Still no movement of SpeedFerries ship

FIVE days on since the Boulogne Port Authorities seized the SpeedFerries ship, SpeedOne, the message on the company website has not changed.

Despite contacting SpeedFerries, and receiving no reply, I've not been able to track down any information on what passengers with tickets for travel in the next few days, or who should have travelled recently, are expected to do.

People who have booked tickets with their credit card will have some protection as long as your purchase was valued between £100 and £3,000.

Those with travel insurance may also enjoy some protection, but it will be worth double checking the terms and conditions.

And the Boulogne Port Authorities seem determined to stick to their demands for payment of port dues and until an agreement is reached SpeedOne will remain 'immobilised'.

A message I received from P&O Ferries said that they have plenty of capacity at this time of year, while LD Lines, Sea France and EuroTunnel offer alternative means to cross the Channel.

If you are able to help other readers of the site with any advice or information please feel free to leave a comment below.

Update 13/11/08: SpeedFerries placed in administration

Comments

[John Hancock]

I went to the Speedferries gate at Boulogne sur mer on Sunday 9/11/08 having used Sea France to travel over on Saturday 8/11.The man at the chekin point looked up my booking using the reference number I gave him. The information shown indicated we had travelled from dover to Boulogne by Speedferries yet the boat had been impounded over twenty four hours before our departure time of 12.00 on Saturday 9/11/08.He made enquiries with a colleague and assured me i will get a full refund (£73). I wait with bated breath.

[Craig McGinty]

Thanks for that John, and I hope you get your money back. All the best, Craig

[Mike Youell]

Just wait with bated breath John, but don't hold it for too long, latest BBC news states that Speedferries are being taken to task by the dover authorities for a six figure sum owed for presumably harbour fees etc. Tunnel looks very attractive all of a sudden. You are not the only one I have 5 unused tickets, can't see much chance of getting that back.

[Craig McGinty]

Hi all, a little more information on the problems SpeedFerries has with Dover.

"DOVER Harbour Board is set to take legal action against embattled ferry firm SpeedFerries over a 'substantial' unpaid bill for use of the Western Docks."

http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/news/SpeedFerries-facing-legal-battle-Dover-Harbour-Board-debt/article-467915-detail/article.html

[Phillip Carr]

Sympathies with those whose hard-earned is caught up in this. I just want to mention Norfolk Line as being a good alternative if travelling on to northern France. I visit Lille each year for the "Salon des Vins" and find Norfolk Line convenient and cheap.

[Gina J]

I had a phone call in France (on the portable) on the evening of 8th November to let me know that the sailing on the following day was cancelled. The irony is that I had booked this a while back in case Eurotunnel had not sorted out the issues after the fire!! I think the pre-booked special deal tickets are a loss, sadly.

[chris greenway]

It looks like the big ferry companies have finally got what they want, Speedferries out of the way,it would be a miracle in this economic climate if they were able to raise the money to pay off their debts.Stand by for massive price rises.

[Neil Wilson]

Does this mean now a good cheap ferry company got it`s addition wrong, the bigger ones can get there multiplication correct. Higher prices here we come.

[john hall]

does this mean i lose around £200 for the advance vouchers or will it count as one transaction for my credit card

[Craig McGinty]

Hi John, is difficult to say at the moment because the company hasn't folded, but if it's one transaction that should be covered. Might be worth a call to your card company.
All the best, Craig

[Colin Stone]

I do not think advance tickets will be covered by credit card protection as each ticket is classed as an item and credit card protection only applies to items over £100.

[Mike Brennan]

When you buy, it is called a flex ticket on a single Voucher, so i would expect the value of that Voucher is what is relevant.

[Mike Youell]

Come on craig, start up a lets get our money back from speedferries action group, I'm sure there are many people out there who would wish to add their name. As they say united we stand, divided we ain't got a snowball in hells chance of seeing a penny

[Robert Hawkes]

I am in a similar position with unused tickets for Speedferries and naturally feel upset. But isn't it interesting that Boulogne are supporting a French Company (LG Line) in setting up a new Ro-Ro service to start next year? Could it be that Speedferries use of the port was hindering re-development of the docking facilities and had to be put out of the way? I do feel rather sorry for Speedferries, they gave a good service but David was no match for Goliath this time.

[Ian French]

Like Robert I feel sorry for Speedferries as they did give good service and value. I was caught in France by this highjacking and was charged 106 Euros by SeaFrance for a single return to Dover (P&O wanted even more) - my Speedferries voucher ticket was £26.
This has made me determined to support Speedferries in their fight so the least helpfull thing right now would be to rush to get our money back.
If you want to start an Action Group lets form a Supporters Club.

[Mike Youell]

Perhaps my request for an action group was a little flippant, however I would say that it is unbelievable that anyone who is in a position of being a creditor, would joyfully give up any monies they are owed. I do agree that speedferries did bring about a change in pricing policies, regarding cross channel travel, but the fact of the matter remains that there must have been a certain amount of mis-management. Everyone, myself included, surely agrees that £26 each way is far too cheap, I am not an accountant and I have never run a ferry service in my life, so those within the speedferries enclave must have seen the writing on the wall for some months, yet they still persisted on offering spot bookings for as little as £29. It is so easy to perform post mortems now, but the bit that really infuriates me is the fact that this demise was incurred by some idiot's idea of a fair tarif. To my mind they should have been concentrating on the fact that the crossing was fast,and, more convenient if you were initially traveling in a westerly direction once embarked in France. The likes of P&O can afford to drop their prices as they probably make more revenue from their on board facilities such as cafeterias and duty free, something again that speedferries could only dabble with. I would love to see them arise, phoenix like, from the situation they are now in, and I wish them all the luck in doing so, but I would suspect that if they do, there won't be much confidence to purchase season tickets, thereby damaging a possble cash flow advantage.

[Mike Youell]

Latest news from the BBC states that our friends are definately on the scrap heap. The interested parties have withdrawn their offers as the figures did not add up, so now the crew will be offered retraining, thanks to the MP for Dover, Mr Prosser. One wonders what they are to be retrained as, perhaps they could all be given jobs at Woolworths, who are on the market for the princely sum of £1. Then there's a thought, perhaps I could surrender my outstanding monies owed, and become the new owner, I don't think I could do any worse. Seriously, you have to have some compassion for the workers, even the one that called me a f-----g idiot, when I was unable to perform a handbrake turn in order to fit into my allocated parking space. It always comes just before christmas, and apart from the joking I do really have a degree of sympathy for those concerned. The other side of the coin, and apart from this issue is that Dover is being subjected to the same old British pastime of the lunatics taking over the asylum, as we are now witnessing the unions causing disruption. I am unable to recall, from my schooldays, the lesson that told me that the world owes you a living, these companies are there to make a profit and if that includes new working practice then unfortunately so be it, embrace it and make the most of it. The end result is that it will be us, the fare paying public, who will, once again pick up the bill. Perhaps it is time to start digging a few more tunnels, as I can't see much advantage in proposals for Dover-Le Havre, how long does that take, or even Dover-Boulougne, by conventional boat, I have tried the Tours -Stansted by Ryanair, and then hiring a car, that worked out very well, providing you don't need a few litres of Dulux magnolia vinyl silk. Will finish now as Eastenders is on, look forward to any comments.

[Pearson]

Seems well sorted now unfortunately with no White Knight riding over the horizon.

Pleased to say I had NO TROUBLE WHATSOEVER getting my voucher money back from Mastercard (JLFS).

No Euroferries (my scepticism seems appropriate), and as said earlier, all other sea options are relatively slow.

JFI: Used Eurostar a few years ago (Ashford-Disneyland-Poitiers) with a hire car at Poitiers just before SpeedFerries started - worked exceedingly well and cheaper then than a late booked ferry. Would recommend the Disneyland changeover for anyone who can cope with the once-a-day times.

[Craig McGinty]

Hi Pearson, glad to hear that you were able to get your money back.
All the best, Craig