Cancelled ferry compensation

RRansom

Hello,

We had a return ferry booked from corsica to France mainland on 4th July 2014 with the company SNCM, a Corsican (ie french) owned company. They had workers striking that day (and actually for a week at least around that day) and so our ferry was cancelled. We were left stranded in corsica with no clear confirmation whether our ferry was leaving or not in the end, a refunded ferry cost which was done on the day, and a 10 month old baby. We were also due to be catching a Eurotunnel from Calais two days later needing to drive through France with the baby to get there! We were lucky finding a replacement company "La Meridionnale" that were putting on a replacement ferry to accomodate the stranded passengers, but it left extremely late and arrived at a different time that which we were told (several hours earlier) and a different port. It was all a bit ransom and extremely difficult with our little one.

While we were refunded our original ticket immediately and automatically, we were left with additional costs as a result of the cancelled ferry: including a couple restaurant meals and a hotel room as the most major costs, not to mention the stress.

We emailed the ferry company we were originally supposed to travel with asking for compensation and citing the European Union law n°1177/2010 of 18/12/2012, but they told us that strikes by their workers were considered extraordinary circumstances according to chapter 17 L.334/3 of the law on sea passengers applicable since 18/12/2012.

Does anyone have any advice on how to get our compensation and costs back with this case? I used the advice from moneysavingexpert with Easyjet on a recent claim for a delayed flight and am expecting €500 back. It would be great if I can get an equally favourable response from SNCM, but don't know the laws and techniques around it.

Thanks very much in advance.

Kind regards
Raphaelle

LilElvis

Claim against your travel insurance?

societys_child

Don't forget to mention the baby.

FiremanDave

Did you book everything together from the one travel agent or individually to get the best price?

dzug1

Strikes are listed in the EU regs for air travel as an example of extraordinary circumstances. I would imagine those for sea travel are similar. I don't think it is specified who has to be on strike.
In this case I believe the strike was aimed at the French government rather than the company so scarcely within their control
So I don't think you are entitled to any compensation other than a refund of fare which I think you have had. You were entitled to be looked after during the delay but making your own arrangements puts paid to that


But ICBW


Your insurance company as said may pay (normally a flat rate per 12 hours or day or whatever) 'compensation' for the delay. But you may be too late to claim.

RRansom

Many thanks indeed all for the information

Raphaelle