MrCanary Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 I have made a number of posts in recent times, praising Transmanche ferries and their Newhaven/Dieppe route, but yesterday could well have been the final straw in my love affair...I actually got fed up to the back teeth with Newhaven as a port some time ago. Is there anywhere on this planet with less atmosphere than that ferry terminal? And many of the staff are the most rude 'jobs worths' I have ever come across. So, I was thrilled when Transmanche/LD launched the Dover/Dieppe route. But alas, it did not pay and was quickly dropped with my latest booking being transferred back to the Newhaven route...Two weeks ago we suffered the staff at Newhaven as we headed to France. What a rude man he is - the one who tells you what lane to go in!And then yesterday, although I arrived for departure from Dieppe two and a half hours ahead of time and was about fifth in the queue, I was punted somewhere up in the roof of the car deck and became almost the last person off from this very full ferry. Then we joined the end of the massive queues to be checked by the most serious, customs officers in the world! Each and every car was inspected and oh, so slowly... From being allowed onto the car-deck of the ferry to driving out of the port took just three minutes short of one hour!!I have finally realised that had I have used Eurotunnel, I would have been back in Norwich before I was actually allowed onto that bloomin' car deck!!OK - rant over... Not having used Eurotunnel before, any comments please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Eurotunnel when its working well (which to be fair is almost always) is very quick, very pleasent but oh so very expensive unless you buy the block of 10 tickets, which I would never use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCanary Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 Thanks Pierre...But I have to say that in checking out some dates for October, their prices are cheaper than Transmanche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 I have to say that I find people who beef about the activities of customs similar to those who beef about airport security. What would they rather have, security checks or someone smuggling drugs, guns or bombs!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Streason Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 I think Eurotunnel is a very slick operation. I tend to use it for the timings and bear the extra cost. Last Sunday evening I arrived home north of Chelmsford (95miles from Folkestone) two and a half hours after checking in at Calais. But I suppose where you are driving from to get to Dieppe/Calais and where you have to get to from Newhaven/Folkestone would play a part.The tunnel will pretty much fit you in up to 2 hours before your booked time if they have space and get you away ASAP if you are late. Handy if you have a long drive and timings can be variable. Customs is on the French side and they seem pretty much honour bound to get you on your train once you have checked in so never take excessive time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCanary Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 Andy - you are so right. But I guess I get frustrated because I know the business and I can see when they are doing things that are not necessary.Because I always arrive early for departures from Newhaven, my wife and I are invariably at or near the front of the queue. And every time, we get directed into the hut for the car to be searched and my wife and I to be frisked. Why? You might think we are shifty looking... But no, it is because we travel in a small people carrier and it is invariably loaded with goodies for our French house. My wife is in her 50's and I am 60. We belong to their frequent travellers club so they should be getting to know us, but they cannot see beyond the car. If these people were real customs officers they would be professional and have discretion, but they are not. They are poorly-paid, private security folk who cannot do the job they are being asked to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Is the tunnel so expensive?Admittedly, I chose my travelling times but is costing me £150 return, reduced by £40 because I diverted £10 worth of Tesco Clubcard points from their intended Cafe Rouge destination.Ihave always regarded Newhaven-Dieppe as the ideal cross-channel route, but ruined by Newhaven being the a******* of England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Streason Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Depending on where you are travelling to its also about another 150 miles and about €15 of tolls to add to the cost. (return) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 I live in the midlands. The tunnel was built in a VERY inconvenient place for me. I also have the additional mileage (including 60 miles on the M25) and motoring cost to absorb, but the cost of the tunnel route is still MUCH less than that of travelling on the Western Channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Rarely seems to be any advantage in turning up early for ferries.I have always found that you are more likely to go through the search procedure while they have plenty of time to spare, whereas last minute arrivals get waived straight through. And to rub in the salt, the same late arrivals can often be seen at the front of the line when exiting the port at the other end.No doubt the traffickers have noticed this, too.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Streason Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 [quote user="Clarkkent"]I live in the midlands. The tunnel was built in a VERY inconvenient place for me. [/quote]Has no one told you about the supersecret tunnel entrance in Milton Keynes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCanary Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 Alan - you are so right with your comments and I must remember them for the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 [quote user="Stan Streason"][quote user="Clarkkent"]I live in the midlands. The tunnel was built in a VERY inconvenient place for me. [/quote]Has no one told you about the supersecret tunnel entrance in Milton Keynes?[/quote]Is that like your secret Essex bunker Stan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Streason Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 [quote user="teapot"][quote user="Stan Streason"][quote user="Clarkkent"]I live in the midlands. The tunnel was built in a VERY inconvenient place for me. [/quote]Has no one told you about the supersecret tunnel entrance in Milton Keynes?[/quote]Is that like your secret Essex bunker Stan?[/quote]It is but you have to walk to France through this one - not big enough for vehicles.My father has lived within 5 miles of this for over 55 years and I spent the first 23 years of my life there. Neither of us have ever visited it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 We find the tunnel to be excellent. We do the frequent traveller thing - £39 per crossing with £20 supplement at certain times of the day and £30 on those certain times on certain days of the year.We normally travel out on the 05:50 shuttle for which there is no supplement and back booked on the 22:20 for which £20 or £30 applies.We have also found that we have got on a shuttle more than two hours before our booked crossing.Occassionally the security takes a fair time (last time chose a short queue only to find I was behind a Qatar registered vehicle and there was a little wait).Only ever been stopped once going out and just asked a couple of questions and never coming back.It is a speedy service and to my mind far better than having to go in to Dover.Would I use the ferries again? - NOPaul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Crikey Mel,You can make it from Folkstone to Norwich in 57 minutes? "From being allowed onto the car-deck of the ferry to driving out of the port took just three minutes short of one hour!! I have finally realised that had I have used Eurotunnel, I would have been back in Norwich before I was actually allowed onto that bloomin' car deck!! "If you meant including the two and a half that you turned up early that would still only be 3hours 27 minutes from Dover to Norwich not including customs check and you would have the extra journey from Dieppe to Calais 1.5 hours? and the extra fuel and toll.Customs people don't work for the ferry companies.Can vans use the frequent traveller tickets from Eurotunnel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Guerriere Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 It ain't the customs that slow things up. We use Portsmouth or Poole and it is the Border Control (passport) people that cause the log-jam. The sooper-dooper passport scanning machinery is far from foolproof and any slight glitch can cause monumental tail-backs. Blame the "war on terror" it's not the smugglers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 [quote user="Mel"]Andy - you are so right. But I guess I get frustrated because I know the business and I can see when they are doing things that are not necessary. Because I always arrive early for departures from Newhaven, my wife and I are invariably at or near the front of the queue. And every time, we get directed into the hut for the car to be searched and my wife and I to be frisked. Why? You might think we are shifty looking... But no, it is because we travel in a small people carrier and it is invariably loaded with goodies for our French house. My wife is in her 50's and I am 60. We belong to their frequent travellers club so they should be getting to know us, but they cannot see beyond the car. If these people were real customs officers they would be professional and have discretion, but they are not. They are poorly-paid, private security folk who cannot do the job they are being asked to do.[/quote] As a frequent traveller you will be potentially on the customs radar. And don't think that changing your route will change things because customs do have a joined up system and database. You will be on their radar whether it's Dieppe - Newhaven or Rotterdam - Edinburgh. And yes vehicles capable of carrying more goods (and therefore capable of carrying more contraband) do generally attract more attention than say a Micra. However from your post you are being checked on the route out by security - who have nothing to do with customs. They are not looking for contraband, but rather for items that could be unsafe during the journey - like carrying flammable materials or unsecured gas bottles (at the more trivial end) to bombs (at the serious end). These security personnel generally get nothing like the training of customs and yes they probably cannot see much beyond the vehicle and the fact that it is full. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 There is a simple solution.Arrive at the last minute and be the last on and first off the ferry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaud Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Mel asked "...Is there anywhere on this planet with less atmosphere than that ferry terminal?"My nomination: Stansted airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 [quote user="andyh4"] However from your post you are being checked on the route out by security - who have nothing to do with customs. They are not looking for contraband, but rather for items that could be unsafe during the journey - like carrying flammable materials or unsecured gas bottles (at the more trivial end) to bombs (at the serious end). These security personnel generally get nothing like the training of customs and yes they probably cannot see much beyond the vehicle and the fact that it is full. [/quote]I recall my first trip out to work on the French house. Dover security must have been having a crack-down on pen-knives at the time, apparently at the expense of all else. The officers asked if I had a pen-knife in the car. I said I didn't think so unless there was one in my tool box buried beneath the equipment filling the boot. They didn't bat an eyelid or make any comment as I moved a 4 ft lumberjack axe, a hand-axe, a chain-saw, chisels, and all manner of other potentially murderous items in my search for the tool box. When located, it contained other sharp instruments but no pen-knife, so the other passengers were deemed to be quite safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCanary Posted August 20, 2009 Author Share Posted August 20, 2009 Hang on teapot, you're confusing me now...I would have been back in Norwich because 'being allowed onto the car deck came after a four-hour crossing, preceded by a two and a half hour wait on the dockside at Dieppe...Thus, six and a half hours in total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 [:D]Lol, like wise."From being allowed onto the car-deck of the ferry to driving out of the port took just three minutes short of one hour!! "Did not make mention of the four hour crossing [blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCanary Posted August 20, 2009 Author Share Posted August 20, 2009 Sorry...But, digressing, you must admit that 57 minutes to get off a ferry is a bit frustrating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 That's not the ferry company's fault, that's the passengers [:D]When the "fast ferry" ran out of Newhaven it was actually slower than the old Transmanche because the passengers and their caravans and trailers pfaffed so much whereas the commercial lorries and vans on Transmanche got a move on even though the actual crossing was slower. Now there is just Transmanche and not enough customs and excise you all form a ridiculous queue been at the back plenty of times.One day I cheekily joined the commercial line as it does say Camions, nearly caused a riot. I asked the Official what a camion was he did not know! but apparently I was not one [;-)]Hence my question earlier about vans being able to use the discount frequent tickets at the tunnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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