PO Ferries - www.poferries.com

- Protect my Holiday. This company offers insolvency cover. www.protectmyholiday.com

Port of;

Port of Dover. www.doverport.co.uk

Calais Port Authority. www.calais-port.com

Ferry news from the Ferry industry magazine. www.interferry.com/news

Ferry news from Ferry Publication magazine. www.ferrypubs.co.uk

Ferry news from Lloyds List. www.lloydslist.com

- Say NO to 0870. www.saynoto0870.com

With the most frequent sailings P & O Ferries remain a popular choice with regulars.

Overall though they are the most flexible of the cross channel companies - you can easily re book (if you change your plans for example) without too greater risk of a penalty.

New Dover to Calais ships from December 2010

P&O Ferries has signed a Letter of Intent with the Finnish shipbuilder, Aker Yards, to construct two new ships for the Dover to Calais route.

The first of these will enter service in December 2010 and the second in September 2011, replacing the Pride of Dover and the Pride of Calais.

The new ships will be the largest ferries ever to operate in the Short sea sector and, at 210 metres in length, will be the largest ships capable of fitting into facilities in the Channel ports.

With space for more than 160 articulated lorries they will double the freight carrying capacity of the ships they are replacing, whilst additionally providing a third vehicle deck for up to 250 tourist vehicles. Facilities for up to 1,500 freight drivers and passengers will set a new benchmark in quality standards.

These ships will be as environmentally friendly as possible, offering significant advances in fuel efficiency. The company will also be selecting eco-friendly materials in their construction and intends obtaining for them a "Green Passport" issued by Lloyd's Register.

With this investment, P&O Ferries, the largest ferry operator on the Strait of Dover, is planning to capture growth in the freight market, currently running in excess of five per cent per annum, whilst also serving the premium tourist market with a superior on board offer.

The company, and ultimately its customers, will also benefit from the huge economies of scale and lower running costs that such large ships can offer.

New budget airline style booking system!

From the PO Ferries website;

"Extensive market research conducted as part of our Business Review showed that the quality of our service and getting better value for money fares are important to our customers. We are therefore developing a new, simpler, low cost, airline style pricing policy for implementation during 2005, to ensure that you can easily access more flexible and attractive fares. Our prices will vary, based on demand and time of booking, offering great value if you book early.

Our on board service and offer is also being developed to ensure we deliver a quality, hassle-free, affordable and relaxing service that matches your requirements."

Long overdue in our opinion, although we are worried how this will affect the best advantages of travelling with PO FERRIES - i.e. The flexible approach which suits ferry travellers, who are more likely to be delayed.

Minicruises from Dover - "Car park shopper" tickets

From Dover you can enjoy the luxury of a 'Cruise à la Carte' minicruise, the convenience of a 'Car Park Shopper' minicruise or a combination of the two.

The non-landing Cruise à la Carte package allows you to sail out to Calais as a foot passenger in the ambience of the Club Lounge, then enjoy a three course meal in the exclusive onboard Langan's Brasserie on the return trip.

With Car Park Shopper you can drive on board, park your car, then 'shop till you drop' safe in the knowledge that everything you buy will be carried to you car ready for you to drive off back in Dover.

The best news is if you spend more than £400, PO Ferries will refund your 'Car Park Shopper' fare. To get your refund, quote 7869 when you pay for your purchases.

From the PO Ferries web site; "With our great onboard deals you can stock up for those special occasions, parties and impromptu get-togethers. No need to be concerned about how much you can carry, as our staff are on hand to help you load your vehicle, ready for you to depart upon returning to Dover."

All about mini cruises

Club Lounge

Upgrade to Club - its worth the extra.

Few people seem to pay the extra for the Club Lounge - but it really is worth the extra £12 per person. For example the newspapers are free and there is a choice. The coffee (you should get through at least two cups) is free and comes with a selection biscuits and chocolate. Normally coffee costs £1.40 per cup at the Coffee Company franchise elsewhere on board, and allowing £2.00 for the biscuits and newspapers, the actual cost of the Club lounge is much less than £12. There are often French Lifestyle Magazines for free - on our last journey they were giving away French Magazine (normally £3.99).

Well worth it when you consider the plush surroundings and excellent views, as well as the nicer toilets. Some lounges even have a shower to use.

You can even sit back and enjoy the view from our spacious lounge while their free Personal Shopper service collects your onboard purchases for you.

The only downside is that you cannot get a cooked breakfast, but the range of sandwiches is excellent. The scrambled egg and smoked salmon breakfast is generous. Club plus costs £16 and includes Priorité loading (£12 on its own) - excellent value in our opinion. Prices quoted are for each leg of the journey and per person.

It gets cheaper if more than one of you is travelling. For example, with two people in the car, Club costs £12.00 each but Club Plus (with Prioirité loading) is just £15 per person.

All Club bookings are fully flexible with no cancellation or amendment fees. It costs a bit more to upgrade once onboard. For even greater flexibility, don’t forget to book their Priorité service, allowing you to board and depart first.

Club plus offers particularly good value at just £18 for Priorité and club lounge (car and driver).

Prices quoted are for each leg of the journey and per person.

Cruise a la Carte Champagne

Cruise a Carte CHAMPAGNE, fine dining and the chance for a little offshore shopping come together in the Cruise la Carte package with P&O Ferries - perfect for a treat at £65 per couple. The trip features a return crossing on the Dover - Calais service and includes a champagne aperitif in Club Lounge on the outward sailing, followed by a three-course lunch or dinner in Langan's Brasserie on the return. There's even a personal shopper service so you can snap up on board bargains at low French rates of duty without lifting a finger. Full details at www.POferries.com

Last-minute special offers - cheap tickets

When are the cheapest fares?

Dover to Calais

Book in advance, travel off peak, regularly check prices (they change depending on how full the boat is).

BOOK through Day-tripper.net - PO ferries often have special offers for our visitors only. Latest offer - £25 day trip to Calais

Tips to save more

When sailing to & from Dover

* travel on the lite nights service and save up to 40%

* sail weekdays Sunday to Thursday

* look out for additional late offers throughout the year

When booking

* choose a low fare sailing.

* always book online.

* collect your ticket at check-in on the day of travel to avoid an extra charge

* book through your travel agent or pay by debit card to save you a £4 credit card booking fee (this applies to phone bookings only)

* plan ahead and avoid amending your booking to save you £5 per modification

* avoid cancelling your booking to save on cancellation charges.

Whilst on Board

Access to the car deck is forbidden during the crossing - make sure you have everything with you before leaving your car.

Lock up your car and leave it in gear with the hand brake on.

Cars powered by LPG should have their tanks switched off when on vehicle decks.

Do not carry petrol cans on board - full or empty. Do not overfill your tanks.

Loose gas cylinders must not be carried. Make sure gas cylinders, cookers and fridges in caravans are turned off.

No smoking is permitted on vehicle decks.

Illegal immigrants

Your car or van will be searched before you board the ferry in Calais. We suggest you leave everything in view. Do not even think of trying to smuggle people in your car. The French are now jailing offenders.

The ferries; Calais, Dover, Canterbury, Kent, Aquitaine, Provence, Burgundy

P & O Ferry Timetable - sailings

although the frequency of P & O Ferries sailings mean there is little waiting time for another ferry, even if you are late, sailing times change frequently. Their web site does caution that "all times are subject to change". We have found the morning sailings quite different to those listed and that times change frequently - ring before you go to be absolutely sure about travel times. Remember that you could be hauled in for a security check, which takes only a few minutes but may mean missing the ferry you raced to get to.

Buying in Bulk - how it works

P & O Ferries have a bulk buying scheme which has some great benefits. You have to hand in the order on the outward leg when you pay for the goods and get given a Priorité Boarding Pass for the return journey. The goods are take to your car on the return journey. The scheme only covers alcohol and is restricted to certain items, although the range is quite large. You have to spend at least £125

PO Ferries also sail to Zeebrugge from Hull and Bilbao from Portsmouth

Latest Offers - www.poferries.com

On board shopping

Beer is cheaper on board according to our surveys.

BEST OFFERS ON BEERS!

BEST OFFERS ON WINES!

BEST OFFERS ON SPIRITS!