Brittany Ferries Introducing New Tickets

[DBK]

I started to make a booking on Brittany Ferries this morning but after entering in my preferred dates it said because my outward journey was before 22 April 2020 and the return was after this date I had to book the trips as two separate one way journeys. So I booked the outward journey for early April and everything was as it usually is on the BF site. Then as I made the booking for the return in June it became clear why I was having to do this as two journey. It is because on 22 April BF are introducing new ticket types, Economy, Standard and Flexi. The difference between the tickets is quite significant. For example when booking an Economy ticket they take the full fare straight away. with Standard they take 50% and on the Flexi it is 25%. There are also a big difference between what amendments you can make to the ticket and the cost of changes between the different types of ticket.

For my booking the difference in cost between the tickets wasn't too great. The Economy was £152, the Standard £160 and the Flexi £172. As it was for a return trip and things may have to change due to something unforeseen such as illness or whatever I bought the Flexi ticket.

For anyone not familiar with BF this new Flexi ticket is more or less what we enjoy now. The Economy and Standard tickets represent a reduction in advantages.

Details on the link below:

Brittany Ferries

www.brittany-ferries.co.uk

 

[Riverbankannie]

As you can amend your return, if you have bought economy, for £20 then you might as well only pay that if needed? You would save a bit on cancellation fees but unlikely you would want to completely cancel a return only make an amendment.
or am I missing something ?

 

[f6c]

Yes its a pain in the backside!

 

[DBK]

I've just checked on the price difference these changes introduce. Booking a one-way trip Plymouth to Roscoff for us is £151 on 21 April. On 23 April the prices are:

Economy £151
Standard £158
Flexi £165

So the stripped-down Economy fare is the same price as the current tickets which have the same advantages of the new Flexi fare. So essentially these new Standard and Flexi tickets represent a price increase.

 

[DBK]

As you can amend your return, if you have bought economy, for £20 then you might as well only pay that if needed? You would save a bit on cancellation fees but unlikely you would want to completely cancel a return only make an amendment.
or am I missing something ?

No, I think you are right. The price difference is about the same as the cost for making an amendment. But having to pay the full fare up front is a bit steep if you were booking say 6 months ahead.

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[Riverbankannie]

I think I’ll stick to my shared frequent traveller on the tunnel, I do like to book very last minute and we’ve got used to the journey to Folkestone now. Living where you do though, I can see why it’s an advantage to get straight on the ferry.

 

[gus-lopez]

but unlikely you would want to completely cancel a return only make an amendment.
or am I missing something ?

You would think that wouldn't you ? I only use flexi both ways with DFDS due to the fact that I can turn up 3 days either side of my booked crossing without any problems. Fortunately I do that as last year the outward to Uk had to be cancelled due to the van dying in France & having booked the return on 28th August I had to cancel completely on the 4th when the wife required further treatment. Cannot complain either as it is full refunds with no deductions for admin or anything else

 

[2657]

I booked my next crossing for May a while ago and noticed the new structure, didn't realise that it only started in April.

It may be a price increase of sorts but the free flexibility of BF bookings was too good to last and the economy is still at the very least comparable to other operators and probably better.

 

[mikebeaches]

All this is interesting stuff.

From my perspective, this is all in addition to deposit arrangements the company changed last year (or possibly the one before).

Used to be a flat £40 on booking. On that basis, I was happy to make a reservation far ahead - perhaps almost a year - so would book as soon as tickets released. My thinking, whilst not wanting to waste forty quid, it wasn't too serious if an unexpected event forced a complete change of plans.

But then the non-refundable deposit was increased to 25%, which on a return to Spain with a decent cabin was a significant amount.

And now these latest changes...

Like Riverbank Annie, we've got used to driving to Folkestone. Complete flexibility with a frequent traveller account. Hey-ho...

 

[DBK]

All this is interesting stuff.

From my perspective, this is all in addition to deposit arrangements the company changed last year (or possibly the one before).

Used to be a flat £40 on booking. On that basis, I was happy to make a reservation far ahead - perhaps almost a year - so would book as soon as tickets released. My thinking, whilst not wanting to waste forty quid, it wasn't too serious if an unexpected event forced a complete change of plans.

But then the non-refundable deposit was increased to 25%, which on a return to Spain with a decent cabin was a significant amount.

And now these latest changes...

Like Riverbank Annie, we've got used to driving to Folkestone. Complete flexibility with a frequent traveller account. Hey-ho...

I noticed the increased last year too, they are also I think taking the balance earlier. I'm sure they used take it a month or so before the trip, now its two months. So for my sailing in mid-April they are taking the balance mid-February.

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[mikebeaches]

I noticed the increased last year too, they are also I think taking the balance earlier. I'm sure they used take it a month or so before the trip, now its two months. So for my sailing in mid-April they are taking the balance mid-February.

I put a like on your post, but not to indicate my approval of the fact the final balance is collected earlier!

I've got a hazy recollection it might have been 6 weeks, up until perhaps last year?

What ever, I know they want full payment earlier than previously...

 

[Steve N Tracy]

When I booked our trip for June this year I picked the flexi ticket £8.00 dearer then last year's ticket price same time, it did not seem to be a unreasonable increase.