Brittany ferries

[Den]

Not sure if I read somewhere that they were extending club membership because of covid.

Been looking through newsletters from them and not spotted anything.

Anyone know if it’s correct

[crocs]

Mine was extended to December 2021 when I had to pay to renew.

[Den]

Thanks Robert

???? They extend mine.

[Derek Uzzell]

Brittany Ferries (BF) extended the expiry date of Club Voyage (CV) memberships several times in 2021 (three times if I remember correctly) and made a right pig's ear of the exercise.

 

The extensions were either because BF passenger services had been suspended or as goodwill gestures, plus there was also a '2020 Xmas Present' extension.

 

My CV membership's original expiry date was 31 March 2021 and - if all the advertised extensions had been applied as BF's communications suggested they should - that date would have extended to 31 January 2022. My CV membership expiry date was (finally) extended to 30 November 2021 - a date BF pulled out of a hat and applied to CV memberships across the board.

 

CV extensions were discussed in depth on the now-defunct Brittany Ferries Enthusiasts Forum and I had a series of email communications with BF trying to get the expiry date of my CV membership to tally with all the extensions that BF had advertised. Their final answer (on 10 September 2021) was

 

Good afternoon

 

Thank you for your further email.

 

I am sorry to hear that you are unhappy with the extension you have received to your membership renewal date.

 

As you mentioned, the news letter did not specify how long the extension would be and I am sorry if other members have been wrongly advised that this extension would be a specific amount of time. Although our service resumed to France and Spain at the end of June 2020, the decision was made to offer a further extension as a good will gesture and each membership was dealt with on an individual basis.

 

I have spoken to our customer service department who have confirmed that there are no current plans to add further extensions.

 

I am sorry for any disappointment caused.

 

Where there were arguments over the extensions, these usually related to the '2020 Xmas present'. It also became clear that BF computer systems were being altered together with the terms and conditions of the CV scheme, all of which further muddied the waters.

 

As I mentioned above, 30 November 2021 was chosen by BF as a one-size-fits-all every-CV-extension-added expiry date, and that date was stated on the CV webpage as set in stone. I'm not sure from his posting whether crocs's CV membership expired on 30 November 2021 or 31 December 2021, but it wouldn't surprise me if some CV memberships were extended beyond 30 November 2021.

[Derek Uzzell]

Den - 2022-02-07 6:07 PM

 

Not sure if I read somewhere that they were extending club membership because of covid.

Been looking through newsletters from them and not spotted anything.

Anyone know if it’s correct

 

Brittany Ferries Club Voyage Newsletters for April 2020 and June 2020 each stated that a 2-months extension would be applied to the expiry date of then-current CV memberships. There was also a "Merry Christmas from Brittany Ferries" email dated 24 December 2020 that said

 

We understand that not everyone has been able to use their membership this year, so as a little thank you for your loyalty we are giving you 3 months free membership. This extension has been added automatically so you don't need to do anything.

 

That's a total of 7 months of extensions applying to CV memberships that were valid between April through December 2020.

 

Statements about the CV membership expiry-date were also made by BF on the Club Voyage webpages.

[crocs]

Derek Uzzell - 2022-02-08 8:55 AM

 

Brittany Ferries (BF) extended the expiry date of Club Voyage (CV) memberships several times in 2021 (three times if I remember correctly) and made a right pig's ear of the exercise.

 

The extensions were either because BF passenger services had been suspended or as goodwill gestures, plus there was also a '2020 Xmas Present' extension.

 

My CV membership's original expiry date was 31 March 2021 and - if all the advertised extensions had been applied as BF's communications suggested they should - that date would have extended to 31 January 2022. My CV membership expiry date was (finally) extended to 30 November 2021 - a date BF pulled out of a hat and applied to CV memberships across the board.

 

CV extensions were discussed in depth on the now-defunct Brittany Ferries Enthusiasts Forum and I had a series of email communications with BF trying to get the expiry date of my CV membership to tally with all the extensions that BF had advertised. Their final answer (on 10 September 2021) was

 

Good afternoon

 

Thank you for your further email.

 

I am sorry to hear that you are unhappy with the extension you have received to your membership renewal date.

 

As you mentioned, the news letter did not specify how long the extension would be and I am sorry if other members have been wrongly advised that this extension would be a specific amount of time. Although our service resumed to France and Spain at the end of June 2020, the decision was made to offer a further extension as a good will gesture and each membership was dealt with on an individual basis.

 

I have spoken to our customer service department who have confirmed that there are no current plans to add further extensions.

 

I am sorry for any disappointment caused.

 

Where there were arguments over the extensions, these usually related to the '2020 Xmas present'. It also became clear that BF computer systems were being altered together with the terms and conditions of the CV scheme, all of which further muddied the waters.

 

As I mentioned above, 30 November 2021 was chosen by BF as a one-size-fits-all every-CV-extension-added expiry date, and that date was stated on the CV webpage as set in stone. I'm not sure from his posting whether crocs's CV membership expired on 30 November 2021 or 31 December 2021, but it wouldn't surprise me if some CV memberships were extended beyond 30 November 2021.

 

What with all the changes here, I'm not sure what was the exact date but it is likely to have been 30 November as I renewed my subscription on 7 December.

[Derek Uzzell]

If you login to your BF Club Voyage account and then click on the "Club Voyage membership" option, this will display information about your current membership including its expiry date.

 

If your current membership's expiry date is 30 November 2022, the expiry date of the previous membership period would have been 30 November 2021. If your current membership's expiry date is 31 December 2022, the expiry date of the previous membership period would have been 31 December 2021. I'm doubtful though that it would have been possible on 7 December 2021 to renew a membership that would have been valid until 31 December 2021, so I'm 99.9% sure that your previous CV membership expired on 30 November 2021, particularly as that was the 'standard' expiry date chosen by BF.

[crocs]

Derek Uzzell - 2022-02-08 6:16 PM

 

If you login to your BF Club Voyage account and then click on the "Club Voyage membership" option, this will display information about your current membership including its expiry date.

 

If your current membership's expiry date is 30 November 2022, the expiry date of the previous membership period would have been 30 November 2021. If your current membership's expiry date is 31 December 2022, the expiry date of the previous membership period would have been 31 December 2021. I'm doubtful though that it would have been possible on 7 December 2021 to renew a membership that would have been valid until 31 December 2021, so I'm 99.9% sure that your previous CV membership expired on 30 November 2021, particularly as that was the 'standard' expiry date chosen by BF.

 

The point is probably moot anyway, but I looked that up just after my last post and the end date is 31 December 2022. It’s most unlike me to renew anything before it has actually expired but, who knows, I may have done on this occasion . Perhaps old age has finally caught up!

[Den]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Derek

 

But mine still shows the original end date

 

With Eurotunnel I received an email today extending my membership to the end of December.

I took that one out middle of 2019. Superb

 

I have emailed BF and the auto email response stated

We aim to answer in 10 days.

Just want my Daughter to use my discount for BF.

[crocs]

Den - 2022-02-08 9:09 PM

 

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Derek

 

But mine still shows the original end date

 

With Eurotunnel I received an email today extending my membership to the end of December.

I took that one out middle of 2019. Superb

 

I have emailed BF and the auto email response stated

We aim to answer in 10 days.

Just want my Daughter to use my discount for BF.

 

If you don’t get it sorted, I can PM my code for her to use.

[Derek Uzzell]

crocs - 2022-02-08 8:45 PM

 

The point is probably moot anyway, but I looked that up just after my last post and the end date is 31 December 2022. It’s most unlike me to renew anything before it has actually expired but, who knows, I may have done on this occasion . Perhaps old age has finally caught up!

 

In April and June 2020 BF applied a 2-months extension to CV memberships. A further 3-months extension was added in December 2020. This 7-months-worth of extensions meant that a CV membership that commenced ion 1 April 2020, and that would have expired on 31 March 2021, would now expire on 31 October 2021.

 

Then (sometime in mid-2021) BF decided to apply a 'blanket extension' to CV memberships with an expiry-date of 30 November 2021 and this is mentioned in this August 2021 link

 

https://www.caravantalk.co.uk/community/topic/153813-brittany-ferries-club-voyage/

 

At that point my own CV membership had been extended to 31 October 2021 and the blanket extension added a further one month - but it was evident that an extension of up to 3 months was being added to some memberships in order to make them expire on 30 November 2021. It was also plain that, if a CV membership already expired on 30 November 2021 and an extension was to be added, the new expiry date would need to be later than 30 November 2021 - and I suspect that's what happened in your case.

[Derek Uzzell]

For the record...

 

In addition to the two 2-months Club Voyage membership extensions mentioned in the April 2020 and June 2020 CV Newsletters, and the 3-months 'loyalty' extension referred to in a "Merry Christmas from Brittany Ferries" email in December 2020, the July 2021 CV Newsletter included the following statement

 

Membership extension

As a gesture of goodwill for your loyalty and support during these challenging times we have further extended your membership free of charge. The extension will be automatically added to your membership, you do not need to do anything.

 

This (unspecified length) extension was also referred to in the August 2021 CV Newsletter

 

...A little reminder that as a gesture of goodwill for your loyalty and support during these challenging times we have further extended your membership free of charge. The extension has now been added and you can view your membership status online here...

 

This hadn't happened in my case (and I wasn't the only one affected) and - after a lengthy email dialogue with BF's Customer Feedback staff - the expiry-date of my CV account was initially extended to 31 October 2021 and then to 30 November 2021.

 

Current details of the Club Voyage scheme can be found here

 

https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/information/about-club-voyage?error=login_required&state=2095851b-93ba-46e0-8f4f-4728c5f3502d

 

The CV membership terms and conditions are here

 

https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/information/club-voyage-terms?error=login_required&state=4f41e00e-033a-4447-82a2-fe2bdba90d54

 

and it will be noted that they differ according to whether one joined the CV scheme before 16 November 2021 or from that date onwards.

 

Where the "Friends and family rewards" element of the CV scheme is concerned, Brittany Ferries warns

 

Friends and family discounts are designed to be used by those close to you as an added value benefit of membership. Promoting or advertising this membership benefit via websites, internet forums and elsewhere is strictly prohibited, and considered a breach of your membership.

 

I assume that a freemason was the author of this prohibition, as the benefits of the Friends and family discounts will be a significant attraction for many people when they decide whether or not to join the scheme. Besides which BF's website makes no attempt to hide the existence of this benefit, saying

 

Friends and family rewards

 

Encourage your friends and family to book with us and they will receive up to 10% discount on their booking when sailing to/from France (depending on the season of departure). What's more for every booking made we'll credit your Club Voyage account with £10 towards your own future travel.

 

Benjamin Franklin said "Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead" and if BF wanted to prevent the Friends and families discounts from being discussed, they should not promote and advertise them on their own website.

 

[Den]

That’s very kind of you Robert.

I’ll certainly keep you in mind.

Also thank you for everyone’s input, it certainly helps.

Den

[Derek Uzzell]

Den - 2022-02-08 9:09 PM

 

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Derek

 

But mine still shows the original end date...

 

 

What expiry-date would you expect your CV membership to have?

 

The 2-months membership extensions referred to in the April 2020 and June 2020 CV Newsletters were 'sweeteners' as BF had been compelled to temporarily suspend their passenger-carrying services for a while, while the December 2020 3-months 'Xmas Present' extension and the unspecified-duration extension notified in the July 2021 CV Newsletter were goodwill 'loyalty' awards.

 

BF's stance has been that, once they were able to resume passenger-carrying services, even though CV members might not want to use those services because of the COVID risk and/or the bureaucracy/testing/cost involved in travelling between the UK and France or Spain, that was the CV member's decision and not BF's fault.

 

When CV membership extensions were discussed on the Brittany Ferries Enthusiasts Forum, most people seemed happy enough with the 30 November 2021 'cut-off date'.

[gerrycan]

Whilst we are on the subject of Brittany Ferries, a gentle reminder to anyone who cancelled a crossing in 2020 and received a credit voucher. These vouchers are only valid for 2 years and BF are not extending the ‘use by’ date.

 

After speaking with them I was advised to book a crossing using the voucher regardless of whether I wanted to use it and then change it to a date which fitted with my plans when things get back to normal (whatever normal might be!!). To me this didn’t make sense but I was advised that this policy was unlikely to change..

 

At the moment BF are offering ‘flexible bookings’ at the lower price normally reserved for non transferable tickets. This offer, I believe, is available until the end of February 2022.

 

So if you have a voucher be warned ‘use it or lose it’

[rooster63]

It’s a pity that you have to have to have either club membership for France or separate one for Spain. I’ve booked an outward journey to France returning from Spain and would choose to do that again but not worth taking outa French and Spanish club membership as it would take at least 4 return journeys a year to pay its way.

[crocs]

gerrycan - 2022-02-09 7:13 PM

 

Whilst we are on the subject of Brittany Ferries, a gentle reminder to anyone who cancelled a crossing in 2020 and received a credit voucher. These vouchers are only valid for 2 years and BF are not extending the ‘use by’ date.

 

After speaking with them I was advised to book a crossing using the voucher regardless of whether I wanted to use it and then change it to a date which fitted with my plans when things get back to normal (whatever normal might be!!). To me this didn’t make sense but I was advised that this policy was unlikely to change..

 

At the moment BF are offering ‘flexible bookings’ at the lower price normally reserved for non transferable tickets. This offer, I believe, is available until the end of February 2022.

 

So if you have a voucher be warned ‘use it or lose it’

 

Yes, the sensible thing would be to book on a Flex ticket and change it later. You could even keep changing it ahead as long as you like. I had booked the MH, car trailer and two people return and changed it to one person foot passenger single.

[Den]

I took out my membership end of June 2021 in order for me to travel to ALmoradi to sign some documents and take a couple of weeks holiday in July.

I’m surprised that they haven’t extended mine like Eurotunnel have.

My Daughter could possibly be travelling towards the end of July and I can take 3 or 4 weeks when she returns.

I quite fancy trying out the new ship.

But I think I’ll use some of my remaining Eurotunnel tickets

[Derek Uzzell]

Assuming that your current CV membership began on 1 July 2021 and will expire on 30 June 2022, the BF CV membership extensions that were awarded in April, June and December 2020 won't apply.

 

The only extension that MIGHT be relevant to your CV account is the one mentioned in the July and August 2021 CV Newsletters, but the length of that extension was never specified and, when I suggested to BF that I seemed to have been 'short changed', I received the BF response that I quoted in my posting of 8 February 2022 8:55 AM above. BF never revealed how this extension would be applied, but people whose then-current CV membership would have expired prior to 30 November 2021 appear to have had up to 3 months of extension added so that the expiry-date became 30 November 2021.

 

From crocs's postings above, it looks like people whose CV membership's expiry-date was 30 November 2021 may have been given an extra month, but I don't think anyone whose CV account already expired after 30 November 2021 had that expiry-date extended.

 

From mid-2021 to the present day BF has been operating passenger services continuously between the UK and France/Spain and - although travellers have had to jump through hoops regarding COVID testing and 'form filling' (in both directions) - you or your daughter could have exploited the discounts that your CB membership provides if you had so chosen. Your complaint seems to be that your current CV membership will expire earlier than you wish and that, if you or your daughter want to travel via BF at the CV discounted rates in July/August 2022 you'll need to renew your membership to allow this to happen, but that scenario would apply to many CV members (including me) and it's unrealistic to expect BF to extend a CV membership indefinitely until all COVID travel-abroad risks and regulations have disappeared.

 

(A BF 'flexible fare' ticket for a planned return trip to France in September 2020 had been through nine free-of-charge amendments before I cancelled it in October 2021.)