:'(ok thanks robbo sps for the mug shot. i will be shot if seen now.not that i'll be working le mans week, i'll be there!!
ok a little inside knowledge cost wise;
130 crew. the captains not exactly scratching minimum wage!
50 shore side staff.
fuel. 2 types. one for out at sea and a damn expensive one for inland. less pollutant elegedly.
ship lease. nice ships dont come cheap and p+o dont own any of the ships out of pompey.
port tax. family of 4 with a car about £10 each way.
insurance
freight handling services
berthing charges-£1000 a go
bunkering_£1500 a go (poo removal)
p+o havn't made a profit out of pompey since 1992.
they used to make most of their money from duty free sales. now gone and most people buy their goods in mr eastenders stores ect,
traffic through pompey is falling which wont help next years prices either 15% down on last year.
the web site will not do anything as nobody is doing anything wrong. there is no cartel. the chunnel charges the same and they dont have the over heads. the companies have to compete with them some how.
hope this helps at all and eases the burden of emptying your banks once a year. in years to come you may HAVE to go to dover. may be