Ferries - do you book? or just go?

[dragon72]

I've put my bike on ferries many a time over the years.


Crossing the channel at Dover or Newhaven, or the Solent at Portsmouth, I generally just show up, pay the fare and board the next ferry available without problem.
Whenever I have made a longer crossing (eg Portsmouth to France/Spain), I have generally pre-booked the ferry, especially in peak season or if a cabin is required.

Is it really necessary to book a ticket in advance as a cyclist? I can understand them turning away a car or truck for want of space, but a bike?

The reason I'm asking is that this summer, I'm taking the Nice to Corsica ferry, a route I am unfamiliar with, during peak season, and I can't commit to a specific day as yet. Ferry companies, I imagine, would encourage pre-booking, to get a hold of one's cash sooner rather than later.

Would you just rock up, pay, and sail?
Or would you play it safe and book?

 

[psmiffy]

If it is a daytime ferry then I think you are on pretty safe ground - many ferries though require that you have a cabin - or at least a berth in one for overnight sailings - I took the overnight one from Marsailles to Bastia a few years ago in season - just turned up at the desk on the quay - had to have a cabin - but it was a reasonable price

 

[dellzeqq]

you should book between Newhaven and Dieppe - we've had plenty of people turned away

 

[snorri]

I sometimes book the outward journey, but never the return as I don't know when that will be.

 

[andym]

On that route, if you were travelling in July or August then booking would be a good idea but the rest of the time almost certainly not necessary. However Corsica Ferries are a bit like a maritime version of EasyJet (only Italian and the boats are bright yellow) so it could well be worth checking for early booking deals.

EDIT: just seen the bit about how you're going peak season. Presumably you're flying to Nice so at some point you will have definite dates so you could book then.

 

[Bluebell72]

Agree with AndyM about Corsica ferries being like EasyJet - a couple of years ago, we flew to Pisa, hired a car, and took the ferry from Livorno to Bastia.

A week later, we rolled up at the ferry terminal (we had pre-booked both journeys weeks in advance) to be told that because of some overbooking problem, our ferry was going to Calvi after leaving Bastia, then onto Savona, not Livorno, so we had to drive from Savona to Pisa (another 200km) and be on the ferry about 14 hours instead of 4! And no cabin, the ferry was rammed, it was like a refugee ship!

Good job we weren't leaving it tight to fly home! They did refund our full ferry ticket price though.

So I wouldn't trust them implicitly to get you where you want to be at the time you expect to be there!

 

[dragon72]

Thanks for the info, fellow tourists. Much appreciated insider knowledge!

I reckon I'll just have to go ahead and book.

 

[J-Lo]

Having never been on a ferry on a bicycle - I assume its a fair bit cheaper than Im used to paying for a car?

 

[Bluebell72]

J-Lo, I would have thought so, but looking at the P&O and then Corsica ferries sites, I have encountered some bizarreness.
It seems you can book 2 adults and one bike, or you can book 1 adult, 1 bike, then repeat the process again, on a separate booking??? This can't be right, but I can't see how the booking form will allow for 2, or more bikes to be booked.
So the short answer is, I don't know!

 

[J-Lo]

SeaFrance seems good, £14.50 one way - not too bad..

 

[dragon72]

Four all your info:
Just booked a daytime outward journey, Nice to Bastia, and an overnight return with obligatory reclining seat, Calvi to Nice (end July - 2nd week of Aug). Total cost €80.

 

[samid]

Having never been on a ferry on a bicycle - I assume its a fair bit cheaper than Im used to paying for a car?

J-Lo - if you go to Scotland - bikes are free (at least on CalMac ferries; you do need a ticket for yourself though).

 

[chrispa90]

If it is a daytime ferry then I think you are on pretty safe ground - many ferries though require that you have a cabin - or at least a berth in one for overnight sailings - I took the overnight one from Marsailles to Bastia a few years ago in season - just turned up at the desk on the quay - had to have a cabin - but it was a reasonable price

Wait until you are within about a couple of days from the ferry and then use the ferries online booking service from an internet cafe or campsite etc. If you cant get on the one you would like then you will probably get on the next one and you can gauge your arrival to the time of the ferry so you arent waiting around. As people have said if its just a day ferry it shouldnt be a problem but if you have to take overnight cabins then availability may be an issue.

 

[StuartG]

you should book between Newhaven and Dieppe - we've had plenty of people turned away

Me - twice (but once I talked my way through). Day ferry fills up and its a twelve hour wait till the next which is normally empty. Not many people want to be cycling out of Dieppe at 3am ... as you can book online or on an 0800 number is always worth checking first ...

 

[Dave Davenport]

J-Lo, I would have thought so, but looking at the P&O and then Corsica ferries sites, I have encountered some bizarreness.
It seems you can book 2 adults and one bike, or you can book 1 adult, 1 bike, then repeat the process again, on a separate booking??? This can't be right, but I can't see how the booking form will allow for 2, or more bikes to be booked.
So the short answer is, I don't know!

P & O's online booking has been like that for years, I've complained when I've phoned them to book but they've never seemed very interested. Just booked on DFDS seaways (Dover - Dunkirk) for 40 quid for two both ways which is good value but I had to do two bookings as their on line system has the same clitch as P & O's and it was 50% more if you booked by phone. Brittany Ferries online booking works fine with bikes, maybe it's because they're a French company!