I've now just phoned Stena again and had it explained to that if I had gone ahead with my booking with Billy Nutt they ( Stena) would have hit me with a surcharge at the dockside before I would have been allowed on the ferry.
Who is ripping who off now this nasty little sordid scheme is beginning to stink.

MORE TO FOLLOW

Stephen,
Have you tried using the 'Dublin - Birkenhead' route through the Dublin Office?
Give them a call on 00 353 1 8192999 (you pay in euro and sure it's only a drive down the M 1 M'way, pop into Balbriggan on the way back for a cuppa)
also Irish Ferries run from 'Dublin to Holyhead', their number is 0818 300 400 (Irish lo-call number???), if not more numbers/sailing schedule might be on their site - <A HREF="http://www.irishferries.ie">www.irishferries.ie</A>
Nod

Cargo i use Irish Ferries from Holyhead as Noddy says give them a try its only 90 mins from Lpool.

Are you saying that Nutt charges you X without telling you that you will be hit with a surcharge?
Or is it just Stena being vindictive because you complained?

You could also try Stena Line Larne-Fleetwood route, its cheaper than their other routes but if you get a night boat then you HAVE to book a cabin, and its a 8 hour journey but all meals are in with the price of the ticket, used it myself last year and its ok.

ammo

What I'm saying is that Nutt prices your crossing based on the price for a motorhome/minibus.
Then your in the lap of the gods and if the guy at the ferry check in notices that you've paid for a motorhome/minibus and your traveling in a van you'll get hit for a surcharge.

But my question is why do the ferry compnaies not let you book directly with them at the same prices that Nutt charges?
Norse Merchant told me that it's because Billy sends them lots of people so they allow him a price reduction he then pitches at a price which is cheaper than the normal ferry price but which is still high enough to make him a profit but those people would still travel regardless if they could book direct.

Why do the ferry companies insist that they can't take a booking driectly at the Nutt price ? They have nothing to lose and ecerything to gain.

Take it from me someone in all this nasty little game is making a lot of money and it's the ordinary punter who doesn't know better thats paying for it all.
Book with Nutt and the ferry companies AND Nutt make a profit. Book directly with the ferry company and they rip you off.

It's like a cartel and if I'm right it's against the law.

Put it to Watchdog or someone.

Cargo, just get a couple of your mates and some large suitcases,
disassemble the bike and have a p*** up on the profits.
I just looked up the Irish Ferries website and noticed it is cheaper to book online.
Also why don't you check Ryanair, Dublin to Liverpool takes only 45 min and they
have specials sometimes.
Then buy your ferry ticket back in the UK where everyone is honest and they won't rip you off.

Hi Anyone needing a bike or anything else taking to or from ireland can e-mail me on <A HREF="mailto:russell@bdl-couriers.co.uk">russell@bdl-couriers.co.uk</A> or ring me on 07973 154371
I am a sameday courier with contacts all over the UK , I can always get a driver who is returning to ireland or going to ireland with room in his van (ferry already paid) who will do the job alot cheaper than the cost of you going and fetching it.
If this is advertising Malcolm, i'll understand if it has to be removed ;-)
Cheers
Russ

That's not advertising, Russ, that's a public service.

Bloody well said.

Malcolm, don't you dare pull it (!)

Not a problem Russ.

If you can provide to those that need it, then get in touch with me and let me put your services on site so that everyone can take advantage of it.

Hi Larry, I didn't and I will promote it if Russ wants me to do so.

In addition, I have a good mate who will transport bikes all over Europe and he now does it on a full time basis. An ex racer, still involved in various ways (with Ryan Farquhar for one). I have been trying to get him back on the tracks for a while now, and he has now bought himself a couple of bikes to have another go.

Neil Haslam is the name, and he can be contacted through <A HREF="http://www.classicvehicletransportation.com/">http://www.classicvehicletransportation.com/</A> which is actually advertised via the front page of the site. (Top right box which appears every now and again)

First class service, an enthusiast, one of us, and knows what it means to have your cherished possession looked after correctly.

You will not be disappointed with his service I can assure you, as he is the man who moves my bikes around the country whenever I have to.

Sorry about the plug folks, but he really is the best at what he does, in my opinion.

jeez malcolm, there's a name from the past. neil haslam. is this the same bloke that used to race at club level in the mid 80's, going well at mallory and especially darley moor? wears glasses and lives at chellaston just this side of derby? if it's the same bloke he used to be regularly found with a giant of a lad called "big" trevor herrington. neil was about as fat as a pool cue then. cor, wish i had a pound for every time i'd seen him race, provided of course it's the same neil haslam, racer of blue and white suzuki. stirred some great old memories that did.
ade!

Hi Ade, no unfortunately this one is a little bit younger than the Neil that you remember. In fact, the one I know didn't start his racing until pretty much the end of the career of the older Neil.

There's a couple of pics of Neil on his website, albeit rather small ones, taken alongside his van.

He lives nearer Chesterfield.