Ferry Experiences with Caravans Wanted Please.

In these discussion groups I have been following a number of questions and subsequent answers to such questions, about taking a caravan abroad for the first time. I noted also a request for these worthwhile threads from Rowena, so that the Club could produce some sort of guide. One element of such a trip that may be useful to talk about is the channel crossing itself. Had I known more (but I didn’t ask), maybe I might have had a better experience.

I have just returned from a trip across the channel with a caravan, something I haven’t done for nearly 20 years so frankly it was like the first time all over again. I was wondering how best to learn from my experience by reading fellow-members’ own experiences. Mine was not a particularly happy one and it would be good to be able to change what can be changed to better enjoy another trip in the future and so that other ‘novices’ could learn as well.

Firstly I am very experienced with such trips, to France and to Ireland, 3 to 4 times a year, using ferries, both high-speed and cruise and the Channel Tunnel, but driving a car solo; so I had few worries with the actual driving and French road conditions and practices. My concerns mostly related to the crossing itself, loading and unloading the caravan and the routines and circumstances surrounding this.  

Ours is not a large caravan, a new Sterling Europa 390, but it is the same width and height as most, just a bit shorter at 5.51m; it doesn’t have motor movers and other accoutrements underneath. It is otherwise standard.

We travelled on the Portsmouth-St, Malo route, using Brittany Ferries and their vessel “Bretagne” which is nearly 25 years old in design but seemed well maintained.

Upon checking in and pre-boarding, both ways, I was rather surprised not to be asked if my gas supply had been made safe. I had turned it off at the cylinder and made sure the cylinders were secure before the road journey to the port, but for all Brittany Ferries knew (or cared) I could have had a fridge running on gas for the entire crossing both ways. Surely this is a failing in safety procedures?

Loading and unloading was OK, taking it very slowly so that jockey wheels and things underneath didn’t get bumped. What shocked me however was the casual way in which Brittany Ferries actually loaded those with caravans on the car deck. Vehicles were squashed so close together that it was almost impossible for passengers to get into and out of their cars without banging doors against caravan walls alongside and denting them. On the outward trip I observed a considerate family taking the utmost care alongside us and we escaped damage; not so on the way back, as we now have a nice dent in a brand-new caravan which can never be fixed properly just covered up with a reflector.  

Between caravans the space was as a little as 30cms, so passengers carrying overnight bags had to squeeze between them to exit the car deck. All it needed was a metal fitting on a bag or an item of clothing and you had a lovely scratch on your pristine paintwork.

My general conclusion from this is that I will not risk using cross-channel ferries again and have written to Brittany Ferries informing them that I will not use their services again. I await their, probably feeble, apology. Making as much money as possible by cramming as many vehicles together is more important than taking proper care of their clients property, and an apology is easy. Knowing Eurotunnel very well, of course you do not have other vehicles parked alongside you and from solo experience they are a lot more safety conscious. Since returning from France I contacted them and they explained in clear and concise terms how they load and unload and with such reassurance they will be our carrier next time.

Insurance is all very well, but a dent repair on a pristine caravan wall can never be as good as the undamaged wall in the first place.

I can’t believe members just accept that their property is going to be put at risk.

 

What I should like to learn is what do other members do?

• Do you accept the risk?
• Are other carriers or crossings better?
• Excluding issues of cost and flexibility about which I have read, is there a downside to Eurotunnel?

Thank you all for any time you can spare.

Peter Cartledge.