How are we getting there?

I've just had a look at prices, timetables etc and the best option for me (and I suspect DBD and furballs too) is either the DFDS Newcastle-Amsterdam or P&O Hull-Zeebrugge/Rotterdam crossings.

Prices are difficult to check as you can only book 1 bike online but if we can get 4 sharing we could be looking at £175-£225 each. For our Alps trip last year it was £176 each from Newcastle (but bring your own booze & food otherwise costs will be doubled   it's by far the dearest ferry I've been on)

Who is also thinking of ferry instead of chunnel?

Yeah the Hull-Rotterdam ferry is pricey but I guess if you compare it to getting to Dover and then back up again it probably adds up to the same cost. In the car we always take that ferry and its been quite good really.

Btw... if you can get a bike trailer for the car and then stick 4 bikes on and 4 of you in the car the price doesn't seem to be that much more than for 1 person on one bike! Might be worth looking into maybe?

See here the quote from the German site:


That's not even 90€ per person return!

Was thinking the same thing the other day, i will go with the flow, if it's a morning sailing i will have to leave a day erlier  .. and hook up with Dave enroute.......

They're afternoon overnight sailings Davie, usually 6pm ish.

Eddie990 wrote:They're afternoon overnight sailings Davie, usually 6pm ish.

Cool thank's for that Chris, saves me an overnighter somewhere..  

Aye that ferry was a rip off onboard. £15 for the most disgusting breakfast ever if I remember. We did ok at the onboard Kerry oot shop tho.
I'm not fussed either way. I'll go with the flow.

Quotes in for P&O Hull to Rotterdam, £105 each for 4 sharing.

You guys OK for me to go ahead and book?

Me, Terry, DBD & Furballs?

Aye no problem Chris, giz a shout when you want cash...

Davie.............................

Yes the hull ferry is only 90 miles from me so ill be joining you all on it eddie

Prime,

I've been looking at getting booked up, sharing a 4 berth cabin on the Zeebrugge crossing is probably the best option for us.
I've been warned off the Rotterdam ferry, it's usually full of stags on a booze cruise heading for Amsterdam. We'll stick with the old biddies heading to Bruges ;-)
Quick blast through Belgium then some tasty roads from Aachen to Nurburgring.

So far on the ferry there's me, Terry and the 2 Daves.

Are you looking at getting a cabin?

Just checked, there are 5 berth cabins available if you want to chip in and join us?

The smell will be awful, the snoring terrible, older roommates get up at least 3 times a night for a slash to use the facilities and we draw straws to see who has to be the wee spoon but other than that we're not a bad bunch.....

P&O sold me a dummy the other day, told me it would be £419 return for 4 people. Didn't mention that only included 1 bike..... Actual price is £484 so £121 each.

Price for 5 sharing would be £550 total so £110 each. Better cabin too, standard cabins aren't available as 5 berth.

What sort of time you looking at disembarking Chris? Might just be a tad too North for the Calais bunch, depends on the route you plan - could be an option for a meet up.
I'm two up and have to factor in more stops than I would if I was ace, might bias my choice of route.

I'll most likely by going LeShuttle, can redeem my Tesco vouchers and bring the price down to a sensible level. The ferry is coming in around half the price, so can understand why I could be the only one on the train. Dover is a bit further to travel for some and the 1H30 crossing vs 35 minutes can make for a slightly longer day.

Eddie990 wrote:The smell will be awful, the snoring terrible, older roommates get up at least 3 times a night for a slash to use the facilities

Oi Chris, i've just done a quick calculation and i will be the second oldest  ... Thanks for the reminder  

Davie 

Eddie990 wrote:P&O sold me a dummy the other day, told me it would be £419 return for 4 people. Didn't mention that only included 1 bike..... Actual price is £484 so £121 each.

  4 men and a bike   Which one is Dara Ó Briain . . . aaah feck !

SteveCat wrote: What sort of time you looking at disembarking Chris? Might just be a tad too North for the Calais bunch,

Zeebrugge (and Bruges), are en-route from either Le Shuttle or Calais ferry crossers if you choose to go via Brussles or Antwerp. It'll only add 30/45 mins to the journey too . . . Trust me I've done the route more times than I care to remember.

SteveCat wrote:I'll most likely by going LeShuttle, can redeem my Tesco vouchers and bring the price down to a sensible level. The ferry is coming in around half the price, so can understand why I could be the only one on the train. Dover is a bit further to travel for some and the 1H30 crossing vs 35 minutes can make for a slightly longer day.

If I do make this (and I intend to), I'll be going via ferry due to fares.
With a bit of prior planning and co-ord I'm sure we could form a BIG WING, and ride in to The Eifel.

Cheers
Tel

Don't worry Davie, we'll be sure to make you auld yins some Horlicks and listen to you grumble about your bunions!

Steve, disembark at about 9am.

A rendezvous point somewhere in Belgium sounds good to me.

Yeah ill happily share a 5 berth mate, thats fine. Ive heard thd rdam crossing is full of loons so zebrugge sounds good to me

Excellent, I'll get it booked and be in touch with payment details soon.

PM on it's way folks. Struggling with Farcical Ferries. Please respond soon.

Eddie990 wrote:PM on it's way folks. Struggling with Farcical Ferries. Please respond soon.

How did you get on with the ferry booking Chris? Still on for 9am disembarkment? I'll be booking my LeShuttle soon and maybe we can time it for a meet-up - however I'll have to stop every 90 mins or so which may not suit and you'd wish to crack on. If there are 100 miler (between stops) bikes going that probably would work out.

Nothing booked Steve, we're dropping like flies! Terry and DBD are definite no shows. I'm probably not going to make it either.

I need to save my leave for when the baby arrives in October so it doesn't look like I'll have enough time off to jolly round the 'ring. I'm sure it'll still be there when I have more time.....

Oh dear, understand Chris.

Think that takes us to 5 going, Furballs, Prime, Bobh, Pam and myself.

In the light of this, Chris (Prime) would you meet Davie (Furballs) and still ferry it from Hull or would you travel down to Dover / Folkestone and leave from there?
Bob how are you crossing, ferry or train?

My preference is train, but if we all meet up and the consensus is the ferry I'll join the group.

Not sure how I'm going across, though it will be Dover/Folkestone.

I'm considering the possibility of staying a couple of days with a mate in Antwerp on the way out, which would break the journey nicely. So no need to take me into account when you're making your travel plans.

Return will almost certainly be an early evening ferry, to have time to get a bite to eat and miss the worst of the M25. Prefer MyFerryLink as their bike docks are superior to P&O's d-i-y strap-downs.

Thanks Bob, will meet you en route or at the hotel unless your plans change. I was really put out the first time I went P&O and the tie downs were thrown down next to the bike.
If I plan it right, I'll only have 1 junction to do on the M25, but then the M20 and M26 can be just as chaotic.

Chris (Eddie990) had some tantalising route planned, will ask you what that is and see if I can do that, sorry assuming you won't be able to make it.

I'll google map it and send it to you tomorrow Steve.