I've been a great fan of theirs, but their number is up. The boat was arrested by the French last week due to unpaid bills, and rumours are that they also owed Port of Dover money.
Anyway, they are now in administration. www.speedferries.com/
Amongst other stuff, it says "The Administrators are currently exploring the option of selling the business as a going concern.". So maybe the 8 tickets I have still to use will get used. If it goes bust, the credit card company will stump up I suppose.
"Fight The Pirates" was their motto. They came along a while after I finished working at P&O in Dover. There is no doubt that channel crossing has become cheaper, whether it was Speedferries doing or other factors I don't know.
Edited by smokie on 26/11/2008 at 13:23
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I used them back in 2004 after seeing a recommendation on this site and probably crossed the channel 20 times with them; fast but thrown about a fair bit in rough seas. I fell out with them last year when I was 2 minutes late for "boarding" and refused. Fair enough, my fault, I'll go on the next one and if you don't hammer me I'll pay an admin charge - "sorry no can do, next boat full and the next one after that as well so come back tomorrow." Norfolk Line ever since and happy enough. We really like Boulogne so the extra time and drive is a drag. No doubt they brought about cheaper crossings and if someone buys them or if a French operator as mooted runs a Dover-Boulogne service I'll give them a go.
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Used them for the first time last year and it was a far better way of crossing.
Currently have 6 tickets as we were expecting to use them at least 3 times in the next year, looks like I will have to contact the credit card company to get the money back, can't really see anyone who might take it over honouring the flex tickets!!!!
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I used them about 3 years ago and it was so fast and fuss free. It's a big shame, an impressive craft too. It was more interesting than much of France.
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Alas these speedcats are now victims of the fuel price hike. They had a prodigeous thirst. Most operators were mothballing them or running them on reduced power.
For trips between the UK and northern france I always use the tunnel. Its convenience is unrivaled.
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>>>For trips between the UK and northern france I always use the tunnel. Its convenience is unrivaled.
As is its price :-(
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As is its price :-(
I buy 10 crossings a time at £39 a throw. Hardly extortionate for a family of 5, is it?
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That sounds pricey to me! I thought I paid a bit under £200 for my latest 10 crossings (or maybe you mean £39 return)
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convenience unrivaled - unless of course it is on fire, or closed for repairs after a fire (2 days last time) or reduced service for repairs (reduced service until February 2009 - 7 months after the last fire). Plus it is only £110 each way (or £199 if you want a flexible fare). Can't think why I don't use it more often.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 18/11/2008 at 18:51
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"speedcats are now victims of the fuel price hike."
Interesting point - but I wonder if it is the case? Private Eye has made the point in the last few issues that bus and train companies have used the "increase in fuel prices" as an excuse for raising fares BUT,
according to the Eye most bus companies negotiate "fixed price deals" at least 2 years in advance. In other words they are getting fuel now at the price two years ago. Being canny operators they will no doubt use the recent fall in prices to negotiate future deals - did Speedferries fail to do the same?
Being a cynic, I would also suggest that the big operators - Seafrance, Eurotunnel, Stena (or what ever they are called these days) - operate a cartel (secretly of course) to drive out other competitors. Loss of Speedferries will no doubt result in higher prices next year.
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pink fluffy dice. I have a booking for 27th December......luckily it uses the last of the ten crossings I bought last year. The big advantage of the hoverport at Dover was that it was so much easier than scrabbling around with millions of other people. I guess I will have to rebook quickly, as I doubt whether they will sort out the mess before then.
{Being a member since 2002, I'd have thought you'd have known about the no swearing policy by now!}
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 14/11/2008 at 10:15
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Interesting to see effect on other operators prices and whether the proposed re-intorduction of a conventional Dover - Boulogne service goes ahead.
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LD Lines are apparently setting up a new Dover Boulogne service. Don't know much about it, apparently will start July 2009. I guess they will be using a conventional ferry though. And the main benefit of Speedferries was on this side of the channel, although often Boulogne was closer to my destination (Le Mans!)
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LD lines website shows a four times daily single ship service using Norman Spirit - formerly POSL/Pride of Aquitaine. Capacity 700 cars and around 1800 pax.
Prefer the ferry to the tunnel. By the time you've checked in and fafed about loading - particularly with a high car/roofbox- it seems little quicker. Dislike being confined to the car for the crossing, much better to get a coffee and walk about on deck. And 180 mile/three hours out from home is about right for a proper break anyway.
Edited by Bromptonaut on 14/11/2008 at 10:43
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Hmmm, now found the LD Lines press release. www.ldlines.co.uk/news.html
"?In our first year of operation we expect to carry in the region of 120,000 lorries, 130,000 cars and 300,000 passengers..."
At 700 cars per crossing, that equates to 185 crossings, which at 8 a day (4 there, 4 back) - they'll have fulfilled thir plan in about 23 days! They must be planning for the boat to be pretty empty a lot of the time!! or, more likely, bigger profits...
Edited by smokie on 14/11/2008 at 11:13
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{Being a member since 2002 I'd have thought you'd have known about the no swearing policy by now!}
Apologies! Yes, I did know about the policy but heat of the moment & all that.
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Can't say I'm sorry. Much prefer to use the ferry.
I'm amazed the ferries didn't sue Speedferries either - "fight the pirates".
Common definition - "One who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without commission from a sovereign nation." i.e. an inferred accusation of an illegal act.
Looks like the authorities has done the job for them.
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@meltingsnowman "I'm amazed the ferries didn't sue Speedferries either - "fight the pirates".
Maybe you should research the history of that. There was even a BBC documentary about it. Disgusting. It included blocking berths to prevent ferries docking, spying, and hoax bomb scares. In response SpeedFerries liveried their ship with 'Fight the Pirates' on the side. It's the reason I would never again use the other ferry companies, so from now on, it looks like being the chunnel.
Edited by Hamsafar on 14/11/2008 at 22:03
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Can't verify (or understand!) the following, which a friend posted on another forum:
"It is possible LD Lines might be offering a deal for those who had pre-booked with Speedferries. They don't operate from Dover yet, their nearest current route is Newhaven-Dieppe, but they plan to start Dover-Boulogne in 2009.
This is what Pierre Gehanne, CEO of the company says, talking about the Speedferries demise:
"At this stage there is not much we can do about it, except maybe welcome the passengers who had some booking arrangements with SF and who are unable to travel time being. I believe it could be fair to offer them some very special crossing fares if they wish so.
This being said it is no secret that we have been in contact with Curt Stavis early July, at his request, when SF was meeting some difficulties and, at the time, we offered Curt to help him to continue SF?s operations until sumer 2009 when Speedone would have been replaced by a standard ferry able to carry freight and passengers. Unfortunately Curt could not finally agree to this proposal and we all know the end of the story."
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Speedferries have given up looking for a buyer and is yet another company to the wall. While their service wasn't top flight, they scored heavily with me on price and convenience. Shame.
www.speedferries.com/
I bought ten tickets earlier this year, six still valid. Glad I paid by credit card! :-)
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