PORTSMOUTH - CAEN / LEHARVE
Discussion
Yes. and never again.
It's little more than a freight service open to all. Nothing when you get on board except sit about or sleep in your cabin. It's also 100 miles further away from Le Mans. So factor that into travel time/fuel costs.
The loading was a shambles when we used it, they had a Caen ferry to load at the same time, and gave that priority (obviously a hang over from the old LD freight service, which this is) and we eventually got away over an hour and a half late. Brittany Ferries said it was due to the 'unusually high number of passengers' and they hadn't factored enough boarding staff. Never mind everyone was probably pre-booked and they knew numbers well in advance.
If it's a significant saving and you're not bothered what time you board, or what time you arrive and have factored in the extra mileage in France, then go for it.
Personally I will always go Pompey - Caen from now on!
It's little more than a freight service open to all. Nothing when you get on board except sit about or sleep in your cabin. It's also 100 miles further away from Le Mans. So factor that into travel time/fuel costs.
The loading was a shambles when we used it, they had a Caen ferry to load at the same time, and gave that priority (obviously a hang over from the old LD freight service, which this is) and we eventually got away over an hour and a half late. Brittany Ferries said it was due to the 'unusually high number of passengers' and they hadn't factored enough boarding staff. Never mind everyone was probably pre-booked and they knew numbers well in advance.
If it's a significant saving and you're not bothered what time you board, or what time you arrive and have factored in the extra mileage in France, then go for it.
Personally I will always go Pompey - Caen from now on!
Experience for me was the opposite. Caen ferry is huge and last year took hours to load. We were still queuing 40 mins after it should have left. Very nice onboard but half an hour after boarding on the way out you're in a cabin and don't use any of the facilities.
The economie ferry takes a quarter of the cars so loaded quicker. It's fair to describe it as a lorry ferry but it still has a restaurant, bar, cinema if that's your thing and enough seating. It's a much smaller boat so less to do but still enough.
Timings are slightly different. The Economie leaves later and arrives later - they wake you about 7am rather than 6am IIRC.
Caen is closer but not that much - according to google there's 70km (40 miles) difference.
Caen is nicer, economie is cheaper. I've used both and would use either again. Bear in mind you can use one route out and a different one back if it suits your schedule.
The economie ferry takes a quarter of the cars so loaded quicker. It's fair to describe it as a lorry ferry but it still has a restaurant, bar, cinema if that's your thing and enough seating. It's a much smaller boat so less to do but still enough.
Timings are slightly different. The Economie leaves later and arrives later - they wake you about 7am rather than 6am IIRC.
Caen is closer but not that much - according to google there's 70km (40 miles) difference.
Caen is nicer, economie is cheaper. I've used both and would use either again. Bear in mind you can use one route out and a different one back if it suits your schedule.
assuming the Economie boat is the same whichever route you're on? try 30 hrs P'mouth > Spain, i'll lay odds it's bearable to Le Havre 
you even have to tick a box to say you're aware it's Economie when booking
.....and don't forget when leaving Le Havre you get a little bit of fun with the 'sous rue' and the option of 2 bridges to cross the Seine, Tancarville is not too bad, cross country to Pont Audemer then Orbec/Broglie,L'aigle, Mamers, Bonnetable etc
you even have to tick a box to say you're aware it's Economie when booking
.....and don't forget when leaving Le Havre you get a little bit of fun with the 'sous rue' and the option of 2 bridges to cross the Seine, Tancarville is not too bad, cross country to Pont Audemer then Orbec/Broglie,L'aigle, Mamers, Bonnetable etc
Edited by old'uns on Wednesday 20th September 22:18
We did the Le Havre crossing one year as we were too late to get places booked on the Wednesday night Caen boat. As mentioned, lighter on comfort generally and our cars were placed on the open top deck which given there was a slight swell, resulted in them having a nice salty covering on arrival at Le Havre!
The upside to the Le Havre crossing was being able to have brekkie in Honfleur which was very pleasant in the sunshine - it was also marginally cheaper, though as has been said, that's offset by the extra mileage to the campsite.
We use Caen where possible & travel back on a Monday PM crossing so we don't have to rush to leave after the race and can sit back & watch everyone dashing north.
The upside to the Le Havre crossing was being able to have brekkie in Honfleur which was very pleasant in the sunshine - it was also marginally cheaper, though as has been said, that's offset by the extra mileage to the campsite.
We use Caen where possible & travel back on a Monday PM crossing so we don't have to rush to leave after the race and can sit back & watch everyone dashing north.
Yil said:
I normally go in a caterham with a very low sump. Did you notice off the economy had similar sports of clearance on the ramp.
Agree, last 2 years the Caen service has been delayed so all we've done is got on and gone to bed!
Small world - I also have a Caterham (wet sump, about 10cm clearance), anything vaguely low/interesting was loaded onto the inside deck on the economie ferry. No problems on either ferry, though I always take a cautious diagonal approach on ramps to be on the safe side. We're doing the classic next year, all booked up economy each way.Agree, last 2 years the Caen service has been delayed so all we've done is got on and gone to bed!
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