Hi Folks,
For those who are interested , Irish Ferries have their fares on the website for next summer.
Priced for us to go in August, leaving on a Sunday and returning on a Monday and got IMO a very good deal.I know that wont suit everyone.
Just have to figure out if we can fit it in round everything else we have going on next summer, I'll be having a really good try.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Great deal for us also in June and cheaper than 2011. Thank you for letting us know. We are just back after getting a free crossing to G.B. for booking this year and had a lovely week in Shropshire. Will wait and see if that offer will be available again in 2012. Taking us and our caravan to GB is dearer than going to France (with a cabin included) which is crazy.
Hi Marz,
You are welcome.
The prices are still a bit steep if you want to use the July crossings. We are hoping and keeping everything crossed that we can go in August, but have to wait and see unfortunately. We have so many things happening during next July and August, it is going to be difficult to get enough time to make it worth our while going, but am going to try very hard.
Have had quite a few of the free crossings both Stena and P&O. Also a channel tunel crossing.
Was lucky enough to have enough to make a big difference in the Irish ferries direct crossing to France this summer.
Great if it suits you.
Hi, anyone got an opinion on best route to france from the North? Got a quote from IF for 1050euro. Able to use the tesco vouchers but will not have enough to make a serious dent in the fare. I noticed that they have another fare for about 300 euro cheaper but did not take the vouchers. Not pushed on the landbridge crossing because of the amount of driving but it works out much cheaper!! Would love to hera other opinions...
IMO best route is any of the direct routes from the South of Ireland, it is so much more relaxing.
Are you going in July, because Irish ferries prices are cheaper in August, thats when we are going? The price we have got for next year is good.
Wouldnt do landbridge as it is too much driving and would have to be saving a lot to make it worthwhile.
Last year we did Belfast - Stranraer, then the channel tunnel. Belfast crossing booked through CCC with free caravan offer and tunnel paid with Tesco. Did work out very cheap but wouldnt want to do it again, unless I had no other choice.
If you had to pay the full landbridge prices, depending on what crossing you used from England, it can work out very little difference to the direct fare.
We have also used Brittany ferries (Cork-Roscoff) which we booked through Eurocamp independent and got a ferry/campsite deal with them, so it worked out good value for money for us.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by smickey on 17/11/2011
Hi, anyone got an opinion on best route to france from the North? Got a quote from IF for 1050euro. Able to use the tesco vouchers but will not have enough to make a serious dent in the fare. I noticed that they have another fare for about 300 euro cheaper but did not take the vouchers. Not pushed on the landbridge crossing because of the amount of driving but it works out much cheaper!! Would love to hera other opinions...
Our current preferred * route is to take the first fast Irish Ferries Dublin - Holyhead ferry in the morning (something like 0830-1100 I think) then drive down to Portsmouth for the overnight Le Havre ferry with LD Lines at 11pm. So leave Ireland one morning, arrive in France at about 7am the next morning. On the way home drive to Le Havre to arrive for the 5pm ferry which gets into Portsmouth at about 9pm. Then overnight stop somewhere close by and drive to Holyhead the next day for the 5pm ferry which gets back to Ireland for 9pm (ish).
Both ferries are about £350 each in July for a car plus 4, but the Irish Ferries one can be paid for with Tesco vouchers. So you can get to France for just £350 of real cash - that's not bad. Calais is of course cheaper but imo isn't worth it for the extra distance on both sides, a more busy route plus the extra overnight stop.The drive from Holyhead to Portsmouth is comparatively short and easy.
* preferred because of the price. All things being equal Irish Ferries direct is the way to go. However since they now charge 1200 euro plus in July for a car plus 4, it isn't a viable option for us.
thanks for the replies, really useful info and good to get a local perspective on things. Has probably hardened my resolve to avoid landbridge despite the potential savings!! thanks again