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!!