zuludelta

And here is a video of the old girl back in 1990 just after being launched on the Rosslare to Fishguard route. Notice how the threat of airline travel is being discussed even back then. This was when legacy airlines still ruled the roost in Europe. https://www.rte.ie/archives/2015/0402/691752-launch-of-felicity/

That is interesting and certainly gives some perspective on the BF / CMA-CGM deal. Maybe the latter are looking for feeder services to their main ports. BF's frequent sailings to Spain and France could help CMA-CGM make their supply chain speedier and more integrated. Whatever happens, it will be interesting to see how this pans out.

I really hope this works out too! But it can be a very tricky to get two corporate cultures to mesh. In addition, corporate history is littered with business mergers or partnerships which never produced the synergies as originally envisaged. Does BF need to be more freight oriented? - most definitly yes. But, it's key strength has always been offering a premium short-sea transportation service to continental Europe for motorised passenger traffic. Let's hope this key strength never gets lost at the expense of freight. Because then, from a strategic point of view, BF could end up in a sort of no-mans land. A poor freight base and a reputation for offering a mediocre service among the public could be catastrophic. Growing or maintaining market share among two very different market segments simultaneously can be difficult. Let's hope BF can pull through this and make it to the other side.

And not forgetting of course the Nordic Noir series "Trapped" which features the venerable M/V Nörrona. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2016/mar/07/trapped-icelandic-thriller-tv-hit-of-the-year

If BF is going into partnership with a container shipping company for freight and passengers, this could bring a whole new meaning to an Économie crossing...

I think this was filmed onboard the Quiberon. Not 100% sure though. Go to 29:55.

It was a special offer for Club Voyage members.

Yes, rumor has it that Pierre Le Bear (real name Jose Sanchez, but now called Steve) was involved in a host of nefarious activities (mainly narcotics) in his native Columbia. After nationwide manhunt, he ended in up Peru which had conveniently no extradition treaty with Columbia. On a false passport traveled to Madrid and then on to Santander. Transpired that the that qualities that made him a good dealer also where the same qualities needed as a ship's entertainer! And they the rest as they say is history. Employing him was a canny strategic move which helped turn the fortunes of BF around….

Every business must adapt to survive and Brittany Ferries is no exception. The latest pivot of BF has been a plan for partial stardardisation of the fleet. But in your estimation, what have been the other main strategic pivot points for BF since 2000?

Regrettably, this could be very true. Even when this pandemic does subside BF will probably still have over capacity. This could be the beginning of the end for the once beautiful Bretagne.

Maybe the restaurant owners across Europe are enjoying the break from people who "Tripadvise". I see where the OP is coming from but Tripadvisor should not be used as barometer for tourist activity. Even during during non-covid times, I've seen some busy hotels and restaurants only get 2-3 reviews a month.

You've summed it up very well. Standardisation is going to make the operations of BF - everything from crewing, maintenance, IT systems to catering much more efficient but unfortunately with less character. The fleet will probably be like a couple of floating IBIS hotels but at least it should put BF in a much more stable position financially. Better some BF than no BF!

Ed, you must of got one of those special edition Van Gough themed face masks. You know how the French love to mix art and commerce....

You have a point. The type of traveler does determine the speediness of emergency evacuation. Statistically, in an emergency situation, it has been recognised that evacuation of an aircraft will be quicker when there are business travelers onboard. This can probably be attributed to less luggage, more familiarity with aircraft layout and overall less pfaffing about. So, yes, the type of fellow passenger does impact the swiftness of evacuation. In the coming years, I would less concerned about pet owners and more concerned about electric cars. It's inevitable that in the next few years, even with fail-safe mechanisms implemented by car manufacturers, we will probably see some electric car fires. Onboard a ferry it could be catastrophic.

Globalisation gone mad. Irish Ferries on the Dover-Calais route. SNCF trains now running between Madrid and Barcelona. What next? Brittany Ferries going to Portugal. Oh wait...