Family hol & ferry

Kanderson1969

Hello

Planning family holiday for next summer (school hols). Usually do ferry to France and rent a cottage. Decided to try for Spain next year. However completely amazed at eye-watering costs. We're thinking of taking ferry to Santander and then poss a key camps site. 10 days costs nearly £3K (that's over £1K for ferry and nearly £2K for site - and only for 10 days)- our usual spend is usually more like £2K!

Any tips to reduce the cost of ferry or campsite. This has all been researched on net so far so haven't got any discount codes or anything. We'd thought to take car to keep costs down, like we do in France (also had a bad experience once in Italy with car hire)

Or good family holidays abroad for our £2k or £2.5k budget. Sunshine. Not trashy or mass market. We just like to chill out, read, kick a ball about, pool, ping pong. Happy to self cater)

Thank you!

richardw

How much fuel for the car money does the ferry all the way to spain save?

zagfles

Look at booking direct with the campsite. Look at going late August, it's generally a LOT cheaper than July/early August. Would you consider driving through France, it could be a lot cheaper even with overnight stops and will probably take about the same time.

But the main saving will be the campsite - £2k for 10 days is ridiculous, £200 a night??

As an example I've just had a look at a place we've been to before and was excellent, El Delfin Verde in NE Spain (on the med coast not far from the French border, right on the beach). Before 15 Aug the bungalows/apartments are around EUR140-160 a night, 16 Aug onwards they're about EUR90-120 a night. So 10 days in the second half of Aug should be less than £1k.

knightstyle

If you use the ferry operated by Britany Ferries PM me and I will give you a code for a discount.
As you are taking a car think about taking your own tent and using it for a week then a week at a site with all facilities.

[Deleted User]

I've just booked a BEAUTIFUL villa with 4 bedrooms and its own pool and stunning views in Spain plus 5 return flights from Gatwick for the first week of the summer holidays next year for £3k! I went for an expensive villa too - I could have got one much cheaper but we're doing a family holiday with all my adult kids and partners. There will be 7 of us but my son and girlfriend will be flying in from France so still have to book their flights - they will be under £200 each though so total holiday cost £3.5k. It seems mad that it's costing the same for you to take the ferry and camp!!!! How many of you are there?

zagfles

I very much doubt the OP is looking at camping - more likely static caravan, bungalow/ apartment rental on a campsite. No way would camping with own tent be £200 per night :eek:

mandragora_2

http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/club-voyage-travel-club is the best way to travel to France/Spain if you use Brittany Ferries.

Even with paying the one-off joining fee, it's still cheaper than full price, and thereafter you get discounts/deals on every crossing. We've done both (we go to Aquitaine every year), and eventually decided to travel via France - for us it's better value, but we tow a caravan and take advantage of overnight free stops in quiet 'restes'. If you enjoy the sailing and are happy to pay the extra because of the 'cruise' element, consider it. If not, then I'd head for St Malo (a bit pricier, but somewhat shorter onward journey) or Caen or Cherbourg - cheaper, but definitely a 'break it into two days' sort of a drive. The roads are easier and emptier to drive on in France than the UK. Whatever route you do, research and factor in the cost of road tolls.

Kanderson1969

Thanks for your replies. My quote is for a 2 bed caravan thing on a site (not my usual cup of tea, but thought kids would like the amenities) .

We don't want to drive miles - did a 2000 mile round France trip last summer and got fed up with it. Our thinking was that the ferry would drop us nearby and then we just do a short trip to destination in our own car (with flights you still have airport parking, car hire or transfers & that can be pricey)

But I would like to find out about ferry discounts - have done Brittany Ferries several times and they are good but also expensive!

I have looked up some holiday lettings in that area of Northern Spain and they seem better value for money.

How do I PM? Would like to find out about ferry discounts if poss.

zagfles

To send a PM just click on the person's name and take the "send private message" option.

If you're going to the north coast of Spain you should easily find somewhere decent for EUR100-150 a night so around £1k for 10 days. It's not very touristy there. Note that it has a different climate to the med (or if you're going to the med coast it's quite a drive from Santander - at least 600km!)

dangers

We use keycamp and now book the ferry through them - it worked out a substantial bit cheaper than booking the ferry directly ourselves.

VickyA_2

Can't help you on location as we have our own tent, but if you do book through Keycamp then ensure you sign up with a cashback website as they currently have 4% cashback via Topcashback.