DFDS Seaways - Grrrrr!!!!

[Dave Davenport]

Was planning on doing part of the North Sea cycle route from the Hook of Holland to Esbjerg (Denmark) in August but DFDS seaways won't let you on their ferries without a motorised vehicle in July and August

Have e mailed them asking them to explain the reason for this policy and why a bicycle is not a vehicle when it's listed on the choose type of vehicle drop down list on their booking page. I'm not intending to let it lie!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Policy must have changed because I was on their ferry on the Esbjerg route last July.
Its Irish ferries that are causing me issues - you can book 2 adults but only 1 bike per booking, so will have to make 2 bookings instead!

 

[Brains]

Now having been in the Shipping industry for over 30 years I can actually see the (skewed) logic behind this decision!
The reason is very simple. Economics.

A ship on this sort of a run, makes a massive loss during the winter months, it would actually be cheaper to tie it up and sack the crew, however like a shop during February where the outgoings exceed the incomings, you don't close the shop and sack the staff for the Feb-April months

June-August is the only time these ships run at a real profit, and they make the money by the lane meter of the RoRo deck, and as the ship is running at maximum passenger capacity a cyclist is quite frankly a pain in the arse

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

can't see anything on the site I use for DFDS that says this policy - in fact the oppostite
I randomly picked 14th July 2011 on the Harwich to Esbjerg route and it has allowed me to select 2 adults and 2 bikes without issue.
can't upload the screenshot, but seems no issues at present - went from this link

 

[Dave Davenport]

can't see anything on the site I use for DFDS that says this policy - in fact the oppostite
I randomly picked 14th July 2011 on the Harwich to Esbjerg route and it has allowed me to select 2 adults and 2 bikes without issue.
can't upload the screenshot, but seems no issues at present - went from this link

It wouldn't let me book bikes on line so I e mailed them and got this back;
Good Afternoon.

Thank you for your recent email.

At the moment you have to have a vehicle to travel in July and August.

I am sorry if this has caused you any problems.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Many thanks.

Barbara Godson.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

It wouldn't let me book bikes on line so I e mailed them and got this back;
Good Afternoon.

Thank you for your recent email.

At the moment you have to have a vehicle to travel in July and August.

I am sorry if this has caused you any problems.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Many thanks.

Barbara Godson.

Curious because on the 12th July (14th was fully booked) it let me get all the way through to putting payment details in...
does seem odd though

 

[Domestique]

Is a bicycle not a vehicle ?
It also doesnt allow a booking if you opt for no vehicle,

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

on DFDS a bike is a vehicle and is in the drop down list to choose. they also ask how many vehicles and you can select 2 and then set both to bikes.
Emma

 

[Domestique]

No joy for me, wanting to travel 30/7 from Harwich and returning on the 18/8.
Yet if I try to book with a car no problem.
Will try giving them a call later today, but looks as though the first and last few days of this years tour is going to involve a train to the Dutch German boarder

 

[andrew_s]

June-August is the only time these ships run at a real profit, and they make the money by the lane meter of the RoRo deck, and as the ship is running at maximum passenger capacity a cyclist is quite frankly a pain in the arse

So is it the case that with a full complement of vehicles there isn't any capacity for any other passengers at all? Bikes take up zero vehicle space on the RoRo decks.

When the channel ferries were chokka because of the Icelandic volcano, cyclists were the only ones who could get on. Full of vehicles, up to the limit of foot passengers, but still taking bikes (which resulted in people buying €49 supermarket BSOs in Calais, crossing, then dumping them in Dover).
Presumably this was a certification issue - physical space for X cars with Y passengers, lifeboats & liferafts for Z people, foot passenger capacity = Z - Y, bicycles ignored.

 

[Dave Davenport]

on DFDS a bike is a vehicle and is in the drop down list to choose. they also ask how many vehicles and you can select 2 and then set both to bikes.
Emma

It still won't let you book with bikes, this is my reply to thier e mail;


Hi Barbara, Thanks for your reply and yes, this does cause us a problem. Please could you explain why we need to travel with a vehicle and why a bicycle doesn't count as a vehicle when it's listed on the choose vehicle list on your booking page. Thanks,Dave Davenport

 

[Domestique]

It still won't let you book with bikes, this is my reply to thier e mail;


Hi Barbara, Thanks for your reply and yes, this does cause us a problem. Please could you explain why we need to travel with a vehicle and why a bicycle doesn't count as a vehicle when it's listed on the choose vehicle list on your booking page. Thanks,Dave Davenport

Something I dont understand, if you book from Esbjerg to Harwich return you can take a bike.
It only seems to apply with travel from Harwich, or rather tickets starting from Harwich.

 

[pshore]

... The reason is very simple. Economics.

If that is the case they should put a charge on bikes - supply and demand init. To be met with 'computer says no' is one of lifes head banging moments.

Do motorbikes get the same treatment ?

 

[Dave Davenport]

Haven't had any reply to my last mail to them so just sent this;

Hi Barbara,



Still waiting for your response to my last mail from ten days ago?



There are quite a few people from the UK on-line cycling community interested in your company’s response. It has also been asked whether dfds would accept a booking for a bicycle if the car rate or a higher bicycle rate was paid and also, whether if a car was booked but we turned up on bikes would we be allowed to board?



Hope to hear from you soon.



Dave Davenport

 

[Dave Davenport]

Had an e mail back saying they'd passed this on to their head office and would respond in due course.

I've just looked at the booking site again and it will let you book with a motorbike for £34, two bikes would be a tenner so that's only an extra £24, as long as they let us on when we get there. I wouldn't mind if they said there's a minimum £34 vehicle charge in July & August.