France Ferry Crossing

Trip cancelled by company 2.30pm day of sailing. No compensation other than cancelling or alternative cheaper trip to Rotterdam. No compensation offered. No help offered by port representatives at Hull. Information offered about customer services did not include contact details. Poor overall service by a large ferry company for one of their advertised Mini Cruises. (Reason for cancellation, celebration in Amsterdam of returning losing football team.)

Beware

Dover-Dunkirk then Dunkirk - Dover (Norfolk Line)

The efficiency of the service from start to finish could not be faulted. Embarkation and disembarkation was remarkably swift and efficient.

The vessels used were the Maersk Delph and the Maersk Dover. Both craft were clean and comfortable but not luxurious. There are adequate toilet facilities and a large semi exposed area for smokers. Sky News TV seemed to be on every bulkhead these can at the Captain's order be switched to forward facing Cameras which travellers will thoroughly enjoy when docking.

Sadly the experience was let down by the appalling standard of food. I cannot emphasise just how bad it was. Suffice it to say that the worst motorway food would be given Michelin 5 stars in comparison. The shop too was very expensive and there were no 'deals'. A 10p cigarette lighter was on sale at 99p.

Norfolk Line are part of Maersk. Who are one of the biggest if not the biggest shipping line in the world.

Would I recommend them? Absolutely yes. For £18 return for 2 people and a car the price is wonderful. Plus of course for those zipping over to buy their Baccy Dunkirk is just a few miles from the border and the small town of Adinkerke in Belgium which is given over almost wholly to Baccy shops.

However if they hope to make up for their low fares by selling food then they need look to their laurels. I did not get to use the Truckers Restaurant and must assume the same low standards apply, if so this is a grave marketing mistake as those people are the backbone of the Cross Channel Ferry Trade. I recall how the now defunct Sally Line were renowned for their grub which encouraged Truckers to use their services even though Ramsgate isn't as easy as Dover to negotiate with a large vehicle.

We were upset to find that it was called a new boat. Very old revamped. Not very nice in our opinion, dirty and grotty, very poor staff too in our view, not one Irish staff to be found.

The last time I returned from France by ferry the experience left me more than simply satisfied; this customer was highly delighted with the service.

From the clean, spacious day cabin with its ingenious foldaway beds, to the attractive sun deck where I basked in the last golden rays of the holiday, the experience left me looking forward to my next trip.

As a bonus, I'd managed to find my favourite brand of toiletries in the well-stocked on-board boutique. By purchasing in bulk I reckon I saved £30 on shop prices back home.

Other family members seemed equally impressed, important when travelling as the enjoyment of the journey can so easily be spoiled by a bored, fractious child or tired partner desperate, but unable, to get their head down for a nap.

This is where cross-Channel ferries have a huge advantage over other forms of transport as they offer the opportunity for that well-earned break from driving, a chance for your body to refuel and entertaining diversions to keep boredom at bay.

Facing fierce competition for passengers in recent years, ferry companies have been re-inventing some of the simple pleasures enjoyed by travellers of old. This has meant striving to make peoples journeys a memorable part of their holiday for all the right reasons, with quality and choice high on the agenda.

For example, the ship we sailed back to England on last summer offered three different dining experiences; a restaurant, self-service cafeteria and snack bar each featuring a good range of food with something to suit all budgets and not a burnt pizza in sight!

With the desire to acquire an indispensable part of modern life, all self-respecting cross-Channel ferries offer passengers the opportunity to shop. Ours was no exception and featured not one, but three pleasant boutiques, each selling a wide variety of different wares, catering for all tastes and pockets. It was a far cry from the pile em high, sell em cheap approach of the old duty-free shops where you edged your way between shelves of rattling bottles, elbowing fellow passengers out of the way to reach the bargains.

However, perhaps the most popular attraction for our family was the on-board cinema. Not that my wife or I ventured in, but it was a huge hit with our teenagers allowing us to doze on the aforementioned sun deck, disturbed only by shrieks of laughter from the younger children enjoying the juggling exploits of the kids entertainer.

Although ours was a day crossing, we decided to book a cabin and this made the journey all the more pleasant. The cabin served as our base, a personal space where we could deposit our bags and purchases, regroup, share a drink, nap, shower even. Five hours flew by and, before we knew it, it was time to go on deck to view the fast-approaching English coast, which was on this occasion wreathed ominously in cloud.

We disembarked feeling relaxed, revitalised and ready for the long drive home through unremitting rain.