Driving on and off the normandie ferry in Caen

[valentine_374363303]

Im a bit confused, can someone explain how i drive on and off this ferry as i only see one loading door??

If i drive on surely i will be facing the wrong way round for driving off?

sorry but ive only got one week to go and now the nerves are deff setting in as its my first time abroad let alone with a caravan!

Please dont tell me i have to reverse the caravan on board

any advice would be truely appreciated , thank you

one more thing before i go, what is Caens ferry port like?

 

[ThePlotter]

Valentine,dont panic all ferries have a ramp that lowes at the back and at the front the whole bow sections lifts up to expose a ramp so in one end and out the other,couldnt be easier,so dont worry have a great time.

 

[ThePlotter]

Forgot your second part,all ferry ports be it Caen,Le Havre etc are all very user friendly and clearly signed to get to and around them and the staff all speak English.

 

[MikeJE]

Came across that problem twice on a D.F.D.S. ferry. First time the car deck was more or less a large elongated roundabout, drive on, go the length of the ship, round the top end, back down the length and off through the door we come on. Second time involved backing on. Blinded by light coming through the loading door, could not see into the dark behind me to reverse. Simply unhitched and deck crew man-handled the van in. They do it all the time.

 

[valentine_374363303]

Forgot your second part,all ferry ports be it Caen,Le Havre etc are all very user friendly and clearly signed to get to and around them and the staff all speak English.

thank you so much plotter for your help tho i do have one more question... i can only see one door tho? so is there some sort of turning table?

thank you

 

[ThePlotter]

Yes Mike is it April 1st.Thee are always a ramp at the back and the font lifts to give access at that end you never need to turn around especially on ferries going into Caen.

 

[ValA.]

Sorry, Plotter - you really do have to turn around sometimes. We used an early Norfolkline ferry to Dunkerque, and had to do a U turn inside the boat - as did the HGVs. It was an absolute nightmare - you imagine forty or fifty HGVs and half that number of caravans trying to turn round, with not enough of a turning circle to be able to do it! To be honest it completely put us off going with Norfolkline. I know they've updated the boats since then, and this no longer happens, but it really did, and really was very difficult - just as Mike says.

 

[MikeJE]

Thanks Val A for your support.

Plotter - have a look at the bow shot of the Princess of Scandinavia at Ijmuiden in D.F.D.S. livery on www.simplon.co.uk then the twin openings at the stern.

 

[ThePlotter]

In all the many years of going across the water never had to do that but of course if you go for the cheap route well as they say you pays the price!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ThePlotter]

Valentine if you are going to Caen I guess you probably going on Brittany in which case drive on ,drive off. Avoid the cheepo ferries as the previous replies show they are a case of you get what you pay for.

 

[SMS]

Hi

We've often used ferries where you do a "u turn" at one end. Tend to be on the longer crossings eg Hull to Zeebrugge. Definitely not the cheap end of the market as these ferries tend to be very large, new and "posh". Even with a twin axle we have never had any problems turning. Far wider than many large round abouts.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

You have to do a U turn on the fast ferry from Poole to St Malo and for that reason they have a length restriction which we sadly now exceed so it back to RoRo Roscoff

 

[nineteen4ever]

Hi Valentine.

I sailed to Caen 3 years ago, overnight from Portsmouth. You will drive on and drive off, no turning. Caen port is quite small, you will drive off, follow the 'route' and pass a small hut, immigration I think, and that's it! On your return you come into Caen following the road signs AND road markings, past the fair on the right and lo and behold, the docks / passport control are more or less in front of you. All very easy and nothing to be alarmed about.

The port is small, like I said, but you can buy sandwiches and the like before you sail. When we returned the customs / immigration people were walking along the vans looking in the windows and asking you to unlock the door if your blinds were down, my blinds were however up and they had a quick peep and moved on. Obviously checking whether I had illegal immigrants on board, like they sit at the table playing cards and smoking fags rather than hiding in the wardrobe!

I would say, if you're travellling overnight, do your shopping early as they will close all shops/bars from 11pm (ish). We watched us leaving from outside, had 2 drinks (coke for me) in the bar and that was it, everything shut down!

All in all, it will be grand and you will have a fantastic holiday!

Regards

Gary

PS, I like Valentine, it's my birthday!!!!!

 

[nineteen4ever]

Hi Valentine.

I sailed to Caen 3 years ago, overnight from Portsmouth. You will drive on and drive off, no turning. Caen port is quite small, you will drive off, follow the 'route' and pass a small hut, immigration I think, and that's it! On your return you come into Caen following the road signs AND road markings, past the fair on the right and lo and behold, the docks / passport control are more or less in front of you. All very easy and nothing to be alarmed about.

The port is small, like I said, but you can buy sandwiches and the like before you sail. When we returned the customs / immigration people were walking along the vans looking in the windows and asking you to unlock the door if your blinds were down, my blinds were however up and they had a quick peep and moved on. Obviously checking whether I had illegal immigrants on board, like they sit at the table playing cards and smoking fags rather than hiding in the wardrobe!

I would say, if you're travellling overnight, do your shopping early as they will close all shops/bars from 11pm (ish). We watched us leaving from outside, had 2 drinks (coke for me) in the bar and that was it, everything shut down!

All in all, it will be grand and you will have a fantastic holiday!

Regards

Gary

PS, I like Valentine, it's my birthday!!!!!

Hi again Valentine, just checked out the Brttany ferries site and the MV Normandie. My wife remembers us having to turn around, DO NOT be alarmed. You will drive on and park up, then when directed to leave you will be given full directions from the crew. You will turn but NOT have to reverse, the car deck is huge!! As it's your first time on a ferry(?) remember to fold in your door mirrors, people will have no space to get by otherwise and you could have your towing mirrors damaged!

Sorry for forgetting, nearly all ferries seem the same to me!

Enjoy your hols!

Gary

 

[valentine_374363303]

Hi again Valentine, just checked out the Brttany ferries site and the MV Normandie. My wife remembers us having to turn around, DO NOT be alarmed. You will drive on and park up, then when directed to leave you will be given full directions from the crew. You will turn but NOT have to reverse, the car deck is huge!! As it's your first time on a ferry(?) remember to fold in your door mirrors, people will have no space to get by otherwise and you could have your towing mirrors damaged!

Sorry for forgetting, nearly all ferries seem the same to me!

Enjoy your hols!

Gary

Ive just phoned portsmouth port, brittany ferries and they say its a drive on drive off ferry??? lol

Perhaps "Butlins" is looking the better option hahahha!

Oh well with only 3 days to go i cant back out now, just go for it... We dock around 10.30ish pm and have an overnight stop at hautes couture ( forgot how to spell it) which should be only a mile away so hopefully find it ok before the mornings travel down to camping europa in St Gilles croix de vie.... hope they are both easy to find and nice sites .

Well i have lots of sellotape ready for both the kids and wife and shall just take a calm drive ..arghhhhhhhhhhh!

regards

valentine

 

[valentine_374363303]

Valentine,dont panic all ferries have a ramp that lowes at the back and at the front the whole bow sections lifts up to expose a ramp so in one end and out the other,couldnt be easier,so dont worry have a great time.

Ive just phoned portsmouth port, brittany ferries and they say its a drive on drive off ferry??? lol

Perhaps "Butlins" is looking the better option hahahha!

Oh well with only 3 days to go i cant back out now, just go for it... We dock around 10.30ish pm and have an overnight stop at hautes couture ( forgot how to spell it) which should be only a mile away so hopefully find it ok before the mornings travel down to camping europa in St Gilles croix de vie.... hope they are both easy to find and nice sites .

Well i have lots of sellotape ready for both the kids and wife and shall just take a calm drive ..arghhhhhhhhhhh!

regards

valentine