Bojitoes Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 We are booked on the Brittany Ferries Portsmouth - Bilbao sailing on the 1st April, returning Caen- Portsmouth on the 3rd may. I have just spoken to the Caravan Club, through whom we booked the ferries, and they have spoken to Brittany Ferries with this result. If I cancel the bookings now I will lose 25% of the monies paid for each trip. The 75% balance will be refunded in the form of a voucher to be used within the next 2 years. If however I wait until the last minute and then Brittany cancel the sailing then I will get a full refund. The Caravan Club say this is Brittany's terms and conditions- even though I had no direct booking with them. It does not seem right to me that our FCO can warn against all but essential travel to Spain but when I try to cancel then I get penalised 25% and a voucher which in all probability will be worthless to me- I certainly cannot see us going to France or Spain in the forseeable future. Any thoughts anyone, does this sound correct? Keep safe and well Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 Well given the latest announcement banning all but essential travel into the EU I reckon Brittany Ferries could take you over there but you would not be allowed to disembark which would mean that they’re not fulfilling their side of the contract. Probably worth going back and in the light of the latest news ask if Brittany Ferries are cancelling your tourist reservation and offering a refund – although their T&C’s may allow them to offer you a voucher – check the T&C’s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 Correction - apparently the UK may be exempt from the restriction - it's all a moving target! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec176 Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 According to Brittany Ferries THEY have cancelled sailings to Spain and are only sailing there to bring travellers home so if thats the case surely you must be entitled to a refund. BF should be getting intouch with you so hang in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 Spain is closing its border from midnight Monday. Not sure if that's this Monday or next as it was only published today. The op might bear this in mind and even if they get in, they may well not get back https://tinyurl.com/updjy9t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 Just heard the French president announce that the external Schengen borders will be closed from midday tomorrow, so Brittany Ferries wouldn't be able to take you, and should refund you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 stevec176 - 2020-03-16 5:13 PM According to Brittany Ferries THEY have cancelled sailings to Spain and are only sailing there to bring travellers home so if thats the case surely you must be entitled to a refund. BF should be getting intouch with you so hang in there. As this, from the BF website. Changes UK-Spain routes: Ships serving routes connecting Spain with the UK will continue to sail. However, they will only carry passengers who must return home, therefore offering a lifeline-only service for British and Spanish for whom travel is essential. Freight will continue to be carried as normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Fuller details (dated 16 March) of Brittany Ferries's latest stance can be found here: https://brittanyferriesnewsroom.com/further-suspension-of-brittany-ferries-passenger-services/ and I’ve copied the guidance below: Brittany Ferries is suspending more passenger services as a consequence of the on-going Coronavirus crisis. This is in response to changing government policy in France, Spain and Ireland, and to protect all passengers and crew members at this difficult time. This decision has not been taken lightly, but has been taken in the best interest of all. Changes UK-France routes: Cherbourg to Poole service – Barfleur (until 23 March at least) The last sailing will leave Cherbourg tonight 16 March 2020 at 21:45 for Poole. St Malo to Portsmouth service – Bretagne (until 24 March at least) The last sailing will leave St Malo on Tuesday 17 March at 20:30 for Portsmouth Roscoff to Plymouth service – Armorique (until 26 March at least) The last sailing will leave Roscoff on Wednesday 18 March at 15:00 destined for Plymouth As things stand, sailings between Portsmouth and Caen on Mont St Michel and Normandie will continue as normal, for passengers and for freight. Changes UK-Spain routes: Ships serving routes connecting Spain with the UK will continue to sail. However, they will only carry passengers who must return home, therefore offering a lifeline-only service for British and Spanish for whom travel is essential. Freight will continue to be carried as normal. Changes France-Ireland routes: Brittany Ferries will cease its weekly rotation connecting Roscoff in France with Rosslare in Ireland. Kerry will however continue two rotations per week, carrying freight between Rosslare and Bilbao in Spain. We are systematically contacting all affected customers by telephone, email and SMS but there is enormous pressure on our contact centre staff. The speed of response may not be up to its usual standard for which Brittany Ferries apologises in advance. Passengers are being asked not to contact us by telephone but to visit the website www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/routes/sailing-updates for latest information. Brittany Ferries very much regrets the effect that this ongoing disruption will have on customers. Directors will continue to monitor the situation with a view to resuming normal service as soon as the situation allows. We respectfully ask all customers who are not booked to travel within the next two weeks to delay contacting our customer call centres. In addition, normal two-way interaction via social media may not be possible due to the volume of enquiries and availability of staff. Brittany Ferries apologises in advance for delays in usual response times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bojitoes Posted March 17, 2020 Author Share Posted March 17, 2020 Thanks Derek for this update. I have not heard from either the Caravan Club or Brittany Ferries yet so I am looking forward to their call. Thanks again Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brugge Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Spain has closed its borders from France, on the lunchtime news here in France it showed all vehicles being turned around other than for medical reasons or delivering goods. Also today l have recieved an email from the campsite we go to in Catalunya in April saying it is closed until further notice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Bojitoes - 2020-03-17 11:56 AM I have not heard from either the Caravan Club or Brittany Ferries yet so I am looking forward to their call. Bob If your booking is with the CC surely they are who any refund or phone call would come from. We always book direct and I've always found BF to be on the ball with notifications even to text messages to warn of a 2 hr late departure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 I notice that Brittany Ferries have essentially cancelled all sailings until well into April https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/ferry-routes/planning/sailing-updates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.