Brittany Ferries a leading French shipping company, is changing the way it displays the pricing on all its vessels.
The price displayed for all products, goods and services sold on board all its vessels from a cuppa of tea to products in onboard shops will be shown in “euro-only” from March 1st 2023.
This year the company must start to repay the multi-million euro loans that have carried them through the Covid crisis. Standardising currency on board is one of a number of steps that they say will improve efficiency while providing a more consistent service to all passengers.
Sterling will be accepted at what the company says will be “the daily rate quoted by the Banque de France”. But travellers who use credit and debit cards face the possibility of extra fees being applied by their bank.
The ferry company said:
“The euro will become our permanent reference on board from 1 March 2023. Travelling with Brittany Ferries should be an enjoyable European experience from the moment we say bienvenue to the moment we say au revoir. From 1 March 2023, the prices for all products and services sold on board all our ships will be displayed in euros only.. It will be no different to already being at your destination where you would be using the euro during your trip.”
For Britanny Ferries this is a cost-saving measure as exhibiting both euros and Stirling using a static rate has proven to be expensive and inconvenient especially as the value of the Sterling is volatile.
Brittany Ferries has a spin on this stating that the reason they have made this change is:
“Your next adventure into Europe starts and ends with our ferries. As you enter into holiday mode, Brittany Ferries wants its customers to feel as if they were in Cork, Paris or Madrid as soon as they step aboard our fleet.”
Around 85 per cent of passengers are British and those paying with a UK credit card should consider the fees applied by their card issuer for paying in euros or pound sterling.
The company says:
“If you choose to pay in pound sterling, bank charges may apply depending on the conditions of your bank. Brittany Ferries is not responsible for any such charges.”
The French shipping company sails from Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth to a range of French and Spanish ports.
1 comment
If 85% of passengers are British perhaps they should have standardised pricing based on Sterling rather than Euros