Getting the best deal on a ferry journey is one of the biggest things many people who travel for work, especially internationally, have to consider. Here’s how you can make sure you aren’t paying over the odds:
Check Which Day Is Cheapest
It’s generally best to avoid peak times but the weekend isn’t automatically the most expensive time. Each port, route, and ferry company might have different most expensive days. Supposedly Tuesday & Wednesday are the cheapest days to sail, but always check for each journey. If you can’t choose a cheaper day, then checking what time of day is cheaper is the next step. If you want to know what month is best to book in, some ferry companies have special offers in January for trips later in the year.
Book As Early As Possible
A popular travel hack (that we’d advise against) is to try to get a last minute deal. While this might occasionally work with hotels or flights, it’s very unlikely to work with ferries. Prices for ferry tickets usually rise towards the time & date the ship will leave that port. This is especially important on bigger overnight journeys, as the cheapest cabins sell out first. Some ferry operators even offer a small discount for booking more than 60 days in advance.
Cabins
Many overnight journeys require you to book a cabin, but always check because just a seat will be cheaper (which is all you would get on an overnight flight). If you are required to book cabins, it’s better to book 4 people cabins then 2 people cabins. Your team might complain but it’s only for 1 night and is far more cost-effective. Travelling together and bringing less vehicles if possible is also a great way to bring costs per person down.
Choose Your Route
Don’t automatically choose your fastest route if price is the most important factor. It might cost less to take a longer or slower route. This isn’t always possible but there are occasions when there are different shipping routes to go to the same place, or slower ferries running the same route. There might even be a significant difference between ferry operators.
Use A Travel Management Company
Using a travel management company like us is a great way to bring down all of your working away costs. We have more than a decade of experience as a business & our directors have a combined 50 years of experience, so we know what we are doing! Everyday we find our clients the best deal on their business travel, including on their ferry tickets. The other upside is that you don’t have to waste time looking for the best deal yourself! Just book a virtual appointment with us to talk about how we can help you specifically.