November 4, 2008
We don't sail with Sea France!
We no longer use this grossly incompetant and always unreliable ferry crossing company for our regular Dover-Calais crossings..
On a recent 'Pals' Pilgrimage to the Somme, we made the unfortunate error of booking with 'Sea France' Dover- Calais and reverse, for the second time in one month.
On the outward journey, we were delayed by 1. hour 30 minutes, the ‘predictable’ excuse being given as ‘gales in the channel.’ On the return leg on Thursday 23 October we duly arrived at Calais Docks at 4pm to catch the 5pm ferry and were told that ‘Due to gales in the channel’ the crossing would be delayed until 6.30pm. We were then kept waiting on the Quayside at Calais, when the Sea France reps told us we were delayed until 7.30pm. Then 8.30pm. We eventually sailed at 9pm. A delay of five hours. This is unacceptable and is the second time in one month this has happened. We noticed that P & O Ferries sailed as normal. There were no gales in the channel.
The short of all this is, that Sea France will not sail until there is enough cars to go on the Ferry and then it is packed. They cancel the previous sailings until it is financially viable to sail with a full load. Not only is this a shabby trick from a shabby company, they are totally incompetent and are sublime liars, as only the French can be. We will never use them again. Not only are they dishonest, the Ferries are filthy and the service extremely poor. The crews are surly and lazy and give appalling service. The whole useless lot should be sacked from the lousy management down and the company rolled up. The Channel would be a better place without this lot!
Learn from our mistakes! Do not use Sea France. Sail with P&O!!
Filed under Channel Ferries by Rick Lomas
Comments on We don't sail with Sea France! »
Hello Jon,
I understand that SeaFrance are upset by your comments about the dreadful service on their dowdy boats.
I can only comment on my own experiences of them, when I would MUCH rather sail P&O (or anyone else!) than endure the bleak experience of SeaFrance's rather grubby offerings. They have hardly moved with the times, and seem still stuck in the old BritishRail mentality (I believe they were once owned by BritishRail). The contrast with the bright, clean service offered by P&O is remarkable, considering that they are competing with P&O.
Me? I'd rather travel P&O any day.
Anyone who'd like a cowboy outfit for Christmas could settle for SeaFrance…
I sailed with P & O in mid September and had a 150 minute wait on the Calais quayside. The reason (not excuse) given was that the Channel Tunnel fire had increased ferry traffic to such a degree that it had caught them unawares. Thus delaying incoming ferries and the obvious knock-on that creates. They have subsequently adjusted their timetable to accommodate this increase in business.
Although I was annoyed at the delay, the ferry and staff were their usual helpful, happy self and very apologetic for the delays.
The last time I sailed with Sea France (Oct 2006) will be the last time. The crew were sullen and unhelpful and the food in the restaurant was not of the standard I get when on P & O.
Perhaps Sea France were not as quick to respond to the fire situation - which doesn't surprise me.
I live in The French Alps but I am from the UK and my mum and dad are still alive and well in Stoke-on-Trent. So we have to go backwards and forwards a few times a year so they can see us and their grandaughter.
Our main focus is 'convenient times' v 'price'. This DID used to be Sea France, but they lost all credibility when I turned up at Calais one night and asked to buy a ticket and they wanted to charge 350€ for a single trip. We drove up to the tunnel and they wanted 550€!
Ever since this episode we have referred to Sea France as 'Turpin's Ferrys'.
We haven't used P&O, but we LOVE SpeedFerries and Norfolk Line. The compromise here is SpeedFerries are cheap and fast, Norfolk Line have much more sociable sailing times, still at the sub-twenty quid level!
will never use them again.the only good thing is that if you have any drink on your coach you will drink it all befor you get on the ferry. use p&o. Terry Wilson.