[dunc360]

Hi Folks,

I am looking for those with first hand experience of crossings with P&O to Rotterdam or Zebruga from Hull in a SWB Kombi, part windowed van or any van type for that matter.

I am traveling in September in a factory SWB kombi with family (me, wife, x2 sprogs) end destination Dusseldorf. The Hull to Rotterdam option is the best option for me traveling from Scotland.

The challenge: Book as a domestic car and get a nice domestic price. Or book as a van and get to pay double. I have the option to select "car higher than 1.8m". When this option is selected the vehicle fully adheres to the dimensions required by P&O, and the price remains the same as a normal car. However I will continue to live in fear until I'm safely on board as technically I am a van "designed for commercial use".

I have read the t's and c's and its pretty clear that if I they lay down the law when we arrive then I will be classed as a van.

So what is your experience. Has anyone been burned? Or anyone who has done it recently and not had a problem?

Thanks in advance people..

FYI - P&O rules & regs:

All vehicles designed for commercial use and greater than 6.5m in length must be booked as freight regardless of the vehicle’s content.

Or deeper in the t's and c's this slightly more abstract passage:

For the avoidance of doubt, vans are defined as vehicles built for commercial purpose with (part of) the rear paneled and/or a load carrying space. Vans should be declared as such at time of booking. Car-derived vans are defined as vans derived from passenger cars with part of the rear paneled and can be booked as cars according to their dimensions.

 

[snowy55]

Hi there

You are well under 6.5m so book as a high car, if you have 2 kids in the Kombi seat and holiday luggage in the back then what else can it be?
We have a SWB Kombi and have been on the Plymouth- Santander, Fishguard- Rosslare, Dover - Calais, lots of inter island ferries in Scotland and a couple of river ferries in Ireland and its always been classed as a large car, same on the toll roads in France.T:

 

[bumbble]

Dfds out of tynemouth will be far more econonomical 4 u book as large high car

 

[AndyMo]

I did hull to zeebruga last summer with the van booked as a small camper basically it had windows but I didn't have alloys on at that point or painted bumpers they didn't check got straight through both sides of the water....

 

[phippsy444]

Hi Mate

We have lwb kombi and are doing Dover Calais and I was also confused an actually called them and asked what to book it as and after describing the van was told it is clearly not a commercial vehicle and is therefore a high car. If you book that you can enter the length and height and it would be fine, I have taken the van over twice now, once as a minibus as was the same price as car and no questions were asked,

Good luck

 

[redjo]

I went October last year over to MG in Germany using the hull Rotterdam route.
Booked as a camper, much cheaper and nice to have a good nights sleep then only a couple of hours drive, there for lunch T:

 

[benfinlayson]

The wife is currently in France in our shuttle and had no problems after booking it as a car (she went via P&O).

 

[stalbansdragon]

Hi Folks,

I am looking for those with first hand experience of crossings with P&O to Rotterdam or Zebruga from Hull in a SWB Kombi, part windowed van or any van type for that matter.

I am traveling in September in a factory SWB kombi with family (me, wife, x2 sprogs) end destination Dusseldorf. The Hull to Rotterdam option is the best option for me traveling from Scotland.

The challenge: Book as a domestic car and get a nice domestic price. Or book as a van and get to pay double. I have the option to select "car higher than 1.8m". When this option is selected the vehicle fully adheres to the dimensions required by P&O, and the price remains the same as a normal car. However I will continue to live in fear until I'm safely on board as technically I am a van "designed for commercial use".

I have read the t's and c's and its pretty clear that if I they lay down the law when we arrive then I will be classed as a van.

So what is your experience. Has anyone been burned? Or anyone who has done it recently and not had a problem?

Thanks in advance people..

FYI - P&O rules & regs:

All vehicles designed for commercial use and greater than 6.5m in length must be booked as freight regardless of the vehicle’s content.

Or deeper in the t's and c's this slightly more abstract passage:

For the avoidance of doubt, vans are defined as vehicles built for commercial purpose with (part of) the rear paneled and/or a load carrying space. Vans should be declared as such at time of booking. Car-derived vans are defined as vans derived from passenger cars with part of the rear paneled and can be booked as cars according to their dimensions.

Is your Kombi type M approval (most older kombis than a couple years are)? If so then it will clearly say diesel car on V5. If they kick off I'd show them that!

 

[JonCa]

We bought our first Caravelle new (as in first owner) a long time ago it was an C reg 1980 something. We are now onto our third one

Always been an issue with ferry companies as they are not best clear, but have always been told to book as Camper van and all pricing will be at best rate.

Always use this approach with whoever we end up and not been challenged yet.

I guess a lot is to do with what it looks like, do its looks say Van or Passenger vehicle

but as above whats your registration doc say

 

[CoBull]

Hi Mate

We have lwb kombi and are doing Dover Calais and I was also confused an actually called them and asked what to book it as and after describing the van was told it is clearly not a commercial vehicle and is therefore a high car. If you book that you can enter the length and height and it would be fine, I have taken the van over twice now, once as a minibus as was the same price as car and no questions were asked,

Good luck

I have just had the same conversation with P&O Dover-Calais helpline. I described my T5 camper and gave dimensions 2.0m high and 4.9m long. ( close enough) Very nice lady said it'll be fine if booked as a 'high' car.

PS. I Clicked thro AA site link to book P&O , nice discount applied!! £106 for return trip - 2 adults and the dog!

Cobull