keeping boat in France

[Guest]

I move my boat (a SHE 36) from Hamble to Cherbourg at the end of March, and I want to try and save money on travel costs if I can. I live in Hamble and perhaps there are people out there who are in the same 'Boat'. Are there methods of saving that I don't know about? Is the 'Owners Abroad' scheme run by the ferries a good idea? How do newspaper travel vouchers work? Can we put together a travel syndicate?. One person takes their car in turn with a full complement of passengers etc?
Any contribution will be most welcome.
John Barrett

 

[tony_brighton]

How much are you saving by moving to Cherbourg?

 

[vyv_cox]

Some years ago I had a friend who travelled to France quite frequently. Ferry companies at that time differed from their current structure and ownership so this may no longer apply. He found then that ownership of shares in one of the companies, I think P&O, entitled him to considerable fare reductions. There was a threshold holding above which these savings applied, but from memory it was not all that high. I looked at Brittany Ferries for the same type of savings, but at that time the company was completely owned by French farmers and shares were not sold in UK.

 

[Guest]

P&O still operate their stockholder scheme and ownership of 600 shares will entitle you to a discount (dependent upon route) of up to 50%. Eurotunnel now operates a scheme for owners of property abroad which is also quite competitive and does apply to boat owners if they can produce proof that their boat is permanently moored there, e.g mooring contract.

 

[VMALLOWS]

Last Sundays's TELEGRAPH (travel section I think) has a feature on the various shareholder perks available from most of the companies. I would however always check the current open-market offers as well. The local newspaper special deals can be excellent (especially in winter) but unless you take the paper daily you'll probably miss them.

An interesting anomoly is that you can often book a weeks holiday in a pre-errected tent or even a mobile home, complete with ferry crossings for up to 5 people for much less than the ferry alone. The ferry dates don't even have to coincide with the accomodation arrangments.