More delays on the way for Condor
Tuesday 31st August 2010, 2:58PM BST.
Repairs are to be made to the Commodore Goodwill (above), while the Commodore Clipper will undergo a refit
THERE will be more delays to Condor Ferries’ services as two more vessels are to be taken out of the water.
Freight may be held in port for up to a day as the shipping company carries out repairs on Commodore Goodwill over the coming weeks. And Commodore Clipper, which carries passengers as well as freight, will undergo a refit.
A series of delays over the summer has affected passengers travelling onboard a number of Condor services. All three of Condor’s fast ferries have experienced some form of engine problem over the past month.
A delayed service from Poole last night meant that the ferry arrived into Jersey at the same time as a service from France.
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That’s what happens when you have a virtual monopoly – service is always the first casualty.
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The dry docking of the Goodwill and Clipper have been scheduled for the whole of this year so why is it made to sound like they accidental unplanned disruptions to the service. A charter ship is replacing the schedule ship to carry on with the service.
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Just one question for the powers that be at Condor,, Why did the Clipper not have its refit when it was out of action in June due to the fire?
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We arrived at St Malo on Sunday at 4.30 pm for the 5.30 ferry, we waited and waited and not one condor ferry employee bothered to come and inform passengers of the delay or in fact the reason for delay. With four young children in the car (obviously getting bored) we eventually got to Jersey after around a three hour delay. Shame Condor do not feel they should keep their customers informed or do they not care as they are the only company we can use?
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I agree with # 2 – this is a complete non story – I noticed earlier in the year when making a booking for September that the Clipper was not on the schedule and guessed correctly that it was going into dry dock.
With a replacement ship on charter, perhaps #1 could clarify his remarks, because I don’t understand what he is trying to say !
As for my booking next month, my return fare for 4 days in the UK with my car was only £190 – Very good value I think !
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well my boat was 4hours.24minutes late leaving jersey from its original booking of 18.15……..i’ll let you know if i get my half fare…..dont hold out too much hope the girl in the info office on board had NOidea what i was talking about
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They can,t seem to get nothing right here.
We seem to have to put up with third rate services with flights and sailings among other services-doubt if they,d get away with it anywhere else.
Why didn’t they get in stena line when they had the chance to?????
Why did they let them take over the french route and we lost emeraude?????????
Why are they not paying compensation to passengers for delays?????????????
Why don,t the powers to be just tell them to sling their hook and get in a decent company????????????
A boat in the morning,if your lucky!
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“18 years” of engine failiures! how in the hell can anyone justify that sort of record.
I had to wait two and a half hours to get on board an already delayed boat waiting to travel to St Malo the other week.
To make matters worse,whilst on holiday we recieved a text message a week in advance stating that the boat would be delayed due to technical difficulties.
Why does Jersey allow this crap? year in and year out.Trapped like rabbits in a hutch just wanting to escape & at the mercy of a fourth rate company that charges the eath and wipes its feet on ordinary folk.
Wake up Jersey and get it sorted! its the 21st century for gods sake!!!!
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Come back HD…
we were able to reach France before breakfast, fit in a long sporting day (or weekend), return to St Malo for the 9pm sailing, then be back in schools and offices ON TIME on a Monday morning.
French sporting events are so welcoming to Jersey competitors it would be good to have a later Sunday return…
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bella (7) A boat in the morning, if your lucky!
You are too simplistic. Condor run two services; fast ferry and slow RoRo. The fierce completion to St Malo route was fast ferry and I was no fan of Condor; however, the Portsmouth route is RoRo and freight, where the competition is a very active Huelin Renouf.
So fear not Bella! IF YOU MUST TO LEAVE JERSEY IN THE MORNING; put your car on the Condor fast ferry; or, put your freight on a conventional freighter, there is plenty of capacity. Or should I look forward to your future BLOGS?
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Condor may be having some bad luck as far as engine failure is concerned, even a brand new Rolls Royce sometimes break down.
But in their defence as a caring company, 2 years ago due to bereavement I had to cancel a return to UK for a car and 4 passengers, Condor refunded the full amount I had paid, even though I only gave them 12 hours notice.
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Best be a bit carefull about shouting Get rid of them.
We did that with JMT and ended up with Conex!
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Bring in some competition! I have recently paid £255 for two people and a car to go to France for a couple of days and feel totally ripped off but it’s either that or no holiday this year.
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Never really had a problem with Condor – the odd delay of an hour or two here or there but they always get you there and home.
The fact is that running an intensive summer schedule simply doesn’t allow for time to put the fast ferries in dock when there is an engine issue.
And as for #3′s helpful suggestion that when they repaired the fire they should have added a refit….this isn’t a car you know, change the oil, check the brakes!
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Look it isn’t a States owned operation, it is owned by an Australian Bank (Macquarie), and they have managed it very well. Face it, the people of Jersey don’t support the competition so why do you expect they will stay. The hilarious thing is, whenever competition starts up in the ferry services, Condor drop their fares (because they are compeltley cashed up) and they outlast any competitors cash, thereby forcing them out of business. When it comes to the crunch, Jersey people buy tickets not to keep the competition, but to save short term money.
Accordingly you save fifteen or twenty quid bo booking with Condor when competitors are here, but after they get forced out, you pay more.
So don’t whinge about it – you Jersey lot caused this!
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Truthseeker, Jersey lot did not cause this, years ago when the Jersey to Weymouth\Poole route was up for tender Guernsey voted to maintain loyalty to Condor, even although P.O.Stena were cheaper.They are a proper reliable company unlike what we have now!
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Is this just Condor cutting its fuel bill as it did last year
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Never really had a problem with Condor. People seem to moan all the time about them but, being in the marine trade myself, I can understand the problems behind keeping something like the Clipper / Vitesse going.
I know “that’s their job” but you can’t forsee the future and they have no control over the weather. These ferries operate in some pretty testing conditions throughout the year and yes they may be late sometimes (and customer service is a seperate issue) but on the whole I think they do a good job.
We had a competitor, they couldn’t hack the pace. They went under (no pun intended).
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funny when hd ferries had engine problems condor shouted it from roof tops not shouting to loud now are they at least hd gave refund !
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(10)Mark
can,t make out if your being sarcastic or not,however will give you the benefit of the doubt.
The boat I,m referring to is the one we are told to take in the morning if we don,t agree/like the “Jersey way”
A lot of the problems with condor is the boats they use can,t cope with turbulent weather,so are therefore unsuitable for the routes.
I have used the boat 5 times in the last 3 years and 4 times they have had to turn off an engine which delayed us for nearly 2 hours.
I went to UK in april and and had problems with engine then at the start of the season!
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#18 FlyMaybe, so far all my trips have been on time, not so sure about the weather they sail in though. We sailed to St Malo in an F3/4 and were told by a crew member that it was “really rough” and if it got any closer to an F5 they wouldn’t sail! Unfortunately I had a mouthful of hot chocolate at the time that was spat out with the resulting laughter. An F5 is nothing and I can’t believe they would struggle to sail in one. If they really do then maybe some different boats are required.
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Bring back the Caesarea and Sarnia !
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To Leah;
The difference between these conditions, when you consider the tides and swell, can be remarkable. I know it might seem laughable but trust me around the Minquiers and between Guernsey and Alderney (particularly the latter) can be massive. It might have seemed laughable at the time, and the boat might not have been very turbulent, but the fact of the matter is that the captain has to consider many number of factors. The passengers would be the first to complain if it kicked up and the sea conditions deteriorated. Which, as a skipper myself, you have to consider.
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Perhaps people should also comment on their new winter sailing schedule. If you wish to take a weekend break to France you either leave on a Saturday morning, therfore wastng part of the weekend or you have to go on a Friday afternoon boat and take extra time off work NO EVENING SAILINGS for the winter on Condors limited service no price reduction either.
However it does quote a day return to France a car and two passengers £89.00 all your paying for is a maximum of 5 hours in France
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(22)Agree
They could cope with any weather and got you there on time.
I still prefer to go by boat to avoid the hassle at the airports.
If only we had a few more routes and companies to choose from more people would sail.
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keep slagging condor,,, I was unfortunate to be on the Clipper when it caught fire and the crew on board and the team ashore could not have done more to make sure we had what we wanted and needed including getting me back to jersey on the day i wanted on an already full boatand i was treated like royalty,,, will you get that service from the lkes of HD (heavily dented) ferries?
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#23 Please note I was only commenting because I have sailed hundreds of times on ferries that can deal with much worse conditions. I know health and safety has tried to step in there also but they still sail in up to an F8 and cope. That’s why I wonder if they shouldn’t have different types of ferries (non-cat maybe) in place for worse weather?
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#23 Should have said, being from a family of mariners (some Captains) I love nothing better than sailing in a good storm, and for the most part I see other passengers enjoying it also (save for the occasional seasick person). I totally get that the Captain has to think of his passengers but he shouldn’t have passengers silly enough to think anyone can control the weather.
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bella (20) Mark can,t make out if your being sarcastic or not,however will give you the benefit of the doubt.
Bella the ThisIsJersey post was with regard to the two conventional RoRo ferries. As a local of many years I can assure you the conventional ferries rarely fail you. A bit slow but your arrival is assured.
Like Leah Holmes (27 &2
I have travelled scores of time in anything up to F10; great fun watching the faint hearted learn the meaning of being an islander, the hard way.
Not sarcastic, just realistic.
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I appreciate this may be the wrong forum but it relates to the same marmite company. Condor have decided to change their sailing times on the Winter timetable based on public feedback to allow passengers “more daylight hours available for their onward travel beyond St.Malo.” I applaud this willing to listen to the public and willingness to change however who are the changes really going to benefit? The departure time on Fridays was 6pm and now are planned for 4pm which therefore means getting to the harbour before or at 3pm to be checked in with a car. As far as I can see it only benefits those out of work and those rich enough to afford the certain loss of holidays or pay as a result of leaving work early just to travel. Families with children will now have to negotiate with schools to take their children out early all because someone wants to more daylight hours in France, there has to be a balance and I would suggest the majority of passengers are going to suffer from these changes so if it ain’t broke….
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Mick 26
One incident lead you to be treated like royalty. I used to travel HD regulary, on my own with my daughter and I was pregnant with my second child HD could not of been more helpful! On one occasion the boat was delayed for over an hour leaving St Malo and my daughter fell asleep in the car, HD staff picked her up for me and carried her up to the cabin and ensured she and I were happy with our seats, when we got to Jersey the same crew member came back to us and carried her back to my car, that is called customer service, and it didnt take a fire to get it!
People complained about HD Ferries and alot of the complaints were actioned by Condor I personally had no problem with them. I travelled Condor recently and asked for space on the right hand side of my car so that i could open the door to get my child out of the car seat, could get her out, but not a chance in hell of getting her or myself back in until the other vehicle they parked next to me moved.
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What is the Jersey Competition Regulator doing about this Monopoly of a Company.
We need a competitor on these lifeline routes – if Jersey Post and Jersey Telecoms have had to compete with other Companies then why not Condor?
Are there perhaps very lucrative vested interests in Condor?
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(mark 29)
Fair enough I meant the last line of your post as I get a fair bit of criticism for my outspoken posts.
Apologies.
I too have travelled in gales over the years,the last time was horrendous,we were not allowed to leave seats even to go to the loo.
Plates were flying and smashing everywhere most people were sick,and a 4-5 journey turned into nearly 7 hours.
(32)
your last line spot on!
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Leah,
Yeah fair point. The other thing I should have mentioned is the difference between conditions in port and out amongst it, particularly St Malo as with a southerly / southwesterly it’s incredibly sheltered but get halfway to the minquiers….! Though if it was only a 5 then that is odd, I’ve taken my 16fter to France in a steady 4!!
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#34 Now that’s the way to travel
Shame you can’t fit a car on board.
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