Brittany Ferries update

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ossie
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Brittany Ferries update

Post by ossie »

Poole-Cherbourg route, along with Portsmouth to St Malo, Portsmouth to Bilbao, and Portsmouth to Santander suspended until Mid May. My guess is when they do resume cyclists will be well down the priority order.

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/ ... uspension/
simonhill
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by simonhill »

I think some of their ferries may have been switched to Irish routes.
Andrew-l
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by Andrew-l »

Just thinking. If Cyclists are well down the priority order, but foot passengers are allowed, has anyone tried to get onto a ferry with their bike in a bag? Similar to the way that I always seem to have to use on French trains.
Psamathe
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by Psamathe »

I have no idea but I do wonder how busy overseas vacation transport will be at any time. I suspect a lot must depend on what happens between now and whenever but e.g. return from Portugal and you are looking at rather expensive stays c/o UK Government (£1700+ & 10 days). So there must be a risk that the situation can change whilst you are away and suddenly your return from France is extended in the UK in an expensive Quarantine Hotel. Facing these risks I wonder how many will still travel.

Being told to "self-quarantine" without and costs and without any enforcement once you arrive home is very different from being isolated on arrival and transported to a £1700+ 10 days stuck in a hotel room. France has departments in South America and/or some new variant suddenly discovered in Normandy and rules change and you might not get the normal few days to rush home and bring what is not wanted into the UK.

Thus I do wonder if there might be a more subdued take-up of even European travel. Of course that might not happen and 1st and all following boats will be full booked the moment the web site booking opens. All personal guesswork.

Ian
simonhill
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by simonhill »

Andrew-l wrote:Just thinking. If Cyclists are well down the priority order, but foot passengers are allowed, has anyone tried to get onto a ferry with their bike in a bag? Similar to the way that I always seem to have to use on French trains.



I couldn't find anything on Brittany Ferries about walk on passenger luggage. I did find this on the Stena line site:

Foot Passengers are restricted to bring at maximum 2 pieces of extra luggage up to 20kg. This luggage will be checked-in on the day sailings, unless there is a cabin booked. If you have booked a cabin then the luggage has to be put in the cabin.

That's 2 pieces on top of hand luggage. Not much different to airline, so can't see why you can't bring on a bike.
st599_uk
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by st599_uk »

Psamathe wrote:I have no idea but I do wonder how busy overseas vacation transport will be at any time. I suspect a lot must depend on what happens between now and whenever but e.g. return from Portugal and you are looking at rather expensive stays c/o UK Government (£1700+ & 10 days). So there must be a risk that the situation can change whilst you are away and suddenly your return from France is extended in the UK in an expensive Quarantine Hotel. Facing these risks I wonder how many will still travel.

Being told to "self-quarantine" without and costs and without any enforcement once you arrive home is very different from being isolated on arrival and transported to a £1700+ 10 days stuck in a hotel room. France has departments in South America and/or some new variant suddenly discovered in Normandy and rules change and you might not get the normal few days to rush home and bring what is not wanted into the UK.

Thus I do wonder if there might be a more subdued take-up of even European travel. Of course that might not happen and 1st and all following boats will be full booked the moment the web site booking opens. All personal guesswork.

Ian


I think there's an additional risk. If you're traveling from a Red Zone country, you must enter the UK at a Quarantine Port of Entry. Unless they change the list of QPOE, then you'd have to book a flight back to the UK.
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Traction_man
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by Traction_man »

simonhill wrote:I think some of their ferries may have been switched to Irish routes.


I've been keeping an eye on this crossing, Ireland-France, once we have more freedoms to travel (for me NI/RoI/F), putting in some random summer dates into the Brittany Ferries web-site, bicycles do seem to be bookable:

Your booking so far
Ticket type:
ECONOMY
Outbound sailing€94
Cork to Roscoff
Saturday 19 • Jun 2021
16:00 07:00 (14 h)
Crossing type:Cruise
Ship:Pont Aven
Transport:Bicycle (1)
Passenger:1 Adult
Inbound sailing€94
Roscoff to Cork
Tuesday 29 • Jun 2021
19:30 09:30 (15 h)
Crossing type:Cruise
Ship:Armorique
Transport:Bicycle (1)
Passenger:1 Adult
Price €188
simonhill
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by simonhill »

st599_uk wrote:
I think there's an additional risk. If you're traveling from a Red Zone country, you must enter the UK at a Quarantine Port of Entry. Unless they change the list of QPOE, then you'd have to book a flight back to the UK.


Once travel opens up there will be tens of thousands travelling. Not just holidays, but people with family there, people with homes abroad, etc. If the Govt put severe restrictions on returning it will have major implications for all these people.

The current hotel quarantine scheme doesn't have enough rooms for the dribble of current returnees. Can't see it being implemented for a large scale return. I will leave the reader to think of more practical quarantine schemes.
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horizon
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by horizon »

Andrew-l wrote:Just thinking. If Cyclists are well down the priority order, but foot passengers are allowed, has anyone tried to get onto a ferry with their bike in a bag? Similar to the way that I always seem to have to use on French trains.


Generally it's the other way round. Foot passengers were mostly disallowed last year but cyclists were allowed and AFAIK that is the case now. I used both DFDS and Brittany in this way in the summer last year.

In a normal year, both cyclists and pedestrians face restrictions on services due to capacity issues (and not paying for car space) but last year AIUI the issue was about being able to independently get on the ferry without the need for a shuttle bus or crowded foot passenger access ways at the port.
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mjr
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by mjr »

st599_uk wrote:I think there's an additional risk. If you're traveling from a Red Zone country, you must enter the UK at a Quarantine Port of Entry. Unless they change the list of QPOE, then you'd have to book a flight back to the UK.

The nearest Red List country is currently Portugal, 900 miles from a cross-channel port. If you are coming by bicycle, it's probably going to take you longer than 10 days.

If somewhere nearer is added to the Red List, then they will have to massively expand the QPOE system anyway.
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Richard Fairhurst
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

mjr wrote:The nearest Red List country is currently Portugal, 900 miles from a cross-channel port. If you are coming by bicycle, it's probably going to take you longer than 10 days.


You've now got me idly plotting routes from Santander to Porto...
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mjr
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by mjr »

Richard Fairhurst wrote:
mjr wrote:The nearest Red List country is currently Portugal, 900 miles from a cross-channel port. If you are coming by bicycle, it's probably going to take you longer than 10 days.


You've now got me idly plotting routes from Santander to Porto...

Good point. I forgot that ferry because it is 20+ hours and a long way west of me. Still a few days away for most tourists at 270 miles from the border, but yes, one would need to spend a few extra days in Spain before crossing to Plymouth. Probably still far nicer than being forced into the Heathrow Hilton or whatever.
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borisface
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by borisface »

It is not clear how you are supposed to stay in a quarantine hotel if you return to UK from a red list country (ie Portugal) via ferry, for example from Santander in a car, as all the hotels are at airports.
Last edited by borisface on 19 Feb 2021, 3:05pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jdsk
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by Jdsk »

Where you can arrive

If you’re required to quarantine in a quarantine hotel you can only arrive in England at certain ports of entry. Currently these are:
Heathrow Airport
Gatwick Airport
London City Airport
Birmingham Airport
Farnborough Airport
Other ports of entry may be added in the future.

If you have a pre-existing booking to a different port of entry on or after the 15 February it’s your responsibility to change it to one of the ports of entry specified above. After 15 February carriers will not be permitted to carry anyone who has been in a red list country in the previous 10 days to any other port of entry other than those specified.

If you’re required to quarantine in a managed quarantine hotel and do not arrive in England at one of the designated ports of entry, you may face a penalty of up to £10,000 and will be charged for the cost of transportation to the nearest designated port or entry.


...

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/booking-and-staying-in-a-quarantine-hotel-when-you-arrive-in-england#where-you-can-arrive

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mjr
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Re: Brittany Ferries update

Post by mjr »

borisface wrote:It is not clear how you are supposed to stay in a quarantine hotel if you return to UK from a red list country (ie Portugal) via ferry, for example from Santander in a car, as all the hotels are at airports.

I think you are supposed to stay somewhere en route until your boarding is more than 10 days after leaving Portugal. It is a bit bonkers this is not spelt out but it is probably better than mixing with other high riskers in a plague hotel.
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