Title: Speedferries
Post by: Steve Pyro on June 21, 2005, 05:24:45 pm
It happened to me. Did it happen to you?
We missed our booked 17:30 return crossing from Boulogne on Monday. The next one was booked solid so we managed to blag our way on the 00:30. So we had 6 hours to kill in Boulogne.
I noticed a couple of other familiar faces on the quayside having also missing their crossing, Bobblehat in the camper etc. Did you use the Shuttle?
We missed our booked 17:30 return crossing from Boulogne on Monday. The next one was booked solid so we managed to blag our way on the 00:30. So we had 6 hours to kill in Boulogne.
I noticed a couple of other familiar faces on the quayside having also missing their crossing, Bobblehat in the camper etc. Did you use the Shuttle?
Title: Re:Speedferries
Post by: chrisdhall on June 21, 2005, 05:32:38 pm
made our crossing from calais with just 5 mins to spare (5:45)
Luckily we set the sat nav to avoid Paris and go via rouen, once we hit the diversion we then got it to take us via country roads. When we got to Rouen, about 1:30pm I asked a BMW driver beside me what time he'd left le mans.. he said 9:00 - so we'd done good time as we'd left at 10:45am
Luckily we set the sat nav to avoid Paris and go via rouen, once we hit the diversion we then got it to take us via country roads. When we got to Rouen, about 1:30pm I asked a BMW driver beside me what time he'd left le mans.. he said 9:00 - so we'd done good time as we'd left at 10:45am
Title: Re:Speedferries
Post by: Brushy on June 21, 2005, 11:15:47 pm
we missed our 2pm crossing and got on the 5 30 thing was that they could of easily got more cars on the 5 30. lt seemed that they were getting bored with the difficult cars to load ???
Title: Re:Speedferries
Post by: Piglet on June 22, 2005, 02:54:37 pm
I deliberately booked the 9pm ferry to give us plenty of time to get there as I've seen P&O struggle on a busy day to reallocate people as there are always loads of people caught up in traffic and late for their ferries.
We got to the port with 45 minutes to spare - somehow managed to get upgraded to premier class, had priority loading (so early I was still in the toilet!!) and were the first car off fo the boat at the other end!!
I'd moaned about their phone service the other week but really can't fault the ferry service on Sunday night.
We got to the port with 45 minutes to spare - somehow managed to get upgraded to premier class, had priority loading (so early I was still in the toilet!!) and were the first car off fo the boat at the other end!!
I'd moaned about their phone service the other week but really can't fault the ferry service on Sunday night.
Title: Re:Speedferries
Post by: chrisbeatty on June 22, 2005, 05:43:19 pm
I booked the 9pm as well, take an easy ride home, plenty of time to stop to stretch legs & have something to eat & a drink in Boulogne
One of our party tried to get on the 21:00 but there were already 5 cars on standby, so they had to get the 00:30 they were booked on.
If only the check-in staff at Dover were a bit quicker on Wednesday morning!! >:(
One of our party tried to get on the 21:00 but there were already 5 cars on standby, so they had to get the 00:30 they were booked on.
If only the check-in staff at Dover were a bit quicker on Wednesday morning!! >:(
Title: Re:Speedferries
Post by: Robspot on June 22, 2005, 05:48:30 pm
At least you weren't on shittany ferries. The Barfleur is the worst ferry I have ever been on, the facilities are crap and it's £320 for the privilege. Come back P&O all is forgiven!
Title: Re:Speedferries
Post by: Norbert on June 22, 2005, 06:17:00 pm
It happened to me. Did it happen to you?
We missed our booked 17:30 return crossing from Boulogne on Monday. The next one was booked solid so we managed to blag our way on the 00:30. So we had 6 hours to kill in Boulogne.
I noticed a couple of other familiar faces on the quayside having also missing their crossing, Bobblehat in the camper etc. Did you use the Shuttle?
We missed our booked 17:30 return crossing from Boulogne on Monday. The next one was booked solid so we managed to blag our way on the 00:30. So we had 6 hours to kill in Boulogne.
I noticed a couple of other familiar faces on the quayside having also missing their crossing, Bobblehat in the camper etc. Did you use the Shuttle?
Hi Steve,
The team Bobblehat camper eventually crossed by ferry at approx 2.50am from Calais, so was a pretty dire trip for them.
I can't say we were impressed by Speedferries customer service. In the Tiger we made the ferry with an hour and a half to spare so no problems for us. The Beetle was booked on the 21.00 ferry and they in fact made it to Boulogne 45 minutes before the 17.30 sailing. Knowing the Team Bobblehat camper was not going to make the ferry we asked Speedferries to swap the two vehicles over.
Bloody JOBSWORTHS refused ::) so the beetle had to wait till 21.00 and gave the guys in the camper major grief when a bit of flexibility would have worked wonders.
Portsmouth - Caen next year for sure.....
Anyway hope you had a good time.
Regards
Robin
Title: Re:Speedferries
Post by: gibberish on June 24, 2005, 03:36:03 pm
Arrived at Calais for 2.55 sailing on Monday afternoon to find P&O had changed the sailing times without telling me. Spitting blood for a bit, until I calmed down and phoned customer service in the UK. After a fair bit of explaining, the UK called Calais, and pretty soon a French chap turned up at our line, pulled me out, and gave me priority loading. It was so good I might even pay for it next year.
How to go from the worst company to the best in half an hour. Thanks P&O.
How to go from the worst company to the best in half an hour. Thanks P&O.
Title: Re:Speedferries
Post by: Bobblehat on June 24, 2005, 04:10:47 pm
As Robin said Stev, we were stuffed, the worst thing was bieng told that we could get on till Tuesday PM! :o
So we got Mrs Bobblehat onto the internet to Seafrance to get us out of France. First option was the 3.30am. OK we will go for that, then the computer goes down at home so she is on the phone to them. Meantime I am in the office with a very helpfull polite girl (unlike the very rude guy who basicley told me to F Off!!!) who says that we can get on the 12.30am, run back to camper to find the Mrs has booked us on the 11.45pm Seafrance. OK keep seafrance booking £ 42.00 Bank speedferries crossing...............................Get to Cambridgshire 3.00am, Buckingham by 11.00am
So we got Mrs Bobblehat onto the internet to Seafrance to get us out of France. First option was the 3.30am. OK we will go for that, then the computer goes down at home so she is on the phone to them. Meantime I am in the office with a very helpfull polite girl (unlike the very rude guy who basicley told me to F Off!!!) who says that we can get on the 12.30am, run back to camper to find the Mrs has booked us on the 11.45pm Seafrance. OK keep seafrance booking £ 42.00 Bank speedferries crossing...............................Get to Cambridgshire 3.00am, Buckingham by 11.00am
