I am writing this page with lots of details about the preparations, supplies, and arrangements we made for spending the summer in Europe in our own RV. Hopefully, this will be of assistance to anyone thinking about doing the same.
We started by reading everything out there from the Pioneers who have already done this. Some of these websites/blogs included: Papillontravels.net; Ourtravelswithrover.com; and Eurorv.BlogSpot.com. We also purchased the book, "Take Your RV To Europe" and even though it was a bit outdated, there was still a lot of useful information.
Shipping The RV
My first objective was to get a quote for shipping the RV to Europe and figuring which ports both outbound and inbound we would use. I prowled the internet for freight forwarding companies and had narrowed it down to three companies that all ship out of the East Coast and go to northern Europe. In the end, I decided on Seabridge because they shipped right out of Charleston and it was also the recommendation of at least two of the earlier Pioneers.
In order to get a quote, you need to have precise height, width (side mirrors folded in) and length measurements along with its weight. It turned out that exporting the vehicle is the same price no matter which northern European port we chose that the carrier served. Payment to the exporter covers only the costs in the U.S. and the importer in Europe has to be paid separately. After much internet research, I found that Belgium, and Zeebrugge specifically, was the most economical - about $300 less expensive than even the port right up the coast in Antwerp! So with that information, we received our export quote of $2793 and an import quote of about $400 (payable in cash or by wire transfer in advance).
Next was to book a date, understand all the requirements, and get the paperwork rolling.
Insurance, Propane, and Documents, Documents, Documents
In order to drive a vehicle anywhere in the EU, proof of insurance is required. This is called a Green Card. The only insurer is AIG Europe (guess what things cost when there is no competition?) and we used Thum Insurance as the agent. We could have met the insurance requirement with just liability coverage which was about $450 for three months, but from what we have heard about European drivers and accident rates, we chose to get the extremely expensive full coverage for $1,971 for three months.
One important shipping requirement is that the built-in propane tank must be purged and certified by a propane dealer. This turned out to be our biggest headache. When I started calling propane dealers, they all said they cannot purge a tank as that means you have to empty the tank, fill it with nitrogen, and then something about negative pressure. Essentially, it meant reinstating the tank to its original condition. I even called the propane dealers association and they confirmed that they knew of no one that could or would do such a purge. Back to the freight forwarder asking of just have the tank empty of propane would be okay. They said yes. Hooray! Back to the propane dealers who all said we could empty it, but they all got nervous about the certification because of remaining vapors and well, stuff. So, we decided we would empty it ourselves (which took two days because it was a full tank), and I begged our local propane dealer to just check it and write a note saying the liquid propane is gone. After multiple begging phone calls, he agreed and the job was done, but we weren't entirely sure the freight forwarder would accept it. Jumping to the conclusion, when Jack dropped off the vehicle at the port, they didn't ask for the paperwork and Jack forgot to give it to them! I called the freight forwarder, explaining what happened because I didn't want it rejected at the last minute because of missing paperwork. I did end up scanning the document and emailing it to them.
The freight forwarder handles all the customs and clearance issues on the United States side and then a Dock Receipt is issued so that we can get access to the port and deliver the vehicle. The vehicle must be there about a week in advance of the shipping date. Documents you must have to get a Dock Receipt for delivering the vehicle to the port is the clear title,power of attorney for the freight forwarder and an IRS Employer Identification Number (not SSN) in order to clear security at the port for delivery the vehicle. Once the vehicle is shipped, a Bill of Lading is created and sent to the European importer. Their document requirements are passport, proof of insurance, Original Title, Original Bill of Sale/Invoice, license plates and registration. It takes about two weeks for shipping from the East Coast to northern Europe and then they need a couple of "business" days to unload and process the vehicle through customs, etc.
Delivering the RV to The Port
Jack and I headed to the port in Charleston with our dock receipt, propane letter and all outside storage compartments locked. We were told that because this was a privately owned vehicle being shipped, that we did not have to pay for a private contractor escort ($70). When we arrived at the port, we were directed to a small parking lot outside the security gate and a port official pulled up shortly afterward to lead us in. But, only one person could go, so I stayed with the car and Jack followed the official in the RV. He met with another official who took our dock receipt, signed and returned it. Jack made sure to kill the coach electric to preserve our batteries on the two week long voyage; and although we forgot to fold the mirrors in, we called them afterwards and they did it for us. If the mirrors had not been folded in, the price would have escalated by hundreds of dollars as it substantially increases the square footage.
Prepping the RV For European Standards
Propane
Since our 25' Winnebago View has an 18 gallon built-in propane tank used for refrigerator (when not plugged in to electricity), furnace, stove burners, and generator, we will need to fill up the propane tank in Europe. Although there is a proposed standard fitting for all of Europe, most of Europe has not switched over yet. That meant I had to order multiple adapters for several countries. Again, the Pioneers provided a source in England, Tinley Tech that knew exactly which adapters we needed and shipped them directly to our home.
Electric
The RV works on the U.S. standard 110 system, but Europe operates on 220. So, we needed to purchase a step-down voltage transformer and regulator that would also even out the uneven current that can be found in some European campgrounds. We purchased a heavy duty 3,000 watt system. Again, the Pioneers saved me from making a mistake because I figured if 3,000 was good, bigger would be better. No So. We were warned that if the transformer is too big, it can blow the campground circuits. We shipped this with the RV as it is quite heavy.
Fresh Water
No surprise that European water faucets have different threads, etc. than American, so our American hose will not connect directly to their faucets. Our Winnebago View does not have a gravity-filled tank option for fresh water. We have to connect under pressure and the water is pumped into the tank, so I tried to figure out what type and size of adapters we would need, but I have a total mental block in dealing with threads and diameters and pitch and stuff. Jack found what we hope will be the solution at Camping World called a Water Thief. It is basically a soft rubber attachment that will fit over a faucet and then we simply apply a clamp. If it doesn't work, Europe has hardware stores, too. And if that doesn't work, then I did purchase a collapsible 5-gallon water tank that we can fill our tank from using our winterizing sucker-upper gizmo that we use to draw up antifreeze into our pipes when winterizing. Five gallons may not be much, but it is the difference between no water and some water.
Odds n Ends
We had the RV detailed (actually a major gelcoat refurbishing and waxing) so that we will look our best for our visit, but also if we leave the RV in Europe over the winter, we wanted the finish protected.
We had tires checked and rotated and had routine engine maintenance done that would have been required within the next year or so. Although the chassis of the RV is a Mercedes and there are lots of places in Europe to have it serviced, we were concerned that it would be much more expensive there as are most things.
I learned from the Pioneers that some countries require an oval Euro country of origin decal on the back of the unit, so I ordered one online. I tried to get one at an auto parts store as recommended, but none of our local stores had them. The Pioneers also talked about the requirement for some countries to have safety jackets (attractive neon fashion colors), first aid kit and a breakdown warning triangle. Walmart to the rescue on these items.
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