popular crossings are full as far as car and trucks and trailers go.

So   

[DelBoy]

......When you think that what you are really buying is space.  A car is the same size if it's just got a driver or if it's full with four or five occupants. .......

Tell that to Condor Ferries.

I booked with them to take car and 2 adults to Guernsey, and it was just over £300.  A bit steep, I thought.  Later, I wanted to add 2 more adults and an infant, and they wanted ANOTHER £175.  Told them to stuff it - cheaper to fly and hire a car there, in spite of the £25 cancellation fee.

Del

[Pilgrim]

Yes thats the case.  Of course the LWB and Roof rack bump up the price.   When you think that what you are really buying is space.  A car is the same size if it's just got a driver or if it's full with four or five occupants.   The same applies to a cabin. The question is do they make a profit on the crossings that are not popular?   If they do then IMO they are not really playing fair to Jack the prices up on the popular crossings.

I don't know but I've always thought that they top up the load on the Ferry with the unaccompanied trailers you see on the dock side.   So even the less popular crossings are full as far as car and trucks and trailers go.

So   

The thing is, they have a captive market. If folk are willing to pay higher prices for a limited number of ferry and tunnel places, which are the only way that most folk are going to get to Le Mans, then as places run out the price goes up accordingly.

It's basically supply and demand.

The ferry companies can't be unaware of the massive spike in business they get during race week, just a simple look at their statistics will have shown them that.

So, supply decreases in relation to increased demand, and as that happens the prices go up accordingly.

[Perdu]

I'm glad I am going LD Lines then, £140, for two pssengers in the Midget. Beats driving across England to Dover/Folkestone for the Speedferries or the Tinworm under La Manche dunnit.

And Brum to Pompey is a far easier drive too. And as Termie says from Normandy its a far better drive down too. Rouen? They can keep it... Cows and all.

Have they gone round Rouen yet by the way? Someone said they were going to link the motorways and avoid the city soon, any news?

[Lorry]

Gordon Bennett  600 notes for a car.  That must include ladies of the night in the cabin.

No wonder LD Lines and Speedferries get our business.

As for Rouen, on a thread about a year ago, one of our French residents mentioned that Ruin was being bypassed, but this was subject to the usual planning enquiries, and would take 2 or 3 years before it was started.  And (typically French) they were planning not one but two bypasses