First it was the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994. Subsequent it was the abolition of duty-free purchasing in 1999. Then got here the growth in low-cost, no-frills flights.
Over the previous 17 years, numerous dying knells have been sounded for ferries to Europe. However based mostly on my crossing to Calais final week on P&O Ferries’ Spirit of Britain, I might say that not solely is the business surviving, it’s in fairly impolite well being.
Huge beast: P&O’s new ferry Spirit Of Britain has introduced a contemporary luxurious to cross-Channel journeys
This £160million new ship is the largest ever to ply the 90-minute Dover-Calais route. At 690ft lengthy, it is the biggest ferry able to docking on the current services at both port.
It is really not the dimensions of the ship that’s so interesting a lot as its design. As you park on a deck devoted to vehicles, you aren’t hemmed in by lorries. The passenger areas have extra gentle due to floor-to-ceiling home windows. On one deck, you’ll be able to see from one finish of the ship to the opposite.
Though Spirit of Britain is 20 per cent longer than Satisfaction of Dover, the ship she has changed, she is designed to hold the identical most variety of passengers – about 2,000 – so feels spacious.
Different interesting options embody an alfresco bar, and if you happen to splash out £12 for admission to the plush Membership Lounge (a glass of champagne is included), you’ve gotten entry to an unique outside deck.
As for eating, the lamb steak I used to be served within the good, waiter-service brasserie was tasty, whereas the meals in the principle self-service restaurant additionally regarded appetising.
And the store would not look misplaced at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 – as an alternative of cigarettes, chocolate and alcohol, designer purses and sun shades take up many of the area. That Spirit of Britain is so massive is as a lot to do with accommodating extra lorries as the rest. I had a peek within the truckers’ quarters they usually verge on the palatial, with TV screens set into the backs of seats, a non-public outside deck and showers.
In September, Spirit of Britain’s sister ship, Spirit of France, might be launched on the identical route. However within the meantime, P&O’s different cross-Channel ships should not of the identical high quality. It due to this fact is smart to determine the instances of Spirit of Britain’s crossings – all crystal-clear on P&O’s web site – and, if handy, guide these.
Final yr, the variety of folks and vehicles travelling by ferry to and from the UK confirmed a slight enhance. This isn’t simply because ferry journeys can – if you happen to select your ship correctly – be pleasing. The worth can also be essential.
To take a automobile and as much as 9 folks on Spirit of Britain prices from £35 every method. There aren’t really many crossings this spring or summer time nonetheless accessible at that value – £39 every method is extra widespread – however even that’s nonetheless improbable worth.
In contrast, flying to Europe with most airways nowadays means having to pay hefty additional expenses only for checking in your baggage.
If you wish to see what Spirit of Britain is basically like, a day journey booked by April 28 and with journey by Might 2 prices £23 return (once more for a automobile and as much as 9 folks), with three bottles of wine included.
For extra data on Dover-Calais crossings, contact P&O Ferries on 0871 664 2121 or go to www.poferries.co.uk, or contact SeaFrance on 0871 423 7119 (www.seafrance.com).
And there’s extra excellent news away from cross-Channel routes. Final month, Brittany Ferries (0871 244 1400, www.brittanyferries.com) restored the Portsmouth-to-Bilbao service that was stopped by P&O Ferries on the finish of final summer time.
As with its Plymouth/Portsmouth-Santander providers, fares are excessive in the course of the summer time months, however given the size of the journey (as much as 32 hours), they’re good worth out of season.
Off-peak it prices about £420 return for a automobile and two folks with an en suite cabin.
One other latest addition to providers to northern Spain is the 15-hour journey from Nantes/St Nazaire in France to Gijon, which was began by LD Traces (0844 576 8836, www.ldlines.co.uk) final September.
Stena Line (0844 770 7070, www.stenaline.co.uk) launched two ‘superferries’ final yr on the Harwich-Hook of Holland route – Hollandica and Stena Britannica. Each are considerably larger than P&O’s Spirit of Britain. The cabins on Hollandica are spacious – some even comprise a double mattress.
Champagne second: Fred tries the Spirit Of Britain for measurement throughout a crossing final week
Final summer time, DFDS Seaways (0871 882 0885, www.dfdsseaways.co.uk) took over Norfolkline’s providers between Dover and Dunkirk however they’re much the identical as earlier than. The fares are nonetheless extraordinarily low-cost too – from simply £25 every method for a automobile and 4 folks.
You possibly can create attention-grabbing touring holidays with DFDS – for instance, travelling from Newcastle to Amsterdam, then driving again to Dunkirk for the return journey to Britain. However such bookings will be made solely by telephone, not by way of the web site.
Land the perfect ferry fares
As with airways, the sooner you guide your ferry crossing, the cheaper the fares, notably for peak instances crossings.
Most operators’ web sites present when to seek out cheaper crossings. And it’s typically higher to guide on-line: some operators cost additional for telephone bookings. For instance, with P&O Ferries it prices £5 per return reserving.
For those who make frequent cross-Channel journeys, contemplate choosing a multi-ticket deal. Journeys value from £39 every method with Eurotunnel (0844 335 3535, www.eurotunnel.com).
Although Eurotunnel is the quickest technique to cross the Channel, it’s pricier than ferries. For the standard return, Eurotunnel expenses from £106 for a automobile and passengers – £36 greater than with P&O Ferries or SeaFrance.
And fares for peak-time journey this summer time with Eurotunnel are additionally about £30 return greater than on Dover-Calais ferries.
Crossings to France on Brittany Ferries’ standard ships will be as a lot as £120 return cheaper than on its sooner catamarans.
Reserving crossings by means of tour operators as a part of a vacation bundle often works out cheaper than doing so direct with the ferry firm.
For bookings made by April 30, VFB Holidays (www.travelzest.com) is providing return crossings at any time in 2011 with SeaFrance for £49 return.
For full particulars of routes throughout Europe, see www.discoverferries.com.
