stevesainty

When you have researched and planned for a long time, and thought you had a handle on everything, the striking French Brittany Ferry employees throw a spanner in the works.

We are now in a position where we were a few years ago with the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano, ie. waiting to see if our transport is going to be cancelled.

Talks are going on in Roscoff with BF and the French union negotiators, and have been since last Thursday when BF decided to tie up their entire fleet.

If a solution is found soon then maybe the ships can all be shuffled around to where they need to be in time for our sailing from Porstmouth on Sunday evening. Time is running out though.

We have been formulating alternative plans if our sailing is cancelled.

1. As BF are currently offering a free crossing from Calais in addition to a complete refund, do we travel from Yorkshire to Dover and join the queue, BF are not offering a booking service, or

2. Our favoured alternative is to take the overnight Ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge, possibly a day early, as it will cut out the long drive to Dover and only add an extra hour's drive on mainland Europe.

Hey ho, sh*t happens, I am not going to get stressed about it.

Agua pasada no mueve molino.

Domino

Reminds me of my booking last December, not strikes but bad weather put the kybosh on that. Ferries in the wrong place, cancellations all over the place.
All I got was my money back, no other payments or inducements.

Travelled down to the Chunnel, loaded the car and self, and spent a pleasant 20mins crossing. Added an extre 1.5 days to my journey but WTH, I enjoyed it.

Just remember that if you have a plan that is in reality Plan A, there must always be a Plan B and perhaps even a Plan C.

Enjoy your trip irrrespective of which way you cross the English Channel.

stevesainty

Or the North Sea

Domino

isnt that an extension of the English Channel ??

but can get almost as rough as the Bay of Biscay - I have had a hearty heave-ho shouting on the porcelain telephone on more than one occaision all round the coast, except ours were stainless steel

Dick Dasterdly

I thought you were an experienced sailor.

Anyone know if these wildcat strikes are expected to continue as they could affect my own travel plans ?

Library Ticket

No idea when BF will resume services, I wish we had. They seem to be issuing notices of cancellations about 36 - 48 hours ahead of sailing times. At the moment all sailings up to Wednesday lunchtime have definitely been cancelled

We know that the ferry we are due to sail from Portsmouth to Bilbao on is currently berthed in Santander.

EsuriJohn

That contradicts the BF website which says that all ships are tied up in French ports. BF are still operating the Poole to Cherbourg route which is operated on their behalf by Condor Ferries. Sails 09.00 Monday morning but they are not offering free transfers. Their website says that all sailings are suspended until Thursday 27th and if you do a check booking they seem to be hopeful that they may resolve things before then.

Library Ticket

I got the info about where the ferry was from here

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/

The vessel is Cap Finistere

EsuriJohn

That's a cracking website and yes it shows the Cap tied up in Santander. Trust the Frogs to annexe part of Spain as a home Port. Bad thing is it is 24hrs to Portsmouth for the Sunday sailing and they are due a crew change in Roscoff on the Monday. So if they do settle by Thursday they will have thir work cut out to get all their ducks in a row!

Library Ticket

Yes, it was because we were trying to work out when they would have to have agreement in order to get the Sunday night sailing from Portsmouth back on track that we tried to find out where the ship is at the moment.

If our crossing is cancelled I'll be very miffed, partly as by booking the first date it became available we've got the best cabin on the ship but more importantly we chose this route as it's the only way we can get to our destination (Elche) without having to leave our hire van full of possessions unattended overnight.

If that's what karma throws at us we'll have to go with it.

I retired from work the week before last and it's amazing how much more laid back I am about things now. Six months ago this hitch would have had me climbing the walls.

EsuriJohn

Here is an alternative route but you will not travel commodore class. Poole to Cherbourg on Sunday 07.00 Condor Ferries arrives 10.30. Drive Cherbourg to Roscoff. Take LD LINES ferry Roscoff to Gijon at 21.00 arrive Monday morning and be on your way all for £250 or so.

Library Ticket

That's worth thinking about. I presume this is what's referred to as the 'Land bridge route'. We would have to leave home (Yorkshire) at midnight on Saturday but it is possible and at least the van would not be unattended apart from in the hold of both ships, which was our original intention.

EsuriJohn

Yes that's the one I think it was MikeJ who tried it out this year but to Cork not Portsmouth seemed to go OK. We have done the Chunnel route with a large Citroen Relay loaded to the roof rack (2bikes) a couple of times and it's the overnight stops that bothered us! Then we found the Cap and were on it's first sailing but we still stopped once on the way from Santader to Ayamonte but by then we knew a couple of good places on the way at Salamanca and Casceres.

Dick Dasterdly

Still no end in sight.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-19740991

The company have told the strikers to stay at home until there's a permanent agreement in place which will avoid any future wildcat strikes.

Dick Dasterdly

Good News.
Strike finished,....we hope.

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/bri...ends-1-4320561