Brittany Ferries and Bikes

[BrianF]

We travelled Portsmouth to Bilbao at the end of Jul, us and one other MH. On check in we both got asked if we had bikes on the back - we did and both had a £35 charge applied for the additional length. Our friends paid and I stood my ground explaining that I had included the bikes in the booking length. Very grumpy check in lady then exits booth and measures the MH length.....which was obviously correct. No apology but also no £35 charge.

Having a chat with peeps in the lanes and it looked to be very common with very few challenging the charge - worth a watch out

 

[DBK]

When you book don't state the actual length of the vehicle including the bike rack. State the length of the basic vehicle and tick the box which says it has a bike rack. Odd though it might seem this is cheaper.

I suspect this is why they wanted to charge you extra - it didn't show on your booking that you had declared a bike rack.

There is no logic to this. A car and a caravan can be cheaper than a MH which is much shorter.

 

[jollyrodger]

BF have always as far back as I remember charged for bike racks (tick box extra £? charge )but never £35
Have even taken rack and bike off for crossing, 2 bolts.
Never been measured even as far back as the Tregastrel barrel

 

[royandsharont]

I thought BF didn’t ask you the length of the van they asked you to select a length catagory so my 6.36mvan would go in their 7m and if my bike rack was less than 0.64m they would get the extra charge for the rack despite me still being under 7m, crafty

 

[DBK]

I thought BF didn’t ask you the length of the van they asked you to select a length catagory so my 6.36mvan would go in their 7m and if my bike rack was less than 0.64m they would get the extra charge for the rack despite me still being under 7m, crafty

Yes, that's true. Our van is 6m without the bike rack so I select this length then tick the box to say it has a bike rack. This is cheaper than selecting the next category which is 7m.

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[EuroTrotters]

We travelled Portsmouth to Bilbao at the end of Jul, us and one other MH. On check in we both got asked if we had bikes on the back - we did and both had a £35 charge applied for the additional length. Our friends paid and I stood my ground explaining that I had included the bikes in the booking length. Very grumpy check in lady then exits booth and measures the MH length.....which was obviously correct. No apology but also no £35 charge.

Having a chat with peeps in the lanes and it looked to be very common with very few challenging the charge - worth a watch out

It’s usually cheaper to put the length in, then add bikes.

Depends on the length you have to start with ?

 

[DelMar]

It is obviously important for them to know the exact vehicle length, as it could mean there is no room for someone else to get on board.
Combing back from France once, we were at the port early but the last to be boarded on a pre booked crossing. I was actually on the ramp behind a caravan when we were both stopped, then I was called forward and stopped just inside the door no room for the caravan which had to reverse up the ramp and get off.
As my crossing was pre booked I would have been furious if unable to board. People one time deliberately left off the fact they had bikes on the back to save a few quid, but were sometimes caught out.

 

[carolyn]

With BF you no longer tick a box for the vehicle length, when you enter your reg. number your height and length come up down to the last cm. You do then tick a box for bike rack or not. I have just checked this on a fake booking as I thought that was what happened when we travelled in June.

 

[Andycap]

I got caught a couple of weeks ago booked up through Direct ferries and when and filled all the correct information in including length of vehicle and bike rack. I watched the chap in front who was towing a caravan and she measured the length of his car and caravan it came to my turn and she was out immediately with measure then stated I would have to pay £27.00 more as i had not declared bike rack. I advised I had completed the documentation with direct ferries and her reply was oh they are always doing that they miss it of the bookings they make with us.

 

[Dart]

With BF you no longer tick a box for the vehicle length, when you enter your reg. number your height and length come up down to the last cm. You do then tick a box for bike rack or not. I have just checked this on a fake booking as I thought that was what happened when we travelled in June.

This seems to vary. On entering our registration the fact that we are a Fiat Ducato comes up but we are still asked to enter our dimensions. I suppose the details must be missing on whatever database BF use to fill their booking form.

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[gpat]

We travelled Portsmouth to Bilbao at the end of Jul, us and one other MH. On check in we both got asked if we had bikes on the back - we did and both had a £35 charge applied for the additional length. Our friends paid and I stood my ground explaining that I had included the bikes in the booking length. Very grumpy check in lady then exits booth and measures the MH length.....which was obviously correct. No apology but also no £35 charge.

Having a chat with peeps in the lanes and it looked to be very common with very few challenging the charge - worth a watch out

I'm afraid you only have yourself to blame. As stated by others here, there is a check box asking if you have a bike rack. It's very clear on the website. Been like that for at least 20 years before the interweb even existed. The paper forms had the same question.

I got stung many many years ago. Lesson learned. I'm afraid that, just like I did many years ago.....you'll just have to suck it up!

 

[carolyn]

This seems to vary. On entering our registration the fact that we are a Fiat Ducato comes up but we are still asked to enter our dimensions. I suppose the details must be missing on whatever database BF use to fill their booking form.

I wonder if it’s because we’re a PVC so fixed.

 

[dash300]

Why not just pop the bikes in the van for the crossing?