Côte d'Albâtre
Operated by DFDS Seaways
Côte d'Albâtre
Operated by DFDS Seaways
Operated by DFDS Seaways on the Dieppe Newhaven route
The Côte d'Albâtre is a modern ship offering optimum comfort whatever the sailing conditions with excellent onboard facilities including a panoramic lounge, a bar, a restaurant, a boutique, WiFi, children's play areas and high quality cabins.
There's a choice of 50 cabins, all of which are en-suite. A cot is available upon request at the reception desk. In terms of seating, there are high quality sleeper seats set over 2 lounges (1 private and 1 in an open area) and recline fully to turn into 2.1m long horizontal beds. The Côte d'Albâtre also has free standard type seats so that you can relax during the crossing.
All tastes are catered for at 'Maupassant' - a pleasant self-service restaurant offering superb value for money as well as a children’s menu and vegetarian options.
Onboard the Côte d'Albâtre there's a range of specially selected alcohols, tobaccos, perfumes, toys, books, cameras and chocolates, as well as gift ideas and daily newspapers.
There's a number of areas set aside especially for children with play-zones, video games and cartoons to keep children of all ages entertained.
There is a cabin that has been specially adapted for passengers with reduced mobility. Unfortunately there is no access to the Open Space (economy) sleeper seat lounge for wheelchair bound passengers.
Please Note: Whilst we have taken great care in making our Côte d'Albâtre guide as accurate as possible, onboard facilities, services and entertainment may vary depending on the date and time of year that you travel, facilities mentioned may change without notification and ferry companies reserve the right to operate vessels other than those mentioned at time of booking without prior notification.
out of 5
72% of our customers recommended this ship
"Perfect app, perfect trip. Thank you!!!"
Everything just great!!!
"WHY PAY MORE?"
I booked crossing from Dover to Dunkirk. On arrival at Dover I was told our 0800 sailing was cancelled due to technical problems but was offered an 0740 crossing to Calais which I took. The ship was very quiet but very clean and appeared new. The Premier Lounge was very well presented and operated on a self service basis. It would have been good if we could have ordered a warn sandwich etc. Embarkation and disembarkation was efficient and quick. A big negative for me was the the additional cost of £10 because I added the Premier Lounge after making my original booking. I could have avoided this unfair charge by going direct to DFDS to make this addition. Why book with Direct Ferries??
"Superb trip"
This was the first time we had used DFDS and it certainly won't be the last,punctual,clean and tidy ferry,staff very pleasant and professional,couldn't find fault at all.Thanks to all concerned.
"Unloading "
Last car to leave the ferry. 1.5 hour..as usual this overshadow rest of the journey
"Lovely friendly multi tasking staff - did their best"
This trip to and from Newhaven was trouble free with the exception of a 30min delay getting off in Newhaven due to a missing passenger for a vehicle! The staff were lovely on board, the ground crew both side of the channel smiled and made good eye contact with clear directions. The seating facilities were comfortable and selection of food and snacks and beverages good. However the food from the cafeteria was cold. two meals where taken back but the queue was go big we ate spaghetti and beef stroganoff cold. The toilets were very dirty, scum around the taps, stale urine smell, broken cracked tiles, no soap and generally terribly old. The Spanish lady in the shop was superb, changing soap when told about it, amazing people skills and very good at sales. A credit to the experience of travelling with you.
"great trip"
Excellent choice of ferries. Half an hour from home no hassle with negotiating the M25 or long queues at Dover and Calais. Willchoose this route on future. Eryl williams
"Return to England"
We have enjoyed the trip in spite of the very early sailing, the breakfast was very good, the quiet lounge had plenty of seats and the staff was pleasant. I can recommend this ship.
"Excellent trip"
Excellent trip, ferry left on time, food was good on board, a very enjoyable trip.
"Good route but not so the ship/crew"
The route was excellent. The four hour crossing provided time to relax and eat without rushing. The ship is a little tired in places and the staff announcements were inaudible. The cooked food left much to be desired. It had been around 'too long' before serving. I found it necessary to heat it up by use of the microwave! The disembarking at Newhaven was a major problem. It took almost an hour to get off the ship (deck 5). It became very hot and uncomfortable and there were no staff around to tell us what was happening. People became 'worried' by the situation. Evacuation from deck 5 would have been a major problem should it have become necessary. Still do not know what the problem was - problem with the ramp? I will use the route again to avoid the 'jungle' at other ports. Will also spend more time in Dieppe next time as we enjoyed the town and the seafood restaurants. May I suggest that the staff announcements on the ship are made audible and that staff communicate more - please.
"Newhaven dieppe"
Nice boats lots of seating , easy on and off for cars . Limited cafe at ports, but enough for coffee etc . Food was nice onboard , and all in all a better option for that side of France , cutting off 2 hours down towards Rouen . Rough return trip , but that's the weather .
"Return from France"
We thought that it was a pleasant experience but was let down by very poor catering.
"Night ferry from Dieppe to Newhaven"
Once we were on the ferry everything was fine. The cabin was quite basic- tea and coffee making facilities would have been nice. We had a welcome snack when we got on board... We were quite hungry- the cafe at the port was closed. We had arrived at Dieppe in plenty of time, but why were we told to arrive an hour and a half before departure? Nothing happened! Then... After passport control we sat for ages waiting for all the lorries and trucks to drive on board. If cars could have gone first we could have got to our cabins and settled down to sleep instead of sitting for hours in the car.
"Efficient and comfortable"
My wife and I travelled with our car. Booking and checking in were astraightforward, the crossing was calm, staff friendly, and all was done efficiently
"Ferry to Dieppe"
Apart from the gents toilets on side of one deck being locked and unavailable for use on the return trip I wouldn't criticise this service at all. I shall be happy to use this service again. I didn't use the catering but it all looked fine but the main thing was we were comfortable and on time.
"Great trip"
We have travelled between Newhaven and Dieppe twice on DFDS and it is so easy - there is no problem at the port at either end and no drama boarding or disembarking. The ships are clean and comfortable and I would not hesitate to recommend DFDS to anyone travelling to France and beyond.
"Convenience and Efficiency "
Thank you, once again, Direct Ferries - and DFDS Seaways, for a quite restful sea crossing, Newhaven - Dieppe. We wouldn't chose any other route.
"newhaven crosssing"
very happy with the crossing as I have always used dover but now I will use newhaven
"First time"
First time travelling this route, the ferry boarding was efficient the staff on board friendly and helpful. Despite a delay the ship managed to catch up on some time. Cabin on the Newhaven/ Dieppe crossing was spacious and clean. Unfortunately the catering on the return journey let the company down and I suffered severe food poisoning, not ideal when you have a 550 mile journey ahead of you. I am sure this would be a rare occurance and would not put me off using this service again.
"Friday evening on the ferry"
It worked! The loading & disembarkment went OK. The ship was comfortable enough. the food was expensive. Why did wee need to be there 90 minutes ahead of departure? My return trip with a different line only needed 45 minutes. all in all I will use them again
"Good trip"
Check-in was simple, loading efficient and the ferry was punctual. The staff were helpful although the chef was extremely vocal with his colleagues! Exchange rate was shocking which made the food expensive but the food was enjoyable. I think it would be useful to label the Reception desk as Information desk or change the announcements to say that information is available at the Reception desk. Hand dryers in the toilets weren't very effective but the facilities were clean. The shop wasn't open for long enough and opening and closing times weren't announced On the whole the journey was fine; the vessel left and arrived on time which is always a must as far as I'm concerned
"Unhappy ending "
Despite a beautiful crossing the whole experience was ruined by your disembarking system. We arrived early as advised and we boarded 7th or 8th from the first queue. Despite docking on time 1530 we were the last vehicle off and therefore last through customs and left the dock at 1640! The knock on meant we hit the M25 at the peak period. The delay meant that instead of driving home (East Yorkshire) we had to get a hotel overnight. It is extremely unlikely that I will use this route again.
"Good Channel crossing"
Newhaven-Dieppe & return went very smoothly. First in queue nearly last on but we are a campervan. Good loading and good customer service on neat ship. Would recommend crossing in 4 hours with no hassles. Food and accommodation good. Will definitely be traveling this route again into France.
"September trip"
Well priced crossing with few frills but so what, it's only four hours. The quality of the food is average with an above average price but no real complaints. The staff are friendly and competent. Newhaven as a port leaves a little to be desired but you're through fairly efficiently and able to use the ship's facilities. Cheap, more than cheerful, and value for money.
"France for the first time."
I didn't know what my expectations would be on my trip to Dieppe or how I would manage going on my own. The ferry crossing was really good and the customer service was excellent. Dieppe is a lovely city and there's so much to see and do, the restaurants around the quey all want your trade and the prices are amazing. The French people are just lovely and I'm planning another trip before Christmas, I travelled up to Reoun and spent the day exploring the old City. See you again soon. Sean
"Our trip to Europe"
We have always travelled with direct ferries as they make it so convenient and easy for us to travel. The staff are extremely helpful and friendly and nothing is too much trouble for them.
"Effective client of a little tired "
A nessecary journey made with a company with little competition. The travel organisation was great. But the facilities are a little old tired and not as clean as they could be. The welcoming crew were great, we did find one tetchy member serving food on one of the two boats we used but everyone else gave great service. The seating areas were adequate but a little uncomfortable for the duration... Not as good as modern coach seating. The biggest area for improvement was the toilets all of which needed a deep clean. Superficially usable but too few for the number of people using them and the hygiene regime appeared to lack attention to detail.
"A good crossing"
We were very pleased with our crossing from Newhaven - Dieppe at the end of August. Couldn't fault the ferry itself, spacious, clean and decent enough facilities. Ideally would have had slightly more for children, particularly younger children to fdo, perhaps a more substantial soft play. Also the price of food etc on the crossing is pretty steep which is although sadly anticipated, still disappointing. The only other disappointment was the lack of facilities prior to boarding. A place to get a decent coffee and snack would make a fortune! On the same note, Newhaven port itself could do with a spruce up, not a fortune spent but it's not the most glamorous vision to meet you on depart/arrival.
"Very Smooth Operation Indeed"
This was my first ferry crossing in a car and was very impressed with how organised it was. No delays and the efficiency of boarding and disembarkation was excellent. Ship was spacious, comfortable and food was pretty good too. Well done DFDS :-)
"Trip to see French friends"
We had a very pleasant journey in comfortable seats. Just two points which could have enhanced the journey. The only way to buy a cup of coffee was through a token-operated machine and as I wished to have coffee when the cafe had closed this was difficult. We did not even try on the return journey! As foot passengers we arrived 90 minutes before sailing which seemed unnecessary - 60 seems more reasonable as we are taken on board last. Could the length of time we are left waiting the arrival of the truck with our luggage be shorter as we had an onward journey to make?
"France"
The sail was a good experience and lovely and smooth. The food 2 crosiants 1 coffee and 1 tea were expensive and not very good quality. £9 It also took a very long time to disembark.
"Impressive Cabins"
We invested in a cabin to get a bit of sleep before a long drive in France and were very impressed with the cleanliness and comfort the cabin afforded. There was no exceptional noise from the neighbours, just the gentle engine hum and swashing of the sea as we cruised over. We had time for a bit of breakfast before tackling the French roads. A great start to our French road trip.
"Great journey"
Great journey from Newhaven to Dieppe (& return). Left on time after an unhurried check in and boarding. Clean comfortable cabins. Pleasant ships with everything we needed. Good hot food. Great cup of coffee from the upstairs bar! Although fairly small there was a well stocked shop. Overall very pleased with sailing this route. Would use this route and DFDS again.
"Great journey"
Great journey from Newhaven to Dieppe (& return). Left on time after an unhurried check in and boarding. Clean comfortable cabins. Pleasant ships with everything we needed. Good hot food. Great cup of coffee from the upstairs bar! Although fairly small there was a well stocked shop. Overall very pleased with sailing this route. Would use this route and DFDS again.
"Mill pond"
The sail from Caen to Portsmouth was excellent, easy access to the ship, staff so polite and the facilities on board was tip top. A very enjoyable trip
"Efficient Service"