Norfolkline - www.norfolkline.com

I Travel about 4 times ayear to germany with my small Pet dog BIBI Bichon Frise.

|A Few years ago before Norfolkline were taken over the service was alot better,there was more items of food offered to customers.Sandwiches,a few cakes, these have all gone.

Bottles of mineral water have been replaced with tap water in jugs. It has been cut back alot to say the least.

The one staff member who has to work in the First Class lounge does a very good job considering he or she has to run the Lounge on ones own.

Customers must relise that the days are gone when Ferry Companies employed alot of Staff in excess. Cut backs are every where so one has a choice who to travel with.

I find DFS/Norfolkline ships very clean & Tidy, Toilets are very mall,but seem tobe clean, it is the passengers who leave them dirty thats for sure.

Overall I would say the 2 hour crossing is not that bad, Duty free shop is expensive, have seen prices rise alot in the past year.The fares have gone up quite alot when booking on-line.

However I will continue to use DFS/Norfolkline.

Thank you,

RaytheDon.

I will continue to travel with DFS/Norfolkline because it is

I have travelled by Norfolkline before it was taken over by DFDS, and it was an excellent experience - hence I chose them again. DFDS seem to have gone to great effort to repaint their ships, terminals, and replace corporate signage. Unfortunately they seem to have done little more than that, and the ships are now poorly maintained and staff seem disinterested in customer satisfaction. Outward journey from Dover was fine. On the return journey I was checked onto a crossing 2 1/2 hours later than my pre-booked crossing, and not even told until I reached the car park/holding area. There was nowhere except the car park to exercise my dog following my 5 hour drive; the car park perimeter was littered with dog excrement. Furthermore all litter bins in this area were overflowing and had rubbish piled up beside them. The passenger waiting lounge was a joke: a café was advertised, this was closed at peak holiday time mid-August. The public lavatories were stinking and poorly maintained. When I asked a member of staff about going back through passport control to walk my dog, he was surly, rude and unhelpful. I am so disappointed that what was an excellent service with Norfolkline which I very much enjoyed using has been ruined by DFDS.

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.