Brittany Ferries ticket change rip-off

[chris McKenny]

We've arrived at Caen/Ouistreham, earlier than planned. Booked on tomorrows 1400hrs service to Portsmouth Having paid for a flexi ticket we've just been in the office, to inquire if an earlier boat was availble. Yes Sir! we can get you on tonights boat, £90 ammendment fee.SVP.

Well I have to admit I passed on that one! So I'm staying in the Ouistreham aire 13 Euros, with leccky and water. A bottle of vino, and todays crossword printed out.

Was the new crossing more expensive than the one you were on ? That is where the increase normally is , and if cheaper you get ai refund.

 

[poisondwarf]

Not just recovery insurance. Many health policies also require you to have a return booked

This is correct in many cases

 

[AllesP]

We've arrived at Caen/Ouistreham, earlier than planned. Booked on tomorrows 1400hrs service to Portsmouth Having paid for a flexi ticket we've just been in the office, to inquire if an earlier boat was availble. Yes Sir! we can get you on tonights boat, £90 ammendment fee.SVP.

Well I have to admit I passed on that one! So I'm staying in the Ouistreham aire 13 Euros, with leccky and water. A bottle of vino, and todays crossword printed out.

Did you have any problems with migrants there? We used to use the Ouistreham Aire regularly but have used that crossing for a while.

 

[Two of usI]

The last time we used Caen port, we were surprised at the lack of migrants ( as previously it was mobbed with them ) we asked the customs man while he was searching the van .......... he said with a smile on his face that they had all gone to England !!!!!

 

[Garry - June]

As I have said on here several times..... B.F. are getting worse at ripping people off....... I will always ( where possible) do Newhaven to Dieppe...... they are a lot more customer focused. Would love for some other operator to move in and give B.F. some serious competition.... they currently have it all their own way on all fronts.

I did my last trip with Brittany last March to June, Portsmouth/Santander... I was an older member so got the extra discount yet it was still £1400 rtn for my van and trailer .. I have just booked Newhaven/Dieppe for this April £276 rtn.. even allowing an extra £350 in diesel to get to the same latitude as Santander and back,,, we don't use tolls or paid stops so that's a massive saving.

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[Pentwhistle]

Cancelled a 18 year old policy with BF. Their service sucks and sailings from and to Spain are torture chambers. Insouciant and arrogant staff and interminable journey lengths. On our last trip from Santander to Portsmouth we decided to book for a dinner (Multiple St Malo crossings in our mind - their buffets always a triumph of old world cruising and the apogee of French cuisine). We were placed as couple at a 4 pax table alongside another couple at a 2 person table. As we ordered, debris from the adjoining table was dumped by the waiter and then followed trail from low life Brits with used plates snotty napkins, everything. What was intended ended as a romantic evening (in the era of St Malo sailings of old) turned into a boarding school dumpfest and nothing but arrogance from BF staff when we complained.

 

[Steve I]

Not just recovery insurance. Many health policies also require you to have a return booked

Thanks and an interesting point. Does booking two singles qualify as having a return? I know it does in common sense terms but legally with breakdown and health cover does it count as that’s worth massively more than paying a bit extra to swap your return ticket, IMO of course, maybe not for all.

 

[VXman]

That's my point really, I paid extra last September for a flexi ticket, but apparently the return journey isn't flexi once youve used the outward journey.

If I'd bought 2 separate tickets (same price) the return would be flexi.

That sounds nonsense. Most flexi tickets you will have to pay the difference in price between that crossing and what you originally paid but both directions should be flexi. (I'd be interested to see this in the T & C's but I rarely use BF)

Thanks and an interesting point. Does booking two singles qualify as having a return? I know it does in common sense terms but legally with breakdown and health cover does it count as that’s worth massively more than paying a bit extra to swap your return ticket, IMO of course, maybe not for all.

T & C's usually state 'must have a return journey booked'. I take this to mean booked before you leave for your holiday. Whether it is 2 singles or a return ticket should not make any difference. Afterall, you could do a holiday that involved leaving from one port and returning to another - or even going out on a boat and returning by plane.

I now book a flexi ticket (single) for the return journey as I don't like to commit myself to a specific crossing (or even day) when on a long European trip.

 

[Dorset Diver]

That sounds nonsense. Most flexi tickets you will have to pay the difference in price between that crossing and what you originally paid but both directions should be flexi. (I'd be interested to see this in the T & C's but I rarely use BF)

It may sound nonsense but it is accurate, as I found out to my cost a couple of years back. Like others I now book a single each way.

 

[Steve I]

That sounds nonsense. Most flexi tickets you will have to pay the difference in price between that crossing and what you originally paid but both directions should be flexi. (I'd be interested to see this in the T & C's but I rarely use BF)





T & C's usually state 'must have a return journey booked'. I take this to mean booked before you leave for your holiday. Whether it is 2 singles or a return ticket should not make any difference. Afterall, you could do a holiday that involved leaving from one port and returning to another - or even going out on a boat and returning by plane.

I now book a flexi ticket (single) for the return journey as I don't like to commit myself to a specific crossing (or even day) when on a long European trip.

You’d think so but they don’t need much of an excuse to not payout or cover a claim, I think I’ll investigate with my insurers before I did a split booking. Hopefully that will be the case as the single flexi bookings makes great sense if no downsides

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[VXman]

It may sound nonsense but it is accurate, as I found out to my cost a couple of years back. Like others I now book a single each way.

Just looked and you are correct. Changes can only be made before outgoing crossing. It appears cheaper ferries like Irish do not state such silly conditions

Brittany

Irish