Where do I look for 'deals' with Siblu, Canvas, Keycamp AND deals on ferries?

[miljee]

I occasionally read on here about people who say they managed to get a deal with one of these types of companies (you know, the mobile home/ ready-to-go tent thing!) in France. Where do you look to find them? Do they post/email them to you once you order a brochure or do you have to constantly check their sites? Or is it in the newspapers? Lastminute.com? Like everyone,-or at least, like all fellow cheap-skates like us (he he!) we're shocked by ferry prices- I mean, 365 quid 4 of us + Mondeo, end May/early June, midweek, Poole/ St Malo, 4 1/2 hours! You could camp for a month for that in a field in Wales!! And that's JUST the ferry bit alone! But seriously, can anyone make suggestions? We're reasonably flexible in taking kids out of school (5 and 7) for a few days if necessary seeing as I can't get any of the summer holidays off.

And please don't tell me to go camp in a field in Wales!!

If you don't mind doing Dover to Boulogne try Speed Ferries - much cheaper than other companies.

I think leisuredirection.co.uk sell Keycamp holidays at a discounted rate.
Alternatively pick up a Siblu, Canvas Keycamp...... brochure and just google the name of the holiday park and see if you can book direct. Agree that Speedferries are pretty reasonable. We are going to France for the easter weekend and it is only costing us £50 for the return ferry

miijee the boggest problem is the ferry costs. These holidays are good value if you do dover calais. Leisure direction are cheap too. Also non school holidays are much cheaper, and whitsun week is usually about £300 a week.

Agree with you about the cost of ferries - they're really getting ridiculous. Have you tried LD ferries from Portsmouth to Le Havre? The drawback is that there is only one crossing a day (11pm to France and 5pm back again) and there is no cabin accommodation (reclining seats only), but loads cheaper than Brittany or P&O. If you want to go as far as Spain (for driving back into south west France for example) then AT ferries is an alternative - and about a third cheaper than P&O/Brittany (they do have cabins!); I think they go from Portsmouth. Buy your own tent - if you haven't already got one - and book one of the Keycamp/Eurocamp sites direct for a fraction of the cost. You can also book mobile homes direct with most of the sites, but I'm not sure if this works out cheaper.

you can pick up brochures from a travel agent however i would suggest to yu that VENUE holidays are the cheapest. there is not the varieties of location. the ferry shouldnt be a problem there is an extra charge for going anywhere but dover to calais - however its not as much as a seperate ferry would cost - we often opt for eurotunnel as i get sea sick and we are happy to pay the extra - its often not much really. and is per car as is the ferry.

if you really want a cheap holiday you should

get firm dates in your head

2 0r 3 destinations in mind - work out your travel and crossing.

phone all the companies after googling their details

get the best deal.

we have gone on these types of holidays for many many years. only recently stpping becuase the kids are now older teenagers and its not really suited to them.

in planning our much longed for and much saved up for hlidays i always do the above.

maybe an afternoon on the phone asking what is available - getting a personal reference and name of person you talk to on phone - they may say " soory, but we have xxxxx campsite available for those dates -then back to the internet to their site - look up where they say they have free - see if i fancy it.

google campsite name see if they have their own site rather than the company site.

in total it may be a couple of afternoons on the phone, net and research - but companies such as eurocamp can often be £300 more expensive ( even though they are now part of same company as keycamp and some others) and so its well worth my time and effort.

Matthews Holidays specials

We went for 2 weeks in late August, FastCraft Portsmouth Cherbourg crossing, in basic caravan on a great site in the Vendee with Insurance & breakdown insurance for less than £1000.

If you are going to western france don't do poole anywhere since that is the most expensive.

Portsmount Caen is the cheapest Brittany ferries crossing, we have one for 290 for 6 of us at may half term.

LD lines is the cheapest western channel srosses in to Le havre from Portsmouth and they are taking over Newhaven Dieppe from March.

Book the site directly with the site and not theough the company. Its about half the price and usually better accommodation.

Hi, speedferries have a promotion on for a year open ticket for a car and 5 passengers for £50. You can stay abroad as long as you like. Plus crossing only takes 55 mins, hope this helps