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Topic: DFDS Dover - Dunkirk

sunflowerlady

11/8/2014 at 8:56pm
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Vango Venture 500

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I know most of you avoid DFDS like the plague but we are travelling with them this week and I was wondering what the rules would be if we arrived early enough for an earlier than booked sailing? Would they allow us to travel if there was room? Anyone had any experience?

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2014
September
Middle Hills Farm - Matlock
August
4 Vents - Crèvecoeur-en-Brie
Camping Emeraude - Saint-Briac-sur-Mer
July
School Field - Manchester

2013
July
Callow Top - Ashbourne
School Field - Manchester

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Various sites in Anglesey, North West UK and several music festivals

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

Val A

11/8/2014 at 9:05pm
Location: West - North Yorkshire
Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate

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We've crossed lots of times to Dunkerque, sometimes early (on one occasion very early) and have been put on the next ferry. BUT the timetable isn't hourly, so you need to be quite a bit early to get on the earlier ferry. Check the timetables in case you have to hurry over the last few miles to make sure you get on the earlier one.

Francais

11/8/2014 at 9:12pm
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Yep no problem with DFDS, we always get an earlier crossing than booked.

This year July, outgoing booked for 4pm Monday we got the noon crossing, and coming home we were booked on the Friday noon crossing, but they let us on the 10am crossing.

No extra charges whatsoever.

chezza23

11/8/2014 at 9:14pm
Location: None Entered
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weve used dfds afew times and also will be this week and weve got on earlier ferries the past couple of years, weve just turned up and theyve putus on it providing theres space of course

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

sunflowerlady

11/8/2014 at 9:18pm
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Vango Venture 500

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Great! Thanks all. Might try and get there for the 6am crossing instead.
It says allow 1.5hrs at busy times...would getting there at 5am suffice do you think?

-------------
2014
September
Middle Hills Farm - Matlock
August
4 Vents - Crèvecoeur-en-Brie
Camping Emeraude - Saint-Briac-sur-Mer
July
School Field - Manchester

2013
July
Callow Top - Ashbourne
School Field - Manchester

2012 and prior
Various sites in Anglesey, North West UK and several music festivals

blueexpo97

11/8/2014 at 9:30pm
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Yep no problem normally in getting on an earlier crossing.

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SGThomas

11/8/2014 at 9:37pm
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We always use DFDS and before them Norfolk Lines.

Only once have we not been able to get on a ferry 2 hours before the one booked. ( There had been a strike the previous day and they had to clear the backlog of lorries)

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Mrs. Bonce

11/8/2014 at 9:49pm
Location: Luton (no jokes plea
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We always use DFDS as well, I don't know of anyone who avoids them. Last year we got on a ferry 2 hours earlier than planned, and to Calais, not Dunkerque, which suited us perfectly.

Anne

Val A

11/8/2014 at 10:01pm
Location: West - North Yorkshire
Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate

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We've never been moved from one port to another. We've seen sailings setting off for Calais, and had to wait for the next sailing to Dunkerque.

bellringer18

11/8/2014 at 11:20pm
Location: Pocklington near york
Outfit: Bailey Ranger

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we came back sun morn 6am ferry gave our documents etc,the lady said we cant let you on you are not on our system,as we booked through cc in oct and had no trouble going out you could say we was a bit upset.she said no we could not travel.so we asked to see the manager nice chap,said we would have to ring cc,we had red.so was going to ring we was 20 mins last one in booths.then we came up on the system the dozy woman put an a instead of a e in our last name.may give them a wide berth next yr and go back to p/o no we are sorry.

Val A

12/8/2014 at 7:38am
Location: West - North Yorkshire
Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate

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Sadly there's no point trying to ring the Caravan Club on a Sunday as there is no one there to answer your phone over the weekend! We had a similar problem when we weren't able to get to our booked ferry crossing because of a death in the family. We rang DFDS and they said we would have to speak to the Caravan Club. We tried, it was a Bank Holiday weekend and we couldn't reach anyone until Tuesday! However, when we did get through they were very helpful.

I'm surprised that you had problems though - we've turned up 'without our booking documents' (don't ask!!!) and the system recognised our car number plate so we had no problems.

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

Clears

12/8/2014 at 7:36pm
Location: Rotherham S Yorks
Outfit: Bailey Pegasus Verona 2011

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Out of curiosity, whats up with DFDS? We just used them Dover-Calais return and it was fine; slighltly shabby interior but its only an hour and a bit. As to OP, we arrived silly early for our 6pm return sailing and the woman just put us on the earlier 3.30 pm without even mentioning it so all good

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