Dover - Calais crossing with caravan
Discussion
I'm just about to book up for the Summer exodus, had planned on taking the Dover - Calais crossing, however all the recent publicity of people trying to get into vehicles is rather off putting.
Not normally bothered but have a less the agile unit of a large 4x4 and twin axle caravan, so not exactly nimble. Also wife and two young children on board, that I don't want traumatised.....
A few friends have been through in cars over the last few weeks and have seen the lorries getting problems, but avoided it them selves by keeping moving, not sure where caravans fit in the equation? Obviously not as easy to stow away, mind you I'm sure most caravan doors, windows or skylights would not pose much of a problem.....
Anyone done it recently? What's it like Portsmoth - Le Harve, not hearing anything adverts on other routes, just fancied the quick and cheaper crossing....
I hate towing this caravan at the best of times.....
Not normally bothered but have a less the agile unit of a large 4x4 and twin axle caravan, so not exactly nimble. Also wife and two young children on board, that I don't want traumatised.....
A few friends have been through in cars over the last few weeks and have seen the lorries getting problems, but avoided it them selves by keeping moving, not sure where caravans fit in the equation? Obviously not as easy to stow away, mind you I'm sure most caravan doors, windows or skylights would not pose much of a problem.....
Anyone done it recently? What's it like Portsmoth - Le Harve, not hearing anything adverts on other routes, just fancied the quick and cheaper crossing....
I hate towing this caravan at the best of times.....
Having seen the footage of the 'illegals' climbing into the backs of wagons, is it only me that wonders why the doors aren't securely locked?
Seems that they can open them at will - doesn't seem secure for the goods either. If immigrants can get in, thieves can get goods out I'd have thought.
Watching with interest as we're due to travel out on the Chunnel in a few weeks.
BB
Seems that they can open them at will - doesn't seem secure for the goods either. If immigrants can get in, thieves can get goods out I'd have thought.
Watching with interest as we're due to travel out on the Chunnel in a few weeks.
BB
I live in Belgium and come across at least once a month, either using the ferry or the tunnel. The current circumstances are exceptional, the French striking has led to an enormous number of stationary vehicles which are an easy target for the illegal immigrants.
I've never seen any problems at Calais when traffic is running normally, so I wouldn't worry if I were you.
Another poster has also suggested Dover-Dunkirk, which is usually a cheaper crossing (although it may be worth bearing in mind that DFDS are much less flexible than P&O or the tunnel in letting you onto a crossing other than the one you've booked).
I've never seen any problems at Calais when traffic is running normally, so I wouldn't worry if I were you.
Another poster has also suggested Dover-Dunkirk, which is usually a cheaper crossing (although it may be worth bearing in mind that DFDS are much less flexible than P&O or the tunnel in letting you onto a crossing other than the one you've booked).
Deerfoot said:
We now do Portsmouth to Cherbourg as it massively reduces the driving in France when we head to Brittany.
We did the Calais route once in order to save money (around £300 cheaper I think) but it really wasn't worth it once fuel costs and general hassle were factored in.....
We're going DFDS Dover-Calais for under £160 return (that's car, twin axle 'van, 2 adults, 2 kids).We did the Calais route once in order to save money (around £300 cheaper I think) but it really wasn't worth it once fuel costs and general hassle were factored in.....
For the same outfit on the same days, Portsmouth-Cherbourg is £760 return.
Factor in that I can get to Dover in 45 minutes and Portsmouth in 2 hours, I'll take the £500 saving any day of the week!
I'm in the same position. Depart next Saturday on the Dover-Calais route (only cost me 135quid with a 4.6t, 7m motorhome) but also concerned about the return journey, what with having wife and child on board. Also, my daughter has to sit up front with me given the proximity of her feet and the table(!), so has a better view of what is happening up front and don't want her to get scared.
Let's hope the traffic will be moving swiftly enough to avoid any unwanted intruders.
BTW - did anyone else read the story in the newspapers this morning about the couple who found a stowaway in their motorhome toilet after Roscoff to Plymouth sailing????!!!!
Let's hope the traffic will be moving swiftly enough to avoid any unwanted intruders.
BTW - did anyone else read the story in the newspapers this morning about the couple who found a stowaway in their motorhome toilet after Roscoff to Plymouth sailing????!!!!
Rosscow said:
We're going DFDS Dover-Calais for under £160 return (that's car, twin axle 'van, 2 adults, 2 kids).
For the same outfit on the same days, Portsmouth-Cherbourg is £760 return.
Factor in that I can get to Dover in 45 minutes and Portsmouth in 2 hours, I'll take the £500 saving any day of the week!
I'm an hour from Portsmouth and around 4 from Dover so it's horses for courses I guess.For the same outfit on the same days, Portsmouth-Cherbourg is £760 return.
Factor in that I can get to Dover in 45 minutes and Portsmouth in 2 hours, I'll take the £500 saving any day of the week!
The queues for the toll booths (especially around Le Havre) were crazy busy when we went, coupled with massive queues at the service stations it made for a nasty journey.
The price difference can be narrowed by booking well in advance but I agree Dover / Calais is by far the cheaper option.
Ive done the trip both Portsmouth and Dover crossings with the van. No issues. Pulled everytime by customs (they seem more interested in the lairy landrover), and they always ask to see inside the van, and they check the bathroom, but nothing major.
I don't think caravans pose such a stowaway issue
I don't think caravans pose such a stowaway issue
BigBob said:
Having seen the footage of the 'illegals' climbing into the backs of wagons, is it only me that wonders why the doors aren't securely locked?
Because it is cheaper to stop at the port and throw them out, rather than secure the doors and have the toerags slash the curtains or kick holes in the roof.Spuffington said:
I'm in the same position. Depart next Saturday on the Dover-Calais route (only cost me 135quid with a 4.6t, 7m motorhome) but also concerned about the return journey, what with having wife and child on board. Also, my daughter has to sit up front with me given the proximity of her feet and the table(!), so has a better view of what is happening up front and don't want her to get scared.
Let's hope the traffic will be moving swiftly enough to avoid any unwanted intruders.
BTW - did anyone else read the story in the newspapers this morning about the couple who found a stowaway in their motorhome toilet after Roscoff to Plymouth sailing????!!!!
Over the years we've done Dover/Calais/Dunkirk; Portsmouth/Le Havre/St Malo/Santander by ferry and Eurotunnel, depending on where we're heading.Let's hope the traffic will be moving swiftly enough to avoid any unwanted intruders.
BTW - did anyone else read the story in the newspapers this morning about the couple who found a stowaway in their motorhome toilet after Roscoff to Plymouth sailing????!!!!
Living in South Wales the Portsmouth depart saves me about 200 miles (round trip) over Dover and avoids the M4/M25 'car park'. Because we never use French motorways we tend to amble to whatever area we intend touring along N roads which are quite good generally and make it part of our holiday. Can't always justify the extra cost of the ferry from Portsmouth for the sake of few days touring an extra part of France.
We're leaving on 22nd July using the Eurotunnel for a 4 week break courtesy of Tesco vouchers - the £175 return trip actually costing me NOTHING!!!!!!
(about the same size as yours ) Getting around the usual traffic problems this side by travelling at the 'right' times (is there such a thing on the M25). The Tunnel is super convenient but a ferry trip seems to start and end the holiday 'properly' though.Not really worried about 'illegals' sneaking on board - if they can find ANY room after the wife has packed it they'll be a better man than me
Have a great time anyway mate
BB
My son travelled out yesterday morning and the only delay was being stuck behind a bus that wouldn't start
Friends travelled back last night and said there were loads of armed Gendarmes around the tunnel and they had no problems.
Seems like the officials are getting to grips with things
BB
Friends travelled back last night and said there were loads of armed Gendarmes around the tunnel and they had no problems.
Seems like the officials are getting to grips with things
BB
jimbouk said:
Ended up booking Poole to Cherbourg return. Considerably more expensive, but managed to get almost 20% off via the Caravan Club.....
Anything for a stress free holiday!
We've done that crossing before, it was a nice relaxing trip on a nice modern boat.Anything for a stress free holiday!
We were a bit early getting to Cherbourg for the trip home so stopped off at Utah beach for an hour or so.
Enjoy your holiday.
Just had a very pleasant exchange of tweets with DFDS regarding my concern that their Dover-Calais route is still currently suspended.
Was told to arrive as normal and I'd bet put on the Dover-Dunkirk sailing.
However, I was a bit concerned that I wasn't given an actual sailing time, and with a 7 hour drive the other side the last thing I want is a late departure.
So the guy from DFDS Twitter account called me and has switched my booking to the Dunkirk route just in case on both inward and outward journeys so we now have actual bookings.
Don't fancy rocking up at Dover on the first day of the school holidays waiting for the next available ferry!
Was told to arrive as normal and I'd bet put on the Dover-Dunkirk sailing.
However, I was a bit concerned that I wasn't given an actual sailing time, and with a 7 hour drive the other side the last thing I want is a late departure.
So the guy from DFDS Twitter account called me and has switched my booking to the Dunkirk route just in case on both inward and outward journeys so we now have actual bookings.
Don't fancy rocking up at Dover on the first day of the school holidays waiting for the next available ferry!
Just got back from our French holiday. No problems outbound from Dover and managed to get on an earlier ferry with P&O. Straight off at Calais, with nothing more than weight of traffic an issue until Le Touquet way on the peage. That was 11th July.
Coming back Thursday just gone (23rd) there was huge evidence of immigrants all around the Eurotunnel terminal and huge queues of lorries on the sliproad on the eastbound approach and truly enormous stack of lorries from the east (Dunkirk). I was truly grateful for having a ferry booking.
But the main thing was we were able to keep up our speed and avoid any sign of immigrants getting in our way - likewise as we got to Calais ferry terminal, no signs of immigrants and the only difficulty we had was MyFerrylink blockading two berths at the port. But luckily we were sailing with P&O and ended up on our booked ferry with just a half hour delay.
Things were a lot different when we got off at Dover - carnage getting into the Port with traffic backing up almost to Gillingham on the M2 and for us leaving, we were very slow through to Canterbury.
I think the biggest issue seems to be Eurotunnel and I will think very carefully before travelling with the chunnel until this migrant issue is sorted. I don't think the MyFerrylink strikers are helping the matters either. But there we go.
Good luck to all making their journeys across the water and hope you have as good a time as we did (albeit without our motorhome!).
Coming back Thursday just gone (23rd) there was huge evidence of immigrants all around the Eurotunnel terminal and huge queues of lorries on the sliproad on the eastbound approach and truly enormous stack of lorries from the east (Dunkirk). I was truly grateful for having a ferry booking.
But the main thing was we were able to keep up our speed and avoid any sign of immigrants getting in our way - likewise as we got to Calais ferry terminal, no signs of immigrants and the only difficulty we had was MyFerrylink blockading two berths at the port. But luckily we were sailing with P&O and ended up on our booked ferry with just a half hour delay.
Things were a lot different when we got off at Dover - carnage getting into the Port with traffic backing up almost to Gillingham on the M2 and for us leaving, we were very slow through to Canterbury.
I think the biggest issue seems to be Eurotunnel and I will think very carefully before travelling with the chunnel until this migrant issue is sorted. I don't think the MyFerrylink strikers are helping the matters either. But there we go.
Good luck to all making their journeys across the water and hope you have as good a time as we did (albeit without our motorhome!).
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