France Ferry & Campsite info (use Search function) mod warning post 1

garden · 07-04-2021 6:23pm

I have gotten the following reply for IF re 2021 credit

Thank you for your email.

We note your request for extension of the travel credit held from your 2020 booking.

At this time, our sailing schedule for 2022 is not yet available. We hope to have this available later in the year.

The travel credit from the booking is valid until the end of 2021.

However, we must acknowledge that you have a high value 2020 credit of €x,xx . Please do revert to ourselves by end of 2021 if you have not used your credit. We will then favorably review your request for your extension of your credit into 2022 once again acknowledging the high value of your 2020 credit that you hold.

I'm hoping i can use my credit of approx 1k for next year. I'd certainly be peed off if they were using a loophole by saying we have till year end - like it wouldn't suit me to travel (if permitted) in Sept/Oct/nov/dec

SusanC10 · 07-04-2021 7:22pm

garden wrote: »

I have gotten the following reply for IF re 2021 credit

Thank you for your email.

We note your request for extension of the travel credit held from your 2020 booking.

At this time, our sailing schedule for 2022 is not yet available. We hope to have this available later in the year.

The travel credit from the booking is valid until the end of 2021.

However, we must acknowledge that you have a high value 2020 credit of €x,xx . Please do revert to ourselves by end of 2021 if you have not used your credit. We will then favorably review your request for your extension of your credit into 2022 once again acknowledging the high value of your 2020 credit that you hold.

I'm hoping i can use my credit of approx 1k for next year. I'd certainly be peed off if they were using a loophole by saying we have till year end - like it wouldn't suit me to travel (if permitted) in Sept/Oct/nov/dec

Thank you for posting this. I will email IF as like you, we would not be travelling later in 2021.

UDAWINNER · 10-04-2021 10:15pm

Gonna be very expensive with the MHQ in place

the_amazing_raisin · 11-04-2021 8:30am

NickTellis wrote: »

Just got the same response from IF, we've €1500 credit from last year on the line... and I'm sure there are a lot of people in a similar position.

I wonder could you head to the UK with the credit? They've much better progress with their vaccination program so more likely for things to be opened up

Assuming they're still letting the Paddy's touch their precious soil at that point

beggars_bush · 11-04-2021 9:42am

the_amazing_raisin wrote: »

I wonder could you head to the UK with the credit? They've much better progress with their vaccination program so more likely for things to be opened up

Assuming they're still letting the Paddy's touch their precious soil at that point

Cornwall will be very busy this summer

Baybay · 11-04-2021 9:52am

the_amazing_raisin wrote: »

I wonder could you head to the UK with the credit?

Assuming you’d want to go, the cost of some sailings to France, particularly high season, would probably mean you’d have to go at least a couple of times to use it all up.

the_amazing_raisin · 11-04-2021 1:30pm

Baybay wrote: »

Assuming you’d want to go, the cost of some sailings to France, particularly high season, would probably mean you’d have to go at least a couple of times to use it all up.

True, but probably better than watching the credit go down the drain

Drumpot · 16-04-2021 10:07am

What’s the feeling in here regarding France this summer? I’d written off my trip but it seems like maybe by end of July or August there could be reasonable opportunities to travel on the ferry.

We have to decide whether to payoff full balance in the next week for a trip booked for end of June. Given the fact some have suggested IF may not extend unused trips beyond this year I’m not sure what to do.

I could pay, then change ferry date if June trip is defo not happening. Try again in august. But if I pay fully and don’t get to use it this year could be throwing money away. Or I could decide now that end of June isn’t happening (prob isn’t to be fair) and move the boat to August (no accommodation booked) and hope that by the time I have to pay balance it’s much clearer on what we can do.

Only hesitation I have is that if adults have been vaccinated by June we should be able to travel. Of course the biggest threat is that a family member catches the virus while in Another country, that isn’t something Anybody wants. Red tape and delay in vaccine of course could delay common sense in terms of travel restrictions but it’s a tantalising carrot to consider.

I still feel like I prob Won’t be traveling outside Ireland this summer but was just wondering how others are approaching this.

Quazzie · 16-04-2021 11:14am

Drumpot wrote: »

What’s the feeling in here regarding France this summer? I’d written off my trip but it seems like maybe by end of July or August there could be reasonable opportunities to travel on the ferry.

We have to decide whether to payoff full balance in the next week for a trip booked for end of June. Given the fact some have suggested IF may not extend unused trips beyond this year I’m not sure what to do.

I could pay, then change ferry date if June trip is defo not happening. Try again in august. But if I pay fully and don’t get to use it this year could be throwing money away. Or I could decide now that end of June isn’t happening (prob isn’t to be fair) and move the boat to August (no accommodation booked) and hope that by the time I have to pay balance it’s much clearer on what we can do.

Only hesitation I have is that if adults have been vaccinated by June we should be able to travel. Of course the biggest threat is that a family member catches the virus while in Another country, that isn’t something Anybody wants. Red tape and delay in vaccine of course could delay common sense in terms of travel restrictions but it’s a tantalising carrot to consider.

I still feel like I prob Won’t be traveling outside Ireland this summer but was just wondering how others are approaching this.

We pulled the plug on France this summer and postponed unti 2022, but that was purely because we could without any financial loss (Ryanair refund and Eurocamp free to move to 2022). If I was losing money I would probably be considering a later trip like you currently are.

My personal feeling is that if you move to August you will just be in the same boat then. Not sure if a September/October trip is suitable for you but that's what I would've been looking at in the same boat.

SusanC10 · 16-04-2021 11:31am

One of our Campsites is not available this Summer with Eurocamp so took the opportunity to move to 2022. We were due to travel end of June but felt unlikely to happen.
We only had deposits paid with both Eurocamp and IF and we weren't going to pay any balances unless we were more sure of being able to travel.
We are in our mid-late 40s so not sure when we will be vaccinated plus we have kids who will be back to school by last week in August.

54and56 · 16-04-2021 12:19pm

Drumpot wrote: »

What’s the feeling in here regarding France this summer? I’d written off my trip but it seems like maybe by end of July or August there could be reasonable opportunities to travel on the ferry.

We have to decide whether to payoff full balance in the next week for a trip booked for end of June. Given the fact some have suggested IF may not extend unused trips beyond this year I’m not sure what to do.

I could pay, then change ferry date if June trip is defo not happening. Try again in august. But if I pay fully and don’t get to use it this year could be throwing money away. Or I could decide now that end of June isn’t happening (prob isn’t to be fair) and move the boat to August (no accommodation booked) and hope that by the time I have to pay balance it’s much clearer on what we can do.

Only hesitation I have is that if adults have been vaccinated by June we should be able to travel. Of course the biggest threat is that a family member catches the virus while in Another country, that isn’t something Anybody wants. Red tape and delay in vaccine of course could delay common sense in terms of travel restrictions but it’s a tantalising carrot to consider.

I still feel like I prob Won’t be traveling outside Ireland this summer but was just wondering how others are approaching this.

We're booked for start of July so similar timing to yourself.

Our position is if France lets us enter without a need to isolate / quarantine on arrival once we are vaccinated or in lieu of being vaccinated having a negative test 72 hours pre travel and we don't have to quarantine in a hotel on our return we're going to go.

Lot's of variables still in the mix but as my booking is using credit from a fully paid for trip postponed from last year (including the campsite being fully paid for) I don't have your dilemma of whether to lay out more cash now when things are still uncertain.

Jeffm587 · 16-04-2021 1:14pm

Drumpot wrote: »

What’s the feeling in here regarding France this summer? I’d written off my trip but it seems like maybe by end of July or August there could be reasonable opportunities to travel on the ferry.

We have to decide whether to payoff full balance in the next week for a trip booked for end of June. Given the fact some have suggested IF may not extend unused trips beyond this year I’m not sure what to do.

I could pay, then change ferry date if June trip is defo not happening. Try again in august. But if I pay fully and don’t get to use it this year could be throwing money away. Or I could decide now that end of June isn’t happening (prob isn’t to be fair) and move the boat to August (no accommodation booked) and hope that by the time I have to pay balance it’s much clearer on what we can do.

Only hesitation I have is that if adults have been vaccinated by June we should be able to travel. Of course the biggest threat is that a family member catches the virus while in Another country, that isn’t something Anybody wants. Red tape and delay in vaccine of course could delay common sense in terms of travel restrictions but it’s a tantalising carrot to consider.

I still feel like I prob Won’t be traveling outside Ireland this summer but was just wondering how others are approaching this.

Could you change the booking now into Sept whether or not you intend to travel then but that would give you some more time before having to pay the balance and if things become a little clearer in June / July say, then bring your booking forward or cancel depending on your circumstance ?

ellee · 16-04-2021 1:42pm

We're booked start of August. Balances not due until end of June. I feel things should be clearer by then so we are leaving bookings in place for now.

If we are vaccinated and there's no MHQ on return, we will certainly go. Mid 40s here. Feel if this 80% target by end of June actually happens there is a good enough chance we would be done by then. Happy to do PCR tests as an alternative though it is a significant extra cost.

I suppose it depends on your own personal sense of risk. I personally really regret caving to the pressure last summer and will definitely go if it is at all feasible.

Of course we need a passport to issue also :rolleyes: looking at the DFA tracking, it is ready to issue as soon as they starting printing them again.

So lot of ifs and maybes, not to mention hope!!!

Drumpot · 16-04-2021 1:43pm

Jeffm587 wrote: »

Could you change the booking now into Sept whether or not you intend to travel then but that would give you some more time before having to pay the balance and if things become a little clearer in June / July say, then bring your booking forward or cancel depending on your circumstance ?

Yeh, I was thinking about that , I suppose the issue is if you can’t get an earlier booking after pushing it out.

Peckham · 16-04-2021 1:48pm

We're similar. Booked for first two weeks of August, with vast majority covered by last year's credit notes/rebookings.

My concern is that we could end up relying on goodwill of campsites. We have two campsites booked and mostly paid for. In all likelihood they'll be open and operational to some degree (as they were last year for the domestic market). Let's say travel is possible but unattractive - e.g. Covid tests on arrival into/departure from France/Ireland - will they be as sympathetic as last year?

ellee · 16-04-2021 1:58pm

Well last year the government made a regulation about giving you a new contract for the same price to be used within 18 or a refund.

I suppose for bookings carried over, you are now entitled to a refund if you still cannot travel? For new bookings unless they do something similar you will be dependent on the T&C of your booking and the goodwill of the campsite.

https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000041755833/

Note I just put segments of the link into google translate.

Jeffm587 · 16-04-2021 4:00pm

Drumpot wrote: »

Yeh, I was thinking about that , I suppose the issue is if you can’t get an earlier booking after pushing it out.[/QUOTE

We were on the ferry in August last year when it was considerably easier to travel than I think it will be this August . All we had to do was the 14 day thing at home when we returned and nobody even checked up on us . The ferry was pretty much empty so I would imagine it will be similar this August and they will have capacity

MorganIRL · 16-04-2021 6:20pm

We're booked for the 1st 2 wks in August. We will both be vaccinated, but the family we go with a good chance they won't be vaccinated, the way things are going this will be a factor for us to go or not. We will wait till last possible moment to cancel. We have plan B booked with caravan for the same period.. I'm holding out hope for it to work out.. better half isn't...

NickTellis · 19-04-2021 8:33am

Update from IF. They have extended the full amount of our credit until the end of 2022 so that's a load off my mind as it was a significant amount of money. Looking forward to booking a trip for 2022...

SusanC10 · 19-04-2021 9:03am

NickTellis wrote: »

Update from IF. They have extended the full amount of our credit until the end of 2022 so that's a load off my mind as it was a significant amount of money. Looking forward to booking a trip for 2022...

Good news. Thanks for the update. Must give them a call.

yiddo59 · 19-04-2021 5:54pm

https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/EU-health-pass-People-can-start-thinking-about-Europe-summer-travel-says-EU-Commissioner

The European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, told BFMTV yesterday (April 18): “I seriously believe that we can start thinking about [summer travel], probably like last year in Europe. “It will be important to open the continent gradually, and to be able to go on holiday. Everyone must go to get vaccinated. As soon as you are called, go to get vaccinated.” He said that when it comes to “vaccination, the European Union is aiming for herd immunity by mid-July”.

Beanybabog · 19-04-2021 11:23pm

How will we have herd immunity by mid July if Ireland is only going to offer 80% of people a first dose by the end of June? Presumably other EU countries are similar given the vaccines are shared out on a population basis. Can we say we have herd immunity if a large % only have one dose?

54and56 · 20-04-2021 2:29pm

Beanybabog wrote: »

How will we have herd immunity by mid July if Ireland is only going to offer 80% of people a first dose by the end of June? Presumably other EU countries are similar given the vaccines are shared out on a population basis. Can we say we have herd immunity if a large % only have one dose?

I'm not expert but just like "full employment" doesn't mean zero unemployment (there's always +/- 3% of people who are "unemployable" or just want the Wayne & Waynetta lifestyle!!) herd immunity doesn't mean 100% of the population are vaccinated, according to the WHO it varies by disease / illness and there isn't a widely accepted target figure for Covid but seems likely to be a pretty high 80% / 95% which we're a long way off.

Secondly, not all Covid vaccines require two doses. Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca do but the newer J&J vaccine which Ireland is due to get 605,000 doses of by the end of June is a "one and done" vaccine which will hopefully speed things up.

I'm a glass half (99%) full type person

the_amazing_raisin · 20-04-2021 3:10pm

54and56 wrote: »

I'm not expert but just like "full employment" doesn't mean zero unemployment (there's always +/- 3% of people who are "unemployable" or just want the Wayne & Waynetta lifestyle!!) herd immunity doesn't mean 100% of the population are vaccinated, according to the WHO it varies by disease / illness and there isn't a widely accepted target figure for Covid but seems likely to be a pretty high 80% / 95% which we're a long way off.

Secondly, not all Covid vaccines require two doses. Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca do but the newer J&J vaccine which Ireland is due to get 605,000 doses of by the end of June is a "one and done" vaccine which will hopefully speed things up.

I'm a glass half (99%) full type person

If you look at the current rates of hospitalisation and death in Ireland, you can see that even 1 dose of the vaccine is having a positive result, even if the case numbers are staying fairly high

Presumably if the rest of Europe is maintaining the same progress with vaccinations they'll see the same results

So by that logic, I think once the vulnerable portions of the population are vaccinnated they'll be able to open up more. I doubt we'll be 100% open by summer, but if outdoors tourism & hospitality is open then it'll be a lot easier to have a holiday than now

Having said all that, I can't see myself booking a holiday until I've got at least a first dose and the quarantine restirctions for France get dropped

Drumpot · 21-04-2021 11:32am

NickTellis wrote: »

Update from IF. They have extended the full amount of our credit until the end of 2022 so that's a load off my mind as it was a significant amount of money. Looking forward to booking a trip for 2022...

I am due to pay balance of it this week, but will be postponing.

They have basically said if we want to push credit to next year we have to pay full balance and then cancel and they will allow credit into next year. . Did you get confirmation email confirming credit for next year ?

NickTellis · 21-04-2021 5:24pm

Drumpot wrote: »

I am due to pay balance of it this week, but will be postponing.

They have basically said if we want to push credit to next year we have to pay full balance and then cancel and they will allow credit into next year. . Did you get confirmation email confirming credit for next year ?

What I did was send a mail to customersupport explaining the situation and within 2 days they got back to me and cancelled this years booking and moved all credit from 2020 (plus booking fee for 2021) all to 2022.

If I log into my account, go to Manage my Booking and Discounts I can see the Cancellation Credits there with expiry dates
(Valid:

Outbound departures between

01-Jan-2020

and

31-Dec-2022.)

necstandards · 26-04-2021 3:45pm

Have to pay the remainder of our BF sailing next week. As there is no real direction from the government as to a likely situation come early July i asked BF if we could get our deposit back. Was told they will be sailing anyway and therefore if i cancelled i'd loose have of my deposit. Of course we can move the trip to later in the year (pending availability) or indeed to 2022. All very reasonable to be fair.
Making me think thou, so if the ship is sailing & if we are in level 4/5 could we still travel and wonder what "quarantine" we'd need to complete on return to Ringaskiddy?

Treviso · 26-04-2021 4:34pm

I'm leaving it to the last minute to decide on this years trip to France (due to sail over July 3rd). We've already seen the change in mood over the past couple of weeks in terms of overseas travel to the point where they are saying it'll be possible end of summer. I am confident that we'll get to travel once certain conditions are met

1. France is removed from MHQ - I can see that happening by end of May
2. 2k fine is removed - I'm not sure if the proposed increased fine from 500 euro to 2k was allowed to happen, heard conflicting reports on it
3. PCR tests are allowed - According to the European vaccine passport, you can travel if you're fully vaccinated (won't happen before July), had COVID (N/A) or have a negative PCR test (our only option). Whether the kids need a PCR test is another question

I'm normally a negative person, but am upbeat that we'll get to France on the 3rd. If not, will move our BF ferry to 2022 and try to discuss the option with our campsite.

Deeman83 · 28-04-2021 1:36pm

We are due to travel to France on IF on 30th June. We are booked in for 1st vaccine first week in may and the second dose is due in mid July (11wk later).

I am debating whether to postpone vaccine by a week or postpone France holiday until after the second dose.
It looks like France and mainland Europe will have much less restrictions by mid July so I might run with that.

Do you think the Vaccine cards will have much of an impact on travel inside the EU?

the_amazing_raisin · 28-04-2021 3:36pm

Deeman83 wrote: »

We are due to travel to France on IF on 30th June. We are booked in for 1st vaccine first week in may and the second dose is due in mid July (11wk later).

I am debating whether to postpone vaccine by a week or postpone France holiday until after the second dose.
It looks like France and mainland Europe will have much less restrictions by mid July so I might run with that.

Do you think the Vaccine cards will have much of an impact on travel inside the EU?

So far any vaccine passports that are under discussion are only for fully vaccinated people, so 2 doses

If it were me, I would postpone the holiday until I'm fully vaccinated to give myself the best chance at avoiding travel restrictions.

You might want to aim for several weeks afterwards as it will likely take a while to get whatever paperwork you need and it takes a while to reach maximum immunity

France Ferry & Campsite info (use Search function) mod warning post 1

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