Brittany Ferries re-starting on 15th May ?
I've just had notification from CC that my booking with Caravan Club for Brittany Ferries crossing on the 18th might go ahead as BF plans to re-start ferries on the 15th.
I have been told that if this does not go ahead, then I will receive a voucher lasting 2 years.
They did not state what would happen if I cancelled of my own volition as it's only three weeks away....we're not keen on going, especially as my travel insurance won't cover me if I get infected.
Any advice?
Many thanks in advance for your replies.
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I think I would take the voucher now - then use it to re book directly with Brittany Ferries in July 2020 for an autumn 2020 sailing - that will mean you can use their offer of 20 % discount on bookings made before the end of July.
You may not want to go in autumn 2020 , but if you buy a Flexi ticket with B/F I understand that you you can amend it on line to a 2021 date when the new year's schedule is published.
But whether booking through the Club can match that arrangement I really don't know. Perhaps you will check.
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We had a booking with BF for early June, to Bilbao, booked directly with them. We amended the booking on line before the balance was due, to a September date. To be honest, I can’t see that materialising either, so we’ll just amend the booking again.
There’s no fee for amending the booking, but if we’d cancelled we’d have lost our deposit.
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Having booked for virtually all of June in France I can't honestly seeing it being 'on'. Too many hitches for the holiday to be enjoyable tbh.
I await the Club's call and will be opting for a carry over to next year or later.
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Last week I discusssed our ferry booking for June with the club rep working from home. I was told that I couldnt extend the booking beyond December 2020 (the method would have been to book for the end of this booking year and then rebook again for 2021) because we had booked it in October 2019 and it was valid for only 1 year. We only paid £75 deposit but that has been lost. So much for booking early. We will not use the club for ferry bookings because we feel we can no longer trust them.
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No chance I'm afraid. The French Government have just announced today ( 2 May) that their state of emergency will continue until 24 July and that anyone entering from another country must undergo 14 days quarentine. If you take a look at La Provence online you can read the original article ( in French) .
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Nothing official from the French Government yet - their next update is due on the 11th May.
https://www.gouvernement.fr/en/coronavirus-covid-19
Until the Government extends the travel ban, Brittany Ferries will keep their sailing schedule and only cancel when the French government imposes further travel restrictions.
John
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You are technically correct but French Ministers announced their intentions yesterday as I have reported above. It will go to the Assembly National this week and passed in to law soon after in time to be law before 11 May. It will impose a 14 day quarentine for people coming from other countries.
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Hi, can't really see anyone getting away as early as August. We are on lockdown at Camping La Manga, Spain and have been told one of our group expecting to return from Bilbao 16th May have received email stating cancelled. We have a 3rd booking for 26th May but can see us changing that for later unless UK sites open.
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Dr Nigel, My understanding is that an amendment to an existing booking can run on for 12 months , but a voucher is valid for anything up to 24 months before you use it to make a fresh booking. That's why I suggested Take the voucher in my earlier reply.
But don't trust me - if you booked with B/F check with them, and if you booked with this Club check with them.
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As of this morning, 5th May, Brittany Ferries appears to have removed all passenger timetables from its website. No explanation given.
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Have a feeling that June sailings will be a bit of a minefield with possible travel back but tricky departures. I would be happy to defer and hopefully BF will offer that. Will be advised by CAMC but if that isn't possible maybe insurance or simply choose another ferry company for future sailings.
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The BF timetable for Santander now starts on June 3rd, I think that is unlikely as the earliest Spain can can reach "normalisation" is the end of June when they complete phase 4 of their programme; assuming that there is no increase in cases along the way.
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From Brittany Ferries website:
https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/ferry-routes/planning/sailing-updates
"We are now in the process of cancelling all passenger sailings between the UK and Ireland to France and Spain up to and including 1st of June 2020. Limited freight-only services are operating between the UK, Ireland, France and Spain."
I have a sailing from Poole booked for the 6th June which I'm sure will be cancelled soon. I'm think of rescheduling it for September but even that might be optomistic.
John
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John..I assume you booked direct. I would hang on with the reschedule for September...I too have just read the update from BF CEO (7th May). I did reschedule my 1st June booking based on some 'inside' knowledge to September but have since been advised to accept a refund or credit note as even September in France does not look promising. The point of taking the CN valid for two years is that you can, if so wish, book September ...
BTW...The offer is time limited. I did my CN by using the online chat, email by return with CN Reference No and expiry date..
PS.. Just had an update from Yelloh ( I have a site deposit with them) to inform me French Borders from yesterday will be closed. See extract below. Offered full refund of deposit or CN for 2021.
Dear customer, Dear Yelloh! friend,
First of all, we hope that at this very difficult time, you and your nearest and dearest are all well.
The situation that we are currently experiencing together is exceptional. It is hard and indeed tragic for many, but our legendary optimism encourages us to think that tomorrow will be better than yesterday, that people are fundamentally good, that the surge in solidarity won’t stop when this horrible virus does and that our understanding of the environmental challenges facing our planet will be greater after this ordeal.
Today we have picked up our pen to write to you about your holiday. You have booked a stay at one of our campsites and all the Yelloh! Village team would like to thank you for your confidence.
Unfortunately, today the French borders have now been closed by government decree until at least 15 June.
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John, forget sailing on 6th June. As GTP has just said, the French border is closed until 15th June (at least)
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Looking at the advice from the BF website it looks as if virtually anyone not happy to sail will be offered a deferment. I booked for June through the Club so hopefully that will be sorted. Will ring and check anyway.
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My last contact the club called me and we agreed to cancel my site booking (refund awaited) but at that time, a couple of weeks ago, BF were only predicting until 15 May. The club advice was to ring about mid May to sort out ferry options. This may now be the time to do that as BF have revised their plans.
I should revise my RP policy too!!!!
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It seems very probable that Brittany Ferries will be sailing again in July and August 2020, but some have said that although they have reservations for this summer they are feeling reluctant to travel .
Those who made ferry booking directly with Brittany Ferries have a final chance this weekend to change their booking free of charge to a credit note valid for two years - but this offer ends at the end of May2020, so anyone in this position needs to use the Brittany Ferries contact form in the next two days. Decision time. After this weekend normal terms and conditions will apply once again.
Those who made their Brittany Ferries ferry booking with this Club will need to contact Club HQ - but that office will sadly be closed this weekend.
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Brittany Ferries reports that with quarantine and 2 metre spacing likely to be scaled down they will have four ships taking passengers from 28 June 2020, and others coming back into service by 14 July 2020, but with all sorts of on board precautions.
But because of Covid19 their July/August bookings are only one third of the normal numbers, about half a million down, so three of their twelve ships will not be returning to service. If you have bookings on Normandie Express, Barfleur or Etretat you are likely to be transferred and re routed.
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AD, If you are thinking of an overnight crossing then the civilised, leisurely way to go has always been on "Bretagne" from Portsmouth to St Malo, and it looks as though she will be resuming service on 17 July 2020.
The routine for that sailing has always been departure at 2015, dinner and a decent bottle of wine in Les Abers restaurant on board, the best cabin you can afford, and arrival in St Malo at 0815. And if you are going back to Spain it's only 450 miles from there.
Forget cheapness for once!
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