P&O Hull to Rotterdam/Zeebrugge price hike
Discussion
Anybody noticed that P&O have hiked up their prices this year. Not by just a few pounds but by over £100 !!
Usually a Hull to Rotterdam/Zeebrugge return trip would be around £280-£300 area for the early summer period. But now they are around the £400 area.
Not good.
I was just wondering what the likely out come would be if I turned up in my car with only 'foot passenger' tickets?
Do you think its something they pay particular notice to or just a quick check of the ticket and on you go? I'm guessing I'll be told to follow the exit arrows on my way out.
The internet is not showing any discount codes for this route(s).
Well I tell a lie, there is an offer for £119 each way.....but after a lenghty argument over the phone with P&O I found out that the number of tickets they sell before the offer runs out is laughably low. So only the first small handful of people get the discount and the reast pay the inflated price.
Usually a Hull to Rotterdam/Zeebrugge return trip would be around £280-£300 area for the early summer period. But now they are around the £400 area.
Not good.
I was just wondering what the likely out come would be if I turned up in my car with only 'foot passenger' tickets?
Do you think its something they pay particular notice to or just a quick check of the ticket and on you go? I'm guessing I'll be told to follow the exit arrows on my way out.
The internet is not showing any discount codes for this route(s).
Well I tell a lie, there is an offer for £119 each way.....but after a lenghty argument over the phone with P&O I found out that the number of tickets they sell before the offer runs out is laughably low. So only the first small handful of people get the discount and the reast pay the inflated price.
A lex said:
And as an answer to the foot passenger ticket.
Try it, if you like spending the night in Hull Docks - they are of course switched on to this type of thing and there is 0% chance you will get away with it.
What do you expect... the area is full of hullites which are nearly always low life scum and chancers... They probably see a good percentage of the foot passengers try that on every day.Try it, if you like spending the night in Hull Docks - they are of course switched on to this type of thing and there is 0% chance you will get away with it.
Du1point8 said:
Its going to be difficult since they sell the tickets and operate the boat.
Thought I have never seen the appeal of spending 13 hours on a ferry myself...
where is the final destination that you have in mind?
Well as I live in Cumbria it is a more convenient location to get on the ferry at Hull as opposed to driving down to Dover for example.Thought I have never seen the appeal of spending 13 hours on a ferry myself...
where is the final destination that you have in mind?
But as P&O are simply taking the micheal with their prices this year I think I'm going to try the channel tunnel for the first time.
(Final destination is Heidelberg near Hockenheim in Germany).
AJI said:
Du1point8 said:
Its going to be difficult since they sell the tickets and operate the boat.
Thought I have never seen the appeal of spending 13 hours on a ferry myself...
where is the final destination that you have in mind?
Well as I live in Cumbria it is a more convenient location to get on the ferry at Hull as opposed to driving down to Dover for example.Thought I have never seen the appeal of spending 13 hours on a ferry myself...
where is the final destination that you have in mind?
But as P&O are simply taking the micheal with their prices this year I think I'm going to try the channel tunnel for the first time.
(Final destination is Heidelberg near Hockenheim in Germany).
Ferry to dunkirk for you might be better at £50, but you still have to get down there and decide if £400 from hull + fuel there is cheaper than the fuel there and back to dover, £50 to dunkirk and what ever other fuel needed to get to destination.
AJI said:
Well as I live in Cumbria it is a more convenient location to get on the ferry at Hull as opposed to driving down to Dover for example.
But as P&O are simply taking the micheal with their prices this year I think I'm going to try the channel tunnel for the first time.
(Final destination is Heidelberg near Hockenheim in Germany).
we booked in december & the prices were as usual, to be honest travelling down to ashford or dover isn't too bad really (i'm cumbria too) give it a try & see how you get on But as P&O are simply taking the micheal with their prices this year I think I'm going to try the channel tunnel for the first time.
(Final destination is Heidelberg near Hockenheim in Germany).
How about Necastle amsterdam?
http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/ferry-routes/holland/...
Only a short drive from Cumbria.
http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/ferry-routes/holland/...
Only a short drive from Cumbria.
PRTVR said:
How about Necastle amsterdam?
http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/ferry-routes/holland/...
Only a short drive from Cumbria.
Still £400+ for summer and can't book without cabinhttp://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/ferry-routes/holland/...
Only a short drive from Cumbria.
In the past I've always paid in the region of £300 maximum for a Hull-Rotterdam return, even when booking fairly late. I've done that route around 6 or so times now.
I've also done the Dover-Calais route twice in the past on the ferry.
This year there has been a price hike for some reason by P&O. In times of recession and people are trying to spend their money wisely it seems companies increase prices thinking that we have cash to throw away.
I've done a few calculations on the cost difference between Hull-Rotterdam and the EuroTunnel.
From Cumbria area it works out to be something along the lines of:
1 P&O
(Fuel to Hull = £25) + (Ferry outbound = £200) + (Ferry return = £200) + (Fuel back to home = £25)
Total = £450
2 EuroTunnel
(Fuel to Folkestone = £55) + (B&B overnight = £55) + (Eurotunnel outbound = £70) + (Eurotunnel return = £70) + (Fuel back to home = £55)
Total = £305
The plan is to be in Europe early morning so this is why I have a B&B option for the Eurotunnel route, so that we can get an early train across. The return journey driving back home can be done through the late afternoon going in to evening.
But as you can see the Eurotunnel option is £145 cheaper! (And we get a proper room and breakfast on the way out instead of a small cramped cabin).
I've also done the Dover-Calais route twice in the past on the ferry.
This year there has been a price hike for some reason by P&O. In times of recession and people are trying to spend their money wisely it seems companies increase prices thinking that we have cash to throw away.
I've done a few calculations on the cost difference between Hull-Rotterdam and the EuroTunnel.
From Cumbria area it works out to be something along the lines of:
1 P&O
(Fuel to Hull = £25) + (Ferry outbound = £200) + (Ferry return = £200) + (Fuel back to home = £25)
Total = £450
2 EuroTunnel
(Fuel to Folkestone = £55) + (B&B overnight = £55) + (Eurotunnel outbound = £70) + (Eurotunnel return = £70) + (Fuel back to home = £55)
Total = £305
The plan is to be in Europe early morning so this is why I have a B&B option for the Eurotunnel route, so that we can get an early train across. The return journey driving back home can be done through the late afternoon going in to evening.
But as you can see the Eurotunnel option is £145 cheaper! (And we get a proper room and breakfast on the way out instead of a small cramped cabin).
A lex said:
Well, its horses for courses isnt it. I use the Hull ferry for about 5 return journeys P.A. and have been doing for the last 7 years since getting a job on the continent. My family also uses the Hull ferry a lot. I also use the chunnel and channel ferries 4-5 times P.A.
Sometimes the chunnel is a bargain, sometimes not - you can always bank on a channel ferry being about 50 quid. PO out of Hull is (on average) about 200-250 low season and 350-450 (sometimes higher) peak season. I noticed a price increase as well as a marginalisation in services offered about 3yrs ago, but the prices I have quoted there are about right for the last 3 years. If you have booked for cheaper then Id say you have been lucky on those dates.
I always book a 5 berth cabin or one of the 'suites' - its just like a hotel room, its got a TV and a free 'mini-bar', you get vouchers for Champagne in Langans Brasserie and its comfortable. If you eat in Langans its often cheaper than the buffet and the atmosphere/quality of food is higher. In the better rooms id compare the experience/quality to something like a decent Premier Inn - so its not wonderful, but its far from terrible or pokey.
Using the figures you have quoted I notice two things:
1. Id be happy to take the Ferry and pay the extra to avoid the boring drive through the UK and around the M25
2. You have an economical car! To get from Cumbria to Dover id use about 100-150quid of petrol depending on driving style. Once you factor in economy of 25mpg or less the Hull boat starts to make more sense. Depending on you onward destination Rotterdam can also be much closer on the continental side
3. The Hull boat spares you from driving through N. France and Belgium, which is a bonus you cant value
I hope you can tell I am speaking from experience... the PO boats are expensive, but they always have been. Its a business and they can charge what they like - the boats are nearly always full - I dont think they are desperate for passengers at the moment.
You pays your money and take your choice!
Totally understand what you're saying A lex. Sometimes the chunnel is a bargain, sometimes not - you can always bank on a channel ferry being about 50 quid. PO out of Hull is (on average) about 200-250 low season and 350-450 (sometimes higher) peak season. I noticed a price increase as well as a marginalisation in services offered about 3yrs ago, but the prices I have quoted there are about right for the last 3 years. If you have booked for cheaper then Id say you have been lucky on those dates.
I always book a 5 berth cabin or one of the 'suites' - its just like a hotel room, its got a TV and a free 'mini-bar', you get vouchers for Champagne in Langans Brasserie and its comfortable. If you eat in Langans its often cheaper than the buffet and the atmosphere/quality of food is higher. In the better rooms id compare the experience/quality to something like a decent Premier Inn - so its not wonderful, but its far from terrible or pokey.
Using the figures you have quoted I notice two things:
1. Id be happy to take the Ferry and pay the extra to avoid the boring drive through the UK and around the M25
2. You have an economical car! To get from Cumbria to Dover id use about 100-150quid of petrol depending on driving style. Once you factor in economy of 25mpg or less the Hull boat starts to make more sense. Depending on you onward destination Rotterdam can also be much closer on the continental side
3. The Hull boat spares you from driving through N. France and Belgium, which is a bonus you cant value
I hope you can tell I am speaking from experience... the PO boats are expensive, but they always have been. Its a business and they can charge what they like - the boats are nearly always full - I dont think they are desperate for passengers at the moment.
You pays your money and take your choice!
My car on a steady cruise does in to the mid 30's for mpg so the fuel figures are not too bad from cumbria to the south coast.
But I'm not rich enough to pay for a 5-berth or one of the spatious cabins. For the amount of time you spend in them I would much rather that part of the holiday money was put towards a better hotel in europe.
The boring drive down through the UK is a valid point and also the drive out of northern France, but at a over £100 difference in price between the two routes this is something I'm happy to do.
£100+ is a sizable amount of spending money for our holidays.
Fully understand its a business and they are able to set the prices as they wish, but to me it seems like they are losing customers by taking the michael with their prices. My preferred choice in the past has always been Hull-Rotterdam, but with such a price difference I don't think I'd be going that route again.
I'm hoping the Eurotunnel is a good quick experience as it will be the first time I've done it. Then I won't have to think about P&O again in the future
On the crossings that I've been on the Hull-Rotterdam routes have been a mixed bag in terms of full capacity or not. Granted the outbound route is generally near capacity but usually the return route is never much more than half full. In fact the last visit to the N'ring in germany two years ago saw us more or less have the car deck to ourselves. This was in May time.
Anyways, hope you have better luck than I in your future booking prices with P&O.
I've often used the hull rotterdam at xmas, it's always been going on for 500 quid, looked into it for this easter too, similar prices
I've also done Hoek van Holland to Harwich, but they don't have the quick catamaran it seems any more, so you need a cabin and it's no cheaper
the last couple of years i've booked a cheap Premier inn anywhere in Kent for 30-40 quid and used Norfolkline (now DFDS) for as low as 20 or 30 euros return to dunkirk
Premier is ideal for family, two kids' beds, a double, and a cot if you need it - not nearly as grim as Formule 1 or Etap on the other side
I've also done Hoek van Holland to Harwich, but they don't have the quick catamaran it seems any more, so you need a cabin and it's no cheaper
the last couple of years i've booked a cheap Premier inn anywhere in Kent for 30-40 quid and used Norfolkline (now DFDS) for as low as 20 or 30 euros return to dunkirk
Premier is ideal for family, two kids' beds, a double, and a cot if you need it - not nearly as grim as Formule 1 or Etap on the other side
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