Booking ferry tickets

[Redmountduo]

We usually travel via Dover-Calais and have always just turned up at the docks and bought our tickets on the day.
This year we are travelling Hull-Rotterdam and it seems it is cheaper to purchase the tickets in advance.
Having never done this before i have been looking at the possibilities and it seems much cheaper to book via an agent...Aferry.com, direct ferries etc.
Does anyone have experience of booking this way or would you go to P&O direct?
Many thanks in advance.
John and Dawn

 

[Brandane]

I would get an on-line quote from both. You are right to book early though, fares do get more expensive the later you leave it. DO NOT turn up at the docks on the day and hope they are selling empty berths at a discounted price; they don't!

 

[oldfatfool]

I have used Aferry in the past, as mentioned get quotes from them all and make sure you check for any booking/ credit card charges

 

[Terry Kay]

I've always booked via ferrysavers.com never had any problems and if I remember correctly they show a few routes with different despatch times to get the cheapest..
Shame to hear about seafrance going under.. They had always been the cheapest Dover to Calais!

 

[vernon]

I found no difference between the booking agent prices and the ferry company prices for Newcastle - Amsterdam.

It is though, apparently cheaper if booking from mainland Europe. Some Germans that I met on the ferry paid around 75% of what I paid for the same journey booked at the same time in advance.

 

[TheDoctor]

SeaFrance were pretty good the one time I managed to book a crossing with them and not have them go on strike.