Ferry service changes a problem for visitors

Encouraged by Condor and a 20% discount, we began to book our crossing. We have since tried it a number of ways. Each way, the cost comes out £100 more than last year – £375 to £475.

It has been suggested that the increase is to cover compensation claims – if this is the case, poor management means customers must suffer more.

Whatever the need to increase, there is no justification for such a large increase – 27%. Surely this is a road to financial ruin for Condor, Guernsey tourism and Guernsey people who rely on a service from the mainland.

The 20% discount is not available for the dates we want – same ones every year (last week of July/first of August).

We are now considering what to do next – try to cancel our holiday booking and lose £300 deposit, bite the bullet but make this our last trip to Guernsey – or write to people who may be able to affect Condor's monopoly.

The service is not user- friendly, since they decided to manage with effectively one boat and go from Poole only – a longer crossing, one that is subject to delays and late arrivals. The timings are awful, too – 03.00 (be at Poole for 02.00) to arrive in Guernsey at 06.00 – everything closed upon arrival and booking in times for hotels is 16.00, a 10-hour wait. Or 14.30 in Poole and arrive in Guernsey at 17.30. By the time you've arrived at the hotel, unpacked a little, eaten, it would be time for bed – and a day wasted. Or there is Portsmouth, 09.00 depart (08.00 for loading up) and 16.00 arrive – a full day on the boat.

Each year we complete a questionnaire about our stay. We always say we enjoy the break, but that the ferry crossing is a disgrace in terms of cost, crossing times and tardiness. This opinion is shared with all/most holidaymakers to Guernsey.

Despite seeking opinion, nothing is done to prevent Condor monopolising the business. One need not point out that a cost of £475 for crossing and a typical £1,600 for accommodation – food and drink, entertainment etc. not included – would go a long way to many more attractive holidays. Bournemouth next year for us? Or a cruise?

GEOFF COLLARD,

Address withheld.

Editor's footnote: Helen Day, corporate communications manager, Condor Ferries, responds: 'I am disappointed that your reader is unhappy with our pricing but am unable to comment on the specifics in this letter because it is impossible to compare prices without knowing whether the party size is exactly the same, or whether travel is being booked for the same time of year.

All of our pricing is agreed in advance by the States of Guernsey and Jersey and we keep prices as low as possible, while also ensuring we are able to continually invest in our fleet.

Your reader refers to a recent 20% discount offer, which is a good example of the many promotions and offers that we provide to encourage visitors to Guernsey and which make travelling to the Channel Islands more cost-effective. These offers are available throughout the year but there are fewer available during peak times, which appears to have been when your reader was looking to book their travel.

We encourage feedback from our customers and use our customer surveys to help shape our services.

One element we have changed for 2016 is a reduction in early-morning departures from Poole because our customers have told us that they prefer to leave the UK at other times of day. However, to allow for double rotations during peak season and due to the Channel Island tidal restraints, there are still a small number of early-morning departures. On these days we also have an alternative afternoon departure, to provide our customers with more choice.

We will continue to review pricing and departure times and will always try to keep as many people as possible happy by offering a range of sailings with a variety of good value fares.'