Chezstevens

[quote user="daryl-et-elaine"] [quote]Are the moaners talking about the same Speedferries service I use. Seven return trips this year so far - every one on time and 3 of the 07.45 Dover departures left 10 minutes early. Bargain price and...[/quote]  Please also remember that not everyone lives within easy access of Dover. It can take me as long as 10 hours to get to Dover, also the added mileage and time incurred in both getting there and from Boulogne to my house, plus the need for accommodation, all adds considerably to the "Bargain Price". When one takes into account the added cost of fuel, tolls, accommodation requirement, vehicle wear and tear, plus driver stress and additional time spent behind the wheel, you don't need a degree in maths to work out that occassionly it is actually more cost effective to travel with one of the "expensive" operators, and before slagging them off for their "exorbitant" charges, do a paper exercise and work the costs out as if you resided in Chester, Oxford, or Ambleside, and were travelling to Blois, Tours or Limoges. You might then realise just how cheap the "other operators" really are! I've used SF twice and not been over impressed. The reason I used them over my usual mode of travel is simple - they had an offer of "Buy One - Get One Free" - but never again! [/quote]   I have used BF for 10 years then became more infuriated with their inflation busting increases, especially wrt cabins, so I moved to P&O for a couple of years.  I now use a mix of eurotunnel and speedferries - buying both their books of 10 single trips.  We live in Oxfordshire and our holiday home is on the 79 / 16 border.  My thoughts - the extra 3 hours on the motorway plus tolls plus diesel is far   outweighed by the savings.  5 return trips on speedferries is less than a single return by BF in March - never mind August.  We are converted and wish BF the same as P&O.

We have found the easiest way to get around the problem is to set up a direct debit.  Our bank, Credit Agricole, transfers the demanded amount, some 80 euros pcm for both D'habitation and fonciere, without any grief for 10 months.  As of this year the amount includes the additional cost of a TV license. ''That'll do donkey''

The simpler (?) solution would be for your father to bring the box with him - just connect your sat cable to rear of his box.  Bulky yes, however will enable your father to watch the footie etc. 

[quote user="Meduse"] Hi there I live in Portsmouth and belong to the Brittany Ferries Property owners club and thought their prices were way too high! £400 return for 16 days in the summer and that is with my discount! (I haven't renewed my club membership) I got a crossing for £85 with sea France...I know that means a two hour drive to Dover at the beginning and end and a few extra tolls on the way in France but we're still saving around £200. Fortunately we like driving! I'm really not impressed with the price increases Brittany Ferries have introduced over the last few years. Perhaps it's because they've got no good competition. Meduse [/quote] We have also been BFPOC for many years, 1993, until I looked at the price increases especially wrt cabins.  We now use eurotunnel (5 returns for £390) and the odd speedferry return.  We have saved over £1200 a year when you take into acct tolls etc - that is a no brainer.  We enjoyed the overnight to StMalo but I can travel from Oxon to eurotunnel and down to Dept 79 in less than 11 hours.  BF was, in total, 17 hours and I do not sleep that well on ferries.  Each to their own but keep up the good work Eurotunnel and Speedferries. Vernon