Camping Cheques 2011 Ferry Offers - Dover to Dunkerque with Norfolklines

[ValA.]

Camping Cheques seem to be first off the mark with the 2011 Ferry offers. They're currently offering a return crossing for car and caravan (under 12 metres combined length) limited to Sunday outwards, any sailing time, Friday return - any sailing time (on any Sunday/Friday during 2011) for £115.00 - this includes three Camping Cheques, and an upgrade to the VIP lounge and is with Norfolk Lines from Dover to Dunkerque.
I've just compared, and the ferry alone (no VIP upgrade) would cost £94.00 for exactly the same dates and times with Norfolk Lines themselves, meaning the upgrade to VIP class, and the Camping Cheques effectively cost just £15.00!
I'm going to try the Caravan Club now to see what they've got on offer, if anything!

 

[ascsbe]

Hi Val.
Spotted this yesterday and got a quote, it appears that this price is not for June as my quote came in at £156. When I put in the same info for Feb it was the advertised £115. So I dont think this offer is anywhere near as good as last years offer from Camping Cheque. Last year after your tip off we booked the Caravan Club offer which was better than C Cheque.

Andrew

Just spotted that you say Sunday out ,Sat back. My price was for Sat out Sat Back. Last year the C Club offer was any day any time.

 

[ValA.]

Yes, I'm waiting for the Caravan Club too! I tried our 'intended' dates - but with a Sunday out, Friday back (extending our three week holiday to nearly four) and it came out at £115.00 for both May/June, and again for August/September which is not a bad deal if those sailing days suit your plans. The VIP lounge transfer would apparently cost £40.00 @ £10 per person, per journey and the Camping Cheques themselves are worth £42.00 - so the ferry 'element' is really only £33.00!
Mind you we do have until the 30th October to decide on whether this is a good deal or not! Watch this space.

 

[Mark_H1]

Hi Val
Just to clarify: the offer is absolutely identical to last year in every respect. The only difference is that we are giving away a free Bonus Cheque with all ferry bookings made before 30th October - the only condition is that you have to order and pay for a minimum of 15 Cheques to qualify.
Regards
Mark (Camping Cheque)

 

[ascsbe]

Hi Mark.
Have used Camping Cheques from when they were first launched and would like to book again for 2011. However why is your offer limited to Sunday out Friday back. I only get two weeks off so have to try and maximise holiday time, If I itake up your offer I lose a day both ends of the holiday. The price for the days I wanted to go in june came to £156.

The Caravan Club introductory offer last year so I anticipate the same this year was for any day any hour which for people who are still working is more suitable.
Regards
Andrew

 

[ValA.]

I'd agree with Andrew - it's a shame it's limited to Sunday out, Friday back - which definitely does exclude a lot of the working caranning holidaymakers.

 

[Gafferbill]

…….. a few years ago I thought £135 was a good summer car + caravan Dover/Calais return fare.
Recent competition has resulted in silly fares which I for one have taken advantage of.
Local TV constantly carries stories that the short crossing ferry companies are losing a lot of money.
The ferry companies are not happy with the port authorities.
The workforce is not happy.
Watch this space.

I cannot see low fares lasting much longer!

 

[Jennifer2]

I'd agree with Andrew - it's a shame it's limited to Sunday out, Friday back - which definitely does exclude a lot of the working caranning holidaymakers.

I would think that is exactly why those days are being offered cheaply, most people will want a Friday or Saturday out, and a Saturday or Sunday back.

BTW.....what are the advantages of the VIP lounge?

 

[Jennifer2]

Hi Val
Just to clarify: the offer is absolutely identical to last year in every respect. The only difference is that we are giving away a free Bonus Cheque with all ferry bookings made before 30th October - the only condition is that you have to order and pay for a minimum of 15 Cheques to qualify.
Regards
Mark (Camping Cheque)

Does the whole amount have to be paid up-front at time of booking? Sorry, haven't booked through you before!

 

[ValA.]

I would think that is exactly why those days are being offered cheaply, most people will want a Friday or Saturday out, and a Saturday or Sunday back.

BTW.....what are the advantages of the VIP lounge?

If you've used Norfolk Lines before you'll know that the boats can be rather crowded, particularly the morning ones, and often there are Polish people and people from Eastern Europe sleeping across three or four seats. The advantage of the VIP lounge is that you get a seat to yourself, complimentary drinks and snacks, and 'priority' loading and unloading.

 

[ascsbe]

Yes but the Caravan Club manage it so I would have thought that C Cheque would be able to offer the same.

 

[Jennifer2]

Last year was our first time, we travelled out at noon on a Tuesday in early September, the boat did not seem particularly busy. We bought coffee and sandwiches for lunch so were mainly in that area.
Coming back in late November, also noon on a Tuesday, we bought lunch, again it was not busy. But I expect it would be different in the main holiday period.

Next year we hope to travel out in late April or early May, back in late June, so probably avoiding the busy period again. So for us the VIP upgrade may not be of any great advantage. I see the offer runs till the end of October, so I think I will see if there are any offers via the Caravan Club or NL before deciding.

In 2 weeks time we have to pay the final credit card bill from our just completed trip to Scandinavia, so need to mind the spending for a few of weeks!!

When is the NEC show ? Is that not when they do offers?

 

[ValA.]

The NEC show, when Norfolk Lines generally have a show offer, is between the 12th and 17th October this year. I think this is the optimum time to book ferries, but there's no guarantee. This year Norfolk Lines have been taken over by DFDS so things may change. We may all be waiting for the NEC offers to find there aren't any!
We've been mulling over the Camping Cheques offer, and have almost decided to go for it. We've had too many journeys with Norfolk Lines, unable to find a decent seat, so the VIP lounge would be useful to us. Effectively the ferry crossing itself would only cost us £33.00 - taking off the £42.50 for the Camping Cheques, and the £40.00 for the VIP lounge, so it would be worth it. If the VIP lounge priority loading and unloading made a difference then we'd find that useful too.
However, this year we did say we'd check out P and O prices, because there is no doubt that the NL crossings take longer over their quoted crossing time, and loading and unloading always seems to take longer too - so that they rarely set sail at the quoted time, and sometimes up to half an hour late. We found embarking and disembarking seemed to take for ever, and the crossing itselt, described as 2 hours, has ALWAYS taken 2 hours and 15 minutes. Compared to the P and O time of 1 hour and 15 minutes and the shorter unloading times, this really does make a difference to us - meaning with P and O we'd be home at 3 pm, but with Norfolk Lines we're usually home sometime after 5 pm.

 

[Jennifer2]

Thanks for that, there certainly is a lot to consider! I had been hoping we might use Tesco vouchers and Eurotunnel, but I don' think I will have enough vouchers. I will need to check out the other crossings.

 

[Woody3]

I would think that is exactly why those days are being offered cheaply, most people will want a Friday or Saturday out, and a Saturday or Sunday back.

BTW.....what are the advantages of the VIP lounge?

If you've used Norfolk Lines before you'll know that the boats can be rather crowded, particularly the morning ones, and often there are Polish people and people from Eastern Europe sleeping across three or four seats. The advantage of the VIP lounge is that you get a seat to yourself, complimentary drinks and snacks, and 'priority' loading and unloading.

You also don't have to put up with the (admittedly few) kids running about. Oh, and if you are quick you get a newspaper as well.