We heard yesterday that our ferry times to France have changed! We were due to leace at 09.30, now it's 07.30. We are stopping on a site about 40 minutes away from the port so lord only knows what time we are going to have to leave! My worry is that we will not be able to physically leave. It's a CC site and they quote departure time as of 08.00 onwards. Do they lock the barrier or anything like that? I'm not sure whether to phone them and come clean. I know that this will worry me now for the next 2 months until we go!
Contact the site and explain your situation, they may put you in the 'Late Arrival' area so you can get away without disturbing anyone, shouldn't be a problem.
------------- Vernon
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If you need me to check out anything I live in Portsmouth, 5 mins from Ferry Port. Shame I havent got off road parking Id have let you park outside my house. If you are in a camper theres plenty of quiet roads here that you could park up and sleep. My mum and dad live in a flat that overlooks the ferry and theres quite a few roads around the flats. There is a cheap travelodge right opposite the ferry if you wanted to consider parking up and just staying there the night, if cancelling the camp site was an option. if you want anything just give us a shout.
Thanks Annie for your kind offer. I'll bear it in mind but if the CC site is OK about us leaving at 5am then I think we'll go with that. We're having a motor mover fitted nefore then so at least we won't be having a svreaming row during the hitching up of the van!! I shall give them a bell and see what they say,
I have done the sailing from Portsmouth and stayed at a nearby c/c camp site and they seem to be very used to people staying overnight and then heading for the ferry.
Give them a call and I am sure they will be able assist and if at the end of the day they cannot then you have enough time to make alternate arrangments.
I had a vision of a line of cars/caravans/trailers at the kiosk waiting for it to open at 5am. Is it more structured than that if you park at the dock, Kabbes?
Not been for a few yrs but as I remember you go down slip road off motoway into Portsmouth & turn right around roundabout into dock(all signposted). There was then a big area before checkin where you can park. After the last sailing late evening there was no boat until the morning so it was quiet.
If you phone the dock they will probabley put you right. Saves the cost of campsite if you can.
Here you go clicky according to website you can park overnight.
From website--
The Port does allow passengers to stay overnight if they wish to board an early morning ferry. However overnight camping/sleeping in the terminal building is not permitted as the building is closed between midnight and 0530 hrs for cleaning purposes. Passengers wishing to stay with their vehicle overnight are required to arrive after 2200 hrs and must park in one of the far lanes of the Passenger Car Waiting Area as indicated on our map.
We stayed at Morn Hill CC site and I seem to remember they had introduced some kind of curfew time to prevent caravans arriving and leaving at all hours