Speedferries dedicated port

[Cassis]

Speedferries has taken over the old Hoverspeed docks at Dover.  To coincide they are doing a couple of offers:

You are receiving this e-mail because you have purchased a ticket, requested information or opted to receive news from SpeedFerries in the past. If you would prefer not to receive marketing communication of this type from SpeedFerries in the future, please click on the unsubscribe option here. Si vous préferez recevoir ce message en français veulliez cliquer ici Great offers to celebrate SpeedFerries’ new port facilities Book now – First come, first served Tip A Friend  Dear Customer, SpeedFerries is absolutely delighted to announce the signing of a lease for the Hoverport at Dover's Western Docks. SpeedFerries will start preparing the facilities right away and hope to start operating from the Hoverport before Easter 2007. All customers will receive information when a final date has been set for the move. SpeedFerries to provide a faster and more convenient service     SpeedFerries will be the only Dover based ferry operator to offer exclusive port facilities in both its Channel ports, Dover and Boulogne. Customers will be able to access the exclusive SpeedFerries’ facilities in the Hoverport without passing through Dover and will avoid the heavy traffic from the Eastern Docks. As in Boulogne port, SpeedFerries will be offering shopping & catering facilities in Dover as well as easy access to an exclusive SpeedFerries’ check-in area. Great offers to celebrate SpeedFerries’ new dock facilities To celebrate the signing of the new lease for the Hoverport, SpeedFerries would like to offer: 15,000 Celebration Tickets at £50 return for a standard car + 5 The Celebration Ticket is a unique offer for customers desiring flexibility at a fixed low price on all crossings - even peak sailings. The Celebration Ticket, which is only available as a return ticket, can be booked either for fixed travel dates or as an open ticket and is valid for travel for 12 months from the date of purchase. The Celebration Ticket ensures a fixed price of £50 return and can be used anytime within the validity period subject to availability. For more information on the Celebration Ticket and to book, please click here. 2,000 10-Trip SuperVouchers at £220 for a standard car + 5 If you travel frequently the 10-Trip SuperVoucher is a great way to secure cheap crossings for the next two years. The Voucher always ensures a fixed price on all crossings and is valid for travel for two years after date of purchase. The Voucher tickets can be used anytime within the validity period subject to availability at a fixed price of £22 per single crossing. For more information on the 10-Trip SuperVoucher celebration offer and to book, please click here. The offers are on a first come, first served basis and will expire when the allocated number of tickets and vouchers are sold out.

[Will]

The fares and block tickets are no doubt good, but the 'dedicated port' is pushing it just a little. What Speedferries has really done is to take a short (4 years I think) lease on the old Hoverspeed berths in the Western Docks (as we mentioned in an earlier post). They couldn't afford the termnal building - 'it is not compatible with our status as a no-frills operator' they said. So don't expect a lot in terms of 'new dock facilities' beyond a Portakabin selling tat and a burger van [:)]

The better news is that Speedferries says that the new facilities will enable it to go ahead with plans to introduce a second ship to the route. If they can find one they can afford, that is. And it is true that for those approaching Dover from London or the west, the Wesern Docks are easier to access.

[Brilec]

I've always used the A2 to get to the docks, as it is a faster journey, also avoids operation stack and other M20 problems. So for me, it might take longer.

[Pierre ZFP]

You can use the M2 and take the exit after Eastern docks (towards Folkestone) and drop down to Western Docks no probs.

I used to work at Western Docks, still shudder at the thought of miserable night shifts in the middle of winter.  Could be good for S-F as it avoids the 'Zoo' at Dover East

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Does this mean that they are going to be using hovercraft or will they be fitting wheels to their craft and driving up on to the apron. We should be told!

What I REALLY want is someone to start competing with BF on the St Malo route (and I don't mean Condor - I have never yet found them cheaper than BF on a like-for-like basis but I check every time out of sheer bloody mindedness). I can't face the drive to Calais / Boulogne with three children in the car and a lack of cabins on LD lines makes them a poor alternative.

Even on midweek depth of winter crossings I have not seen the St Malo crossing anything other than pretty damned full, so surely extra capacity would make sense?

[Baz]

[quote user="Jon"]
What I REALLY want is someone to start competing with BF on the St Malo route (and I don't mean Condor - I have never yet found them cheaper than BF on a like-for-like basis but I check every time out of sheer bloody mindedness). I can't face the drive to Calais / Boulogne with three children in the car and a lack of cabins on LD lines makes them a poor alternative.
[/quote]

Whilst I must praise SpeedFerries for all their efforts to reduce fares on the short sea crossing, it is interesting to note what is happening this year. Whilst, I agree that SpeedFerries have currently an excellent deal for the regular travellers, when it comes to normal fares according to a UK National Paper review of all Ferry crossings from the UK a surprising result came out of the short sea crossings. Of course Eurotunnel are the most expensive but when it came to Ferries comparing P&O, SeaFrance, Norfolkline and SpeedFerries, there was a surprise.  Using fares for Saturday July 28 both low and high peak times in every case SpeedFerries were the MOST expensive, so I hope this does not signal the end of low cost fares.

Baz

[Frederick]

Jon..........Like you I would love to see Britanny Ferries get some competition.

The Speed Ferries 10 crossing offer is tempting at £22 a crossing  but  like you ....to the  South Vendee the miles shown and the time / cost between Boulogne and La Tranche sur Mer area for me would be in the region of  6 hours drive  ..Tolls / fuel  94 Eur  and from Caen 4 hrs 30  drive .. tolls/ fuel 44 Eur.... I tried the long way round on one occasion last year ...starting Dorset to Dover  and had an evening meal and night in a hotel in Rouan to avoid getting to the house after midnight .   It was lots cheaper than BF of course ..but  compared with sleeping the way over on a night crossing to Caen or St Malo ......it was hassle and a very time consuming way to pocket the pounds saved ....... BF know this only too well ...and for us who have to get to the West coast we just have to bite the bullet...and  hope for another cheaper carrier on the route ....I shall try the LD Lines  day time crossing later in the year...thats got to be an improvment for  the La Harvre service ...but this month .....B. F get my money.... again ! 

[powerdesal]

 Personnally I like the speedferries way. OK, its a 4 hour drive to Boulogne but we tend to spend a half day "drifting" up to Boulogne, stay in a hotel overnight and catch the morning ferry after a lazy breakfast. Arrive back in Oxfordshire in time for tea.

Similarly on the way to France, arrive Boulogne, stay overnight and then a casual drive to Normandy next morning. No stress, no rush.

[Pierre ZFP]

[quote user="Jon"]Does this mean that they are going to be using hovercraft or will they be fitting wheels to their craft and driving up on to the apron. We should be told!

[/quote]

Like it!  Perhaps they could drive down the autoroute and have an inland terminal?

It will come as no surprise to learn that as well as the Hovercraft terminal, Dover West does have a couple of Roll on-Roll off berths as well. Or at least did have. I haven't been there for years.

 

[Will]

Although Hoverspeed was the company that operated those wonderful hovercraft between Dover and Calais, it also (and, latterly, exclusively) operated floating fast ferrie, both of similar type to Speed One, as well as some larger monohulls. Its parent company Sea Containers pulled out of the route in November 2005, thanks mainly to being unable to compete with Speedferries. Attempts by its former management to reintroduce the service (under the Euroferries name, using a ship from Canada) have failed, and now that Speedferries has taken over the berths, albeit temporarily, they look even less likely.

[BJSLIV]

I see that the vendors in Canada have now said that they are talking to possible Danish buyers for their fast craft, and the first to come up with the money will get it. So it looks like goodbye Euroferries then.

I assume that whoever was supposed to be funding Euroferries got cold feet when they saw the loop in which Speedferries seem to be stuck. IE low price equals no money for investment / expansion.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

I assume that whoever was supposed to be funding Euroferries got cold

feet when they saw the loop in which Speedferries seem to be stuck. IE

low price equals no money for investment / expansion.

Or you wait until the competition run up the white flag and then jack prices up to a level consistent with actually running a business. One to watch I think.

[BJSLIV]

Seems like the vendors are putting on the pressure to tie up the sale of the craft  within the next seven days. So we should have an answer soon.