hello...we have just ordered a new caravan to be picked up in march next year and we are going to france next year with it....even though we have had a selection of caravans over the years we have never taken one overseas....after looking at the ferry guides and the caravan club brochures..the prices are based on a caravan of 6m....ours is 6.35m...overall length...what happens to the.35m then...i thought our van was a normal or small van obviousley not (new abbey vogue 460).....(weve had longer ones)...does it cost alot more for the extra bit...we will be travelling with p&o from dover....any comments or info would be appreiated as im not booking anything yet...thankyou
6m rule on ferries
- Thread starter ed1
- Start date
Edwina, if you declare the exact length of your caravan, it is likely that you will be charged a supplement, something like
I have just been on the PO website and it didn't show a supplement for a 7m caravan for a crossing next week but it may depend on when you will be travelling.
Norfolk line allocate their car and caravan booking as an up to 14 metre overall on their Calais to Dunkerque crossing. They offer a very compatitive price, if the other ferry companies want to miss out on caravanners business I think there tapes will stay in their pockets.
Well, I didn't say I had exceeded the length - only that no one had ever checked! I'm sure if there was ever a danger of a ferry being over-full, they would be out there with their measuring-sticks pretty quick!
Brian, I have no idea how many times I've crossed between UK and Europe by ferry in the past 36 years, but I have never ever seen a full car deck that could not accomodate all caravans aboard being two metres over stated length + still have room for more.
Even end to school summer holidays very packed Caen to Portsmouth ferry's there's still been plenty of spare room on the car decks.
Even end to school summer holidays very packed Caen to Portsmouth ferry's there's still been plenty of spare room on the car decks.
thankyou for your comments.....whats it like from dunkerque.to paris...as we normally go calais paris 2 or 3 times a year(without caravan) to disneyland..and now will be with caravan....cant wait....thankyou again......so does anybody measure their caravans then...i drive a discovery 3 and untill we got the recent ferry tickets didnt know that we were an over height vehicle either...thankyou all again
Edwina, Dunkerque to Paris is not very different from Calais to Paris. Once you are out of the port, follow the signs to the A16, head for Calais (a 30 minute drive, at most) and take your usual route from there! Good luck, and enjoy your break!
Dunkerque to Paris is only about 4 or 5 miles more and probably takes about 10 or 15 minutes more. But could be quicker depending on traffic.
If you try booking a 7 metre van as a 3 metre van I would forget it. But a 5 series is surely 5 of those new fangled metres things long and a 640 SE 6.4 metres ;-) but then like a lot of otherss im cinfused by those strange metric measurements ;-)
If you try booking a 7 metre van as a 3 metre van I would forget it. But a 5 series is surely 5 of those new fangled metres things long and a 640 SE 6.4 metres ;-) but then like a lot of otherss im cinfused by those strange metric measurements ;-)
ps. From Dunkerque you take the road to Lille and down through Lens to Paris. Not back towards Calais.
Via Michelin will put you right.
Via Michelin will put you right.
Brian, I do know that.
But if you read the Smiley faces and work out that PRETENDING to be a bit thick might save you a few pounds that could be better spent enjoyng yourself on holiday I'm sure you will get there with my post.
Towing a Van behind a commercial vehicle on to a ferry using an A frame makes it a "trailered vehicle" and also saves some companies money rather than pay for two vehicles! The driver hops out of the van at Dover and jumps in on the other vehicle having hitched up and they save money ;-)
But if you read the Smiley faces and work out that PRETENDING to be a bit thick might save you a few pounds that could be better spent enjoyng yourself on holiday I'm sure you will get there with my post.
Towing a Van behind a commercial vehicle on to a ferry using an A frame makes it a "trailered vehicle" and also saves some companies money rather than pay for two vehicles! The driver hops out of the van at Dover and jumps in on the other vehicle having hitched up and they save money ;-)
If you believe that you are a dreamer ;-)
Providing you are prepared to pay for a MISTAKE the ferry companies will not refuse your business.
My wife and I have arrived early for discounted ferry crossings, we have never had to pay the extra yet. I've also booked an inbound to UK crossing for a single car and then picked up a friends caravan on route. On arrival at Calais I was charged a minimal rate for the extra. They want and need your business!
Providing you are prepared to pay for a MISTAKE the ferry companies will not refuse your business.
My wife and I have arrived early for discounted ferry crossings, we have never had to pay the extra yet. I've also booked an inbound to UK crossing for a single car and then picked up a friends caravan on route. On arrival at Calais I was charged a minimal rate for the extra. They want and need your business!
But is it really worth the embarrasment and worry by not declaring the correct lengh of van ?, i don't think so, it has just cost me only
When the ferry companies stop cheating people with top priced but low to average food quality, stop cheating with the "cartel" type pricing that also coincides with Euro Tunnel and stop cheating re charges for late arrivals when port queuing systems and their own staff often cause the late arrivals and thet stop cheating and misleading with their onboard sales I would be pleased to be fair with them.
As said I have yet to see a full ferry deck. The companies make no cmparison re tow cars length but some decide to up the price for going a few CM over a chosen length.
Norfolk Lines 14 metre idea is far fairer and better, I just hope they keep to it and P&O and their new owners and others take note.
Caravans go free on some routes at times to get our "spend" yet they then set silly length pricing. Two vans 50 cm or more under the set lengths make up for the odd one over length and what are the going to do with the that empty space and all the rest on ferry decks.
When it cames to fairness and cheating a close look at ferry and channel operators shows who is being the fairest!
As said I have yet to see a full ferry deck. The companies make no cmparison re tow cars length but some decide to up the price for going a few CM over a chosen length.
Norfolk Lines 14 metre idea is far fairer and better, I just hope they keep to it and P&O and their new owners and others take note.
Caravans go free on some routes at times to get our "spend" yet they then set silly length pricing. Two vans 50 cm or more under the set lengths make up for the odd one over length and what are the going to do with the that empty space and all the rest on ferry decks.
When it cames to fairness and cheating a close look at ferry and channel operators shows who is being the fairest!
Like others i have always rounded down the length of the caravan (which is only a few centimetres over 7m on the grounds that the tow car is considerably less than the 5m. allowed and thus the space actually occupied is less than 5+7=12m. So far i have never had to argue this case.
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