seafrance ferries

Tarry

Has anyone used them recently? What is the service like? How flexible are they, ie, if you arrive early, do they tend to put you on an earlier ferry if there is space? I know you get hit by a charge if you miss one.

Just pricing up for a day trip in December and was wondering. I've never used them, only P&O

pompeyrich

In my experience, there is very little to choose between them and I base my choice purely on price.
I have only once been charged extra for being 20 mins late, that was with SeaFrance, £10 cash, no receipt given and then told the ferry was delayed by an hour.:mad:.

With the current economic climate, €/£ rate being poor and the cheap beer offers here, I'm sure there will be some bargains to be had on the run-up to Christmas. We went yesterday, with P&O, £19 inc 3 free bottles of Gallo wine.

The tunnel has £22 day returns on tue, weds and thursdays 15th Nov-14th Dec,only bookable by phone.

Tarry

I'll stay tuned. I don't want to leave it too late though as the closer you get the more you pay imo. Probably go with P&O as it's only an extra £3. I will be going on a Saturday so those deals on the tunnel are no good to me unfortunately. I priced them up yesterday and got £63 for tunnel, £27 for seafrance and £30 on P&0.

I've done those wine deals in the past and they are quite good wines.

pompeyrich

Ok Tarry, we booked the evening before for yesterdays trip. I'm lucky? in that I work odd shifts and can go midweek and also happy to go out in the afternoon and back late evening, which means I can usually get the best prices. If you are tied to Saturdays then it is possible, despite my "doom and gloom" outlook above, that the most popular sailings might get pretty well booked up at that time of year, so you may have to "bite the bullet".

Tarry

I'm not tied to Saturdays myself, I get a day midweek off, but the person I go with is, so I have to go on a Saturday. I always have to book it off. I could easily go midweek, but not ideal for the person I go with.

But I can't complain for a £30 return price

Tarry

Booked with po ferries in the end. Booked onto a ship called the Spirit Class? Is this one of the new ships?

pompeyrich

Yes it's quite impressive, we had both trips on the Spirit of Britain yesterday. CLICK for a pic. The Spirit of France is still undergoing sea trials but may well be ready by Dec.
Although the facilities on-board are similar to the older ships, it seems much brighter, even on the car deck. There is a large family lounge at the front and 2 or 3 other bars scattered around, even one outside, although this was shut yesterday. The self service restaurant takes up the front of the other deck, along with a fair size shop and the usual arcades and gaming machines. There is a nice sized "leper colony" for those of us who dare to want a ciggy.

Tarry

I've been on the Spirit of Britain and it's a good ferry. Really smart and modern, and was impressed with it on a journey back from France in June. I liked the little screen that showed you where exactly you where in the channel. On the Pride of Canterbury coming back, been on that a few times, but it shall be interesting to see what exactly I'm booked on on the 3rd December.

Alan_Bowen

Sea France is in real difficulties at present, they are owned by SNCF the French rail company and have been subsidised by hundreds of millions of Euros which was declared to be illegal earlier this week. It is not clear just how they are going to get out of the mess, bookings have collapsed and the staff are on strike today whilst they drive from Calais to Paris to protest at the risk of their jobs going. If they close, you may be certain P & O will increase their prices immediately

Tarry

That's the only reason I can jump over to France it's because it's so cheap, if the prices where to go up, I will not be able to go so easily.

I didn't realise they where still in difficulty.

pompeyrich

Final decision on SeaFrance's future will be made on 16th November, LINK. It seems there are 2 bidders for a potential takeover if the company is liquidated. It would be a shame if they do go under, as less competition would probably lead to price rises as Alan said above.