URGENT - AT Ferry to Bilbao - Cancelled 25/01 to 27/04

[MikeP]

P&O Ferries renews Pride of Bilbao charter

Date: 17 Jan 2007

Source: Lloyds List

P&O Ferries has renewed its charter of the Pride of Bilbao for a further three years, ending doubts about the future of the UK operator's well established Portsmouth-Bilbao service, writes Mike Hood .

The renewed charter with owner Irish Continental Group for the 1986-built vessel runs from October 2007 and is believed to have been secured at 20% less than the previous agreement.

The 37,583 gt ferry has been on charter to P&O Ferries since 1993. It was built originally as the Olympia for Viking Lines' service in the Baltic between Sweden and Finland.

Recently she has suffered a series of problems, both mechanical and operational, but has continued to be popular with both passengers and freight operators.

Last year the vessel suffered main engine problems. It also saw the arrival of a competitor on the Portsmouth-Bilbao route in the shape of Spain's Acciona Trasmediterranea, with the 2001-built, 26,916 gt Fortuny.

While the Spanish line has made inroads into the freight business between the UK and northern Spain, P&O Ferries has maintained its reputation of providing the best service for passengers, both foot and car based.

 

[Angela_5076436]

This is rather worrying news.

We are booked through the Caravan Club to use Acconia ferry to go to Bilbao at the end of April.

Today in Coach and Busweek there has been a report about the cessation of the Acciona route

P&O Ferries has moved quickly to reassure operators on the future of its Portsmouth to Bilbao route following the shock ending of Acciona Transmediterraneas service on the same route and recent specualtion as to the future of the P&Os Pride of Bilbao ferry ..........

P&O has also acted quickly to look after stranded Transmed customers , stuck in Spain, after the Spanish operator withdrew services on the Portsmouth -Bilbao route. The company is reported to be doing all it can to assist.

Has anyone yet heard anything from any travel company they have used to book with Acciona ?

 

[BeemerMal]

Angela...all I heard is what I posted on this thread. Aferry, my booking agent, managed our booking change to P&O very well (we go out in early March and return End of May) so I cannot complain.

As far as we know AT Ferries have not made any positive statements other than an all encompassing "operational reasons" and they don't plan to start the route again until May.

If you go on to any of the booking agent sites they won't allow any booking before May but after 1st May they will accept bookings! My concern is that by saying very little AT Ferries are just promoting more concern amongst those who have booked later in the year!

If you can, I suggest you get a refund and re-book with P&O.

 

[Clive-Cardiff]

Hi All,

My son has been trying for the last few days to either re-book our crosing from Bilboa,or arange a refund.

It seems that as we booked through AT direct there is no way to contact them. They quote a phone number on their website that will only get you through to Southern Ferries who act as their agents.

We came up with 2 other numbers - 1st not in use! 2nd has an operator who only speaks Spanish and hung up on me.

As a last resort I rang Red Pennant for assistance and they have sorted out the refund and an alternative booking with P&O for 2 days after our origional sailing.

I'm not sure of any credit card charges from AT with the origional booking but I dont think there were any, Have to check.

In the meantime well done Caravan Club and thank heavens I took out Red Pennant