# portsmouth bilbao cancelled ferry.



## Andythebuilder (Apr 29, 2012)

Hi all, i just had a text from brittany ferries cancelling our Tuesday's crossing from portsmouth to bilbao due to bad weather, we only booked it 4 month's ago and was just starting to get excited!.
We have now re booked it for Sunday the 27th, any one else in the same boat ?,
Pardon the pun.
Andy the builder


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Cancelled*

Hello Andy,

Not had any cancellation due to weather.

This saga made us fall out with Brittany Ferries

But in Fairness, I think you might prefer to delay your trip / or find an alternative. Cap Finistere does not seem to cope to well with rough seas. Something the Bay of Biscay is good at. If you have one of the Commodore Luxury cabins at the front, even worse.

We have been across the North Sea to Norway with DFDS in a force 10. Not nice and they should have cancelled really.

Hope you have a good trip.

TM


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

If you think that was rough, on a ferry with stabilisers, try a half the size, flat bottomed freighter when the trucks have broken the tie down chains and are banging together  Not a pretty sight


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*boat*



Grath said:


> If you think that was rough, on a ferry with stabilisers, try a half the size, flat bottomed freighter when the trucks have broken the tie down chains and are banging together  Not a pretty sight


What flat bottomed freighter and date would that be then please Grath?

TM


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Seems it a bit odd! The next 24 hours look to be pretty rough in the western channel and Bay of Biscay but after that calming down considerably. The Met Office forecast for Tuesday/Wednesday doesn't look to be anything out of the ordinary, still, if Brittany Ferries have cancelled there isn't anything you can do!!! Bad luck-hope it all works out for you.....Bon Voyage

Caulkhead


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

*Re: boat*



teemyob said:


> Grath said:
> 
> 
> > If you think that was rough, on a ferry with stabilisers, try a half the size, flat bottomed freighter when the trucks have broken the tie down chains and are banging together  Not a pretty sight
> ...


Brittany Ferries Normandie Shipper, a long time ago.
I think a similar thing happened on the old Duke de Normandie. Don't confuse this with the much larger Normandie.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

caulkhead said:


> Seems it a bit odd! The next 24 hours look to be pretty rough in the western channel and Bay of Biscay but after that calming down considerably. The Met Office forecast for Tuesday/Wednesday doesn't look to be anything out of the ordinary, still, if Brittany Ferries have cancelled there isn't anything you can do!!! Bad luck-hope it all works out for you.....Bon Voyage
> 
> Caulkhead


It could be that the ferry is stuck in Spain and won't get back here in time to do the run - whatever the weather.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*beat*



Stanner said:


> caulkhead said:
> 
> 
> > Seems it a bit odd! The next 24 hours look to be pretty rough in the western channel and Bay of Biscay but after that calming down considerably. The Met Office forecast for Tuesday/Wednesday doesn't look to be anything out of the ordinary, still, if Brittany Ferries have cancelled there isn't anything you can do!!! Bad luck-hope it all works out for you.....Bon Voyage
> ...


Beat me to it!


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Just looked on the B/F website and the problem is the outward sailing from Bilbao on Monday. This would be slap bang in the middle of Storm Force 10 winds in the BoB. Obviously if the Cap Finistere cant sail from Bilbao on Monday, then it cant be in Pompey on Tuesday for the return crossing.....

Caulkhead


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## Andythebuilder (Apr 29, 2012)

Hi caulkhead ,
i also looked at the weather forcasts for the coming week and thought the same thing, you don't think that brittany ferries are using the bad weather As an excuse to cancel a partially booked up crossing?
I bet it would not be the first time,especially having first hand experience with their so called "customer service "


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Hi Stanner and Temmyob,

You both beat me to it- I dont type as fast as I used to :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*busted cap*

Cap Finistere had a broken stabiliser just after we sailed on it (or her?). Last october.

More here


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Hi Andy,

I doubt even B/F would do that. I have been on sailings to Santander on the Pont Aven which made me think I was on a ghost ship, there were so few passengers on board. The bad weather in the BoB on Monday seems the most likely explanation.

Caulkhead


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

You could end up with a trip like this.


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## Andythebuilder (Apr 29, 2012)

We just found out that our new booking has been "upgraded " to a 4 berth room for our inconvenience , will come in handy as there is still only 2 of us travelling ! : 8O


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*twos company*

were already booked on the ferry after putting off our 15th Jan sailing due to a meeting. its a better time as well ;arriving mid afternoon so you can have a lay in

see you on the slipway


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## Andythebuilder (Apr 29, 2012)

Hi andyandsue,
We will see you then weather permitting , we have a roller team 41


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

Andythebuilder said:


> We just found out that our new booking has been "upgraded " to a 4 berth room for our inconvenience , will come in handy as there is still only 2 of us travelling ! : 8O


But the cabin is much bigger and you can fold up some bunks so you can actually move around in it. And you can both have bottom bunks if you like!


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## Andythebuilder (Apr 29, 2012)

That is still not much of an upgrade as Mrs builder looks forward to going on top


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

I would contact them and thank them for their kind offer but point out that an extra 2 bunks is not much of an upgrade as they are of no real use.
Then ask if it might be possible to have an upgrade to a better double cabin instead?


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

Or ask for some free food, say breakfast for example as a freebie?


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## Andythebuilder (Apr 29, 2012)

*portsmouth bilbao cancelled ferry update*

Hi all, 
A quick note to say Mrs builder has been studying form on the weather front for the next week, according to the international shipping weather forecast next weekend's weather around the bay of biscay is worse.
We have now re booked again to get on Thursday's crossing ,to our surprise we were automatically given an outside 4 berth cabin with tv.
As my wife is cheeky she asked if there was anything extra on offer for our inconvenience to which came the reply only a voucher for breakfasts ! :lol: 
RESULT 

Any one else on this crossing?

Cheers 
Andythebuilder

admin note - merged into original thread


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*panic buying!!!!*

The Mem is panic buying travel sickness pills now!!!!

Ill stick to another bottle of red wine

Can,t wait to get out of the UK as ive only been back in Europe for a few weeks over Christmas and ive not been impressed by the weather!!

Esp as i put back my sailing right into this snow

now hanging around campsites in UK till roads are ok


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## Andythebuilder (Apr 29, 2012)

We are now panicking about getting to portsmouth we live in the middle of nowhere in cheshire and have just woken to 4" of snow and it is showing no signs of stopping  with our luck at the moment, If we set off now we might make it to the end of the country lanes leading to the main road by Thursday .


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

We are booked on the LD Lines, St Nazaire to Gijon for Wednesday night, looking at the various forecasts I can find it appears that it will be rough (only about 5 ish metre swell 8O ). 
No idea how good the boat is, although I believe it to be a freighter with passenger accomodation.


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*Re-scheduled again AHHHHHHHH!*

re-shedulded again to the Portsmouth- santander crossing 17th feb
anyone else on this crossing ?

sue and andrew


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

sue and andrew, was that them or you?


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*delay*

us eurojohn

had to delay as weve been offered summer work on a campsite and need to attend a training course

never mind it will be worth it in the end


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## 1neil (Jan 28, 2012)

Hi Sue & Andrew,

We won't be far behind you, booked on the Portsmouth- santander crossing Tue 19th feb. 
Keeping our fingers crossed for good weather  

I hope I don't have to move the booking due to bad weather, but I suppose it's to be expected at this time of year. 
We have never been this far round on a ferry, been round to St Marlo in June and it was really calm.

Neil


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*moving booking onlineeeasy*

moving your booking online is easy and free.....if its the same cost and within 6 days of travel...not bad service in this "ryan air style service times"

you pay £25 if its sooner


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## 1neil (Jan 28, 2012)

Ok thanks, lets's hope the weathers kind to us and we get away on time.....


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