Ferry Marina Discount

[Graham47]

On their Facebook page, Ferry Marina are now offering 30% discount on boating holidays from 5th to 26th April. Looking at their website they seem to be very light on bookings so far this year. Going forward  I won’t be booking early next year unless I can see that boat bookings are improved and there may be a chance that I won’t get the choice I want.

[SwanR]

We have thought the same about booking next year. We usually do book anything well in advance to be sure of getting exactly what we want. And I've never seen Ferry Marina offering discounts before but of course they are under new ownership now I believe. So we may just wait until a few weeks before we want to go and see what's about.

[andyg]

I also saw this yesterday and called them, yep it's True I enquired about a boat and couldn't believe the size of the discount. Think we will take advantage of the offer.

[marshman]

Methinks it is very much more about the fact that Easter is so late this year! That money is never recouped!

If you assume that it will be available next year, you might well be disappointed - you need to check the dates for Easter 2020!

[Meantime]

I mentioned this on another thread, but the school holidays for Easter start next week. Schools are trying to move the holiday either before or after, or over Easter depending when Easter falls to keep to even length term times.

Easyjet have just reported poor bookings for the whole of the Summer season. Is this not more about Brexit uncertainty, than Easter being late? 

I note that Cambridgeshire, much like Essex breaks up for Easter 5th April and they go back on the Tuesday 23rd April. Next year when Easter is earlier the school holiday is 2nd April to 19th April, pretty much the same dates as this year.

[DAVIDH]

25 minutes ago, EastCoastIPA said:

Easyjet have just reported poor bookings for the whole of the Summer season. Is this not more about Brexit uncertainty, than Easter being late? 

I think that is more likely the situation. It should logically have no bearing on what we plan and do as a Broadland holiday is in the UK. No passports, no green-card insurance, no wondering how your reciprocal health rights abroad will be affected, yet historically these events do seem to affect sentiment. Nobody in the travel trade likes a World Cup summer as people forget about booking until it's over - even though you can watch any match in almost any pub across the country and abroad. General Election times are also a problem. It's as though the mind gets concentrated on something to exclusion of anything else. As far as the Broads are concerned, I can see (according to my rough and ready figures) that bookings appear to be around 20% down for Spring Bank and around 10% down for the summer school holidays compared to last year.

[RS2021]

Hoseasons are advertising 10% discount for Easter and May 1/2 term. Seems to cover Bridge Craft, Silverline, Summercraft and Brooms.

Looks like a tough market out there.

[Meantime]

Yes, I think it is more than just Easter. Barnes are offering 10% discount over Easter on boats and holiday homes. With an additional £10 for booking online.

They are then offering 20% off mid week breaks from Easter till 21st May and 15% off if booking two weeks!

[dnks34]

I see it as school holiday week prices may well be getting to expensive for a lot of people when weighing up whats actually on offer.  

 

 

[NeilB]

2 hours ago, EastCoastIPA said:

I note that Cambridgeshire, much like Essex breaks up for Easter 5th April and they go back on the Tuesday 23rd April. Next year when Easter is earlier the school holiday is 2nd April to 19th April, pretty much the same dates as this year.

In Warwickshire they break up the 12th and go back the 29th, we often seem to be out of sync with large parts of the UK.  As I've 3 children it saved me a fortune on flights a couple of years ago, sadly the holiday companies seem to have woken up to our different dates !

[Graham47]

I have just looked at bookings on the boat I have at Easter and there is 1 week booked April, 2 full weeks and 1 short break in May'

No bookings in June and 1 week in August. 

[Captain]

Hi,

I am a bit of an anorak when it comes to boat bookings, interestingly the overall booking weeks are quite good compared to previous years however the weeks that are down are peak periods, school holidays etc. September is doing well yet in July/August some boats are aren't out at all! Therefore suggests its familys who aren't booking. Certain boats are out come what may (ex Swan boats). The yards wont be liking this as the big money is made in the school holidays, out of season bookings are never going to make up for in season rates.

Neil

[Meantime]

Neil you can borrow my . It should also be remembered that it is the closed season till 17th June so no fishing folk out either. Historically I think it has always been quiet between Easter and the start of the worm drowning season.

[KaptinKev]

Lets face it, boating this time of year is no fun. The weather can be hit or miss, no fishing allowed and most of the time I doubt a 13.5 tog duvet would be enough for the nights we have on the broads. A boat on the broads is just the same as a motor bike on the roads, a warm sunny day just makes it ten folds oh so much better.

[SwanR]

25 minutes ago, KaptinKev said:

Lets face it, boating this time of year is no fun. The weather can be hit or miss, no fishing allowed and most of the time I doubt a 13.5 tog duvet would be enough for the nights we have on the broads. 

Was that tongue in cheek KaptinKev or were you being serious? Our few days afloat were fabulous.

[vanessan]

10 minutes ago, KaptinKev said:

Lets face it, boating this time of year is no fun. The weather can be hit or miss, no fishing allowed and most of the time I doubt a 13.5 tog duvet would be enough for the nights we have on the broads. A boat on the broads is just the same as a motor bike on the roads, a warm sunny day just makes it ten folds oh so much better.

No spirit of adventure!  A sunny day can warm a boat up in no time (assuming it has reasonable sized windows) and a good heating system sorts out the evening  and early morning chills. Empty rivers and moorings have a lot going for them. (A 9.5tog duvet is quite enough for me out of season and a 4.5tog otherwise.) We were moored in Fleet Dyke a few days ago when a hire boat arrived around 3pm. On went their heating immediately and it was on until late into the evening. Then on again first thing in the morning. We left and toddled slowly round South Walsham Broads, the heating was still on when we passed by again. Yes, the weather can be hit and miss but, as long as you cater for the bad stuff, there is so much to enjoy this time of the year - particularly the lack of anglers. 

[SwanR]

15 minutes ago, vanessan said:

there is so much to enjoy this time of the year 

Completely agree. We are more than likely to repeat the experience of hiring in March. :)

[grendel]

I used to ride my bikes 52 weeks of the year, the best was the bmw r80 rs that with handlebar mitts and heated grips kept your hands warm, your feet were right under the cylinder heads, and the rest hid behind the fairing, I once rode it 20 miles home on sheet snow and ice, got all the way home then dropped it outside the house on a drain cover that was clear, when the front wheel dropped into the hole in the snow as I turned into the drive. many a time I have removed the snow breastplate an inch thick after arriving at work.

[KaptinKev]

39 minutes ago, SwanR said:

Was that tongue in cheek KaptinKev or were you being serious? Our few days afloat were fabulous.

I was being serious as our weather can be hit or miss really anytime of the year. You can get some lovely weather this time of year and believe me, when you wake up on a bright sunny morning, you do wish you were waking up on a boat on the broads.

But then this morning we had 0 degrees centigrade on the outside thermo and the heavens did open up today.

That is not for me broads or biking weather.

[Seagypsy]

1 hour ago, KaptinKev said:

Lets face it, boating this time of year is no fun. The weather can be hit or miss, no fishing allowed and most of the time I doubt a 13.5 tog duvet would be enough for the nights we have on the broads. A boat on the broads is just the same as a motor bike on the roads, a warm sunny day just makes it ten folds oh so much better.

Yes weather can be hit and miss we had great four days mid March, last year same time was the Beast from the East but I have to agree with V and SR right clothes and heater of needed

[SwanR]

Each to their own KaptinKev, thank you for your reply. The first time we went in March we had some clear sunny frosty mornings. This year it was more grey skies than blue and admittedly we counted ourselves as fortunate not to have any rain and only one breezy day. I guess it's about being prepared for all eventualities and for us the joy of the quiet rivers outweighed the extra layers required. :)

[Seagypsy]

15 minutes ago, KaptinKev said:

I was being serious as our weather can be hit or miss really anytime of the year. You can get some lovely weather this time of year and believe me, when you wake up on a bright sunny morning, you do wish you were waking up on a boat on the broads.

But then this morning we had 0 degrees centigrade on the outside thermo and the heavens did open up today.

That is not for me broads or biking weather.

Have you seen the snow up North yesterday and today

[KaptinKev]

3 minutes ago, Seagypsy said:

Have you seen the snow up North yesterday and today

Sometimes the way our weather goes, we could have deck chairs out on Christmas Day. 

[ExSurveyor]

No such thing as bad weather,  just the wrong clothing

[grendel]

7 hours ago, Seagypsy said:

Have you seen the snow up North yesterday and today

was snowing down south too yesterday, yet was 6 degrees outside.