Direct Ferries Refund Policy

[Falcon 269]

Hi all.

I posted a few weeks ago asking if anyone knew of a way to contact Direct Ferries (other than via their useless Contact Us link) regarding a ferry crossing from Roscoff to Plymouth in April which was cancelled due to CV-19 back in mid-March.

After several futile attempts to get a response, Direct Ferries finally broke radio silence today. They actually sent me two e-mails at the same time! Whoopeee!

The first said this:

Thank you for contacting Direct Ferries to request a cancellation to your booking DFP******8 with Brittany Ferries on 08/04/2020.

Given the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, we have adopted some temporary changes to our cancellation policy.

For cancelled bookings we are issuing a voucher equal to the value of the cancelled booking that can be redeemed against a future booking with Direct Ferries.

The second, also from Direct Ferries said:

Regarding your booking, the operator (Brittany Ferries) offers vouchers as an alternative; please let us know when you wish to travel, so we can activate the vouchers.

So, my first question - to Direct Ferries - was whose policy is it to only issue vouchers? Direct Ferries or Brittany Ferries? Sounds like they're trying to lay the responsibility on Brittany Ferries for a policy change that they themselves have implemented!

My second question - to you all, please - is am I right in thinking that I have statutory consumer rights that entitle me to a full refund on the cancelled crossing?

I don't want to accept vouchers unless I have absolutely no other option because I now only need to make a one-way crossing from Roscoff to Plymouth early in July. There will be a difference of about £150 between the one-way crossing price and the £390 I paid for the original return journey. Given how shambolic things have been with Direct Ferries so far, I have very little confidence that this balance would be transferred to another voucher redeemable for a future trip.

Does anyone have any advice to offer or practical experience of dealing with DF over refunds and vouchers arising out of CV-19 cancelled sailings?

Can anyone confirm that I would be within my legal rights to hold out for a full refund?

Many thanks.

 

[wiljoy]

I had the same problem with P&O and vouchers. Point blank refused and they sent a refund without any messages to inform me.

 

[abforfun]

We had a march booking santander to Portsmouth with Direct Ferries cancelled, for quite a while they insisted they could only offer a voucher and despite me saying this was not acceptable they would not give. On advise from someone on another site I emailed the top man at Brittany Ferries, Christophe Mathieu and a refund was authorised in days

 

[carolyn]

They might be sympathetic but if I remember rightly from your original post it was you who cancelled the crossing rather than them which was causing some of the airlines to play hardball re flights. Due to some recent backlash Holiday Extras are giving some customers refunds instead of vouchers but not all, likewise some holiday cottage rentals have become a bit more lenient. Certainly worth trying your luck.

 

[Falcon 269]

They might be sympathetic but if I remember rightly from your original post it was you who cancelled the crossing rather than them which was causing some of the airlines to play hardball re flights. Due to some recent backlash Holiday Extras are giving some customers refunds instead of vouchers but not all, likewise some holiday cottage rentals have become a bit more lenient. Certainly worth trying your luck.

Thanks for taking the time to respond but you're mistaken about the cancellation.

It was Direct Ferries who cancelled the booking as a result of Brittany Ferries ceasing all passenger ferry operations at that time.

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[carolyn]

Thanks for taking the time to respond but you're mistaken about the cancellation.

It was Direct Ferries who cancelled the booking as a result of Brittany Ferries ceasing all passenger ferry operations at that time.

sorry about that, in that case I would definitely hold out for cash. I think a lot of companies hoped people would accept vouchers to help with cash flow but legally if they cancel I think they have to give you a cash refund. We had the same with Qatar. They offered us vouchers to the value of our flight plus 10% which was tempting but they were nontransferable. I emailed them and said if they were transferable and could be part of my estate in the event of my death that would have been acceptable but as they weren’t I wanted cash ! I got the cash but obviously just the value of our cancelled tickets.

 

[Emmit]

Direct Ferries are trying it on, (with your money).
Respond to that email with an immediate demand for return of the money.

 

[Falcon 269]

sorry about that, in that case I would definitely hold out for cash. I think a lot of companies hoped people would accept vouchers to help with cash flow but legally if they cancel I think they have to give you a cash refund. We had the same with Qatar. They offered us vouchers to the value of our flight plus 10% which was tempting but they were nontransferable. I emailed them and said if they were transferable and could be part of my estate in the event of my death that would have been acceptable but as they weren’t I wanted cash ! I got the cash but obviously just the value of our cancelled tickets.

No worries. Thanks for confirming my thoughts that I should hold out for a cash (well, credit card) refund. I'm glad you got what you wanted from Qatar Airways, too.

Thanks to everyone who replied yesterday. Much appreciated. I've written back to DF advising them that I wish to exercise my statutory consumer rights to a full refund, not vouchers, and have given them 7 working days to comply. I doubt they'll process it in that time but at least they know that I'm not leaving it open-ended.

I'll report back in due course.

 

[chaser]

Try getting anything off Ryanair

 

[Falcon 269]

Try getting anything off Ryanair

Quite! Lots of friends having never-ending problems with rolling cancellations and no refunds.

What irks about DF is that our crossing was one of the first affected by CV-19 but we're now 3 months on since receiving the cancellation notice and still waiting.

I feel for those who were booked on ferries in May and June, because they'll be lucky to see action by Xmas at this rate.

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[Catchic]

Wait does that mean I can retrospectively change the terms to every contract I've entered into?
interesting.....

 

[The Wino]

Wait does that mean I can retrospectively change the terms to every contract I've entered into?
interesting.....

Don't really get your point. Do you mean direct ferries are trying to alter the contract or the op?. As I see it the op is entitled to a refund but not additional compensation as the cancellation was not due to a fault of the ferry company. Imagine the cost for the companies if they were liable for compensation like that airlines have to pay for delays.

 

[Catchic]

Don't really get your point. Do you mean direct ferries are trying to alter the contract or the op?. As I see it the op is entitled to a refund but not additional compensation as the cancellation was not due to a fault of the ferry company. Imagine the cost for the companies if they were liable for compensation like that airlines have to pay for delays.

I was referring to the company changing their cancellation terms retrospectively.

 

[chaser]

I was referring to the company changing their cancellation terms retrospectively.

I have actually got a screenshot off Ryanair's own app to say the flight was cancelled and to claim a refund but they now say the flight was changed not cancelled.