Message Forums

HI

I have just been told that the ferry from bilbao to portsmouth has been cancelled due to refit taking longer than expected.

I was supposed to be returning on it, the 3rd February, but now i have to drive up to the Dover ferry

They are offering me my money back for the cancelled return, a free Dover crossing, and 50% off  my next booking to bilbao.

Sounds good at first, but by the time i pay for the fuel and motorway charges back through France its not that much, for the hassel involved.

Has anyone had this problem before and obtained proper compensation, at least the costs for fuel etc? after all that is why we booked direct to Spain!!

Dover?!! ---- That does sound poor.

When the Santander ferry was damaged in Plymouth in Oct 98, Brittany offered return refunds & free Roscoff return .......with cabin if you pushed it. We did, both ways.

Don't P&O still have the St.Malo run? - (or has that gone to Brittany as well as the rest of the west Britain crossings?)

...& what will the 50% next time be actually off? ------ Oh the joys of marketing & creative accounting

The problem of course is that P&O have pulled out of their Western Channel routes. Whilst I  appreciate its very inconvenient they have made you an offer worth something in the region of £400-£500 which would cover the extra cost of diesel and campsites on route. What do you think would be fair?

David

Hi

I originally booked the crossing to Spain in October ( Portsmouth to Bilbao costing £230)  drove to Morroco, then back up to Malaga, where i left it at the airport, to come home for xmas.

Next week, we are flying back to collect it again..

The ferry, (Bilbao to Portsmouth costing £290)  was cancelled due to the refit taking longer than expected,and the next ferry is 3 weeks after the one we were supposed to have caught, (i have to be back at work before then) 

The reason i booked the return ferry, (in October) was to ski in the Sierra Nevaden, Spain.

I didnt want to drive all the way back through France, (750 miles from Bilbao)

or 1,270 miles from the Sierra Nevaden!!

Now that i have to it is costing me, (from Bilbao) at least £140 extra for fuel and motorway fees, and an extra 12 hrs driving non- stop, and £16 + 3hrs from Dover to Portsmouth

TOTAL  £156 +15hrs (non stop driving) lots of unnecessary wear + tear

How much do you think we should get??

Another thought is perhaps they are not giving me anything!!

The ferry usually has space on it, (ie. it is not always full to capacity) so it  costs them  nothing to put me on for 50% less.

BUT it costs me money to get my 50% reduction!!

Perhaps you should write to them and say something like 'whilst your offer on the surface does sound generous it does not take into account the extra expenses of travelling from Spain to Calais when it will cost me an extra **** in fuel and *** in tolls plus of course overnight accommodation for at least one night which in total I estimate comes to £*** ' I am sure there will be something in their terms and conditions that covers the delay but as a reputable company they may not want you to be out of pocket and perhaps will deal with it on a goodwill basis. I would refrain from suggesting any particular sum and avoid using the term compensation as it then is down to them to explain why they are not prepared to do anything. Have you investigated claiming on your travel insurance?

David