BRITTANY FERRIES COVID 19 REFUND VOUCHER

[Ting Tong]

We had Brittany bookings made through the Caravan Club CAMC. I’d paid the outbound in full but only the deposit on the inbound as, by the time the balance was due, I could see that ferries would be cancelled. I advised CAMC that I wouldn’t accept a voucher and I’ve just seen that they duly refunded the whole amount onto my credit card without telling me.

Good result but check your card if your waiting for money back.

 

[Toffeeman1]

The return leg of our Santander ferry was refunded via the CAMC this week.

 

[B J G]

Brittany Ferries initially did vouchers but were advised that EU Regs meant that a refund due which they did some time ago.
They had initially expected to open up on 15th June but not until 10th July requiring another refund session to be processed for any bookings during that period.

Current bookings get a generous discount.
£204 return incl. Cabin for my July August trip and £205 for Sept. trip. Extra discount as I am a Club Voyage Member.

 

[GSX1300R]

Brittany ferries have changed their pricing policy this year to 3 different prices..Cheapest and you get no refunds and you pay full amount when booking also pay to amend. Second is pay 50% and get some other benefits but you only get a voucher refund.The most expensive is the flexi fare 25% deposit and amend up to 4 hours before travel. Cancel and lose the 25% deposit but you get the remainder paid back to your card..Now im not sure if any of this is actually legal as it was obviously thought out last year..I’d like to know if anyone got their money paid back with the 2 lesser prices or have you lost the lot..

 

[B J G]

Brittany ferries have changed their pricing policy this year to 3 different prices..Cheapest and you get no refunds and you pay full amount when booking also pay to amend. Second is pay 50% and get some other benefits but you only get a voucher refund.The most expensive is the flexi fare 25% deposit and amend up to 4 hours before travel. Cancel and lose the 25% deposit but you get the remainder paid back to your card..Now im not sure if any of this is actually legal as it was obviously thought out last year..I’d like to know if anyone got their money paid back with the 2 lesser prices or have you lost the lot..

Not a customer friendly system which lost my goodwill. Perhaps not considered as an asset anymore.

I decided to pay up front with £20 fee for a change and rather than cancel & lose fare I'd pay the £20 and change the booking to a later date, next year?

 

[GSX1300R]

Not a customer friendly system which lost my goodwill. Perhaps not considered as an asset anymore.

I decided to pay up front with £20 fee for a change and rather than cancel & lose fare I'd pay the £20 and change the booking to a later date, next year?

When P&O were running side by side with Brittany Ferries at least you had a choice. Now its Hobsons choice..

 

[B J G]

I did read that they were taking over Condor Ferries, not sure if done or not happening.

Travel market very unstable now, to state the obvious.

 

[GSX1300R]

I did read that they were taking over Condor Ferries, not sure if done or not happening.

Travel market very unstable now, to state the obvious.

I’m sure I’ve been on a Condor ferry and booked through Brittany ferries.And that was a few years ago. I think it was Cherbourg to poole..

 

[Fost@T5]

Britany Ferrys... I put them in the same dustbin, as Ryan Air, although I understand RA are now supposed to be giving refunds, at long last!
We were booked to travel from Portsmouth to Le Havre, on the 20th May, returning ten days later.
We had paid the 50% Deposit on booking (January) and were due to pay the balance on the 20th March.
On the 17th March, the French Government stopped none essential travel into France.
On the 18th March, the UK Government advised none essential travel from the UK to cease.
18th March, BF requested payment (£300) for the balance of our trip to Le Havre???
I tried contacting BF by telephone, all day, with no luck, sent emails, only received an automated reply, with no follow up from BF, on either medium.
On the evening of March 18th I reluctantly cancelled the Ferry, to stop BF accessing my Credit Card for the payment (£300) of the 'Balance'.
I tried on numerous occasions to contact BF over the next few days, weeks and months, with no luck apart from their automated replies.
BF finally emailed me in June informing me I will nor be getting a refund! and after numerous emails of complaint, they still won't do the right thing!
The Hotels, in France, immediately gave us a refund!
We won't be using BF again, it's the Tunnel from now on!
Regards.

 

[BerndRos]

Britany Ferrys... I put them in the same dustbin, as Ryan Air, although I understand RA are now supposed to be giving refunds, at long last!
We were booked to travel from Portsmouth to Le Havre, on the 20th May, returning ten days later.
We had paid the 50% Deposit on booking (January) and were due to pay the balance on the 20th March.
On the 17th March, the French Government stopped none essential travel into France.
On the 18th March, the UK Government advised none essential travel from the UK to cease.
18th March, BF requested payment (£300) for the balance of our trip to Le Havre???
I tried contacting BF by telephone, all day, with no luck, sent emails, only received an automated reply, with no follow up from BF, on either medium.
On the evening of March 18th I reluctantly cancelled the Ferry, to stop BF accessing my Credit Card for the payment (£300) of the 'Balance'.
I tried on numerous occasions to contact BF over the next few days, weeks and months, with no luck apart from their automated replies.
BF finally emailed me in June informing me I will nor be getting a refund! and after numerous emails of complaint, they still won't do the right thing!
The Hotels, in France, immediately gave us a refund!
We won't be using BF again, it's the Tunnel from now on!
Regards.

They were & are difficult to deal with, I had 2 cancelled crossings back to UK, finally travelled on the first BF ferry out of Spain on the 1st July, Santander to Plymouth.

Their website was updated 3 times a week, what you should have done is to pay the balance of £300, then when they cancelled you would have received a credit note for the full amount, usable for up to two years OR you could have amended your bookings to later crossings free of any admin fees. Both options would not have left you out of pocket.

 

[Fost@T5]

They were & are difficult to deal with, I had 2 cancelled crossings back to UK, finally travelled on the first BF ferry out of Spain on the 1st July, Santander to Plymouth.

Their website was updated 3 times a week, what you should have done is to pay the balance of £300, then when they cancelled you would have received a credit note for the full amount, usable for up to two years OR you could have amended your bookings to later crossings free of any admin fees. Both options would not have left you out of pocket.

Thanks...
I understand that now, but at the time, every Country was starting to 'shutdown' and limit the movement of all types of travel.
Also, I couldn't contact or communicate with BF, no matter what medium I used, until June!!
Their phones weren't being picked up and emails were answered, using an automated reply.
So, yes, I believe I have been seen off, whereas the Hotels we were going to use in France, have all given us refunds!
Regards.

 

[LemonDrop]

Thanks...
I understand that now, but at the time, every Country was starting to 'shutdown' and limit the movement of all types of travel.
Also, I couldn't contact or communicate with BF, no matter what medium I used, until June!!
Their phones weren't being picked up and emails were answered, using an automated reply.
So, yes, I believe I have been seen off, whereas the Hotels we were going to use in France, have all given us refunds!
Regards.

I really feel for you, you tried your best to get in touch. If you can be bothered I think it would be worth you making a formal complaint. You could try Resolver, they make the process a lot easier.

 

[BerndRos]

Thanks...
I understand that now, but at the time, every Country was starting to 'shutdown' and limit the movement of all types of travel.
Also, I couldn't contact or communicate with BF, no matter what medium I used, until June!!
Their phones weren't being picked up and emails were answered, using an automated reply.
So, yes, I believe I have been seen off, whereas the Hotels we were going to use in France, have all given us refunds!
Regards.

Agreed.

But they have said that they had over 200K bookings to contact etc for all of the cancelled sailings, a complete nightmare.

Mind you I was on the Pont Aven when it broke down last year in the middle of Biscay, then we were decanted at Brest, getting money out of them was not easy.

 

[Tomato]

Got about £290 refund back on a £421 booking for BF one way July 12th I cancelled...fair enough as it was my choice to cancel.

I’m surprised that anyone on this forum ever risks their money and ignores the additional protection that the Consumer Credit Act 1974 gives you by not using a credit card - never ever use debit cards or bank transfers to pay in full for travel bookings

 

[BerndRos]

Got about £290 refund back on a £421 booking for BF one way July 12th I cancelled...fair enough as it was my choice to cancel.

I’m surprised that anyone on this forum ever risks their money and ignores the additional protection that the Consumer Credit Act 1974 gives you by not using a credit card - never ever use debit cards or bank transfers to pay in full for travel bookings

If you don’t have a credit card ......

 

[Tomato]

If you don’t have a credit card ......

Credit cards are just like a debit card. Except your bank wants you to use your debit card as they make more money and you get virtually zero protection. Fraudsters want your debit card details, credit card companies just take the money back from any dodgy transaction.

Many cost nothing. You don’t even need a decent credit rating. They offer you protection

• against fraud
• against bankruptcy
• retailers ripping you off
• with travel insurance
• with refunds on goods that are faulty
• getting your money back rather than a voucher
• 
  
• You also get free money until you pay it off - can be up to 5 weeks.
• Some have zero currency exchange fees, cashback, airmiles, points, whatever floats your boat. Give it to charity. It aint costing you anything - the retailer you
  spend with pays via a %

Why wouldn’t you use one? Don’t be misled by the word “credit” you’d be foolish not to pay it off in full every month.

Zero downside, massive upside. If you don’t trust yourself with money/ don’t believe in having e mail or one of those new fangled mobile phones/ hot water pointless luxury/ never needed or believed in credit cards then it isnt for you...

 

[B J G]

Britany Ferrys... I put them in the same dustbin, as Ryan Air, although I understand RA are now supposed to be giving refunds, at long last!
We were booked to travel from Portsmouth to Le Havre, on the 20th May, returning ten days later.
We had paid the 50% Deposit on booking (January) and were due to pay the balance on the 20th March.
On the 17th March, the French Government stopped none essential travel into France.
On the 18th March, the UK Government advised none essential travel from the UK to cease.
18th March, BF requested payment (£300) for the balance of our trip to Le Havre???
I tried contacting BF by telephone, all day, with no luck, sent emails, only received an automated reply, with no follow up from BF, on either medium.
On the evening of March 18th I reluctantly cancelled the Ferry, to stop BF accessing my Credit Card for the payment (£300) of the 'Balance'.
I tried on numerous occasions to contact BF over the next few days, weeks and months, with no luck apart from their automated replies.
BF finally emailed me in June informing me I will nor be getting a refund! and after numerous emails of complaint, they still won't do the right thing!
The Hotels, in France, immediately gave us a refund!
We won't be using BF again, it's the Tunnel from now on!
Regards.

Know your frustration, I was in France and booked to come back on 19th March. Made approx 300 calls to try to get an earlier crossing but never got through other than cut off 4 times on the 17th. Online was closed down. They were totally understaffed and prepared for the cancellation contact to and from Customers.
I only found out about cancellation from info that my daughter saw online on Tuesday 16th evening. BF sent a cancellation email 12 hours before due to sail.

 

[Perfectos]

tried to call BF on several occasions, (pre English government releasing lockdown, and reciprocal Quarantining arrangements being scrapped etc)

we wanted to change our booking to a date in the future when travel may have been possible. (Based on what we knew at that time) however this was not possible online via BF website as future sailings schedule had not been released and it was impossible to speak to a human being !

The only response we could get was the automated system telling us that all communications should be via email. The kicker was that they were quoting 40+ days minimum to respond !

An email was duly sent requesting to know when the next sailing schedule was to be released and what was the protocol for changing a booking if we indeed wanted to ?

To our surprise we received an email, this week, informing us that BF had cancelled our booking, for August and have issue a “voucher / credit “ on our account that is valid until 2022 !
None of our questions laid out in our communication have been answered !

It looks like I won’t be going on my planned holiday this year, thanks to the incompetence and lack of appropriate staffing of phone lines by BF. (Despite travel now being possible)

Needless to say another email has been sent now to request a refund, not a voucher ( we did not cancel our booking BF did)

What a shambles BF have been, but they are not the only travel provider, in my experience, to act poorly,
I would rate BF and Easy jet in the same league, inept at effective customer communications, didn’t care for the customers wishes.

We await the response from BF, presuming another extended wait for a response.

 

[B J G]

I've had an email from DFDS Ferries which states that any cancellations made before end of this year will be refunded in full, no penalties.
I got back by them when BF cancelled my booking.

 

[WelshGas]

Credit cards are just like a debit card. Except your bank wants you to use your debit card as they make more money and you get virtually zero protection. Fraudsters want your debit card details, credit card companies just take the money back from any dodgy transaction.

Many cost nothing. You don’t even need a decent credit rating. They offer you protection

• against fraud
• against bankruptcy
• retailers ripping you off
• with travel insurance
• with refunds on goods that are faulty
• getting your money back rather than a voucher
• 
  
• You also get free money until you pay it off - can be up to 5 weeks.
• Some have zero currency exchange fees, cashback, airmiles, points, whatever floats your boat. Give it to charity. It aint costing you anything - the retailer you
  spend with pays via a %

Why wouldn’t you use one? Don’t be misled by the word “credit” you’d be foolish not to pay it off in full every month.

Zero downside, massive upside. If you don’t trust yourself with money/ don’t believe in having e mail or one of those new fangled mobile phones/ hot water pointless luxury/ never needed or believed in credit cards then it isnt for you...

There is an alternative and it's called a Charge Card. It has to be paid off monthly. There is no option to delay payment.

 

[GSX1300R]

tried to call BF on several occasions, (pre English government releasing lockdown, and reciprocal Quarantining arrangements being scrapped etc)

we wanted to change our booking to a date in the future when travel may have been possible. (Based on what we knew at that time) however this was not possible online via BF website as future sailings schedule had not been released and it was impossible to speak to a human being !

The only response we could get was the automated system telling us that all communications should be via email. The kicker was that they were quoting 40+ days minimum to respond !

An email was duly sent requesting to know when the next sailing schedule was to be released and what was the protocol for changing a booking if we indeed wanted to ?

To our surprise we received an email, this week, informing us that BF had cancelled our booking, for August and have issue a “voucher / credit “ on our account that is valid until 2022 !
None of our questions laid out in our communication have been answered !

It looks like I won’t be going on my planned holiday this year, thanks to the incompetence and lack of appropriate staffing of phone lines by BF. (Despite travel now being possible)

Needless to say another email has been sent now to request a refund, not a voucher ( we did not cancel our booking BF did)

What a shambles BF have been, but they are not the only travel provider, in my experience, to act poorly,
I would rate BF and Easy jet in the same league, inept at effective customer communications, didn’t care for the customers wishes.

We await the response from BF, presuming another extended wait for a response.

You say BF has cancelled your booking for August is that correct..I thought that they were now back and running again..I keep getting emails from them telling me about all the precautions they are taking ..I haven’t got a clue what’s going on any longer..

 

[Perfectos]

You say BF has cancelled your booking for August is that correct..I thought that they were now back and running again..I keep getting emails from them telling me about all the precautions they are taking ..I haven’t got a clue what’s going on any longer..

Hi Peter

Yes BF cancelled my booking after I enquired about changing my pre booked dates via email ( due to the reciprocal quarantine arrangement between France and England, which is Now scrapped).
I believe the sailing will go ahead and no need to quarantine.
But the fact you cannot speak to anyone face to face leaves them open to interpret your intention.
Obviously the change in England / France quarantine requirements, means we could still have travelled and need not have contacted BF to find out if the booking can be changed to a later date when (at that time) quarantine measures would not apply.

BF obviously have a policy to simply cancel bookings and issue a voucher / credit, when faced with a query regarding future travel schedule, despite me not authorising them to cancel my current booking.

 

[BerndRos]

You say BF has cancelled your booking for August is that correct..I thought that they were now back and running again..I keep getting emails from them telling me about all the precautions they are taking ..I haven’t got a clue what’s going on any longer..

Staggered restart, some ships are not running. It’s all on their website.

 

[GSX1300R]

The worst part is that if you are coming back from Spain and you don’t want the 700-800 mile journey back what choice do you have but to book Brittany ferries..We don’t come back from there until the end of September and we are still unsure about what’s going on. We have until the 30th of this month before they take the final payment and I suppose lots can happen by then...I do know that many campsites have changed their opening and closing dates and one site we went to last year in Spain near the MotoGP circuit is not even opening until the 25th September but I think the racing In Aragon is about a month late anyway..Everything is topsy turvy and have to go with the flow...

 

[Fost@T5]

Hi Peter...
If I was doing it all again and knowing what I know now, I would have allowed BF to take my 'Final Balance Payment' and then waited for them to cancel the trip!
As it was, at the time, I was unable to contact BF, for guidance, so reluctantly cancelled, before they took another £300 from my Credit Card.
You have probably read other 'Posts', on this 'Thread', it seems, if BF cancel your trip, you will get your refund, but if you cancel your trip, you don't???
Hope this helps?
Regards