Ferry Bookings to Tunis

[ctc]

Having problems booking a ferry to Tunis ideally from Marseille. SNCM and their agents in the UK - Southern ferries seem to have a problem with any non standard vehicle over 2.30 metres. Their booking system cant cope with roofracks etc.

Has anyone succesfully negotiated this problem? Solutions so far involve going as freight (very expensive) or registering myself as a caravan car / camper which apparently needs stating in your insurance to be legal.

Anyone succesfully negotiated their way through this one? My 110 is approx 3 metres tall.

[Ranger]

Have you thought about the ferry from Genoa? May be different rules and is cheaper (apparently by 30%).
We are heading through Genoa on 1st May (if all goes according to plan)- when are you off?

[Runner]

I used Southern Ferries a while ago (also with a 110 and a rack) and just didnt tell them about the height issue. Its a risk but it worked. No guarantee it will work again.....

[ctc]

Thanks for the replies. Have looked at Genoa but sailing times are not ideal for my projected itinerary and its another 200 miles driving.

Re winging it with roofrack its certainly an option but my concern is whether the car deck will have the neccesary clearance. I cant afford to be left on the dock!

Hopefully sailing 25 March.

[roro]

I think there is no problem for high clearence in these ferries : they carry big lorries !
The only question is the price you are going to pay for your extra height .
Try to see these prices on the net .
Good luck .
RR.

[ollieholden]

Christian,

Sounds like your Landy is taller than ours (ours is around 2.3m?) altho I don't remember a height restriction being asked about on booking. From memory, 3m may be tight if its the Habib, not sure on the newer ferries. Is it REALLY 3m? Let's hope the wind isn't against you!!

Seriously, I very much doubt they would leave you on the dock. There were plenty of African cars/trucks loaded to twice their normal height with stuff. And they were pretty professional in changing our ticket when we wanted to return a day earlier, so if you had to pay a difference I wouldn't think you would pay over the odds. I would risk it.

Incidentally, I found Southern Ferries pretty useless last year, so used the Belgian SNCM branch, who were very efficient. I'm sorry, I don't have the no. (altho I think it's on the sncm.fr site) They were also marginally cheaper due to exchange rate.

HTH

Ollie

[This message has been edited by ollieholden (edited 25 February 2004).]

[ctc]

OK booking made. My car has shrunk a little and is a "Land Rover Camper" (a good Gallic compromise). Got someone whose more fluent at French than me to speak to the company in France.

Thumbs down for Southern Ferries in the UK though!

[Runner]

Glad you got it sorted. I must admit I found them hopeless (Southern Ferries UK) but equally if they didnt ask about the height I wasnt going to tell them.

As folk have said, getting high Rovers onto the ferries isnt too hard - the locals take their cars over from Europe with roofracks groaning with washers, dishwashers etc, and of course there are artics that get on the boats too. Nobody checks heights in my experience, they assume its all been done by the ticket sellers.

Pity they dont do that on Smyril, P&O or Cal Mac


[This message has been edited by Runner (edited 26 February 2004).]

[roro]

"Nobody checks heights in my experience, they assume its all been done by the ticket sellers"

HMMMMM ! You will have no problem with height ONLY if there is enough place on the ferry : in this case it's true that they assume its all been done before and this happens most of the times . If there is not they will check your ticket !
If you are in high season , it's better to pay the real price and you will have no problem .
Good luck .

RR .

[Runner]

"HMMMMM ! You will have no problem with height ONLY if there is enough place on the ferry "

Notice I said 'in my experience' and also that the method might not work twice

[Peter Peters]

Why isn't anybody driving down to Palermo ?
I see that Grimaldi lines sails from Palermo to Tunis , once a week , and in the low-season they charge 80-90 Euro for a normal car and 45 - 55 Euro pro person .
I do know that you have to pay in Italy for the troughway's , but , you can be there in about 10 15 hours ...

[roro]

To Peter : only because it's a waste of kilometers !
I prefer kilometers on Sahara tracks than on european roads .

[rclafton]

Had no problems booking Tiggurr On that ferry and he's 2.7 metres tall



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Rich
LR101 300Tdi Ambi 'Tiggurr'