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I quite agree with what Dotty says in principle, but it's not that simple.
All the ferry companies have different pricing structures. As far as passenger fares go, LD Lines, or rather its UK handling/booking agent (incidentally the same people who are starting a France-Channel islands ferry service themselves under the HD Ferries name) started off with a simpler, but still expensive, version of the P&O fares which previously operated on the same route. This was obviously not sustainable because people could get a far better service for similar money on competing routes. So LD Lines set its own 'special offer' fares to get bums on seats, and built up a following, particularly among those who frequently complain about the competition being too dear. This was a learning curve for LD Lines, because although it is a big shipping company, and operates freight ferries jointly to Italy, this was its first venture into passenger carrying.
LD Lines pricing has evolved into a sort of Ryanair type model, where if you are a normal couple or family group travelling with a normal car, staying away for one or two weeks, and book early, you can get cheap fares. Book late, take a van, even travel on foot, and it can be a different story.
Yes, I have travelled on LD Lines several times. But because I travel very regularly and tend to book within about 10 days or less of my travelling dates (or even on the day of travel) for short-duration trips, often as a foot passenger, I invariably find I can get a better deal overall with Brittany Ferries. Particularly as the latter offers a far greater choice of times and routes.
That's not to decry LD Lines, it is a perfectly good service, run competently and safely. I don't personally consider that the ship is particularly comfortable or well-arranged, or that the facilities and catering are as good as most (not all) of the Brittany Ferries ships. That's just my view, others think differently and I respect their opinions.
From running one ship on one route, LD Lines is now operating three vessels on three routes, between four ports. This is quite an expansion, and I can understand why there has been some consolidation of fares etc. There certainly were some anomalies which have been sorted out. I will definitely be trying the new Newhaven-Le Havre route soon.
One big difference between Ryanair and LD Lines is the attitude of senior management. LD Lines' CEO, Pierre Gehanne, is a regular user of the Anglo Info Normandy forum, and a lot of what the company has done on its original passenger route has been based on discussion there with the users. Mr Gehanne is currently coming in for some stick over pricing on the Newhaven-Dieppe service.
So I suggest that if any user has comments about LD Lines they should be directed to the actual company (not the ship or port staff, many of whom are contractors from other companies), and they will certainly be listened to.
Will
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http://www.vienormande.com
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