Good to know - thank you - as presumably a Dover-Calais ship would be bigger that implies that the Newhaven-Dieppe route is becoming more popular? Hopefully they will give it a bit of a makeover before it goes into service!
1 Like
I did Portsmouth to Bilbao in 2018 to move stuff over from the UK when we moved here permanently. I found the crossing to be very relaxing and took about as much time all told, including an overnight in France and the drive to the new home, as it would have done driving down the length of the country. Much less stress and probably cheaper all told. Bilbao to Rosslare sounds really interesting as we intend to go to the south coast next year again. I’m a bit fed up with flying places, although you can do Carcassonne (close to me) to Cork in season which is very convenient.
2 Likes
I was told the duty free shop will be but dont know about the rest of the ship and what about the cabins? See what happens.
Although I am highly unlikely to ever need it again, I would miss the luxurious ‘Commodore’ cabin in one of the old ships. Not a porthole, a picture window, facing forward over the bow under the bridge, double bed and en suite facilities. Then fresh as a daisy to drive to any destination in the UK.
Another bonus for that route is the choice of really good restos in the old town of Dieppe if you have the time. Didn’t really investigate Newhaven, partly because of the really good cafe in the port but also, until he sadly died last year, a cousin who was like an older brother to me (I always envied my younger brother having such a wonderful older one 
) and with whom I shared many a fine meal near his home in Worthing. 
If you can get one the price has increased tremendously, £90 ish now! Far cry from a few years back.
Yes it was £94 one way Newhaven-Dieppe when I went across a month ago. That said, there are sometimes deals - a cabin was on offer for £24 when I booked my trip but I decided I didn’t need it - and it had gone up to full price a week or two later…
Of course the cabin price is for up to 4 people, not so bad if you are travelling as a family.
And the rest!
Maybe £90 on a daytime crossing - just looked at how much it would be for an overnight sailing Portsmouth to Caen in Jan (which I do need to book at some point) - £142.
I booked one once, just to see what they were like and I agree they are much better than the standard cabins.
However, overnight I just want to get my head down and I don’t see that having a Commodore makes much difference in practice and during the day we tend to just use the cabin as somewhere to dump bags/avoid having to use the public loos.
Sorry Billy, we meant DFDS Newhaven Dieppe.
Ah, that explains it 
I’ll feed back when we’ve done it 
On the way down we boarded at midnight and disembarked about 34 hours later which left time to make headway accross Spain towards home. Two nights on the ferry was a little tedious though. Going back in December we board (in Santander actually) at 12:00 and arrive at 20:00 the following day. I prefer that timing.
That’s pretty much the same time as Portsmouth to Bilbao, which I suppose it should be. I did a very early start in Portsmouth and arrived at Bilbao in time to get to Bayonne for a relaxing evening meal and sleep. I was lucky to have very calm sailing though in the first week of October. It may be not so relaxing at other times of year 
The old Cherbourg to Dublin route can be rough in December and January too, especially coming around Land’s End. Hopefully the Santender to Rosslare route will keep well west of all that.
I am French, I travel to England 3/4 times a year to see my daughter. The most interesting financial option remains for me from Dieppe to Newhaven (by DFDS), I pay between 120 and 180€ for a car and 1 to 2 passengers. (more expensive in December when I go after the 24th… If anyone has better plans, I’m interested!
No not really, its very cost effective if the route suits as it does me because I avoid a couple of tolls that other routes would include and 1.5-2 hours of additional fuel burning. Adding those costs up and then compared to other routes. Big bonus is the over 60’s discount now and its a no brainer.
It is also especially good value if you go for less than 120 hours (ie 5 days) from departure. The route is heavily subsidised by the department which also helps.
Welcome to Survive France Léo!
Yes I mostly use the Newhaven-Dieppe route as it is almost always cheaper than Brittany Ferries Ouistreham-Portsmouth or going all the way up to Dover/Calais - but of course it does depend where you are coming from and driving to on each side of La Manche - more time on the road can remove the difference.
I’ve just booked myself a trip to Charente from UK for mid-June, and this time I am travelling outbound Newhaven-Dieppe but returning Ouistreham-Portsmouth - partly to see if I like the Brittany ferries ship better and also because it saves me an hour’s drive on the return journey.
This time the price is not too much more than going back via Dieppe - only £11 / €13 extra for the Brittany Ferries crossing (with my motorbike).
As you know the price does depend a lot on which day you travel and at what time!
It would be nice if Eurotunnel would bring back the carnet - although intermittently available, in some periods the price worked out ok per trip with added flexibility.
Also worth just occasionally checking cashback sites. Also check.options buying on each side of the channel - sometimes there can be difference in some of the pricing that is worthwhile. Sometimes one ways can work out better than returns as well
2 Likes
In cash terms Newhaven-Dieppe seems cheapest, and if that’s most important then it’s probably your best route. I like the speed of the tunnel, but it is becoming expensive.
What amazed me recently was the price difference depending on vehicle, with DFDS.
The same sailing:
Motorbike £33
Car £71
Small van (but this is already long and high) £222 - think up to 6m long and 4m high
But must say I’m a bit confused as my van is essentially a large car (VW Caddy) so although it is essentially a van, it fits the sizing of a large car 
I wonder how DFDS would see it