best price for Dover-Calais ferry?

[amylou]

Hi - any experts on ferries??
i've noticed next years ferry crossing are on sale already! This isn't something I know much about... I am thinking about driving to France in next summer holidays... is there any best time /date/ day of the week to travel on the ferry to get the cheapest price? it doesnt really matter when we go, we've got a full 6 weeks to go at!
At the moment the best price I can get is £98 for a car return Dover - Calais - is that a good price?
thanks

I'm not an expert, but we take the ferry to France at least twice a year. £98 sounds like a lot to me, especially so far in advance. I'd have thought you should have been able to get a return for £60 (2x £30) crossings.

If you're flexible with days to travel on, try travelling out on a Sunday or a Tuesday (we've found these are often cheaper) and back on a Monday or Tuesday.

The website usually allows you to check a range of prices for a range of days - perhaps have another look at more days?

Oh, and the time you travel makes a difference too. We've found the 11.30 ish crossings are usually a good price, for some reason.

We booked our Dover-Calais crossing about 4 months ago (for next week) and it was £80 for four of us.

Norfolk line Dover - Dunkirk are usually the cheapest.

We paid 55 pounds Dover/Calais return with Sea France.

P&O will offer Dover to Calais from £10 per crossing (i.e. £20 both ways).

It helps to book relatively close to the date of departure IME. Also, you need to be willing to travel at unpopular times (e.g. very early morning).

If checking prices and not booking, clear your cookies before checking again. Booking engines have a nasty habit of quoting you a higher price for anything you have previously looked up. Make your PC "forget" all about the previous query and you're back to a more acceptable quote.

That is incredibly helpful advice re. the cookies Notadude! Thanks ever so.

Perhaps you could start a thread about it to give people the heads up? Am sure others would be grateful to hear.

Bibbity: Done!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_advice_tips/1266880-Clear-your-cookies-lower-your-price

Excellent

Hi guys!
thanks for your help - will keep checking (& clearing my cookies!) for a better price..