DFDS Transmanche Ferries Newhaven-Dieppe Sept 2022. Cross Channel service review; Cote d'Albatre.

We took a return trip with DFDS in September 2022 (not 2020 as in the title card- sorry!). Join me as we take a look at how they provide the Newhaven to Dieppe cross-Channel ferry service on their 2005 built Cote d' Albatre.
We find a decent full English breakfast, a far more convenient service than Dover-Calais, lots of really good outdoor space on deck, some duty free bargains, but some maintenance problems on this ageing vessel and a mystery restaurant....
My ratings section with good and bad points is at the end and I have put these to DFDS, who hopefully will provide some answers.

[@mentonish]

It’s nice to see this service is back on line. In the old days this service was run by British rail, docking in the town centre thanks for the review, looks better than todays P&O

[@TefsTravails]

Thanks for your comment, John. Before my time but I have seen a video of it docking right in the centre of Dieppe which must have been handy for the day trippers wanting lunch and in those days it was a much earlier departure from Newhaven so could actually be done as a lunchtime day trip but I think they're catering for the freight market mostly now.

[@thisisus.504]

Blast from my past. As a kid in the 70's, I could get a one day passport type form and go to Dieppe for the day from Newhaven, as we often did. Living in Brighton, it was the destination for our local schools. I'm certain the operator then was Sea Link. Such happy memories, plus, did loads of fishing as a kid in that area. Lovely to see. Thank you. I shall now subscribe.

[@TefsTravails]

You're very welcome! Glad it brought back some happy memories. I remember doing a school trip to France in the 90s and instead of passports, we had official UK government ID papers printed on green card and signed by our Headmaster! Simpler times!

[@thisisus.504]

@@TefsTravails YES, that's it, green paperwork from the post office. I can picture it now, asking a neighbour (copper) to sign the picture!!

[@franc9111]

I used to use the service between Dieppe and Newhaven quite a lot. I used to bring a group of French hikers over to walk along the South Downs Way during a long weekend .Ascension Thursday is a national holiday or bank holiday in France. Before we had a direct rail passenger service from Paris Gare Saint Lazare to Dieppe Maritime, leaving at 11 am. This no longer exists and the Dieppe Maritime railway station has been demolished. The port of Dieppe has now been taken up with pontoons for yachts and other leasure craft, which means that it is no longer accessible for ferries. They've had to build a new ferry port outside below the cliffs to the north. The last time we came by train, we had to change at Rouen and we arrived at Dieppe-Ville. That means that you have walk out to the new port as there is no bus service available between the two. On the return journey, we had to ask the SNCF to lay on a special coach service to get from Dieppe to Rouen. As the ferry was arriving in Dieppe, they announced that foot passengers could transfer to the train. This was incorrect, at the time of arrival of the ferry in Dieppe there are no services available whatsoever for foot passengers to go anywhere

[@TefsTravails]

Interesting comment, thanks. Yes there are some videos on KZbin of the Sealink service docking in the middle of town. Much more convenient for the foot passengers.

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

As Dane (The home of the DFDS Shipowners) and a shareholder, I thank you for the use of my ships! It seems to be a Line which DFDS has bought, so I'm sorry to be told that it isn't the normal standard of the rest of our ships, but I hope it will be corrected at a time? 🤔

[@TefsTravails]

Hej Carl! I'm not hopeful of a refit to be honest. They have been in this livery for over a decade and someone in the comments suggested that the ships were actually owned by the local French chamber of commerce so perhaps they're just operated by DFDS under licence? I would use the service again though as it's far less hassle than Dover Calais or the tunnel.

[@TheYamesh]

@@TefsTravails That's right - Transmanche (and ships) are effectively owned by the council of Seine Maritime and DFDS have a contract to operate the service for them (it used to be LD Lines).

[@sidweazel2883]

A key factor is cost!

[@horsenuts1831]

Did this journey in about 1989 for a weekend away with my girlfriend at the time. The ferry used to dock in the harbour in the town centre. I remember coming back really well because the regular ship had got itself grounded and they hired a communinist era Polish ferry (and crew) as a temporary replacement. Your broken toilet seat is a minor setback compared to THAT boat! I see that Dieppe looks just as grimy now as it did then. But I do remember it being a very quick port to get through.

[@TefsTravails]

I can only imagine that boat! We went into Dieppe for the Saturday Market and that was actually very good, with lots of decent lunch options. The old days when she used to dock at Quai Henry V would have made a nice sight for everyone sat at the cafe with a beer!

[@jeremymoyse]

The bridge can be annoying but you can both get in and out on the east (dock) side of the river from Lewes, and that's where most people will want to get to anyway, although sometimes the traffic caught by the bridge will lock this up. I used the ferry back for the women's world cup. Agree with the comments that it looked a bit tired but it's nowhere near the price of the ferries in the niddle and west of the channel - it seemed more geared for trucks. But it worked well and there's and OK Premier Inn, with a Sainsbury's next door, very close to the port - so handy for an overnight or stocking up if that works better for you.

[@TefsTravails]

Yes, the prices online are very reasonable for DFDS Newhaven Dieppe. I would use it again.

[@vivianhughes9347]

Thank you for a very well presented and informative video. I am travelling over to France in May and I think I will give this service a try. I will be motoring from Cambridgeshire and it is exactly the same distance to Newhaven as it is to Dover. Plus Dieppe is slightly nearer to my destination in France. It also looks a much quieter route - almost like going out through the back door! I like the idea of a daytime cabin for just £30 - will be nice to relax and break the journey. Thank again. I liked your style of presentation - and the shots of the harbours. The Nissan Micra comment really made me laugh! Cheers! Vivian

[@TefsTravails]

Very glad you liked it Vivian, many thanks ! Yes, I found this route Way less stressful than Dover Calais. Hope you have a good trip.

[@malcolmtaylor8919]

Very informative video - prob the best- thnx 19:13

[@TefsTravails]

Thanks for your comment!

[@alanwheeler3696]

There is a reason why the boats are still painted Transmanche. I believe the service is backed and tendered by regional authorities. The boats are owned by Siene-Maritime or basically the region in France.

[@TefsTravails]

Yes it would appear that DFDS are simply the tendered operator of the Newhaven Dieppe. It used to be LD lines some years ago.

[@richardstreet7518]

Never known the ala carte restaurant to be open on this service... and I have been on these two ferries many times..

[@TefsTravails]

Yep it's a shame as a long lunch could be a pleasant way to spend some of the 4 hours on the Newhaven Dieppe ferry!

[@richardstreet7518]

Try comparing the cost with Brittany ferries... can't justify the difference!

[@davidwright9139]

I use it yearly and it’s cheap but not very cheerful , ak the staff at the bar or the cafeteria.

[@eddielloyd4070]

the video was quite good until it came to your review which was a tad over the top ,,not knowing how much you paid ,just does not add up ,,as for minor issues in the toilets ,well these ships are in constant use and it is the travelers that cause these issues ,,ferries do exactly what they say on the tin ,they take you from a to b ,,,the staff are always bright and cheerful considering that they live on these vessels for weeks at a time ,,

[@TefsTravails]

Indeed, the staff were helpful and spoke good English as I noted on my review.

[@Abibamfordxx]

Do you have to go up to the top while in transit?

[@TefsTravails]

No, you can stay inside the entire crossing if you want.

[@franc9111]

If you mean - do you have to leave the car decks ? The answer is yes. On most ferries it's standard practice to leave your vehicle and go up to the passenger decks for the duration of the crossing. Obviously on the kind of ferry that you see in Scotland, for example, that goes just a short distance across a loch, that wouldn't be the case. The most extreme example of ferrying a car that I can remember was in the early 1980's whilst boarding a small fishing boat to get to the Island of Aranmor in Donegal, when we all had to lend a hand to push a car onto a pair of planks that were placed slanting sideways across the boat.

[@harryboy3305]

@@franc9111 😊

[@MrPantss]

Nope can’t watch a video in 480 resolution…. 1080p is the minimum sorry 😂

[@jrobertsoneff]

I done this trip back in the 80s on a big ferry called the Londoner ,ehere it docked u got off into the town cenre.

[@steveluckhurst2350]

Newhaven ferries are not aimed at the leisure traveller. Their core business is freight. It is indeed the preferred route for many companies given that the country is accessible without the dreaded M20 and Dartford tunnel ! As such the vessels are more than adequate. PS. If you come via the A26, you don't touch the A259 !

[@TefsTravails]

Wrong side of the river for the A26 but its still very convenient- much more so than Dover or Folkestone.

[@simondavey7787]

Thank you for a very comprehensive review. Did DFDS respond to your points?

[@TefsTravails]

Sadly not, but I know they viewed the video as the view count went up during the period it was set to private and only they had the link!

[@aurelienammeloot1230]

The ships belong to the chamber of commerce of Seine maritime (Rouen region) and DFDS is merely contracted to run them. Hence the livery and branding which is different from the Dover routes. General state of the ship interior reminded me of some worn out cafés you can find in France…

[@TefsTravails]

Thank you, I didn't know that about the ownership of the Transmanche DFDS ferries.

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

I have only done this journey once in each direction and that was way back in 1955 when I think it was operated by British Railways and it was a good service. Nowadays, if we do take the car it is via the Tunnel which is, a much more civilised way to travel especially as the memsahib gets seasick

[@TefsTravails]

I've seen pictures of those old British Railways ships where they had silver service waiting staff. Now that's civilised! Mind you, definitely no seasickness in the tunnel.

[@Alrahim32]

Amazing video

[@TefsTravails]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@fumanchu9701]

The ferry looks like a dive

[@TefsTravails]

It is quite tired in parts I agree. Good thing though is that there's loads of space outside so if it's good weather you can spend the entire voyage in the sun with a pint or several!

[@paulholmes458]

My parents moved to Seaford 2 years ago and they see ferry going between these two ports virtually everyday. I am trying to encourage them to take a trip on it and visit Dieppe so this is the first video we put on. OMG, with all due respect what a depressing, moaning, monotone, depressing video. Thankfully afterwards I was able to find some alternative upbeat, positive videos instead.

[@TefsTravails]

Thanks for your comment, glad you got something from this video of the Newhaven Dieppe ferry with DFDS.

[@GuentherSteiner92923]

Sounds like Paul couldn’t convince mommy and daddy to go on the ferry. It was actually quite an entertaining and informative video.

[@TefsTravails]

@Guenther Steiner Thanks for your kind comment! I am still quite new to making videos so mine aren't perfect yet, but I quite enjoyed making this one, and glad someone likes my dry sense of humour! All the best!