Eurotunnel

[snapster]

We came back to France in Sept, no questions at all about what we were carrying ( apart from lpg)
We got to Folkestone early and straight to the pet check in, where we were asked if we wanted to cross right away. We said yes, saving a 2 hr wait, but in the rush to get aboard the next train, forgot all about getting rid of the milk, cheese and cream in the fridge!
But, yesterday, we saw some friends who arrived back in our village on Thursday. They said they were asked about dairy goods at Portsmouth as, it seems, were most vehicles, and they said there were vehicles filling all the inspection bays being searched with queues of vehicles waiting for their turn.

 

[Tjay]

As we have dogs we always use the tunnel, drive on drive 35 mins later ,simples Autotrail Scout 7.5 mtrs long x 3,3 high

 

[DnK]

6 1/2 hours for me to Folkstone and do it in the day, 35 mins on Chunnel and find an overnight within 1/2 hour of arrival. Only ever did ferry once and not a good experience. Well worth the extra cost for tunnel for the simplicity and short journey time.

 

[GMJ]

As mentioned, the Tesco Clubcard vouchers make it a more viable crossing price-wise as well. Every voucher is worth treble off the tunnel crossing price, so you can get a 'free' crossing for c.£65-70 worth of vouchers (NB As another pointed out it is not fully free as there is an opportunity cost to using the vouchers on the tunnel but if you have no other things to buy with the vouchers then it is great value).

We go further than this. We have the Tesco CC and put everything we can each month on it. We then pay it off in full each month. That way we get around 25 quid's worth of vouchers each quarter - so enough for a fully funded trip a year. Given that we didn't use any vouchers this year, we have January's postponed trip to come plus enough vouchers for 2 more fully funded trips as well!

Hopefully we will be able to use them all in 2022

 

[St3v3]

The crossings were not free; the Clubcard points expended could have been used for other purchases.

You don't pay anything extra to get the points. They are free. Especially if you are using the Tesco credit card.

You could spend them on a variety of things, but whatever you spend them on is, indeed, free.

 

[GMJ]

TJBi is talking about the economic theory of Opportunity Cost I think. You spend them on X but you could have spent them on Y. Therefore the opportunity cost is that you didn't use them on Y.

We see them as 'free' as we have no need of the vouchers for anything else (spending them just on Tesco food etc at a rate of 1-1 is not really sensible when there are so many 2-1 or 3-1 offers available) so for us there is no real opportunity cost.

 

[GeoffL]

You don't pay anything extra to get the points. They are free. Especially if you are using the Tesco credit card.

You could spend them on a variety of things, but whatever you spend them on is, indeed, free.

While getting the points doesn't appear to cost you any more money, they most certainly are not free! You have to give Tesco your custom to get them (and also give them access to your shopping history and other personal data). Tesco are thus buying your business and loyalty by way of those points in the same way as Sainsburys, Argos, Esso et al. do with Nectar. At the very least, those Clubcard points cost you the Nectar points that you could have got had you shopped elsewhere...

 

[Trotter]

Anyone want to start a “Shopping at Tesco” thread?
Then we can get back to Eurotunnel lol.

 

[St3v3]

While getting the points doesn't appear to cost you any more money, they most certainly are not free!

When I buy things - not at Tesco - on my credit card, they give me points and at the end of the month it costs me no more than had I have used my Natwest card, or even paid cash. Points cost me nothing, so therefore are free.

Tesco's business decision to give them to me involves a lot more than you've even mentioned, but, for me, the points are free. There is no arguing that.

We even get points when we shop (as we usually do) at Sainsbury's lol.

But yes, back on topic...

 

[St3v3]

At the very least, those Clubcard points cost you the Nectar points that you could have got had you shopped elsewhere...

A little twist. Mrs St3v3 has just informed me that when she shops at Sainsbury's we are getting nectar points. And paying with Tesco CC, getting Tesco points as well

 

[Lee]

A little twist. Mrs St3v3 has just informed me that when she shops at Sainsbury's we are getting nectar points. And paying with Tesco CC, getting Tesco points as well

That's what happens when you marry an accountant, it's a bit late for Linda to retrain.
I must get a Tesco credit card!!

 

[GeoffL]

A little twist. Mrs St3v3 has just informed me that when she shops at Sainsbury's we are getting nectar points. And paying with Tesco CC, getting Tesco points as well

I thought you said you were going back on topic... Very well:
For you, Clubcard points are probably good value but they might not be for others. While those points might be a bonus, they are not free as they are bought both with your personal data and with the forfeiture of benefits available elsewhere:

1. If you shop at Tescos, you forfeit benefits you might have obtained from other loyalty schemes and/or potentially lower prices.
2. If you use a Tesco credit card, you forfeit the rewards (e.g. cashback) you could have had from using a different card.

Note that you can give up some benefits to obtain Clubcard points while simultaneously giving up some Clubcard points to obtain other benefits, as your wife does when shopping at Sainsbury's and paying by Tesco CC (or the other way around by shopping at Tescos and paying with a Sainsbury's or cashback credit card)!

But back to topic... Just as different stores and/or credit cards might be more attractive to an individual than others, different cross-channel routes are more attractive to people who have different priorities, and convenience is only one factor to consider. Now, the OP made their priorities known in post #1 and merely wanted to know whether it's a squeeze getting a motorhome onto the train. As several of us have reported, it is not. For that, the station is straight and they have 'manoeuvring room' on both sides of the train so as to let you straighten up along the centreline before entering the first enclosed carriage.

The maximum dimensions are 18m long (including any trailer), 4.2m high, 2.55m wide (plus mirrors) and 3,500kg for cars and light commercial vehicles but the weight can be up to the maximum carriage payload of 25 tonnes for coaches and campervans (clicky link), so pretty much all UK-legal motorhomes are fine -- although the operators might consider some heavier 'vans with windows' to be 'light commercial vehicles', and thus too heavy. So it's probably worth confirming with the operators that you're OK if you have one of these.

 

[St3v3]

I thought you said you were going back on topic... Very well:
For you, Clubcard points are probably good value

Glad we agree

but they might not be for others.

The only people that loose out in any quantity are those who don't clear their Tesco credit card at the end of the month and pay interest. You could argue you can do your shopping somewhere else cheaper, but if you're just going to one supermarket, the big ones are very similar.

If you have the time to get a bit from each, you can save a few quid. But, wherever you shop, you can still pay with your Tesco CC and get points.

While those points might be a bonus, they are not free as they are bought both with your personal data and with the forfeiture of benefits available elsewhere:

1. If you shop at Tescos, you forfeit benefits you might have obtained from other loyalty schemes and/or potentially lower prices.

Personal data? Couldn't give a flying xxxx. Forfeiture - you've missed my point about shopping at Sainsbury's, getting nectar points and paying with the Tesco CC, earning CC points. We get both.

Do you have something against Tesco by any chance?

1. If you use a Tesco credit card, you forfeit the rewards (e.g. cashback) you could have had from using a different card.

Interested to hear of any cards offering cashback - I used to have, but IMO long gone.

Note that you can give up some benefits to obtain Clubcard points while simultaneously giving up some Clubcard points to obtain other benefits, as your wife does when shopping at Sainsbury's and paying by Tesco CC (or the other way around by shopping at Tescos and paying with a Sainsbury's or cashback credit card)!

What? I don't understand. If you're saying I'm missing out on Sainsbury's CC benefits, they don't even come come close to Tesco. Oh, and it's Tesco, no 's'

Now, the OP made their priorities known in post #1 and merely wanted to know whether it's a squeeze getting a motorhome onto the train. As several of us have reported, it is not.

I said the same, two things we agree on lol.

 

[GMJ]

We choose Tesco as our main supermarket of choice so we are happy to shop there. They are welcome to collect data on my purchases - fill yer boots, no skin off my nose - it also leads them to provide me with tailored offers too. NB Any loyalty scheme will lead to data collection so its no different to any others.

As we have the Tesco CC and shop there we (everyone) get more points per £ spent there than if we used their card elsewhere. I cant remember the ratios now but I think its 1 point per £ spent in Tesco and maybe 1 point per £4 spent elsewhere...or some such.

We pay the card off in full every month by DD.

I have looked at cashback cards but I would prefer to collect the vouchers for tunnel use as for us they provide a bigger benefit than pure cash back, which we are fortunate not to need. Notwithstanding that I check any/all on line purchase with Quidco and TopCashBack before making them, to see what is available.

So to reiterate if you want to get cheaper travelling to France and you get a Tesco CC you can collect vouchers which can be trebled up to reduce the cost of the crossing. There is an opportunity cost to doing this but if it suits your lifestyle and current practices, then it is a very cost effective way of travelling.

 

[snapster]

Who is this Tesco person?

 

[Trotter]

Send me a PM when this returns to a Eurotunnel thread please.

 

[Greengrass]

Send me a PM when this returns to a Eurotunnel thread please.

Where is the Eurotunnel ??????

 

[Trotter]

Where is the Eurotunnel ??????

Right at the start of this thread. Page one, at the top. It’s a word people use. And most know what is being referred to. Like reference’s to the Premiership, when the correct term is The Premier League.
To find the tunnel that we are referring to,head for Folkestone.
To find a Tesco store, Google Tesco.com.
Hope this helps

 

[Greengrass]

Right at the start of this thread. Page one, at the top. It’s a word people use. And most know what is being referred to. Like reference’s to the Premiership, when the correct term is The Premier League.
To find the tunnel that we are referring to,head for Folkestone.
To find a Tesco store, Google Tesco.com.
Hope this helps

Well I ait going to Folkestone till they move the M25 and London with it, And Tesco's is the wrong end of town

 

[Trotter]

Well I ait going to Folkestone till they move the M25 and London with it, And Tesco's is the wrong end of town

If you’re going to use the M25 from yours, it’s time to either throw your 1938 map of Britain and it’s Empire away, or buy a crap nav