Conference terri::cars_uk

    
    Re -1  --
    
    I have often used the "2 day returns" method to reduce travel costs for
    DEC. Works well, & the travel companies are perfectly happy about it.
    
    However, you'll have to buy the tickets on your own & reclaim it, as 
    the Amex travel office in-plant will not handle ticketing this way (or
    even the 3 day special offers).
    
    I was  in the travel trade for many years, & it always grieves me to
    see how much money we waste by lack of creativity.
    
    
    Colin

If you look at the terms and conditions of all these tickets, this kind
of thing is specifically not allowed. Of course, whether they can tell
easily when you check in may be another matter, but for example P&O have
a wonderful computerised system (running on our hardware) which produces a
machine readable ticket for "normal" crossings - I dunno how they handle
the cheapo tickets.

Peter.

    
    It may not be "allowed", but it has been actioned by me with P&O
    Reservations at Dover, & by the Seacat folk at Folkestone, with their
    full knowledge.  They took my money at their res desks as they both 
    issued sets of tickets following their suggestions ...... Of course, I 
    prompted the trade by asking whether they would issue 2 tickets, & 
    whether they objected if I chose to junk two coupons (ie outbound
    return, & inbound outward sector).
    
    No problem with check-in, even when on one occasion I returned a day 
    earlier than the date of the outbound sector shown on a one-day 
    return ... 
    
    That's rather more flexible than most airlines (or, at least, the
    Digital-approved airlines). Usual winter crossing this way tends to
    cost around 90 pounds for car plus up to 4 pax -- some local variation.
    
    Your mileage may vary, but next in use by me tomorrow ...... & will
    save Digital over 200 pds again compared to air fares, not to mention
    saving me time & giving me greater flexibility. 
    
    Not to be confused with the newspaper cheapies. You can wheel & deal
    with those, but I do not do so on business trips. They are a bit of a
    bore, filling up the ferries on the early trips that I want at short
    notice....... never used to be like that in the old days! Still, many
    of them have just finished so we'll be back to empty ferries for a few
    months.
    
    Colin

    Chaps,
    
    Hoverspeed have day returns from Folkestone to Boulougne for 25
    pounds. This takes a car plus up to 5 passengers. 
    
    I booked one a couple of weeks ago 2 days before sailing on the 11.15
    am from folkestone. 
    
    I believe that these are valid up to end of June.
    
    Just call the normal Hoverspeed number to book. (I'm sorry but I don't
    have it anymore, but it's in all of the brochures)
    
    Peter

    It's true...
    
    Currently, as a holder of 600 shares, I'm buying a 5-day return for 50
    quid.
    
    Laurie.

    What's the deal with P&O ?  
    
    A %discount on all fares or a flat fee deductions ?
    
    Nigel
    

    
    So, surely, you just buy two day returns @ 15.00 each (and only use one
    half). Or is it not as easy as that ?
    
    Beats the 100+ i used to pay for a one way crossing a few years ago.

As someone who will probably never use this information - how do the rates for 
ferry crossings compare to using the Chunnel?  Is one more convenient than the 
other for times and loading/unloading points?

Dave

    As has been pointed out (sort of) 600 shares entitle the holder to a
    50% discount on Dover-Calais (in fact, all routes except the NI one I
    think). 300 shares entitle the holder to a 25% discount. The shares are
    the 5% preferential one, not the full P&O shares, and cost about 135p
    at the moment (vague recollection from last Sat's Telegraph). There are
    also periodic special offers, such as the current day return for 15
    quid.
    
    Shares must be held by 31 December of the year before use. In other
    words, if you bought now, the discount would apply as from Jan 1 1995.
    600 shares also pay a dividend of about 30quid a year.
    
    I've had mine for 8 years, and they have paid for themselves *many*
    times over.
    
    Laurie.