New Account Request Form

Credit Card FAQs:

Do you retain my credit / debit card details?

We do not hold your credit card details on site or in our system. As a result of new legislation under the Payment Card Industry Standards (PCI) we do NOT retain details of your credit card. When obtaining your credit card details for the 1st time, the information is entered directly onto an online 3rd party dedicated Credit Card service provider operated by Sage Pay. Sage pay is one of the biggest independent online service providers.

From that point on we can ONLY see your name, your address, your post code, and the last 4 digits of your credit / debit card.

All transaction information passed between merchant sites and the Sage pay VSP Systems is encrypted using 128-bit SSL certificates. No cardholder information is ever passed unencrypted and any messages sent to your servers from Sage pay are signed using MD5 hashing to prevent tampering. You can be completely secure in the knowledge that nothing we pass to the Sage pay servers can be examined, used or modified by any third parties attempting to gain access to sensitive information.

What happens if I need to use another credit / debit card?

No problem. We just need to obtain the details of the card, re-confirm your address and we will input this directly into the online system operated by Sage Pay

Do you charge for credit card transactions?

We do not charge a fee for credit card transactions. We absorb this fee to make the prices as competitive as possible.

What is the difference between a passenger booking and a freight booking?

Passenger bookings are generally classed as people traveling on holiday. A freight booking must be made for all Commercial Vehicles. If you pay road tax as a Commercial Vehicle you will have to travel as FREIGHT. This includes Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV): Vans with no side windows.

Ferry operators are really clamping down on Commercial Vehicles traveling on passenger tickets. Some are even imposing a 'spot fine' on some routes, forcing the vehicle to re-book on a freight booking. The Window Rates as they are known; are usually very high in comparison to the bulk discounted rates we quote you.

By booking on Freight, this is better for you. Prices are fixed: see Do your prices fluctuate during the year? As a freight booking you will generally get a free meal along with a free cabin. Please see: Does my driver / I get a cabin / meal?

If I have a credit account, when is payment taken?

Once you have completed Application for credit & Direct Debit Mandate and your company successfully passes a credit check with Credit Safe , payment will be taken on the 25th of the month, following the month of shipment. EG If a shipment is made in January, it will be taken out of your bank of the 25th February.

Is the Direct Debit scheme backed by the bank?

Yes, we are an approved Direct Debit originator with Barclays Bank. The scheme is backed with the Direct Debit Guarantee.

What happens if I hold an account direct with the ferry company?

We will NOT be able to ship you on our account on those routes where you already hold an account.

Do you offer discount for volume bookings?

We heavily discount all our ferry prices. However, if you have a particular flow of very regular traffic, please contact our Customer Service Team to discuss details T +44 (0) 7738 767 136 or alternatively email Mr. Steve Lonsdale our U.K. Sales Manager

Do your prices fluctuate during the year?

Freight Link Solutions negotiate our prices annually. Therefore, the rates we issue you are valid from January to December. However, this does not guarantee that the ferry operator will always honor the agreement. Equally at times, short term discounts are available. We ALWAYS pass these onto our client, ensuring the most competitive rates in the market pace. For the latest discounts, please see our Special Offers

Do I get charged VAT?

Freight Link Solutions is a V.A.T. registered company. Our company registration number is 842181344. If you are based in the United Kingdom, we will charge you the appropriate level of V.A.T. If you are a customer who resides outside the United Kingdom, provided you supply us with written confirmation of your V.A.T number (registered to you in your country of origin), the ferry crossing will be ZERO V.A.T. rated.

What is included in the price?

Freight Link Solutions will provide you with an ALL INCLUSIVE PRICE, including any fuel surcharge currency surcharge & VAT. Very occasionally there will be routes where the driver has to pay a PORT CHARGE. We are unable to pre-pay for these. If this is applicable, we will make you aware of this prior to travel.

What is a fuel surcharge?

Ferries burn vast quantaties of fuel on each crossing. In 2005, fuel costs increased significantly. As a result some of the ferry operators introduced a FUEL SURCHARGE which is an additional charge per booking to contribute to the exceptional cost of the fuel. The amount of fuel surcharge fluctuates significantly depending on the ferry operator. Longer ferry crossing burn more fuel which tend to result in a higher level of fuel surcharge. Some Ferry operators charge a percentage of the fare, others charge a per unit charge. Depending on the ferry operator, the amount of fuel surcharge does alter quarterly, monthly or even weekly. Please speak to our Customer Service Team on +44 (0) 844 847 9000 for a current fuel surcharge schedule.

What is a currency surcharge?

When Ferry operators / transport companies deal in multiple countries, they introduce a Currency Surcharge as a protection against currency fluctuation. The level of currency surcharge fluctuates depending on the ferry operator, and the currency.

Will I have to pay for additional charges at the port?

At certain ports there are customs charges of which we are unable to pre-pay, but you will be advised of these when booking.

Is there a cost for extra drivers?

Each ferry company views this differently. For example on Dover routes, second driver is included but Stena Line on Irish Sea routes charge up to £ 45.00 plus VAT for each additional passenger.

Does the driver get a cabin and meal ?

Generally on long sea crossing (over night / all day) a cabin is included within the price. If the ferry crossing is only short sea (2-3 hours) a cabin is not usually included on freight ticket, but rest areas are always available. Meals are usually included on a freight ticket. If a meal is not provided, the cost of the meal will be heavily discounted.