Was on phone to TT line yesterday to get prices to come up to mainland for a couple of weeks just the 2 of us and car ,bloody hell will stay at home ,after hearing the price,
with discount fair and a in a cabin $900+ returm with out cabin nearly $700 ,
We booked our trip about 4 or so months ago. I think the closer it gets to Christmas the dearer the fares are.
They say if you go onto their website in the early hours of the morning you can get some good deals. Don't know it for a fact but it's probably worth a try.
we went to Tasmania in July this year. It was cheaper for us to fly and hire a car than it was to take the van from Qld. in 16 days we only saw 2 caravans on the roads. and writeups in the tasmanian papers at the time complaining about "free camping" made me happy about the decision to leave the van behind. glad i went now that's off my bucket list i can concentrate on the mainland.
Blue and I have both been before and did the fly drive option. Didn't see half the things that we wanted to see. Time and accommodation was too restrictive.
We figure that this time we take our own accommodation and stay for near on 4 months and then they tell me we still won't see it all.
Tasmania has so much to offer and let's face it, if you go round once, head off and do it again. I bet you will find things on the second leg that you didn't notice on the first.
Can't wait. Getting excited about now, only 11 days to go.
I really want to get to Tassie at some point and will have the dogs so thought getting a cheap fare over with the van would be the most cost effective as I believe crate hire for dogs is fairly cheap. I would then free camp as much as possible and also spend a lot of time at a friend's farm.
I have lived there for 50 years, always been a fisherman/hunter/ 4x4 enthusist/camper and loved my photography and still amazes me of the places I havnt seen and nor will I ever see it all in my lifetime. The cost of the ferry is a small price to pay. Maybe it helps keep the place as it is. I have been know to do the trp in excess of 6 times a year for varius reasons and at times it is frustrating but on a whole it is a good service at a reasonable price. cheers blaze
My B.I.L. is coming over the Tassie in December to have Christmas with us, he's coming for a month, and he only paid $473 for his ticket, including his car, and he only booked that about a month ago.
Surely things wouldn't have increased by nearly $300 in just a couple of weeks. Even if you add the extra person it shouldn't be that much more. I thought the price per person was around $75.
From memory, the cost of one person can be between $69 and $75 depending on any specials at the time.
This is for an "aircraft" seat only. Anyone who has actually used one of these seats NEVER uses them again.
Therefore you have topay the extra for a cabin, base price around the $135 per person mark, based on a couple sharing.
Vehicle is a flat rate of $75. This is for any vehicle less that 2.1mts high and under 7.5mts in length.
Once you start towing ANYTHING the cost per metre is a plain rip off.
TT line are not interested in private vehicles, only passengers, they make their money from freight.
It's a pity that Bob Clifford doesn't get back into ferrying people across Bass Strait in his catamarans. They are a lot bigger than the original version and the trip takes on three and a half hours in them.
TT Line is a cruel joke on the people of Tasmania.
Dusty
-- Edited by Landfall on Sunday 30th of October 2011 04:44:14 PM
Like most of us I would like to "do Tassie" ... last year I priced taking our vehicle and 23ft van across and back and a cabin - just on the border of 'peak season' to save money.
I cannot remembver the exact $$$, but I do know that just for the cost of going from Melb to Tassie and return on the Spirit of Tasmania (excluding any cost of travelling around the island) I could do the following - and have change......
Drive car Sale to Tullamarine - long term parking for 2 weeks.
Fuel for return trip Sale/Tulla
Return airfare Melb/Launceston
Hire Ford/Holden station wagon for 2 weeks
Stay at motels or van park cabins for 2 weeks.
Even including the cost of buying meals rather than having our own in the van when added to the above did not match - let alone exceed - the cost of the Spirit and our van.
I know I can travel for about 3 months on the mainland (all costs included) for just the cost of the Spirit to Tasmania.
Economically - Tassie is unfortunately off my list.
cheers
John
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we just got back from tassie a few weeks ago it cost us about 1500 for 3 of us in a cabin with car and camper trailer i didn't think that was to bad,, i don't expect to do it again anytime soon like has already beeen said one more place to cross of the list,,,,,,,,
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I really want to get to Tassie at some point and will have the dogs so thought getting a cheap fare over with the van would be the most cost effective as I believe crate hire for dogs is fairly cheap. I would then free camp as much as possible and also spend a lot of time at a friend's farm.
Elle, you may already know this , make sure you take your dogs to a vet and get certificate's and all jabs for them before going to Tassie
At this time of the year, you would be paying peak season rates. We took our van to Tas and had 6 months over there. Had no trouble at all filling in that length of time, as there is so much to do and see. We went in Oct and came back in April - that gave us much cheaper rates. We did have cabin, though - many years ago I did a Bass Strait crossing, in seat, and would never, ever, do that again!
I did the excercise on the online booking to see what it would cost us- 2 adults 2 dogs, car and small van. Tried the day crossing to save on the cabin cost - $1300 +/- return
This doesn't include vet fees for the essential canine vaccinations etc.
Don't care if its cheaper over winter........ too bloody cold.
