ACME goes Dutch

[jiberjaber]

It's that time of year to rush ahead and spend all them blue points.... I reckon I've got at least 23p in savings due

This is your final call! 2309 of your points will expire on December 31 2023.


Book your next trip now and pay with your points – they can be used as payment for part or the whole cost of your ticket.


If you prefer to keep your options open and have greater flexibility to change or cancel your booking, why not book our Flexi fare.

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[Deano4]

Posted this in the other ACME thread but it might be better here:

RE: ACME goes Dutch 2024

I have put my holiday requests in for next year.

Planning to book the ferry over the Christmas break.

So just wanted to confirm that the dates above are confirmed before I spend the money?

"Out: Sailing on Wed 4th Sept at 23:00
Back: Sailing on Sun 8th Sept at 22:30."

[mattc]

Perfect timing to rock-up to this on Sat 7th:
https://randonneurs.nl/hanze-6-9-6/

[felstedrider]

Perfect timing to rock-up to this on Sat 7th:
https://randonneurs.nl/hanze-6-9-6/

We were trying to work that out in the pub.  I think I might miss the group, though.

[psyclist]

Planning to book the ferry over the Christmas break.

So just wanted to confirm that the dates above are confirmed before I spend the money?

"Out: Sailing on Wed 4th Sept at 23:00
Back: Sailing on Sun 8th Sept at 22:30."

Yes, that is correct.

I’m planning to post a few more details later today. I think there’s a discount on the ferry if booked over the next few weeks. I’ll dig that out. Also some of us have points to use up before the year end.

[psyclist]

The ferry discount details are as follows:

• 15% off Economy, Flexi and Premium car, motorhome and foot passenger fares on the Harwich-Hook of Holland route
• Valid for travel between 8 January 2024 and 30 November 2024 only
• Cabins, meals, Stena Plus Lounge, arrangements, pet travel are excluded from this discount
• The discount applies to the base Economy, Flex & Premium ferry fares only. No discount on fees & dues
• Offer code: NEWYEAR24
• Book by date: 5 February 2024

https://www.stenaline.co.uk/special-offers/holland-early-booking-offer-2024

[howdee]

Is a cabin mandatory for the overnight crossings?

Can't see an option for airline style seat, only cabins.

[felstedrider]

The ferry discount details are as follows:

• 15% off Economy, Flexi and Premium car, motorhome and foot passenger fares on the Harwich-Hook of Holland route
• Valid for travel between 8 January 2024 and 30 November 2024 only
• Cabins, meals, Stena Plus Lounge, arrangements, pet travel are excluded from this discount
• The discount applies to the base Economy, Flex & Premium ferry fares only. No discount on fees & dues
• Offer code: NEWYEAR24
• Book by date: 5 February 2024

https://www.stenaline.co.uk/special-offers/holland-early-booking-offer-2024

Good call and thanks.   Whilst I won't be on this trip I have just saved 40-odd quid for my 2 trips that way next year.

[psyclist]

Is a cabin mandatory for the overnight crossings?

Can't see an option for airline style seat, only cabins.

In the past I can't remember anybody not using a cabin. I don't think they have the airline seats you refer to which I've seen on ferries to France.

People can team up to get a cabin for more than 1 person.

For the breakfast, I'm on the fence at the moment. I've always bought it previously, but starting this year they have changed the arrangements so you can only pick up things you need once. No returning to get a second cup of coffee, for instance. The other option is to take something onto the ferry for a DIY breakfast. Just need enough energy to last until the first planned stop, which might be 2 hours riding from the ferry. Route not planned yet.

[SpaceBadger]

Is a cabin mandatory for the overnight crossings?

Can't see an option for airline style seat, only cabins.

Yes, it is.

[jiberjaber]

  Fab - booked... £23 disco to due to my reward points, which was a nice surprise. and then the Newyear disco too made it just over £200

[psyclist]

ACME goes Dutch 2024

The knowns

Ferry
 - Out from Harwich: Sailing on Wed 4th Sept at 23:00
 - Back from Hook: Sailing on Sun 8th Sept at 22:00
 - Book by 5th February for a 15% discount using code NEWYEAR24
 - Book by year end if you have points expiring from last trip

Accommodation
 - free choice
 - we'll stop in largish towns providing many options
 - evening meal / drinks location will be proposed (with consideration for bicycle parking)
 - start time / location the following day will be proposed
 - this should be a better arrangement than using larger mainstream hotels to accommodate all riders

The unknowns

The route
 - will aim for 100km per day
 - plan is to include lots of 'features' on the route (ferries, places of interest, etc)
 - may feature train assist on way back, so we can explore further east than previously
 - outline route will be proposed early January

[Deano4]

Thanks for the info.

Will book the ferry over Christmas. 

[Nick]

Hoping to attend this time around!

[Toby's Dad]

I can't do that weekend at all, sadly. It's Larraine's birthday - I did suggest she might want to spend it cycling round with us but it met with a muted response...

[jiberjaber]

I can't do that weekend at all, sadly. It's Larraine's birthday - I did suggest she might want to spend it cycling round with us but it met with a muted response...

Get your ferry booked, there's plenty of time to work on bringing her around to the idea!   

[psyclist]

I've booked. I opted to have the breakfast after all. Although it's not as good as it used to be, it's less faff than trying to arrange to take somethign with me.

[quixoticgeek]

I have yet to work out what my plans are for next year. If I don't try Ruska again, I may be around for this weekend if you're open to continental gate crashers?

J

[psyclist]

I have yet to work out what my plans are for next year. If I don't try Ruska again, I may be around for this weekend if you're open to continental gate crashers?

J

That would be perfectly fine.

[Owen]

Ferry Booked 

[huggy]

Ferry Booked 

Ditto for me & Snotty, outbound breakie paid 

[Deano4]

Ferry and Breakfast booked.

I have convinced my friend Anna to come along with us too. 

[psyclist]

Excellent news that people are booking their ferries. As a reminder the 15% discount mentioned previously runs for the whole of January.

I've done some provisional planning over the break. Just need to check a few things then can advise the towns we'll be stopping in, so accommodation can be booked by those who like to get these things out of the way (= me!). Hopefully I'll provide the update later this week, or at the weekend.

[psyclist]

The ferry discount details are as follows:

• 15% off Economy, Flexi and Premium car, motorhome and foot passenger fares on the Harwich-Hook of Holland route
• Valid for travel between 8 January 2024 and 30 November 2024 only
• Cabins, meals, Stena Plus Lounge, arrangements, pet travel are excluded from this discount
• The discount applies to the base Economy, Flex & Premium ferry fares only. No discount on fees & dues
• Offer code: NEWYEAR24
• Book by date: 5 February 2024

https://www.stenaline.co.uk/special-offers/holland-early-booking-offer-2024

Just a reminder for those heading to the Netherlands in September to book your ferry before the 5th February, if you haven't already done so.

From a route planning perspective, I'm investigating 2 options as follows:

Hook -> Utrecht -> Apeldoorn -> 's-Hertogenbosch -> Hook

or

Hook -> Utrecht -> Apeldoorn -> Utrecht -> Hook

Either way it'll be circa 100km each day, and there's enough of a buffer between the point to point distances to allow for some meandering to take in interesting sights and stops. I've got the route for day 1 planned already ... it's less than 100km, so I'll not need to perform any cat herding to keep everybody on track. There'll be plenty of time!

As the towns are quite big, I'm aiming to identify a suitable place to meet for an evening meal. This will help people to get accommodation in a convenient place. If anybody has any interesting recommendations for the restaurant in any of these locations, do let me know. I'll be planning that aspect of the trip in the second half of February.

[jiberjaber]

I've stayed at a few "Het wapen"'s and also eaten in them, they seem to be a chain but not homogenised - they've been OK for group meals (We've used them on The Fridays tours too.)
I think the prices across the board are a bit more now however. I thought I had used the one in Utrecht but I might be mistaken...