Robbed in France. (1 Viewer)

[haganap]

Well after 20 years of going to France in cars cravans and campers it had to happen eventually. Nikki and I and the smaller haganaps were robbed.
What makes this worse is that we were robbed actually in the ferry port by English people.

Here's how the story goes so do bear with it. Also I have so much to say after 2 weeks away there might be a few moaning threads for a while so be prepared :Angry:.

So our robbery. I was sat in the Dordogne when it hit me that I have to go to work on Thursday this week to clear my desk and get ready for my new adventure in life, (holiday's make me so philosopical). It was then I realised that my ferry was booked for Wednesday morning at 10ish. I therefore got on my Iphone (see that Mr Shiftzz & Bazza D I said my iphone ) to get the information required to change my ferry. Easy, ferry I required was 0815 on Tuesday and this would cost £68. Having already paid near to that I thought as per normal I would have to pay a £10 administration fee and the normal difference in price making approx £18. I tried to log in and all that and to call but no reply so I thought I would just drive straight there and get it sorted when I got there.


We spent two wonderful days driving north having more great fun and eventually arrived at the port of Calais (busy) at about 8pm last night. I approached the ticket office and showed my ticket stating I wanted to change the ferry. The very strooppy big fat guy with the beard said, no the next available ferry is 04-15 tomorrow. I said thats fine but I wanted to change it to the 0800 ferry. He stated that this was possible but becasue p&o were busy he would do me a favour and only charge me £60. Bemused I then said so what ferrry can I have cheap? He replied that today P&O had decided that because they were now very busy they have hiked everything up and would not change any booking for less than £60. I explained that I had seen the ferry that I wanted only the day before at £68 and therefore would take that one instead, pay the full fair and then use my current booking in February instead when they were less busy and pay a £10 admin fee.

His answer was to tell me that because P&O were now busy the ferry that I had seen (although not full by a long way) was now to cost £286 single therefore making my suggestion an impossibility. I thought for a moment and then just thought, next time I walk in to ASDA if there is a q in the checkouts shop quick because they might just hike up the price as tehy are busy, its a comparison.

Anyhow, I have not travelled with P&O for probably 5 years because of a similar stunt they pulled before so should of known. Sea France have always said yeah change your ferrry and we charge £10 admin fee and whatever the additional would be AT THE TIME YOU BOOKED YOUR TICKET.

So in essence my camper friends, and I except some will not agree and that is your parogitive or course, I feel well and truly robbed and a letter to P&O will be on its way as soon as I have had enough sleep.

The good news is that we are home £60 lighter and had a great chat with some other MHs on the ferry port. another story to share on another thread.:thumb:

 

[dellwood33]

But were you gassed ?

 

[rainbow chasers]

What an 'English' welcome home you had!

If you had retained any of the French Influence during your travels - you would have turned you wagon into a blockade and caused traffic gridlock more than100 miles each end - crossed your arms, stuck your nose in the air for two weeks until they surrendered! We should be more like them.

But us English are far too tolerant for that.

A funster Welcome Home only costs £12 per year, and can be used as many times as you want.

Welcome home Haggers!:thumb:

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[Lynn ( Mrs Ash )]

Welcome home you lot you had me worried for a while i thought your motorhome had been broken into whilst you were up on Deck, i was relieved when i read you post to the end Still shame on you P&O robbing
see you all soon :thumb:

p.s we are away i November with all our friends from Swift , just a get together NOT a rally , would love it if you Nikki & the boys could join us , Mand has booked you in so we will ring you at some point with details and to see if you can make it :thumb:

 

[ourcampersbeentrashed]

Glad you are home safe and that nothing was stolen.

Write in a letter of complaint - you never know you might just get some of it back - if not all of it xxxxx

Good luck for thursday. I am sure it will be an emotional day

Will be thinking of you

Good luck with your course I know you will be successful xxxxxxx

 

[Griffs]

Hi Paul.

We travell across the water twice a year and always find sea france better allround,

and lets face it the sea france ferries are miles better than p&o.

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[JJ]

Welcome back to Blighty to the Haggers Gang...

.. I await the moaning posts eagarly...

JJ

 

[C.L.S]

We sailed back on Monday , I asked them if we could return on the Sunday No problem said P&O that will be £138 to amend as we are busy and its a bank holiday weekend and we know we can take the p#ss out of you:Angry:
We stayed till Monday , Paul shame we could,nt meet up this time.........may be next time mate.

Mark

 

[champers]

Sorry you both have been overcharged just because it was a "Bank Holiday" which seems very very unfair... IMHO as it was a holiday they should have said yes - Sir no charge, your family comes first.... but no they rip you off and charge you twice or treble the amount of the original booking fare....repeating ...very unfair

Kath

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[staging lady]

So relieved when I read your post. I thought at first you had actually been robbed. So I was glad to get to the end of your post but not happy with the treatment you received from the ferry company.

Firms should realise that loyalty must be appreciated in these days of cheap flights and staycations. A healthy profit is good, but ripping people off who are forced to travel at a fixed time is wrong.
Still good to know you are back home safe and you had a good time.
Lucille

 

[grumps147]

Must look up Sea France, as in recent years we have use norfolk line. Thanks for that tip.
I would love to be in the position to be really able to play some of these mega companies who have you over the barrel at their own game. But as a single Joe Bloggs I have no power.
None that is other than NEVER travelling with them and recommending others don't. Thats my 2 sons and their families, and a few other friends. So a possible a six vehicle boycott.
Not much, but its the only way I can think of to support all those affected in this thread.
Its a start, wonder if we can grow it??

 

[franbee]

It did just cross my mind whether it was actually the staff taking the p**s, and only putting the tenner in the till. No, surely not.

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[JockandRita]

Hi Nikki, Paul and family.

Glad to hear that you are all back safely

We are big fans of Norfolk Line, as they tend to play fair, even when travelling on a Bank Holiday.

See you all soon,

Jock & Rita.

 

[weekenders]

We booked our ferry this year with Norfolk line, cost us £52 return.
out return date was monday 12th July, but was missing our dog so came back a day early (11th july) we just arrived at Dunkirk, did'nt say a word and the lad just booked us in and we queued up and got a day earlier ferry and No charge, can't fault that!!

 

[haganap]

We booked our ferry this year with Norfolk line, cost us £52 return.
out return date was monday 12th July, but was missing our dog so came back a day early (11th july) we just arrived at Dunkirk, did'nt say a word and the lad just booked us in and we queued up and got a day earlier ferry and No charge, can't fault that!!

exactly what we have done with sea france for the past 20 years, the only time we ever had a problem was with P&O and yet we stioll booked with them for they were a tenner cheaper than sea france.

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[tommytli]

they must be on commision because the same happened to us, we still traveled the same day as we origanaly booked. we were booked for 21.30 but because the weather was so rough at calais we booked in earlier and they charged £60! our ferry only cost £50 return in the 1st place, as others have said when we did the same with seafrance its only £10 so i know whos getting my booking for our christmas crossing

 

[brodie]

Hi

We too returned on Monday evening at 23.15pm our ferry wasn't booked until 01.55am on Tuesday.

We rocked up at 22.00pm and was put straight onto the next ferry no questions asked (and it was packed BH Mon).

When I book the ferry I always book the cheapest option and then turn up when we are ready for off and usually get a crossing that would have cost alot more. They have never questioned us. :thumb:

 

[scotjimland]

Just out of interest I was reading Sea France's T&Cs and vehicle categories .. I never knew this ..

Owners of vehicles more than 3.5t cannot book a tourist crossing and must book their crossing through our freight reservations. For more information about freight travel, please visit SeaFrance Freight or telephone 01304 203 030.

Link Removed

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[haganap]

Hi

We too returned on Monday evening at 23.15pm our ferry wasn't booked until 01.55am on Tuesday.

We rocked up at 22.00pm and was put straight onto the next ferry no questions asked (and it was packed BH Mon).

When I book the ferry I always book the cheapest option and then turn up when we are ready for off and usually get a crossing that would have cost alot more. They have never questioned us. :thumb:

that's interesting and I could use this post in my letter. we too have always done this for the past 20 years. However I think our mistake this time was to actually go to the ticket office. Normally we just drive up to the check in but on this occasion the traffic was tailing back on to the motorway, hence why we thought we would check first,
what ferry company was that with?


Jim, I never knew that neither and being over 3.5t I wonder what it would do to the price if you rang and tried to book?

 

[scotjimland]

Jim, I never knew that neither and being over 3.5t I wonder what it would do to the price if you rang and tried to book?

give it a try ...

you need cheering up..............

 

[meanders]

We too returned home on Monday via eurotunnel, we arrived about 3 hours early and were given the option of 3 earlier crossings at no extra charge!! We have never had any problems travelling with them and are nearly always offered alternative crossings.

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[brodie]

that's interesting and I could use this post in my letter. we too have always done this for the past 20 years. However I think our mistake this time was to actually go to the ticket office. Normally we just drive up to the check in but on this occasion the traffic was tailing back on to the motorway, hence why we thought we would check first,
what ferry company was that with?


Jim, I never knew that neither and being over 3.5t I wonder what it would do to the price if you rang and tried to book?

It was with P & O, this is why we always use them and never any of the others. I think it depends on what experiences you have had. (the traffic was getting up onto the fly over bit when we arrived) We never go up to the ticket office for that reason - give em an inch.......,our friends do and they have always been charged extra but they are new to ferries so are a bit green! (not saying you are)

May be worth just putting it down to experience and not letting it taint the holiday?

 

[haganap]

It was with P & O, this is why we always use them and never any of the others. I think it depends on what experiences you have had. (the traffic was getting up onto the fly over bit when we arrived) We never go up to the ticket office for that reason - give em an inch.......,our friends do and they have always been charged extra but they are new to ferries so are a bit green!

May be worth just putting it down to experience and not letting it taint the holiday?

No chance, you went back for free, and I have done so for as said 20 years bar one time when I went with p&o ferries.
it will never taint the holiday I have had, but for me I will pursue it because its a rip off. actually starting by phone now

 

[brodie]

I wonder when we broke down and returned on the same day with a ticket booked for 3 weeks later if we had gone to the ticket office they would have charged us for change of ticket plus the cost of a tug on and tug off at the other end!

Makes you think sometimes you are better trying to beat the system?

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[Cavendish]

What a con!

We sailed with P&O a few years ago and didn't really like their return check in process. The queues were massive and we nearly didn't get on the ferry. oh: Matt said never again!

We too returned home on Monday via eurotunnel, we arrived about 3 hours early and were given the option of 3 earlier crossings at no extra charge!! We have never had any problems travelling with them and are nearly always offered alternative crossings.

We normally travel on via the tunnel and have always got onto an earlier train for no charge. We've paid a bit more this year because we booked late but fares normally start off at £120 return. I know £120 sounds alot but Eurotunnel are fairly flexible and it only takes 35 minutes.

I'd be interested to know how much Sea France generally charge for a return crossing during high season. And I wonder if being classed as freight is any cheaper???

 

[haganap]

I wonder when we broke down and returned on the same day with a ticket booked for 3 weeks later if we had gone to the ticket office they would have charged us for change of ticket plus the cost of a tug on and tug off at the other end!

Makes you think sometimes you are better trying to beat the system?

Ok Brodie, just got off the phone after a 34 min conversation. You obviously had a different ticket to mine, The man clearly stated and I know this as a fact that the toll booth has exactly the same system as the booking office. Or you got a very lazy man.

Anyhow they refused to help or refund but I kept my cool and held my ground. I informed them that I understood capitalism and how they have to make there money but the fact I could not get through to them was what peed me off as If iwas able too I would of not been charged the £60. I then informed that I was quite happy for the matter to be dropped and allow them that privielge and that thanks for the 20 years but I would now use the tunnel of sea france. I also informed that I was an addict of several motorhome forums and would post on them and allow the readers to make there own decision on what there customer services offer.
I am now to be the proud owner of a return to France in February for a skiing trip with no cost one way.
that's the power of the customer and competition so thank you p&o,


On another note Brodie, come over and see me at Lincoln or book in to come with the Funsters, I know you have a family and you may like a look around our van if its a family layout you want. Bev will also be there and Im sure will let you look around hers, so do come and find us and glad you also had a great time. :thumb:

 

[brodie]

Ok Brodie, just got off the phone after a 34 min conversation. You obviously had a different ticket to mine, The man clearly stated and I know this as a fact that the toll booth has exactly the same system as the booking office. Or you got a very lazy man.

Anyhow they refused to help or refund but I kept my cool and held my ground. I informed them that I understood capitalism and how they have to make there money but the fact I could not get through to them was what peed me off as If iwas able too I would of not been charged the £60. I then informed that I was quite happy for the matter to be dropped and allow them that privielge and that thanks for the 20 years but I would now use the tunnel of sea france. I also informed that I was an addict of several motorhome forums and would post on them and allow the readers to make there own decision on what there customer services offer.
I am now to be the proud owner of a return to France in February for a skiing trip with no cost one way.
that's the power of the customer and competition so thank you p&o,


On another note Brodie, come over and see me at Lincoln or book in to come with the Funsters, I know you have a family and you may like a look around our van if its a family layout you want. Bev will also be there and Im sure will let you look around hers, so do come and find us and glad you also had a great time. :thumb:

Brill, glad you got it sorted. I just can't be assed most of the time with all the aggro! You sound just like my hubby bet you would get on!!

We will try and get over to you at Lincoln we will be on our own so will have time to speak with no kids :thumb:, and it would be great to have a look around if thats ok. We will be in the car though so just coming for the day as the tax has just ran out on the MH and gonna get it done for the new owner.

Do you take yours skiing or do you go in the car?

Vik

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[pegasus]

Hi Paul, nice to hear you had a lovely time in France. (Initially I thought you have been robbed literarily).
I will agree with meanders and cavendish, eurotunnel is my choice too. I joined their frequent traveller scheme and is costing me £39 + £8 MH excess per leg. Not bad for a 35 min crossing but most importantly there is no charge if you change it as many times as you like; something I keep doing as I cannot make any plans in advance.

Hope to see you sooner than next years “bring and buy”. Any plans for skiing this winter? Me and Terry might be interested to tug along?

All the best
Christos

 

[haganap]

Hi Paul, nice to hear you had a lovely time in France. (Initially I thought you have been robbed literarily).
I will agree with meanders and cavendish, eurotunnel is my choice too. I joined their frequent traveller scheme and is costing me £39 + £8 MH excess per leg. Not bad for a 35 min crossing but most importantly there is no charge if you change it as many times as you like; something I keep doing as I cannot make any plans in advance.

Hope to see you sooner than next years “bring and buy”. Any plans for skiing this winter? Me and Terry might be interested to tug along?

All the best
Christos

Hi Christoph, yeah that sounds good,

We are planning a ski trip to the alps and have a few interested. We also though dependant on weather may be looking for a 4-5 days in Scotland between Easter and New year, if there is snow, then that would be a great little get to gether but depends on what others are up to.:thumb:

 

[ourcampersbeentrashed]

Well if they wont give you a refund why not publicly humiliate them

Send it into Watchdog

If enough motorhomers do the same - perhaps they can be named and shamed

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