SAILING UPDATES: 2020 Latest News

[jonno]

4 hours ago, kenw said:

Etretat and Connemara now shown operating October and November services to and from Le Havre/

Presumably this pattern continues until Honfleur arrives at Caen, enabling Normandie to move over.

 

I don't think there's much to read in that as the winter timetables aren't released until July.

[nottingham]

BF website timetables 'currently in maintenance mode'.  I expect further cancellation periods being added.  Sad times.

[Macc2010]

1 hour ago, nottingham said:

BF website timetables 'currently in maintenance mode'.  I expect further cancellation periods being added.  Sad times.

Yes sorry to say but do think that will happen sometime this week.

such a sad time at the moment and sometimes think its all a dream.

[Paul]

Back online now and at present, no further cancellations, but yes, highly likely more will be announced.  Maybe they are waiting to see what comes out of Macron's address tonight

[Cabin-boy]

There was speculation last night on TV that any relaxation of the lockdown might be progressive with university and high-school students allowed back first as they are more able to respect rules on social distancing. Primary schools and secondary schools might need to stay closed for longer but that would obviously prevent many parents going back to work. Another three weeks would take us to the 4 May when the school-holiday period ends for the third and final zone. Alternatively there may be a regional relaxation depending on the prevalence of the virus. Ed. 

[Andy]

[GardenofEngland]

As expected but the ferries are bringing in freight why not bring Spanish residents stuck in UK and then UK residents stuck in Spain. There are not thousands but maybe hundreds that could be contained on a ferry.. we have given up after 3 cancelled crossings so now going to drive from the South of Spain to Calais which still has ferries to UK operating. How does that work when BF is a French company and Spanish non essential workers are now back at work?

We now have 2 vouchers but still have no email informing us our crossing on the 23rd is a no.no

Edited April 14, 2020 by GardenofEngland
More info

[hf_uk]

16 hours ago, GardenofEngland said:

As expected but the ferries are bringing in freight why not bring Spanish residents stuck in UK and then UK residents stuck in Spain. There are not thousands but maybe hundreds that could be contained on a ferry.. we have given up after 3 cancelled crossings so now going to drive from the South of Spain to Calais which still has ferries to UK operating. How does that work when BF is a French company and Spanish non essential workers are now back at work?

We now have 2 vouchers but still have no email informing us our crossing on the 23rd is a no.no

Thing is, you can spread out 40 drivers and space them apart in cabins quite well, but if you have passengers, families etc, it becomes very difficult. They would be closer together, more to clean... plus everything onboard is shut, how do you expect children to stay in a cabin for 24 hours+. Also how is it enforced? And if a member of the public thought them became ill onboard, you start a blame game. I don't think you could really manage it or people's expectations properly. It makes sense to draw a line at freight only.

I have 2 flights booked soon, but not even attempted to see if I can get a refund yet, I am just taking the line that I am in a long queue of people and I will be contacted as soon as possible, OR, that my flight will go ahead if not within a reasonable amount of time beforehand...

[des]

In this odd period I'm a little surprised that BF are taking the balance of our holiday in July out from the credit card today, especially considering their terms are 8 weeks in advance.

Stay safe.

Edit: I see from the paperwork that they'll take money 80 days in advance but their website says 8 weeks. 

Edited April 15, 2020 by des
Added a bit

[jonno]

22 minutes ago, des said:

In this odd period I'm a little surprised that BF are taking the balance of our holiday in July out from the credit card today, especially considering their terms are 8 weeks in advance.

Stay safe.

Edit: I see from the paperwork that they'll take money 80 days in advance but their website says 8 weeks. 

Yep we've left our July sailings in place too. The French numbers are levelling out now, another month of lockdown is sensible in my view.

[des]

Another thing into the mix is the State Exams here are being pushed back to end July/early August so that will impact a significant chunk of families and their travel plans (we'd changed our usual dates so as to be back in time for the results). 

Must be an extremely difficult time to be a traffic forecaster for any travel company especially with end-of-lockdown dates being so different between markets.

[Cabin-boy]

14 minutes ago, des said:

Another thing into the mix is the State Exams here are being pushed back to end July/early August so that will impact a significant chunk of families and their travel plans (we'd changed our usual dates so as to be back in time for the results). 

Must be an extremely difficult time to be a traffic forecaster for any travel company especially with end-of-lockdown dates being so different between markets.

That reminds me of when I did my GCSE exams back in 1993. We were on holiday when the results came through and were allowed to call the school if away to find out. We were on Benbecula at the time and I had to use the public phone box outside the local Naafi store to try and make contact. Unfortunately the line was so bad we gave up and instead drove to the highest point on the island and tried with my father's 'car phone' which worked fine and I was able to speak to the headmistress. Ed. 

[rogerpatenall]

When my Chartered Accountancy results came out, they were posted to my parents' house. I was in a flat in London, without 'phone. My girlfriend was in her flat, with 'phone (how times change!!). So my Mum opened the envelope and excitedly phones GF in spite of the early hour. "Roger's passed," she said. GF says that she is not sure she wants to know about Roger's past. But soon sorted out.

 

 

 

[nottingham]

I totally messed up my GCEs - expected to get 8, achieved only 3, after having spent the four week at home revision time reading magazines of a dubious type.😉

Went (ran) away to my grandparents when results were due out - gave dad time to calm down (a little)

When I got home I was summoned for a 'serious' talking to.

Never saw him that upset before, and never again until he found out I had won a college prize for being the top electrical engineering student and not told him (or took him to the prize giving)

Looking back on it all now I must have driven him crackers with my teenage 'attitude'

[nottingham]

Apologies - led well off topic here!

[Cabin-boy]

5 minutes ago, nottingham said:

Apologies - led well off topic here!

I wouldn't worry. It's not like there are really any sailings that need updating right now. Ed. 

[des]

Yeah it can be a bit of a pain especially if your sailing is in the middle of exams - none of this predicted grade stuff over here.

Just after the results come out we get the college offers which requires nifty responses. Despite years of discussion and promises by the Mayor 4G hasn't really arrived in St. Lunaire. Or 3G to be honest. 

[VikingVoyager]

23 hours ago, des said:

Edit: I see from the paperwork that they'll take money 80 days in advance but their website says 8 weeks

ah, the much awaited decimal week. is it Macronday yet?

[The Ferry Man]

With the implication of no ferry travel at all this year (depressing thought!), whats the limit of moving a booking? Currently booked for July/Aug to LH, could I move it through to next year?

[Paully]

27 minutes ago, The Ferry Man said:

With the implication of no ferry travel at all this year (depressing thought!), whats the limit of moving a booking? Currently booked for July/Aug to LH, could I move it through to next year?

What I was told, about a month ago, is that I can move the booking dates as many times as I like, without any charge, up to a year from the date of the original travelling date. At that point a new booking has to be made and taken. That said, best to ask them again as things seem to be changing all the time. The vouchers, now are for 2 years and come with an additional 20% discount on French crossings and 15% on Spanish. 

Edited April 17, 2020 by Paully

[Jack N]

Can anyone tell me whether the balance payment for a booking is still taken before the original sailing date if you postpone your booking, or is it taken a set time before the revised sailing date? 

[scarlton]

4 minutes ago, Jack N said:

Can anyone tell me whether the balance payment for a booking is still taken before the original sailing date if you postpone your booking, or is it taken a set time before the revised sailing date? 

The balance due date will move with the departure date.

[scarlton]

2 hours ago, The Ferry Man said:

With the implication of no ferry travel at all this year (depressing thought!), whats the limit of moving a booking? Currently booked for July/Aug to LH, could I move it through to next year?

You can only move your booking to 12 months after the original departure date. So say version 1 of your ticket was for a sailing on May 30th 2020, you need to complete both legs before May 30th 2021

[TonyMWeaver]

 

[neilcvx]

“ Too much longer “ also known as next year.