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Topic: Newhaven Wish I had known!

latecamper

03/7/2015 at 7:59am
Location: West Sussex
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We returned from our holiday yesterday on the Côte D'Albâtre ferry into Newhaven. What a lovely ferry! Super food. Very comfortable. Lovely big deck on the stern to sit and enjoy the sunshine.

We were amazed at the unloading procedure at Newhaven though and I wondered if it was normal and have others any knowledge. I understand docking there can be difficult because of tides and anyway its always fun to watch.

But getting the vehicles off required some amazing manoeuvres. Given the variation of folks abilities at reversing this seems a requirement designed to cause delays. One poor lady must have spent 10 minutes reversing along a long narrow section. Then the excitement of watching the crew lowering a long section of ramp down for the higher positioned cars to drive down and off the ferry. The whole performance must have taken slightly less than an hour.

I would certainly use that route again as in general it was trouble free and with none of the potential worries of Calais. But when we do I will make sure we arrive at Dieppe as late as possible, yesterday we were one the first on which due to the position of the cars means you get to watch all the shenanigans.

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LlaniDavis

03/7/2015 at 10:44am
Location: Llanidloes Powys
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I used the service both ways over last weekend and was also surprised at the convoluted system in place.

I went to France on the French boat and didn't have any reversing, but we did all drive around the centre section as we loaded. Wasn't overly impressed with the food on the night crossing; it didn't seem that fresh.

On my return I came back on the English boat and to watch the way the trucks had to reverse along the sides to get onto the down ramp was most impressive. The cars just did 3 point turns and drive off normally, but then there weren't many of us. I did wonder how they managed with caravans. Thought the food was a bit better on that overnight crossing.

Agreed about when top load. We were some of the first on at Dieppe, but were almost the last off. I noticed one car that arrived very late was on the bottom deck with the trucks and got off very quickly.

On both boats, what a slow method of getting coffee; queue up, get a token, then go to the coffee machine!!

I was told on the way back that they also offer discounts for those over 60!! Missed that.

Oh, and Newhaven is a dump!!

themarstonscooper

03/7/2015 at 11:32am
Location: Cheshire
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There is a thread here

On the antics of loading an unloading it depends on the boat and front and rear entrance usable if its only one then when at peak times as there is only one door invariable someone will have to reverse off to free the entrance for others to drive off They will rarely use a caravan unless pushed

Post last edited on 03/07/2015 11:46:32

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Mark

Uttoxeter (Race days)
Le Serignan Plage (clothed one) August and Scheveningen on way back

latecamper

03/7/2015 at 12:06pm
Location: West Sussex
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Its good to hear other people's experiences. So it wasn't exceptional which in some ways amazes me as we have used the Dover Dunkirk/Calais boats for years and you just drive on and drive off, none of this reversing malarkey. But its this sort of thing that makes life interesting.

LlaniDavis Yes! we never did get coffee, I hate machines, they often don't work for me. I did notice on the boat we were on, Côte D'Albâtre, that in the bar at the back of the ship, the circular sort of area, they had a coffee machine behind the bar, don't know if you still had to queue up for a token though.

themarstonscooper Interesting thread about the Brittany Ferry routes. Doubt we will ever use those as we are such cheap skates.

Latecamper

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LlaniDavis

03/7/2015 at 12:16pm
Location: Llanidloes Powys
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Thanks "latecamper".
I only decided to go to France last Wednesday and was booked straight onto the N - D overnight service on Thursday, returning Monday night, for just over £100. Britaany Ferries wanted 3 times that amount, and even with the saving in miles going to near Nantes, I couldn't justify the extra cost.
Certainly a crossing I will consider again.

themarstonscooper

03/7/2015 at 3:16pm
Location: Cheshire
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You'd rarely catch me on a Brittany long haul ferry or any other these days having used them for years id rather drive the extra as its frequently a darn site quicker Dover Calais or Dunkirk..

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Mark

Uttoxeter (Race days)
Le Serignan Plage (clothed one) August and Scheveningen on way back

LlaniDavis

03/7/2015 at 4:25pm
Location: Llanidloes Powys
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Depends where you are going in France, and where you live in the UK, Mark.
Generally we go to Brittany so ferries landing between Le Havre and St Malo are nearer to our final destination and their departure points closer to here.

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

themarstonscooper

03/7/2015 at 4:43pm
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Quote: Originally posted by LlaniDavis on 03/7/2015
Depends where you are going in France, and where you live in the UK, Mark.
Generally we go to Brittany so ferries landing between Le Havre and St Malo are nearer to our final destination and their departure points closer to here.

Yes agreed and fully appreciated. Im travelling from Cheshire so makes generally little difference. As you say though if close it makes sense though. Im never sure the cost can ever be recouped but for convenience that's perhaps worth every penny Im used to doing long miles so makes little difference

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Mark

Uttoxeter (Race days)
Le Serignan Plage (clothed one) August and Scheveningen on way back

Petrolhead

06/7/2015 at 6:12pm
Location: Ilkeston Derbyshire
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This is our second year of using Newhaven -Dieppe route, maybe because we go peak season I haven't noticed the loading/unloading antics, last year we were a normal coachbuilt motorhome and parked with lorries straight on & off. This year we are an RV so who knows how that will go!
The price is great, we can afford a cabin each way and there is far less traffic either side so its an easier drive.
As we live in Derbyshire its no further to drive than other posts so as far as we are concerned its a win win situation.

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Things are only impossible until they're not!

sunshinetours

07/7/2015 at 11:47am
Location: sunny south east!
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We are using for first time this year as prices were pretty competitive this year. For us in South East its about 5 miles closer than Dover so no real difference there but knocks about 90 miles plus some tolls off journey down towards western coast and using overnight one means we get started in France at 5am so get quite a way down on day one to leave a short hop in to main site of around 170 miles on day 2.

Will see how we find it but at only about 4 hrs crossing time or so its not a huge long trip anyway

Bramston

07/7/2015 at 4:48pm
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When I last used TML Ferries Newhaven to Dieppe they had an Italian ferry with an Italian crew and a British ex Saga Holidays cruise ship with a British crew. I didn't have difficulty getting on or off either.
Much of the superstructure of the ex cruise ship was cut away to convert her to a ferry leaving the stern somewhat absent and inaccessible to passengers. Not the ship in the TML website photo.

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Enjoy the liveliness of the syntax.

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