France Ferry & Campsite info (use Search function) mod warning post 1

frash · 25-09-2019 12:07pm

Have never gone with Irish Ferries before.
Does the price change during the year or when is the best time to book?

i.e. do they do 'Black Friday' deals or do they do sales?

munchkin_utd · 25-09-2019 12:47pm

Also out today, Ryanair are now doing flights to Verona from Dublin (Tue, Thurs, Sat) which would suit anyone heading to campsites by lake Garda

Peckham · 25-09-2019 1:30pm

SusanC10 wrote: »

2020 WB Schedule to France.

https://www.irishferries.com/ie-en/routes-and-times/france2020/

Sailings on Saturdays seem to be half an hour faster than sailings on other days! Has this always been the case?

Wonder why. Fewer ship movements in Cherbourg on Sunday mornings.

sceach16 · 25-09-2019 1:44pm

frash wrote: »

Have never gone with Irish Ferries before.
Does the price change during the year or when is the best time to book?

i.e. do they do 'Black Friday' deals or do they do sales?

They usually do early booking offers....book before say early Feb ( can't remember exactly). Generally no other sales but they"repack" seasonal reductions as specials.

vienne86 · 25-09-2019 2:14pm

Connemara hasn't arrived in to Cork from Roscoff this morning. Watching nervously from Santander where we are due to pick it up tomorrow. Anyone heard anything?

manshay · 25-09-2019 4:26pm

vienne86 wrote: »

Connemara hasn't arrived in to Cork from Roscoff this morning. Watching nervously from Santander where we are due to pick it up tomorrow. Anyone heard anything?

It is en-route to Cork. Do a google search for "ais connemara" click on one of the results and you can see a live-"ish" location of the vessel

vienne86 · 25-09-2019 5:01pm

manshay wrote: »

It is en-route to Cork. Do a google search for "ais connemara" click on one of the results and you can see a live-"ish" location of the vessel

I've been watching it since it left Roscoff. Just wondering why it's so late. Left at 2 a.m.. and only did 12 knots for first half of journey. It was due to leave Cork again for Santander at 11 a.m.

First Up · 25-09-2019 5:42pm

There must be rough weather around. Irish Ferries departure from Cherbourg this evening is delayed by 4 hours due to weather.

vienne86 · 25-09-2019 9:11pm

Well the sailing from Santander tomorrow is cancelled and our only option was to go Roscoff to Cork on Friday. I didn't fancy that drive in two days so we'll take the refund and take the WBYEATS on Sunday. Saves the drive from Cork to Dublin and we get to use the voucher for 150 euro we got from IF for last year's mess. We have tomorrow night's accommodation sorted and will have a little break in Normandy.

First Up · 26-09-2019 7:40am

vienne86 wrote:

Well the sailing from Santander tomorrow is cancelled and our only option was to go Roscoff to Cork on Friday. I didn't fancy that drive in two days so we'll take the refund and take the WBYEATS on Sunday. Saves the drive from Cork to Dublin and we get to use the voucher for 150 euro we got from IF for last year's mess. We have tomorrow night's accommodation sorted and will have a little break in Normandy.

Decent outcome but monitor the Irish Ferries website and message line. WBY running about 5 hours late today but they might make some of that up by Sunday.

CheerLouth · 26-09-2019 9:11am

vienne86 wrote: »

Well the sailing from Santander tomorrow is cancelled

It's in for repairs apparently. Mr. CL was due to go out tomorrow night on it but Victor Tracy's rang to say it is in for repairs & now he has to landbridge through the UK and go from Portsmouth

Luckily I had given him the heads up from this thread so he was prepared for it - thanks!

54and56 · 26-09-2019 9:17am

Just booked Stena Rosslare - Cherbourg return in July next year. Flexi Fare (100% refund if better options / prices come along) for a car >2m tall + 2 adults + 1 kid + 4 berth outside cabin each way = €1,300. Paid 10% now with balance due in May.

Would prefer to go out IF on the WBL from Dublin and back via Roscoff so will see what options and fares etc become available. €1,300 is at the top end of what I've ever paid for similar itinerary and dates in the past. Would like to see a few deals come along I can switch to but at least we're booked and have something solid to look forward to as winter approaches :P

darragh o meara · 26-09-2019 9:46am

54and56 wrote: »

Just booked Stena Rosslare - Cherbourg return in July next year. Flexi Fare (100% refund if better options / prices come along) for a car >2m tall + 2 adults + 1 kid + 4 berth outside cabin each way = €1,300. Paid 10% now with balance due in May.

Would prefer to go out IF on the WBL from Dublin and back via Roscoff so will see what options and fares etc become available. €1,300 is at the top end of what I've ever paid for similar itinerary and dates in the past. Would like to see a few deals come along I can switch to but at least we're booked and have something solid to look forward to as winter approaches :P

Prices just seem to be on the rise every year. When we started going to France we used to be able to get the ferry for a car and 3 for around 600 in June, it was 1000 this year. IF usually have a sale around Nov when they knock a few % off the price.

frash · 26-09-2019 9:59am

darragh o meara wrote: »

Prices just seem to be on the rise every year. When we started going to France we used to be able to get the ferry for a car and 3 for around 600 in June, it was 1000 this year. IF usually have a sale around Nov when they knock a few % off the price.

I asked yesterday when was the best time to book IF
Is there much of a discount in Nov?

Someone replied & said they do early booking discounts?

Waffle · 26-09-2019 10:02am

54and56 wrote: »

Just booked Stena Rosslare - Cherbourg return in July next year. Flexi Fare (100% refund if better options / prices come along) for a car >2m tall + 2 adults + 1 kid + 4 berth outside cabin each way = €1,300. Paid 10% now with balance due in May.

Would prefer to go out IF on the WBL from Dublin and back via Roscoff so will see what options and fares etc become available. €1,300 is at the top end of what I've ever paid for similar itinerary and dates in the past. Would like to see a few deals come along I can switch to but at least we're booked and have something solid to look forward to as winter approaches :P

That is very expensive for Stena. Doesn't bode well for IF prices

frash · 26-09-2019 10:15am

Waffle wrote: »

That is very expensive for Stena. Doesn't bode well for IF prices

Is Stena usually cheaper?

BlazingSaddler · 26-09-2019 12:03pm

Waffle wrote: »

That is very expensive for Stena. Doesn't bode well for IF prices

It is indeed very very expensive for Stena, never had to pay over €1000 in July for 5

54and56 · 26-09-2019 12:17pm

frash wrote: »

Is Stena usually cheaper?

In my experience "yes" as their boats, whilst very comfortable and more than adequate for our needs (2 Adults and 1 or 2 teenagers) are quite basic compared to Brittany Ferries Pont Aven (best ferry serving France IMHO), the old IF Oscar Wilde and I'm sure IF also see and are pitching their shiny new WBL as a "premium experience" also.

I'm not happy with the €1,300 price hence booking on a Flexi basis with just a 10% deposit so I can cancel and get a full refund if (hopefully when) better deals come along.

Stone Deaf 4evr · 26-09-2019 12:57pm

I just did a trial booking for early august, came in at 960 or so for a flexi booking, family of 4, 4 berth outside cabin. 1300 seems a bit high based on that.

54and56 · 26-09-2019 1:00pm

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

I just did a trial booking for early august, came in at 960 or so for a flexi booking, family of 4, 4 berth outside cabin. 1300 seems a bit high based on that.

My dates are out Sat July 4th back Fri July 24th. Absolute peak season for the Ireland - France route I guess.

Only €130 committed and will get that back if I can find a better deal for the same dates.

frash · 26-09-2019 2:57pm

€1400 for me (2 adults + 4 kids) with Stena
Out at the end of June & back mid July

Hopefully IF aren't too much dearer!

Stone Deaf 4evr · 26-09-2019 3:05pm

54and56 wrote: »

My dates are out Sat July 4th back Fri July 24th. Absolute peak season for the Ireland - France route I guess.

Only €130 committed and will get that back if I can find a better deal for the same dates.

Its funny, I've always found that as the ferry gets cheaper, the campsites get dearer, very hard to get a win-win deal.

fdevine · 26-09-2019 4:01pm

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

Its funny, I've always found that as the ferry gets cheaper, the campsites get dearer, very hard to get a win-win deal.

Same with flying v campsite. It's a balancing act :rolleyes:

nc6000 · 26-09-2019 4:44pm

medic112 wrote: »

Arriving July 05th. Normally just roll with it but tickets for an event & b&b will be hard to arrange by mid Oct

Sorry, do you mean that in the next few weeks it will be a problem booking accommodation for next July?

ellee · 26-09-2019 4:44pm

54and56 wrote: »

My dates are out Sat July 4th back Fri July 24th. Absolute peak season for the Ireland - France route I guess.

Only €130 committed and will get that back if I can find a better deal for the same dates.

Have actually FLEXI booked on Stena for Aug/July and got a price of €883

Rosslare/Cherbourg

Out Thurs 30 July
Back Sun 16 August

Outside cabin for 4, big family car etc. They sent me a 15% off code.

Last year got it for about €700. They did an offer in November I think of 25% off. Will be keeping an eye out.

vienne86 · 26-09-2019 8:16pm

CheerLouth wrote: »

It's in for repairs apparently. Mr. CL was due to go out tomorrow night on it but Victor Tracy's rang to say it is in for repairs & now he has to landbridge through the UK and go from Portsmouth

Luckily I had given him the heads up from this thread so he was prepared for it - thanks!

In for repairs? I think the storm suited Brittany Ferries rather well. When weather can be blamed, it's an insurance issue, but when there's a breakdown it seems to be the ferry company that carries the can.