# Poole to Cherbourg Ferry Route axed



## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Brittany Ferries Barfleur Service is to be withdrawn in April due to costs. The loss of this service will leave just the high speed May to September service plus a ffreight ferry Cotenin.

They say they have been loosing money since 2003. Part of the problem as I see it is they are just too expensive. We wanted to go Poole - Cherbourg in October but the cost was £350 for MH + 2 people. I got a quote for next August, { now obviosly no longer applicable}, which was £550.

A real shame as you can not beat coming into your home port.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*BF*

I dont use them as they are too expensive.

TM


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

rayc said:


> Brittany Ferries Barfleur Service is to be withdrawn in April due to costs. The loss of this service will leave just the high speed May to September service plus a ffreight ferry Cotenin.
> They say they have been loosing money since 2008. Part opf the problem as i see it is they are just too expensive. We wanted to go Poole - Cherbourge in October but the cost was £350 for MH + 2 people. I got a quote for next August { now obviosly no longer applicable} which was £550.
> A real shame as you can not beat coming into your home port.


Thats going to put a big dent in Poole Harbour Commisioners profits. I am led to believe that the port dues they paid were absolutely horrific.

I used them a couple of times when we went to Cherbourg in the boat and the weather turned really bad and we were stuck there.

£9-99p returns and we only used half the ticket!

Peter


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I reckon its all down to cost as well.

I have booked a Dover Calais Return in August with a 7.5m MH and its only costing £67 

Much as I would like to do Poole Cherbourg (Poole is only 30 miles from me) it is simply not economic compared to Dover Calais !!!


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## grouch (Oct 1, 2005)

Just like us really. Surely Brittany Ferries will soon price themselves out of existence. Plymouth/Roscoff would always be favourite for us but Dover/Calais at just 5 and a half hours driving and at just under £43. return wins every time. I would also say that Brittany Ferry staff always have seemed rather off hand.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

We would use Brittany Ferries if they were more reasonably priced. 

We have done the Plymouth-Roscoff route 2 or 3 times in the past when we have managed to get a good deal. 

Certainly for us its quicker to go from Plymouth and certainly quicker to get home once arriving back from France. I do hate the journey up to Dover/shuttle and especially the return journey. 

The cost is the main consideration and I am sure Brittany Ferries would reap the benefit if they had more reasonable prices in the West country.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Sad that the Poole / Cherbourg route is going the same way as the old P&O routes out of Portsmouth. It would be lovely to get a decent priced crossing at sensible times from Pompey (or even Poole), but the economies of going from Dover at a fraction of the price are just too tempting. 
It might change things if Seafrance have to do some hefty re-structuring that would entail charging higher prices (let's face it, the prices they and P&O & norfolk line are charging are ridiculous!) then it might make the western channel a bit more attarctive.


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

Mrplodd said:


> I reckon its all down to cost as well.
> I have booked a Dover Calais Return in August with a 7.5m MH and its only costing £67
> Much as I would like to do Poole Cherbourg (Poole is only 30 miles from me) it is simply not economic compared to Dover Calais !!!


In all fairness, Dover/Calais is 22 miles, Poole/Cherbourg is 63 miles and no doubt Dovers port charges are somewhat cheaper.
Peter


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

As we live 28 miles south of Cherbourg, we were very happy when we bought as there were three ferry operators crossing to Cherbourg. Sealink, P&O and Brittany Ferries.

P&O bought out Sealink and at the time this was referred to the monopolies commission Thrown out as there were still two carriers.
P&O bailed out shortly afterwards leaving just BF to charge what they like.

Several other operators wanted to sail into Cherbourg but every time BF fought them off bleating unfair competition. The last one Celtic/LD lasted just a couple of weeks. BF also complained to the Cherbourg Chamber of Commerce when any air line flew into Cherbourg from UK and quickly stopped the competition.

They are the most difficult company to deal with and if they were not subsidised by the French Government they would have gone bust year ago.

Pi55ed orff Ray.


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## sersol (Aug 1, 2005)

"(let's face it, the prices they and P&O & norfolk line are charging are ridiculous!) "

No Mike,what Euro Tunnel charge is rediculous. 
While the Dover/Calias ferry operators charge more or less what they do I'm happy to use them.But should there be a large increase me & I would think most of the tight fisted :wink: motor homer's on here would think twice,no three times before travelling.
Gary


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

sersol said:


> "(let's face it, the prices they and P&O & norfolk line are charging are ridiculous!) "
> 
> No Mike,what Euro Tunnel charge is rediculous.
> While the Dover/Calias ferry operators charge more or less what they do I'm happy to use them.But should there be a large increase me & I would think most of the tight fisted :wink: motor homer's on here would think twice,no three times before travelling.
> Gary


 :lol: :lol: I was making the point that the operators can't hope to make any profit at those rates, - Ok for us now, but it's not sustainable - and the surviving ones would be quite happy if one of them went down the tubes. As I said on another post about the state of Seafrance, don't forget that the P&O operation is owned by the dodgy Dubai lot, and could also be in trouble.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

rayc said:


> Brittany Ferries Barfleur Service is to be withdrawn in April due to costs. The loss of this service will leave just the high speed May to September service plus a ffreight ferry Cotenin.
> 
> They say they have been loosing money since 2003. Part of the problem as I see it is they are just too expensive. We wanted to go Poole - Cherbourg in October but the cost was £350 for MH + 2 people. I got a quote for next August, { now obviosly no longer applicable}, which was £550.A real shame as you can not beat coming into your home port.


Hi Rayc.
Can I ask where you saw this news item as I can't seem to locate it?

OK Gottit.........................
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/4812604.Barfleur_ferry_axed/

Ray.


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## Codfinger (Jan 11, 2008)

Well thats buggered that up  now I shall have to go via Pompey


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## Codfinger (Jan 11, 2008)

I've just had a look at their web site it seems the high speed service can take M/H,s but no more than 3mtr high and 6mtr long on the Poole cherbourg route. price for a June return crossing £400


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## blaine (May 1, 2005)

*Pool to Cherbourg ferry axed*

Here's us just booked Eurotunnel for the first time, as" He who obeys" [yeah!!] had a problem with tunnels and what happens...... 4 bl**** trains get stuck for 7 hours.

We travel on the 27th Dec lets hope the weather gets warmer and there are no leaves on the line and........

ps happy Christmas to you all


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