Monday, November 03, 2008

Taking a Quick Look at Ferryonline.co.uk

Air travel annoyances and Eurostar hold-ups have me searching the web for alternate modes of to-n-fro. How about a ferry?

Unfortunately, I haven’t been travelling abroad as much this year as I would have liked. I reckon that, considering the shape of the economy these days, such is the case with a lot of folks. Fuel prices seem to be upping the costs of airfare – and budget airlines just add-on whatever surcharges they feel is necessary to ensure what looked like a cheap ticket is no longer a bargain.

Besides, air travel ain’t doing it for me anyway. I mean, even if I arrive at the airport hours before my flight, odds are I’m still in for some sort of unforeseen hassle and an almost endless wait in at least one winding queue of disgruntled travellers. Sometimes, as with the opening of Heathrow’s T5, the aggravations associated with air travel are enough to embarrass a whole nation! The last few times I’ve flown, the whole rigmarole left me wondering if the trips were worth the undo flight-related stress. Remember back in those pre-9/11 days when flights were cheap and you didn’t have to worry about how much toothpaste you had in your carry-on?

I’ve taken the Eurostar a couple of times this year as well and have to admit that I really love zipping through the Chunnel from St Pancras and shortly showing up in continental Europe. And, when I’ve been able to find a deal or book well in advance, I’ve found the fares to be exceptional value for money. However, with the Eurostar still operating an amended timetable following the “incident in the Channel Tunnel in September 2008,” this option is now a bit of a headache too.

So, ever-hankering to travel yet wanting to make the most of my money and time, I’ve been snooping around the web looking for alternative travel arrangements. One site I’ve come across in my research that appears to offer a valuable and reliable service (and has my brain buzzing with all sorts of potential travel exploits) is Ferryonline, which specialises in offering ferry tickets at low prices. Through Ferryonline, I could book ferries for any major European sea crossing. And check this out: for crossings where there are a number of operators, Ferryonline compares all the prices for me to see the cheapest price for the same route.

I’ve taken ferry trips before (loved ‘em) but only once in the UK and never anywhere to/from continental Europe. I’d be keen to try this method again some time in the near future and have no doubt that I’ll start my journey with a visit to Ferryonline first. The site provides the latest deals from all the leading ferry operators for both passenger and freight crossings, essentially providing folks with the option of booking any ferry journey in Europe from the comfort of their homes.

The hardest part will be figuring out where I’d like to go! Ireland, Holland, Spain, island hopping in Greece? Hmm … Whatever and wherever I decide, I’ll be sure to keep ya posted.

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