Condor Liberation

[La Pirouaie]

Anyone else is the same situation? 

We’re booked to travel Poole to St Malo via Jersey next week but unfortunately the Liberation is out of action. Passengers to the Channel Islands have been transferred to Commodore Clipper but unfortunately the new timings mean that she won’t make the connection with the Rapide in Jersey for onward travel to St Malo.

Under similar circumstances in the past Condor have transferred us to Brittany Ferries but it would appear that it’s not an option this time, the call centre suggested that we should stay the night on Jersey and travel to St Malo the following day!

I’m pretty sure that there’s an EU regulation that means they should transport us to our final destination as soon as possible? Can anyone point me in the right direction please? 

[Cabin-boy]

I think they are offering to get you to your destination as soon as they can under the circumstances. The fact that the link with Rapide is not possible might be as much to do with tides than their timetabling preferences. I think the rules stipulate that Condor must pay for your night in Jersey if needed. 

Take a look at this:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/ferry-delay-your-rights&ved=2ahUKEwiY28Se_5PiAhU75eAKHXmAA6EQFjABegQIDBAE&usg=AOvVaw1i82w-9wpLirm8AuWeWAs8

Alternatively, you could just ask for a full refund and try and get a place overnight on Bretagne instead. 

Ed

[La Pirouaie]

Thank you Ed. Unfortunately a night in Jersey is not really feasible since we are travelling with our two dogs, we also need to be at home in France first thing Thursday morning as we have family arriving. I’ve checked the Bretagne but there are no overnight cabins available, next best alternative is Plymouth to Roscoff but at this late stage it’s at least £70 more expensive than the Condor crossing (even with our BF discount)

It seems unfair that we should lose out financially, in addition to the inconvenience factor, as a result of a Condor problem.

I’ll have a look at our holiday insurance to see whether they can help.

[Cabin-boy]

Ok, it sounds complicated. Have you looked at a crossing on Wednesday morning from Poole to Cherbourg? Or even overnight on Wednesday evening. There are more crossings available now due to the Brexit deal and BF seem to be struggling to fill them so there may be spaces. Ed. 

[seadog]

The Clipper is running from Poole all week with the Arrow taking up the slack in Pompey.

[Nick Hyde]

Commodore Clipper to the rescue yet again. What would we do without her?

[Nick Hyde]

In today's Guernsey Press.

[Gareth]

They still had a reputation to knock? (!)

[hf_uk]

Anyone know what is actually wrong with her engines?

[Paully]

2 hours ago, hf_uk said:

Anyone know what is actually wrong with her engines?

Probably another dose of the same temprementality that have afflicted it in the past

[Cabin-boy]

IIt's a real shame because she's such a nice ship to travel on. I've done 5 separate one-way crossings on her now and each one has been impeccable. On time or early, comfortable, clean and with plenty of outside deck space. But within a fortnight of each of my trips she tends to hit the headlines again due to a mechanical problem. I'd be interested to know if her bigger sister operating in the Canaries has suffered similar difficulties or if her unique issues stem either from sitting unused for a lengthy period of time or are something to do with the colder, denser waters she operates in or even due to the water in Poole Harbour or around the Channel Islands. This latest problem apparently concerns one of the three engines and they are stripping it down, replacing something and then rebuilding it so she can re-enter service on Sunday. Ed

[Paully]

1 hour ago, Cabin-boy said:

 But within a fortnight of each of my trips she tends to hit the headlines again due to a mechanical problem. 

Jonah......Condor will soon be paying you not to travel with them. It would be much cheaper for them, but then again you could be blacklist by BF and forced to use the Barfleur 🤣

Edited May 15 by Paully

[Nick Hyde]

Let's hope this is the last of technical problems this season. Guernsey's vital tourist trade is important to us here.  Good that Condor are proactively  sorting this now. 

[Cabin-boy]

1 hour ago, Nick Hyde said:

Let's hope this is the last of technical problems this season. Guernsey's vital tourist trade is important to us here.  Good that Condor are proactively  sorting this now. 

You seem to be doing pretty well out of the cruise visits this year. I guess it depends how much the visitors are actually spending in the shops and restaurants. When I was over in April I got chatting to a woman on the harbour arm and she told me that occasionally the tenders can't bring the passengers ashore as it's too rough. Ed

[Nick Hyde]

The cruise passenger trade gives marginal benefits. The real bread and butter and profitability is in staying overnight visitors. They also benefit our sea and air links for the benefits of locals which of course cruise passengers do not do.

[Khaines]

Some of the Clipper in Poole. 

[hf_uk]

21 hours ago, Cabin-boy said:

IIt's a real shame because she's such a nice ship to travel on. I've done 5 separate one-way crossings on her now and each one has been impeccable. On time or early, comfortable, clean and with plenty of outside deck space. But within a fortnight of each of my trips she tends to hit the headlines again due to a mechanical problem. I'd be interested to know if her bigger sister operating in the Canaries has suffered similar difficulties or if her unique issues stem either from sitting unused for a lengthy period of time or are something to do with the colder, denser waters she operates in or even due to the water in Poole Harbour or around the Channel Islands. This latest problem apparently concerns one of the three engines and they are stripping it down, replacing something and then rebuilding it so she can re-enter service on Sunday. Ed

She hasn't got any Cabins thought Cabin-boy! 😮 

[rogerpatenall]

"When I was over in April I got chatting to a woman on the harbour arm and she told me that occasionally the tenders can't bring the passengers ashore as it's too rough."

Cherbourg seems to get several unforeseen visits a year from ships unable to fulfil their Guernsey scheduled call.

[Khaines]

Austal are building two more ferries like Libby and her Fred Olsen big sister.  

https://www.austal.com/news/austal-cuts-metal-117m-trimaran-fred-olsen

[Cabin-boy]

5 hours ago, hf_uk said:

She hasn't got any Cabins thought Cabin-boy! 😮 

That wasn't exactly what I thought. I know she doesn't need cabins as any ferry taking less than 4 hours to do a crossing is tolerable. That's why I like fast craft so much. NEX,  Norman Arrow (sadly elsewhere now) and the Condor ferries are my favourite ways of getting across the channel. Ed. 

[Nick Hyde]

In today's Guernsey Press.

Edited Thursday at 19:18 by Nick Hyde

[G4rth]

Interesting article but surely reason seven for the CI government to buy Condor should have been mentioned. An essential service needs to be provided and nobody else shows much interest in supplying it.

[Cabin-boy]

6 hours ago, G4rth said:

An essential service needs to be provided

That's a good idea reason. 

6 hours ago, G4rth said:

nobody else shows much interest in supplying it

What does that tell you? 

Ed. 

[Paully]

9 hours ago, G4rth said:

Interesting article but surely reason seven for the CI government to buy Condor should have been mentioned. An essential service needs to be provided and nobody else shows much interest in supplying it.

Very true and in this respect the Island Government is between a rock and a hard place. They previously took over control of Aurigny Airways, for that reason, which has proved a less than stellar investment. Its a complete money pit with the opposition nibbling at their market share. Condor will be exactly the same but what choice do they have?

[Cabin-boy]

Liberation is back in service and running a revised schedule as they work to complete the engine repairs. She will resume her full, normal timetable on Friday 24 May. Ed.