Ferry Prices

[Chrisgr31]

I have just booked the ferry for Le Mans, and cant believe how much the prices have increased by. Same crossing as last year, same car, same passengers, booked at least a month earlier this year.

This years price £110, last years £44!

[icepop]

£44 squids !!!!!!!, where on earth did you get that ? I just booked for LM and a holiday to the Alps 3 weeks later, and both were the same price as last year, with DFDS and P&O @ £75 return Dover/Calais. One Thursday to Monday, latter 10 days.

[The Leaper]

Same with the Eurotunnel:

2011 £90
2013 £94
2015 £152

Same days..out Friday back Monday
Same times
Roughly same time advanced booking...November

Looks like Eurotunnel may have got wised up now about the demand for the LM week

R.

[gt6]

i notice that eurotunnel had gone up this year, will still use tesco vouchers but when i first looked the prices were a little higher and now they have risen again

[struttob]

Newhaven - Dieppe (and back unfortunately)Wednesday - Tuesday DFDS £124 same price as last year !

What crossing did you get for £44 last year, a rowing boat ? that was super cheap.

And what crossing have you booked for this year ?

Bob

[fatboy18]

I was informed that prices to get to Europe have gone up because of some Tourist fuel levy? Emissions or something about cars traveling into France? Some bit of backdoor legislation from Brussels?

[CampingGaz]

DFDS still have capacity either side of the Le Mans weekend @ £78 out of Dover to Calais or Dunkerque for resonable crossing times..(can get down to £70 if you like an unsocial time !)

If enough of you go, you can book advance group tickets that bring price down to ~£50 - what tour organisers do...just need to be organised upfront

[Blackpuddin]

(cough) cartel

[cja]

We were fortunate - booked Newhaven/Dieppe soon after they released the sailing times & got it for £78! Three days later, and it had doubled......!!

Otherwise, it's DFDS who seem to offer the best rates.

[Printertosh]

My understanding of it is that Brussels forced the ferry companies to use low sulphur diesel similar to what's sold at the pumps for cars instead of the less refined and dirty old diesel. As a result ferry prices were said to be rising up to £50 this year.

However since this has been announced global oil prices have collapsed, so in my reckoning we're getting ripped off again

Oh and while we're talking about getting ripped off. The trains in the tunnel run on electricity which is also coming down in price

And may I just add. The tunnel is already struggling with capacity at peak times so it's easier for them to raise their prices inline with the ferries and line the pockets of their shareholders rather than attract new customers with lower prices.

Edited by Printertosh on Friday 6th February 10:25

[fatboy18]

Printertosh said:

My understanding of it is that Brussels forced the ferry companies to use low sulphur diesel similar to what's sold at the pumps for cars instead of the less refined and dirty old diesel. As a result ferry prices were said to be rising up to £50 this year.

However since this has been announced global oil prices have collapsed, so in my reckoning we're getting ripped off again

Oh and while we're talking about getting ripped off. The trains in the tunnel run on electricity which is also coming down in price

And may I just add. The tunnel is already struggling with capacity at peak times so it's easier for them to raise their prices inline with the ferries and line the pockets of their shareholders rather than attract new customers with lower prices.

Thanks for the confirmation, One of the Viper lads mentioned it was something to do with Fuel and Brussels

[old'uns]

Basically big F*** Off DPF's need to be fitted, we all know how well they perform
Might need a bigger pole than a Scaffold one
It's not just an EU problem so the old ships can't even be offloaded elsewhere

[stevo666]

Beware of DFDS - they pulled our cabins on our classic crossing 4 weeks before we were due to go (booked October year before) - yet wanted to charge the same price for the crossing with just a seat instead!
excuse was due to 'capacity' issues.

[Blackpuddin]

Printertosh said:

it's easier for them to raise their prices inline with the ferries and line the pockets of their shareholders rather than attract new customers with lower prices.

Edited by Printertosh on Friday 6th February 10:25

It's a pure cartel IMO, negative competition. SpeedFerries tried to break the stranglehold by offering cheap crossings. They got forced out of business by the big boys 'accidentally' failing to vacate berths so that the SpeedFerries boats were always late. Once SpeedFerries had gone the prices went back up. Tunnel started off good value and gradually fell in line with the higher prices being charged by the ferries.

[surveyor]

\yup.

Tunnel last year £174. This year £241.

[Davwlk]

This year Eurotunnel £98, in 2013 £142 and 2009 £110 but in the ferry was cheaper in 2010 £52.
In 2011,2012 and 2014 we drove up from Spain.

Edited by Davwlk on Sunday 8th February 09:17

[Rs2oo]

The Leaper said:

Same with the Eurotunnel:

2011 £90
2013 £94
2015 £152

Same days..out Friday back Monday
Same times
Roughly same time advanced booking...November

Looks like Eurotunnel may have got wised up now about the demand for the LM week

R.

We booked Eurotunnel in October ? We paid £92 going out Thursday coming home Monday, same price as last year.

[FraMac]

Our britney ferries sailing is about the same cost this year as last, I think (same sailing times as last year).

For the dover stuff I think you've hit it on the head with the cartel comment. Eurotunnel seems a bit like the m6 toll road in respect of pricing, ie let's see how much they'll pay.

[Superhoop]

Eurotunnel crossing for me, going out Wednesday morning, returning late on Sunday = £94, exactly the same cost as last year.

[Storer]

Booked as a package but I haven't noticed any price hike.

Eurotunnel flex ticket leaving on Wednesday and probably returning the following Wednesday.

I suspect Eurotunnel are upping the Friday/Saturday/Sunday/Monday prices (along with the ferries) because they know it is a busy time for them. Probably could be called profiteering but could also be called supply and demand.

If they are upping the price for those days go earlier and/or stay longer. May well cost the same.