Condor,never again.

[Gastines]

Whilst I can appreciate that Condor can't control the height of the waves,I do find it a bit annoying that the staff seem unable to give out correct arrival times. Fortunately I am only 10 minutes from the port but I feel sorry for people picking up guests or family with a long drive either way. I phoned the port about 6.00pm to see how things were,"There might be a delay but we expect it on time"? Confused?  At 7.00 they said time expected 20.45. It arrived at 21.45 with a lot of very cheesed off passengers at both ends. One small boy was very sick on the foyer floor between the seating area and the boarding check in. Although it was pointed out to the staff , the 3 soldiers and the 2 check-in staff found it very amusing when passengers walked, slid or pulled their suitcases through it. Even though I pointed out that less laughter and a clear-up would be a good idea,no attempt was made to clear it up and apparently no sand or mop and bucket was available. Very disappointing and a first black mark as I usually find staff at ports quite helpful.Thank goodness for the Barfleur even if it does mean a drive to Cherbourg and back.

Regards.

[Richard T]

[quote user="Gastines"]Whilst I can appreciate that Condor can't control the height of the waves,I do find it a bit annoying that the staff seem unable to give out correct arrival times.[/quote]

I don't think this is limited to Condor. It seems endemic in the travel industry as a whole that when things start to go wrong the information given out is always to make the travel company look as good as possible.

For example I travelled from Dover to Boulogne on Speed Ferries recently. Normally they're excellent but bad weather earlier in the day had led to a knock on effect so each subsequent crossing was delayed. Now you would think that with their years of experience they would be able to judge pretty accurately the effect that any particular weather condition would have on their departure and arrival times but apparently not as they initially announced that the ferry would be half an hour late leaving even when to the untrained eye it was already clear that they wouldn't be able to load all the vehicles in time for it to be only half an hour late. In the event the ferry arrived at Boulogne an hour and a half later than the scheduled time.

Of course the captain apologised for the "slight delay" and trusted that we hadn't been inconvenienced so that made it all right.

In my experience of years of travelling by boats and trains and planes it has become clear to me that whatever delay is initially announced by the transport company is always a gross underestimation. Never believe a word of what they say and always double the estimated delay!

Richard T

[Callie]

I have never understood why these travel organisations can't get it into their heads that it isn't the delay we mind, it's the lack of information.  If they took the time to explain "the waves are high so we have to slow down for safety" or whatever, they wouldn't have such frustrated customers.  We're not idiots !