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Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  #16  
Old 5 May 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout View Post
Be careful about day return tickets: I think some operators don't sell them after certain times of day (I've ended up paying full price!!). Pay cash, it cannot be "traced": even credit cards have addresses related to them and the ferry companies keep records on their computers.
Just wanted to say the quote one more time after the last couple of posts: it is that kind of "attention" from the various operators which makes me completely and utterly disloyal to any of them.
I too have a few shares with Eurotunnel - not enough to be worth any perks - should have sold them many, many years ago.
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  #17  
Old 10 May 2008
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Originally Posted by squidge View Post
Speedferries has introduced the Hitchlugger product onboard their vessel. We used it last month with no problems and the ticket was only £30 return!
Yup, super quick economical service. Only possible problem is, they can take maximum of four bikes on any one crossing.
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  #18  
Old 15 May 2008
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i went last friday & returned monday, seafrance dover-calais. it was £35-40 return booked online the day before. i looked at the tunnel but they wanted £102!
i normally use seafrance as the food tends to be better than P&O in my experience. not tried the other companies so cant comment.
i booked a 22:50 return & turned up a bit early, i actually got put straight on the 20:50 for zero cost and i hadnt even had chance to ask about an earlier boat.

EDIT: forgot to say, about a month ago i came back from spain & rode into calais & booked the next boat with P&O, it was something like €60 for a single that way. so its true they rip you off at the docks.
Last edited by Hooli; 15 May 2008 at 18:21. Reason: forgot stuff
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  #19  
Old 16 May 2008
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Originally Posted by Xander View Post
Okay guys and dolls,

Which is best.. the train or the boat (from the UK)?

If the boat which one... (i did not realise that there is like 10 different ferries over the pond)

for any of the above:

Do you have to book in advance or can you just show up? ( I know it could be more exxy but like the "freedom" of no time schedule especially on the return trip)

yeah that is about it.. any other tips/hints suggestions would be great...

right now we are planning a crossing on a Saturday midday (in both directions).. not great but that is the best we can do...Mrs.X has to work.. Sat am... and we live in the midlands so it will be a blast south no-matter what what we use to cross the water..

It's got to be Speedferries, Dover-Boulogne.
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  #20  
Old 16 May 2008
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It's got to be Speedferries, Dover-Boulogne.
+1
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  #21  
Old 22 Oct 2008
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Smile £25 fast ferry to France
We always use SpeedFerries | The fastest cross-Channel car ferry | Dover to Boulogne in just 50 minutes and they have an offer on at the moment £25 for a car and 5 people if you buy a 10 trip flex voucher or £30 with one of their Super Tickets.

This includes all travel during 2009 with nothing excluded, so July & August school holidays are still as low as £25.

The only take 50 minutes to get to Boulogne and it's closer to Paris than Calais.

I've only got great things to say about this fast ferry company.
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  #22  
Old 22 Oct 2008
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We always use SpeedFerries | The fastest cross-Channel car ferry | Dover to Boulogne in just 50 minutes and they have an offer on at the moment £25 for a car and 5 people if you buy a 10 trip flex voucher or £30 with one of their Super Tickets.

This includes all travel during 2009 with nothing excluded, so July & August school holidays are still as low as £25.

The only take 50 minutes to get to Boulogne and it's closer to Paris than Calais.

I've only got great things to say about this fast ferry company.
Yes, this is the guy (Kurt Stavis) who set up to challenge the Channel Pirates. It was his efforts alone which forced the Pirates to reduce their monopolistic prices to what they are today.

Speedferries need our support so they can introduce their second vessel as soon as possible.
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  #23  
Old 22 Oct 2008
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Originally Posted by Tony P View Post
V2RJO

It might work - it might not.
Their booking computer keeps records of PC's identity number. It comes up with my name as soon as I make an enquiry.
try deleting cookies before accessing the site, the info that its you will more than likely be stored on your machine in a cookie. you can open your cookies folder & just delete the one for their site so you dont loose all your saved passwords everywhere as well.
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  #24  
Old 23 Oct 2008
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I've used Speedferries twice this year and they definitely get my vote. Flexible returns tickets for 2009 for a bike and two passengers are now available for £38. The racks work on bikes with higher mudguards, e.g my Moto Guzzi, but will not fit a bike with a "full" mudguard, so my Harley had to be tied down with ratchet straps.
One thing P&O especially could learn from Speedferries is manners, the crew were polite, friendly and very helpfull unlike the P&O crew member who went into a rant when I asked him to tie my bike down for me in 2007.
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  #25  
Old 26 Oct 2008
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Thumbs down
You'll have to let that Harley go............it's just weird.
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  #26  
Old 30 Oct 2008
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Does anyone know if a burgman scooter would be tied down on speed ferries in regard to your comment about the racks.
Im curious as i wan to take it abroad next spring.
thanks
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  #27  
Old 4 Nov 2008
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speedferries wouldn't let me on as it was rough and windy as they didn't want to damage my bike, so P&O helped out no problem.

Train is quicker though.

I managed to get on an old estonian freight ferry from Zebrugger to Ramsgate on the cheap, it was slow and a bit hectic getting all strapped down but once on board food was plentiful and there was plenty of room for a kip.
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  #28  
Old 19 Dec 2009
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I found this thread, and it helped me a bit. Unfortunately, Speedferries went out of business in November 2008, but there's plenty of cheap alternatives available, starting at around 20€ (P&O, LD). My main concern is whether it's necessary to pre-book? We're going to the UK for a month in 2010 and plan to cross the channel around June 15th, return mid July. I'd certainly prefer if I could simply show up and take whatever ferry is available next. Same goes for the Train, tickets (single) are ~40€ but I'm curious whether it's really necessary to pre-book.

The thing is: a very good friend of mine lives in Paris (I refer to her as my big sister) and we plan to visit her and stay a day or two. And I know we won't be able to make up our mind about the "day or two" issue until the very day we'll arrive at her place. Which is why I don't want to pre-book.

Any advice?
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  #29  
Old 20 Dec 2009
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Generaly speaking, the earlier one books, the "cheaper" the ticket.
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  #30  
Old 20 Dec 2009
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That I figured, but my main concern is whether or not they will be fully booked in June/July. I'm willing to pay 20 bucks extra for the comfort of not having to be at the harbor at some specific time and day.
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