Ferry Prices OMG!

[Julia9054]

Just booked our regular May half term Netherlands bikes and beer tour ferry from Hull to Rotterdam.
£782.92 for 2 people, 2 bikes, inc standard cabin and meals. Need a lie down now. I think this is the last time we will be going. This is around £250 more than summer 2024.
In future years I am considering bikes on Eurostar (to Brussels only atm, but may change in the future)

 

[Drago]

And they wonder why people fly.

 

[fossyant]

Crikey. Think we paid £1100 to fly and stay 5 nights in a hotel in Amsterdam ! That is madness.

 

[classic33]

There's all the "extras" that's required for that route they insist you've to pay for.
Not doing themselves any favours, whatsoever.

 

[Brandane]

Unbelievable price that.
Doesn't seem that long ago I got a week fully inclusive, return flights from Manchester, to Runaway Bay in Jamaica. For £750. It was May 2006!

Ferry fares have gone mad. I used to go every year Portsmouth to Caen or St. Malo with bike. Priced it last year and it was nearly £200 before any cabin accommodation. Basically a foot passenger but with a bike. Just ridiculous. Plus I have a £200 train fare for the return trip from home to Portsmouth! Just another thing that has been given up due to excessive cost.

 

[chriswoody]

You should see the prices for the Newcastle - Amsterdam service. Prices have been going crazy for a few years now.

In 2016 me and the family, so two adults, two children and the car traveled across for €430 one way on the overnight ferry from Amsterdam, last summer I looked at the same service for just myself and the same car. It would now cost me over €1000 to travel alone on this ferry.

I actually used Dover/Calais and drove to the Scottish highlands because it was much cheaper than taking a ferry.

As a family we only travel Dover/Calais now because it's the only cost effective way to travel back to Britain for visits.

 

[Mr Celine]

Just booked our regular May half term Netherlands bikes and beer tour ferry from Hull to Rotterdam.
£782.92 for 2 people, 2 bikes, inc standard cabin and meals. Need a lie down now. I think this is the last time we will be going. This is around £250 more than summer 2024.
In future years I am considering bikes on Eurostar (to Brussels only atm, but may change in the future)

For £50 more me, Mrs Celine, Celinette #1, estate car with roof box, 2 bikes (inside the car), meals, and 4 berth cabin are going Newcastle to Amsterdam return in April to see (amongst other things) Paris- Roubaix.

There may also be beer involved. Plus there'll be sufficient space in the car to bring home a few cases of wine.

 

[Julia9054]

You should see the prices for the Newcastle - Amsterdam service. Prices have been going crazy for a few years now.

In 2016 me and the family, so two adults, two children and the car traveled across for €430 one way on the overnight ferry from Amsterdam, last summer I looked at the same service for just myself and the same car. It would now cost me over €1000 to travel alone on this ferry.

I actually used Dover/Calais and drove to the Scottish highlands because it was much cheaper than taking a ferry.

As a family we only travel Dover/Calais now because it's the only cost effective way to travel back to Britain for visits.

Annoyingly, the same trip using DFDS Newcastle - Ijmuiden comes in at £670.90 because they currently have a 20% off deal. Unfortunately, due to work, we can't get to Newcastle in time on the Friday night so would lose a day's holiday

 

[Julia9054]

For £50 more me, Mrs Celine, Celinette #1, estate car with roof box, 2 bikes (inside the car), meals, and 4 berth cabin are going Newcastle to Amsterdam return in April to see (amongst other things) Paris- Roubaix.

There may also be beer involved. Plus there'll be sufficient space in the car to bring home a few cases of wine.

That sounds good. DFDS currently have 20% off. P&O have 20% off as well but only on midweek sailings. As we are both teachers, we are restricted as to when we can go so midweek doesn't work.

 

[Mr Celine]

That sounds good. DFDS currently have 20% off. P&O have 20% off as well but only on midweek sailings. As we are both teachers, we are restricted as to when we can go so midweek doesn't work.

Mrs Celine was a teacher, now retired, so I feel your pain albeit Scottish skool holidays being at different times to English ones the price hikes were never so extreme.

You dodged a bullet by missing the Friday night Newcastle boat.

Unless you're a party animal who likes to continue the party in your cabin.
Or spending time in the corridor outside your cabin loudly discussing with your bestie the relative merits of the two gentlemen vying for your affections, before inviting one in and giving him a good seeing to.

DAMHIKT

 

[Andy in Germany]

Useful to know, thanks. It looks like I'll be flying in June then, sadly.

 

[Emanresu]

Read somewhere today is "Sunshine Saturday" when travel companies do record business. Best wait a few weeks or so to see if "Sunshine Saturday" was sunny enough for these companies. If not, there will be bargains available later.

 

[Julia9054]

Useful to know, thanks. It looks like I'll be flying in June then, sadly.

Eurostar have deals on at the moment. Or consider an interrail ticket. I can get from North Yorkshire to Cologne in a day.

 

[Dirk Van Der Dirk]

I live 12 miles from Harwich and go to NL and Belgium 2 or 3x per year on the ferry with my bike. This year prices have increased quite a bit, however if you take a risk and wait until about 1 month before you want to travel, prices come down a little.

 

[DCLane]

I've to book my own ferry for the organised tour I'm doing in June-July. The passenger cost is OK but it's compulsory to book a cabin. For just me. That's adding up to quite a bit; the cost is OK as we're needing to have several short trips rather than one expensive one, but still ...