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Subject Topic: Superfast Ferry News Post Reply Post New Topic
26/8/2006 at 5:50pm
 Location: Scotland
 Outfit: Jeep G-Cherokee Adria Adiva 642UP
View Mature-Student's Profile View Profile   Reply to Mature-Student Reply   Quote Mature-Student Quote  
Joined: 26/2/2006

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Thought I'd post this as there doesn't seem to be anything on the boards about this yet.

Superfast's owners released this announcement on the 8th of August.

From my understanding, and from what has been quoted by Superfast's spokesman in the local press, they wish to purchase a ship that can carry more passengers as they apparently had to turn down a lot of bookings this summer due to being fully booked. They plan to purchase the replacement ship in early 2007 - which may be after many people have booked for next summer (tickets are due to go on sale in October/November).

This less than one year after they sold the sister ship and cut the sailings from daily to three times a week.

So, from all of the information available, the options seem to be:

A bigger ship (unlikely seeing the amount left after the sale as per the announcement),

A similar size ship which can carry more passengers ie more sleeper style seats, more/smaller cabins & most likely less facilities to accommodate the extra cabins & seats, or

A smaller ship with with more passenger carrying ability than the current ship and therefore even fewer facilities.

With any of these, the possibility of buying an older vessel appears highly likely as Superfast have admitted the year round revenues, especialy from freight, are nowhere near what they had planned for when the service was launched. This, to me, is a particular concern, and I don't mean in terms of comfort or facilities.

I can't see fares being reduced, so will many passengers be willing to pay the same fares for less facilities and a slower service, both of which are highly possible.

For us, this has meant that where we were willing to pay the extra for this service than go to Hull, for example, due to the recommendations of others, we are now re thinking this. And if lots of others do too, and the early bookings are down due to people waiting to see what the replacement is (it is a 19 hour journey and not the cheapest), this may well influence the company's decision making process when choosing the replacement.

Also, this could be used as a justification to pull the service. I know they say they are still committed to the service, but this only means they don't have to repay any of the substantial subsidies just now ie before the revenue from the sale is received.

What's everyone else's thoughts?


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26/8/2006 at 8:23pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Swift Speedbird 2003
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Thats interesting.

We've used the Superfast before, but never with a car - we've gone on short hotel breaks.  We found it an excellent service and really enjoyed ourselves.

It would be a great shame to pull the service completely.

Edit to say - I wonder if they are thinking that they need more cabins and less garaging space.  I know a few people who take it as part of a mini break type trip where you don't need a car.

Funnily, today I was looking at some dates and couldn't get the cabin I wanted for the dates as it was sold out.

 



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Gail
March - Bamburgh
Easter - Low Park Wood CC Kendal
May - Yellowcraigs CC North Berwick
June - Wharfedale CC Grassington


27/8/2006 at 4:43pm
 Location: Aberdeen
 Outfit: Peugeot 407 SE & Relum Palermo 6
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Tried to save the 624 mile drive to Dover a couple of years ago so checked out their prices 6 months in advance. Cost without accomodation was £1200! 12 hours to Dover, a tank and a half of petrol and £120 for the crossing. I'll not be trying Superfast again.

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Ally


29/8/2006 at 7:08am
 Location: Scotland
 Outfit: Outwell Indiana 6
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Joined: 25/4/2006

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We live a few minutes from Rosyth and have wanted to use the crossing (think it would be fantastic on the way home!) but the price is prohibitive, and doesn't seem to be getting any cheaper.  So for next year we are planning to use our Clubcard vouchers and go from Hull.  I do know of plenty people who have used it, but for those where cost is an issue, they tend to drive south instead - it is just too expensive.


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29/8/2006 at 10:07am
 Location: Glasgow
 Outfit: Swift Skye
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Superfast is not super fast. It is slow - 17 hours. It is expensive - our last trip with a caravan (two years ago)was over £700. It was painfully slow to load with an over zealous customs officer checking every caravan and every crevice. Docking at Zeebrugge was held up for over two hours while freighters jumped the queue. Coming back was as bad as we were directed to an unwelcoming corner of this vast industrial port which is not equipped for tourism and which had no facilities other than turgid slush dispensed from machines. Docking at Rosyth was an exercise in patience while we offloaded. No thanks. Keep it, new ship or not. Suggest two new lines - Transmanche Ferries and LD Lines operating out of Newhaven and Portsmouth, respectively, at fractions of the cost and, incidentally, beating Britanny Ferries on price and speed.


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29/8/2006 at 3:04pm
 Location: Edinburgh
 Outfit: Ci Carioca 656
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DFDS Seaways also operate some useful routes of Newcastle including one to Holland.

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Regards
Steve


29/8/2006 at 3:22pm
 Location: glasgow
 Outfit: compass avantgarde300(papillon)
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USED SUPERFAST three times from rosyth and also from ancona to greece a few times but last two years have been dover dunkirk -£88 return then £108 return beats £700plus anydayeven with a 500 mile hike to dover

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this is not a dress rehearsal !!


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03/9/2006 at 9:16am
 Location: Scotland
 Outfit: Jeep G-Cherokee Adria Adiva 642UP
View Mature-Student's Profile View Profile   Reply to Mature-Student Reply   Quote Mature-Student Quote  
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Hi

Thanks for all your comments.

Yeah, I think Superfast are coming right off my list now, too. We were looking at it like a mini-cruise, so an extra day of holiday as opposed to just a method of getting from A to B. But if the ship's changing, then so does that viewpoint.

I can either go from Rosyth (20 miles from home), depart 5pm, arrive 12pm in Zeebrugge for around the £600 mark in high season.

Or go to Hull (250 miles from home), depart 7.30pm, arrive 8.30 am in Zeebrugge for around £450 or depart 9pm & arrive 8am in Rotterdam for around £300. (Distance difference to campsite is negligible).

Dover is cheaper again, but a 550 mile journey when we've got a 750 mile journey at the other end is a bit too much, especially when I don't drive.

Looked at Newcastle, but it's coming in at the £600 mark and it's goes to Amsterdam so extra miles at the other side.

It looks like a no-brainer, now.

So my only question is - how come they're called Superfast ?!?!?!


11/9/2006 at 8:26pm
 Location: Leswalt Nr Stranraer
 Outfit: Bailey Pageant Auvergne
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Agree with all the previous posts, Superfast seems to mean super price! We go across the channel twice a year and have always driven down to Dover. Norfolkline is doing any vehicle with any size caravan for £144 through the Caravan Club at least until the end of this year. Takes some beating!

That said, just booked my crossing for next week and the best value, bearing in mind the cost of diesel, has turned out to be DFDS from Newcastle to Amsterdam. £214 return for my 4x4 and a 7 metre caravan, including an inside 2 berth cabin. Leaves North Shields at 1730 and arrives Amsterdam 0930. I know this adds a few miles to the journey to the south of France/Spain but then we can cover a lot of them on Dutch, Belgian, Luxembourg motorways with no tolls.

Worth thinking about?

John




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