Poole/Jersey Condor Ferry Experiences. - A Jersey Consumer Council Survey. Festive Period 2015/16

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1 Poole/Jersey Condor Ferry Experiences - A Jersey Consumer Council Survey Festive Period 2015/16

2 Festive Period Poole/Jersey Ferry Experiences We would like to hear your opinions about the ferry services to and from the UK, over the festive period 2015/16. Your personal experiences - from booking to arrival - are important to us and could help to shape and improve the service in future.

3 Key Themes Customers do not feel valued Condor does not respond to problems quickly enough Sailings perceived as unreliable Frontline staff need greater support Customer trust is being undermined Timetabling needs addressing Better communication is needed

4 Customer Comments We have always found Condor staff to be extremely helpful and courteous, often in very trying conditions. This year has been difficult for them, but this has been down to extremely poor weather and a few instances of very bad luck. We will continue to support them going forward. The delays over Christmas were due to the weather for which Condor has no control. They did everything in their power to get us away, by putting on a ferry to take us to Guernsey. We travel often on Condor and have nothing but praise for what they try to do. The staff are brilliant.

5 Customer Comments Our return trip was 3 hours late! No information was provided while we sat and waited to board and for the ship to depart. On collecting our car on the ship at the end of our return journey, our car was COVERED in salty, sea water spray! This survey is inadequate as it relates only to the Festive period. What about the rest of the year when we have been subjected to the worst service in living memory?

6 Did you travel on the Poole/Jersey ferry service this Festive Period? (11th December 2015 to 11th January 2016)

7 Customer Comments..it would be highly advisable that, if you do cancel sailings at very short notice, you provide sufficient and adequate cover on the telephone lines. [This would give] persons travelling with Condor the opportunity to rearrange travel plans in an orderly manner [rather than us finding out] by , less than 24 hours [before we were due to sail] that our sailing had been changed and indeed [was sailing] from another port! You can only rely on Condor not to contact you about a cancellation or treat you like a valued customer. (sic) I am never quoted the same fare whenever I contact Condor re travelling to Jersey.

8 Was your OUTBOUND journey on time departing?

9 Customer Comments We ended up re-routing via St Malo to take a Brittany Ferries boat, that we knew would sail, to make sure we made it to the UK for Christmas! On this year s outward journey we were advised, part way through the crossing, that there would be an additional delay of 5 hours before we could dock in Jersey. Upon enquiry I was told this was due to the harbour gates in Jersey being closed at certain times and, being uncertain of the facts, had to accept this. We were given a sandwich, a bag of cardboard popcorn and a cup of tea to see us through the additional 5 hours on board. So all in all, not impressed and will certainly never make the mistake of booking on the Liberation again.

10 If your outbound sailing was delayed or rescheduled, were you advised prior to your journey?

11 Customer Comments My main concern is the reliably of the times of the boat. I have been delayed in excess of 24 hours on at least 3 occasion this year due to faults with this new ship. On previous trips the Club Class staff were extremely helpful. This time round we found a total change in attitude - [they] could not really be bothered..such a shame. Staff on board were lovely, but the customer services outside the ferry were horrendous. Very bad.

12 Was your RETURN sailing on time departing?

13 Customer Comments One fast ferry CANNOT replace two. There are no longer any day trips; sailing times are completely unsociable and unreliable. We can no longer plan and rely on our ferry service. We would be better served with two Clippers, running a daytime and an overnight service every day, with the vessels running faster than at present. I was so messed about by Condor on my last trip that I actually booked the vehicle on a pallet with Channel Island Lines! The service is simply unreliable - whilst staff do their best, their efforts cannot disguise Condor's dreadful service!

14 If your return sailing was delayed or rescheduled, were you advised prior to your journey?

15 Customer Comments When we arrived at Portsmouth we found the Clipper was delayed by 8 hours. This VITAL information was never passed on. We re-booked on the Liberation and dashed to Poole. The journey was quite rough and the staff were very attentive in Club Class, up until my wife produced the first sick bag. This continued with stewardesses ignoring us until we arrived at Guernsey. By then there were 4 sick bags on the table and they still ignored picking them up. Please be advised that we were unable to get through on the telephone lines provided on Thursday 31st December. After numerous attempts and hours of trying on the Condor telephone number provided of , we had no option but to make alternative travel arrangements.

16 Please rate the following statements regarding how well you think that any questions/experiences you had regarding your sailing were dealt with?

17 Please rate the following statements regarding how well you think that any questions/experiences you had regarding your sailing were dealt with?

18 Customer Comments Whilst Condor try to give information, the end result is that much disruption is caused. Following 5 days of wondering if we would make it to the UK for Christmas, we then had a cancelled service on return. If I had simply been told to transfer to the slow boat, then a lot of problems would have been avoided. I wish they would answer their phone! The emergency horn was sounded and only after several hoots [we were] counting them nervously - did the Captain come on the loudspeaker and say don t worry we are just testing the system!

19 I was originally booked from Poole to Jersey, but the service was cancelled because of forecast weather (nearly a week before sailing). I changed my booking to the Portsmouth service and this sailing was delayed by nearly three hours. Because of this we were unable to travel direct to Jersey, as we would have missed the tide. The crossing was rough and we were advised by the Captain to stay in our seats. I am 86 years old and did as the Captain advised so was unable to get a drink or meal whilst at sea. During the crossing no member of crew visited the Club Class lounge to see if anyone needed assistance. When we arrived in Guernsey the brasserie had been closed! All in all, I did not feel valued. Whilst I accept that my change of service was caused by weather, the new 'Liberation' vessel seems ill equipped to provide a robust and reliable service. Liberation has the same wave height limit of 3.5 meters as the previous fast ferries. I believe a wave height limit of 5.5 meters was promised, so the vessel has failed at the first hurdle! The vessel, I believe, is not able to get into Jersey if the wind speed exceeds 30 knots - a second failure at the next hurdle! I should have arrived in Jersey on the 22nd December at 17:30. I arrived alongside at 01:30 [on 23 rd ]. I really don't think I will use the ferry company again. Indeed, even though my son lives in Jersey, I'm not sure I will revisit the Island. My journey from Dorset to Jersey took 21hrs. This is disgraceful and unfortunately I do not believe you will be able to do anything to improve the service.

20 [Regarding my] re-scheduled return journey, I was contacted by text and by phone to ensure I was happy with the new arrangement. Condor staff are always very helpful under, what must be, very difficult circumstances for them. Condor try very hard to ensure that passengers are accommodated when they are forced to reschedule - as they did in my case. This was to be my 35th visit to Jersey on holiday - never had as many problems as have had with Condor!

21 My family has decided not to come for Christmas because the service provided is too unreliable! The poor performance is affecting lives more than any figure will tell you! The public address system is faulty on the ferry. I sat at the rear of the vessel and could not hear the announcement about the engine being shut down due to water in the gearbox. Nor could I hear what arrangements were being made re transfer to the Clipper at Guernsey. I had to ask other staff who told me the announcements cannot be heard at the rear of the vessel. This is dangerous. The public need to hear all announcements clearly. Not much can be done about weather conditions, scheduling could be improved...more Clipper sailings!

22 The sailing we booked was changed to a night sailing, scheduled for 19:05 22/12/2015. We were advised at 10:16 that the service would not be going until 02:00 23/12 - no reason given!! Next text at 23:18 advised we would be going at 03:00. We checked in at 0100 and were advised that we would be going at 02:50. We eventually boarded at 04:10 and left about 04:35 and even when on board we received no explanation or apologies for the delays. The only information received was that we would dock at noon. A total lack of care!! As a student that takes his car to the mainland, I use the Condor fast service around 8-10 times a year. Whilst the staff are clearly doing their best, it is blatantly apparent that management is alienating their entire clientele. Personally, since the introduction of the Liberation I have not experienced a single sailing without delays in excess of an hour.

23 Staff on the telephone line didn't have information that was readily available. Yet other passengers had screen shot texts with information on the delay from outbound visitors, which had not been given to those getting on the boat for the return journey! When quizzed, staff had no idea!! Having had seven crossings cancelled in the past 4 months I can only conclude Condor Ferries is not fit for purpose. When reasonable questions are asked of Condor staff they are either not answered or the answer is not the answer to the question asked! I have even had the phone slammed down on me, having been told I am a being awkward. As for trying to get refunds for cancelled services. I am five weeks in and still waiting..!

24 Conclusions Condor passengers are not feeling valued and are frustrated by unreliable sailings The situation is being compounded by a lack of communication by Condor, which appears to be failing to keep passengers informed Passengers feel that the Condor staff are doing their best in difficult circumstances JCC would like to support Condor and help to improve its service for Islanders

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