Tumnus2010 Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 20 hours ago, sness said: Yes, agreed, I would've thought BF would prefer Brest over a Polish mini-break but either way I can't see that there'll be any 'major' changes in only 2 weeks She wouldn't go to Santander would she? Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 She never has before. Not sure why - can't be that she doesn't fit the dock because CF is longer, but it would make sense. Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 She could destore and then do a freight-only run down and another coming back if she went to Spain. I seem to recall that was what she (or another ship) did when they were having their scrubbers fitted. Ed. Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Think you're thinking of Barfleur Ed. PA had her scrubbers fitted in Poland. Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Of course. Thanks for the memory-jog. Ed. Link to post Share on other sites
Tumnus2010 Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Wasn't Armorique in Santander for her scrubbers when Pont was having hers fitted? If that was the case maybe that's why she had to go to Gdansk. Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 (edited) 9 hours ago, Tumnus2010 said: Wasn't Armorique in Santander for her scrubbers when Pont was having hers fitted? If that was the case maybe that's why she had to go to Gdansk. Yes, both vessels had their scrubbers fitted at the same time - Armorique at Santander and Pont Aven at Gdansk, as you said. Whether Armorique at Santander was causal of, or just coincident with, Pont Aven going to Poland we can't know, but it remains true that Pont Aven has never refitted in Santander. I very much doubt that it will be Santander this time either - if it was going to be Santander then we would surely have seen a scheduled sailing down to Santander for her and then back again afterwards, with storing and destoring in Santander like CF does. The fact that PA will be leaving and re-entering service at St Malo, with an out-of-service period of only 2 weeks, strongly implies to me that refit is likely to be in Brest. Maybe Dunkerque, but BF does not have a history of using Dunkerque (apart from for Bretagne and NEX coupled with extended layup there) whereas PA has drydocked in Brest previously. Edited July 30, 2017 by Gareth 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Perhaps we could start a book with bets as to where she ends up for those two weeks! On another subject, has anybody spotted any strange repositioning crossings in the timetables (specifically Armorique) as I couldn't find any. But I'm still searching. Ed Link to post Share on other sites
cap fin 67 Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 19 hours ago, rjt670 said: Is that not half term week? It may be a token week as you say, but perhaps well chosen. Half term may well depend on which part of the country you are from, here in Gloucestershire it starts on Monday the 12 of Feb 2018. Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 8 minutes ago, Cabin-boy said: Perhaps we could start a book with bets as to where she ends up for those two weeks! On another subject, has anybody spotted any strange repositioning crossings in the timetables (specifically Armorique) as I couldn't find any. But I'm still searching. Ed Not seen any but they don't normally appear in the timetables in any case. Last year apparently she took bookings for her Plymouth-Cherbourg crossing but it was not published in the timetables. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Pont Aven doesn't seem to be doing much on the Spain run during the main winter months - at least we won't over-indulge at the buffet Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 One thing I have noticed is that, not only are there no Plymouth-St Malo sailings scheduled this year, but Plymouth-St Malo has disappeared as a route from the timetable index list. Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Just now, auchmill said: Pont Aven doesn't seem to be doing much on the Spain run during the main winter months - at least we won't over-indulge at the buffet That's because, as has already been said, she is spending most of the winter covering Portsmouth-St Malo while Bretagne is laid up. Link to post Share on other sites
Fine Whine Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 13 minutes ago, Gareth said: One thing I have noticed is that, not only are there no Plymouth-St Malo sailings scheduled this year, but Plymouth-St Malo has disappeared as a route from the timetable index list. This route is only advertised when BF decide to offer a token round trip to Roscoff at the weekend out of season, and even this has been culled this winter. But as I've mentioned in other posts although it's not good news for us and particularly local hotels/restaurants, I can understand the logic behind the 2017/18 schedules and we just have to get on with it. Chris Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Yes, Plymouth-St Malo is the one example of what are essentially positioning voyages being advertised in the schedules. They are a way of enabling both Plymouth-Roscoff and Portsmouth-St Malo to be covered off-season by a single ship. But, as you say Chris, that is not happening this year. Link to post Share on other sites
Gardian Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 As a resident in France, I get the French website offers etc. Just received the 'book now for 2018' notification (a bit late!) and noticed that Roscoff - Bilbao direct is shown on their map. Out of interest, I thought that I'd have a look to see if they really meant it. As we know, its the weekly Monday crew change when the Cap pops in, but they do indeed offer that as an available route, but not of course for the return. Couldn't help noticing that no sailings are shown in the peak weeks in July & August, presumably because BF want to keep availability for UK originating customers. Similarly, a sailing in early June (even at this early stage) has very limited cabin availability - just the basic ones, no Club cabins or pet-friendly ones for instance. I just wonder how many French nationals or residents bother with this option? Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Roscoff to Bilbao is well advertised in France. Link to post Share on other sites
standrewac Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I read this on a Caravan Talk forum this morning. Seems a bit odd? "Just booked return trip Sun 10.30 am prices went up twice while we did price comparison " Surely the poster made an error? Link to post Share on other sites
sness Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I've found a couple of Bilbao-Plymouth crossings that can be booked but aren't being advertised on schedules (I think someone once described them as "easter egg crossings") on December 7 and March 15 when CF makes a couple of visits to Plymouth, meaning she's doing Ports-Bilbao-Plym-Sant. Think she's done Bilbao-Plymouth a couple of times before. Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 2 hours ago, Gareth said: Roscoff to Bilbao is well advertised in France. Yes, often for out-of-season holidays of up to a month to both Spain and Portugal with a return either by car or via Plymouth. Ed Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 2 hours ago, standrewac said: I read this on a Caravan Talk forum this morning. Seems a bit odd? "Just booked return trip Sun 10.30 am prices went up twice while we did price comparison " Surely the poster made an error? I've read similar comments on Motorhome forums. The solution offered is to come out of the website and clear the cache. Out of interest I looked at booking the exact same journeys I booked on Thursday, including pet-friendly cabins. Still available (beginning of Dec and March) and still the same price with my Club Voyage discount. Link to post Share on other sites
straightfeed Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Just got a mail from BF about the new offer of Up to 4 days in France from only £69 per person Tried it using my Club membership with a mpv, cheapest cabin both ways, out of Plymouth to Roscoff 1-5 Nov 17. Result- offer price £213, Regular price with 2 "free" breakfasts - price £209. Bargain? £4 less plus 2 breakfasts without the bargain offer! Link to post Share on other sites
Trev Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 On 8/16/2017 at 08:22, straightfeed said: Just got a mail from BF about the new offer of Up to 4 days in France from only £69 per person Tried it using my Club membership with a mpv, cheapest cabin both ways, out of Plymouth to Roscoff 1-5 Nov 17. Result- offer price £213, Regular price with 2 "free" breakfasts - price £209. Bargain? £4 less plus 2 breakfasts without the bargain offer! Absolute bargain. Somebody without a Club Voyage membership can use this offer to get basically Club Voyage membership prices. An ideal offer for many. Club Voyage members should rarely find any real benefit from offers (apart from maybe the usual 24 hour return offers) and why should they? The whole point of Club Voyage is to get a good price at any time with no restrictions. Good for people who travel frequently at all times of the year and want to do whatever they like. I reckon BF should double the renewal fee... Link to post Share on other sites
straightfeed Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 True Trev. Just warning Club members it ain't a bargain. That's my point. Why should a member pay more and get less? Link to post Share on other sites
Trev Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 I just think Club Voyage members are spoilt. £70 to renew a French membership is very little, in my view, considering the savings. Sometimes travelling just once a year (albeit at peak times) saves more than the £70 membership fee and the £70 join cost. Right now, almost a year in advance, the cost for 2 adults, 2 children, standard car on overnight crossings Portsmouth to Caen out on 30th July 2018 return 14th August 2018 costs £592.00 with a 4-berth inside cabin both ways. Quite a standard, average sort of booking, nothing big or fancy apart form peak season. For a CV member this costs £467.80 which is £124.20 less. Almost got their money back straight away and if they take a larger vehicle they will most certainly get their money back and that is without taking into account £32.40 worth of breakfast allowance for 4 people each way. People should of course save money when they are Club Voyage members and loyalty should be rewarded - I just do not think it should be quite so much. Link to post Share on other sites
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