BF Refit Season 2019-20

[TonyMWeaver]

Just now, Tregastel said:

Great to see Bretagne is going to get some much needed TLC - she's still a great ship.

 

She's off for 8 weeks too, but I expect some of that will be laid up in Le Havre.

[jonno]

1 hour ago, TonyMWeaver said:

She's off for 8 weeks too, but I expect some of that will be laid up in Le Havre.

Tony with PA in the state she is can BF afford to have Bretagne laid up, surely sitting in a dry dock for the best part of 8 weeks is as good as a rest?

[Gareth]

4 minutes ago, jonno said:

Tony with PA in the state she is can BF afford to have Bretagne laid up, surely sitting in a dry dock for the best part of 8 weeks is as good as a rest?

Jonno, Bretagne is in service throughout the period of time during which PA is being dry docked.  Bretagne’s own period off service coincides with PA remaining operational.

[scarlton]

What happens to Connemara after BDS leaves is dependent on Honfleur. So an answer on both will be revealed soon.

[TonyMWeaver]

3 hours ago, jonno said:

Tony with PA in the state she is can BF afford to have Bretagne laid up, surely sitting in a dry dock for the best part of 8 weeks is as good as a rest?

As Gareth said, 'Bretagne' and 'Pont-Aven' are away at separate times. It wouldn't be the first time 'Bretagne' has been to Gdansk for refit then gone to Le Havre for lay up after.

[neilcvx]

Armorique has a week!! What are they doing cleaning it thoroughly? 

[TonyMWeaver]

11 minutes ago, neilcvx said:

Armorique has a week!! What are they doing cleaning it thoroughly? 

'Normandie' also has a week, she needs a touch of paint.

[neilcvx]

1 minute ago, TonyMWeaver said:

'Normandie' also has a week, she needs a touch of paint.

Disinfecting the pet cabins as well? Or removing the restaurant?

[jonno]

10 hours ago, jonno said:

It's an interesting one for sure and is possibly worth keeping an eye on.

DFDS wanted her back in April this year before they extended their charter of Grimaldi's Coraggio class Regina Seaways, she goes back to the Italians next month... Pax wise Regina is too big for the route she serves, BDS gives them want they want, around 600... If anything, Regina Seaways is the ship which will be available... no, she's too long for Cork which knocks on the head any Grimaldi/Vigo thoughts.

DFDS also charter another two Coraggio class ships which to look at are very similar to BDS. These will be replaced by the two RoPax being built by GSI and due to enter service during 2021.

 

No I was wrong, DFDS own the two Coraggio's currently due for replacement.

[hhvferry]

If Regina Seaways was released by DFDS she'd be a nice ship for BF to use rather than Visentinis. I imagine there will be a fair amount of interest from other operators in chartering her if she becomes available so she could end up anywhere.

[TonyMWeaver]

'Normandie Express' seen in the floating dry dock in Dunkirk where work continues on her annual maintenance.

Photos thanks to Julien Carpentier.

[Gareth]

Thanks Tony.  It would be interesting to see a close-up of the work taking place on the port funnel.  (I assume “funnel” is still the appropriate terminology for this type of craft?).

I can’t blow the top image up enough to be able to see, but is there any clue there to the new livery that NEX will wear?  There are two areas of interest - the line between where the old blue ended and the white, and a little lower where there is something being painted on the side of the hull at the base of the funnel.

[Paully]

15 minutes ago, Gareth said:

Thanks Tony.  It would be interesting to see a close-up of the work taking place on the port funnel.  (I assume “funnel” is still the appropriate terminology for this type of craft?).

I can’t blow the top image up enough to be able to see, but is there any clue there to the new livery that NEX will wear?  There are two areas of interest - the line between where the old blue ended and the white, and a little lower where there is something being painted on the side of the hull at the base of the funnel.

Its all designed to tease Gareth😂....you`ll just have to be patient

[Gareth]

I’m just fascinated to see whether there will be any element of Condor livery in there....or some kind of joint BF/Condor creation.  But that’s just me racing about 5 steps down the line and, yes, being impatient! 🤣

[David Williams]

19 hours ago, neilcvx said:

Disinfecting the pet cabins as well? Or removing the restaurant?

How about removing the pet cabins and disinfecting the restaurant.

[Gareth]

Yes, that’s another point of intrigue about the refits.  Will Normandie be reconfigured to Economie?

I’d like to offer an immediate answer to that one - no.  Don’t forget, when Normandie emerged from last year’s refit, it was with preparing for Le Havre in mind.  She was initially due to move to Le Havre within a few months of the last refit, so we can assume that the way she emerged from that refit is her intended configuration for the Le Havre route.

Why would this new refit, in advance of her delayed move to Le Havre, result in anything different from what was planned already?

[Ian Walker]

So my question is, is the main restaurant going to be removed from the Normandie?  And the other question is will she be reregistered to Le Harve?

 

[TonyMWeaver]

4 hours ago, Gareth said:

Yes, that’s another point of intrigue about the refits.  Will Normandie be reconfigured to Economie?

Is the Economie brand going to stay? Maybe they won't keep it.

 

5 hours ago, Gareth said:

I’m just fascinated to see whether there will be any element of Condor livery in there....or some kind of joint BF/Condor creation.  But that’s just me racing about 5 steps down the line and, yes, being impatient! 🤣

I think that the livery on NEX will be the same as the other ships, without any element of the Condor livery. I did ask this question on Twitter to BF and they said there was no truth in the rumour that she would get any part of the Condor livery. With the story in the French press regarding the Condor bid, Jean Marc Roue was quoted as saying that a decision would not be made until 2020. Once the bid has been decided, I think the Condor name will be no more.

Edited October 5 by TonyMWeaver

[Paully]

4 minutes ago, TonyMWeaver said:

Is the Economie brand going to stay? Maybe they won't keep it.

 

 regarding the Condor bid, Jean Marc Roue was quoted as saying that a decision would not be made until 2020. 

Having second thoughts maybe??

[David Williams]

Re Normandie, we will see what the timetable shows, last year it was a cruise ferry to Le Havre until it’s ‘unexpected’ recall to Ouistreham

 I am more interested in what they do to MSM, hopefully it will get some USB points in the cabins like Normandie.

[scarlton]

6 hours ago, Gareth said:

  Will Normandie be reconfigured to Economie?

There's no point. 😉

[Gareth]

2 minutes ago, scarlton said:

There's no point. 😉

That's either another irritating quote out of context (before going on to read what I say next) or, much more tantalisingly, a hint at an announcement in the direction I've been predicting for a couple of years!  Given that everything you post is considered and to the point, I'm inclined to go with the latter! 😉

[neilcvx]

No Economie no need to reconfigure.

[Tumnus2010]

Economie to France isn't that much cheaper I've found. Indeed when looking to book I found it to be as expensive as Caen, the only plus side being a slightly longer night crossing it seems. Hope it goes

[shar^k]

14 minutes ago, Tumnus2010 said:

Economie to France isn't that much cheaper I've found. Indeed when looking to book I found it to be as expensive as Caen, the only plus side being a slightly longer night crossing it seems. Hope it goes

Agreed. Not a huge difference between the Pont Aven and Connemara price wise from Cork to France. However it does give us additional sailings during the week as opposed to just the one on a Saturday.