Norfolkline VIP lounge

6009 Views 19 Replies 12 Participants Last post by Stanner, Jul 7, 2009

IslayJura

Discussion Starter · Jun 9, 2009

I've booked my Norfolkline crossing for July. Does anyone know how I can get cheaper tickets for the VIP lounge?

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· #2 · Jun 9, 2009

IslayJura said:
I've booked my Norfolkline crossing for July. Does anyone know how I can get cheaper tickets for the VIP lounge?

First Class travel

For that extra level of service and comfort, our cross-channel sailings between Dover and Dunkirk offer a First Class travel option.

Save 20% by upgrading to our First Class lounge now for just £9.60 per person, each way (£12 per person, each way when purchased on board)!

The First Class lounge is not accessible to children under the age of eight.

Book now to save 20%

Our special guests are entitled to a number of extra benefits:

* Exclusive seating area, spacious and luxuriously appointed
* Perfect for business or relaxation
* Complimentary newspapers to read
* Priority load and discharge, ^restrictions apply
* Complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits
* *Full bistro menu with the addition of open top sandwiches will be available for purchase and served to your table. Please note hot food will not be available on night sailings
* Complimentary 1/4 bottle of wine is included with all meals purchased

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Grizzly

· #3 · Jun 9, 2009

Hi and welcome to MHF.

One of the clubs- Caravan or Camping and Caravanning- used to offer a two-for-one on VIP lounge seats BUT I think you had to book with them.

We've used this facility a couple of times with Nrofolkline and each time vow we won't do it again. It's very comfortable- free papers and a self-service breakfast with wifi and a calm quiet lounge but, the crossing is just over the hour, the boats are new and comfortable anyway and, because of the clientele and route, not usually crowded. There are plenty of quiet comfy corners in the boat and you can buy breakfast and a newspaper .

We've done it with P&O as well and would do it again then especially at busier times or if there are lots of school parties around.

Just my thoughts....

G

tonyt

· #4 · Jun 9, 2009

Hmmmm, a newspaper with tea and biscuits for £9:60

.

I think I'll stick to the third class deck, sit in a comfy chair by the window, read my 50p paper and have a decent coffee for £1:50.

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· #5 · Jun 9, 2009

tonyt said:
Hmmmm, a newspaper with tea and biscuits for £9:60 .

I think I'll stick to the third class deck, sit in a comfy chair by the window, read my 50p paper and have a decent coffee for £1:50.

With you on that tony. I always find Norfolk Line cattle class to be more than adequate for the 2 hour crossing. Foods very good too.

Zebedee

· #6 · Jun 9, 2009

Yep. Me too.

The "canteen" staff are pretty good too, and nothing like the jobsworths on some other ferries. :roll:

If you are really starving, wait until most people have gone through then give them a bit of friendly banter. The food only gets chucked in the bin if it isn't all sold, so they never mind piling your plate up if it's obvious there will be very few more customers.

As others say, for less than a couple of hours I'd stand all the way for £23 return - but I do have problems prising my wallet open at times!! 8O :lol: :lol:

The posh lounge would have doubled the cost of our recent crossing!! 8O

Dave

Addendum. More than double if it's a tenner per person each way????

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IslayJura

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 9, 2009

Thanks

Thanks for your replies-sounds like the boat's nice enough not to need the upgrade then! Hmm. that means I've saved the cost of another ferry booking...

derek500

· #8 · Jun 9, 2009

When we cross, normally late at night early morning, the boats are nearly empty.

We take a flask of coffee and some pastries on board. The free wifi is available throughout the boats and there a few electric sockets in the lounges. You'll need a French/Spanish two pin adaptor.

Rosbotham

· #9 · Jun 9, 2009

Sounds like we're the snobs then. Wouldn't dream of using Norfolkline without the upgrade, worth every penny. We tend to travel on 8am crossing outbound, so being in lounge means we can stuff ourselves with croissants and bung half a dozen coffees down my neck for the drive afterwards. Have been in a couple of times and been only people there. On return in the evening, gives a snack which is enough to see us through to our destination.

Made the mistake last time of venturing down to the canteen. Absolute hell on earth, 20 minutes queuing surrounded by sunburnt tatto-clad chavs shouting to Chantelle and Tyrone to ask what they want with their chips. When you do finally get served there's nowhere to sit as families still in queue have got brats saving tables for them. Oh for the silent sanctuary of a recliner up in the lounge.

Haven't travelled over in MH before so don't know if it applies, but for cars if you're in VIP you're also first off the boat.

As mentioned earlier, if you book via CC it's half-price, ie £5pp each way.

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tonyt

· #10 · Jun 9, 2009

Rosbotham said:
Sounds like we're the snobs then. Wouldn't dream of using Norfolkline without the upgrade, worth every penny. We tend to travel on 8am crossing outbound, so being in lounge means we can stuff ourselves with croissants and bung half a dozen coffees down my neck for the drive afterwards. Have been in a couple of times and been only people there. On return in the evening, gives a snack which is enough to see us through to our destination.

Made the mistake last time of venturing down to the canteen. Absolute hell on earth, 20 minutes queuing surrounded by sunburnt tatto-clad chavs shouting to Chantelle and Tyrone to ask what they want with their chips. When you do finally get served there's nowhere to sit as families still in queue have got brats saving tables for them. Oh for the silent sanctuary of a recliner up in the lounge.

Haven't travelled over in MH before so don't know if it applies, but for cars if you're in VIP you're also first off the boat.

As mentioned earlier, if you book via CC it's half-price, ie £5pp each way.

Well thet last time I travelled with my family - wife, daughter Chantelle and son Tyrone, we did spot a couple of people tut tutting in the queue but we just ignored them and shouted louder.

Seriously though - it must be down to which sailing you're on. I've crossed dozens of times, mostly very early or very late and never seen anything like you describe in fact on many crossing I've wondered why they bother with car/mh passengers as there are so few.

This £5 jobby you get from CC, I assume you have to be a member to get it at that price?

Rosbotham

· #11 · Jun 9, 2009

tonyt said:
This £5 jobby you get from CC, I assume you have to be a member to get it at that price?

Would have thought so, yes.

May have been a one-off last time we were on Norfolkline...from memory it was around August bank holiday, on a Friday night- absolute carnage though. Wouldn't say that Norfolkline are any worse or better than anyone else from that standpoint, but the upgrade to VIP is an easy way out.

Grizzly

· #12 · Jun 9, 2009

tonyt said:
Seriously though - it must be down to which sailing you're on. I've crossed dozens of times, mostly very early or very late and never seen anything like you describe in fact on many crossing I've wondered why they bother with car/mh passengers as there are so few.

I'm with tony on this one. We've done lots of Norfolkline crossings, mainly mid-morning or mid-afternoon and have always had a half empty boat with very few, if any, children and indeed not many people at all. Most of them have settled down in a quiet corner and read throughout the trip.

Now if you're talking P&O or - worse- SeaFrance- then the noise can be awful and, if I was going in high season on one of their crossings then I'd go for the VIP lounge.

G

Hymie

· #13 · Jun 29, 2009

Lounge Upgrade

We have used the lounge 4 or 5 times - and only paid for it once!.

All the other times i just asked politely at check -in if an upgrade was available - and was succesful more times than not.

Happy Travels

JockandRita

· #14 · Jun 30, 2009

Rosbotham said:
Haven't travelled over in MH before so don't know if it applies, but for cars if you're in VIP you're also first off the boat.

Most MH's of the 3mtr height variety, are loaded onto the freight decks with the trucks and coaches, so no early dis-embarkment there then. :wink:

Jock.

IslayJura

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jun 30, 2009

VIP Lounge

Thanks for the tip about asking poiltely for an upgrade - I'll try that! Now, does anyone know if any of the restaurants are any good?

Grizzly

· #16 · Jun 30, 2009

Re: VIP Lounge

IslayJura said:
Thanks for the tip about asking poiltely for an upgrade - I'll try that! Now, does anyone know if any of the restaurants are any good?

In total you'll only be up on the passenger decks for a little over an hour ! Hardly time for a leisurely meal, decent or otherwise. Have a snack on the boat and go somewhere when you arrive in France.

G

framptoncottrell

· #17 · Jun 30, 2009

If you book NorfolkLine through the Caravan Club you get the crossing cheaper than booking direct and you can have the VIP lounge at half-price - £6 now instead of £12. If you forget to book, you just show your CC membership card to pay on board. (I don't have the nerve to ask for a free upgrade.....) I travel on the late night sailings. I've found that NorfolkLine loads the HGVs first so that if the boat is anything like full, all the non-VIP sofas have drivers stretched out on them by the time I am loaded. The VIP lounge has been a quiet haven, giving nearly two hours rest and free drinks and snacks. Well worth £6.
With a VIP ticket you disembark almost first so that is a minor bonus.
I recently travelled P&O and have to say that their First Class lounge is better than NorfolkLine's... But dahling, the class of P&O's cattle-class customer is soooooo common :roll:

Dr (musical, not medical)

Rosbotham

· #18 · Jul 7, 2009

As a postscript to this, having travelled over recently, I'd note that the club service has been significantly downgraded since last year.

Now, the offering is free tea/coffee/latte, biccies, OJ, peanuts and papers. Unlike last year, no free danishes, croissants, cola, wine etc, although there is waitress service of the stuff from the balcony restaurant (chargeable).

Mrs R and I discussed it, and felt it was good value on the CC half-price deal, but probably isn't worth the full price. That said, at half price, the difference was enough to pay for a full breakfast to be delivered to the table.

I've some gripes at the level of service...on the outbound there was no papers (although I noticed there were none anywhere else on board either), and a lady spent much of the time locked (un-noticed) in the loo due to a dodgy catch. On the return, the latte and cappucinno functions on the coffee machine were nackered.

steco1958

· #19 · Jul 7, 2009

Upgrade

I have always used the lounges, always paid the extra, as we go across usually at the begining of the school holidays, I know there are going to be some responses to this, but most times the boats are full of scouts, cubs, girl guides, and brownies.

I can do without all of that hassel and noise.

Stanner

· #20 · Jul 7, 2009

If travelling north from Dunkerque I've found it worth travelling Ramsgate - Ostende with Transeuropa Ferries.
It's longer on board but saves around an hours driving (if the B****y A.16/18 isn't ground to a halt like it has been the last few times I've used it) and a couple of gallons of fuel each way.
Mainly trucks, usually only a few cars/m-homes and NO COACHES so you can often have a whole lounge to yourself.
The truckies have their own segregated area so won't nick your sofas.

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